Indian male but not the typical IT applicant

Question

I have a Masters in Environmental Engineering from a State school and I have been in the US for the last 10 years. I work for an environmental consulting firm helping local communities with dam, insurance and flooding issues. My profile is way different from the Indian male working either as a software programmer, IT consultant or as a Financial analyst.
In my free time, I also work for a Microfinance consulting firm helping clients develop their business plans. I was wondering if Adcom would still compare me against the average Indian IT applicant who has a high GMAT score. Please note I am still to give my GMAT yet.

nath99 · Answer

from what I know, you will be seen differently at it will help you app. You should still aim for the best GMAT score you can get and focus on your uniqueness in apps.

nath99

scorpionz · Answer

The answer is yes and no..
What I know is that you've spent 10 years in the US, but I'm presuming that you are not a US citizen. That being said, your application will be grouped with the rest of the applicants from India. So if you're targeting a small-ish program of say 200 students, you are essentially looking to compete for 20-30 spots. Now, it entirely boils down to your profile - 
1. What are your post-MBA goals
2. Does the school believe that you are good fit for the school
3. Does the school believe that the school is a good fit for you
4. Other credentials like your GMAT, GPA, ECs etc.

So if you are looking for a role post-MBA that many traditional Indian applicants might look at, there is a strong chance that you would be compared with them. If its something quite different, then you would stand a good chance of differentiating yourself with your experience.

On the other hand, if you are looking at a radically different post-MBA career path from most other Indian applicants, but your GPA & GMAT do not inspire confidence in the ad com, the ad com might take the safer option of going in for an Indian applicant with a typical background but better credentials because his existing record statistically ensures a better chance for him to succeed in future..And at the end of the day it all comes down to whether the ad com believes that you will be successful post-MBA or not.

In short, what I'm saying is that considering the many variables involved in the entire application process, it is impossible to say how your application will be viewed.

I would only suggest that you focus primarily on doing your best in GMAT without letting these thoughts cloud your mind! Good luck!

ace312 · Answer

thanks guys, very insightful

ace312 · Answer

Just Curious, what would you guys consider small and large class sizes? thanks

scorpionz · Answer

Large ---> Harvard (~900), Booth / Kellogg (~600)
Medium ---> Sloan / Stern (~400), Darden (~450)
Small ---> Tuck (~250), Haas (~250), Yale (~225)

P.S. These are approximate full time nos. that I've pulled out from one of the US News rankings spreadsheet I have on my machine. Not necessarily the most accurate / latest nos., but I guess you get the point..

Indian male but not the typical IT applicant

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