How did you manage to get waiver for Columbia Business School?

+1

Hi @Mr G 12345 , I hope you are doing well!

Your GMAT score of 645 is good but below the average for top-tier MBA programs, which could be a challenge for highly competitive schools. Your GPA of 3.5 is decent, but improving your GMAT score with a 10, 20+ points could boost your chances. We would like to know more about your profile like achievements, international exposure, challenges faced, impact created, extracurriculars and more, discussing these details, will help us identify if you can pull out good stories from your experience.

If you’d like, we are happy to hop on a 1:1 call with you to discuss your profile in detail and shortlist schools for you. Please feel free to schedule a profile evaluation call according to your convenience.

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Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hey could you share your interview experience with Vanderbilt and kenan Flagler? I have an interview tomorrow. Thanks

Owen- 2Y Student - Standard questions. Slightly more focus on why Vanderbilt.
KF- Adcom - was very conversational, not blind. Personal story focus. Hope this helps

Hi, where did you join?
How was the interview experience at McDonough

Hi, where did you join?
How was the interview experience at McDonough

154 EA may just about be around the threshold for IB & PE career goals, and for these top Universities,
Unless the GPA is in the top percentile, it weakens your demonstrated academic calibre a little further.
Your ethnicity may get you points in diversity

That said, you have already applied. Why are you even looking for a profile assessment now?

Hope that helps. Please submit your profile for a Free Assessment over a 1:1 call. https://theivyleagueedge.com/index.php/contactus/
_________________
Bala

1. The MOST recommended Admissions Consultant on Linkedin, WORLDWIDE
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Hey Eva. Your profile looks similar to mine. Could you do a review for my profile and guide me on what helped you in getting admits from INSEAD and ISB?

Hey could you please describe your role a bit pre mba

Hi Ruhi, Can i DM you for some guidance? I also have similar profile and targeting Insead this year

Hello Joe,

Your 705 GMAT Focus is solid, but the GPA of 3.1 is a red flag for top schools like Kellogg and Haas, especially given the competitive Indian applicant pool.

Your 4 years in tech with a consulting pivot goal is a common storyline, so differentiation will come down to leadership stories, international exposure, and strong essays. Schools like Anderson, Foster, McCombs, Tepper, and Ross are realistic, but Kellogg MBAi is extremely competitive.

Strengthening your academic profile with additional coursework (HBS CORe, MBA Math) would help mitigate the GPA. Your goals are achievable, but you need to highlight unique impact and leadership to stand out.

Let’s connect to shape your story and address the GPA gap directly.

Ameer Khatri, Admissions Consultant

Schedule a 1-on-1 call here:
https://admitportal.ameerkhatri.com/pro ... n-calendar?

Thanks for sharing your profile @JoeMama1607 ! You have a good standardized test (705 GMAT Focus, roughly ~750 Classic equivalent), which is a powerful signal of academic readiness and will open doors. You also have 4 years of tech work experience, which is in the sweet spot for consulting recruiting (many firms hire early-career MBAs). The clear risk is your GPA of 3.1, which is below the median at most top U.S. programs, that will require deliberate mitigation (context + subsequent quantitative proof + outstanding impact at work).

How Adcoms will read you:
Strengths: excellent GMAT, relevant tech experience, clear trajectory to tech strategy/AI leadership. Weaknesses: lower undergraduate GPA (raises academic-commitment questions), and (unless you show it) limited evidence of sustained leadership/impact beyond technical execution. With strong essays, LORs, and quant evidence (master’s/Certs/projects), you can neutralize the GPA concern, but it has to be addressed head-on, not hidden.

Overall: You can be in the competitive band for most targets and reach for top-tier schools with lower GPA medians. Execution (essays/recs/networking) will decide admit vs. reject.

Explain the GPA (briefly & honestly): Use the optional essay to provide context if there were extenuating circumstances. Don’t excuse; show growth since then (what you learned, how you improved academically/professionally). If you have recent coursework, MS grades, CFA/technical certificates, or high performance on work metrics, highlight them. Adcoms trust upward trajectories. Demonstrate leadership & client/strategic exposure: Show any work where you owned stakeholder management, drove business outcomes, pitched strategy, or led teams. If lacking, create a quick pro-bono consulting project or internal initiative to lead. Strong recommenders: Choose people who can speak to leadership, business impact, and potential. Give them metrics and stories to include. Connect with alumni and current students at each target school; use those conversations to tailor “Why X” essays and to get internal referrals/advocates.

Questions for you:
1) What’s your current role & title? Any promotions? Team size/budget you manage?
2) Give 3 recent achievements with numbers (impact, savings, revenue, efficiency).
3) Who are your proposed recommenders (titles/relationship)?
4) Any extenuating reason for the 3.1 GPA worth briefly contextualizing?
5) Are you open to adding one or two non-US schools (INSEAD, LBS) if you’re flexible geographically?

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

Register for our Coffee Session: “Tackle MBA Applications for Canadian Business Schools- Rotman, Schulich, Ivey & More”, which we are hosting on 5th September, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

@JoeMama1607
Assuming your college was average Tier-2 brand, your GMAT is strong, but the GPA is on the lower side.
I would even say with Goizueta, and Scheller you are aiming too low (even for Safety)
Career goals as presented here lack clarity
Also, I don't see specific ECs/ display of leadership and such.

If you are targeting R1 for these schools, you hardly have time to make things better. Compensating your application with compelling narratives would be critical for success


Hope that helps. Please submit your profile for a Free Assessment over a 1:1 call. https://theivyleagueedge.com/index.php/contactus/
_________________
Bala

1. The MOST recommended Admissions Consultant on Linkedin, WORLDWIDE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/balkrishna/
2. 100% 5-Star Reviews on PoetsandQuants
Poetsandquants(dot)com/consultant/bala-bal-krishna-shukla/

Hi, could you share a bit more of your experience?

Huge congratulations on Stanford, Yale, and Darden!

Hello Bulgnn, can I please connect with you on Stanford application?

Hello Tanner,

You’re in an interesting position since you already hold a deferred admit at Darden. Your academic background (4.0 in Applied Physics, GMAT 720) and early work in software engineering give you strong credentials.

The challenge is convincing M7 schools why they should take you over simply attending Darden. They will want to see clear career growth in your new role, certifications, and evidence of leadership impact.

Your reapplication must emphasize why an M7 program is necessary for your finance/product management pivot versus Darden. A higher GMAT (740+) would strengthen your case and show improvement since 2023.

Let’s connect to build a reapplication strategy that maximizes your M7 chances.

Ameer Khatri, Admissions Consultant
Book a 1-on-1 call here: https://admitportal.ameerkhatri.com/pro ... n-calendar?

Hi @m7runner ! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

Register for our Coffee Session: “Tackle MBA Applications for Canadian Business Schools- Rotman, Schulich, Ivey & More”, which we are hosting on 5th September, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Good GMAT score. Well done. I hope you have some strategy/logic behind your school selection because a few schools you have listed aren't strong in tech. Your research on employment reports should have shown you the data points. You may also want to study deep about PM roles.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant | E: [email protected] | https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-catalysts/

Hello Kavash,

Your 715 GMAT Focus is competitive and offsets your 7.14 GPA. With 3+ years across consulting and e-commerce, your background is solid but not differentiated, as many applicants have similar experience.

Your target of U.S. tech PM roles is realistic, but schools like Booth, Columbia, and Kellogg will expect evidence of innovation and leadership impact in your work.

INSEAD and HEC could also be strong fits given your global aspirations. You should strengthen your extracurriculars and leadership story, as right now your career narrative is solid but not standout.

Ameer Khatri, Admissions Consultant
Schedule 1-on-1 call
https://admitportal.ameerkhatri.com/pro ... n-calendar

Hi @KavashTaken,

With 4 years across consulting and e-commerce and a solid 715 GMAT Focus, you have a strong foundation for U.S. MBA applications. Your mix of strategy, analytics, and product-building experience aligns directly with your post-MBA goal of tech product management, which makes your story coherent and realistic. The modest GPA would be offset by your GMAT. Your professional narrative shows both impact and progression. To stand out, highlight specific examples of how your work improved customer experience or drove measurable business outcomes, as this will showcase transferable skills to PM roles. For schools, you should be competitive at top 15 U.S. programs and could target M7 with strong essays and leadership stories.
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.

Hey @KavashTaken,
Strengths:
1. GMAT
2. You are at the Sweet spot of Experience for admissions applications
3. Realistic Career Goals and alignment

Good selection of Schools ,though depending on your domain, and preferred post MBA geography, I would consider Stern, and even Stanford, and may remove Columbia and INSEAD.
Well drafted Resumes, Clarity and commitment in Career Goals, Strong LORs and compelling stories can possibly get you high scholarships

Weaknesses/ Unknowns:
1. ORM (Indian Male Engineer)
2. GPA standing unknown
3. College Reputation
4. Leadership & ECs
5. Current Employer Reputation
6. Other interests

Hope that helps. Please submit your profile for a Free Assessment over a 1:1 call. https://theivyleagueedge.com/index.php/contactus/
_________________
Bala

1. The MOST recommended Admissions Consultant on Linkedin, WORLDWIDE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/balkrishna/
2. 100% 5-Star Reviews on PoetsandQuants
Poetsandquants(dot)com/consultant/bala-bal-krishna-shukla/

Thanks for sharing your profile details @KavashTaken ! Nice GMAT FE score of 715, competitive, you’re in range for your target schools. Relevant career goals: E-commerce + consulting + strategy → good alignment with product management in tech. Admissions committees would ike to see clear, logical transitions. Analytics + customer journey + product-building can be a good narrative for PM roles. Your interest in emerging markets for the long term will resonate with schools like INSEAD, HEC, Haas, Booth, and Kellogg, which value innovation-driven and global leadership.

Gaps / Areas for improvement: Applicant pool competition (Indian Male), you’re in one of the most competitive pools. At M7, you’ll be competing with peers who often have 740+ GMAT (classic) and brand-name consulting/tech firms. With ~4 years at intake, you’ll be at the lower-middle range for U.S. schools (average is 4.5-5 years). You’ll need to show maturity and leadership beyond years of experience. A 7.14 GPA is fine, but not standout. You’ll want to strengthen your academic story, either by highlighting quant-heavy coursework, online certifications, or examples of analytical rigor at work. You’re heavy on M7 / top-10 schools. Round 2 competition will be intense. Sharpen your differentiator, many Indian candidates apply with consulting + tech backgrounds. What makes your story unique?

Possible angles: Driving better user experiences in e-commerce. How your product works has touched millions of customers. Frame your long-term vision clearly (why you, why now, why this market). Show leadership beyond years of work (mentorship, cross-functional collaboration, client-facing strategy).

Questions for you (to strengthen profile narrative):
1) Have you had leadership opportunities beyond your years? (team management, client ownership, mentoring juniors, leading cross-functional initiatives)
2) Do you have extracurricular or community leadership? (Schools love seeing holistic leadership, not just corporate).
3) How flexible are you geographically post-MBA? If U.S. PM roles are a must, a U.S. MBA is safer than INSEAD/HEC.

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, your profile shows strong potential with 4 years of experience spanning consulting and e-commerce, giving you a solid foundation in strategy, analytics, and product development, key skills for a post-MBA transition into PM. Your GMAT FE score is strong, while your GPA is slightly below average for the most selective programs, meaning strong essays and recommendations will be crucial for your application.

Your career goals- moving into U.S. tech PM and eventually leading product strategy or building your own venture are clear and well-aligned with the offerings at your target schools. With a broad list, would you like me to help you prioritize which schools could be classified as reach, target, and safety? Also, do you have any examples of measurable impact, like maybe- revenue growth or customer engagement improvement that you can highlight to strengthen your application?

I’d be happy to offer you a free profile review for your target MBA 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!

Hi Akshay,

You have a strong and multifaceted profile for ISB, with 5 years of consulting experience, a top-tier academic record, and a 665 GMAT Focus/700 GMAT Classic. Your extracurriculars - Toastmasters, published author, and social media presence demonstrate communication skills, creativity, and influence, which are highly valued. The clear post-MBA goal of transitioning into Product Management is realistic, given your consulting background and tech exposure. As a reapplicant, focus on showing professional growth since your last application, clarifying your product management story, and highlighting leadership impact to strengthen your application.

It will be crucial to build an authentic, compelling narrative. Focus on articulating your goals and career transition plan clearly - make sure your goals are specific and well-defined. Connect your past experiences to your future goals, highlight the specific skills or exposure you're seeking and explain how the MBA will help you gain these to achieve your goals.

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.

Hello Chucks,

With 9 years of experience in energy and a plan to return to Nigeria to lead strategic initiatives, your goals make sense.

However, Booth is highly competitive, and without a GMAT score, your candidacy cannot be assessed seriously.

Your GPA of 3.45 is decent but not strong enough to offset the absence of a test score. For Booth, you will need at least a 700+ GMAT Focus to stand a realistic chance.

I suggest broadening your school list to include programs with strong energy and Africa-focused networks, such as Duke Fuqua or Oxford Saïd.

Ameer Khatri, Admissions Consultant
Schedule 1-on-1 call
https://admitportal.ameerkhatri.com/pro ... n-calendar