MBA Decision Tracker: Monitor Application Status in Real Time

gmatclub

Comments 2 comments

5 months ago

Hi Ketan
Your profile looks strong. GMAT is decent while GPA might be a concern. Focus more on demonstrating impact at workplace. Try building a strong narrative around your application.

I’d be happy to offer you a free profile review for your target programs to see where you stand and how to boost your chances, happy to help!
No pressure, no strings - just helpful insights on where you stand and how you can strengthen your chances.

Feel free to connect- Click here
You can also email me your CV at: [email protected]
Good Luck!

KetanKurtadikar

Added a few details about workplace contributions

Comments 3 comments

quaemaiores

should I still take the GMAT to show that I am serious about MBA even if I got 330 on GRE? (Math has always been my weaker area compared to English which was why I chose GRE since I knew I could do better)

MBADecoder

Both GRE and GMAT would be considered equally by the b-schools you mentioned. Take the test you are likely to score higher on.
Your work experience, especially the entrepreneurial element is exciting. I am unclear on the 7 year part time experience - was this while you were working full time in the healthcare company? If you accumulated 2 different work experiences in the same time period, that would be really commendable and worth highlighting. You could add other b-schools like CBS and UCLA to the mix for a real-estate career goal

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011 with offices in India and the UK

admitStreet

@quaemaiores - to clarify, is your full-time experience (i.e. post undergrad) 2 years as of date? When was the part-time experience (7 years) and what did it entail? Also, what are your directional career goals post MBA?

B-schools are open to both GMAT and GRE scores, so go for the exam where your score would be higher/ stronger - taking mock tests can help assess this.

Regards,
Arvind (Founder, admitStreet)
Testimonials: https://admitstreet.com/testimonials/
Request a Free Profile Evaluation: https://admitstreet.com/#contact
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/arvindkvenkat

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involve

Hi Pooh,

Your profile is very well-rounded and stands out with both strong academic consistency and impressive extracurricular achievements. A 7.91 GPA from Delhi University, coupled with 4 years of experience in FX and Commodities Hedging at Larsen & Toubro, highlights solid quantitative and analytical exposure — a strong foundation for your post-MBA goals in global markets or hedge funds. Your leadership as President of the Dramatics Society and involvement in cultural and volunteering initiatives add great depth to your profile and speak to your overall personality and impact.

For your target schools including ESADE, SDA Bocconi, NUS, IESE, and HEC Paris, your experience aligns well with their finance and global business tracks. However, given the highly competitive nature of these programs, especially for Indian applicants, a higher GMAT Focus score would significantly boost your chances. If possible, you might consider a retake to cross the 90th percentile mark, which would make your academic profile more balanced relative to your professional and extracurricular strengths.

Overall, you have a compelling story with strong professional growth and personal engagement. We’d be happy to work with you to further strengthen your positioning, identify key themes for your essays, and refine your school strategy based on your goals in hedge funds and global finance. If you’d like to explore this further, please reach out to us at [email protected] or connect via LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/naikhemal/

Regards,
Hemal (Rep, Involve Consulting)

TheRedPen

Hi @Pooh_17,
You have a strong and well-rounded profile with 5 years of experience in FX and Commodities Hedging at Larsen & Toubro, earning multiple awards - Top Performer and the Young Achievers Award in Risk Management. Your academic record and strong extracurriculars—President of Dramatics Society, trained classical dancer with 100+ performances, and active volunteer work—reflect leadership and depth. Your post-MBA goal of moving into hedge funds or global markets aligns well with your professional background. The main area for improvement is your GMAT Focus score (595), which is below average for top-tier global programs; retaking it and targeting 655+ would significantly strengthen your competitiveness.
Highlighting your leadership, professional achievements/tangible impact, relevant skills, career goals, unique experiences, and fit with the program effectively will be crucial in crafting a compelling application. To maximize your chances, consider applying to a balanced mix of reach, target, and safety schools.
Feel free to book a free call with our MBA experts for a more detailed discussion. You can also contact us directly at [email protected] or +91-7780769732.

@Pooh_17 - interesting profile overall, given the undergrad pedigree, FX/ Trading exposure, employer brand and well-rounded extracurriculars.

However, your GMAT score is on the lower side particularly for programs like HEC Paris, IESE and NUS. A retake, aiming for ideally a 665-675+ would be recommended to strengthen your chances at these 'Ambitious' schools.

It'd also be crucial to have a strong narrative covering your experiences, career goals, and how the MBA fits in at this juncture.

Feel free to reach out for a discussion.

Regards,
Arvind (Founder, admitStreet)
Testimonials: https://admitstreet.com/testimonials/ | Request a Free Profile Evaluation: https://admitstreet.com/#contact

6 months ago

Hey Hardik
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Your profile looks good on the surface, an 8.89 GPA with engineering rigor, plus strong extracurriculars shows both academics and well-rounded involvement. Your GMAT Focus score is also competitive. Your internships, especially the EdTech startup experience with leadership responsibilities and user-impact results, are strong differentiators compared to generic technical internships.

The key for your apps will be leveraging your leadership/initiative in societies and startup work to show maturity and readiness for global MiM programs. Given the budget constraint, I’d suggest picking a balanced mix — maybe 2 stretches (HEC/LBS), 2 strong targets (ESSEC/IE), and 1 safer option (Bocconi or RSM).

I’d be happy to offer you a free profile review for your target programs to see where you stand and how to boost your chances, happy to help!
No pressure, no strings - just helpful insights on where you stand and how you can strengthen your chances.

Feel free to connect- Click here
You can also email me your CV at: [email protected]
Good Luck!

Hardik Rai

Hi, Thank you for replying and your advice! I've gone with a similar list, 2 stretches(HEC, LBS), 2 Targets( ESSEC and IE) and ESCP for my final choice.

Hi Hardik,

Your profile is strong and well-rounded — excellent academics (8.89 GPA from GGSIPU), solid technical foundation, and early leadership experience through internships and co-curricular initiatives. Your work at Shaurya demonstrates tangible impact in product development and team leadership, while your involvement in technical and art societies highlights versatility and initiative.

For your target MiM programs in Europe — HEC Paris, ESSEC, IE, LBS, and Bocconi — your background aligns well. Your GMAT Focus score of 655 (Q86, V82, DI79) is competitive for these schools; however, if feasible, a slight improvement in DI could strengthen your reach schools. Given your budget and 5-school submission limit, prioritizing 2 reach and 3 strong target schools is a sensible strategy.

Overall, you present a compelling profile of academic rigor, leadership, and impact. We’d be happy to help you refine your narrative, highlight differentiators for essays, and finalize your school strategy.

Feel free to reach out at [email protected]
or connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naikhemal/
.

Best,
Hemal
Rep, Involve Consulting
(HEC Paris)

Comments 1 comment

Hi Etearum,

Your profile is impressive — strong academics from IIT Dhanbad, solid technical exposure, and clear post-MiM goals. Being invited to interview at HEC Paris is a great sign; as someone currently at HEC, I can confirm your background aligns well with what the school values.

A slightly higher GMAT Focus score could further strengthen your chances at INSEAD and ESSEC, but overall, you’re on the right track.

Feel free to reach out at [email protected]
or connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naikhemal/

Best,
Hemal
Rep, Involve Consulting

Comments 5 comments

1 year ago

Wow you got one amazing score!

Everything looks great on paper. There’s a little bit of a question about the transition to investment banking and Weather you have enough industry experience to make yourself attractive. That would be the only gap I could see but I’m trying to dig deep here 😂

PS. I like your school choice 👍

Slartibartfast42

Thanks so much! That is reassuring. The transition to IB, I realise I don't have a ton of experience but gotta start somewhere. What might help is that I've cleared CFA L2 and perhaps can highlight some financial analyses I've done at work.

I am pretty clueless when it comes to the IB recruiting, esp in the current market. so I would recommend finding someone who has gotten a summer internship in the firm your targeting and finding out how they did it. Sometimes I’ve been looking at their LinkedIn profile you can tell - eg worked for Intel prior, or a specific industry…. I would recommend actually speaking with them - he will learn an amazing wealth of information related to recruiting and admissions and it will be extremely helpful during the application process because it will demonstrate that you have done your homework and therefore will strengthen your application, If you can drop a name during the interview or in the essay. AdCom com picks up things like that. One thing is to have a plan and another is to have a plan that has been vetted.

PS. It’s really helpful for your application and recruiting if you can even narrow down the banks where you would like to work or recruit at.

Great advice. Appreciate you!!!

772025

Can I DM you

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