ISB Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

Hi Shriyek,

Things look decent at your end. While your statistics fit the bill for all these b-schools, the devil lies in the details. What is your work experience like? what have you learned/ achieved/ what impact have you created? With several applicants applying from an operation background, the quality of your work experience will help to set you apart. Extracurricular activities can also help you demonstrate your uniqueness.

Your goals, of course, need refinement as well as alignment with your current work experience. Just to emphasize upon an often made point- every business school asks for career goals- if not in the essays then during the interview. Make sure yours are well researched and planned. Non-clarity of career goals can lead to rejection. You will need to be specific about what role in operations, what kind of companies and how this role is a significant jump over what you have been doing until now. Same goes for consulting. FYI, the post MBA work profile of consultant is associate, but you can just write consultant in your applications.

Hi Nikki,

A low GPA and a low GMAT will cost you heavily, despite the IIT pedigree and presumably strong work experience. Please retake and then apply.

Honneeey Bhai,

You have a strong profile. Crack the GMAT this time- think of 730+ score. I see a lot of big school names on your list - all of them require a solid GMAT Score.

Hi Shriyek,

Your acads 10,12,UG are decent enough.

Work profile being Non IT and from a core industry stands a good chance based on the differentiating factor and diversity that you bring to the class.
Good GMAT Score. You stand a very good chance at ISB and IIM A, NUS looks for lots of intangible and un-quantifiable resume points..since you have not mentioned any extra curricular activities or co-curricular activities. It’s a bit difficult to comment regarding NUS and other b schools such as HEC, ESMT etc.

Do have a look at the firms that come during placement season at ISB and IIM A, will give you a clear picture.

Focus on building your essays now and bring out the strong points in your resume and work ex. and understand as to how your prior work ex ties in with your future goals and your target companies. CLARITY is paramount here and will be there once you work on you essays.

Please feel free to reach out for any additional queries.

All the Best

--
Shweta Tandon

Please evaluate my profile.
Indian
GMAT 640
2.5 years IT experience (TCS)
GATE rank 7 (AIR)
2.5 year PSU IOCL

Worked with my dad in building his textile business, know in and outs and plans to expand the business over the years to come.

10th 80% CBSE
12th 88.5 % SSC
BTech 81%

Has 3million views and 7500 plus followers on Quora
Guide students on my Blog for GATE
Several awards throughout years .
2 national awards .

Target ISB.

Posted from my mobile device

Hi shriyek, Pantnagar is a decent brand in terms of college, and you have good academics, relevant experience, and decent GMAT.

Operations does seem to be well aligned as a post-MBA goal. Make sure your essays do justice towards articulating this alignment.

Hi kalstheiceberg, even with your current experience, you had offers in US from 2 of the Big4 as a senior consultant in their Strategy and Operations for LSHC domain.

Your post MBA goal is also to make a gradual transition into a Senior Consultant/Strategist role in top 4 consulting firms in their LSHC domain .

Hope you've thought this thru, because the clarity of your thoughts would reflect in the goals essay.

Unfortunately this score will not take you places.

So, would suggest you retake it, to see how much you can boost it.

Hi Rajeshpodduturi, with an AIR rank of 7 in GATE, I am sure you can do better in GMAT brother.

It's currently sticking like a sore thumb, in your otherwise very decent profile.

Hi

I would appreciate your evaluation of my profile
Female, 29 ( married)
GMAT - 680,
Indian
I am working as a chartered accountant ( Audit Practice) for over 5.5 years in one of the big 4s.
Completed all qualification exams of Chartered Accountants in first attempt.
Other details:-
12th ICSE 91.0%
10th ICSE 88.5 %
BCOM- 60%

As part of my job , I have extensive Leadership experience as team lead for engagements, more than three years.
I am looking forward to apply in ISB in Round 2 ( December 15).

Please share your inputs.

Hello Rajeshpodduturi

While some aspects of your profile look pretty good- good brand on the CV, experience of working on family business, decent past acads, and strong extracurricular activities.
However, with 2.5 years of ex (slightly on the lower end) and that too in IT, a score of 640 can be a hindrance. There is still time for R2, you may want to reattempt and target a higher score if possible.
At the same time, some key quality info is missing in your post such as nature of work, career progression, achievements at work (these things matter more than anything else) and most importantly career goals (these must be specific and realistic). In absence of this information, it is virtually impossible to give a complete feedback.
You may want to read here on the factors that matter in your written application and here on career goals.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
MBAkarma.com
GMAT Score Predictor
info@mbakarma.com

Hello guptaayushi

Decent profile on a quantitative scale. The key for you is execution and bringing out the qualitative details as well. Tell your story to showcase business impact of your contributions at work.
Also, I do not see any mention of career goals (why MBA & why ISB) and extracurricular activities (these can help you stand out further). The GMAT is below par for ISB, but may not a be a big issue in your specific case as long as your written application emphasizes all the factors mentioned here and ties these in with clear career goals (mentioned here)

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
MBAkarma.com
GMAT Score Predictor
info@mbakarma.com

Hi Ayushi,

Here is my analysis:-

10th and 12th is good, GMAT Score is below the average score as comapred to the average score of previous class of ISB. However, I strongly suggest you to apply in R2 this year.

Your profile adds to the diversity factor of the class of ISB given you are from a non-engineering and non-IT background.

Experience from Big 4’s is a great resume point and given the gist of your work experience that you have shared, it surely adds your profile to the list of candidates to be interviewed in R2.

At this stage, and with ample time in your hands I would suggest to focus on writing your essays and bring out the strong points of your profile. Your extensive leadership experience for 3 years will give you good enough profile pointers and learnings to mention in essays and interview.

Also, have a clear post MBA goals and be realistic about it. This helps while preparing your essays and during preparation for interviews. Connect with graduates of ISB with a similar background as yours and understand from them the opportunities that ISB will offer post MBA. Clarity on Short term and Long term career goals is something that ISB expects.

Mention few extra-curricular and co-curricular activities that you might have done. Sometimes these experiences bring out a total different and interesting points of discussion.

Please feel free to reach out for any additional queries.

All the Best !

--
Shweta

Female, age 25
GMAT : 680
Class X : 93%
Class XII : 88%
College : BITS Pilani, B.E. Electrical and Electronics
CGPA : 7.94
Experience : 3.5 years
Company : Nvidia Graphics, working as ASIC engineer for past 3.5 years. Mentored many people and have onwership of many features and tools

Other extra curricular : Theatre artist, NGO(Bhumi) volunteer for more than 1 year. Teaching kids at an orphanage and also doing theatre shows for them.

Short term goal : Product management roles in IT sector. Want to leverage my experience as engineer to move towards business side

I am planning to apply to ISB, NTU, NUS this year. Please evaluate my profile.
Posted from my mobile device

Hello,

Please evaluate my profile .

Indian male
10th (CBSE) : 92.6 %
12th (CBSE) : 82%
B.Tech NIT Warangal in Mechanical Engineering (class of 2015 ) CG : 7.91

Work experience : 38 months
Manufacturing Engineer at Applied Materials (semiconductor tool manufacturer) .

GMAT : 710 (QA 50, VA 35)

Work experience is mainly in mechanical design, Change order Management and project Management .

Acting as resource focal for Outsourced employees(contractors) .

Acted as trainer for new college graduates joinees.


Got 3 spot awards and team of the quarter award.

Undergoing system Engineering certification from Caltech University .
Planning to take six sigma course next week.

Extracurriculars : Managed events during technical festival in college as well in Current work place.
Secretary of Hindi Literature and Debate club in college.

Hobbies : Poet(Hindustani :Hindi +urdu ) regularly doing open mics

Target colleges :ISB ,NUS,NTU ,Rotmans, Kelley business school, and McCombs Texas


Thanks

Hello naina168

Decent profile in terms of work experience and extracurricular activities. Key for you will be selecting the right stories.
Academically speaking, the brand on the CV is good, though the GMAT is slightly lower than the average, it may not be a deal breaker in your specific case.
I do not see any mention of career goals though. A clear and realistic narrative will be required for you to get into your list of B Schools.
If you can present your case well (read here on the factors important in your written application) and tie in with clear carer goals (reading here might help) then you stand a good chance.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
MBAkarma.com
GMAT Score Predictor
info@mbakarma.com

Hello baba2709

An all round strong profile. I don't see any glaring weakness. Past acads, work ex, GMAT, extracurricular- all check the box.
Now the challenge is to display qualitative strengths such as career progression, achievements at work (awards are not achievements, they are results), impact in extracurricular activities.
Lastly, what are your career goals my friend? Most important piece of the admissions puzzle is missing. A large part of your success will depend on this. Tie in the qualitative details (as mentioned above) with a robust career goals narrative for a strong application.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
MBAkarma.com
GMAT Score Predictor
info@mbakarma.com