Strong GPA; decent GMAT; would have been better if you had another 20-30 points though, given your ORM status. Be aware that if you target Europe, you will need language skills for a career, even though the MBA program is taught in English. Your school selection may also need to factor in those who are scholarship-liberal and Indian-friendly. Give a thought to improving the score if scholarship is mission-critical for you.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant
catalysts.success@gmail.com

Hi @NotanAvgIndian,

Your profile is strong with a clear track record of fast promotions at a top global investment bank, strong academic history (9/10 GPA, excellent board scores), and a well-rounded set of extracurriculars that highlight leadership and consistency (sports, volunteering, community engagement). While your GMAT Focus score of 675 is decent, it's slightly on the lower side for top-tier programs. If possible, I’d encourage you to retake the GMAT and aim to improve your score by 20–30 points to strengthen your application and stay competitive.

Also, What will matter most is sharpening your career narrative—moving from analytics and project management into product management or consulting—so that admissions committees see a clear, compelling link between your past achievements and future goals. Framing this as a natural progression (building on your finance + analytics foundation to now drive strategy and product-level decisions) will make your story feel cohesive and compelling.

Feel free to book a free call with our MBA experts for a more detailed discussion. You can also contact us directly at team.mba@theredpen.com or +91-7780769732.

Thanks for sharing your profile @NotanAvgIndian ! Let's start with the strengths the adcom can notice: Great undergraduate GPA (9/10), 4 years of relevant IB experience with promotion and cross-region stakeholder exposure, strong quantitative/analytics background, and leadership/community involvement (firm networks, volunteering). This is exactly the profile top programs recruit for finance/strategy/PM pipelines.

Potential adcom questions: Why MBA now (at 4 years)? Which of your short-term roles will you target (product management vs strategy consulting vs asset management)? How will you convert to a U.S. front-office or the chosen function after the MBA? Be ready with a crisp career anchor and a 3-year post-MBA milestone that connects to internships and school resources.

A 675 Focus is a good academic signal; if possible, try to increase it by 20+ points. Your work experience, promotion, and analytics background are the real assets. Strengthen storytelling and internship conversion plan, and you’ll be in strong shape.

For each school, map 2 concrete resources (labs, clubs, courses, companies that recruit on campus) and explain how you’ll use them to get the internship that converts. Convert IB/BI work into 6-8 quantified STAR bullets. Produce bullets with clear metrics: deals supported (value), impact on revenue/fees, analytics projects (models built, time/cost saved), stakeholders managed, size of teams, and outcomes of projects you led. Choose 2 recommenders: (A) a manager who supervised the deal/work and (B) a senior stakeholder/client. Give them one-page brief with 3 stories and metrics. Ask them to compare you to your peers. Start alumni outreach now. Consider a small, high-quality technical add-on (if needed). A short accredited course in product management or advanced financial modeling (with deliverables) can help if you target product roles. This is optional but useful if you pivot to PM.

Questions for you to reflect upon:
1) Which single post-MBA role is your priority (product manager, strategy consultant, or asset manager)? Pick one primary and one backup.
2) Do you have two recommenders in mind? (Name, title, relationship.)
3) Paste 3 raw bullets (even rough) describing your top projects in IB/analytics.
4) Do you plan to relocate to the US immediately post-MBA? (Visa considerations matter; we can plan a recruiter strategy.)
5) How prepared are you on case interviews/product sense?

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 Coffee Sessions on “Mastering Essay Questions”. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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

Hey
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, for an Indian male with 4 years in IB at a top global firm, fast-tracked promotions, and a solid academic record, you’ve built a strong foundation. The career progression from analyst to associate to project manager, coupled with direct US/EMEA client exposure, is definitely a differentiator, especially since you’ve transitioned into leadership/PM responsibilities.

ECs and stock market investing show well-roundedness. Your 675 FE score also looks decent. Your post-MBA goals look aligned and schools like Darden, Tuck, Yale, Duke, and ISB are realistic. You will have to tell a crisp story around your international exposure and leadership.

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: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!