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Abhishek2605
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 09 Nov 2025, 07:17
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Hi my profile is GEM 8/7/7 with approx 8 years work ex in a PSB. Scored 645 in gmat FE (84/80/81). Can someone guide me on my chances of conversion at ISB, top IIMs, XLRI, MDI with this score and profile for their 1 year mba? And also which universities should i be targetting outside india (assuming I am open to studying abroad as well) ?
TIA
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 09 Nov 2025, 08:50
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Hi,
Great profile, but GMAT score may be on lower end.
Best of luck with the applications.
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AdarshSambare
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 09 Nov 2025, 08:52
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Hi,
Being a GEM (General engineering male) you will have issue converting ISB and top colleges.
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ankushsambare
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 09 Nov 2025, 08:54
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Hi,
GMAT score may be on lower end.
Best of luck with your applications.
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 10 Nov 2025, 02:42
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Abhishek2605
Hi my profile is GEM 8/7/7 with approx 8 years work ex in a PSB. Scored 645 in gmat FE (84/80/81). Can someone guide me on my chances of conversion at ISB, top IIMs, XLRI, MDI with this score and profile for their 1 year mba? And also which universities should i be targetting outside india (assuming I am open to studying abroad as well) ?
TIA
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Hi Abhishek2605,

You have a solid and credible profile for one-year MBA programs in India. With eight years of experience in a Public Sector Bank and a balanced GMAT Focus score, you bring professional maturity, industry depth, and strong analytical capability qualities that align well with ISB PGP. Your GMAT Focus score of 645 is competitive for most Indian one-year programs, though slightly below the typical average for ISB. Strong essays, clearly articulated leadership stories, and evidence of professional impact can help you offset that. For ISB, highlight how your banking experience translates into strategic thinking, client management, and leadership potential; areas the school values highly.
If you’re open to studying abroad, your experience level fits well with European one-year MBAs such as INSEAD, HEC Paris, IE, SDA Bocconi, and Mannheim, as well as Asian programs like NUS, NTU, and ISB’s international peers. These schools appreciate experienced professionals with a clear growth trajectory and well-defined post-MBA goals.
Your next step should be to refine your narrative, focusing on leadership, impact, and clarity of goals, and build a targeted strategy around your strongest-fit programs. Let’s schedule a free appointment to discuss your profile in depth and identify the best mix of Indian and international schools for your experience and aspirations.
You can also contact us directly at team.mba@theredpen.com or +91-7780769732.
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 11 Nov 2025, 05:23
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Hi Abhishek2605,

If you are aiming for the top IIM's and ISB, you should re-take the GMAT and aim for a 675+. It is a decent score for MDI and XLRI, though.

Schools you should target outside India require greater details pertaining to your profile and career goals. It also requires a more thorough discussion. We would encourage you to schedule a free strategy session with us. Do not worry about enrolment; if we can just offer you some helpful advice, we will be happy.

All the best!

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Abhishek2605
Hi my profile is GEM 8/7/7 with approx 8 years work ex in a PSB. Scored 645 in gmat FE (84/80/81). Can someone guide me on my chances of conversion at ISB, top IIMs, XLRI, MDI with this score and profile for their 1 year mba? And also which universities should i be targetting outside india (assuming I am open to studying abroad as well) ?
TIA
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 11 Nov 2025, 08:39
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Hi

Your GMAT score is a bit on the lower side for top schools, and being a GEM (General Engineer Male) does make it slightly tougher since diversity plays a big role in admissions. You still have a shot at ISB, XLRI, and MDI if your essays and leadership stories are strong, but for IIMs, it might be challenging.

If you have international exposure, you can consider Oxford, Cambridge, HEC Paris, and even INSEAD. You can also look at some of the top 15 U.S. schools where strong work experience and leadership can help balance out your GMAT.
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 11 Nov 2025, 13:30
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Hello! Here are my two cents on this:

Chances — school by school

ISB (PGP, 1-yr) — Competitive / Realistic
Your experience length and seniority fit ISB’s target profile. 645 is within range; ISB will focus on leadership, clarity of goals, and post-MBA plan. With strong essays, two crisp LORs and examples of business impact, you are very much in the running.

Top IIMs (IIMA PGPX / IIMB EPGP / IIMC PGPX, i.e., 1-yr execs) — Reach / Borderline
These exec programs prize strong career progression, large-scale impact, and often slightly higher scores. 645 is not disqualifying but you’ll need a standout leadership/impact narrative and preferably strong quantifiable outcomes (P&L, cost savings, scale, people managed). Recommendation writers should be senior and specific.

XLRI / MDI (regular 2-yr PGPs) — Mixed / Depends on program
For their full-time 2-yr programs you are older than typical fresh-graduate cohorts; you’d be applying more naturally to their executive/longer-duration programs. For exec variants (if available) your profile is competitive. For standard 2-yr PGP, these are less natural fits unless you’re clear on why a 2-yr MBA now.

Overseas: which one-year / short programs to consider
Cambridge Judge (1 yr) — values strong professional impact, clear career pivot/acceleration.
Oxford Saïd (1 yr) — competitive but possible with strong leadership story and recommendations.
IE Business School (International MBA / 1 yr) — flexible admissions, values work experience and essays.
Certain UK schools (Warwick/Manchester/Imperial exec variants) — good mid-tier one-year options.

More aspirational:
INSEAD (1 yr) — very competitive; typically higher GMAT but not impossible with exceptional impact/leadership.
IMD (1 yr) — small class, seeks senior, highly impactful profiles — score more like one factor among many.
Other viable paths: Look at European one-year masters in management/finance (if pivoting functions), and US executive MBA programs (modular/blended) — these are less GMAT-score-centric and more CV/leadership-centric.

Feel free to connect with us for further help, we offer no-cost guidance to all aspirants and can line-up various options specifically for your circumstances :)
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 11 Nov 2025, 18:51
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Moving this to the ISB forum.
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GMAT FE 645 suggestions needed 11 Nov 2025, 21:16
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Abhishek2605
Hi my profile is GEM 8/7/7 with approx 8 years work ex in a PSB. Scored 645 in gmat FE (84/80/81). Can someone guide me on my chances of conversion at ISB, top IIMs, XLRI, MDI with this score and profile for their 1 year mba? And also which universities should i be targetting outside india (assuming I am open to studying abroad as well) ?
TIA
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Dear Abhishek2605,

While your academic performance may have been seemingly average, your 8 years of experience with a public sector bank not only helps you differentiate yourself from the majority of the applicant pool (which largely comes from IT backgrounds) but also serves as a testament to the breadth of exposure and responsibility you might have gained over the years. We would love to connect and hear more about your specific experiences to comment better on that.

On the GMAT front, your current score sits around the average or slightly below the score range of successful admits. However, if we are able to present your profile effectively and articulate your professional journey and motivations clearly, we believe you can still have a strong chance of securing an interview shortlist at most of the schools you have mentioned.

We would be happy to connect further to understand your profile in greater detail and explore how to bring out your strengths most impactfully in the application.

At Team FLY, we are a collective of ISB alumni dedicated to supporting prospective MBA applicants with profile positioning, essay reviews and interview preparation.

Please feel free to book a 15 minute free session for a detailed discussion with us: https://calendly.com/reachusfly/15min

With warm regards,
Team FLY
www.teamfly.org