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anmol3614
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Joined: 03 Jun 2024
Last visit: 19 Oct 2024
Posts: 19
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Location: India
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Marketing
Schools: ISB '27
GMAT Focus 1: 645 Q85 V80 DI80
GPA: 8.52
Schools: ISB '27
GMAT Focus 1: 645 Q85 V80 DI80
Posts: 19
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Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application Updated on: 22 Jul 2024, 03:07
Originally posted by anmol3614 on 22 Jul 2024, 02:50.
Last edited by anmol3614 on 22 Jul 2024, 03:07, edited 1 time in total.
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Hi guys, I took my exam today, and here is the score as displayed on screen:
Quants: 85
Verbal - 80
DI - 80
Total - 645­
Is this the final score or would it change? I used to score around 625 - 675 in mocks. Quants was my strongest but today I found it tougher.

About my background:
10th - 9.5 CGPA
12th - 86.6%
BTech CSE - 8.51 CGPA (from NITW)
Work experience:
- 1.9 Years as SDE
- Also did Edtech startup as a side project and later did it fulltime for 8 months (Question - should I mention this in my application or will it be called as moonlighting? My startup was registered 3 months before I quit my software job)
- Now switched industry and now working in Marketing job for 6 months

Is this a good background to support my application? I am confused whether I should retake GMAT or proceed with the application. Experts, please guide..­
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Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application 22 Jul 2024, 02:57
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anmol3614
Hi guys, I took my exam today, and here is the score as displayed on screen:
Quants: 85
Verbal - 80
DI - 80
Total - 645­
Is this the final score or would it change? I used to score around 625 - 675 in mocks. Quants was my strongest but today I found it tougher.

About my background:
10th - 9.5 CGPA
12th - 86.6%
BTech CSE - 8.51 CGPA (from NITW)
Work experience:
- 1.9 Years as SDE
- Also did Edtech startup s a side project and later did it fulltime for 8 months (Question - should I mention this in my application or will it be called as moonlighting? My startup was registered 3 months before I quit my software job)
- Now switched industry and now working in Marketing job for 6 months

Is this a good background to support my application? I am confused whether I should retake GMAT or proceed with the application. Experts, please guide..­
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­Please re-take the GMAT, to see if you can bump up the score by 20-30 points. Will definitely help your cause. If you are not able to score higher, apply with a 645.

SDE + Entrepreneurship + Marketing! That's quite a buffet anmol3614 :).

Also, you have not mentioned your post-MBA goals.

Overall, you need to tread carefully in your essays.

All the best!
--
Ashish.
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anmol3614
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Joined: 03 Jun 2024
Last visit: 19 Oct 2024
Posts: 19
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Location: India
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Marketing
Schools: ISB '27
GMAT Focus 1: 645 Q85 V80 DI80
GPA: 8.52
Schools: ISB '27
GMAT Focus 1: 645 Q85 V80 DI80
Posts: 19
Kudos: 3
Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application 22 Jul 2024, 03:18
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anmol3614
Hi guys, I took my exam today, and here is the score as displayed on screen:
Quants: 85
Verbal - 80
DI - 80
Total - 645­
Is this the final score or would it change? I used to score around 625 - 675 in mocks. Quants was my strongest but today I found it tougher.

About my background:
10th - 9.5 CGPA
12th - 86.6%
BTech CSE - 8.51 CGPA (from NITW)
Work experience:
- 1.9 Years as SDE
- Also did Edtech startup s a side project and later did it fulltime for 8 months (Question - should I mention this in my application or will it be called as moonlighting? My startup was registered 3 months before I quit my software job)
- Now switched industry and now working in Marketing job for 6 months

Is this a good background to support my application? I am confused whether I should retake GMAT or proceed with the application. Experts, please guide..­
­Please re-take the GMAT, to see if you can bump up the score by 20-30 points. Will definitely help your cause. If you are not able to score higher, apply with a 645.

SDE + Entrepreneurship + Marketing! That's quite a buffet anmol3614 :).

Also, you have not mentioned your post-MBA goals.

Overall, you need to tread carefully in your essays.

All the best!
--
Ashish.
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­
Thank you Ashish for replying. I have always been interested in leadership positions. During my MBA - I want to make connects with like minded people and be in touch with alumni network. Since I recently switched industries, I am unsatisfied with my pay. Post MBA I plan to work in some startup with leadership role and decent pay or work in corporate job. Is this reasoning enough or I need to have more clarity? Also, can you please answer my question on moonlighting?

I was expecting to focus on my application since scoring more than my current score would mostly be luck dependent as I might not improve much in a month. What do you suggest?­ or should I wait for 2 months and apply in R2 but I won't be considered for scolarships then..
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Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application 22 Jul 2024, 04:02
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Unfortunately, leadership position comes across as very generic, and pay-raise cannot be mentioned as a goal.

That's the reason I mentioned that you need to tread carefully in your essays.

I would still suggest that you apply in R1, but not before you give one more shot at GMAT.
--
Ashish.
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Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application 22 Jul 2024, 06:38
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­Hello anmol3614,

Strong academic background (10th: 9.5 CGPA, 12th: 86.6%, BTech: 8.51 CGPA from NITW). Diverse work experience (SDE, Edtech startup, marketing) but limited duration in roles and GMAT score of 645 needs toi be improved. Why did you leave the startup? It shouldnt come across that you started it in the first place to get adcom eyeballs.

Recommendations:
Retake GMAT, clarify career transitions, emphasize startup achievements, and demonstrate leadership impact.

Feel free to reach out if you seek mentorship.

Cheers and Best of Luck !­
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Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application 22 Jul 2024, 06:47
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anmol3614
Hi guys, I took my exam today, and here is the score as displayed on screen:
Quants: 85
Verbal - 80
DI - 80
Total - 645­
Is this the final score or would it change? I used to score around 625 - 675 in mocks. Quants was my strongest but today I found it tougher.

About my background:
10th - 9.5 CGPA
12th - 86.6%
BTech CSE - 8.51 CGPA (from NITW)
Work experience:
- 1.9 Years as SDE
- Also did Edtech startup as a side project and later did it fulltime for 8 months (Question - should I mention this in my application or will it be called as moonlighting? My startup was registered 3 months before I quit my software job)
- Now switched industry and now working in Marketing job for 6 months

Is this a good background to support my application? I am confused whether I should retake GMAT or proceed with the application. Experts, please guide..­
Show more
­anmol3614
I would not recommend applying with this score. I do not see an obvious hook in your profile. Think: why would ISB take someone with less experience and a low GMAT, not to mention the seemingly non-differentiated background?

I have worked with ISB PGP applicants who converted admits with exactly 2 years of work experience at the time of the ISB application (not EEOs or deferred admits).

For someone with just 2 years of experience, you should think about and develop your “ISB marketing handle,” your unique selling proposition that can get you over the finish line. Try to show how you are different from other similar applicants because you were promoted early on, have deep industry knowledge, have worked in project management and crisis management, and have a mature overall perspective. If you do not make it this year, improve your profile. This profile enhancement would need to show as a take-off point on your career graph, depending on your goals. For example, in a strategic role in a start-up (your pivot to marketing will help, but your ed tech stint without solid reasoning may seem like you are lost ) or in consulting where you gain hands-on experience with the building blocks of business, negotiate an international assignment, or take on a beginner role in an industry you want to enter post-MBA. I believe there will be no shortage of opportunities for young and ambitious people.


Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn|WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­
­
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anmol3614
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Joined: 03 Jun 2024
Last visit: 19 Oct 2024
Posts: 19
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3
Given Kudos: 4
Location: India
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Marketing
Schools: ISB '27
GMAT Focus 1: 645 Q85 V80 DI80
GPA: 8.52
Schools: ISB '27
GMAT Focus 1: 645 Q85 V80 DI80
Posts: 19
Kudos: 3
Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application 22 Jul 2024, 19:43
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ISBeacon MBAGuide CrackAdmission­
Thank you for your replies. I will definitely try to improve and get better clarity.
I had one more question. So I have received the official score report. Should I send my score to ISB now, considering that I might give Gmat again? The free report is available only for 48 hours though.
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Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application 23 Jul 2024, 01:14
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­Hi anmol3614,

You can go ahead and send the score. ISB and for that matter all Global Business Schools will always take your best (read highest) score irrepsective of how many attempts you have made before or after that best score.

Cheers and all the Best !!
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Should I go ahead with GMAT Focus score of 645 for ISB R1 application 23 Jul 2024, 03:42
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anmol3614
ISBeacon MBAGuide CrackAdmission­
Thank you for your replies. I will definitely try to improve and get better clarity.
I had one more question. So I have received the official score report. Should I send my score to ISB now, considering that I might give Gmat again? The free report is available only for 48 hours though.
Show more
­Certainly go ahead with your score submission to ISB.

Even if you end up sending multiple scores to ISB, you need to mention the score with which you want to apply to, in the ISB application.
--
Ashish.