ISB Profile Evaluation Introducing New Better Profile Evaluations on GMAT Club! Considering your application to a B-School? The first step in this significant journey is to evaluate your profile to gauge where you stand among the vast pool of applicants. We're excited to introduce a NEW and IMPROVED consolidated list of tools and platforms available on GMAT Club to assist you in this endeavor. This topic is now closed to new posts. Please use the two new options below 1. Detailed Profile Evaluation: Multi-School & Multi-Consultant Evaluation in the Decision Tracker The Best Tool for aspirants seeking a comprehensive understanding of their profile. Initiate a new post, select the profile evaluation option, and tap into an unparalleled depth of assessment . Draw feedback from a diverse pool of top admissions consultants representing various schools to truly know where you stand. https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=72601 2. Personal Profile Evaluation: Personalized Evaluation in the Ask Admissions Consultants Sub-forums Request a personalized evaluation from a consultant, keeping in mind that it's best practice not to post the same question to multiple consultants. https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=72602 Dive into these resources and empower your journey towards your dream B-School. If you have any further queries or need assistance, feel free to reach out. Happy evaluating! Note: This topic is locked. Please use the provided links/tools above for evaluations. Thank you!

Hi, Please evaluate my profile for ISB for 2024-2025 intake. Age: 25 GMAT Score: 700 Educational Qualifications: Graduation: B.Tech in IT from Delhi Technological University with 80%. 10th: 10 CGPA 12th: 96% Work Experience: Software Engineer at Optum-UHG. 3 years experience. Extra Curricular: Active in sports during school time, won multiple awards in volleyball and athletics. Nothing major in college. Posted from my mobile device

Last visit was: 11 May 2026, 20:56

It is currently 11 May 2026, 20:56

Toolkit

Business School and MBA

Business School Discussions

ISB

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

May 12
How to Get into Stanford GSB
09:00 AM PDT
-
10:00 AM PDT
Join us live on GMAT Club's YouTube Channel tomorrow and learn 10 Critical To Dos
May 12
Early Admission Information Session (Online)
12:00 PM EDT
-
12:30 PM EDT
Get the inside scoop on what makes Emory’s Goizueta Business School great and how you can present a strong MBA application. Explore the difference between our One-Year MBA and Two-Year MBA programs, talk to our admissions team, and meet students.
May 13
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth Coffee Chats
08:00 AM EDT
-
09:00 AM EDT
Meet Tuck at an informal student or staff-hosted coffee chat in a city near you!
May 13
Top MBA Application Tips Guide
10:00 AM EDT
-
11:00 AM EDT
Applying to business school this year? Don’t miss Personal MBA Coach’s Top MBA Application Tips guide
May 14
The Truth About MBA Business School Letters of Recommendations | Applying to MBA in 2026 EP4
10:00 AM PDT
-
11:00 AM PDT
MBA recommendation letters are one of the most misunderstood parts of the application process. Many applicants focus on choosing the most senior recommender — when what actually matters is specificity, credibility, and examples of impact.
May 15
FREE Prospects Evaluation!
05:00 PM PDT
-
06:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!

Back to Forum

Create Topic

ISB Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

1 ... 289 290 291 292 293 ... 307

siljin

Joined: 23 May 2023

Last visit: 14 Jun 2025

Posts: 19

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 30

Location: India

Concentration: Technology, Marketing

Schools: McCombs '27 (A$)

GPA: 4

Schools: McCombs '27 (A$)

Posts: 19

Kudos: 3

02 Jul 2023, 12:57

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi,

Please evaluate my profile for ISB for 2024-2025 intake.

Age: 25

GMAT Score: 700 [Quant:48 , Verbal:41, I.R.:7 , AWA:3]

Educational Qualifications:

Graduation: B.Tech in IT from Delhi Technological University with 80%.
10th: 10 CGPA [CBSE]
12th: 96% [CBSE]

Work Experience:
Software Engineer at Optum-UHG.
3 years experience.

Extra Curricular: Active in sports during school time, won multiple awards in volleyball and athletics.
Nothing major in college.

Posted from my mobile device

Goalisb

Joined: 05 Dec 2018

Last visit: 31 Mar 2026

Posts: 329

Own Kudos:

109

Given Kudos: 4

Posts: 329

Kudos: 109

02 Jul 2023, 18:35

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi,

Sharing the following profile eval with reference to the details you have shared here.

1. GMAT score and academic grades are quite balanced and good. However, a higher GMAT score would always support the application better. So if you have the bandwidth of increasing the GMAT score, you can go ahead with another attempt.

2. Work experience looks sorted - software engineer at Optum will give you a range of technical and project focused skills to talk about. Focus on researching your goals well.

3. Extracurriculars - Lacking in college and no mention about any over the last 3 years - seems to be a gap. See if you want to rekindle your passion for sports. It does give you more aspects of your personality to talk about except for work.

All the best!

wilfredorewan

MBAGuide

Joined: 24 Jul 2019

Last visit: 11 May 2026

Posts: 2,406

Own Kudos:

996

Given Kudos: 28

Location: India

Concentration: Operations, Marketing

Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)

Posts: 2,406

Kudos: 996

02 Jul 2023, 21:08

Kudos

Bookmarks

wilfredorewan

wilfredorewan

Based on the very limited information provided about yourself, you may be perceived as just another applicant data point in the competitive applicant pool at ISB. I hope you understand this. Your identity is not solely defined by your academic background in "IT" and your title as a "Software Engineer." I am confident that you possess much more than that. What's your story?

This understanding becomes even more crucial since you will be a young applicant at ISB. Therefore, it is essential for you to focus on highlighting your personal and professional journey and how you have demonstrated incremental growth in the past 3 years.

You did not mention your goals. It is important to deeply contemplate your goals since ISB is one of those schools that expect applicants to have a clear vision for their future, at least in the immediate future. Avoid presenting a generic profile with overused post-MBA goal statements. Consider your long-term vision and establish ambitious and inspiring goals that make your short-term trajectory plausible.

To demonstrate that you have thoroughly considered your goals, outline your comprehensive future plan in your essays. Provide both Plan A and Plan B, and support both plans with relevant insights obtained through networking with alumni, potential recruiters, and industry experts.

Your GMAT could be better. For a 700 you must have other strong differentiating aspects in your profile. The Q48 is below the 75th percentile. I would suggest a retake.

Feel free to connect should you want to have a candid discussion about your profile.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

admitStreet

Joined: 14 Mar 2023

Last visit: 11 May 2026

Posts: 1,713

Own Kudos:

582

Given Kudos: 15

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: 1,713

Kudos: 582

02 Jul 2023, 22:01

Kudos

Bookmarks

wilfredorewan

wilfredorewan

Your GMAT score is good and balanced, although I suggest a retake if you can. Even a 10-20 points improvement would strengthen your overall application. Try to pay more attention to the sub-sections (and question types) within Quant and Verbal which you need to improve on, and dedicate focused practice (untimed and timed) on these areas. Let me know if you would need our Free Customizable Study plan, with an Error-Log, which is a feature which many candidates have found useful to track errors and improve their scores, sometimes significantly.

Would need more details on your experiences at Optum-UHG e.g. key projects and achievements: what did you do in the role, what did you achieve beyond what was expected, the challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the tangible (ideally quantified) impact of your contribution to the company/ team. Crafting compelling stories around your key achievements (and also challenges) are important to bring out a differentiated profile, and stand out from the extremely competitive "Indian IT" pool.

Also have clear answers to the "why MBA", "why ISB" and "why now" questions. Responses to these should indicate progression in your career, a clear post-MBA plan, and how/ why ISB fits in. Your extra-curriculars, while a bit outdated, could be interesting if you highlight what were the key achievements you made in the sports, what lessons you learned and how these would help you in and after ISB.

Feel free to schedule a Free Profile Evaluation chat with me in the link below. Happy to walk through these points and address any queries.

Regards,
Arvind
HEC Paris alum, Admissions interviewer
W: https://admitstreet.com/ | E: [email protected] | M: +(91)-974-126-3950

ISBmantra

Admission Consultant

Joined: 21 Oct 2013

Last visit: 03 Sep 2025

Posts: 265

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 37

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 265

Kudos: 72

04 Jul 2023, 00:41

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi wilfredorewan,

You have a strong pedigree and less than the avg gmat score of the batch. We will need information about your 3 years of work experience like your job responsibilities and achievements which will help us evaluate your profile holistically and advice. The Extra Curricular interests shared are from the school and college days and nothing latest.

We encourage you to register for our free profile evaluation service.

Regards
Team ISBMantra
https://www.isbmantra.com | [email protected]

wilfredorewan

rtj30

Joined: 21 Aug 2021

Last visit: 21 Oct 2023

Posts: 1

GMAT 1: 690 Q47 V38 Verified score

Posts: 1

Kudos: 0

04 Jul 2023, 10:53

Kudos

Bookmarks

Demographics
Age: 27, Male, Indian

Academics
GMAT - 690 (Q47 V38 IR8) Test date: March 2022
Undergrad - B.Tech in ECE from GGSIPU (Delhi) (2018) - 81.5%
12th - CBSE - 91.6%
10th - CBSE - 10 CGPA

Work Experience
Total Experience - 5 years
1. Current: Product Manager (early phase B2B SaaS Series A funded startup) (Apr' 2021-current)

2. Previous: Decision Analytics Associate Consultant (ZS Associates Aug 2018-March 2021)

Key Highlights in Work Experience

1. Current Experience (Product Management)
-- Achieved 3 promotions in the past year, progressing from Product Specialist to Product Manager in under 2 years.
-- Setting up multiple end-to-end workflows/ processes and setting up teams as I was one of the initial 10 employees in the startup.
-- Managing internal product as a single POC-PM
-- Collaborate directly with Founder, CXO and GTM teams on a daily basis
-- Managing and coordinating between, GTM, Design, Engg and ML teams to launch product features

2. Consulting Experience
-- Successfully consulted with Pharma clients in both Japanese and US markets dealing with the biggest Pharma product in the Japanese market,
-- Optimized client process to reduce the time for the process from 2 weeks to 3 days
-- Travelled On-shore to coordinate with international clients.
-- Got promoted from an Associate to Associate Consultant in 2.5 years.

EC Activities:

1. Volunteering: Since October 2021, I have been actively volunteering as an Aftercare Fellow (City Manager) for Make a Difference (MAD), one of the top 5 NGOs in India. In this role, I oversee MAD-Aftercare operations in Delhi, supporting 60+ care leavers, and representing the largest care-leaver base within MAD India. My responsibilities include managing a team of 20+ wingmen and coordinating various volunteers to ensure the smooth functioning of MAD in Delhi coordinating with the National leadership of MAD. Our focus is on providing consistent financial, career, and mental health support, and mentorship to the youths. We have achieved notable success stories in MAD-Delhi. I manage monthly stipend support of over 3 Lakhs for all youths in Delhi and academic financial support of 10 Lakhs per annum

2. College participation - I actively participated in quizzes, debates, Model United Nations (MUNs), and painting competitions during my school and college years. Active participant and member of the college fest organization committee.

3. At ZS, I facilitated a Sales case study for the new hire BootCamp.

Target schools: ISB, IIM (A/B/C 1 year MBAs)

Questions

1. Should I apply to my target schools with a GMAT 690 since a reattempt seems unlikely for me? Or is this a low score?

2. Should I add industry certifications like CSPO, and Lean Six Sigma to help my profile?

I request you to please evaluate my profile and help me identify my chances for ISB and IIM(A/B/C) for the 2024 intake. Thanks!

MBAGuide

Joined: 24 Jul 2019

Last visit: 11 May 2026

Posts: 2,406

Own Kudos:

996

Given Kudos: 28

Location: India

Concentration: Operations, Marketing

Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)

Posts: 2,406

Kudos: 996

04 Jul 2023, 22:47

Kudos

Bookmarks

rtj30

Hi rtj30 hope you are doing great

1.Your profile is strong and your ECs very impressive. However, a Q47 on the GMAT is significantly below the 75th percentile, indicating a gap in your quant preparation. On the other hand, your verbal score is decent. If it comes down to statistics at the end of decision making, your GMAT score could be the determining factor in your acceptance. To increase your chances of being in the safe zone at ISB and having a strong shot at IIM A, I suggest retaking the exam.

2. It's good to have certifications like Six Sigma, but since you haven't mentioned your post-MBA goals, I cannot comment on the value these certifications will add. Without a clear vision of your long-term objective and breaking it down into pragmatic short-term goals, it is difficult to understand how your experience in pharma consulting and product management will contribute to an impressive achievement.

Even at ISB interviews, of all the questions asked, the question about goals and reason for applying to ISB PGP is the most important. Failure to describe PGP-justifying goals is the most common mistake made by the most PGP rejects.

"I need PGP to advance my career and broaden my skills," for example, will not elicit the same level of enthusiasm as being more specific-
"While I acknowledge that my technical skills are well-suited for Product Management positions, I have noticed a recurring knowledge gap in comprehending the macro and microeconomic factors that influence businesses in XYZ industry during discussions with business development teams. To excel as a Product leader and effectively establish product-market fit, I believe pursuing a PGP will provide me with the necessary business sophistication and a profound understanding of market needs.."

You will answer the goals question confidently and assertively if you have spoken with professionals who work in the industry and function you are targeting and have thoroughly examined the skills required and future growth opportunities in light of your long-term ambitions. Speak about the companies you want to work for, the roles and responsibilities you'll hold throughout time, and the lesser-known specifics regarding the types of projects that demonstrate your knowledge. Surprise the adcoms with your well-researched insights about a specific business, as well as your viewpoint on current events in that industry.

Feel free to connect to discuss your application strategy.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

K080809

Joined: 11 May 2023

Last visit: 09 Feb 2024

Posts: 19

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 10

Location: India

Posts: 19

Kudos: 5

05 Jul 2023, 05:37

Kudos

Bookmarks

How is Jambooree for ISB YLP counseling for stage 2 and interview preparation?

Posted from my mobile device

admitStreet

Joined: 14 Mar 2023

Last visit: 11 May 2026

Posts: 1,713

Own Kudos:

582

Given Kudos: 15

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: 1,713

Kudos: 582

Updated on: 07 Jul 2023, 03:01

Originally posted by admitStreet on 06 Jul 2023, 09:18.
Last edited by admitStreet on 07 Jul 2023, 03:01, edited 1 time in total.

Kudos

Bookmarks

rtj30

rtj30

Overall, your profile is good with a balance of some interesting work experiences and extra-curriculars.

GMAT: Looking at the past statistics, while it is possible that your score might make it to your target schools, it is not highly probable. It's better to rely on probability rather than possibility, and hence I suggest a retake if possible. Focus on the sections/ sub-sections (particularly within Quant) that you can improve on. An Error-Log is especially helpful at this stage: happy to share with you our Free GMAT Study plan template containing the Error-Log, which several candidates have found useful in improving their scores, sometimes significantly. Irrespective of GMAT, highlighting your quant courses and good scores in undergrad can be a good idea.

Work-ex: Your ZS stint is interesting, and particularly if consulting is your post-MBA goal, highlighting more about your projects (the type of consulting case, how you solved it, impact to the client, key skills/ learnings, etc.) would be important. This stint can also highlight your international exposure, which B-schools (including ISB) value as it showcases how well you can interact with people from varied backgrounds (including nationality, education, domain, etc.). Your current role showcases some key traits including entrepreneurial spirit and process-oriented mindset: while these can sometimes be perceived as contrary, it can be a great skill-set mix to highlight in your application if you craft the stories accordingly.

Post-MBA goals and why MBA/ B-school: Though you haven't mentioned it, I strongly suggest having a clear idea of your target sector, function, geography, and even role. Then look for your target companies to identify what they are looking for, what projects they are working on, etc. Think of it as a "destination analysis" i.e. fix your post-MBA target destination, and analyze how your past experiences and the MBA journey will help you get there. Also pay attention to your unique strengths and weaknesses while doing this exercise, and how/ why ISB or IIM(s) can accelerate your journey. Doing this is the first step in crafting impactful essays, particularly to the new ISB essay questions.

Industry certifications: Depending on your post-MBA goals and the outcome of the above exercise, some industry certifications can help. However, I suggest gaining practical experience/ exposure to your fields of interest, even if it's through pro-bono internships, attending conferences, making connections, etc. This would not only help you understand better what you are aiming to get into, but also signal to AdComs that you are serious about it and have practical exposure, which is very valuable.

I am hosting a webinar on 14th July with Deepti Gupta, a Google Product Manager/ Leader and an ISB alumna - please join if it interests you. We will cover topics including B-school applications, careers in Product Management & Consulting, etc. Details and registrations (free) at https://bit.ly/admitstreet_webinar

Hope this helps. Feel free to reach out for a chat, or if I can be of any help.

Regards,
Arvind
HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer
W: https://admitstreet.com | E: [email protected] | M: +(91)-974-126-3950

ISBmantra

Admission Consultant

Joined: 21 Oct 2013

Last visit: 03 Sep 2025

Posts: 265

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 37

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 265

Kudos: 72

06 Jul 2023, 23:02

Kudos

Bookmarks

Dear rtj30,

The team at ISBMantra is impressed with your professional experience in product management and consulting, as well as your extracurricular activities. We believe that you have a strong application overall, but we are concerned about your GMAT score.

The average GMAT score for the program you are applying to is higher than your score. This could hurt your chances of admission, but it is not the end of the world. If you are confident that you can improve your score, we encourage you to retake the GMAT.

However, if you are not sure if you can improve your score enough, you may want to focus on your other application materials. Your essays and interview are also very important, so make sure to put your best foot forward.

We wish you all the best in your MBA journey.

Sincerely, Team ISBMantra
https://www.isbmantra.com | [email protected]

rtj30

MBAkarma

Joined: 18 Apr 2018

Last visit: 10 Apr 2025

Posts: 1,050

Own Kudos:

216

Given Kudos: 28

Status:MBA Admissions Coach

Affiliations: MBAkarma

Location: India

Schools: ISB IIM HEC EDHEC INSEAD IIMA HBS Rotman

GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3.75

Schools: ISB IIM HEC EDHEC INSEAD IIMA HBS Rotman

GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42 Verified score

Posts: 1,050

Kudos: 216

08 Jul 2023, 03:10

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hello rtj30

Out of the four factors essential for admission (Academic Potential, Work ex, Diversity, Career Goals), you check the box on 2 (Work Ex- PM experience helps as this is the goal for most people post MBA and Diversity- the activities seem to help you stand out from the competitive tech pool of applicants- the key will be to tell the achievements behind these activities in the essays and how/why are these relevant for ISB).
Academic potential is a question mark with a 690 and while not a deal breaker, to increase confidence, I would recommend a retake with a 710+ target, that will put you in a strong position.
Lastly, career goals are missing and the right set of career goals will answer your question whether industry certifications like CSPO, and Lean Six Sigma will help your profile. Do not think of admissions as a checklist but as a story that you need to tell to convince the adcom that ISB/IIM is genuinely the best step in your career to help you achieve your long term goals. If these certifications help in the achievement of these goals, then they are a strong addition to your story.

Best
Varun
MBAkarma.com
+918452954888 (WA for a quick response)

rtj30

MBAkarma

Joined: 18 Apr 2018

Last visit: 10 Apr 2025

Posts: 1,050

Own Kudos:

216

Given Kudos: 28

Status:MBA Admissions Coach

Affiliations: MBAkarma

Location: India

Schools: ISB IIM HEC EDHEC INSEAD IIMA HBS Rotman

GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3.75

Schools: ISB IIM HEC EDHEC INSEAD IIMA HBS Rotman

GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42 Verified score

Posts: 1,050

Kudos: 216

08 Jul 2023, 03:18

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hello siljin

Too little information to go by. You will need to go into depth of the following to see whether you have a strong enough profile-

1. Academic potential- past scores are decent but the GMAT does not inspire confidence considering your software background it will not help you stand out.
2. Work ex- The details are very quantitative in nature- years, company, role. This is not how work ex is measured. How are you different from another software engineer (of which there are thousands who are applying to ISB). What has been your career progress, what are the key achievements, what impact have you had on the business of your company/clients. This attitude will help you build a story that can help you differentiate from other applicants.
3. Diversity- You belong to the biggest and most competitive pool of applicants and have a below par GMAT and missing extracurricular activities. So what qualities/traits can you bring to ISB that will help you add value to the experience of your batch mates inside and outside the classroom?
4. Career Goals- your profile is not just your past experience but also your future aspirations. ISB is looking for leaders with a clear vision of their career and know that ISB is the best step to achieve these goals. You haven't mentioned your goals and the profile evaluation remains incomplete.

Hope you gain some insights into what you need to work on to understand your own profile's strengths and weaknesses.

Best
Varun
MBAkarma.com
+918452954888 (WA for a quick response)

siljin

197369

Joined: 20 Aug 2018

Last visit: 21 Mar 2024

Posts: 223

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 114

Location: India

Concentration: General Management, International Business

Schools: ISB '24 Said '24 IIM-A '24 Yale '24

GPA: 3.95

Schools: ISB '24 Said '24 IIM-A '24 Yale '24

Posts: 223

Kudos: 66

09 Jul 2023, 11:22

Kudos

Bookmarks

Please evaluate my profile and suggest tentative GMAT score :
10th : 10 CGPA
12th : 93 %
Btech : mechanical engg in 2017 , 8.5CGPA
Gmat : Yet to take ( currently ranging in 650-660)
work exp :
6 yrs in maintenance domain n supply chain domain at leading steel industry with 01 career progression
First female officer in the maintenance domain of the plant
First hand experience in establishment of newer plants during the expansion phase

Extra curricular : organised an one-day cultural official event of 500+ employees in the office
EMCEE for many official events
Conducted several live shows for teaching painting and sketching at Instagram in collaboration with Faber Castle

Hobbies :
Classically trained singer and Kathak dancer

Posted from my mobile device

admitStreet

Joined: 14 Mar 2023

Last visit: 11 May 2026

Posts: 1,713

Own Kudos:

582

Given Kudos: 15

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: 1,713

Kudos: 582

09 Jul 2023, 22:57

Kudos

Bookmarks

197369

197369,

Grades/ Scores: Your B. Tech CGPA, 10th & 12th grades are strong. Depending on your undergrad university pedigree, your current organization's brand and other aspects of your application (i.e. essays, CV etc.), GMAT 700 (or above) should put you in a good position for most schools. There are exceptions to this statement: happy to discuss further in a call.

Work experience and goals: Your experiences in the maintenance and supply chain domains (which are in high demand especially in the recent years) with a career progression demonstrates your analytical/ technical and result-oriented skills. Your involvement in the establishment of new plants during the expansion phase highlights your entrepreneurship skills, taking things from zero to one. Furthermore, being the first female officer in the maintenance domain demonstrates your ability to thrive in challenging/ dynamic environments. To highlight your achievements, I suggest noting down your key achievements in the role i.e. what was the context of the situation, the action/ steps you took and quantified results/ outcomes to the organization.

Make sure to have clarity on your post-MBA goals, i.e. which sector/ function/ geography you want to be in, and why/ how an MBA and why/ how ISB (or any other school that you apply to) will help you with that transition. This part is critical both for you to understand what you are getting into, and for the AdCom to understand your career path.

Extra-curricular Activities and Hobbies: Good list. I suggest highlighting what are the skills you developed (or honed) in these activities, the lessons you learned, and how these will help you in your journey during and post MBA.

Overall, your profile indicates a strong academic background, solid work experience, and involvement in extra-curriculars. To further enhance your profile, aim for a higher GMAT score, preferably 700 or above. A higher GMAT score can help strengthen your candidacy and increase your chances at the top-tier MBA programs. Additionally, highlighting your achievements, leadership experiences and unique strengths in your essays and recommendation letters will be crucial in positioning your overall profile.

Feel free to reach out for a candid chat. All the best.

Regards,
Arvind
HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer
W: https://admitstreet.com | E: [email protected] | M: +(91)-974-126-3950

MBAGuide

Joined: 24 Jul 2019

Last visit: 11 May 2026

Posts: 2,406

Own Kudos:

996

Given Kudos: 28

Location: India

Concentration: Operations, Marketing

Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)

Posts: 2,406

Kudos: 996

09 Jul 2023, 23:26

Kudos

Bookmarks

197369

Hi 197369 hope this finds you well

Your profile is impressive and resonates with me on a personal level. As a woman who has also worked in a production environment, I understand the challenges and rewards that come with developing industrialization plans, creating design specifications, testing prototypes, troubleshooting process problems, and collaborating with teams at all levels to ensure successful launches. Your diverse skill set and experience reflect your dedication and ability to excel in your field.

For your applications, I advise you to construct a strong narrative that showcases your career progression resulting from hard work and perseverance. 6 years in a professional setting is a substantial duration, so present a variety of examples highlighting leadership, empathy, diversity initiatives, teamwork, and other relevant aspects of your profile.

Utilize anecdotes from your professional life to demonstrate your leadership skills. Showcase how you motivated teams on the shop floors, expedited projects, achieved desired outcomes, resolved conflicts with persuasive abilities, influenced management decisions through keen observations and insights, and generated value for your team and organization as a whole. Highlight your bias for action and conscientious decision-making capabilities.

Your ECs are alright. But I suggest that you think deeper and analyze whether you have missed considering any mundane/ unobvious/ subtle initiatives you may have taken through the years ( travel, learning a new language, certain diversity initiatives at work, for example, raising your voice against gender discrimination, voicing strong opinions for diversity in the workforce, providing financial or moral support to someone in need, teaching the underprivileged kids, organizing diversity talks or off-site activities for better collaboration among teams, and so on). In my experience, I have seen that applicant struggle to recall in the early stages of application how they contributed toward the betterment of their community. It could take a little introspection to unravel it all.

Typically Supply Chain and Operations leadership tracks are the most suitable goals for people from backgrounds like yours. Just so you know, if you get into the right school, MBBs actively seek individuals with strong Ops experience for management consulting roles in the Ops & Strategy Consulting practices. Other roles that you may want to explore are Supply Chain Analytics, Product or Network Planning and Strategy, or Corporate Finance (if you like finance) at small to medium-sized startups. Please feel free to reach out to me to learn more about these options as this is also my area of specialization.

If you're considering Indian B-Schools, I strongly suggest you consider IIM A PGPX.

I have worked extensively with applicants from operations backgrounds and have spent nearly a decade in the industry myself. I would be happy to connect and gladly share my insights and advice.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

walterwhite756

Joined: 09 Jun 2020

Last visit: 14 Jun 2025

Posts: 235

Own Kudos:

204

Given Kudos: 171

Location: India

GMAT 1: 720 Q50 V36 Verified score

GPA: 4

GMAT 1: 720 Q50 V36 Verified score

Posts: 235

Kudos: 204

10 Jul 2023, 00:26

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi all, kindly evaluate my profile and suggest tentative GMAT score :

10th : 90.33% (Rajasthan state board)
12th : 91% (CBSE board)
BTech : Electrical engineering in 2018 , 9.2 CGPA (Gold medalist from reputed NIT college)
MTech : Electrical engineering in 2020, 86% (Gold medalist)
GMAT : Yet to take (scored 650 in official practice test #1)
work exp : 5 yrs in core Government R&D institute, my work is focused on Research and development of various new technologies in power electronics sector with 1 promotion
Motive for exec MBA: career domain change from Govt to Corporate and better opportunities
Extra curricular : in the organizing committee of National science day (conducted every year) from past 2 years in the office.
Hobbies : Travelling, movies, Playing cricket

Queries:
1. Will my Govt R&D job affect my application severely? As i don't have any experience in private/corporate industry?
2. How will my extra curriculars and hobbies fare against rest of the applicants?
3. Are there any certifications which i can opt for to improve my application?
4. Should i target GMAT in August or in October? I think if i take more time, my score can go past 700-720s. If i appear for GMAT in August (for R1), i think my score might fall below 700.
5. How much time to be devoted for application filling and how do i approach it, i am totally new to this thing and don't have any prior knowledge about the same.
6. I can't tell at my organization for LOR so i will be sourcing it from a senior (close friend of mine) working in the same organization. Will ISB interviewers take it in negative sense?

Apart from ISB, i am thinking of IIM A, B and C. Can you suggest any other schools?

MBAGuide

Joined: 24 Jul 2019

Last visit: 11 May 2026

Posts: 2,406

Own Kudos:

996

Given Kudos: 28

Location: India

Concentration: Operations, Marketing

Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)

Posts: 2,406

Kudos: 996

10 Jul 2023, 06:06

Kudos

Bookmarks

walterwhite756

Hi walterwhite756 hope this finds you well

Queries:
1. Will my Govt R&D job affect my application severely? As i don't have any experience in private/corporate industry?

Many applicants have a negative view of government or public sector jobs because they often lack autonomy, diverse responsibilities, and opportunities for rapid growth. Admissions committees may also hold this view (who can tell!). However, it is your responsibility to break through these stereotypes and demonstrate your unique qualities. It is not possible to give a complete answer by simply reading your profile description. Instead, show what makes you special and how you go above and beyond the expected. Emphasize your initiative, adaptability, and exceptional results. Highlight your eagerness to learn and grow by continuing your education, acquiring new skills, and tackling challenging projects. Remember that adcoms can only fully understand your profile by reviewing your application materials, such as resume, essays, and letters of recommendation. Make the most of these documents.

I can tell you that this bias is not unique to PSU folks. I, too, worked in R&D for a private company for five years straight, and the first question I was asked in my MBA interview at a Top gloval school was, "You may have worked in many countries, but your responsibilities have remained the same. How would you say you have evolved in your career? To be honest, I did not expect this question at the time and I felt underprepared. But now, with my experience, I can tell you that this should be the first question you need to prepare for, regardless of your background (government or private).

2. How will my extra curriculars and hobbies fare against rest of the applicants?

Your extracurricular activities are not extensive, but I recommend you think about them thoroughly and analyze whether you might have overlooked any mundane, subtle initiatives you have taken over the years. For example, traveling, learning a new language, participating in diversity initiatives in the workplace (opposing gender discrimination, promoting diversity in the workforce), supporting those in need (financially or morally), teaching disadvantaged children, organizing diversity conversations or outside activities to promote better collaboration between teams, and more. Sometimes you have to do some soul-searching to find out in what ways you have contributed to your community.

3. Are there any certifications which i can opt for to improve my application?

This would require a deeper discussion. Schools can see through any last minute certifications.

4. Should i target GMAT in August or in October? I think if i take more time, my score can go past 700-720s. If i appear for GMAT in August (for R1), i think my score might fall below 700.

A higher score is typically better for Indian Male applicants. But don't delay it too much.

5. How much time to be devoted for application filling and how do i approach it, i am totally new to this thing and don't have any prior knowledge about the same.

It could take anywhere between 2 days to 2 months to craft a strong application depending on the capability of the applicant. Feel free to connect over a candid discussion to learn what adcoms look for in applicants.

What Indian B Schools Look For

6. I can't tell at my organization for LOR so i will be sourcing it from a senior (close friend of mine) working in the same organization. Will ISB interviewers take it in negative sense?

You can take it from senior colleagues. I have done it myself and I have written extensively on this topic on this platform. Make use of the resources.

Secret Sauce For Oustanding LORs
How to select your recommenders
Strategy for acing that ISB Interview
Avoid these pitfalls in goals essays

Your academic arc is solid and your choice of schools is on point. Focus on the GMAT.

Feel free to connect should you need guidance.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

MBAandBeyond

MBA and Beyond Consulting

Joined: 13 Jul 2020

Last visit: 11 May 2026

Posts: 4,479

Own Kudos:

955

Given Kudos: 173

Status:MBA Admissions Consulting from INSEAD, Wharton and Columbia graduates

Affiliations: INSEAD and Harvard

Location: Singapore

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 4,479

Kudos: 955

10 Jul 2023, 13:53

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hey 197369,

Your profile looks good on the surface. Your academic performance is strong, with a 10 CGPA in 10th grade, 93% in 12th grade, and an 8.5 CGPA in your B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering. These scores demonstrate your consistent academic excellence. Regarding the tentative GMAT score for ISB, it's difficult to provide an exact target score as it depends on various factors, including the average GMAT scores of admitted students at ISB and the competitiveness of the applicant pool during the specific application cycle. However, to increase your chances of admission, it's generally advisable to aim for a GMAT score above the average score of the target school. For ISB, the average GMAT score is typically around 700. Considering your profile and the competitiveness of the applicant pool, aiming for a GMAT score in the range of 700-720 or higher would be beneficial.

Coming to you Work experience, six years of work experience in the maintenance and supply chain domain at a leading steel industry is a significant strength. The fact that you have had a career progression and have been involved in the establishment of newer plants during the expansion phase showcases your expertise and ability to handle challenging responsibilities. Being the first female officer in the maintenance domain is an impressive achievement.

Speaking about Ice cream.Your involvement in organizing cultural events for a large number of employees and serving as an EMCEE demonstrates your leadership and organizational skills. Additionally, your engagement in teaching painting and sketching through live shows on Instagram shows your creativity and passion for the arts. Your training as a classically trained singer and Kathak dancer adds to the diversity and richness of your profile. Business schools appreciate candidates with diverse interests and talents.

Overall, you have a strong foundation with notable achievements in academics, work experience, and extracurricular activities. Remember, the GMAT is just one component of your application. You should also focus on crafting compelling essays, securing strong letters of recommendation, and preparing for the interview to present a holistic and compelling case for your admission to ISB.

We offer a limited number of complimentary profile evaluations each week . We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools. In this call, the experts will try to dig out your USP for top B-schools and provide you with honest feedback on your profile and chances to your target schools.

Book a free profile evaluation call now!

Good luck with your application process!

Neha Hadke
Strategy Manager
Testimonials
Meet our Panel of Consultants.
Email: [email protected]
MBA and Beyond

197369

ISBmantra

Admission Consultant

Joined: 21 Oct 2013

Last visit: 03 Sep 2025

Posts: 265

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 37

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 265

Kudos: 72

11 Jul 2023, 02:16

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi walterwhite756

We are glad to say that your academic percentages are very good. It shows that you are capable of handling the rigorous coursework and strong foundation for your MBA application. Your rich work experience and new academic, industry knowledge from your MBA program together will help you transition to your post MBA career goal.

Your rich R&D experience in new technologies with the Govt is valuable, provided you can connect it to your future career. The answer to your queries are as follows:

1. No, it won't.
2. Extracurriculars and Hobbies help you showcase your personality. All personalities are different.
3. Yes, do get in touch to know more about the courses you can sign up for.
4. You can write GMAT in September 1st week and parallely work on the application. This will help you target R1.
5. The time required to be spent on application will vary from case to case depending upon availability of time. We help students with the application and interview process, feel free to get in touch with us to know more about our service.
6. We hope that the senior you are approaching knows your work, strengths, weaknesses etc.,

Wishing you all the best!

Team ISBMantra
https://www.isbmantra.com | [email protected]

walterwhite756

ISBmantra

Admission Consultant

Joined: 21 Oct 2013

Last visit: 03 Sep 2025

Posts: 265

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 37

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 265

Kudos: 72

11 Jul 2023, 02:19

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi 197369

We are glad to see that your academic percentages are good. This is a strong foundation for your MBA application, and it shows that you're capable of handling the rigorous coursework. However, we are concerned about your current GMAT range. The average GMAT score for the batch you're applying to is 710, so I would encourage you to try to match or come close to that score.

Your rich experience in supply chain is valuable, and it would be great to see you highlight this in your application and essays. Additionally, your extracurricular experience and unique hobbies would help you showcase your non-academic skills and network well on campus.

We know that the GMAT can be a daunting challenge, but we are confident that you can succeed if you put in the hard work. We are here to support you in any way that we can, so please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

I wish you all the best with your GMAT preparation!

Team ISBmantra
https://www.isbmantra.com | [email protected]

197369