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heyRaj
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Joined: 23 Feb 2023
Last visit: 26 Oct 2025
Posts: 28
Own Kudos:
2
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Location: India
Schools: ISB '26
GMAT Focus 1: 665 Q84 V83 DI82
GPA: 7.76
Schools: ISB '26
GMAT Focus 1: 665 Q84 V83 DI82
Posts: 28
Kudos: 2
[Need Advice] Is GMAT 665 Good Enough 24 Jul 2025, 06:52
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Hi everyone,
I recently took the GMAT Focus Edition and scored 665 on my first attempt. I'm wondering whether this score is competitive enough for my target B-schools, given the rest of my profile.
👨‍💼 Work Experience (3.9 Years, Management Consulting)
  • Currently at ZS Associates (excluding internship).
  • Strong client-facing experience; have received multiple awards for collaboration and innovation.
  • Interned at ZS as well.
Key Achievements:
  • Created a new reporting process that cut down effort by 90%, saving $100K+ in billable hours.
  • Built a GenAI Agent that accelerated a complex global study (3 indications across 7 geographies) which supported a Go/No-Go product decision.
🎓 Education
  • B.E. in Electrical Engineering from TIET Patiala (Tier-1 college in India), GPA: 7.76/10
Leadership Roles:
  • Vice President, Student Alumni Interaction Cell – Led 50+ students, organized alumni networking events.
  • Student Mentor, FROSH TIET – Supported new students during admissions and onboarding.
  • Documentation Head, VIRSA (cultural society) – Managed all documentation and processes.
🏅 Extracurriculars
  • A competitive shooter for 10+ years, regularly representing my state at nationals.
  • Multiple national and state-level medals.
  • Recognized by my district and Government of India; part of the Indian National Trial Team.
  • Help organize local shooting competitions and training events.
🌱 Social Impact
  • Volunteer experience with NGOs focused on education for underprivileged children.
  • Led and participated in food & medicine distribution drives during COVID-19.
🎯 Post-MBA Goals
I aim to pivot into a role with greater strategic impact, ideally involving product strategy or leadership, blending problem-solving with meaningful business decisions.
🎓 Target Schools
  1. ISB
  2. LBS
  3. Oxford (Said)
  4. INSEAD
  5. HEC Paris
Would love your honest input:
  • Is my 665 GMAT score likely to be a concern for these schools?
  • Should I consider a retake, or is the rest of the profile strong enough to balance it out?
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MBAandBeyond
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[Need Advice] Is GMAT 665 Good Enough 24 Jul 2025, 07:39
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heyRaj
Hi everyone,
I recently took the GMAT Focus Edition and scored 665 on my first attempt. I'm wondering whether this score is competitive enough for my target B-schools, given the rest of my profile.
👨‍💼 Work Experience (3.9 Years, Management Consulting)
  • Currently at ZS Associates (excluding internship).
  • Strong client-facing experience; have received multiple awards for collaboration and innovation.
  • Interned at ZS as well.
Key Achievements:
  • Created a new reporting process that cut down effort by 90%, saving $100K+ in billable hours.
  • Built a GenAI Agent that accelerated a complex global study (3 indications across 7 geographies) which supported a Go/No-Go product decision.
🎓 Education
  • B.E. in Electrical Engineering from TIET Patiala (Tier-1 college in India), GPA: 7.76/10
Leadership Roles:
  • Vice President, Student Alumni Interaction Cell – Led 50+ students, organized alumni networking events.
  • Student Mentor, FROSH TIET – Supported new students during admissions and onboarding.
  • Documentation Head, VIRSA (cultural society) – Managed all documentation and processes.
🏅 Extracurriculars
  • A competitive shooter for 10+ years, regularly representing my state at nationals.
  • Multiple national and state-level medals.
  • Recognized by my district and Government of India; part of the Indian National Trial Team.
  • Help organize local shooting competitions and training events.
🌱 Social Impact
  • Volunteer experience with NGOs focused on education for underprivileged children.
  • Led and participated in food & medicine distribution drives during COVID-19.
🎯 Post-MBA Goals
I aim to pivot into a role with greater strategic impact, ideally involving product strategy or leadership, blending problem-solving with meaningful business decisions.
🎓 Target Schools
  1. ISB
  2. LBS
  3. Oxford (Said)
  4. INSEAD
  5. HEC Paris
Would love your honest input:
  • Is my 665 GMAT score likely to be a concern for these schools?
  • Should I consider a retake, or is the rest of the profile strong enough to balance it out?
Show more
Thank you for sharing your profile, heyRaj! Starting with your GMAT Focus score of 665, that puts you just around the average score range for your selected schools. While not a major concern, your score doesn’t give you a margin of safety, especially as a male Indian engineer, a highly competitive applicant pool. If you believe you can push your score 20 points up, a retake could help strengthen your positioning. Your 665 might be competitive, particularly at LBS, Oxford, and HEC, if your application essays, resume, and recommendations shine.

1. Saving over $100K+ in billable hours through process optimization.
2. Developing a GenAI Agent that influenced a Go/No-Go product decision.

...are good. These demonstrate not only analytical strength but also ownership, innovation, and business impact. LBS and INSEAD value applicants with global and client-facing consulting experience.

Your trajectory positions you as a candidate ready for product strategy or corporate strategy roles post-MBA. Would encourage you to tighten your post-MBA narrative, "product strategy" can mean many things. Is it in tech? Healthcare? Enterprise SaaS? Clarifying this will help schools see alignment between your experience, MBA goals, and school strengths. Your extracurriculars and volunteer work make you stand out distinctly in a pool often dominated by homogeneous academic and work achievements.

Additional School Suggestions: RSM, ESADE, IE, Fuqua, Yale

Polish your "Why MBA" and "Why Now" story to connect the dots between consulting, product strategy, and long-term vision. Build personalized essays that highlight both impact and passion (especially your GenAI and national sports angle).

We’d love to learn more about your profile to provide a tailored evaluation and chances at your target schools. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

We are hosting a Coffee Session: “GMAT Strategy & INSEAD R4 MBA Application Tips” on 25th July, 2025 | 9.00 PM IST | 11.00 AM ET. Click here to know more details. Register Now!
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MG4MBACrystalBall
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[Need Advice] Is GMAT 665 Good Enough 24 Jul 2025, 08:16
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heyRaj,

Some thoughts on your profile evaluation and some tough love too!

  • The academic arc is a bit of mixed bag actually. The college pedigree is unclear beyond ISB representation? The GPA may be slightly sub-par. On the GMAT, no magic minimum. However, Indian candidates to your target schools have been typically scoring in the 675+ range. A retake depends on how much effort/time it'll take. But it's worth it for all practical purposes.
  • The professional profile is promising given the ZS brand association. How has your trajectory been - faster than the norm/at par?
  • European schools value international experience a lot. Have you had a chance to gain any yet?
  • The ECs sound good, especially the organization part. The volunteer efforts appear to be dated and unclear in terms of impact - bring out both clearly.
  • If open for Indian MBA programs, worth also adding IIMA PGPX to that list.

Hope this helps. Feel free to reach out for further discussion on mcb@mbacrystalball.com

Cheers,
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admitStreet
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Joined: 14 Mar 2023
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 1,637
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Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Finance
Schools: HEC Jan 2018 Intake (A$) ISB '19 (A)
WE:Management Consulting (Consulting)
Schools: HEC Jan 2018 Intake (A$) ISB '19 (A)
Posts: 1,637
Kudos: 571
[Need Advice] Is GMAT 665 Good Enough 24 Jul 2025, 09:20
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heyRaj - Your work-ex sounds interesting given the ZS brand, client-facing (& tech/ AI) exposure. Were there any promotions in your roles, and have you worked with teams/ clients outside India? I'd like to understand your roles/ impact to assess better.

On the academic front, what was the sectional split of your GMAT score, and was it in line with your mocks?

Considering your slightly lower GPA and the competitive applicant pool at your target programs, a higher GMAT score (675-685+) would be ideal.

Regards,
Arvind
Founder, admitStreet | Testimonials
W: https://admitstreet.com | Request a free profile evaluation
­
heyRaj
Hi everyone,
I recently took the GMAT Focus Edition and scored 665 on my first attempt. I'm wondering whether this score is competitive enough for my target B-schools, given the rest of my profile.
👨‍💼 Work Experience (3.9 Years, Management Consulting)
  • Currently at ZS Associates (excluding internship).
  • Strong client-facing experience; have received multiple awards for collaboration and innovation.
  • Interned at ZS as well.
Key Achievements:
  • Created a new reporting process that cut down effort by 90%, saving $100K+ in billable hours.
  • Built a GenAI Agent that accelerated a complex global study (3 indications across 7 geographies) which supported a Go/No-Go product decision.
🎓 Education
  • B.E. in Electrical Engineering from TIET Patiala (Tier-1 college in India), GPA: 7.76/10
Leadership Roles:
  • Vice President, Student Alumni Interaction Cell – Led 50+ students, organized alumni networking events.
  • Student Mentor, FROSH TIET – Supported new students during admissions and onboarding.
  • Documentation Head, VIRSA (cultural society) – Managed all documentation and processes.
🏅 Extracurriculars
  • A competitive shooter for 10+ years, regularly representing my state at nationals.
  • Multiple national and state-level medals.
  • Recognized by my district and Government of India; part of the Indian National Trial Team.
  • Help organize local shooting competitions and training events.
🌱 Social Impact
  • Volunteer experience with NGOs focused on education for underprivileged children.
  • Led and participated in food & medicine distribution drives during COVID-19.
🎯 Post-MBA Goals
I aim to pivot into a role with greater strategic impact, ideally involving product strategy or leadership, blending problem-solving with meaningful business decisions.
🎓 Target Schools
  1. ISB
  2. LBS
  3. Oxford (Said)
  4. INSEAD
  5. HEC Paris
Would love your honest input:
  • Is my 665 GMAT score likely to be a concern for these schools?
  • Should I consider a retake, or is the rest of the profile strong enough to balance it out?
Show more
User avatar
heyRaj
User avatar
Joined: 23 Feb 2023
Last visit: 26 Oct 2025
Posts: 28
Own Kudos:
2
Given Kudos: 93
Location: India
Schools: ISB '26
GMAT Focus 1: 665 Q84 V83 DI82
GPA: 7.76
Schools: ISB '26
GMAT Focus 1: 665 Q84 V83 DI82
Posts: 28
Kudos: 2
[Need Advice] Is GMAT 665 Good Enough 24 Jul 2025, 10:04
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Hi,

Thanks for replying.

Replying to your queries:
  • My trajectory has been faster than normal.
    • I got promoted in 4 Cycles (2 Years) which is faster than company average of 2.5 years
    • I have won multiple awards and recognitions as well.
    • I have managed 3 different Big Pharma Companies, 2 Mid Pharma and also worked with clients in Rental Sector (Hertz to be specific)
  • In terms of international exposure:
    • We have a global model, i.e, the team comprises of people from all the geographies involved
    • I have regularly conducted GEN AI sessions for my onshore team as well
    • I have my US Travel planned for October (It's after R1 deadline)
  • In terms of Volunteer Experience, I can definitely quantify the impact but wanted to highlight that this is ongoing and usually monthly supplies collection drives

As far as GMAT is concerned, I am planning to retake it but wanted to check if by any chance I am not able to get a better score before R1 deadline, would it still be possible to have a shot at these schools?
MG4MBACrystalBall
heyRaj,

Some thoughts on your profile evaluation and some tough love too!

  • The academic arc is a bit of mixed bag actually. The college pedigree is unclear beyond ISB representation? The GPA may be slightly sub-par. On the GMAT, no magic minimum. However, Indian candidates to your target schools have been typically scoring in the 675+ range. A retake depends on how much effort/time it'll take. But it's worth it for all practical purposes.
  • The professional profile is promising given the ZS brand association. How has your trajectory been - faster than the norm/at par?
  • European schools value international experience a lot. Have you had a chance to gain any yet?
  • The ECs sound good, especially the organization part. The volunteer efforts appear to be dated and unclear in terms of impact - bring out both clearly.
  • If open for Indian MBA programs, worth also adding IIMA PGPX to that list.

Hope this helps. Feel free to reach out for further discussion on mcb@mbacrystalball.com

Cheers,
Show more
User avatar
heyRaj
User avatar
Joined: 23 Feb 2023
Last visit: 26 Oct 2025
Posts: 28
Own Kudos:
2
Given Kudos: 93
Location: India
Schools: ISB '26
GMAT Focus 1: 665 Q84 V83 DI82
GPA: 7.76
Schools: ISB '26
GMAT Focus 1: 665 Q84 V83 DI82
Posts: 28
Kudos: 2
[Need Advice] Is GMAT 665 Good Enough 24 Jul 2025, 10:08
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Hi,

Thanks for replying!

Replying to your queries:
  • Were there any promotions in your roles - Yes, I got promoted last year to Associate Consultant. Took me 2 years (faster than company standard of 2.5 years)
  • Have you worked with teams/ clients outside India? - Yes, All my work has been mainly with US clients only. In addition to US, I have worked on projects in EU, UK, Japan, Brazil and China

Do let me know if I can give anymore info!
admitStreet
heyRaj - Your work-ex sounds interesting given the ZS brand, client-facing (& tech/ AI) exposure. Were there any promotions in your roles, and have you worked with teams/ clients outside India? I'd like to understand your roles/ impact to assess better.

On the academic front, what was the sectional split of your GMAT score, and was it in line with your mocks?

Considering your slightly lower GPA and the competitive applicant pool at your target programs, a higher GMAT score (675-685+) would be ideal.

Regards,
Arvind
Founder, admitStreet | Testimonials
W: https://admitstreet.com | Request a free profile evaluation
­
heyRaj
Hi everyone,
I recently took the GMAT Focus Edition and scored 665 on my first attempt. I'm wondering whether this score is competitive enough for my target B-schools, given the rest of my profile.
👨‍💼 Work Experience (3.9 Years, Management Consulting)
  • Currently at ZS Associates (excluding internship).
  • Strong client-facing experience; have received multiple awards for collaboration and innovation.
  • Interned at ZS as well.
Key Achievements:
  • Created a new reporting process that cut down effort by 90%, saving $100K+ in billable hours.
  • Built a GenAI Agent that accelerated a complex global study (3 indications across 7 geographies) which supported a Go/No-Go product decision.
🎓 Education
  • B.E. in Electrical Engineering from TIET Patiala (Tier-1 college in India), GPA: 7.76/10
Leadership Roles:
  • Vice President, Student Alumni Interaction Cell – Led 50+ students, organized alumni networking events.
  • Student Mentor, FROSH TIET – Supported new students during admissions and onboarding.
  • Documentation Head, VIRSA (cultural society) – Managed all documentation and processes.
🏅 Extracurriculars
  • A competitive shooter for 10+ years, regularly representing my state at nationals.
  • Multiple national and state-level medals.
  • Recognized by my district and Government of India; part of the Indian National Trial Team.
  • Help organize local shooting competitions and training events.
🌱 Social Impact
  • Volunteer experience with NGOs focused on education for underprivileged children.
  • Led and participated in food & medicine distribution drives during COVID-19.
🎯 Post-MBA Goals
I aim to pivot into a role with greater strategic impact, ideally involving product strategy or leadership, blending problem-solving with meaningful business decisions.
🎓 Target Schools
  1. ISB
  2. LBS
  3. Oxford (Said)
  4. INSEAD
  5. HEC Paris
Would love your honest input:
  • Is my 665 GMAT score likely to be a concern for these schools?
  • Should I consider a retake, or is the rest of the profile strong enough to balance it out?
Show more