Hrjot.....Are u busy!

Question

Hi Hrjot, 

Needed some help from ur side. 

I have given GMAT twice......600 and 660. ....I know most of the schools take the highest score so thats fine.........I am presently working with the research arm of one of the biggest and most reputed consultancy firms in the world. At present, I have a work ex of 2 years and in case I get admissions next year, I will have a decent work ex of 3 years. 

I am planning to apply to schools ranked btwn 7-20 based on Businessweek rankings.....Also I am not considering Columbia, Tuck and MIT.......I know many schools within the 7-20 range are ruled out as i dont have a 12+4 degree being an Indian and I have no plans to pursue post grad as of now. 

UCLA, UCB, Indiana, Texas take 12+4 so they are ruled out. The options I am considering are Cornell, CMU, Emory. Not sure abt others

As far as essays are concerned, i have a broad story line ready...but for examples on leadership skills, team skills which are quite imp...i have more substantial examples from my non professional life....which includes social work, responsibilites at college and school level. Def I can right a few good things abt the above skills at my work as well.

So would like to know how do u rate my chances, which schools shld i apply! 

By the way, for ur info, I wanna do a General Management course with a focus in Finance, Strategy and Entreprenurship....and i am just 23. 

Cheers,

Hjort · Answer

Hi,

Did you rule out Dartmouth and Columbia based on substantive reasons or based on whether they accept 3 year degrees?

Hjort

Vijay A · Answer

Hi Hrjot,

That was quick.

Columbia, I have ruled out bcoz i think its a tough place to get in. My frnd applied there and she didnt get a call. She converted Tuck. So thats the reason why I am not planning to apply to these 2 schools.

The logic may be flawed but thats the way it is. Also some logical answers may be selectivity %age in Columbia is very low arnd 15% (Business week 2004). Further, for Tuck, u know i dont wanaa get compared to her. She got in this year only.

The reason I have thought abt Cornell, CMU and Emory is as follows...they fall in diff brackets as far as rank is concerned...so i wanna diversify my risk....Further my story would be arnd leadership and entrepreneurship and Cornell and Emory are really good at that . Further selectivity %age in these schools are good.....Also I wouldnt be compromising on my dreams in anyway

What do u say. Shld I think I abt other schools....Michigan, Fuqua, Darden etc

Cheers

Hjort · Answer

Not to challenge your reasons but I would not read too much into the fact that Columbia did not call your friend (It is difficult to draw firm conclusions from an N=1 survey). Of course, if you simply feel Columbia is a poor match for your interests I will not try to convince you to apply there. 

I would also argue that Cornell and Dartmouth are essentially equivalent in terms of rank. Sure, Forbes ranks Dartmouth #1 but they also rank MIT #18 so I'm not sure that I would depend on their methodology.

I would take a close look at Northwestern, Virginia, Duke, and Penn.

Vijay A · Answer

Hi Hrjot,

Thanks for ur quick help!

I know at 660, i dont meet the GMAT median and average requirements for most schools, but I am also confident that score does not matter much. Given this, i wanna apply to schools were atleast based on stats, I stand a good chance. Cornell, CMU, Emory all have high selectivity ratio, low yield (good for me), have small batch size, have strong emphasis on leadership skills.

Columbia has a low selectivity ratio, so have kept that option away as of now. And anyways applying next year is not ruled out! though I dont want that to happen.

Given this would also like to understand ur reasons for asking me to look at Northwestern, Virginia, Duke, and Penn. Do you think I stand a good chance in these schools.

Further would like to know ur inputs on my selection of 3 schools. I am also looking at Virginia as ano option this year.

What do u suggest on staying at my firm for ano year and then applying. Are more people being admitted with 1-3 year work ex?...Would 4-5 years be on higher side....I think with 3 years work ex, u have a deadly cocktail of enery and maturity.....What do u say?

Hjort · Answer

I have a pretty high opinion of all three schools that you mentioned. Virginia would make a nice addition. The main reason that I brought up Penn, Nwstn, Duke, and Virginia is that they are all strong in general management and thus I felt that you should give them some serious thought.

I am a bit surprised that you are holding at 660, you seem a pretty hard core candidate so I figured that you would clear the issue. One could certainly make a tenable argument that test scores, grades, etc. are not that important. However, if you verily believe that scores are not that important I do not see why you have excluded yourself from the ultra elites based on the reported mean/median stat.s of those schools. 

I generally agree with your last comments. I would not be surprised if the average workexp at the ultra elites creeps down to 3-4 years in the next few years.

Vijay A · Answer

Hi Hrjot,

Was not in office for a few days, so cldnt check your reply.

The only reason I am holding at 660 is that I have had enough. I had prepared really hard and was getting 770-780 easily in my Princeton and Official GMAT tests. I now have 2 unlucky days under my kitty and dont wanna take more as of now.

I have completed my essays for Emory and CMU and have sent them to frnds for checks. Presently busy writing resume and making arrangements for recos and transcripts.

One question. Cornell has 3 questions and for each one there is a word limit of 400 words which is quite less. The 3rd question is an open question. So what shld I cover there.....reasons for my bad score (which arent any as it was just luck) or something else like social service etc.

Cheers,
Vikash

Hjort · Answer

In general, I find trying to explain GMAT scores a suboptimal use of the essay. If you had a very low score and a bona fide distinguishing circumstance (e.g. a documented disability that ETS failed to recognize) this might make a good use of the essay. For a score that is so close to the average at many schools ,there is no need for this type of explanation. Your essay is better committed to another topic such as social service.

Vijay A · Answer

Thanks again for the quick reply. 

Will keep you updated about my progress. I just realised that Cornell's second ddline is 7th Nov. I was under the impression that 7th is the first ddline. Any comments?

Hrjot.....Are u busy!

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