Hey
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, your profile looks strong as an Indian female with about 4 years in tech, strong academics, and solid leadership both at work and outside. The differentiator is definitely the nonprofit leadership and community-building aspect, which adds depth beyond the standard IT profile. Are you up for a retake, or do you plan to apply with the same score? Your goal of pivoting from tech to healthcare/pharma is reasonable, but you’ll need a clear narrative on why this industry shift makes sense.

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!

Thanks for sharing your profile @Novaskies ! Good GPA, 3.5 years of hands-on full-stack development, and a promotion to senior dev., shows technical rigor and career progression. Founded/led nonprofit teams and hosted multi-company events, great for teamwork, initiative, and community fit. A focused goal helps essay cohesion.

GMAT Focus score 595 is below many target medians, and adcoms will want stronger evidence of quantitative readiness (unless you apply to schools that explicitly accept lower scores). A higher score is required! Great work with all three GMAT attempts. We understand your feelings about the exam. If you'd like, you can explore TTP to prepare for your next GMAT. If you are switching to the GRE, all the best with the GRE prep.. Take some time off and then resume, you shall be good : )

Limited direct healthcare experience so far, schools want to see domain seriousness if you’re pivoting from tech to healthcare/pharma.

Talking about the schools. ESSEC lists a preferred minimum of 585 FE, and the average Focus score is ~615, so your 595 is within their considered range. You can make ESSEC a priority if you prefer Europe and want a relatively test-flexible option. Craft an excellent application.

With strong essays and evidence of quantitative strength, IESE can be reachable. You can take a look at this success story.

Imperial can be a possible / slightly target. Imperial recommends GMAT ≥600 (average reported ~666). Your 595 is close; a small retake of 625+ (with a very strong application) can improve odds.

SDA Bocconi / Said Oxford / INSEAD / NUS / Tuck / Johnson - Reach / needs a stronger test signal. Many of these schools have medians well above a 595 Focus. If these are your top priorities, strongly consider retaking the GMAT and aiming for a good score.

Showing healthcare intent with real steps: short projects, volunteering with healthcare startups, and a short verified course in Healthcare Analytics / Biostatistics / Regulatory Affairs will help. Schools want demonstrated seriousness. Pick recommenders who can quantify your technical and leadership impact (manager at work + board lead at your nonprofit). Brief them on metrics.

School-specific “Why” hooks: Research 2 concrete resources per school (centers, professors, healthcare clubs, recruiters) and mention how you’ll use them.

If you are looking for Scholarships, the committees look for both academic excellence and compelling leadership/impact. Increasing your GMAT improves scholarship odds at your target schools; strong domain alignment for healthcare (projects, alumni referrals) also helps. If funding is important, retaking gives better leverage for merit aid.

Questions for you to reflect on:
1) How many hours/week can you commit to GMAT prep over the next few weeks (realistic estimate)?
2) Do you already have any healthcare projects, or would you need to start one?

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. Please feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can register for our Upcoming ESSAY WORKSHOPS. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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

Hi @Novaskies,
You bring a strong academic foundation (8.77 GPA) and solid technical depth with nearly 4 years in full stack development, along with a promotion to senior developer. Your leadership outside of work—founding and running a nonprofit, leading teams, and hosting cross-company events—adds real weight and demonstrates initiative beyond your core job. The main concern is your GMAT Focus score of 595, which is well below average for most competitive MBA programs; a retake aiming for 675+ will be important. Your nonprofit leadership and mix of tech + social impact could make you a differentiated candidate if well framed.
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 team.mba@theredpen.com or +91-7780769732.