kindly evaluate my profile. Many Thanks

Question

Dear fellow Gmatclubbers, following is my profile. i also posted a similar version of it for review by Paul Bodine. I will also post his views later(do not want to bias your opinion)

Please throw your opinions, views, stares, punches and kicks at it. The more the merrier.

Ethnicity: Indian

GMAT: 740(Q49, V 41), AWA 5.5, first attempt(710,Q49, V39, AWA 6)

Acads: Electrical Engg Top 10 college, but not an IIT), with 66%(first division)

Workex: 7.5 years, first 3 years as an entrepreneur in test prep industry (for Indian MBA test prep). The venture is a successful one (I now perform a consultant’s role) and in year 2007- 08 did a topline of over $1 million. I built the business starting from scratch and without any VC support. In 2007/08 we trained over 2000 students. Currently we operate in 3 major cities of India. Organization size is 30. However have been stagnating now. I am Seriously contemplating selling and merging it with the company where I have been working for the past 4 years Getting a decent offer as well.

Last 4.5 years: In one of the largest test prep player in India in various roles from national academic head to, master trainer, to franchisee development and business development role. Plenty of leadership experience in product development and marketing

Current designation: General Manager (Franchisee operations) handling a team of over 30 people and operations in 70 cities. I have been rated the best employee for 4 years in succession and have had 3 promotions in 4 successive years (from Senior Manager to General Manager)

Extracurricular: Established 2 clubs and 1 society while in college (am the Emeritus president of two of them and both have over 300 members), founded an NGO to promote female education (over 100 members, raised $ 5000 last year), captain of college cricket team, active volunteer for SOS villages (a nobel prize winning NGO), on an average I spend 200 hours annually in conducting leadership and motivation training for the orphans in SOS villages. I am considered a leading expert on MBA test prep industry in India and have appeared over 15 times on national television channels as an expert. I also have written over 50 articles on education in all major national dailies in India. A brown belt in taekwando.

Gap in employment history for two years, immediately after graduation (1999 to 2001). This gap was to prepare and appear for an exam called CSE (Civil Services Examination). CSE is an exam unique to India where successful candidates directly enter middle level bureaucracy. Out of 500000 people who sit for the exam only 500 are selected. There are 3 levels for elimination (a preliminary, a mains and an interview). I managed to reach the interview twice (only 1500 out of 500000 reach the interview), though I couldn`t make it to the final elite list. Exam tests the aspirants on general awareness and on two subjects (graduate level). My subjects were Sociology and Psychology (although i am engineer by academic qualification). I also taught both Sociology and Psychology part time to other aspirants for CSE, for an year.

Target B schools: Wharton, Yale, Duke, Ross, Kellog, Haas, Tuck,

Why MBA?
Get exposure to launch and scale up smaller ventures to the next level, gain credibility and ability to get substantial funds for my entrepreneurial ideas from VC and angel funds. I do have few big entrepreneurial notions in the domain of education but all are capital intensive. My own savings have been consumed in carrying market surveys etc. Further MBA for me will be an avenue to get a 360-degree feedback on the ideas, filter them and develop adequate network to finance them. I belive an MBA from an elite B school bolsters my credibility for a VC. Ross/Yale/Wharton have got special advantages, as they are well known brands in India as well.

Queries:
1. General comments on profile: strengths/ weaknesses/concerns
2. comments on school selection? is it too ambitious? esp wharton. what coule be my sage schools?(I hope there are few :?:

)
3. How to tackle the vexed age issue? Will Post MBA aim of not seeking employment in US and returning back to India for entrepreneurial pursuits in the domain of formal education help in this regard? this is what bugs me the most

Will appreciate any feedback (the more harsher the more better) on general profile and specific issues.
regards
Devil

) 3. How to tackle the vexed age issue? Will Post MBA aim of not seeking employment in US and returning back to India for entrepreneurial pursuits in the domain of formal education help in this regard? this is what bugs me the most Will appreciate any feedback (the more harsher the more better) on general profile and specific issues. regards Devil

devil420 · Answer

35 views and not even a single comment Either my profile is too horrible and is not worthy enough of evoking a comment or it is 2 goo...

. Guys(also gals :-D

), kindly evaluate the profile. I shall be obliged

agold · Answer

I would be surprised if you did not get into either Duke or Ross. The other schools will be a toss up, but it is definitely worth your time to apply. You may also want to consider UCLA, Darden and Chicago.

devil420 · Answer

Thanks terp for sharing your perspective. Any particular reason you think ross and Fuqua will be relatively easier? what could be a safe school for me?

devil420 · Answer

Guys, i will really appreciate some more feedbacks. Kindly spare the time. Solaris, Kryzak, River ripper, :?:

agold · Answer

They have higher acceptance rates. Anything outside the Top 30 should be "safe" but realize that it is difficult to use this term for any schools due to the randomness of MBA admissions.

solaris1 · Answer

devil - there's a lot of fodder for great essays in your profile. I would focus on the entrepreneurial and leadership aspects and not dwell too much on the ICSE examinations. There's a substantial risk of that coming across as a failure and would raise questions about what prompted you to alter career ambitions from the civil services to a venture in a relatively niche market. This is a question you should have a smart answer to anyway.

If you spin this the right way however, and only you can do this, you will have what it takes for a powerful application. Your goals seem reasonably well developed and with a little more refinement would make total sense.

I'm not the best person to comment on extracurriculars, since that's a huge weakness in my own profile. But I think your professional experience will make up for any perceived gaps.

I would say Wharton and Haas should be your top two choices, followed by Kellogg and Tuck. Not sure what particularly attracts you to Yale and Fuqua.

By the way, are you in the 28-30 age range?

devil420 · Answer

Thanks Solaris. I intend to write the optional essay on the CSE debacle. otherwise donot intend to talk about it anywhere else. And you have asked the most apt question, age :evil:

I will be 32 in Dec 08. Now how much does that mar the chances at Wharton and Haas? Fuqua is in general considered to be oldie friendly.

solaris1 · Answer

The fact you're 32 is not a dealbreaker, but how you explain those two years you spent studying for the civil services exam and then your subsequent career jump to a test prep venture is going to be crucial.

My guess is that Duke's average age is skewed a bit upwards because of the school's tremendous popularity with ex-military folks. There are schools that prefer early career candidates, but I don't think there are any schools really that are truly "oldie friendly." The ideal age bracket every school is looking at is probably 26-28 years old at matriculation.

The onus therefore is on you to prove that you've accomplished more than your slightly younger peers. Just have this potential issue at the back of your mind when you're finishing your application.

Lastly, bear in mind all of us here are also fellow applicants. So take our advice with a grain of salt. Your own research and fit with a school is naturally very important. Don't apply to a school based on its selectivity or perceived openness to older candidates.

devil420 · Answer

point taken mate. thnx

kindly evaluate my profile. Many Thanks

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