Ask ARINGO MBA Admissions Consulting

Hi,

I have written GMAT four times and it has been a dissapointing journey for me. Below are my scores

1. Dec 2013 580 Q46V25
2. Aug 2014 640 Q43V35
3. Oct 2014 640 Q47V32 (cancelled)
4. Dec 2014 580 Q45V25

As my score dropped from 640 to 580 again do you think this will have a negative affect on my apps.
I want to apply to Canadian bschools do you think i have a chance with this performance.I have Software testing experience of 4.3 years.

Thanks!

Hi, the schools are supposed to take only your highest score; I would not worry about the 580. For future, if you decide to take the test again, I understand you have a very short while after you receive your results, to cancel the test - so if it's low again, you can basically press a button and it ceases to exist...

For Canadian schools, I do think you have a chance with a 640. It depends of course on the rest of your profile, and on your essays and recommendations.

Good luck!!


Joy
Senior Application Consultant
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Hello!

I would much appreciate an evaluation of my profile with respect to target schools: Columbia, Duke, HBS, Yale, Stern

ACADEMICS:
-I'm a 26 year old female from India.
-GMAT - 710/92% (V: 40/91% | Q: 48/74% | AWA: 6/92% | IR: 2/12%)
-Computer Engineering degree from a State University 69% (we don't have a GPA system, but it comes to 3.5, top 10% of class)

WORK EXPERIENCE:
-Senior Consultant with a niche management consulting company (HQ in US, ~500 employees) leading a team of 17 across India, Romania and the US (2 promotions in 4 years, very quick growth, youngest Senior Consultant in the company), total work experience of 4 years.
-Managing Incentive Compensation / Sales Performance Management project of a large Fortune 10 conglomerate across 70 countries, total portfolio of USD 20 MM, manage daily operations of 15 verticals across Energy, Oil & Gas, Appliances & Transportation.
-The India manager resigned and I am working towards the Project Manager role
-Successfully led the Incentive Compensation plans of 6 global Verticals of the company
-Trained, built India/Romania team from 5 to 15 in 18 months resulting in higher task turnaround time
-Conduct regular sessions with senior sales directors across the globe to effectively engage them in the Sales Compensation and Performance process for the client.
-Mentor 5 Associates/Consultants, responsible for their professional growth, promotions, annual reviews/appraisals
-Recruiting and Staffing, taking interviews for Associate/Consultant positions
-Strong client recommendations

PERSONAL:
-Cleared CFA Level I, June 2015 Level II Candidate,
-Classical Pianist (training for the last 18 years, preparing for Licentiate of Trinity College of Music, London's Diploma in Solo Piano; cleared Trinity's Grade examinations from 2-8 as well as Advanced Certificate in Solo Piano in 2010)
-Take piano lessons for children at no charge.
-Research paper published by Dr. Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt on their Freakonomics blog.

POST MBA GOALS:
-Continue in the Consulting domain but develop a broader understanding of different consulting industries.
-Want to solve bigger, challenging socio-economic problems

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration!

Hi, I like your chances! the leadership experience you've had makes you stand out from the crowd, especially for one so young. You'll want to highlight specific achievements and initiatives in your application, and try to make the most of your extracurriculars and volunteer activity with children. Your school choices make sense, except for NYU. I suggest considering Kellogg and Chicago Booth as well - both big schools for consulting careers.

Good luck and let us know if you have any additional questions.

Regards,

Joy
Senior Application Consultant
Aringo.com
https://www.facebook.com/Aringo.Top.MBA.Admissions

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Hi Aringo,

Could you please evaluate my profile?

Demographics: 29 year old White Male

GMAT: Attempt 2: 710 (Q49 V38 IR7) Attempt 1: 690 (Q48 V37 IR8)

Education:
Undergrad- 2.7 GPA from a state school, I had 3 semesters in which I had family health issues that I handled poorly and didnt go to classes resulting in 3 administrative failures. This is my huge weakness (duh) besides being a white male.
Graduate- 3.85 GPA from Boston College MSF program; I wanted to be able demonstrate to adcoms that the 2.7 state school gpa was not an accurate reflection of the person I am today and hopefully quell the obvious concerns over my undergrad. I understand this doesn't replace my undergrad but its the next best thing I could do.

Work Experience:
5 Years at a large asset manager (Like Fidelity, Wellington, Putnam). I had to start in a customer service role given my undergrad profile, I received 3 promotions, most recently to equity research analyst. I currently have 1.5 as an equity research analyst, will have 3 years as an analyst by the time of matriculation. I was able to successfully make the back office to front office transition. It is common for people in my company & role to get in to top 5 schools & we recruit MBAs almost exclusively from Harvard, Wharton, Booth, Columbia, and Sloan.

Professional Certifications: CFA

Goals Post MBA: Sr. Equity Analyst with a track to Portfolio Manager ideally at a large mutual fund, maybe work for a hedge fund.

EC: Involved with a charity founded after my friend passed away with leukemia, the foundation raises money for blood cancer research. Year 1 we raised a total $4000, now in year 5 we have cumulatively raised close to $500k, recently granted $250k to fund a phase 1 clinical trial researching NK cells.

I should have good recommendations; I can get alumni from each school to write my recommendations except for Sloan.

Plan to Apply Round 1 in Fall 2015 to These 6:
Focusing on: Booth, Columbia, Sloan, and Tuck
Reaches: Harvard and Wharton

Will apply to Stern and Johnson Round 2 if I have no luck round 1.

What do you think my chances are?

Should I retake the GMAT? Both attempts I have choked on RC, my practice exams before my first attempt were 740 & 750, practices before the 2nd attempt were 760 & 750. I feel I can definitely score better than a 710, but is it worth it to retake if I only get a 720 or 730? Will 10 or 20 points make a difference? I believe if I can get a 740-760 that puts Wharton in to play for me. Is 710 good enough for me to get in to one of my four?

Please let me know your thoughts on my profile.

Thanks!

Hello Aringo people!

Could you please evaluate my (rough, very early) profile? All information is based on the year when I would apply (for intake 2017, graduation 2019)

Demographics: 27 year old white, American male (26 at time of application, 27 at matriculation)

GMAT: 680 (only taken first practice and haven't studied, expect 720)

Education:
Undergrad: 3.7 GPA in English with Honors while working in the university Writing Center from private top 100 school
Grad: 3.3 GPA in top 20 in Public Policy with specialization in Regulatory Policy from top 20 program. GPA is a little low here because it was my first real experience with heavy quant work and I admittedly struggled initially. Final pro bono team consulting project research paper was published and received some media attention.

Work Experience:
3+ years as a Regulatory Economist for a Federal agency
do my grad school internships matter here? I am guessing no...

EC:
Mentor and tutor for underprivileged high school students through a nonprofit
member of Toastmasters
leader for Federal charity campaign within agency

Focusing to apply R1 for 2017:
UC Berkeley Haas
MIT Sloan
Duke Fuqua
UVA Darden
Northwestern Kellogg

Reach: Stanford GSB

Questions:
What are some things I can do in the upcoming two years to improve my chances? What programs do you believe I should focus on? Are my ambitions totally off-base?

Thanks so much for your time and consideration! I appreciate any guidance you can give at this early point in this process.

Hi, I think you could have a chance. I can't tell from what you've written if you have any leadership/management experience. If so, that will help. Also, you'll want to try to focus on initiatives in your essays/resume. Even if you haven't done anything privately/independently, if you've brought any innovative ideas that have improved processes or had impact at your place of work, that will work in your favor. The EC is great - very powerful accomplishment. Seems to me you'll want to talk about that in your essays, and also see if you can bring in what happened during the undergrad years, to create empathy, and definitely state that going for the Master's was partly your way of compensating for the undergrad years - to show what you are truly capable of.

You have the time to retake the GMAT, there are so many months before essay questions are released - I would definitely do it, since you have the possibility of getting mid-70s. Even a 720 will help, so no reason not to.

Good luck, and let us know if you have any more questions.

Joy

Senior Application Consultant
Aringo.com
https://www.facebook.com/Aringo.Top.MBA.Admissions

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Hi, you haven't mentioned what your goals are; it's important that there is a logical throughline - what you are doing now, and what you wish to do in the future, so whatever goals you will be presenting, see that the choices you make today are the right next step to reach them, and will already give you skills/experience you will need in the future, along with what you will gain from the MBA. Leadership/management experience is a big plus; so try whenever possible to take responsibility, accept positions of leadership, whether in or out of work. Showing initiative is also very important: look for ways to make change, to come with ideas on how to improve processes. You will definitely need to improve your GMAT - now is a great time to do it, since you don't have to worry about working on your actual applications. Take a course, study and ace the exam, and your head will be free when it's time to start writing essays.

Another thing you can do, since it's so early in the game, is to research the schools you are interested VERY WELL. Start talking to students and alumni, and write down anything interesting they say, alongside their name and year of graduation. Keep it in a safe place, and you will be able to use this later down the road, for your essays. And some of the schools will accept informal support from students/alumni, so if you make good connections, you may find these people willing to help you later.

Lastly - try to visit the campuses. You have 2 years, so take a trip, visit the campus, sit in on a class, meet with Admissions, and again - write down all of your impressions of what struck you as unique/special in each particular school. You'll use that later as well.

Good luck, and stay in touch with us in the coming years if more questions arise.

All the best,

Joy

Senior Application Consultant
Aringo.com
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Joy,

Thanks so much for your insight. I really appreciate your review and advice. I am still working on more clearly defining my goal and logical process through MBA.

I will focus on improving my GMAT and pursuing leadership opportunities inside and outside my workplace.

Your suggestion for outreach is excellent. I am planning to visit Berkeley and Northwestern this year (going for conferences and staying long to check out campuses/talk with admissions) and will make sure to keep a notebook handy.

Hi Aringo,

Please evaluate my profile.
Below are my profile details.

Age: 23 years
Nationality/Gender: Indian Male.
Work Ex: Around 3 years of experience in Consulting (Marketing Analytics), 1 year as Junior Consultant (Marketing Analytics) with IMS Health and 2 years as Associate (Marketing Analytics) with ZS Associates
Duties at work: Project management from India, management of about 2-3 analysts on projects, managing timelines and SPOC for on-shore team members on projects. Also, have designed the training material and deliver training to about 35 members (from analysts to managers) of marketing analytics group - Marketing analytics SPOC for training at india level

GMAT: To be taken - targeting in range of 700-720
College: Ramjas College, University of Delhi
Major: Statistics
Aggregate: 66℅
Year of graduation: 2012

Academics:
High School: 88%, 91% (best of 4)
Intermediate: 86%
Graduation : 66%
1 internship completed with NTPC while in college
Worked on a project with an NGO in college for 6 months - recruited and on-boarded 5 team members to establish the project in college and spread awareness of recycling paper which was recycled and sent to underprivileged children while employing hearing impaired women (recycling of paper).
Finalist in many college level management competitions while in college, took part in one-day management workshop at Faculty of management studies (FMS), University of Delhi
Part of college's placement committee
Harmonium player in events at school level, been a part of school cricket team

Target Programs:
MBA, MIS

Plan to Apply in 2015 for admission in 2016.

Post MBA goal: To accelerate the growth in consulting

Target B-Schools in no order:
1.Rotman
2.Sauder
3.UCLA
4.Schulich

Pls suggest some other schools in US , where I stand a good chance.

Thanks,
Kunal

Double post

Double post

Hi!

I'm planning on going to b-school in fall 2016 (full time) and would love to get some honest feedback.
What are my chances and what should I work on? I'm confident in improving my GMAT to 720+ with actual preparation.

Male - 24 Years old (25 in June)

1.) Job:
Will have 4 years of work experience before starting school in fall 2016
-2 Years at a Fortune 30 (company is a household name) doing corporate development/internal M&A
-1 Year at a global bank doing corporate banking and M&A
-1 Year in a rotational training program at the same bank as above

2.) GMAT
-Just started studying a week and a half ago - just took my first practice test and got a 620
-Targeting 720+ with 3 more months of studying

3.) College
-3.5 GPA, economics major / math minor
-Captain of a varsity sports team (team scholar, multiple academic awards)
-Founded a club sports team at the end of my freshman year that went to club nationals my junior and senior year
-Managing editor for school paper
-Economics and math peer tutor

4.) Current Extra Curriculars
-Volunteer at a non-profit focused on teaching kids how to swim
-Work with the CEO and CFO of the foundation on budgeting and evaluating opportunities to grow and expand the program to other schools and neighborhoods
-Career center resource (resume screens/mock interviews/informational interviews)

5.) Why MBA/Schools I am targeting
- Gain general management skills, switch careers from finance to strategy, focus on helping young (or established) companies to grow strategically and for the long term
-M7, Tuck, Berkeley

6.) Future career aspirations
-Strategy at a startup
-Strategy at a corporate (aiming for a tech company (did an internship at a small TMT investment bank])
-Management consulting at MBB
-Venture capital


Regards,
WaywardScholar

Hi Kunal,
Looks good - you seem to me to be aiming at reasonable schools. Others you might take a look at are Johnson, U of Texas at Austin, Tepper, Marshall and Emory.

Best of success with your GMAT!

Regards,

Joy

Senior Application Consultant
Aringo.com
https://www.facebook.com/Aringo.Top.MBA.Admissions

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Hi WaywardScholar,

Your profile looks good. I really like the leadership and initiatives you show in your background. Most important things to work on will be raising your GMAT (as you already know and are doing), and working to hone your career goals. By the time you apply, you will want to have a very clear path - and one that best relates to your history. So I would say decide now whether you are interested in consulting or venture capital, and start making your choices based on that. The more your CV relates to your stated goals, the better your chances.

Best of luck, and let us know if you have any additional questions.

Regards,

Joy

Senior Application Consultant
Aringo.com
https://www.facebook.com/Aringo.Top.MBA.Admissions

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Hi,

You can also look at UNC Chapel Hill, UIUC, University of Maryland , Georgetown University etc.

www.manyagroup.com

Hi Joe,