2nd Year at the University of Manchester, BSc Economics. President of Business Society and Sector Head of University Investment Fund

I am a self-driven professional dedicated to delivering excellent results. I strive for continual growth through embracing new challenges, maximizing my skills and making meaningful contributions to my organization. My goal is to leverage my experience for impactful outcomes that align with organizational objectives.

Client Service Risk Administrator, Strategy & Operations - McKinsey & Company - Aug'25 - current role
Demonstrated a strong ability to independently manage projects, making significant contributions to team objectives and overall outcomes.
Developed advanced proficiency in data reporting by extracting information from the Case Management System, generating ad-hoc reports, and creating dashboards to support leadership in data-driven decision making.
Led case reconciliation calls with risk advisors, implementing outcomes into reports to ensure accuracy and alignment with organizational goals.
Efficiently handled complex case scenarios through email communications, ensuring timely resolution and clear stakeholder engagement.
Actively contributed to internal team-building and development initiatives, with a focus on mitigating risks related to fee arrangements and serving as a point of contact for the Conflicts team.
Prepared materials addressing high-risk areas for client-facing consultants, providing guidance on effective risk mitigation strategies.
Volunteered as a point of contact for the Asia region to address third-party pricing risks in Purchaser–Supplier enablement, concentrating on the closure of low-risk cases through thorough analysis of Letters of Proposal.
Finance Associate - General Accounting - McKinsey & Company - Aug'22 - Jul'25
Successfully managed global Accounts Receivable operations by implementing workflow improvements, standardizing procedures in SAP S4 HANA, and addressing complex accounting elements such as Withholding Taxes and Rebates.
Led a major financial software upgrade, coordinated effective stakeholder engagement across multiple finance teams, and improved operational efficiency through regular issue resolution.
Additionally, prepared and reconciled critical financial accounts, monitored intercompany transactions, and analyzed account variances to ensure accuracy and compliance.
SKILLS & LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY:
Soft Skills: Client relationship Management, Business Communication, Time Management for critical assignments, Collaborative problem solver, Detail oriented, Active listener.
Tools & Applications: MS Excel, MS Word, MS Power Point, SAP S4 HANA, Oracle, Blackline, Salesforce, Power BI.
HONOURS & AWARDS:
Recognized for my contribution in Team initiatives (Client Service Risk - Administrator) in the first four months into the role.
Awarded the Best Outgoing Student of the year [2021-22].
Secured University of Madras - 7th Rank in M.com Accounting & Finance (yet to receive certificate).
Event Organizer - Student Council [2021 - 2022] - Gained experience on meticulous Planning, Organizing and Execution of College events, paperwork and documentation.
Presented Research Paper [2022] on “Impact of Covid-19 on preference of health insurance policies among policyholders” at - SP Jain School of Global Management, Dubai and published my proceedings in the Journal - International Multidisciplinary Conference.
Presented Research Paper [2022] in collaboration with London Business University and published my proceedings in the - Journal of Management & Entrepreneurship on the topic "A Study on Problems faced by Health Insurance Policyholders on Application and Claiming of Covid - 19 Health Insurance Policies".

GMAT Focus:


Attempts: 575 → 635 → 645
Latest split:
Quant: 80 (67th percentile)
Verbal: 83
Data Insights: 82

My sense is that Quant has been more of an execution/timing issue than a conceptual gap, and I’ve been able to perform at a higher level in mocks.

Academics:

10th: 10 CGPA
12th: 97.5%
Undergrad: 9.5 CGPA

Work Experience (~4 years):

Strategy consultant at a boutique firm (BFSI / fintech focus)
Strong client-facing role with international exposure; have traveled abroad to present work
2 fast-track promotions

Additional responsibilities beyond core consulting:

Leading strategy and business development initiatives for the firm
Led a full firm rebranding effort and currently manage client communications

Leadership & Extra-Curriculars:

Project Head at Entrepreneurship Cell; founded a pro-bono consulting initiative for NGOs
Ran a small design/branding business during COVID, reflecting a parallel interest in marketing/branding

Post-MBA Goals:

Fintech / VC / strategy roles

Questions:

With a 645, how competitive am I for:
M7
INSEAD / LBS
T10–T15 US schools

How do adcoms typically view a slightly lower but balanced Quant score in the context of strong academics and consulting experience?

As an Associate Engineer at Caterpillar Inc. (Jul 2024 – Present), you drive end-to-end design and engineering release activities for After-Treatment Systems across multiple engine platforms, ensuring NPI compliance through cross-functional leadership. Within the Solar Turbines Division, you have demonstrated significant fiscal impact, delivering $1M in annual cost savings through fastener optimization on Titan 130 turbines and enhancing thermal performance for Titan 250 hardware. Your technical expertise extends to tolerance stack-up analysis, material substitution, and streamlining exhaust diffuser designs to simplify supply chains. Additionally, you have championed automation and analytics by developing Python-based KBOM and test data tools, and played a pivotal role in the C9.3 assembly line transition to Hosur by designing logistics trackers that reduced manual effort by 70%.


Earlier, as an Industrial Application Engineering Intern at Danfoss, you specialized in industrial brake system sizing and performance analysis. Your leadership profile is highlighted by your role as Team Captain for a Formula Student EV team, where you managed a 25-member cohort and secured ₹12+ lakh in sponsorships. With a technical toolkit featuring SolidWorks, ANSYS, GD&T (ASME Y14.5), and FEA, you have earned top national rankings in prestigious competitions like the Mercedes-Benz TechSign Challenge and Formula Bharat. Outside of core engineering, you contribute as a volunteer teacher at Bhumi NGO and maintain a diverse personal background as a Bharatnatyam dancer and Karate brown belt.

Hello! A little context, so I struggled early in college due to my hearing loss, but I was able to get a 3.6 GPA in my last 60 hours once I got adjusted to my hearing aids. Before MBA, I owned a water well service and drilling company, so the industry would be utilities. Below this would be parts of my resume. Also, I would like to know what score I need to make to get into these schools, but also get a scholarship as well. I currently have a 163 q and 152v for the GRE. I plan on taking the GRE again in August.

Owner September 2024– Current
• Secured a $200K contract within the first month of operations through competitive pricing and client relationship management
• Delivered $200K in client savings by winning a 200-well plugging contract, underpricing competitors by $1,000 per well while maintaining profitability.
• Expanded service area and implemented targeted marketing initiatives, increasing revenue by 150% and acquiring 75 new clients.
• Negotiated six contracts for public supply wells, generating approximately $30k profit per well through cost control and vendor management
• Oversee full P&L, contract negotiation, budgeting, strategic growth, and evaluation of expansion into drilling operations
Controller July 2021 – 2024
• Managed budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting
• Led cost optimization and procurement efforts that improved project profitability and competitive bidding
• Assisted with capital planning, construction budgeting, and financial modeling for water district projects
• Advised ownership during successful company sale, enhancing valuation from initial $2M indication to $3M closing
Head Trainer (Part-Time) August 2021 – 2022
• Led customer engagement and retention initiatives, supporting revenue growth and membership expansion.
• Developed and executed local marketing and sales strategies aligned with customer demand.
• Coordinated across teams to ensure consistent customer experience and service delivery.
Intern May 2020 – 2021
• Shadowed executive leadership, gaining exposure to financial operations, budgeting, and utility management.
• Supported construction planning and financial modeling for a water district project.
• Assisted with customer management and operational finance initiatives.

Indian, Engineer, Female


UG Details -
Degree: B.Tech (Computer Science and Engineering) from Tier 2 college (State University)
CGPA: 8.46 / 10
Extra-curricular - Won English Script Writing Contest (College Level), Stood second in Line Follower Robot Competition (College Technical Festival), member of Literary Club, Cultural Club and Sports Club.

Work Experience -

Associate Consultant in a Fintech Company (2022-present)

I am working as a Software Developer from the past 3.8 years in an Indian Fintech Organization which has offices globally. I don't hold any promotions but my work has significantly evolved over the years. I began by working on API workflows and UI development for client demos. Over time, I contributed to a GenAI-based RFP automation initiative, and based on my work and stakeholder interactions on that project, I was entrusted with independently designing and developing an enterprise-grade Commercial Sheet Processing application for the pre-sales department. This project required me to coordinate closely with product, pre-sales, and technical teams to align business objectives with technical feasibility, and the final solution reduced document processing and generation time by nearly 80%.
I have also demonstrated my workflows in Presales client demos.

Alongside my technical work, I have increasingly taken on informal leadership responsibilities. I mentor new joiners in the team, conduct internal knowledge-sharing sessions, and have led a team in our company wide internal AI hackathon, where we developed and presented a working prototype within three days.

A significant part of my profile is also shaped by my commitment to social impact and people development. After high school, I took a gap year for college prep and also took up work as a computer instructor in a rural institute, where I taught students basic digital skills. This experience gave me exposure to very different social realities and strengthened my belief in education as a driver of change. I continue to stay connected to this value through my active involvement with an NGO, where I mentor underprivileged students.
Working on the projects independently and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, made me more interested in functional roles, and it gradually shaped my aspiration to move into strategy, product, or consulting roles.

I know based on my profile, the GMAT score is less. What are some of the schools I can realistically target. And what are my chances at the schools I've mentioned.

Thank you for taking the time to go through the post.

I graduated in 2022 from IIT Kharagpur. I currently work as a software engineer for a big tech company. Our software is used by global manufacturers for their day-to-day operations. I wanted to get out of technical heavy role and thus pursue an MBA. In reality, I am neutral about the supply chain and manufacturing industry in general. I am not actively looking to work in it, but I don't think I would hate it either. As of now, in the long term, I would want to work in a strategy/ bizops role for a Tech company. In the short term, definitely consulting as I hope it will allow me to work across diverse industries and could help me find something that deeply interests me.

Genericmedsaustralia is an online platform dedicated to providing a wide range of generic and branded medications to customers seeking convenient and affordable healthcare solutions. The website offers access to various pharmaceutical products, including treatments for sleep disorders, pain management, men’s health, and other common conditions. With a focus on accessibility and cost-effectiveness, Genericmedsaustraliaaims to make essential medications available to a broader audience without compromising on quality.

Demographics:

Indian male, 25yo (at matriculation)

Undergraduate Degree- BA Economics at Top 3 Canadian University (3.89/4.00)
Work Experience (3.5+ years at matriculation):

Current Role – Packaging & Manufacturing Firm in India (Family-Owned Business; founded ~4 years ago)
- Joined at an early stage; part of scaling the firm from a distribution-led business to a fully integrated manufacturing player (500% revenue growth in 4 years: 4 employees to 15+ staff (+>50 workers))
- Launched 2 new business verticals contributing $1M+ to the top line

Internships: T2 Consulting and B4 consulting in Toronto (projects across Finance, Retail, Healthcare)

ECs:
Very strong in Undergraduate
Not very strong now due to workload. Some initiatives around CSR (facility tours for local schools, shadowing programs for low-income students)

Post-MBA Goals:
Short term: Consulting Roles (Ops/Industrials focused)
Long term: Scale business into a larger manufacturing platform

Target Schools:
INSEAD, ISB, Wharton, Rotman

Computer Scientist; MSc Information Systems (AI); A few years of Manager experience in Tech/Data teams. In the last 3 years I have been working as a Research analyst in PE/VC and as a university Professor in my country, for AI classes.

Working as product Owner in siemens AG from last 5 years in smart building technology in zug ,switzerland

previously worked as analyst in deloitte consulting
Post MBA - looking to pivot to strategy consulting in Europe and middle east

EDUCATION

KJ Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai, India
Bachelor of Technology (Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering)
EXPERIENCE
ZS Associates
A global consulting & technology firm (13,000+ employees; US$2B revenue) advising 18 of the top 20 life sciences companies.
Selected into the Digital Customer Experience vertical (<5% acceptance), driving field and marketing analytics across the world.
Associate Consultant
Pune, India
Jan 2025 - Present
Serve as the primary delivery owner for field and omnichannel campaigns across the U.S., EU, and APAC. Lead cross-functional teams of
analysts, translate commercial strategy into data-driven execution, and manage client stakeholders up to the VP/CXO level. Oversee US$3M+
annual engagements with full accountability for quality, governance, and business outcomes.
• Led a 5+ analyst team to architect and launch PharmaEssentia’s first U.S. omnichannel orchestration, integrating field, marketing, and
CRM touchpoints to enable coordinated customer engagement.
• Built mid-year impact reports highlighting improved engagement with hard-to-reach HCPs enabled by the omnichannel alerts, earning
CXO trust and scaling the US$600K pilot into a US$12M, 2-year investment.
• Aligned Sales, Marketing, and Analytics stakeholders to design and implement an automated impact dashboard tracking 20+ adoption
metrics, enhancing visibility into customer performance contributing to US$150M in BESREMi revenue in the US.
• Partnered with senior leadership on new business development for Pfizer in the United States, Spain, Germany, France and Japan,
contributing to a US$2 M contract renewal.
Associate
Sep 2022 - Dec 2024
Delivered omnichannel and CRM solutions for 2,000+ Pfizer field reps across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, enabling global expansion and
measurable commercial uplift exceeding industry standards.
• Designed omnichannel pipelines for 20+ Pfizer brands across the 10+ countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia, contributing to a
revenue increase of ~US$700M, achieving an 11% net impact(nearly 3× the industry norm of 4%).
• Built consensus among senior leadership to create an automated DQM (Data Quality Management) system that removed 100% of
manual QC errors and reduced run time from 10+ hours to <2 hours, leading to adoption in 5+ global projects across the company.
• Authored onboarding playbooks and testing manuals that were adopted firm-wide, standardizing and reducing onboarding time for 50+
new joiners by ~30%, saving an estimated 120+ hours annually and lowering training costs by ~25%.
• Mentored 10+ associates across multiple workstreams globally, maintaining delivery quality without intermediary oversight.
Instructional Designer Intern
Jul 2021 – Dec 2021
• Steered end-to-end design and rollout of interactive digital learning courses for university and executive education programs, ensuring
strategic alignment between course objectives, content design, and learner outcomes.
• Facilitated alignment across SMEs, content designers, and developers, creating a unified process that cut development time by 25%.
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Awarded “DCE Rockstar – 2025” for launching the Japan Derma campaign with 100% client satisfaction and zero production defects.
• Honoured with “Pinnacle Performer Award – 2023” for innovation and ownership among 100+ nominees.
• Awarded “Employee of the Month” and a pre-placement offer for delivering a pivotal Business Management course for Manipal
University ahead of schedule with error-free execution.
• Published research paper “Music Genre Classification using Deep Learning” using the neural network models in the International
Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) in 2021.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Social Impact & Volunteering
• Volunteered with ZS Cares in community outreach initiatives, including tree plantation drives, student mentoring, and creating
handmade goods sold by tribal communities to support sustainable livelihoods.
2023–Present
• Mentored 15+ students as part of the U&I social outreach group, additionally conducting financial literacy and career-awareness
sessions, and raised ₹50,000 to establish a digital-learning infrastructure during the COVID-19 lockdown.
2020–2022
Leadership
• Led the Student Body for the Training & Placement Office, coordinating placements for 300+ students, liaising with 100+ visiting
corporates, and organising 20+ professional development sessions with alumni and industry leaders.
2021–2022
• Headed the Shutterbugs Photography Club, managing a 50-member team to cover 25+ flagship college events, and introduced
sponsorships to make the club self-sustaining.
2019–2020
• Coached an 8-member classical dance crew as Lead Dancer of Team Palanoia, delivering performances in 10+ college fests. 2018–2019
Sports
• Captained the school badminton team and won the DSO Under-14 Thane District Championship (2014).
2013-2014

Working at TRATON GROUP, a commercial vehicle OEM and subsidiary of Volkswagen group. Primarily working on the next generation technology program on the validation side. Have been vehicle engineering manager for that program ($240M investment R&D program) and then moved into on board diagnostics system integration engineer and scrum master for team of 10 engineers. I work with colleagues in U.S, Sweden, and Germany on this program.

EDUCATION

KJ Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai, India 2018-2022
Bachelor of Technology (Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering)
EXPERIENCE
ZS Associates
A global consulting & technology firm (13,000+ employees; US$2B revenue) advising 18 of the top 20 life sciences companies.
Selected into the Digital Customer Experience vertical (<5% acceptance), driving field and marketing analytics across the world.
Associate Consultant
Pune, India
Jan 2025 - Present
Serve as the primary delivery owner for field and omnichannel campaigns across the U.S., EU, and APAC. Lead cross-functional teams of
analysts, translate commercial strategy into data-driven execution, and manage client stakeholders up to the VP/CXO level. Oversee US$3M+
annual engagements with full accountability for quality, governance, and business outcomes.
• Led a 5+ analyst team to architect and launch PharmaEssentia’s first U.S. omnichannel orchestration, integrating field, marketing, and
CRM touchpoints to enable coordinated customer engagement.
• Built mid-year impact reports highlighting improved engagement with hard-to-reach HCPs enabled by the omnichannel alerts, earning
CXO trust and scaling the US$600K pilot into a US$12M, 2-year investment.
• Aligned Sales, Marketing, and Analytics stakeholders to design and implement an automated impact dashboard tracking 20+ adoption
metrics, enhancing visibility into customer performance contributing to US$150M in BESREMi revenue in the US.
• Partnered with senior leadership on new business development for Pfizer in the United States, Spain, Germany, France and Japan,
contributing to a US$2 M contract renewal.
Associate
Sep 2022 - Dec 2024
Delivered omnichannel and CRM solutions for 2,000+ Pfizer field reps across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, enabling global expansion and
measurable commercial uplift exceeding industry standards.
• Designed omnichannel pipelines for 20+ Pfizer brands across the 10+ countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia, contributing to a
revenue increase of ~US$700M, achieving an 11% net impact(nearly 3× the industry norm of 4%).
• Built consensus among senior leadership to create an automated DQM (Data Quality Management) system that removed 100% of
manual QC errors and reduced run time from 10+ hours to <2 hours, leading to adoption in 5+ global projects across the company.
• Authored onboarding playbooks and testing manuals that were adopted firm-wide, standardizing and reducing onboarding time for 50+
new joiners by ~30%, saving an estimated 120+ hours annually and lowering training costs by ~25%.
• Mentored 10+ associates across multiple workstreams globally, maintaining delivery quality without intermediary oversight.
Instructional Designer Intern
Jul 2021 – Dec 2021
• Steered end-to-end design and rollout of interactive digital learning courses for university and executive education programs, ensuring
strategic alignment between course objectives, content design, and learner outcomes.
• Facilitated alignment across SMEs, content designers, and developers, creating a unified process that cut development time by 25%.
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Awarded “DCE Rockstar – 2025” for launching the Japan Derma campaign with 100% client satisfaction and zero production defects.
• Honoured with “Pinnacle Performer Award – 2023” for innovation and ownership among 100+ nominees.
• Awarded “Employee of the Month” and a pre-placement offer for delivering a pivotal Business Management course for Manipal
University ahead of schedule with error-free execution.
• Published research paper “Music Genre Classification using Deep Learning” using the neural network models in the International
Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) in 2021.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Social Impact & Volunteering
• Volunteered with ZS Cares in community outreach initiatives, including tree plantation drives, student mentoring, and creating
handmade goods sold by tribal communities to support sustainable livelihoods.
2023–Present
• Mentored 15+ students as part of the U&I social outreach group, additionally conducting financial literacy and career-awareness
sessions, and raised ₹50,000 to establish a digital-learning infrastructure during the COVID-19 lockdown.
2020–2022
Leadership
• Led the Student Body for the Training & Placement Office, coordinating placements for 300+ students, liaising with 100+ visiting
corporates, and organising 20+ professional development sessions with alumni and industry leaders.
2021–2022
• Headed the Shutterbugs Photography Club, managing a 50-member team to cover 25+ flagship college events, and introduced
sponsorships to make the club self-sustaining.
2019–2020
• Coached an 8-member classical dance crew as Lead Dancer of Team Palanoia, delivering performances in 10+ college fests. 2018–2019
Sports
• Captained the school badminton team and won the DSO Under-14 Thane District Championship (2014).
2013-2014

Cornell University (Dyson) Undergrad Class of 2021; 4.14 GPA; Degree Marshall (top 2 in graduating class); TA experience in undergrad; President of Cornell Investment Banking Club; Vice President of Society for Women in Business; 5 years working at Guggenheim in Investment Banking with M&A, restructuring, structured debt and equity transaction experience; 3 years as stafffer for all generalist IB analysts and interns at Guggenheim; 2 years volunteering at local food bank post-grad; Intern at Guggenheim and Strategy Internship at Deutsche Bank; MBALaunch Forte

Total 6 years work experience. Currently an Investment associate at an impact investment firm - in the climate finance team.

Post MBA looking to pivot to project finance (renewables).

Looking at Canadian and some American programs (not focused on American schools due to visa issues). Not looking at European ones for now.

Putting my stats/results here to potentially help others with similar stats gain insight and illustrate a holistic picture of possibilities, many thanks to all of those before who did post their stats as it was extremely helpful for my applications this past round 2, 2026. Very pleased with my results, likely to matriculate to Tuck.


My below average test score I believe was offset by the following: decently high GPA at HYPSM undergrad with a double major (engineering + economics), significant technical work experience in consulting focused on energy and healthcare (economic and statistical modeling, equity and market research, policy strategy, etc.) that fed well into my career goals: renewable energy finance at a major developer. Given what I believe to be a successful round 2, I am a firm believer that admissions truly are holistic. Definitely not an admissions expert but hopefully these can provide insight for others in the application process.

Additional Info: Domestic, ~4 years of experience, FGLI.