onkark111 wrote:
Hello Everyone,
Kindly Evaluate my profile for ISB for 2016-17 batch
1. Academics
10th : SSC (Maharashtra) 88.3%
12th : SSC (Maharashtra) 92%
BE Mechanical : With average distinction. 8th Rank in university among approximately 1200 students (Pune University)
Completed Operation Management Certificate course with Coursera organized in collaboration with Wharton Business School
2. GMAT : 660 (Quant 45 / Verbal 36 / awa 5 / IR 5)
3. Work Experience : 8 years
Work as product design and development manager at one of Indias biggest engineering conglomorate
Worked on developing platform industrial product from basic R&D and market research to product Launch. Handling a team of six for past three years in cross functional and multi location work environment. I have worked in concurrent team involving at least four independent department.
Deployed at manufacturing plant location for more than two years ensuring smooth transition from drawing board to reality leading teams from different operational departments.
Consistently rated among top 5% of peer group.
Selected for Executive Development Program (8 days with SIBM)
Selected for and successfully cleared Corporate Assessment Center as part of Leadership Development Program (developed by my organization in collaboration with E&Y)
Placed in Italy for six months to manage, co-ordinate and oversee work with a Design Consulting firm acting as a point of contact between senior management back in India and the consulting firm
Nominated as an industry representative from my company on national technical committee of Bureau of Indian Standard for a particular product category. Committee work is expected to begin in 2016
10 design patents on my name filed in India
Product range developed by my ream won best product by Indian manufacturer award at an international power and energy exhibition. The product was featured as case of innovation at CII's Indians most innovative company competition. Organization stood in top 25 in the final assessment.
4. Extra Curricular
Event In charge in undergrad college's national level Technical Suynipsium.
Participated in many technical competetion winning Most Innovative Design award in one
Participated in Corporate level debate on CSR
Partnered with an IIMB professor to develop a case study on technology management and strategy taking case of an emerging manufacturing technology.
Co-authored a practitioner paper based on above case study which has been submitted to California Management Review
Attended a certificate course "Design and Innovation Process Management" by IIT Bombay conducted under its continuing education program.
Organized team level events and outbound programs.
I know I am weak on GMAT and extra curricular side. Need advice whether I should retake the GMAT (and lose one year) or take risk and apply with current GMAT score. Also please recommend any international two year programs I should target with these credentials.
Thanks in advance
Best,
Onkar
Hello Onkar,
First things first, please do not delay any further, stop thinking about retaking the GMAT and start working on your application for round two immediately.
Here are the reasons why I can say that with confidence:
- I am going to ISB in April 2016
- I scored 660 on the GMAT too, with roughly the same score distribution as yours. Since you fall on the higher end of the work-experience range, a lower GMAT becomes further more forgivable and reasonable
- I have around 4.5 years of experience as a Digital Advertising Copywriter and Creative Strategist. While I have done quite well in my career, on paper my profile will seem modest when compared to yours
- Your extra-curriculars can be packaged well, and are connected to your professional strengths. It doesn't always have to be about NGOs
- Your overall academics sit comfortably above-average
Now that we have the profile dilemma covered, I'd like to share a few things I have learnt and realized in my application and acceptance (yay!) journey so far:
- Delve deep into your mind and discover why you want to do this and how will it bring value to your career trajectory
- Find the gems in your life's story and make them shine in your essays. Your choices, failures and successes shape you, make you unique, let the admission committee see who you are
- Be yourself and don't try to ape successful models of earlier applicants, there is no guaranteed path
I wish you the best of luck for your application, and hope that you'll be a part of the ISB class in April'16
Cheers!
P.S. - Do it!
P.P.S. - I can really help you with the essays if you'd like (Don't worry, I'm not an admission consultant trying to make money).
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29 Nov 2015, 09:15
