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You have great credentials overall except your GMAT, which luckily you have time to improve. The other area that you may or may not have is leadership, which you didn't touch on, but you'll want to develop over the next 12 months to build an all around application since your extra curricular activities are strong.

Contact us after your next GMAT and we'll put you in the right direction!

Love to hear your thoughts...

I'm a little older than it seems most mba students are - I'll be 31 next fall... I prefer to be on the west coast or in the northeast, but mainly I want to pursue Real Estate Development instead of continuing my current job in construction management.

My stats:
GMAT - 730
GPA - 2.9
UnderGrad - Vanderbilt University
Work Experience - 7 yrs, including project management
Good recommendations

What should be my safeties, probables and reaches?

Thanks!

Hi readeyjh,

Your GPA is not the strongest, but you sure make up for it with a solid GMAT score. There are plenty of good graduate schools on the West Coast. Other than preparing you to be a real estate developer, what are some more specifics you want out of your business school experience?

Besides real estate development prep, I'd list the following as my priorities:
- collaborative atmosphere
- strong alumni network
- strong reputation/high placement stats

Taking down this post.

Hoping4Best,

Regarding the R2 applications you submitted, your GMAT score is either at the upper or lower end of the average GMAT score for accepted students. This means that the schools are within your reach, but based on what you have mentioned, your main challenge is to differentiate yourself from the applicant pool. Because you come from an IT background, you must have an essay to show leadership and uniqueness of your experiences.

Feel free to fill out a Profile Evaluation and I can help you sort through the applications with as much confidence as possible. Just use this link: https://ivyappsuccess.com/services/aproe

Best of luck,

Thank you Skymann. I understand your point that I really need to distinguish myself from the huge pool. And I will underline that in my mind while writing my essays.

I have filled out the profile evaluation form. Looking forard to some feedback/tips on that. Thank you!

edited. sry

Hi ThomasD,

A lack of work experience is considered a weakness to most adcoms because you won't have the ability to relate curriculum to personal experiences within an organization, or you won't bring as much to the table as other students who can share pertinent real world examples. Whereas an undergraduate degree may have been more theoretical, an MBA is experiential, and is intended to recreate real world decision making situations. Perhaps you can reason that your PhD experience was relevant in the organizational behavior/working place realm.

Also consider your motivation for getting your MBA. You will have to explain this in a compelling manner to the adcom.

Good luck with the GMAT,

Would you please be able to give a look to my profile below and
advice me if i am any good to think of a top B schools in UK??


Nationality : Indian.
Planning for 2011 batch

QUALIFICATION (Dont know how to put % into GPA)
---------------
1. MCA (Master Degree in Computer Application) : 3 year frofessional course
got 65%
2. PGMCA (Post graduate diploma in Computer application) a professonal course i
did along with Degree and got 94%
4 OCP (Oracle certified Professional web developer) Professioal certification from
Oracle , got 95%
5 OCA (Oracle certified Associate dsatabase administrator) Professioal certification
from Oracle 95%

WORK EXP
---------
6.5 Years in IT.Worked for 2 years in india and 4.5 years in UK.
Working for Biggest vehicle leasing company in UK on behalf of my empyoer (An Indian MNC)

CAREER PROGRESSION
-------------------
In span of 6.5 years covered and played the below role.

Trainee -> Programmer -> Senior Programmer -> Business change Owner -> Solution Architect-> Onsite cordinator -> Lead Functional Expert -> Module leader.

Played roles in team work and grooming and leading resources.
Work involved very stong analytical skills and handling critical business issue.
For example analysisng and fixing system for around £36 million and stuff.

Got 2 awards and also was top 20 employee of the year in my company which is an MNC.

RECOMENDATION
----------------
Will get solid recomendation letter form my Employer and Clients

GMAT SCORE :
-------------
Not yet given but hoping to crack a 660-680 score if not more.

Extra curicular/Charity : (Not sure if this is importatn but thought to mention)
-----------------------
charity sposors, financing a child in India for his education.
Enjoy Reading,movies Intellectual discussions, cooking, Yoga, gym
Have a good sense of humour and Gel well with people.

I am looking for Top 10 MBA schools in UK (Cranfeild, Manchester business school, London Business school ....)
Do i stand a chance ? Or what colleges should i aim for then ? what score will put me in lead.

Please advice.

Hi Brett,

Could you advice on my profile please.


Would you please be able to give a look to my profile below and
advice me if i am any good to think of a top B schools in UK??


Nationality : Indian.
Planning for 2011 batch

QUALIFICATION (Dont know how to put % into GPA)
---------------
1. MCA (Master Degree in Computer Application) : 3 year frofessional course
got 65%
2. PGMCA (Post graduate diploma in Computer application) a professonal course i
did along with Degree and got 94%
4 OCP (Oracle certified Professional web developer) Professioal certification from
Oracle , got 95%
5 OCA (Oracle certified Associate dsatabase administrator) Professioal certification
from Oracle 95%

WORK EXP
---------
6.5 Years in IT.Worked for 2 years in india and 4.5 years in UK.
Working for Biggest vehicle leasing company in UK on behalf of my empyoer (An Indian MNC)

CAREER PROGRESSION
-------------------
In span of 6.5 years covered and played the below role.

Trainee -> Programmer -> Senior Programmer -> Business change Owner -> Solution Architect-> Onsite cordinator -> Lead Functional Expert -> Module leader.

Played roles in team work and grooming and leading resources.
Work involved very stong analytical skills and handling critical business issue.
For example analysisng and fixing system for around £36 million and stuff.

Got 2 awards and also was top 20 employee of the year in my company which is an MNC.

RECOMENDATION
----------------
Will get solid recomendation letter form my Employer and Clients

GMAT SCORE :
-------------
Not yet given but hoping to crack a 660-680 score if not more.

Extra curicular/Charity : (Not sure if this is importatn but thought to mention)
-----------------------
charity sposors, financing a child in India for his education.
Enjoy Reading,movies Intellectual discussions, cooking, Yoga, gym
Have a good sense of humour and Gel well with people.

I am looking for Top 10 MBA schools in UK (Cranfeild, Manchester business school, London Business school ....)
Do i stand a chance ? Or what colleges should i aim for then ? what score will put me in lead.

Please advice.

Hi chauhan2011,

You have displayed really strong leadership experience and will have a strong resume going into your applications next year. Your are positioned well to get into a top UK school. Still, you must supplement your strong resume with a good GMAT (at least 680 to keep your chances high) as well as very strong essays. It's never too early to start thinking about what you will write: describe a time you displayed leadership; describe a time you overcame adversity; why do you want your MBA now and why from this school?

Keep those questions coming.

Good luck,

Hey Skymann,

Thanks a lot .... you really lifted my morals here mate.
I am working tough to reach the 700 mark in GMAT.

Also i have been making points in my head what to put in a essay. But i sometime don't know if this point in my mind
is important or rubbish in terms of ADCOM.
Is there a raw template i can follow and start filling in to create a rough draft. Or would you mind if i seek your advice on my raw data .... you can laugh out on the crap part i wrote and let me know how to improve, i would be glad.

Thanks again.

Hi BrettN,

Need some feedback on my profile and chances of making it into the colleges of my choice. so here goes

Male, Indian
Work Experience:
3 years managerial experience in Finance arm of Fortune 5 company
Was part of a leadership development program
Awarded the best project award in my batch of management trainees

GMAT Score: 720, Q:49 V:39

Academics: Above average (dont know how to convert into GPA

Extracurriculars:

Have won many National level White Paper writing competitions

Leadership Position in the Students Council of my College

Actively participated in and won many sports competitions

Excellent Recommendations

Target Colleges:

International: HEC Paris,Oxford Said,Cambridge Judge,LBS and INSEAD

US: Chicago Booth, Harvard (long shot indeed )

Now I know 720 isnt as high as many Indians score but I am hoping it is decent enough to not being an elimination criteria

Would really appreciate feedback..

Thanks & Regards

Hi arjunpatnaik,

Your GMAT score will not exclude you from the ability to get into the top US schools that you listed. From what you mentioned, you will have plenty to elaborate upon when it comes time to write your essays. Be sure to consider why you have decided to get your MBA now. You will have to explain this in a compelling manner, despite your other strong qualifications, if you are to get into Harvard or Booth.

Do you plan to apply for the Fall 2010 start date?

Best of luck,

GMAT: 660 (48Q/33V/AWA: waiting)

GPA: Undergrad BS in Computer Information Technologies: 3.6, BA in Organizational Communication: 3.8

University: Brigham Young University Idaho

Experience: Internship as venture capital firm(Business Analyst 5 month), Project manager for the outsourcing tech firm(managed a team of developers while going to school full time, 5 months), web developer 3.5 years, programmer(intern) 5 months, Quality Assurance engineer 1.5 years(current job, promoted from an Associate Engineer).

Extras: A lot of extra curricular, always in leadership positions, very unique background(first in my family to graduate from high school, very disadvantaged background), Ukrainian, 26, male. Stellar essays.

Target Schools: Tepper, Kelley, BYU, Notre Dame.

Hey bmw4me,

Your story sounds like a unique one that will provide solid material for your essays. Your GMAT score is on the low side of the average for the schools you have listed, but certainly is within range. Focus on bringing out your leadership examples and overcoming adversity in your essays. This will keep you in contention for your target schools. Do you have good recommendations?

Best,