Ask ARINGO MBA Admissions Consulting : Ask Admissions Consultants

ARINGO · 2011-02-12T23:14:19-08:00

https://gmatclub.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Aringo-Logo-150.png Dear GMAT Club members, it is our pleasure to have ARINGO MBA Admissions Consulting as part of the GMAT Club Forums! ARINGO helps candidates with GMAT scores below 720 get into Top-10 MBA programs. SPECIAL SAVINGS! Save up to 20% when you sign up with ARINGO.com for a comprehensive package! To get your exclusive GMAT discount: Get ARINGO's free initial assessment. Indicate that you have been referred by GMAT Club so that you get the discount. About Aringo: ARINGO's roots were planted when the founder, Gil Levi, was accepted at Harvard, Wharton and INSEAD with a GMAT score of 650. Gil received a full, merit-based scholarship at Wharton upon admission and later became a member of the Wharton Admission Committee. He formed ARINGO's methodology on the basis of the essay-writing tools that he originally developed as an applicant. The results followed: ARINGO’s clients were accepted at Harvard (MBA) with GMAT scores of 580, 660 and 670; at Wharton with GMAT scores of 640, 660 and 670; at Duke with GMAT scores of 600 and 640; at INSEAD with GMAT scores of 630, 640 and 650; at MIT with GMAT scores of 660 and 680; at LBS with GMAT scores of 630, 650 and 660; at Kellogg with GMAT scores of 640 and 680, and many more… Since its inception, ARINGO has invested heavily in research (over 3,000 man hours and counting…). Following this heavy investment in research, ARINGO clients have access to ARINGO’s Admission Driver System for application content planning, its Tracker System for tracking document versions, and the Planner System for task scheduling. ARINGO employs a round table strategy, with each consultant collecting expert opinions at the critical decision points throughout the application process. We also conduct internal reviews of candidates' materials by additional consultants (and at no additional cost) in order to provide a fresh perspective and make sure each of our client's materials are at their best. The collaboration within ARINGO's team, which includes former admission committee members as well as experienced consultants with marketing writing skills, contributes to the success of our clients' applications. Please join us in welcoming Gil Levi , founder of ARINGO, and wish him Good Luck! Dear all, I was accepted at Harvard, Wharton and INSEAD with a GMAT score of 650. I received a full, merit-based scholarship at Wharton upon admission and later became a member of the Wharton Admission Committee. Following these experiences I founded ARINGO, an admission consulting firm with particular specialty in countering low GMAT scores. ARINGO employs the series of essay tools I originally developed as an applicant. The results followed: our clients were accepted to Harvard (MBA) with GMAT’s of 580, 660 and 670; to Wharton with GMAT’s of 640, 660 and 670; to Duke with GMAT’s of 600 and 640; to INSEAD with GMAT’s of 630, 640 and 650; to MIT with GMAT’s of 660 and 680; to LBS with GMAT’s of 630, 650 and 660; to Kellogg with GMAT’s of 640 and 680, and many more… Any questions out there about the admission process? Regards, Gil Levi ARINGO.com

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20 Apr 2016, 03:11

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Aringo

stonecold

Hello team Aringo
And HOWDIEEEE.. to anyone who reads this...!!

Now I have a very specific situation (thats what i think ) so i am submitting my info to which i would love to hear from anyone who has the adequate knowledge to address my concerns
Heres my BACKGROUND

10th grade=> 73%
12th grade => 74% (a science student)

Then i took an year off as i did not get into the a decent engineering college..Trust me here- i got into many colleges but all of them were Pretty much CRAP (sorry for the curse but i am being bluntly honest here)
In the mean time I assisted my father during the day and studied during night..I am not sure that experience will count for business schools nevertheless i am very proud that i did that as at an early age i got to understand as to how someone who runs an industry actually functions..
The Gap year proved fruitful as i got into GGSIPU Delhi plus i got a pretty good and a decorated college in the Capital city..
Engineering was Good in fact great ..

Aggregate=> 71%(B.Tech In Information tech)
Now to be honest with you guys i was working with my father during my engineering years as well ..I would literally pick up documents and do other chores for him (Yes He Paid Me too)

Here is the real problem why i wrote this piece =>
My age is 23 years and 330 days
I will be 24 next month..!!

I graduated in June 2015..
And from DAY 1 i have been working with my father in our Family business..
Initially i was hesitant to join him as i was an IT engineer and my family is into Footwear business. Then I started to love my job [Common we make shoes and other footwear's for a living. Who would not love that right

]
Now almost an year later i feel like i need to grow my business outreach..
Trust me when i say this - Work is Fine..But the glitch is => "i want to take my family Business to places" Actually i want that to be Awesome instead of just Fine (sorry for the choice of words )
Hence i need an MBA..
And to much of my surprise my father stands right by me in this decision..! In fact He told me that its a very mature move..!!

I know most of you might think its too early for an MBA
But honestly guys Waiting for another 2 or 3 years will not take my business anywhere .It will be in a stand still.

Plus i think i have the added advantage of working with my father in my initial GAP year where i assisted him if it counts.

So it goes without saying => I DON'T ONLY WANT AN MBA ; I NEED AN MBA..!!

secondly i am a bit confused about this work experience thing ..!!
Most of the business schools require 2 years of work experience in there applicants ..
What does 2 years mean?
till the program actually starts or till the time you fill out your application
If i apply in 2016 for fall 2017 admissions then by the time i actually start my school in September i will be having 2 years and 2 months of experience.. I guess that would do..???

WHAT ARE THE SCHOOLS I CAN TARGET ???

Top 20 can i get in ?
Okay Top30?
Top40?
i am flexible as long as it in the Top 40-45
Common Guys Help me get into top 40 at-least..!!!! I don't want to wait ..!!
I am into manufacturing shoes and other footwear so anything related to marketing and advertising would be Fabulous ..Plus i like Advertising.
Now if (only if) i wait another year( which probably would not do any good to my industry ) then will it increase my chances of getting admitted..

GMAT => Appearing this October..I think i can get a good score..i will try for 700 maybe ..I will Dig that (i have started preparing)

now to the most important part=>

Community services => I am an active part of an Organisation which rescues street dogs and treats them until they are healthy..I have been a part of this organisation from my engineering days ..the reason i do it it i honestly believe in the work we do..We organise dog shows too..

Positions held => "I am not given any designations actually .. I am responsible for marketing and supply ..Plus sometimes manufacturing too. Family business comes with several added responsibilities too

The Post MBA goals => " I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO MY HOME COUNTRY THE DAY AFTER I GET AN MBA . Off course i would like to do an internship however..But apart from that i have one any only one vision that is to Do Justice to my family business and take it to a level it deserves"

ANYONE WHO READS THIS Please Feel free TO POST any suggestions You guys Have for me... It will be really helpful..

Also i know that chetan2u Vyshak and Abhishek009 are Mathematics Wizards/Gmat experts and not admission consultants .But given that they have been super awesome in replying to every query i post(or anyone posts) i would love to hear from you guys as to what should i do..!! Any Advice guys?

Love and respect to everyone
Stone Cold

P.S => i am posting on multiple forums a i am looking for any advices i can get

Hi Stone Cold,

You’ve written quite a bit, so my responses are in order of the details you provided, okay?

1. High school grades and experience are irrelevant for MBA applications – they won’t go on your resume or application itself.
2. If your father owns/runs a successful business, that could be very useful for your applications. Certainly working for the family business is relevant for the CV.
3. If you are in love with the family business and want to grow it – that’s great, it’s a wonderful goal to have. And you can write a beautiful story I think about studying engineering, but over the years falling in love with the business.
4. Two years’ work experience means by the time the program begins – in your example, September 2017.
5. About your chances at different schools, at the bottom of this post you will see a link to a free chances calculator – try that and see what it tells you; there are many parameters involved.
6. GMAT is very important – you are an Indian male engineer, which puts you in a very overrepresented applicant pool. Even though you are going for manufacturing, you still want to get that GMAT up as high as possible.
7. The volunteer work sounds great – wonderful aspect of your application.
8. You should decide on your position/role in the family business and stick with it; can have a few different designations, like a rotational job to get to know the company… also think about at least one promotion.
9. There are several programs especially for family business people. For example, Columbia January term is a bit shorter than other full time programs and has no internship. You haven’t mentioned US, Europe or Asia, but if we consider the whole world, ESADE in Barcelona is a good option; Johnson GSM at Cornell; Kellogg SoM; IMD, INSEAD, London Business School and Wharton.
10. Best of success to you!

Regards,

Joy

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Thank you for such a wonderful insight .
I am aiming for only US based schools.
I am flexible in ranking And any school in top 30 would do

And i have another question for you => I have very much made up my mind to fill the applications this year. But if i wait another year and decide to apply the next one Will it increase my chances ? i cannot delay it more than that . Also how about applying this year and if i don't get in i apply next year too.
I am not sure how will the B schools compare me with the other ""Working in Multinationals organization"" type of candidates.
Thats what is worrying me the most.

Thanks and regards
Stone Cold

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21 Apr 2016, 01:21

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Hi, waiting a year might increase your chances; but it might not – it depends on how you would use that year, and what accomplishments you would have that you currently don’t. If you are rejected this year, you can re-apply the following year; it would be wise to do some research to make sure that the school is friendly to reapplicants. Most are, some aren’t.

I recommend working with a reputable consulting company to help you strategize, position yourself, choose the schools wisely, etc.

Good luck!!

Joy

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akashboi

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22 Apr 2016, 07:53

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Hi,

I will try to keep it short.
Xth : 96.8% (Zone Topper)
XII: 92.8%
B.Tech in Mining Engineering: 8.73/10 ( Gold Medalist and Institute medal for exceptional academic record ) from IIT, Varanasi
GMAT 740 (Q50, V39, AWA:6, IR:6)
3 papers (2 National conference, 1 International Conference) , 1 Book Chapter (Springer, Introduction chapter)

Have held some good position of responsibility during my college time such as Placement Representative, Departmental Undergrad committee Senior Representative and have also participated and led my team in some National level competitions such as CIMA Global Business competition, PDMA design and innovation contest etc.

I had my startup during my final year but sadly it could not take off and I ended up joining TATA STEEL.

I am currently working in TATA STEEL India as a Manager, Mining Operations and have about 1 year of work expn. During my time here, I have undertaken about 3 improvement projects (on critical issues of Mining). I will be having two when I will join a MBA Program next year and am thinking of applying in R1 this year.

I have some good amount of voluntary experience, not just normal contributing stuff but some real projects ( 2 ) and participatory rural appraisals.

My question is should I be actually thinking of applying this year in schools such as Sloan,Booth, Yale, Columbia? Do I have a chance or should I bide my time and apply next year that is in 2017.

Please do tell if you need some additional info to comment on my question!

PS : Really liked your site and your admission chances calculator! It tells me I have a good chance given that I engage with you guys in my application!

ARINGO

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24 Apr 2016, 08:28

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akashsriv1993

Hi,

I will try to keep it short.
Xth : 96.8% (Zone Topper)
XII: 92.8%
B.Tech in Mining Engineering: 8.73/10 ( Gold Medalist and Institute medal for exceptional academic record ) from IIT, Varanasi
GMAT 740 (Q50, V39, AWA:6, IR:6)
3 papers (2 National conference, 1 International Conference) , 1 Book Chapter (Springer, Introduction chapter)

Have held some good position of responsibility during my college time such as Placement Representative, Departmental Undergrad committee Senior Representative and have also participated and led my team in some National level competitions such as CIMA Global Business competition, PDMA design and innovation contest etc.

I had my startup during my final year but sadly it could not take off and I ended up joining TATA STEEL.

I am currently working in TATA STEEL India as a Manager, Mining Operations and have about 1 year of work expn. During my time here, I have undertaken about 3 improvement projects (on critical issues of Mining). I will be having two when I will join a MBA Program next year and am thinking of applying in R1 this year.

I have some good amount of voluntary experience, not just normal contributing stuff but some real projects ( 2 ) and participatory rural appraisals.

My question is should I be actually thinking of applying this year in schools such as Sloan,Booth, Yale, Columbia? Do I have a chance or should I bide my time and apply next year that is in 2017.

Please do tell if you need some additional info to comment on my question!

PS : Really liked your site and your admission chances calculator! It tells me I have a good chance given that I engage with you guys in my application!

Hi, your experience looks great – academic is good, and for someone so young, already to have managerial experience sounds fantastic.
Even the startup is good – definitely include on the resume or in your essays, it will help you.
No mention made of extracurricular activities; I hope you have some.

Now – you do seem a bit young/inexperienced to apply for an MBA. My suggestion would be to do some research and see if the schools you are interested in are interested in someone with so little field experience. Another year will make you better seasoned, you’ll have more experience with which to understand the classroom theory; you’ll be closer to your classmates in age, etc. You also will have the opportunity to achieve more; achievements on your resume are very important, as are promotions; with only a year of experience you haven’t had much time to rack them up; in which case, what will you show on paper? CV and essays both?

I would consider applying next year.

Good luck!!!

Joy

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01 May 2016, 01:46

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Hi, I have just pm'ed you my detailed profile!!!

I hope you can give me some thoughts on it!

Thanks again!

ARINGO

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08 May 2016, 00:52

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Hi, we already sent our answer via PM.

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20 May 2016, 05:19

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Hi Aringo,

I am writing to you after getting rejects from 3 schools (LBS, Columbia (both round 2) and INSEAD (Round 1))
I wonder whether I've been applying to a right mix of b-schools or not ?

Nationality : Indian
Age: 26
GMAT: 680 (84 %ile) (Q47 V35; 67% and 73% )
GPA. 3.7 - Bachelors of Business Administration ; IP university

Work Experiences:
Senior Consultant (Operations consulting) with a Big 4 (Associated for nearly 5 years ; 3 promotions)
Worked 1 year full-time and 1 year part-time with a not-for-profit in child education sector

Extra curricular : Have been involved in dramatics and been doing theater for almost 12 years

I want to transition to a strategy consulting role (preferably with M/B/B, pretty open to working with big 4s as well, but in a different geography)

I am particularly interested in US and Singapore b-schools. (Already applied and got a ding from LBS and INSEAD, only schools I would prefer in EU region)

I would like to know the right mix of schools I should be applying to ; schools where consulting experience is valued and I could be a competitive/ strong applicant. Appreciate your help !

Let me know if you need any additional info. Thanks.

ARINGO

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22 May 2016, 08:03

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saukap02

Hi Aringo,

I am writing to you after getting rejects from 3 schools (LBS, Columbia (both round 2) and INSEAD (Round 1))
I wonder whether I've been applying to a right mix of b-schools or not ?

Nationality : Indian
Age: 26
GMAT: 680 (84 %ile) (Q47 V35; 67% and 73% )
GPA. 3.7 - Bachelors of Business Administration ; IP university

Work Experiences:
Senior Consultant (Operations consulting) with a Big 4 (Associated for nearly 5 years ; 3 promotions)
Worked 1 year full-time and 1 year part-time with a not-for-profit in child education sector

Extra curricular : Have been involved in dramatics and been doing theater for almost 12 years

I want to transition to a strategy consulting role (preferably with M/B/B, pretty open to working with big 4s as well, but in a different geography)

I am particularly interested in US and Singapore b-schools. (Already applied and got a ding from LBS and INSEAD, only schools I would prefer in EU region)

I would like to know the right mix of schools I should be applying to ; schools where consulting experience is valued and I could be a competitive/ strong applicant. Appreciate your help !

Let me know if you need any additional info. Thanks.

Hi, thanks for checking in with us. I’m sorry to hear about the dings; but you are young and have time to reapply or look elsewhere.
First of all, your GMAT is way too low for someone coming from India.
The fact that you come from the world of business and not engineering is a bit of a help, but still…
So firstly I highly recommend that you sign up for a good course and get your GMAT up over 700.

That being said… you should be looking at top 20-30.
If you read around you will see MANY different lists suggesting the best schools right now for consulting careers.
Some of the schools that get mentioned are INSEAD, IE, Kellogg, Ross, Wharton, Tuck, Columbia, Stanford, Anderson, Sloan, HBS, Booth, Duke, Johnson and Darden.
Of the ones on that list, I’d go for the less competitive ones… Anderson, Johnson, Darden, maybe Duke.
Anderson in particular might be a good choice, especially with the theatre background.

If you are indeed willing to go for a career with the Big 4, then you might consider these less competitive yet excellent schools:
Emory, McCombs and Kenan Flagler.

I’m not as familiar with the Singapore schools and which are the best for a consulting career.

Good luck!!

Joy

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23 May 2016, 16:12

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I'm a candidate with (I think) a strong international profile, I have lived in six countries and worked in four (NL, UK, CH and USA). I'd appreciate a profile review. My main concern is that my 710 my be considered somewhat low for my target institutions, but I think I have a strong profile. Thank you!

Background:

Work experience: 3 years post-graduation: leadership development program alumni at tier 2-3 aerospace and defense subcontractor, post LDP 1 year of business transformation consulting
Add'l WE: 1 year engineering R&D internship at Nestle

Grad school/major: University of Bath (England - top 2 Aerospace Eng school); Master of Engineering (no undergrad - straight masters degree program)

Race/nationality: Hispanic, dual USA/Poland citizenship

Sex: M

Extra curriculars: iCouldBe mentor (targeting towards at-risk minority students in high school); Strength and conditioning coach (certified, but not professional, helping friends/family achieve fitness goals)

Languages: English fluent, Spanish/French intermediate/basic working proficiency

Stats:
GMAT Score: 710, Q47/V41, IR8, AWA unknown (score report pending)
Grad GPA: uppper second class honors (just shy of first class honors - the top grade)

MBA Info:
Goal of MBA: move into corporate strategy for large airline or f100 company, long term EVP or similar status in a strategy role
Target schools: HBS, Wharton, Columbia, NYU (safety), Booth

ARINGO

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24 May 2016, 01:57

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Shazriki

I'm a candidate with (I think) a strong international profile, I have lived in six countries and worked in four (NL, UK, CH and USA). I'd appreciate a profile review. My main concern is that my 710 my be considered somewhat low for my target institutions, but I think I have a strong profile. Thank you!

Background:

Work experience: 3 years post-graduation: leadership development program alumni at tier 2-3 aerospace and defense subcontractor, post LDP 1 year of business transformation consulting
Add'l WE: 1 year engineering R&D internship at Nestle

Grad school/major: University of Bath (England - top 2 Aerospace Eng school); Master of Engineering (no undergrad - straight masters degree program)

Race/nationality: Hispanic, dual USA/Poland citizenship

Sex: M

Extra curriculars: iCouldBe mentor (targeting towards at-risk minority students in high school); Strength and conditioning coach (certified, but not professional, helping friends/family achieve fitness goals)

Languages: English fluent, Spanish/French intermediate/basic working proficiency

Stats:
GMAT Score: 710, Q47/V41, IR8, AWA unknown (score report pending)
Grad GPA: uppper second class honors (just shy of first class honors - the top grade)

MBA Info:
Goal of MBA: move into corporate strategy for large airline or f100 company, long term EVP or similar status in a strategy role
Target schools: HBS, Wharton, Columbia, NYU (safety), Booth

Hi, your profile looks good; I imagine there are more things in there to be mined. The extracurricular seems a bit weak; perhaps there were more activities during university.
The LDP is good – but do you have any actual leadership experience anywhere? Need to look for it… Love the international experience; academics strong.
If you think you can improve your GMAT, definitely try doing so, if not, you certainly have a chance.

Good luck!!

Joy

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24 May 2016, 05:50

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Aringo

Shazriki

I'm a candidate with (I think) a strong international profile, I have lived in six countries and worked in four (NL, UK, CH and USA). I'd appreciate a profile review. My main concern is that my 710 my be considered somewhat low for my target institutions, but I think I have a strong profile. Thank you!

Background:

Work experience: 3 years post-graduation: leadership development program alumni at tier 2-3 aerospace and defense subcontractor, post LDP 1 year of business transformation consulting
Add'l WE: 1 year engineering R&D internship at Nestle

Grad school/major: University of Bath (England - top 2 Aerospace Eng school); Master of Engineering (no undergrad - straight masters degree program)

Race/nationality: Hispanic, dual USA/Poland citizenship

Sex: M

Extra curriculars: iCouldBe mentor (targeting towards at-risk minority students in high school); Strength and conditioning coach (certified, but not professional, helping friends/family achieve fitness goals)

Languages: English fluent, Spanish/French intermediate/basic working proficiency

Stats:
GMAT Score: 710, Q47/V41, IR8, AWA unknown (score report pending)
Grad GPA: uppper second class honors (just shy of first class honors - the top grade)

MBA Info:
Goal of MBA: move into corporate strategy for large airline or f100 company, long term EVP or similar status in a strategy role
Target schools: HBS, Wharton, Columbia, NYU (safety), Booth

Hi, your profile looks good; I imagine there are more things in there to be mined. The extracurricular seems a bit weak; perhaps there were more activities during university.
The LDP is good – but do you have any actual leadership experience anywhere? Need to look for it… Love the international experience; academics strong.
If you think you can improve your GMAT, definitely try doing so, if not, you certainly have a chance.

Good luck!!

Joy

Hi there, many thanks for your fast response. I realize my work experience description was somewhat sparse.

The EC is bit sparse - I just have to accept that!

Leadership has all been in a project management capacity in the business transformation role. Leading work streams of 5-10 people in order to improve business processes and improve financial metrics. Challenging role since you do not have formal authority and have to influence heavily to get things done. In those role I've had to influence both upward and downward on the management chain. Through my work the potential benefits that I have identified total over $25M dollars.

I have also led several projects with v: during my work at nestle I co-led a project to mitigate drought risk that had strong implications at a nearby manufacturing facility for being able to continue production. We were successful and the factory was able to continue production through the drought and heat wave.

I wonder if the additional information helps in your brief assessment?

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27 May 2016, 01:46

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Shazriki

Hi there, many thanks for your fast response. I realize my work experience description was somewhat sparse.

The EC is bit sparse - I just have to accept that!

Leadership has all been in a project management capacity in the business transformation role. Leading work streams of 5-10 people in order to improve business processes and improve financial metrics. Challenging role since you do not have formal authority and have to influence heavily to get things done. In those role I've had to influence both upward and downward on the management chain. Through my work the potential benefits that I have identified total over $25M dollars.

I have also led several projects with v: during my work at nestle I co-led a project to mitigate drought risk that had strong implications at a nearby manufacturing facility for being able to continue production. We were successful and the factory was able to continue production through the drought and heat wave.

I wonder if the additional information helps in your brief assessment?

Hi, it does help – and indeed will strengthen your application.
Make sure that your applications include stories of these professional successes and leadership experiences; and that your recommenders stress your leadership potential.

Good luck!!!

Joy

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15 Jun 2016, 11:36

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Hello!

Thanks in advance for your response, it is greatly appreciated.

Profile:
- Age: 25 (27 @ matriculation)
- Male
- U.S. Resident
- GMAT 710 (Q47, V42)
- Undergraduate Institution: Ouachita Baptist University (liberal arts school in Arkansas)
- Undergraduate Degree: Biblical Studies, 3.35 GPA. Graduated in 3.5 years.
- Business coursework outside of major: Microeconomics (B), Accounting I (A), Accounting II (A), College Algebra (B), Personal Finance(A)
- Extracurricular in college: president of fraternity which grew from 12 members to over 80 while I was a member. Various community service leadership opportunities.
- W/E:
o 2 years at one of the top 5 Health Insurance companies in the U.S. I was a Disability Analyst. Various leadership opportunities.
o (Current) 2 years at a Insurance Brokerage and Consulting Firm as a Consultant (boutique firm likely never head of by admissions committee). Work with company executives to customize benefit program that will make them an employer of choice. Consult regarding Affordable Care Act compliance, as well as be the liaison between various other vendors. Various leadership opportunities, etc. Company size- around 20 employees.
o Both positions held in a major metroplex. Would likely have great recommendations from management.
- Community Involvement: Served as Associate Pastor for organization my wife and I started called Grassroots Christianity. Organization is focused on changing people’s perception of Church structure and function. Various community service events held.
- Target Schools (I will likely declare a Healthcare concentration if available):
o UT McCombs (in-state tuition. #1 choice)
o UNC
o Vanderbilt
- Stretch Schools
o Duke- Fuqua
o Cornell- Johnson
o Virginia Darden
- Less Competitive Target Schools
o SMU
o Rice
o A&M
- Timeline: I will apply in the fall of 2017 in order to matriculate in the fall of 2018 (class of 2020)
- Career Aspirations: Healthcare Consulting (not on the insurance brokerage side), but to be honest it is a bit undecided. I’m not completely aware of the paths available to me given my background.

Concerns:
- Undergraduate Degree: Will having a religious degree be the diversity that schools are NOT looking for? I know diversity is a big focus of MBA programs. The degree was from a Liberal Arts institution, thus I studied in multiple areas which allowed me to truly foster a passion for learning.
- Work Experience: I’ve definitely shown progression in both positions (both in salary and promotions), but Insurance is often seen as an industry anyone can walk in to. Not sure how my experience will be viewed by ADCOM at the programs I mentioned.
Questions:
- Given my somewhat low quant score (Q47), would you recommend I take a few business/math course prior to my application? I’m thinking maybe Calc. for Business, Stats. for Business, and/or some other finance course.
- My current company is somewhat small and the advancement opps are limited because of that. I’m considering looking for another company to work for during the two years leading up to matriculation.
o If I’m right at 2 years before switching companies, would that look negatively to ADCOM(job hopping)?
o I have a relatively large network, and my first thought is I would try to work for one of the big 4 consulting firms in an analyst type role. I think this would be a good opportunity for me personally, but would me taking a role like this hurt my “diversity factor”, since so many MBA applicants come from that background?
- Are there other schools that you feel like my profile fits? My family (wife and 1 year old daughter) is flexible on location. Outside of the obvious stats(GMAT, GPA), do you feel like I would be a competitive applicant at the schools I listed?

Thank you for your time.

ARINGO

MBA Admissions Consultant

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19 Jun 2016, 07:29

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BD1231

Hello!

Thanks in advance for your response, it is greatly appreciated.

Profile:
- Age: 25 (27 @ matriculation)
- Male
- U.S. Resident
- GMAT 710 (Q47, V42)
- Undergraduate Institution: Ouachita Baptist University (liberal arts school in Arkansas)
- Undergraduate Degree: Biblical Studies, 3.35 GPA. Graduated in 3.5 years.
- Business coursework outside of major: Microeconomics (B), Accounting I (A), Accounting II (A), College Algebra (B), Personal Finance(A)
- Extracurricular in college: president of fraternity which grew from 12 members to over 80 while I was a member. Various community service leadership opportunities.
- W/E:
o 2 years at one of the top 5 Health Insurance companies in the U.S. I was a Disability Analyst. Various leadership opportunities.
o (Current) 2 years at a Insurance Brokerage and Consulting Firm as a Consultant (boutique firm likely never head of by admissions committee). Work with company executives to customize benefit program that will make them an employer of choice. Consult regarding Affordable Care Act compliance, as well as be the liaison between various other vendors. Various leadership opportunities, etc. Company size- around 20 employees.
o Both positions held in a major metroplex. Would likely have great recommendations from management.
- Community Involvement: Served as Associate Pastor for organization my wife and I started called Grassroots Christianity. Organization is focused on changing people’s perception of Church structure and function. Various community service events held.
- Target Schools (I will likely declare a Healthcare concentration if available):
o UT McCombs (in-state tuition. #1 choice)
o UNC
o Vanderbilt
- Stretch Schools
o Duke- Fuqua
o Cornell- Johnson
o Virginia Darden
- Less Competitive Target Schools
o SMU
o Rice
o A&M
- Timeline: I will apply in the fall of 2017 in order to matriculate in the fall of 2018 (class of 2020)
- Career Aspirations: Healthcare Consulting (not on the insurance brokerage side), but to be honest it is a bit undecided. I’m not completely aware of the paths available to me given my background.

Concerns:
- Undergraduate Degree: Will having a religious degree be the diversity that schools are NOT looking for? I know diversity is a big focus of MBA programs. The degree was from a Liberal Arts institution, thus I studied in multiple areas which allowed me to truly foster a passion for learning.
- Work Experience: I’ve definitely shown progression in both positions (both in salary and promotions), but Insurance is often seen as an industry anyone can walk in to. Not sure how my experience will be viewed by ADCOM at the programs I mentioned.
Questions:
- Given my somewhat low quant score (Q47), would you recommend I take a few business/math course prior to my application? I’m thinking maybe Calc. for Business, Stats. for Business, and/or some other finance course.
- My current company is somewhat small and the advancement opps are limited because of that. I’m considering looking for another company to work for during the two years leading up to matriculation.
o If I’m right at 2 years before switching companies, would that look negatively to ADCOM(job hopping)?
o I have a relatively large network, and my first thought is I would try to work for one of the big 4 consulting firms in an analyst type role. I think this would be a good opportunity for me personally, but would me taking a role like this hurt my “diversity factor”, since so many MBA applicants come from that background?
- Are there other schools that you feel like my profile fits? My family (wife and 1 year old daughter) is flexible on location. Outside of the obvious stats(GMAT, GPA), do you feel like I would be a competitive applicant at the schools I listed?

Thank you for your time.

Hi There!
I really love your profile… maybe it’s just because it’s so different from what I normally see, but I do see a lot, so I think you’ll have an easy time differentiating yourself – which is GREAT.

The GPA might be a bit on the low side, considering it’s a liberal arts education from an unknown university. But your GMAT shows you’ve got what it takes; and the president of the fraternity – and your achievements as such – are outstanding. Definitely highlight any other extracurric leadership stuff – or anything else you’ve done. That community service combined with initiative/leadership is very compelling. Same with leadership in your current job – lots of great stuff going for you.

Starting and running your own grassroots organization is fantastic – make sure to highlight that. I like the angle of changing people’s perception of Church – sounds youthful, progressive, very timely.

Your schools like on the mark for me. Even the location – all seem really a great match. I agree with the healthcare concentration – goes with your background and will further differentiate you.

I see no concern with the religious degree; make sure you talk a lot about tolerance, working somehow with people from diverse religions and cultures; stress any international experience you may have – that seems so far missing from your profile.

For work experience – show your progression, rising/shining above others your age/ level of experience/ taking on additional responsibilities.

Taking business/math courses is a great idea – and you have the time. You can also work on raising your GMAT.

Switching employers now is fine - show good reason. More leadership/development opportunity; more responsibility; better salary; more related to the business side of things, etc. if you get a job with M B or B, that’s awesome – AFAIK it can only help your application. You need to think now how it fits in with your whole story.

Good luck! And if you need to consult on anything, we’re here…

Joy

ManUtd20

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Concentration: Technology, Operations

Schools: Haas '19 (A) Stanford '19 (D) CBS '19 (S) Yale '19 Stern '19 (S) HBS '19 (A) Anderson '19 (A$) Jones '19 (I)

GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46 Verified score

GPA: 3.6

Schools: Haas '19 (A) Stanford '19 (D) CBS '19 (S) Yale '19 Stern '19 (S) HBS '19 (A) Anderson '19 (A$) Jones '19 (I)

GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46 Verified score

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19 Jun 2016, 12:58

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Hi
Can you please evaluate my profile and give me some suggestions?
I plan to apply for September 2017 session.

Nationality- Indian
Age- 26
Gender- Male
GMAT- 680(Q49, V33)
- 710(Q50, V34)
Graduation- Mechanical Engineer with 2.76/4 GPA (76%, both % & CGPA are mentioned in my degree)

Work Experience- 4 years, will be 5.5 by the time of enrollment
Owner of Polymer India- We deal with various types of industrial packaging products(like Pail Containers, Hdpe bottles, Pet bottles, Hdpe Drums) & Recycling plastic raw material(HDPE, LDPE, PP). Our suppliers are companies who deal with pesticides and chemicals, so quality has been one of our trademark from the very first day.
P.S- This is not a family business. It's an enterprise started solely by me after my graduation.

Key Responsibilities-

Maintaining relationships with suppliers as well as distributors.

Held numerous training seminars to teach as well as learn from the staff of manufacturing unit as well as office staff- These seminars not only increased the knowledge of everyone but increased productivity and led to better team work and understanding in everyone.

Ensuring product specifications and quality remain up to date.

Devising new promotional activities and schemes for marketing the products.

Ensuring all the billing and paperwork is done in a systematic way.

Achievements-

Increasing the product portfolio from five products in 2012 to more than fifty products today.

Improved designs and high quality increased the turnover by more than 200% in three years(In the first year, i designed a mold of pail container which not only reduced the weight of the container by more than a 100grams but also maintained the same strength- a design which is followed by all our competitors today)

Reducing the manufacturing costs by more than 50% in the span of two years.

The growth of the team from five members in 2012 to more than thirty members today.

Other Activities-

Presently learning French- course A1
Worked on a project titled "Benchmarking Automobile Industry" for Mahle Filters India for 4 months
Stood first in Junkyard competiton organised by our University
Stood first in Treasure hunt competition organised in the university.
Organised a 10 day industria trip in collaboration with Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Auto for the entire batch during my graduation.
Assisted with the placement cell during my graduation.
Vice Captain of cricket team in the university
Captain of cricket team, house captain & co-founder of sports & research club in the school.
Won 1st prize in the debate competition organised in the university where students from 8 different universities took part.

Active member of Keyan- an NGO which provides shelter and food to underprivileged and blind children since the last 4 years. Primary responsibility includes teaching the kids, development of their character. By Feb this month, we had more than 500 kids living under our roof.

I'm also a member (Vice President of one) of 6 different clubs in my city, where-in i organise events on a monthly basis.

My short term goal is to work as a product manager in one of the big Tech firms. I've overseen Operations & supply chain, Marketing, HR, Finance roles during my last four years. However my target is to do MBA in operations management.

My target Schools in order of preference-

1) Stanford
2) Hass
3) MIT
4) UCLA
5) Ross
6) Kellogg
7) Mccombs
8) Duke
9) Tepper
10) Foster

As you can see, i've tried to narrow down the schools which offers the best opportunities in Tech.
Kindly tell me what are my chances at the mentioned schools.

Thank You
Ashutosh Aggarwal

UNCBOUND

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Location: United States (TX)

Concentration: Finance, Healthcare

Schools: Duke '20 (WL) Kenan-Flagler '20 (M)

GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V41 Verified score

GPA: 3.35

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Schools: Duke '20 (WL) Kenan-Flagler '20 (M)

GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V41 Verified score

Posts: 34

Kudos: 10

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20 Jun 2016, 06:53

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Aringo , thanks for your response! Very helpful and encouraging. Cheers.

prithvizi

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Concentration: General Management, Strategy

GPA: 3.7

WE:Operations (Computer Software)

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24 Jun 2016, 06:15

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1. Country of birth and citizenship : India
2. Undergraduate GPA : 3.8 (Graduated with distinction from Visvesvaraya Technological University, India with a BS in Computer Science) -- (2008-2012)
3. Graduate School GPA : 3.52 (University of San Francisco, California) (2012-2014)
4. GMAT : Scheduled for July
5. Work Experience : Summer Intern and Fall Co-op at a healthcare start-up in San Francisco (May2014-Dec2014), Full-time cloud computing operations engineer at Amazon Web Services in Seattle, Washington (Jan2015-Present), 1 promotion within 13 months of being on the job. I was hired for a team that is currently in the process of building revolutionary cloud solutions for enterprise customers, we operate like a start-up within a large corporation. I have contributed to more than core engineering, I've taken on numerous responsibilities generally taken on by Senior Product Managers, I designed an introductory program for new engineers to ramp up with the team and our operational environment, program management experience as scrum master and migration strategies. Core engineering contributions include leading a team of 3 engineers on a few projects to performs tasks involving cloud infrastructure architecture and implementation for customers bringing in over $700,000 in annual revenue.
6. Extra-curriculars : Helped in organizing a save tiger campaign in India. Class representative in my senior year of college, vice-captain of a soccer team in a local league, chief member of the committee that organized multiple inter-collegiate festivals during my undergrad, currently an active volunteer at a non-profit that raises funds via events such as "Seattle's most talented" to invest in social entrepreneurs in African countries, and I've had the opportunity to be an integral member at many of these fund-raisers. I've also been a mentor to underprivileged high school students at Seattle's chapter of Minds Matter. Working with driven high school students is extremely inspiring.

What schools do you think would make sense for me? I'm looking for a collaborative environment and would love to learn from people with extremely diverse backgrounds and perspectives. I want to pursue my MBA in general management and strategy, and my post MBA goal is to return to the technology world as a product manager and eventually transition into a venture capital firm because I believe my personality is one that helps enable individuals in realizing their goal.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks for the evaluation.

Cheers,
Raj

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