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ApplicantLab

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24 Aug 2019, 12:57

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Hi there an apologies -- I didn't realize that I had new requests here until I came back to GMATClub for another random reason!

Regarding your profile, it's not a competitive profile right now. 2 year is not enough experience, and if it's in IT / programming then it's very hard to stand out (and anecdotally your GMAT will need to be above a school's average).

If your family business makes good money (say, in the millions of US dollars) then I'd advise you to go work there, drive some big positive change initiatives, while also getting that GMAT score up by at least 100 points.

The reason the company needs to be a decent size is that if it isn't big then the adcom will worry about your ability to repay the $170k - $200k cost of getting the degree.

In sum, spend the next few years getting strong leadership experience and also getting the GMAT score up considerably, and then apply at that time.

Thanks!,
Maria

ChanakyaVarma

Hi Maria,

Just wanted to know your thoughts on my profile.

24 Male from India
under grad in Engineering

Work Experience
Have 2 years of work experience in an IT company as a programmer analyst.

Extra curricular
Playing Sports
-Have certificate for playing and winning competitions in college level for soccer, chess and athletics
- captianfor the college chess team
Participated in a couple of events and volunteered in organizing the same.
- Eg., National level Tech fest held at our college

Goals post MBA
Take care of my family business along with starting up my own company.

education scores
grad - 7.3
Plus 2- 91.6
Xth - 7.8
GMAT - 620

My main concern in my low gmat and work exp.
Haven't worked in the family business yet.
Fear that i fall into the typical Indian applicant pool

Want to get into Sloan, NYU and top notch schools offering best value for leadership potential and strategy

ApplicantLab

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24 Aug 2019, 13:09

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Hi there -- (and again, I did not notice that I had some requests for profile reviews here - apologies for the delay!)

...and man, it seems like the job you've been doing this past year in Dubai is pretty awesome -- if you're driving growth and also helping land 10% of their initial venture investment (if I'm understanding correctly) -- what a strong start!

You've only been there one year -- do you think you'd have an opportunity to make a LOT MORE impact there if you stayed there for another 1 - 3 years and REALLY grew it out?

I say this because 3 years of experience is a bit below the average, and your first two years of experience as a software developer seem "fine" but also extremely common.

I personally think this "story" would be more competitive with more experience (and more "wins") at the new company under your belt. Also, waiting another 2 - 3 years would give you ample time to increase your GMAT score.

If you still want to apply this year, then of course you'd need to focus "The story" around the key learnings and leadership experiences from your past year at the startup.

Thanks,
Maria

rajavskm

Hi @ApplicantLab/Maria!

Could you please help evaluate the below-mentioned profile:

Qualification: B.E. (Hons.) in CS from BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus (6.94 CGPA)[Avg. in BITS Pilani is 6 CGPA as compared to 7 in other top institutes] (BITS Pilani is among the top 5 institutes in India, and has the lowest acceptance rate)

10+2(97% score), 10th (9.6 CGPA)

Work Experience (Duration, Role, Company, Industry)
3 years experience
current:
V.P Sales & Marketing for the Middle East Region, Partner (Based out of Dubai) of a 100 member sized startup in Advanced Technology Domain -AR/VR/MR (since 2018 Sept)
previous positions held:
AVP Business Development, Noth India Region( Based out of India)
Business Development Executive(Based out of India)

previous company and role: (2016-2018)
Software Development Engineer at a UK based MNC, that operates to provide insights in digital marketing for its clients (worked based out of India)

Test Score
GMAT 710 (Q50 V35 IR-8 AWA-5)

Interested in: Full-time MBA

Geography / Class Start Year preference:
The USA for classes starting in Fall 2020

Detailed Profile:
Professional:

Part of the 3 member executive team(Leading a 20-30 sized team) responsible for expanding business in the Middle East Region as the VP Sales & Marketing, Middle East Region, also partner to the company-on boarded multiple clients including Dubai government
Base job function: B2B sales of advanced technology franchises of virtual reality products in niche markets such as India and the Middle East(A challenging thing but aced it)
Responsible for funding of around a million dollars for the company (10% of the total fundraised)-( AVP Business Development))
Part of the Indian expansion strategy team responsible for formulating the business expansion strategy in India (AVP Business Development)
Responsible for the sale of 15 B2B franchises across the country generating a direct revenue of over 0.54 million USD ( Business Development Executive).

Previous Company and role:
Responsible for ingestion and management of all the data of the digital marketing insights company with revenue of 300M USD, a data-driven marketing insights company

Extra-curricular:

Professional:
Elected twice as the Vice-President Education(also founding) at a corporate Toastmasters club, a 35 members club that went on to win the district level impromptu speech championship. My introduction of J.A.M in the club activities gained citywide recognition and played an important role in producing elegant impromptu speakers
Awarded the prestigious "competent leader" certification for my leadership and contribution to toastmasters

College Level:
Selected for representing the state of Rajasthan in National Level Sports(Martial Arts)[Started learning only in University but went on to win tournaments and get selected for nationals, a rare case]
Won Silver in the national sports fest organized by the college
Part of the University Team- also taught self-defense classes to students and women as a community activity as part of the team

Joint Secretary for a fest organizing dept. (50 members, Dept. responsible for registrations and security during all the three fests of BITS Pilani)-Responsible for recruitment and internal operations of the department, assigning roles, keeping the members of the dept. happy. Brough out simple innovation that brought better results in the productivity of and harmony among members.

Joint Secretary for Community Association (The largest regional association in University with 400 registered members)-Responsible for planning and coordinating all events that represent the community culture of a region)

Cheif campaigner for a general secretary candidate who went on to win the second place(of 5)- A special story where I was brought in when the candidates' team disbanded due to some circumstances and I had to build the campaign from scratch, also featured in the alumni magazines later

2 projects under a renowned MBA professor at BITS Pilani, to research self-perception of students about their innovation levels and how to improve the same(also some other courses related to management-Principles of Management, HRD, Creative Thinking, etc.

Volunteer for university-wide Blood-donation camps and some other activities

I believe my background and perception would add value and diversity to any class at the top MBA colleges. I'm looking to enter either the tech or consulting industry after my MBA and to enter a class where I could learn from people with a diverse background instead of from more people like me.
My long term goal is to start a tech company and would prefer a class where there is a good mix with a balance of both tech and non-tech backgrounds to network with.
I realize that my GMAT is low compared to similar undergrads from India, but I'm willing to concentrate on representing my profile to business schools in the best way possible and can hope at best it would compensate for my relatively low GMAT. Taking GMAT again is something that wouldn't be possible given my commitments and existing time taken.

Do let me know if some other info would better help you in evaluating my profile.

Thanks and regards,
Raj

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24 Aug 2019, 13:27

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Hi there and apologies -- I hadn't realized that I had a bunch of new questions on this thread until I randomly stopped by and now see that I've missed a bunch of questions!

Ok, so an issue with non-profit career plans as "the story" is that AdComs worry that they are not sincere; ie that the applicant is only saying something in an effort to SOUND good, thinking that it will win them over (I'm not questioning your sincerity, just realize that it can sometimes seem like a cynical ploy)

In your case, you've done the pro-bono consulting project for one year, which is good -- at least it demonstrates a genuine interest in helping and at least an introductory understanding of the challenges / constraints / etc a non-profit faces.

While I do tend to prefer a "tight" story around one main cause (to show genuine passion for / dedication to one particular topic), I think in your case you could say that this pro-bono project has really opened your eyes to the fact that your passion for consulting and your passion for non-profits can indeed be combined into one career path, that of non-profit consulting (e.g. for an organization like the Bridgespan group).

Does this help?

Thanks!,
Maria

tantantun

Hi Maria!

I am currently in the early stages of navigating through the Vision module. For the non-profit objective, you mention it is best to have a specific cause, as well as demonstrable experience. I think this is very helpful advice and wanted to get your thoughts on how I was thinking of approaching my vision.

I have been in boutique consulting for 2.5 years now, doing strategy and operations work with a lot of different industries and firm sizes. I really enjoy consulting, though I question how much fulfillment I would get from the typical MBB partner track post MBA. In this firm, I am leading our pro-bono program, providing consulting services on a pro-bono basis. To date, we have only done one project, which has now lasted a year (ongoing). I have really enjoyed this, as I am of the belief that if you want to save the world, you should do what you are best at (i.e. I love animals but I'm not a vet, so I think of what am I really good at that would help a vet save animals). This pro-bono initiative is a step in the right direction, and has helped inform what I'd like to do long-term.

I've always worked for small businesses, which I loved because I get to learn tremendously from working directly with owners, and getting my hands dirty in a wide array of topics. I've also done a fair bit of volunteering throughout my life, but this is the first time I am using my career to volunteer. My past experience includes tutoring/mentoring, dog walking, orphanage, web design, etc., so quite varied.

To sum up, would you say consulting for NFP a specific enough vision, if I expand upon all the opportunities I saw in my time at NFPs for driving operational improvements, defining good strategies, etc. - all things their limited staff does not necessarily have time to do but could drive huge impact. I was thinking of doing this as an independent consultant long-term, which would make me affordable, but also means I don't need to let go of the aspects of consulting I currently love as I evolve in my career.

Thank you so much for your time and I love the website!

ApplicantLab

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24 Aug 2019, 13:34

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Hi there and sorry for not replying sooner -- I didn't realize that I had a bunch of requests waiting for me here!

If I understand correctly, do you only have 2 or 3 full years of work experience? If so, then I'd love to see you spend at least one full year at the family business and really push forward the digital side of the business -- that is, get some strong "wins" under your belt (and on your resume!)

The good news is, if the family business is large enough (e.g. revenue in the millions of US dollars) then they will be less worried about "How is this candidate going to pay for the degree?" (since one AdCom member once told a room of admissions consultants: "We don't want the MBA to be something that financially cripples them for life")

One program I'd really urge you to look at is the Columbia MBA's "J-TERM" program. It's a version of the program for people who don't need summer internships. Not only will you be done sooner, but the admissions rate is higher than for the typical 2-year MBA applications. They are very receptive to family business stories!

I think you can try for the schools you listed ... but if you see a viable path right now where, if you were to stay an extra year, you could REALLY drive some positive initiatives for the family business, I'd feel even better if the leadership is concretely proven that way.

Thanks!,
Maria

Aarramb

Hi Maria,
Would love to get your thoughts on my profile

Education - 6.83/7 in Business Mngmt From an Indian Uni
GRE - 326 (Q 161 V-165)
Age and Nationality - 25 yo Indian Female

Work Experience
1 year with an e-commerce Startup in the Early learning Educational space. Was one of the first employees, setup business operations for the startup from scratch
1 year with a tech company in New York City - worked as an analyst in the Marketing Dept. Can show significant impact at work
Currently with the family business in India - Its an educational publishing house - I manage the digital products as a result of the recent strategy change of introducing more digitally inclined products.

Why MBA?
I want the company to foray into EdTech but lack the technical skills and knowledge looking to gain that while also learning about the VC industry, networking and other entrepreneurial skills.

ECs
Worked with NGOs that work towards educating kids from the financially weaker sections

Target Schools
Kellogg, Ross, Rotman, Cornell and Tuck

Please let me know how realistic my target schools are?
Thank you!

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24 Aug 2019, 13:47

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Hi there and sorry I didn't reply sooner -- I didn't realize I had a number of questions waiting for me!

Overall I like the story. Am I understanding correctly that right now you have three years of post-college full time employment? ("internships" don't really count)

It looks like you've been able to drive a lot of positive change at the companies you've worked for and also for the companies you've consulted for.

For the career vision, I'd be sure to make it "working for a global hotel chain" (which would require the international perspective of the MBA) vs. saying you'd go work directly for just one resort.

For the letter of recommendation, I'd pick the person that can MOST speak to your leadership / ability to drive positive change. It sounds like your colleague might be able to do that -- especially if the $25M in revenue has grown under your care.

For your schools, since you're looking for STEM certification then that does narrow it down a bit. I'm not 100% sure which schools those are, but I'm pretty sure you're right about Duke and Darden.

If you're willing to look beyond a STEM program, maybe check out Cornell -- with its Master of Hospitality Management -- it could be the perfect program for you!

Thank you,
Maria

manpaslop

Hi Maria,

Could you please let me know your feedback on my Profile.

Nationality: Spanish
Sex : Male
Age : 28

GMAT Score: 720 q48 v41 IR8

This is my first attempt. I did GMATPrep 1 and 2 and I got 730 Q50 v41 and 760 Q50 v44 so I think maybe I should retake.

Education Background:
Industrial Engineering - University of Sevilla (Spain). 6.7/10 (According to WES it would be a 3.0 in the GPA system but I am not sure how would the AdCom see it).
Exchange in University of Zaragoza (Spain) for 1 year.
Erasmus Exchange in Politecnico di Milano (Italy) for 1 year.

Work Experience: I am going to start from the latter. And divide it between full time and part time:

FULL TIME

November '18 to Present. I am working for a Spanish Engineering Company as Responsible for Sales and Business Development in Dominican Republic (I am an expat). We mainly work with hotels, either building new ones or renovating existing ones (We make electrical, plumbing, HVAC and telecomunications installations). My counterparts at hotesl range from Maintenace Managers for single Resorts to Coporative Technical Chiefs or Expansion Directors. Since I am here we have had around 25 Million dollars in sales.
I dont manage anybody directly since I am the only person within the commercial department in the country but I have to manage people of other departments often. I also have quite an exposure to the our company C-suite. My boss is the General Manager for the Americas (we have offices in Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Miami) and when the CFO, COO and CEO come to visit the country I spend all the time with them, I prepare their agenda, go to the meetings with the clients with them, go to diner, etc.
I am the responsible for sales but I also perform technical job when needed, I have had to cover for colleagues holidays and be site manager for weeks in some projects (think +200MM$ Resorts with around 1000 rooms).

April '16 to October '18. I worked as a Business Development Manager for Spain and Latin America at a Polish Company, manufacturer of construction materials. I work remotely from Spain and I traveled within Spain and all over Latin America (Mexico, Chile, Panama,..). I was able to open several markets in which we had no previous presence and build network of distributors as well as engineering/designer companies that recommended our products in their projects.

October '15 to March '16. I worked as an intern within the Export Department of the abovementioned Polish company.

Decemeber '12 to May '13. While I was doing my Exchange Year in Zaragoza I work as an intern within the Quality Operations department at the factory General Motors had there.

PART TIME

April '16 to Present. I have been working as Business Development Consultant or "Agent" in my free time. These are some of the deals I have pulled off:

- I got a contrat for a portuguese company, food producer, with the largest hipermarket company in Russia. They had never sold anything in Russia.
- I worked as an agent in Spain for an Indian Company, producer of wearing parts for agriculture. They had no previous clients in Spain and I found a very good client that is now buying around half a million dollars per year.
- I have made some imports of agricultural machinery from Germany/Austria to Spain.

Post MBA Goals

I am not sure yet. I know what I will write on the admission application. I will say that I want to switch careers and work for one of my clients (Hotels) within the expansion department. That I have the How-to's and technical knowledge of Hotel Projects in the Caribbean and I need the mba to have a better global view of business and to learn about the financial part of the investments.

LOR

I would get one from my previous supervisor (Polish Company). But I have doubts regarding who to ask for the second because I dont think Its a good idea to ask my current supervisor. They are giving me more responsabilities each day and I am afraid he would change his attitude towards me. My options are:
- Ask a colleague at current company. For example chief of purchasing in the country (same level as me, not above not under).
- Ask one of my clients of part time freelance jobs.

I need the MBA program I apply to have STEM certificacion. These are some of them, could you tell me which ones are realistic options for me?

This is what I would think
Dream: Wharton
Reachy: Fuqua, Darden
Maybe my level: USC Marshall
Safe: Simon

Thanks in advance Maria.

ApplicantLab

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24 Aug 2019, 14:07

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Hello! Sorry for the delay in replying; I'm now realizing that I had a ton of questions asked that I didn't know about!

Ok, so it's great that you're thinking this far ahead so that way you can work on your profile for next year!

I like how you can say that you have all of this specialized knowledge on the Indonesian banking system that will make you a valuable employee for a fintech firm.

The one challenge is portraying your job in a way that demonstrates / focuses on the leadership potential and people / team management, vs. portraying it as simply "Well I make sure that all of the documents are filed properly" (which might be viewed as being not impactful enough). For that reason, whether in your resume or in your essays, focus on the team management / challenges you have helped the team overcome, vs. "Well I made sure that Form X was signed by the correct date".

This might be a BIG (impossible) ask, but is there any way you propose something *new* in the way your company does things, perhaps regarding the existing partnerships with FinTech companies (??) -- that will help show the very valuable product manager trait of being innovative.

For your school choice, look for schools that have the analytics and digital leadership courses you'd need -- e.g. I'm not sure that this is strength for Darden.

For example, NYU has a course of study specifically for fintech: https://www.stern.nyu.edu/programs-admi ... st/fintech

Also, both Cornell and NYU offer the one-year "tech MBA", I believe. That could be a program that focuses on the skills you'd need to make the career switch.

Thank you!,
Maria

aidyn

Hi Maria. Would like to have your insights on my profile as well .

I plan to apply to the MBA Programs of Cornell, Cambridge, Darden, and NUS in 2020, 1st round - hopefully marticulating in 2021.
Could you kindly share your thoughts on how I would stand as an applicant to those schools and if there is any area I should improve to be a stronger applicant?

Background and nationality: Born and raised in Indonesia.

Age and gender: 26, female.

Undergrad Information: I graduated from a local private university in my country, majored in finance, with 3.8 GPA (3rd highest in my batch). Usually got an A for quant subjects.

GMAT: 690 (Q49, V34, IR6) - consistent with all of my mock tests scores

Work experience and leadership:
- Started as an intern in a corporate banking division of a British multinational bank.
- Sponsored and selected as one of the management associates for 1,5 years.
- Deployed and got an early promotion to be an Associate in Custody and Fund Management Services, been almost 1 year now. I am the project manager mostly for:
1) New overseas global banks/fund houses that want to invest in my country.
2) Local fund houses that want to invest both in my country and overseas.
I work intensively with Clients basically to ensure their infrastructures, channels, and all of their requirements are fulfilled in order for them to invest. The arrangements include the securities type, account structure, legal documentations, our service coverage, channels etc.
My role is very Client-facing and involves a lot of working across divisions (e.g. Legal, Product, Operations). Though I don’t have anyone reporting to me yet, my roles require a lot of people management skill because we need to make everyone works together to achieve smooth delivery in every project with tight time frame.
All of these contribute to additional 7 digits annual revenue in USD.

International experience:
- Had a 1-month business trip in Shanghai and just recently 1-week workshop in Vietnam.
- My role involves working with overseas branches and Clients. Majority of my overseas clients are from UK & US. Some of the projects I handled are also related to Brexit.
- I used to study Mandarin for 1 year in Taiwan due to personal interest in Chinese history and culture. As I wanted to visit certain places in China and connect with the people, I thought I needed to be able to speak the language.

Extracurriculars:
- I am a regular facilitator that teaches slum-kids in Jakarta. What I and other facilitators teaches is not school-subjects like math, English, etc, but more about our community, family, daily-life, and future. Our goal is to inspire the kids to dare to dream. I usually do this twice a month.
- Quite-active in church activity. I’m usually in charge for the weekly bulletins or for church-usher role (the one responsible for seating guests and maintaining the order of the services).
- Organised company-wide fund raising by selling clothes, bag, etc. Managed to raise around $7000 in 3 days. The amount is donated to fight blindness in my country.
- Was an MC for company-wide run-for-a-cause event.
- I admit I was more focused in academic during my undergrad, so I didn’t have any meaningful leadership activity during that period. I have been trying to make up for it post-college.

MBA and post-MBA goals:
I want to join a specific Unicorn tech-company in Indonesia that has been expanding its fintech division as a product manager. As I am also in charge for partnership between my Clients and fintech, overtime I grew stronger interest in fintech.
To achieve smooth career-switch, I realize I really need to build my skills in analytics and strategy because I am not really exposed to those in my current role.
(And this makes me really hopeful to join Cornell as it has immersion learning that concentrates in digital technology!)
I believe this goal is quite achievable since I’ve found plenty of people switching-career to tech/fintech right after MBA (from all sorts of industry).

Would really appreciate any feedback from you. Much thanks in advance!

ApplicantLab

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24 Aug 2019, 14:25

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Hi there!

One question that immediately comes to mind is: even with an MBA, would you be able to move into a PE/VC role? (keeping in mind that those are two VERY DIFFERENT THINGS so don't bundle them together in your application but rather choose one!)

You need to start reaching out to / networking with people who already work in that industry to ask if with the MBA you'd be able to make that switch. That is, instead of speculating about maybe getting that job, why not collect data directly?

Heck, they might tell you that you don't even need an MBA to make the switch?

Also, I hate to break it to you but I think you might be in a "Catch-22" with your GMAT score. You're asking which programs you can safely get in to with that score, while also being schools that lead to PE jobs.

The problem is, PE firms tend to only recruit at the top schools. As far as I know, there isn't such thing as a "safety" school that accepts lower GMATs that ALSO has opportunities into PE.

Regarding consulting, the rumor out there is that they don't even interview people with a score below 700. I don't know if that is true or not.

That having been said, perhaps the more realistic role is to first work in i-banking post-MBA and try to move into PE from there.

What you'd need to do is look for schools that have: average GMATs in the 650 range or lower (just since Indian applicants on average get 30 points higher than average), and then look at their career placement reports to see which roles they send their graduates to. Many of them may send people to investment banking roles!

You also might want to consider staying in London for your studies, perhaps even in a part-time MBA program. This would allow you to maintain your current network and perhaps continue to work with clients, while also not damaging (??? maybe???) your work visa issues?

Thanks,
Maria

rahul0027

Hi All,

Would appreciate if the experts can evaluate my profile:

Indian, Male, 28 years, CFA, Silver Medalist
GMAT: 680 (Q49 V35, IR5, AWA 6)

Work Experience - 6.5 years as of Dec 2019

1. Working as an Independent Consultant (self-employed) to a UK Investment Banking firm. Currently working on 6 deals looking to raise $1 million - $10 million and working on one another Indian company to divest its stake outside India. The work involves consulting and discussions with founders/ senior directors on business, due diligence, fund raising requirements and preparing pitch book, IM and interactions with investors representing the companies. The work gets more interesting since I work closely with the founders and senior management and addressing concerns of investors over companies’ operations, strategy and product from financing point of view.

2. Three Years of experience as a valuation analyst in a consulting firm
• Lead a team of 5 analyst for valuation engagements on financial reporting and tax compliance for startup and private equity funds. Also performed valuations of complex securities for distressed/ illiquid assets and ad-hoc research based due-diligence activities
• Extensively trained, mentored and brought onto production floor, 3 MBA freshers, 1 Chartered Accountant and 1 Chartered Financial Analyst to manage valuation engagements under limited supervision
• Handled 3 engagement partners and collaborated with managers and associates to assist in due diligence and valuation of companies through all development stages, from seed funding to pre-IPO stage.
• Collaborated with directors to set up 2 new service offering and single-handedly setup and scaled the team to 7 members in 1 year.
• Lead the engagement on valuation of a Canadian healthcare medicinal weed-based company for fund raising activity. Independently worked on strategic planning projects, gift tax and M&A activity.

3. Another 3 years of work ex in an MNC and an equity broking firm - covering Indian macroeconomics and banking sector and global coverage of metals and mining companies.

Academics:
• CFA Charterholder, Liberal Arts (Major - Finance, Minor - Economics; awarded BBA Hons with diploma in liberal arts)
• Silver Medalist and was among the top 2% in academics throughout the college tenure.
• Hosted industry leaders for workshops, lectures and interviews by co-founding 2 clubs – a Management Club and an Entrepreneurship Club in collaboration with IIT and IIM alumnus.
• Presented research papers at National Level

Extra-curricular
• Current - Art and Craft activities including designing, teaching and creating customized greeting cards, wax sculptures, oil painting, and other DIY creative activities.
• Previous - NGO activities (teaching underprivileged, organizing Global Village through AISEC, raising AIDS awareness campaigns, etc.) in college days.
• Previous - Inter-College Table Tennis (Singles) winner

Post MBA Goal
Post MBA in Finance, would I am looking to move to Buy-side roles (VC/PE) firms or would move to consulting profile.

Queries:
1. Which schools should I target to apply in India, Canada and US?
2. I know my disadvantage is the low GMAT score. But I would like to go ahead and apply for US B-schools with this score. Which schools should I consider as a safe zone which also have a reputation in the finance industry? Helping me getting placed in the financial services industry... (considering I may not get a suitable buy side profile due to non-US citizenship/ work visa issues or consulting due to low GMAT score) Since most of the Buy Side (PE firms) are small firms and may be hesitant to hire on H1 work visa.

Thanks!

Arro44

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Location: United States

Concentration: General Management, Finance

Schools: Sloan '22 (M) Cambridge "21 (A$)

GMAT 1: 730 Q47 V44 Verified score

GPA: 3.4

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Schools: Sloan '22 (M) Cambridge "21 (A$)

GMAT 1: 730 Q47 V44 Verified score

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26 Aug 2019, 07:28

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Hi Maria,
I plan to apply for various MBA programs in R1 this year. (MIT Sloan (my favorite) , INSEAD, LBS, Judge, Said)
While I already using applicant lab (just listened to your opinion on the Cambridge CV format

) I would also like to use this opportunity to get your opinion on my profile and chances.

General Info
26 years old, male, Germany

High school: 3.4 GPA , Exchange year to Canada

Uni: 3.4 GPA (Top 20%) from a small private university, helped organize company visits on study trip to Atlanta, GA
Poor grade in Math, strong grades in other quant heavy subjects

730 GMAT (47Q / 44V / 6AWA / 7IR)

Work Experience
I work in an international container shipping company, around $ 12bn revenue.
As I did an integrated degree (Apprenticeship and studies combined) I already started working in my current company in 2012. As part of my internal rotation I was assigned to our Tampa, FL office for a three months period in 2014. In Tampa I helped with analysis concerning an upcoming merger in South America.
In 2015 I started working full-time as an analyst focusing on identifying weaknesses in our vessel network. I have mostly worked on creating reports and dashboards to help the people in our network department. Over the years the savings generated based on those pointers have surpassed 5 mio. USD.
In 2017 I got the chance to join the Project Management Office in Dubai after we merged with a local company. During my three month stint I was in charge of the project controlling and member of the the wind-down work stream.
In late 2018 I was approached by my current boss to join him in establishing a new team (promotion to manager), focused on enabling better operational decisions using data. In this function I have been involved in several multi-week projects this year (China, US, Spain, Korea, UAE, UK) and have I led work stream across many of these. However, in terms of my hierarchy level I do not manage anyone on paper and I do not have direct reports while working in the headquarter.
While on the international assignments I mostly lead a team of local experts to ensure data quality and consistency and create meaningful analyses for the colleagues.

Extra-curriculars
Spokesperson for my class, represented class in discussion with Uni leadership
Conducted Q&A session with colleagues on the experience of stem cell donation based on my own procedure
Organized a small fundraiser for colleaguesto donate their foreign currencies from holidays and business trips to a charity that fights world hunger.

I am aware that all my extra-curricular activities are focused around work/uni. Due to the nature of my program (no semester breaks, classes on Saturdays, international assignments) there was little time to really commit to an activity outside of these possible at Uni/work. Should I address this in an additional essay?

Reason for/Goal after MBA
I would like to transition into Management Consulting. Having worked with different MBB firms during my projects I feel like their challenging international work environment suits my interest and skillset.
Later on, I would like to use the knowledge and skillset gained to found my own company, likely in the transportation/shipping sector.

For Sloan in particular:
The head of my current department (MIT alumn, ex MBB) has encouraged that path and will write my LoR. Additionally, the CEO of a start-up with whom I worked closely (MIT alumn, ex MBB) has spoken very highly of his time at Sloan and is also willing to help me with being a reference.

My own view on my chances;
Pros: International Experience, decent GMAT, non-traditional industry background
Cons: Weak extra curriculars, mediocre GPA, non famous undergrad program

Happy to hear your take on things.

Cheers,
Chris

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26 Aug 2019, 09:40

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Arro44

When you say "poor grade in math", was this just one course (and, I hope, one that happened early on in the academic career?) If so, then the other strong quant grades help make up for it. Anecdotally / rumor has it that 47Q is the minimum some of the other top programs look for (note that I have not heard this about MIT specifically but I've heard it about other programs of that caliber, so I think it's a good benchmark) -- so you're OK there.

Quote:

Work Experience
I work in an international container shipping company, around $ 12bn revenue.
As I did an integrated degree (Apprenticeship and studies combined) I already started working in my current company in 2012. As part of my internal rotation I was assigned to our Tampa, FL office for a three months period in 2014. In Tampa I helped with analysis concerning an upcoming merger in South America.
In 2015 I started working full-time as an analyst focusing on identifying weaknesses in our vessel network. I have mostly worked on creating reports and dashboards to help the people in our network department. Over the years the savings generated based on those pointers have surpassed 5 mio. USD.
In 2017 I got the chance to join the Project Management Office in Dubai after we merged with a local company. During my three month stint I was in charge of the project controlling and member of the the wind-down work stream.
In late 2018 I was approached by my current boss to join him in establishing a new team (promotion to manager), focused on enabling better operational decisions using data. In this function I have been involved in several multi-week projects this year (China, US, Spain, Korea, UAE, UK) and have I led work stream across many of these. However, in terms of my hierarchy level I do not manage anyone on paper and I do not have direct reports while working in the headquarter.
While on the international assignments I mostly lead a team of local experts to ensure data quality and consistency and create meaningful analyses for the colleagues.

As you'll know by now from the Lab

the key challenge is to really emphasize the "leadership potential" aspect in these. Focus on what was innovative and/or required strong EQ skills -- if putting those details in the resume feels odd, then you can put that in the MIT Cover Letter instead, for example.

It sounds like your current job, even if you're not managing others as direct reports, it sounds like you're still managing them in the scope of the short-term project? If so, you can totally write in the resume "Led a team of five to...."

Is the manager who asked you to help him set up the new team the one writing your recommendation? If so, that would be strong since he can specifically talk to your leadership potential / why he chose you to help him.

Quote:

Extra-curriculars
Spokesperson for my class, represented class in discussion with Uni leadership
Conducted Q&A session with colleagues on the experience of stem cell donation based on my own procedure
Organized a small fundraiser for colleaguesto donate their foreign currencies from holidays and business trips to a charity that fights world hunger.

I am aware that all my extra-curricular activities are focused around work/uni. Due to the nature of my program (no semester breaks, classes on Saturdays, international assignments) there was little time to really commit to an activity outside of these possible at Uni/work. Should I address this in an additional essay?

I wouldn't worry too much about it. It sounds like you move around A LOT and so it can be really difficult to engage in non-profits, etc. due to that. The 2nd two experiences from Uni seem too "small potatoes"; I would not include them in the application. No need to address in an optional essay.

Quote:

Reason for/Goal after MBA
I would like to transition into Management Consulting. Having worked with different MBB firms during my projects I feel like their challenging international work environment suits my interest and skillset.
Later on, I would like to use the knowledge and skillset gained to found my own company, likely in the transportation/shipping sector.

It will be key to mention that you've already worked with several firms and also that your boss / maybe even counterparts at the MBB firms have said that you are a strong candidate. Of course, you don't need to bring this up for Sloan since Sloan does not care about short-term career plans!

Quote:

For Sloan in particular:
The head of my current department (MIT alumn, ex MBB) has encouraged that path and will write my LoR. Additionally, the CEO of a start-up with whom I worked closely (MIT alumn, ex MBB) has spoken very highly of his time at Sloan and is also willing to help me with being a reference.

That's great -- as you may already know, MIT DOES allow for an additional letter from an alum / current student (not all programs do).

Quote:

My own view on my chances;
Pros: International Experience, decent GMAT, non-traditional industry background
Cons: Weak extra curriculars, mediocre GPA, non famous undergrad program

I agree that on the academic side, things aren't "Strong" , but they aren't "weak" either. Your GMAT is right around the average. The GPA is low-ish (you didn't mention what you studied? If it was physics it's a strong GPA, if it was something easier then it's not considered as strong), but it's not SUPER low like a 3.0.

I think for you, your chances will hinge on focusing in the resume / cover letter on your leadership potential, and less on showing yourself as an operations whiz. For example, the earlier work from 2015 in creating a dashboard won't really move the needle, but if you're currently managing teams / projects (even indirectly!) then that will be really beneficial. On the resume, follow the real-estate rule and devote a lot less space to the earlier part of your career and more on the more recent parts that include leading others.

AverageGPA

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27 Sep 2019, 06:40

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Hi Maria,

Thank you for taking out time and answering people's queries on here!

I'm looking to dive into ApplicantLab and start a couple of applications which I will have due first week of November. I was curious about the whole process which is followed by ApplicantLab - I signed up for a trial and have gained a good overview of the process, but my concern is the quality of essays I will be able to produce. Will someone glance over my essay prior to it being marked complete or will I have to rely on the pointers on the website to guide me towards the best possible essay?

Thanks in advance!

ApplicantLab

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27 Sep 2019, 13:22

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kloppismydad

Hi kloppismydad ! Thanks for considering the Lab for your admissions needs!

ApplicantLab walks you step-by-step for how to build a strong application -- this includes the essays for the top ~20+ schools, resume, recommendations, and even interview prep advice.

Regarding the quality of the essays you can produce with it, please read my verified GMATClub reviews to learn about what others thought about the process.

One way users often get feedback is to print out the mini-questions in the "Pre-writing" module and ask a friend to read the essay and mark off if the essay hits the points mentioned in pre-writing.

In addition, should you want someone to look at your strategy or your essays afterward, there is a service for that: https://www.applicantlab.com/services/

Hope this helps explain!,
Maria

genericMBAIndian

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Schools: Darden '26 (S) Booth '26 (S) Columbia CBS'26 (S) Kellogg '26 (II)

GMAT 1: 770 Q50 V45 Verified score

GPA: 3.6

WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)

Schools: Darden '26 (S) Booth '26 (S) Columbia CBS'26 (S) Kellogg '26 (II)

GMAT 1: 770 Q50 V45 Verified score

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10 Oct 2019, 11:00

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I am an Indian male.

Background: Civil Engineering
Undergrad Information: 8.9/10 CGPA, Department Topper for Civil Engineering, Continuous 100% scholarship for all 4 years based on previous years performance.
The college is ranked 37 according to the government of India but it is one of the Top 5 private colleges in India. I chose it because of the scholarship and distance from my home.
GMAT: 710 (Q49 V38 AWA5 IR8) first attempt(was sick that day) and 770 (Q50 V45 AWA5 IR8) on the second attempt
WE: no full-time work experience as I am applying for the deferred programme
Leadership: Have been actively involved in numerous activities on campus. Most notably I have worked for three years organising the annual Model United Nations Conference where I worked my way up to the position of Director-General with over 100 people working under me. I am also the president of the Entrepreneurship Club of the University and have organised multiple one of a kind events and interactions on campus. Also involved in the Student Chapters of multiple organizations in various capacities. I am one of two the elected class representatives for my batch.

Outside of campus, I have also been involved in social work. I have worked for two years with an NGO working for the rights of women and children in mainly an editorial role but contributing on the ground as and when required.
I have completed my certifications in Lean Management and Lean Six Sigma from the British Standards Institute as well as many certifications in Data Presentation and Project Management from Coursera.

Post MBA Goals: Finance has always been of great interest to me. I want to get into Venture Capital (maybe Impact Investing in particular) as I have always been interested in entrepreneurship and I like meeting new people and listening to new ideas. India is a great growth market for VC and I want to come back to India and contribute to the growth story here.

I know how VC is to break into and it might some time so I am flexible with my short term goals. I am open to joining the Capital Projects and Infrastructure or Private Equity Practices of the MBB firms to start with or an early stage startup

I plan to work in an early stage startup or a VC fund in the two years after finishing my UG and start my CFA.

himanshut85

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Schools: Kellogg 1YR '21 (I) Goizueta 1YR '21 (D) Johnson 1Yr MBA "21 (A$)

GMAT 1: 720 Q50 V37 Verified score

Schools: Kellogg 1YR '21 (I) Goizueta 1YR '21 (D) Johnson 1Yr MBA "21 (A$)

GMAT 1: 720 Q50 V37 Verified score

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11 Oct 2019, 06:16

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Please review my profile!

Background:
I am 33 yrs old Indian Male. Working as Associate Vice President in a commercial bank in India in the Credit Risk Domain for Commercial Real Estate Sector.

Education:
Bachelor of Engineering - Computer Science (passed in 2008) - Distinction (No GPA Provided) - Top 20 Engineering College in India
Post Graduation Program in Management - Finance & Economics (passed in 2010) - GPA (5.85/10) - Top 5 Management Colleges in India
Financial Risk Management - GARP - 2013 - Scored A in all the sub-sections.

GMAT Score - 720 (Q50/V37/IR7)
Work Experience:
Started my career with starting a new company in the field of education (online + offline model) for the underprivileged scaled up to 100+ employees and managed it as Chief Executive Officer leading the entire team for 1.5 years. Investment made by few venture capitalists. Eventually had to close it down because of strategic differences between the founders.

Next 7.5 years was involved in the Credit Risk Department (Real Estate) across leading banks of India leading a group of 3-5 personals. Involved in underwriting of $ 2 billion of investments and managing a portfolio of $ 1 billion. Got 3 promotions in this span.

Awards:
Awarded CEO Recognition Award at one of the company.

Other Achievements:
- Presented various research papers at International Conference.
- Was awarded with a prestigious scholarship for being the among the top 50 management student across India.
- Was involved with an NGO for 3-4 years in developing the curriculum and vocational training for the under privileged.
- Certified Vedic Astrologer and Iyengar Yoga Trainer.
- Have been involved in teaching Quantitative Ability at several institutions.
- Regular member and contributor to GARP Community.

Post MBA Aspirations:
- Working in investment management, asset management, private equity/venture capital, commercial banks with a focus on Real Estate (first preference) or in other related fields.

I am planning to apply in R2 of colleges and am looking only for a 1 year option. Kellog's (Real Estate Specialization), Cornell Johnson, LBS (MIF), INSEAD, IMD, IE Spain, Ivey Business School.

Questions:
- Please evaluate my profile in regards to the mentioned colleges.
- How will my age (on a higher side) will impact my candidature. Will it be out-rightly rejected? I have checked with few colleges such as LBS MIF and Cornell Johnson and they have encouraged me to apply.
- Any other college which I should target?
- I do not have a significant international exposure. However, have been part of few international work assignments (short periods only 10-15 days couple of times). Will this act as a deterrent while applying to colleges?

Thanks in advance!!!

ApplicantLab

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23 Oct 2019, 12:32

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Hi there!

Well done on that 2nd GMAT attempt -- a 770 is a great score!

It's great also that in Model UN you're helping guide 100 other people -- for both of the clubs where you are leading, it will help a lot if you can point to concrete contributions, e.g. "Helped conference bring in 15% more in revenue than in the past" or anything that can point to you being a *better* leader than the previous leaders.

The one thing that I don't think you mentioned yet is your internship experience, particularly any business-related experience.

Do you already have a job lined up, post-graduation? In an ideal scenario, you would have already had an internship (either summer or during the school year) with something related to your long-term goals. Deferred application candidates can be successful if, e.g. their boss from their summer internship at McKinsey can write a recommendation letter that compares the applicant in a favorable way to other employees who have gone on to that MBA program in the past. Another common thing the deferred candidates do is start a business during college and grow it, or join a fast-growing business and have a position where they have made an impact to the company's growth.

Until I know what your work experience is, I can't really comment on the strength of your background. The good news is, you certainly have cleared the "Academic" hurdle in what I call the "AdCom Hierarchy of Needs" ( blog post can be found here: https://blog.applicantlab.com/mba-admissions-committees-needs-meet-needs/

If you've been able to make a big impact and demonstrate leadership skills via your extra-curriculars (and, ideally, work experience) then you'd have a decent shot!

Thanks,
Maria

yashbhati

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23 Oct 2019, 12:39

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Hi there!

It's good that you realize that your age puts you at a disadvantage for the traditional 2-year MBA program; the programs you're considering are appropriate given your background!

Another program I would consider is the 1-year USC IBEAR program (for international business; you can probably take real estate electives with it? Would need some further digging...) https://www.marshall.usc.edu/programs/mba-programs/ibear-mba

Regarding the career vision, please do not apply with such a broad swath of potential fields -- not only should it stick closely to real estate, but it should be a position that specifically will benefit from your Credit Risk background. (I don't know the real estate industry well enough to know what that position would be, but I'm sure you could find out!)

As with all candidates to all schools, proving leadership impact is a big part of the application. You'll want to be able to quantify your contributions to your firm.

Also, since you already have a masters in management, you may want to explain somewhere in the application (in the main essay or in an optional essay) why you feel the need for a second masters degree -- that is, point out the deficiencies of the first degree and why the MBA will be much more helpful for you than the previous degree was.

Hope this helps!,
Maria

himanshut85

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04 Nov 2019, 23:58

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Hi Maria,

I would like to share my profile with you in order to know your opinion about whether I am on the right track.

Vaibhavi Jobalia
Communications and Entertainment background

Education:

MSU BARODA
Bachelors of Business Administration - 60.10 /100 (It's low, I know!! - need help to tackle this)

Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising and Marketing Communications
Xavier's Institute of Communications, Mumbai
(IN top 5 communication colleges in the nation)
Grade received - B+

Work Experience :

Strategic Relations Manager
REAL PLASTICS - Family Business
The main role was to maintain existing clients and get new clients by expanding network as well as finding new sources of revenue.
I work in family business for a year but decided to leave since I realized that working in manufacturing sector was a more operations heavy role which did not interest me. Moreover, I have always been a person who would like to do something of their own than join family business - so I decided to leave.

Brand Strategist
SHOBIZ EXPERIENTIAL COMMUNICATION
My responsibility is to conceptualize experiential communication i.e. ideate activations , campaigns and events. This role often requires coordination with Account Management and Design team for each project. Moreover , we face clients as well in order to understand the 'why', 'what', budget and other needs. In order to deliver results , I have to understand business strategy in case of activations and product launches.

SENIOR EXECUTIVE - CONCEPTUALIZER AND COPYWRITER
WIZCRAFT INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINENT

Wizcraft is the leading experiential marketing agency in India . We do events such as IIFA . GiMA awards and many more (I have to give context since many people find it difficult to understand my nature of work)

My main role here is to conceptualize events , activations , campaigns as well as design appropriate content for these experiences. I design and write content for various brands depending on the needs of the project.
Example: I designed the Amazon's screening event of the show - 'The family Man' .

Extra-curriculars:

Marketing executive for a state-level event in college wherein I helped gather sponsorship and participants for the event as well as design campaign

Independent voluntary experience of teaching underprivileged kids for 6 months

Lead my team in an inter-college competitive to make the best Ad film - Won second runners up position

There are others but not recent enough to mention.

GMAT : 710
IELTS: 8 bands
Total work experience : 2.5 years

Post MBA short term goal - Enter the domain of strategy Consulting
Long term goal : Start my own innovations consultancy

strengths/ transferable skills :
Project management skills
Strong communication skills
Managing client relations
Business background
Creative problem-solving
Research oriented approach

Target Colleges :

ISB - Have appeared for the interview
Fuke - Dinged / waitlisted -
Darden - No email for invite received yet despite of applying in Round 1 in October (dinged, I think)

I guess I need to change my approach and I am looking for advice on the same.

Target colleges :

USA -
Cornell ?
Would CBS be a stretch?
Maybe Tepper or Kelly are better options??
Please suggest colleges in USA for application in second round

Singapore-
NUS
NTU

Europe -
HEC Paris
ESADE ( is this good?)
LBS(Is it a stretch)
INSEAD (I think a stretch)
IESE (seems okay since their average work ex is 4 and not 5 years as per the norms)

CANADA-
Rotman

Any other colleges I should I apply to ?
What are your thoughts on the colleges I am looking at??

What would you suggest for the over profile?

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Hi Maria,

I would really appreciate it if you could review my profile. I am plan on applying next year for the Fall, 2021 intake and am targeting the M-7 schools.

Personal details:
22 year old non-engineering Indian male (will be 24 by the time I start school)

Education:
760 GMAT (Q49 / V46 / IR4 / AWA4)
3.79 / 4.00 GPA (Bachelor's in Commerce (with Honors in finance and investment)) from top private university in India (but not a feeder school)
Cleared first two levels of the CFA program

Work experience:
2.5 years of experience (will be 4 by the time I start B-School) in the Deal Advisory (Financial Due Diligence) team of a big four firm in India. Have got one promotion till date

Post-MBA goals:
Most probably MBB consulting in the short-run and VC / entrepreneurship in the long-run

Extra-curriculars:
Co-authored a fictional novel which was released recently
Mentor on Challenge 22+, an Israel-based online support group for people interested in transitioning to a vegan lifestlye, since January, 2016
Active volunteer in the space of animal rights in the city I live in
Participated in and won national-level competitions in theater, debate and business during my undergraduate days

I would really appreciate it if you could evaluate my chances at the M7 schools. Also, is there reason for me to worry about my low IR / AWA scores as well as slightly low quant score on the GMAT?

sarsondaswag

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04 Dec 2019, 07:09

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Hi Maria,

I'd first like to thank you for the wonderful work you're doing for the candidates on GMATClub! I came across ApplicantLab via GMATClub, and was really impressed by the great reviews and USPs of your product.

I'd appreciate of you could answer a couple of my questions:

1. I am looking to apply in Masters in Business Analytics Programs in Fall 2020 (mostly in US). Would your tool help me with the application process for that? (and if yes, how?)

2. Any suggestions/feedback on my current profile? Profile:

Age: 23
Nationality: Indian
GMAT Score: 770 (Q50, V42, AWA 6, IR 8) (1st attempt)
Undergrad Course & GPA: Electrical Engineering, 8.19/10 (top tier college in India, but not an IIT)
Work Ex: 15 months (as on Nov, 2019)
Work Role: Software Product Development at a Big4 Consulting Firm
Extra Curricular: Student Placement Rep, Volunteer at college chapter of Enactus, Co-founded the Student Media Body of my college and member of Editorial Board of my college magazine.

I'm looking to apply for Business Analytics because I have a strong liking for data science and analytics and a strong Quant background. Have done many MOOCs on Machine Learning and Statistics in preparation for that.

My long term goal is to pursue an MBA from a Top 5 B-School and embark on a career in Product Management (which is why I want to apply to Analytics rather than MS in Data Science). I figure an MSBA would differentiate my profile for an MBA (coming from a massively over-represented group) and also add some international work experience. The colleges I'm thinking of applying to are:

MIT Sloan MBAn
UT Austin McCombs MSBA
UCLA Anderson MSBA
USC Marshall MSBA
Purdue Krannert
Minnesota Carlson

Any suggestions on my strategy/university choice/alternative strategies would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

shuvodip04

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Location: India

Concentration: Finance, International Business

Schools: IIMB IIMA ISB'22 (S) IIMA PGPX'22 (I)

GMAT 1: 660 Q48 V33 Verified score

GMAT 2: 700 Q49 V35 (Online) Verified score

GPA: 4

WE:Analyst (Energy)

Schools: IIMB IIMA ISB'22 (S) IIMA PGPX'22 (I)

GMAT 2: 700 Q49 V35 (Online) Verified score

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06 Dec 2019, 01:54

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Sir/Mam I would like your view on my profile below.

Indian, Male, 27 yrs , Engineer

Work Experience - 5 years 2months

NGL Analyst-Reliance Industries Ltd - India's biggest public company with concentration in the oil,gas and petrochemicals.Has the world's largest refinery that processes 1.5 million barrels of crude oil.Joined after passing out of college as a trainee in one of their petrochemical plants in 2014 was confirmed as Manager in a year. Mainly looked after the reliability of assets. Handled teams of contract workers in big turnarounds in the plant.

2017 - Was selected out of applicants of around 200 to the company's Supply and Trading group. The group handles the worlds biggest refinery's crude oil trading & operations , product trading & operations, risk management & margin optimization. Was trained in all aspects of the oil and gas trading business promoted to Senior Manager and working as Analyst in the group's Ethane team.This was the first ever project which imported US Ethane(a commodity) into Asia. Here I am involved market research of North American Natural Gas and Liquids Market. Regularly prepare report Have a fair idea about crude oil and product markets- trading(paper and physical), risk management, supply contracts, shipping.

GMAT: 660 (Q48 V33, IR6, AWA 3)

Academics:
• Metallurgical and Material Science Engineering, Jadavpur University, India -CGPA 7.94/72%

Extra-curricular
• Participated in inter department college and office Cricket tournaments. Captain of the team in College.

Recommendation:- 1)Strong - From my ex manager of current profile who is currently CEO of a Singapore subsidiaries.
2) Moderate- From HOD of my previous work experience in the company

Other Achievements:-
i) Received the best performer award in the "ICE-OIL TRADER ACADEMY" from a pool of 22 international participants

Post MBA Goal
Considering MBA with concentration in finance. Post MBA looking to work in a bank in Equity Research or Risk Management in USA,UK or Canada. Come back to India after 2-3 years of experience.

Would like you to suggest some schools which would be a good fit for me? Looking for 1 year courses.
I am looking for universities in UK ,Canada or Asia where I can work post MBA. Would like to know the names of colleges where my work experience in oil and gas sector will be given high weightage and there will be chance of scholarships.

Thanks

SAcholia

Joined: 03 Sep 2014

Last visit: 20 Apr 2020

Posts: 2

Given Kudos: 2

Posts: 2

Kudos: 0

28 Dec 2019, 00:15

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Hi Maria,

I have heard a lot about ApplicantLab and I appreciate the kind of platform it is:)

Indian, female, 29 years (applying in 2020), IT, 6 years work experience including 2 years International work experience (ongoing and will continue till i get into B-School)
Have to appear for GMAT

Honors(77%) undergrad in Engineering from Tier 2 School- Started a Student Activity Centre at School, Selected for National Science Fellowship for Innovations by Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India

Pursuing an internal leadership program(had to compete to get in) with my current employer. This program focuses on demonstrating leadership through working with non-profits- for CSR projects. I am working with non-profits for Technical education focussing on youth and women. I teach there, work on their job applications, resumes and the success of my project depends on the number of people getting into jobs. I also train the trainers there.

This is my 4th job, I have worked with Deutsche Bank and Vodafone in past. Currently working for well known IT firm(not Google, Microsoft) in Toronto. I have a decent designation at work and have got leadership opportunity too (with my current employer within a span of 13 months).

I want to write about non-profits in my MBA essays, also I wish to work in non-profit consulting/strategic consulting post MBA - (I am not sure how wise does it sound but that is my initial thought about my story)

I am looking for M7 schools. May I please request you to share your thoughts about my profile and the schools I can seriously think about. I'd also appreciate more of your suggestions.

Happy Holidays!