Please advice!

arj_singh1976,

I like the PhD in Norway not so much for the PhD as for the Norway aspect, which will give you some interesting cross-cultural/international material to help you stand out. Given your common "Indian Technology Male" demographic, improving the GMAT might be helpful if you feel you could do it without too much trouble.

The downside of the PhD is that it means you are not accumulating professional/leadership experience, so you will want to make the most of your current student forum leadership. I think MIT is probably a decent choice, given your background, but it will probably be a borderline long-shot. Given your interest in consulting, European schools make sense given that they send a higher percentage of their MBAs into consulting compared to U.S. schools. So London makes sense, perhaps also IESE and Rotterdam. Among U.S. schools, consider Carnegie Mellon, Emory, and Georgetown.

Good luck,

Thanks a ton Paul for advice. I am hopeful that I can improve on my GMAT score by around 30-40 point. But beyond that it would require a lot of effort. Do you think 720-730 would have a distinct advantage over 690?

Thanks

Yes, a 720-730 would move you from the borderline competitive category to the definitely competitive category.

Good luck,

Thanks a lot Paul for your advice. Best Wishes

Hi Paul, Some more specific questions and I am providing more information.

In my first post, I forgot to mention that I acheived 690 in GMAT in my second attempt. First attempt 640 ( Q 49, V 28, AWA 4.5) Second attempt 690 ( Q 49, V 35, AWA 4.5). I have read one of your answer on someone else profile evaluation that taking GMAT more than 3 time is not recommended as it can be perceived negatively. In my case I have shown a improvement of 50 points on my second attempt.Do you think that taking GMAT once more will hurt my application even if I score let say 730 OR can consistent improvement(if I can show 30-40 point in my 3rd attempt) in my score strengthen my application?

Beside this I am providing key points through which I will try to demonstrate my leadership and community service in my application

Leadership:
1) Led a project having 4 team member during my work at GE
2) President of Indian Student Forum at my current Univeristy
3) Vice-Captain of University of Volleyball team during my Undergrad

Community service:
1) During my work at GE, I was a member of ELFUN, GE's social branch. Actively participated in all events esp to help and educate deaf children
2) Generated money for Tsunami vicitms by organizing Indian film fesitval at my current University. Still continue to do this, and send money to CRY for children education.

I plan to take admission in 2008 and by then I will be 32.

Based on current profile( 690 GMAT) and the age, which schools will be sure bet for me? You have mentioned MIT as a borderline school for me as of now but I suppose that in the schools you have recommended in US and Europe including LBS, I stand a decent chance?

Thanks
Best Regards
Arjun

Thanks
Best Regards

Arjun,

Taking the GMAT more than 3 times is what schools frown on, so up to 3 times is OK, especially if the third time increases your score by more than 20 points. Even with the higher GMAT and the additional leadership items you mentioned, my concern remains (a) convincing schools why at 31 you now need an MBA after earning a PhD and (b) showing the schools that you have gained the same amount of leadership experience that they would expect to see in a 31-year-old in the workworld. So given these concerns if you want me to name schools that are a "sure bet" I would tend to look further down the list than I might otherwise want to for someone with your expected GMAT. "Sure bet" schools -- i.e., safety schools -- for you might include Florida Warrington, California Davis, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Rochester, Georgetown, Purdue, Iowa, etc. These are all schools where I would expect you to be admitted even with the concerns I raised.

Good luck,

Thanks a lot Paul for your candid answer and assessment. I will be in touch with you again after taking my GMAT.

Best wishes

You're welcome.

Hi Paul, I have got a new GMAT score of 720 ( 49 Q, 38 Q, AWA 4.5) as I have expected. Now I have been thinking of following schools( want to do MBA in consulting)
- LBS
- Oxford
- Cambridge
- INSEAD
- MIT
- Stern
-NUS, Singapore

Do you think that I stand a good chance at one or more of these schools? Thanks!

arjsingh1976,

Congratulations on your 720. I think you have an excellent chance at NUS, Singapore; a good chance at Oxford, Cambridge; a decent chance at MIT, Stern; and a slightly less than decent chance at LBS and INSEAD.

Good luck,

Thanks a lot Paul for everything!

You're welcome.