enthupataka wrote:
My profile:
I am a 24 years old, female applicant for Fall-2008, full-time MBA program.
GMAT: 660 (Verbal: 32, Quant: 48)
TOEFL (Internet based): 117/120
Work-experience:
• I have 2 years of work-ex in a one of the biggest and most reputed software companies in India. When I join B-school I will have approximately 3 years of experience.
• Am a core-member of a 3 person team completely responsible for the quality process impacting the entire line of business (35+ employees).
• Successfully led two senior team members for a period of two months.
• Tutored a group of 20 fresher’s and received an overall satisfaction index of 91%.
Extra-curricular activities:
• Initiated, organized and executed a fund raiser drive for the construction of a bigger rehabilitation center for destitute children of an organization and raised more than RS.110, 000 ($2750).
• Successfully planned and implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of organizing a Summer Camp for an orphanage with more than 70 kids.
• Part of a 3-member team that is responsible for the contents of ALP – An Adult Literacy Program initiative which will eventually be launched in the villages of our state in India.
• Am a trained classical singer for more than 16 years and have performed at various community events.
• Participated in multiple high altitude trekking expeditions to the Himalayas – the tallest mountain range in the world.
Schooling:
• Graduated from a top engineering college in my state in the field of Medical Electronics with 77.5 %. (We don’t follow GPA)
• In school, I was elected as the head of the student council.
• ‘Sports champion’ continuously for 8 years in a row, while in school.
I want to do MBA in General management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship.
Why do I want to do a MBA?
All my life, I have dreamt of starting a company of my own. But it is only since the last 2 years now that I have been willing to take concrete steps to make that dream a reality. I want to do a MBA to hone my skills (generic and specific skills) which will help me start a venture of my own.
I have three specific questions to ask:
(1) I have decided to apply for 6 schools. And here is the break-up:
Dream: Chicago GSB, MIT Sloan
Competitive: NYU Stern, Virginia Darden
Sure-shot: Indiana Kelly, Boston university.
Having gone through my profile, do you think I must delete/add any B-schools from this list? Please advice.
(2) Considering my above profile, Medical electronics to Software engineer to GM-Entrepreneurship, is this kind of career-shift something that will make it difficult for me to get into a B-school of my choice? And if so, how should I handle that?
(3) As I am only 2 years out of college, I have not yet reached leadership position at work. But at times, I have led a small team as highlighted above. But in the Corporate Social Responsibility front, I have led and managed several times and have shown exemplary leadership strengths there. Will lesser leadership in the work environment, work against me during the admission process?
Thanks a lot for your time Paul. Any other advice on this will be highly appreciated.
enthupataka,
Apologies for the delayed reply. To your questions:
1) Primarily because of your work experience, which doesn't show sufficient leadership, and to a lesser extent your GMAT, I think Chicago and MIT Sloan may be out of reach. You could apply to them as "long shot" schools, but 4 schools strong in entrepreneurship that you might want to add to your list are USC, Michigan, Texas, and UNC. None of these schools would be "sure shots" for you but I think your odds at them would be better than at Chicago and MIT.
2) No, not at all. As long as you explain where your entrepreneurship goal comes from, show them that you have experiences that indicate you have entrepreneurial traits, and show them that you have researched & networked to find out what entrepreneurs do, then they will not question that career path.
3) Yes, I believe it will to some extent, so you will have to emphasize your non-work experiences in your essays. You might also consider waiting a year if you think you could gain more leadership experience at work in that time and if you think you could raise your GMAT.
Good luck,
close
14 Jul 2007, 18:50
