Thanks for sharing your profile @26Jiya ! Let's start, GMAT/GRE are not mandatory, but they add weight. Imperial’s current average GMAT sits around the mid-600s to high-600s for MSc Finance admits. A strong GMAT/GRE will meaningfully strengthen an application from a lower-ranked undergrad. Imperial expects entrants to be comfortable with probability, calculus, matrix algebra, and linear analysis. The program is mathematically rigorous. If you lack these on your transcript, you should demonstrate competence through graded courses/certificates.

Strengths you already have: Quantitative science background (Chemistry). Leadership & event organisation, meaningful extracurricular leadership helps show teamwork, initiative, and communication skills, all important for MSc cohorts. Certificates show motivation and readiness to bridge to finance (but make sure they are relevant: finance/accounting/econometrics/product analytics).

Main gaps you should close: Imperial expects math readiness (probability, calculus, linear algebra, statistics). If you haven’t taken these beyond high school, take graded university courses (for-credit) or reputable online courses (with graded assessment) in:

Finance exposure/internship/projects: Secure at least one finance-related internship (front-office is ideal, investment, corporate finance, treasury, or analyst roles) OR complete a measurable finance project (valuation models, trading simulations, data-driven finance analysis). Document outcomes (models built, analysis performed, results). Imperial’s class has applicants with Economics/Finance/Engineering backgrounds, showing transferable technical & analytical skills.

Adcom will expect a well-researched career plan with short-term and long-term steps. Decide: MSc Finance > Investment Banking/Asset Management/Corporate Finance/FinTech? Spell out the employers/roles and how Imperial’s modules/careers services will help.

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

Hi Jiya
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, you have got an interesting starting point, a chemistry major with clear intent to pivot into finance and management, which shows ambition and curiosity beyond your core field.

Your GPA looks decent, and it’s good that you’ve already taken initiative through event organization and leadership roles, those experiences will help show teamwork, ownership, and communication skills that business schools look for. Since you’re still a student, the biggest thing missing right now is relevant exposure to finance or business, try to add internships, research projects, or certifications to strengthen your case for programs like Imperial MSc in Finance.

Also, make sure your essays clearly explain why you’re shifting from chemistry to finance and how your analytical background supports that transition. With a strong GMAT/GRE and some tangible finance-related experience before applying, you can make your profile much more competitive.

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: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!

Hi
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, you have got a decent base to build on, 4+ years in ad-tech at Media.net gives you solid exposure to the intersection of tech, analytics, and product operations, which fits well with programs like ISB PGP Pro and IIM PGPX.

Your academic record is average but workable, especially with a strong professional narrative and clear post-MBA goals. The extracurricular involvement through Rotaract and your personal interests adds some personality, though you could strengthen your profile by showing recent leadership or impact outside work, maybe mentoring, volunteering, or leading a small project initiative.

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: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!

Hi
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, I see a strong mix of tech pedigree (IIT + NYU + VMware) and social impact through your family-run education group. The move from Palo Alto back to Hyderabad to scale an educational institution shows maturity and purpose, which fits well with schools like Stanford and Haas that value mission-driven leadership.

Your GMAT score also looks strong. The key will be storytelling, clearly articulating why MBA now and why the pivot from running an educational group to PM/VC makes sense. You’ll need to highlight tangible leadership impact and innovation at your institution -new initiatives, growth, or modernization you led. You’ve got a rare mix of elite academics, international exposure, and a purpose-driven path. Polish your narrative and you’ll be a strong contender for your target schools.

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: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!

Thanks for sharing your profile @dpk290 ! Let's start with how each target school might likely view you:
Stanford- Reach, but realistic with a standout story. Stanford seeks founders, product leaders, and early-career high-potential candidates. Your tech + MS + operator leadership in education is very aligned with Stanford’s entrepreneurship/education innovation interests, but Stanford admits are extremely selective (ideal matriculants often have 4-6 years + a unique, high-impact trajectory). You need an exceptional narrative (product/edtech traction, or a clearly differentiated leadership accomplishment at scale).

HBS- Reach / possible. HBS values general management potential and scale of leadership. Running an education group with thousands of students is directly relevant. HBS will ask for evidence of strategy, measurable outcomes, and how an MBA will broaden your ability to lead at scale and enter EdTech/VC. Your 685 is good; HBS is holistic but extremely competitive.

Berkeley Haas- Target / strong fit. Haas prizes tech + product + social impact and has Bay Area EdTech connections. Average work experience there is roughly ~5-6 years, and they admit applicants who combine technical depth with leadership and product orientation. You’re a natural fit; Haas could be an excellent bridge back to product roles in EdTech.

UCLA Anderson- Target / realistic. Anderson recruits well into product and entertainment/tech hubs; your US tech experience + current leadership in education is attractive. Average experience ~5-6 years, and Anderson values demonstrated leadership and career pivot clarity.

Columbia- Target / realistic. Your VMware background + operations/scale leadership at the education org is valuable for Columbia recruiters; being explicit about New York / remote PM roles and how Columbia’s access to VC helps your 4-5 year plan will matter.

Strengths you should highlight:
Technical credibility: IIT + NYU MS + engineering at VMware. Quant + product instincts.
Scaled leadership: VP role at an organization educating ~25k students is a rare asset; quantify scope (budget, staff, enrolment, KPIs).
Global / tech experience: US tech experience gives you product language and recruiting credibility for EdTech companies.
Clear sector focus: Education > EdTech > VC is coherent and compelling when framed as a sequence of capability-building steps.

Gaps/risks:
1) Tighten your Why MBA / Why now.
Admissions want concrete short-term outcomes (2 years) and how the MBA connects you to them. Example:
Short-term: Product Manager (Growth/Product Strategy) at a leading EdTech (Duolingo / Coursera) or product-focused role at a major tech company.
Why MBA now: to acquire customer-centric product, analytics, and managerial skills, plus access to VC networks.
For top reaches (Stanford/HBS), you must show why an MBA provides unique value vs staying in the org or returning to tech directly.

2) Quantify outcomes in your education group
Provide crisp metrics: number of institutions, student headcount (you gave 25k), staff size, annual budget, revenue or subsidy model, retention/graduation rates, initiatives launched, measurable impact of programs you led (like placement %, new programs launched, partnerships formed). Use these in essays and LORs.

3) Recommenders who validate both tech and strategic leadership
LOR 1: Senior professional from VMware (ex-manager/tech lead) to validate product & technical chops.
LOR 2: Prefer a senior independent board member or an external stakeholder (government stakeholder, partner university dean, major donor/client) who can credibly speak to your strategic leadership and independence.

4) Direct product/EdTech traction
If possible, lead or document a short product pilot: like launch an edtech feature, platform pilot for X students, or a measurable digital learning initiative (user engagement, completion rates, revenue/monetization signals). Even a few months' pilot with clear KPIs is powerful.

5) Clarify the pivot to VC (mid-term plan)
Admissions like realistic pipelines: MBA > Product Manager > Growth/PM in EdTech > VC associate/operating partner. Show specific firms/roles and how each step builds skill sets.

Draft a sharp 2yr + 5yr career plan for each school application; be explicit and tailored.

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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.

You can take a look at this HSW Essay Workshop YouTube video.

Hi @lumier ! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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 @doboyl ! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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, how did you prepared for gmat ? and what was the questions you have been asked in the interiview?

Hi Devraj,
could we know more about your profile so we can help you

Feel free to reach out at contact@involve-consulting.com
or connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naikhemal/


Best,
Hemal
Rep, Involve Consulting
(HEC Paris)

Hi @Devraj1989 ! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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.

You can take a look at this KELLOGG, BOOTH, and COLUMBIA MBA Essay workshop YouTube video. might give you some good insights.

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

Hi Priya,
could we know more about your profile so we can help you

Feel free to reach out at contact@involve-consulting.com
or connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naikhemal/


Best,
Hemal
Rep, Involve Consulting
(HEC Paris)

@_tani_priya - some more details can help assess your profile better:

1. What's the sectional split of your GMAT score, and are you planning for a retake?

2. Which undergrad university did you graduate from?

3. On the professional front, which companies have you worked in, which roles, and have there been any promotions?

4. Anything on the extracurriculars side?

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

Hi @_tani_priya ! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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 Layanan,
could we know more about your profile so we can help you

Feel free to reach out at contact@involve-consulting.com
or connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naikhemal/


Best,
Hemal
Rep, Involve Consulting
(HEC Paris)

Thanks for sharing your profile @pc343 ! You have relevant functional experience for Brand Management (category work + GTM & senior analyst work at an F500 CPG), which can be valuable for your target schools. Your 2 main weak spots are the undergrad GPA (2.9) and a GRE 324 that is below median for the top programs; both are fixable, but you must demonstrate academic readiness (strong retake + recent coursework) and a focused narrative converting your category/strategy work into brand leadership potential. You can take a look at this LOW GPA blog. You can also check out this success story of an applicant who got into Ross and Booth with a 319 GRE score.

What to emphasize:
Direct relevance to brand management: category analytics + GTM strategy is exactly the type of pre-MBA experience that marketing/brand roles value. Quantify your impact (sales lift %, SKU mix improvements, incremental $ from promotions, elasticity insights you drove).

Leadership & scope: Highlight cross-functional influence (worked with sales, retail, agency, supply chain), ownership of decisions, and any direct mentorship or project leadership.

Academic remediation evidence: Schools will want to see proof you can handle rigorous MBA academics, given GPA 2.9: strong GRE (or GMAT) + recent graded coursework (quant/analytics) with A/B grades is high-impact.

Career clarity & fit, "why MBA now" > show brand roles you target, why this school (specific courses/profs/clubs), and how the MBA makes the sponsor/company transition credible.

Raising the test score into the 328-333 GRE range and completing recent graded coursework (quant/analytics/marketing) can be an effective way to move you from long-shot to competitive. (See the school profiles to compare medians.)

Strengths you should sell hard: Relevant work experience for Brand Management (category analytics > GTM strategy > senior category role at an F500). This is the precise functional pipeline top marketing recruiters want. AdTech + CPG + GTM strategy gives you analytic + commercial chops. FGLI and US citizen status a meaningful demographics and will be viewed positively in diversity & background essays; it can strengthen your “story of mobility” if you weave it into leadership and resilience narratives. Public service/mentorship: sustained, meaningful extracurriculars are good evidence of values and leadership outside work.

Tighten your career narrative. You can convert category/analytics work into brand impact stories: show occasions where you shaped brand strategy, not just execution (assortment strategy, pricing tactics that shifted share, shopper insights that led to marketing changes). Prepare 3-4 STAR stories focusing on leadership, customer/retailer influence, and strategic insight. LORs: One manager who can speak to promotability, leadership, and concrete business impact. Another can be a cross-functional partner (like Brand Director, Sales Lead, or GTM boss) who can speak to your strategic thinking and influence.

Targeted outreach to brand management alums and students at each school. Ask specific questions about courses/clubs that helped them break into brand roles, and one concrete piece of advice you can quote in an essay. Attend admitted-student events, industry treks, and relevant club events to show demonstrated interest. If you attend an official event, include a one-sentence update in a short “update/interest” message to the adcom later (don’t spam).

Draft school-specific essays (Why Booth? Why Kellogg? Why Tuck?) with explicit references to programs, clubs, courses, and recruiter outcomes relevant to brand management.

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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.

You can register for our Upcoming ESSAY WORKSHOP on Tuck, NYU & Yale. Craft essays that shine: pick powerful stories, match your goals with each school, and showcase authentic leadership. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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

@Rashi23 - really interesting profile, particularly the branded employers, tech/ business roles, and tangible impact you've had.

The academic arc looks good. GMAT is fine too, but a bit on the lower side for USTop-15 programs like Yale. What's the sectional split, and is there any scope to improve e.g. did you score higher in mocks?

The work-ex (8 years) is a bit on the higher side but a strong motivation for why MBA (and why now) can help offset this.

Regarding career goals, it'd be crucial to have a strong narrative covering your experiences, career goals, transferable skills, gaps and how the MBA would help address them. Having a plan-B (if consulting is plan-A) helps too, and this would require deeper discussions.

Also, are there any extracurricular activities you've been involved in post undergrad/ Masters?

All the best. 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

Thanks Arvind!

Score improvement won't be possible for me within R2 deadlines
There were few extracurriculars post MBA which I can mention but nothing significant

Hi Rashi
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, I see a strong professional story here, 8+ years in enterprise tech sales with consistent overperformance and measurable impact makes you stand out. The mix of MedTech, SaaS, and enterprise exposure shows adaptability and depth.

Your academic background also looks solid, and the University rank + continuous upskilling adds credibility. The 655 GMAT looks decent for your target schools. Post-MBA plans in consulting or sales strategy align well with your profile, though you might want to clarify your tech-to-consulting pivot narrative. Strong execution and story-driven essays can make you a serious contender. Focus on 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: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!

HI Rashi,

Your work profile comes across as solid. Lovely to see the numbers on your profile description which gives a clear sense of your competitiveness and what your resume would look like. I think you have selected your b-schools wisely and outside of Yale, your GMAT will be at par with the other b-schools. You may also want to add a few others like the LBS 1 year MBA or the IESE (Spain) MBA to your target list.
The goals, as Arvind pointed out- could be a little tricky given that consulting recruitments have slowed and I would encourage you to have alternate plans which are more aligned with your current work exp.
Feel free to set up a call for a deeper discussion on your profile/ goals.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Testimonials: https://mbadecoder.com/testimonials/
Profile evaluation: https://mbadecoder.com/services/free-pr ... valuation/

yes, the right b-school selection is a very important aspect of your MBA journey. I could help you in that should you wish for some advice.

Hi @Rashi23
You’ve got a unique academic mix, with your biotech and marketing studies and your merits too are commendable. Speaking of your work ex, yours is a high-growth trajectory and the impact you’ve made speaks to this. But do remember that motive and impact both need to be balanced in essays. The extracurriculars too make your profile more holistic. Your goals are well-planned out and aligned but you need to be informed about the hiring market realities in your target space. You could benefit from an in-depth discussion about the consulting hiring in the US and European markets.

You’re a little towards the higher-end of work ex but it’s not too much to worry about as your experiences are impressive. The GMAT score works well for most schools on your list but Yale and Said see higher scores. If you’re not keen on retaking, then you’d have to ensure your essays and overall application do a good job in conveying your experiences, motivations, and goals.

We are happy to offer you a 1-on-1 call where we strategize how you should best target the schools you have in mind, especially with your score and how your career will progress post the MBA. Feel free to reach out.

Regards,
The MBA Edge Team
Phone No./WhatsApp: +91 8850249409
Our website and approach: https://thembaedge.com/mba-consulting-services
Some of our success stories: https://thembaedge.com/testimonials

Thanks for sharing your profile @Rashi23 ! You have a good professional profile for the schools you listed: deep, quantifiable revenue and growth outcomes, leadership awards, and 8+ years of experience (a sweet spot for the kinds of programs you’re targeting). Your 655 GMAT Focus can be on the lower side, but not fatal, because your work experience, metrics, and awards are high-impact signals. To maximize admit probability in Round 2, tighten your post-MBA narrative (exact 2-year role & 5-year plan), quantify and package 3-4 STAR stories, and line up two recommenders who can speak to scale/strategy and cross-functional leadership.

What matters:
Impact & scope first, adcoms will look at the numbers you provided (10x revenue scale, 190% MedTech growth, $12.5M contribution). Those concrete metrics matter far more than a few points on the GMAT. With 8+ years, you can credibly reposition from quota-bearing sales/engagement roles to strategy or senior consultative roles, which matches your aim (Senior Engagement Manager > VP Sales Strategy). Your 3.4 GPA is fine; the GMAT 655 is serviceable for many schools, but a bit lower.

Tighten your post-MBA narrative. Make your “Why MBA / Why now / Why this school” crisp and specific:
2-Year goal: Senior Engagement Manager / Principal at a strategy consulting team focused on tech / SaaS / MedTech clients (name 2–3 firms you’ll target).

How MBA helps: cite specific offerings (courses, consulting projects, career services, clubs) at each school that will get you there. Example: “I will use Kenan’s consulting practicum / McCombs’ brand of corporate projects to build hypothesis-driven consulting delivery experience.” etc.

Recently, we've had the opportunity to work with an Operations and Strategy Manager (Veteran) who got into Oxford with 10 years of work experience and a 645 GMAT FE score.

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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 to get an expert's eyes on your essay and get a profile evaluation too, please feel free to book a session now.

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

@amoeba99 - the BITS pedigree and Adobe/ Microsoft brands are strong angles.

Some more details can help assess your profile better:

1. What's your GMAT/ GRE score?
2. What were your roles at Adobe and Microsoft? Any notable projects to highlight your achievements?
3. Any extracurricular involvement post undergrad?

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

Wow. Amazing scores amobeba99 and a very humble username! ❤️

You should have very strong chances with strong brands, super strong academics between the Undergrad and test scores as well as women involvement. All of the top 3 have been trying to enroll more women as well so that's a welcome component. You are in a good work experience range though depending if you are applying with 3 year and will have 4 by the time of matriculation, this may be a bit on the lower side but that all depends on the resume and career trajectory. If you are on fire after 2 years, they will take you as they love identifying younger professionals earlier rather than making people marinade for 5+ years and then pluck them out.

I would not worry too much about long-term goals. It can be anything really that you can't achieve now (e.g. if your goal is to start a school for women for example in a mountain region of Nepal, the adcom may wonder what's stopping you now from doing it or joining one so think about it that way) but for the M7 and HSW it is very important to have a very clear short-term goal - how do you plan on using the MBA, why are you almost there and just a need a bit of help from schools. Short term (immediate post MBA goal has to sound short, easy to digest, simple, and reachable). It should not be anything that requires more than a simple statement as that will be a weakness. Think of it as a business plan, except instead of a product you have a person. Ideally it would be building on top of your existing strengths and achievements.

Don't be too worried about locking yourself in. Locking in is not a problem. You can be strategically flexible but from AdCom and your goals and your projection, you should have a clear direction where you want to land or at least it should come off that way. Think about it as your estimate - you can always revise it but there is no reason for you to be hesitant. Pick the first/next best thing you can think of and try to get passionate about it. Ideally it would somehow interact with your Long term goal but as mentioned the LT goal is distant and will change many times potentially even your short term goal will change after the first semester/year in bschool but none of these are excuses for not having a well crafted short term goal statement. (Did I harp enough on this? lol)

amoeba99 - You have a strong academic arc - both the GMAT and the GPA are high, and that hold you in good stead. That said, there is a whole lot to applications than just your GPA- b-schools look at your profile holistically and so you will need to present a strong profile on all fronts. These include:
1. work experience- I'd love to hear more details about your work experience. You are working at prestigious companies which lend weight as they have selective hiring processes. However, its equally important to understand what do you do here, what are your achievements and impact, how do you interact with team members- as these elements will help you build a strong application.
2. Extra curricular activities- Your ECAs add some punch to your profile; the DEI initiative sounds interesting, and will be appreciated specifically by Haas. Do you have some more recent activities to add to this list, like being involved in community initiatives at work/ CSR/ DEI initiatives or something different outside of work? Recent ECAs hold a lot of importance and they are mentioned in a separate section in the resume.
3. Goals - now this is the most important part of your application and needs indepth thinking and introspection about what you will do in the short term and how that experience will prepare you to achieve something magnanimous in the long term. Many b-schools ask only for short term goals in the essays but you will still land up mentioning long term goals in the interviews, so you must get a grip on these. Actually goals are the most important aspect of your application and in a way the entire application is built around goals. As @BB mentioned, while you may change your goals while you are at business school, but at the time of application, you will have to mention one clear career goal that builds on your past experience or the transferable skills you gained through it.
As your long term goal is to go into social entrepreneurship to support women, b-schools will want to evidence that you have done something towards this recently (that was my line of questioning in point no. 3). If you aren't currently involved in such initiatives then adcoms will not have reason to believe that you will do it 10 years down the line and I suggest you do not take this approach in your goals essay.
I'd be happy to talk to you and give you more clarity on this so that you spend time now until application to tighten your story.

Namita Garg, MBA Decoder
Email: contact@mbadecoder.com
Testimonials: https://mbadecoder.com/testimonials/
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation : https://mbadecoder.com/services/free-pr ... valuation/
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011 with offices in India and the UK

Thanks for sharing your profile @amoeba99 ! Congrats on your great GMAT FE score. You have many impactful assets: elite undergraduate brand (BITS), strong tech employers (Adobe, Microsoft), STEM + product/technical credibility, DEI and high-level athletics, and an entrepreneurial/social purpose that can fit top schools’ missions. The 2 main weaknesses to manage are: (a) relatively short work experience for H/S/W (top programs’ median work experience ~4-6 years, Stanford and HBS median sits ~5 years) and (b) unclear immediate post-MBA goal (adcoms want specificity on “why MBA now” and 2-year post-MBA steps). These are addressable: you can turn your strengths into a compelling pivot narrative (tech > social entrepreneurship via an MBA) and show why now is the right time. Recent class profiles & application-volume trends show elite schools remain highly competitive; you need both quantitative readiness and a crisp, differentiated story.

Where you’re strong: Academic pedigree & STEM background, Employer brands (Adobe, Microsoft), Leadership & extracurriculars, national-level basketball + DEI leadership = leadership, teamwork, resilience, and commitment to service/societal impact. Female + Indian + interest in social entrepreneurship / supporting women > fits diversity & social impact priorities that many top programs emphasize. Early-career trajectory is attractive to schools looking to shape future leaders (especially Stanford, which likes younger profiles with high potential). Stanford’s class median experience is ~5 years, but strong candidates at 4 years are often admitted when the case for high potential is clear.

Primary weaknesses: Lack of an explicit short-term post-MBA plan, adcoms want a clear 2-year plan (like transition into social impact strategy role at a foundation / start an MBA-incubated social venture with concrete next steps). Give 2 credible routes: (A) a job/role you’ll pursue immediately out of school that builds skills and network; (B) the long-term entrepreneurial target. Make sure your resume and essays include crisp metrics (like product adoption numbers, revenue/user growth, cost savings, improved diversity outcomes, program reach for DEI initiatives). Numbers are persuasive for top schools.

Demonstrate fit with each school’s social entrepreneurship resources. Mention people/clubs you’ll engage with in each “Why X” essay. These specifics matter. As you apply with 4 years of experience, compensate with depth. If you don’t have people-management, show scope instead: number of stakeholders influenced, budget or P&L responsibility, user-base size affected, and strategic decisions you owned.

You can also explore other schools like Kellogg, Berkeley Haas, Chicago Booth, or Columbia. Top schools are extremely selective. Demonstrated impact, clear goals, and specificity about how the school’s ecosystem accelerates your social venture are decisive. Also, schools show increased interest in applicants who can contribute to social impact and entrepreneurship, which aligns well with your long-term goals. If possible, try to start a small pilot or prototype for your social entrepreneurship idea (even a 3-month pilot or user interviews), as this can show action and credibility.

For each school, list 3 specific resources (faculty, centers, classes, clubs) and 1 alum or student you’ll speak to before applying.

We would love to learn more about your academics, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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.

You can take a look at our latest Essay workshop video on HSW.

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

Thanks for sharing your profile @SillyWalk ! Sorry to hear about the MIT Sloan ding. It's a difficult moment, but it can also be a learning to your success, in other school applications. You have good work experience (7 years in supply chain/tech, the right functional depth for post-MBA SCM leadership) and a good 705 GMAT FE score that already places you in the competitive range for many strong programs. Your big barrier is the low undergrad GPA (2.36), this will be the single thing AdComs notice first. However, you’re already taking the right actions (post-grad coursework at Berkeley Extension + a planned GMAT bump to 725+), which, if executed and presented well, can materially mitigate GPA concerns and show academic readiness. With a 725+ and strong storytelling, you should be competitive at many target schools (Anderson, Tepper, McCombs, Scheller, Fuqua) and have a shot at reach schools (Booth, Stern, Columbia, Haas), though the very top programs remain selective. Success story with 710 GMAT

Trajectory & sponsorship, clarify the return-to-company plan: why MBA matters for your leadership trajectory within that company, and how the company role post-MBA will be materially different and higher impact. Use Berkeley Extension grades (and any other recent transcripts) to show quantitative capability and an upward academic trend. Schools place weight on recent college-level coursework to offset a weak undergrad GPA. Quantify scope (headcount managed, budgets, supplier dollars, cost savings, lead time reductions, KPI improvements). Admissions and recruiters need crisp metrics. International/cross-cultural value, highlight any global/supplier relationships, or work across geographies, this is a differentiator as an international applicant. In your optional / education section and short essay, explicitly say “recent coursework completed X term and grade Y to demonstrate academic readiness.” Schools accept this favorably when combined with a strong GMAT.

Lors: Direct manager who can quantify your leadership, sponsorship return plan, and readiness for senior-level SCM. Second recommender: cross-functional stakeholder (like product/engineering leader or supplier/customer exec) who can speak to your strategic impact beyond ops. Provide them with bullet points and metrics.

For Essays' core story: “Why an MBA, why now, why this school, why back to the company.” Because you’ll return to the same company, make the case that the MBA is not just credentialing but essential to take on a different scope (strategy, P&L, cross-border sourcing, digital transformation of SCM). Show concrete courses/clubs/faculty that will enable those skills. Use your Berkeley Extension and GMAT as evidence of readiness.

Networking & demonstrated interest: Have 3-4 good, meaningful conversations per school (students + recent alumni + career staff). Attend a school's virtual info session and brief classroom visits (where available). Request chats with students/alums who have supply chain/tech backgrounds. Ask for concrete info: which courses/experiences helped them, company recruiting trends, and 1-sentence advice you can quote in your essay.

If you attend an on-campus or local event, capturing photos or a short reflection note can be useful for an optional “interest” note to AdCom. Use the “Update/Interest” email channel (if school allows). Keep it short (2-3 sentences): mention the event you attended + 1 specific learning + a one-sentence reiteration of your intent to enroll if admitted. Don’t flood them; 1 substantive update per school should be enough.

You can take a look at this LOW GPA BLOG.How to handle the low GPA in essays / optional essay.

We've put together an article on the " Major reasons why your MBA Application got dinged. " It provides some understanding of mistakes you might have made and improve them next time. Take a moment to review it, reflect on what you can adjust, and get ready to put your best foot forward next time. You’ve got this!

If you'd like, please feel free to book a Profile evaluation session, and we can also do a Ding Analysis for your MIT Application

Feel free to register for our Upcoming ESSAY WORKSHOP on TUCK, YALE, and NYU Stern. Craft essays that shine: pick powerful stories, match your goals with each school, and showcase authentic leadership. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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

Thanks for sharing your profile @klandic ! With your current GMAT ~635 and GPA 3.3, your profile can be competitive for regional / target programs (Emory Goizueta, Georgia Tech Scheller, Ross, Anderson, Cornell Johnson, in some cases) and borderline for top consulting feeder programs (Wharton, Columbia, MIT Sloan, Stern, Tuck). To be a competitive Round 1 applicant at the true top consulting feeders, you should raise your GMAT to 685+ and deepen an explicit leadership/strategy narrative. (See school class profiles for ranges.) All the best for the GMAT prep.

Admission volumes and competition remain strong; expect tougher admission for top programs. Recent coverage suggests shifting regional interest. Use networking + on-campus visits + clear fit/impact story to stand out.

Talking about your strengths:
Direct technical ownership of 100+ integrations with quantifiable user impact (10k+ employees/students) is nice. This scales well into stories of cross-functional leadership, stakeholder management, and measurable outcomes, core to consulting. Extracurricular commitment & leadership: 4-year varsity athlete, 3-year captain; marathoner; volunteer leader; company charitable board. Athletics + service + entrepreneurship is a classic “leadership + grit” package. Entrepreneurial bent: App MVP launching can be a good differentiator, especially paired with consulting strategy goals and eventual entrepreneurship. Being a geographic/domestic citizen is helpful for many U.S. schools’ balance and for consulting and recruiting.

Weaknesses or gaps to fix: Top consulting feeders (Wharton, Columbia, MIT Sloan, Stern, Tuck) have middle-80%/averages well above 700-725. Raising your score to 695+ materially increases interview/invite probability. Your 3.3 GPA is not fatal, but below top program averages (many top programs average ~3.5+). You’ll need a strong narrative explaining why GPA under-represents your capabilities (leadership, commitments, COVID impact, upward grade trend, or quantitative prep). Use the transcript context and optional essay when needed.

For consulting narrative, you must convert technical integration experience into strategy/managerial impact (like examples where you influenced product/roadmap, created process efficiencies, led cross-functional strategy with measurable benefit). Recruiters and adcoms want to see the “trajectory” to management consulting. You’ll need to craft tailored “why X school” stories for each and be realistic about where to pool application effort. You can also explore other schools like Michigan Ross, UCLA Anderson, and Cornell.

Build 3-4 STAR stories that highlight: leadership (team/clients), strategy (influencing product/business decisions), and scale (10k+ users). These can be your core interview/essay content. For LORs, one recommender should be a direct manager who can speak to leadership, ownership, and promotion readiness (ideally, the person who can credibly predict you’ll consult/lead). A second recommender, ideally client-facing (or product/ops partner), who can speak to impact and stakeholder influence.

For essays, for each top school, craft a bespoke “why X” narrative tied to specific courses/experiences/paths and how you’ll add to their community (tennis leadership, app founder path, workday integration domain knowledge useful for tech/ops classes). You already plan to visit and have started alumni contacts, excellent. Prioritize conversations that let you collect a specific anecdote or name you can reference in essays and interviews (not generic praise). Campus visit impressions often feed essays and interviews well. Try to launch the app MVP (even a simple pilot) before submitting. Being an operator + founder can differentiate and support your long-term goal to exit into entrepreneurship.

Show an upward professional arc (sales > account mgmt > implementation > senior analyst > soon consultant). Show that MBA is the catalytic move to move from technical delivery to strategy/consulting leadership. Use captainship, charity board, volunteer leadership, and quant outcomes from integrations to show leadership beyond technical execution.

Questions for you to reflect upon:
1) Do you plan to apply only in Round 1 2027, or are you open to Round 2 if your GMAT isn’t where you want it?
2) What is your realistic timeline for when you can take the GMAT (specific month)?
3) Have you had any people-management experience (direct reports) or led functional teams?
4) Which consulting firms/roles are you targeting post-MBA (strategy at MBB vs. boutique or tech strategy)? Important for school prioritization.
5) Any scholarships/financing constraints that will affect school choice?

We would love to learn more about your academics, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, 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 Upcoming ESSAY WORKSHOPS. Craft essays that shine: pick powerful stories, match your goals with each school, and showcase authentic leadership. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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

Are you planning to apply to these b-schools next year or this year? A 675+ is a good GMAT score to aim for. If by next year, you plan to add some European programme, then this score (or above) will help you in those applications as well.

Your work experience is aligned with your mechanical engg. degree. The 9 month gap doesn't matter as much because you have worked consistently since then. However, you should make a mention of this in the application and explain the reason for the break.

Coming back to your work exp- you'll need to highlight your initiatives and achievement and the quantified impact you were able to achieve. Also, how did you leadership skill evolve? Leadership doesn't just mean leading a team, but also how you influenced others to make things happen and achieve outcomes. Lastly, how was your career progression like and how did your responsibilities become more higher order - say you starting becoming involved in strategy initiatives/ business development and had successful outcomes. The above description suggests that you moved departments between 2022 and 2025 but the designation remained the same- this is where the above advice will be crucial- show increasing responsibility with the department change.

Among the ECAs- I like your involvement with the Bengali association- do you have some leadership achievements here? Alongside this, you could also highlight integration with the local community.


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Hi, Have you received interview invites form any of the b-schools where you have applied?
Overall your profile looks nice, the more important part would be to differentiate yourself from the other consultants/ product managers while showing rationale for the career pivot post MBA. This is not difficult, but something to definitely address in the applications. Being part of the firm's best team is a good achievement- you could leverage this for the essays as well as the interviews as most b-schools tend to ask team related questions. That said, do focus on your role and contribution to this positive outcome.
The mandatory military service could provide for some interesting leadership stories.
For R2 consider retaking GMAT as your R2 list is only more competitive and some of your target programs have much higher GMAT score requirements

Hi, I'd like to know Duke EA is binding right? Can you apply to other schools?