Booth Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

I am assessing my chance for a place in Chicago Booth MBA, and would appreciate any advice


GMAT 750
Chinese born and raised in Hong Kong
Male
29 years old
3+ years studying /working overseas
Currently in Hong Kong
FRM & CFA Charterholder
First gen college graduate
Language Spoken: Cantonese, Mandarin, English and some Japanese


Work Experience:
-close to 7 years of working experience in total
-Spent 4 years in a well-known French investment bank working as Equity Derivatives Structurer and Equity Derivative Sales, and was publicly recognized for achievements at APAC level.
-Currently working as a Structured Products Specialist at one of the largest Private Bank in the world, the team is very well-regarded both in terms of media coverage and internal evaluation, spent almost 3 years here and not planning to leave for now


Education:
- Bachelor of Economics at a top local university in Hong Kong (QS ranking no 34 in 2022)
- a low 2:1 (~3.0-3.1/4.0)
-overseas exchange experience in Korea, the UK , and Sweden


Extracurricular:
-Some mentorship to aspiring university students
- Badminton player at semi-competitive level
-Joined student club as committee but didn’t take up leadership roles


Target Schools:
-UK: Imperial, LBS, Oxbridge
-US: Chicago, MIT, Wharton, Yale, Stern, Columbia (Harvard, Stanford probably no chance)


Career goal post MBA:
-To further my career and work as an investment strategist or structured products sales at top private banks in US / UK


Please provide your insights on my target schools and any other suggestions!
Do you think my low GPA is a deal breaker? (I have no excuse for it, I took too many part time jobs and internships, purely time management issues)

Thank you so much for taking the time.

Thanks for posting! Based on the information provided, here's our assessment of your profile:

- Your GMAT score of 750 is excellent and falls within the competitive range for top MBA programs. Well done!
- Your low GPA may not be a deal breaker, especially considering your strong GMAT score and professional experience. However, it's important to address it in your optional essay and explain any extenuating circumstances or lessons learned from your time management challenges.
- Your extracurricular involvement, while limited in terms of leadership roles, still demonstrates your interests outside of work and adds some diversity to your profile. Consider highlighting the impact or personal growth you gained from these activities.
- Your experience in equity derivatives structuring and sales at a well-known French investment bank, as well as your current role as a Structured Products Specialist at a top private bank, positions you well for your post-MBA goal in investment strategy or structured products sales.
- To strengthen your application, emphasize your achievements and impact in these roles, such as notable deals, successful projects, or client relationships. This will showcase your expertise and potential for future growth in the industry. You might also need to work a bit more on your goals. The move to structured product sales, for example, from where you are, doesn't necessitate an MBA. Are you simply looking to move roles or looking for something bigger from the MBA?
- Common challenges faced by candidates from the financial sector include differentiation in a highly competitive applicant pool and demonstrating a clear career progression and impact. Be sure to address these challenges in your application and focus on your unique experiences and contributions.

After assessing these factors, we feel you should be a strong candidate for Booth but you should work a bit more in terms of expressing your goals and need for an MBA better.

Hope this evaluation helps! Feel free to post more queries here or contact us directly. Best of luck with your Booth MBA application!

Hello @toooldformba,

Thanks for writing in.

Your career goals and target schools sync well with your existing background; however, many of the schools are in the Stretch category; therefore to balance the risk, we would recommend that you add a few US top ~20 schools to your list. You are likely to also receive high scholarships from these schools.

The GPA will not be a deal breaker because you have a very good GMAT score in place. However, it will need to be addressed in the Optional Essay or at any other place that the school suggests. The reasoning suggested by you is an acceptable one.

In short, you have a good chance at making it to some of your target schools if you put together a strong application. However, please do consider applying to some additional programs as suggested above.

All the best!
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Hey everyone, I am assessing my chance for a place in Chicago Booth MBA, and would appreciate any advice

Indian
Male
25 years old

GMAT: 730 (V38/Q50), IR8, AWA 5

Education: Bachelor's in Mechanical engineering from IIT Patna (2019 graduate)
GPA: 8.23/10
Overseas experience: I have done majority of my primary schooling from Switzerland, Germany, England, and Wales (nearly 3 years in total)

Work ex:
4 years working at ZS associates (Consulting in Pharma domain)
- For initial 1.5 years, i worked in Incentive compensation responsible for calculating incentives for the sales reps and their managers
- For the past 2.5 years, i have been working as a market researcher responsible for understanding the market domain and provide strategic solutions
- I have even won multiple awards for my outstanding mentorship

Extra curricular:
- Was involved in the college NGO club
- Have been involved in the Office NGO events
- Have organized multiple college events
- Co-authored a research paper published in an international conference
- I also started a "ritual" in college where the final year students will share their job application or masters application experiences with the juniors

Entrepreneurial activity
- During the weekends, I actively used to buy fake jewelry from wholesale markets and sell them on Amazon, Flipkart, and Ebay. I generated a revenue of about INR 3,000,000 in two years with nearly 50% in profits
- I had to close the operations down during wave 2 of Covid pandemic due to supply chain issues

Target schools: Wharton, INSEAD, Chicago Booth, Columbia, Duke

Carrier goals/ post MBA
- Want to stay in consulting field in strategic domain


Any feedback is highly welcome. Thank you so much for your time!

Hello Mandy001,

I hope you're doing well. Your profile looks good on the surface. You have a strong profile with several positive aspects that can enhance your chances of getting admitted to top MBA programs. A GMAT score of 730 is competitive and falls within the range of scores accepted by top business schools. Your balanced score with a strong quant section (Q50) and solid verbal section (V38) is a positive factor. Graduating from IIT Patna with a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering is a notable achievement. Your GPA of 8.23/10 is strong and should be considered positively by admissions committees.

Speaking about your work experience. Your four years of work experience at ZS Associates, a reputable consulting firm in the pharma domain, will be viewed positively by MBA programs. Your diverse roles in incentive compensation and market research demonstrate versatility and growth. Winning awards for mentorship is an excellent achievement and showcases leadership skills.

Speaking about your ECs, your engagement in the college NGO club, office NGO events, college event organization, co-authoring a research paper, and initiating a job application sharing ritual exhibit your involvement and leadership outside of work. Admissions committees value candidates who contribute beyond their professional roles. Your entrepreneurial venture in buying and selling jewelry on e-commerce platforms is impressive. Generating revenue of INR 3,000,000 in two years and experiencing nearly 50% profits demonstrates business acumen and an entrepreneurial mindset.

Your clear post-MBA goal of staying in the consulting field in the strategic domain aligns well with MBA programs, as many students pursue consulting careers after graduation.

Considering all these factors, you have a competitive profile for top MBA programs, including Chicago Booth. However, keep in mind that admissions to such prestigious schools are highly competitive, and other factors, such as your essays, recommendation letters, and interview performance will also play a crucial role in the decision-making process. When applying to these schools, ensure that your essays showcase your unique experiences, achievements, and motivations. Strong letters of recommendation that highlight your strengths and potential will also be essential.

Given your target schools, Wharton, INSEAD, Chicago Booth, Columbia, and Duke, it's important to research each program thoroughly, understand their specific offerings, and demonstrate a strong fit with each school's culture and values. Overall, you have a compelling profile, and with well-crafted applications, you have a good chance of being admitted to your target MBA programs.

Good luck with your applications!

We offer a limited number of complimentary profile evaluations each week . We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools. In this call, the experts will try to dig out your USP for top B-schools and provide you with honest feedback on your profile and chances to your target schools.

Book a free profile evaluation call now!

Neha Hadke
Strategy Manager
Testimonials
Meet our Panel of Consultants.
Email: neha@mbaandbeyond.com
MBA and Beyond







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Hey Mandy001,

Your profile presents several impressive elements that can be appealing to top MBA programs. You have a strong GMAT score, academic performance from a respected institution (IIT Patna), international exposure, and a distinct entrepreneurial experience that can help differentiate you from other applicants. Your work experience with ZS associates in a consulting role and your involvement in extracurricular activities, including volunteering and event organization, are also beneficial.

For a better shot at schools like Wharton, Booth, Columbia, INSEAD, and Duke, your entrepreneurial activities and leadership experiences, such as your mentorship role at ZS associates, need to be highlighted, as these experiences will showcase your strategic thinking and management potential. Furthermore, your goal of staying in strategic consulting aligns well with these schools' strengths.

However, as an Indian male engineer, you are part of an overrepresented applicant pool, and this can intensify the competition. Therefore, consider investing significant effort into crafting your narrative and unique selling points. To boost your profile, consider higher community involvement or taking on larger leadership roles in your current organization, and potentially. Remember, admissions are holistic, so even though a higher GMAT score can help, it is one piece of the puzzle.

If you need more help, you can message me directly and I'd be happy to give more pointers on how to improve your profile and the right schools you should target.

Hello Mandy001,

Thanks for writing in.

Your IIT pedigree, experience with ZS, as well as your entrepreneurial experience will be very value-adding; you need to focus on how you can present these best. The goals too appear to be in sync; hence, we see that you will be able to build a logical narrative as well.

Frankly, he would have wanted to see a +20 on your GMAT score so far as Booth and Wharton are concerned; however, GMAT is one part of your profile and it is best to now focus on presenting your best case forward by playing up your strengths.

All the best!
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Hi Everyone, trying to assess fit for Booth and others.

Please see my profile below:

My Profile :
Indian Female Pharma Consultant
10th grade - 9.8 CPGA
12th grade - 94%
Undergrad GPA - 9.01/10 (Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from SRCC - Rank 24/800 overall)
Qualified CGMA-CIMA Strategic Case Study Exam with Rank All India Rank 5

GMAT 730 (Q48, V41, AWA6, IR6) (in third attempt)

Work Ex:
I have 3 years of total work experience. I'm in healthcare consulting and I've done a lot of exciting strategy projects and added new capabilities to my team. For e.g., I was the first one in my team to do strategy and market research and then distilled knowledge to other team members through on-the-job training and zoom sessions. I was awarded for my work and one of projects also won an internal company competition. I had very accelerated growth (youngest member looped in proposals, high-stakes projects, client calls etc.). Immediate post-MBA goal is to transition to management consulting or social impact consulting. Long-term goal is civil service.

Community Service:
I interned at Goonj for 2 months, volunteered to teach under-privileged students for an academic year for another NGO. My family supports many street dogs (food, shelter and medical care). I was also part of a social organization in SRCC which undertook community building initiatives. Last year I led a community project on behalf of my company.

Leadership Experience: Led multiple projects, was an elected member of hostel cabinet and director of dramatics society.

Some red flags to me on my application are: 730 GMAT and resigning from my job (last working day is in september). What impact both of these may have on my candidacy? and how can I minimize the impact?

Thanks in Advance!

Hi IshanaSharma,

If you are targetting Booth, you have identified the red flags accurately. You should consider the possibility of applying with an improved score as well as a job in hand (even if that means applying in a later round. If this is not an option, then you need to build a strong case in favour of why you chose to quit.

All the best!
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Hey IshanaSharma,

Your profile is quite robust, displaying strong academic performance, a distinct professional trajectory, and impactful community service. Achieving All India Rank 5 in the CGMA-CIMA Strategic Case Study Exam demonstrates your potential. Your contributions to your team, specifically the initiation of strategy and market research capabilities, emphasize your leadership and initiative-taking qualities.

Actionable Advice:

You need to specify more on your work experience, international exposure if there’s any, the clients you’ve worked with, such that all these things showcase the impact you’ve made in terms of quantifiable results.

For instance, focus on self-development, career exploration, or intent to contribute to the community during this period. It's also recommended to provide evidence of your continuous engagement with professional or personal growth activities during this break. If your community service at Goonj was in the last 6-7 months, then showcase the impact you made, else, you can take up volunteering activities or showcase them through any kind of link you have.

Your GMAT score is competitive, and at par for some of the best schools like Chicago Booth, but if you're keen to improve it, consider revisiting your prep strategy and targeting areas for improvement, especially since you've already shown growth through multiple attempts.

School Recommendations:

1. Dream: University of Chicago Booth, Kellogg, Cornell, Michigan Ross - Known for its flexible curriculum and emphasis on analytic rigour, aligning well with your experience in strategic projects.
2. Competitive: Duke Fuqua, NYU Stern- Appreciates students with diverse professional experiences and leadership skills.
3. Safe: Foster, UT Austin - Valued for its focus on analytics, offering good opportunities in management consulting.

Your diverse professional experience, leadership skills, and strong community service record are valuable for these programs. For Booth, your ability to add new capabilities to your team and your experience in strategic projects align with their emphasis on problem-solving and leadership.

If you need more help, we'd be happy to set up a call and give more pointers on how to improve your profile and the right schools you should target.
👉 Setup a call 👈

IshanaSharma
Agreed that the 730 GMAT may be a red flag at least for the top 5 schools but I don't see any reason you should still not apply as the odds do go up as you apply and you do add diversity to the class with experience in pharma and as yourself. Resignation is not an issue so long as you have something going on for you- volunteering, freelance work, and other would be some options, definitely can explore options specific to you over a call - Book here

I do suggest keep preparing for GMAT. That is the most you can do.
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Hi IshanaSharma

Great profile overall, however there is scope for improvement on your quant score.

If your short term goal is management consulting, typically, candidates who exhibit a strong understanding of their industry, supported by extensive reading, research, and hands-on experience, stand out. In your essays and interviews, delve into your industry's future trends, challenges, or emerging approaches that you observed through your own experience. For instance, identify a problem you may have observed at close quarters in pharma/biopharma in the geographic regions where your clients were located and discuss strategies to achieve a sustainable solution. Engage the adcom in a captivating vision that highlights your expertise in your area.

Strategy Consulting with a tier 1 consulting company like MBB with a focus on Big Pharma/Healthcare in a few years' time (if you start as a generalist) would make a more realistic goal. This would give you a hands-on opportunity to work with a number of industry leaders in an area where you would like to focus on in the long term (for example you could ask for specialization after a few years as a generalist).

Marketing research for pharma/biopharma is usually related to patient centricity and involves conducting marketing activities to ensure better patient treatment experiences. Applicants who have prior experience working closely in a market research role with caregivers (such as in ZS consulting) are strong candidates for projects in the market positioning of therapies/treatments/drugs in biopharma/pharma. Tier-1 consulting companies are again a great place to gain exposure to market research and positioning projects in pharma/biopharma. These profiles can eventually transition into strategic leadership roles in biotechnology companies or pivot to a large pharma company as a Patient Engagement Leads, where they work on enhancing patient-centricity. Working in healthcare sector as a thought leaders in emerging economies is also a realistic vision.

I think you should strongly consider Tuck, Duke, Darden, Ross and Booth.

Feel free to reach out for a candid discussion.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

HelloIshanaSharma

I hope you are doing well. Your profile is remarkable, featuring a strong academic foundation, extensive work experience in healthcare consulting, and commendable leadership and community service involvements. Although there are a few aspects that might raise concern, there are opportunities to tackle them effectively and bolster your candidacy for Booth and other MBA programs.

Your GMAT score of 730 is strong and falls within the competitive range for many top MBA programs, including Booth. While it might not be at the absolute highest level, it remains a commendable score that should not substantially impact your chances of admission. Admissions committees take a holistic view of your application, considering factors such as work experience, achievements, leadership, and community service.

Resigning from your job during the application process can raise some questions, but it's not necessarily a deal-breaker. Admissions committees understand that candidates sometimes decide to leave their jobs to pursue an MBA, and it's not uncommon for applicants to be in transition during the application phase. What is important is how you present this in your application and interviews.

To minimize the impact of job resignation, you can do the following:

Highlight the positive aspects of your decision to resign: When explaining your job resignation in essays or interviews, focus on the reasons behind your choice and how pursuing an MBA aligns harmoniously with your long-term career objectives. Emphasize the opportunities for professional growth and the positive impact it can have on your future endeavors.

Demonstrate ongoing engagement: Even if you are not currently employed, you can showcase your dedication to continuous learning and development by enrolling in online courses, actively volunteering, or participating in part-time projects related to your career interests. This proactive approach illustrates your motivation and commitment to self-improvement.

Present a well-defined post-MBA plan: Articulate a clear vision of your post-MBA goals to the admissions committees. Thoroughly research and map out your path for transitioning into management consulting or social impact consulting, ensuring that your plans are realistic and grounded in practicality.

Secure strong recommendations: Seek recommendations from individuals who can genuinely vouch for your abilities, achievements, and potential for future success. Positive endorsements from recommenders will reinforce your application and alleviate any concerns related to your job resignation.

In conclusion, your profile exhibits several strong aspects that make you a compelling candidate for top MBA programs. Focus on tailoring your application to showcase your achievements, experiences, and aspirations effectively. With diligent preparation and a well-crafted application, you have excellent chances of gaining admission to MBA programs that will help you achieve your career goals in consulting.

Best of luck with your MBA journey!

We offer a limited number of complimentary profile evaluations each week . We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools. In this call, the experts will try to dig out your USP for top B-schools and provide you with honest feedback on your profile and chances to your target schools.

Book a free profile evaluation call now!

Neha Hadke
Strategy Manager
Testimonials
Meet our Panel of Consultants.
Email: neha@mbaandbeyond.com
MBA and Beyond


Best of luck with your application!


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Hi,
This is Indian Male candidate and i got 760 Gmat score with 4+Years work experience in Oil and Gas Industry. I've been working in a public sector company in India. I've been working in different functions like supply and distribution, Planning, Maintenance and Sales departments. apart from my professional experience I've been a national athlete during my schooling and started many sports clubs and been mentoring some of the athletes till date. I need help in which MBA 2YR schools in USA I can aim for with my score and experience? Also being a reapplicant I want to keep my schools realistic this time. Kindly help.. Thankyou

00514339 - two quick q's before sharing some feedback: what are your post MBA goals i.e. target sector, function and geography? And given that you are reapplying, what has changed since your last application i.e. score, research, work-ex (promotion), or any other factors?

Regards,
Arvind
HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer
W:https://admitstreet.com| E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

Hey 00514339,

Here is a detailed profile evaluation for you!

Your profile boasts strengths across academics, professional experience, and extracurriculars, making you a compelling candidate for top-tier US MBA programs:

👉 Academic Prowess: A GMAT score of 760 is highly impressive and exceeds the average score for most elite MBA programs.

👉 Professional Depth: With 4+ years in the Oil and Gas industry, your diverse roles in supply & distribution, planning, maintenance, and sales provide a broad perspective. Being part of a public sector company, especially in India, could offer a unique viewpoint in class discussions about global industries.

👉 Extracurricular Leadership: Your national athlete status and mentorship roles amplify your leadership and dedication outside of work. Initiating sports clubs shows entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to community growth.

👉 MBA Prospects: Given your GMAT score and background, you could aim for the M7 schools - Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, and Columbia. Additionally, Tuck, Ross, Fuqua, and Darden should also be on your radar.

👉 Reapplication Strategy: Reapplicants should reflect on feedback or evident gaps from their previous applications. Ensure your essays articulate growth since the last application, clarity in post-MBA goals, and a genuine fit with the chosen programs.

👉 In Summary: Your profile is strong for top US MBA programs. Balancing your application list with dream, target, and safety schools and presenting a cohesive narrative about your journey and aspirations can improve your chances.

If you need more help, we'd be happy to set up a FREE call and give more pointers on how to improve your profile and the right schools you should target.

👉 Click Here to Set-Up a FREE Call 👈

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