Live Chat - Preparing for a very competitive Round 1 MBA Application

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Live Chat with ARINGO MBA Admissions consultancy

Topic: Preparing for a very competitive Round 1 MBA Application – ARINGO can help you make your application stand out!

Saturday, Apr 25, 2020 8 AM Pacific (3 PM GMT / 8:30 PM IST)

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The MBA applicant pool for Fall 2021 is going to be very tight and competitive in comparison to previous years. Up to 1/3 of international accepted applicants for 2020 studies are considering to defer their studies to Fall 2021. Additionally, we are predicting an increase in MBA applications, as candidates consider an MBA to get ahead in the workforce during a downward economy. ARINGO MBA Admissions Consulting specializes in working with candidates with low GMATs or GPAs on top MBA programs. Join ARINGO's head of strategy and London Business School alumnus, Mr. Shimri Winters, on his thoughts on how to compile a winning application.

Details of Presenters:

Mr. Shimri Winters, Head of strategy, ARINGO Admissions consultancy

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Sajjad1994 · Answer

Here is the log of the chat with ARINGO, all those couldn't make it to live chat can read this log and see what was discussed during the chat.

Introduction of the Chat Guest

Hi everyone. Excited to be here!

My name is Shimri Winters. I am a London Business School alumnus and I have been heading the strategy team here at ARINGO MBA Admissions Consulting for 6 years now.

A bit more about me: I have a computer science degree, and before my MBA at LBS, I worked as a programmer in a big software company. Post-graduation I work in consulting. Additionally, when I graduated from LBS, I was asked to be part of the LBS interviewing committee (I was helping LBS, interview MBA candidates, for 8 years).

Feel free to ask me anything during this chat!
(you can also check out our website https://www.ARINGO.com for further information or shoot me an email on [email protected] with your CV, GMAT, school wish list, timeline and questions.

What is the likely impact of Corona on apps for Sep 21 intake? Will it increase or decrease applications? What about the quality of apps?

Coronavirus impact on Sep-2021 admissions:

This is what I think:

A. Many international candidates who were accepted to Sep-2020 studies will ask for a deferral (= next year, there will be fewer seats in the class due to deferred students from this year)
B. Many people are now sitting at home, rethinking their future, thinking of a career change (=next year there will be more candidates)
A + B => next year will be harder to get into top MBA programs.

What does this mean for you? not much.
You can only do what you can do.

My suggestion - continue to improve your profile, work on your GMAT and get the best score you can and perhaps apply to more schools that you intended to originally, for backup reasons.

What are the chances of increasing average or decreasing GMAT score due to corona effect? Those who are taking interview without GMAT, on what basis they will provide conditional offer/ GMAT score required to join?

We can assume that next year, average GMAT scores might go up a bit (more people applying, more time at home to work on your prep for GMAT). but as GMAT averages are so high already, the increase will be minimal

New to MBA applications, wanted to understand the timelines of different rounds?

For most schools -

for September 2021 studies, Round1 of applications will be in September 2020, Round 2 in January 2021...

Does 2.7 yrs of experience effects my application?

your years of experience indeed "effect" your application, as well as where you worked, what was your progress there, what extracurricular you have, your GPA, your GMAT, your origin, your gender, the schools you are applying to, the timing of application...

Hi I am a relationship manager at an international bank in Small corporate banking , what do you think about this experience as a candidate? How can I improve my profile. Seldom do I see people coming from sales background. I am aiming for consulting role post MBA, I have pro bono consulting projects in uni

Hi, it is hard for me to give you a detailed profile analysis without knowing more about you, your CV, your GMAT, your school wish list, your extracurricular activities...
I suggest you send me this info to my email ([email protected]) and I will try to answer your questions...

Cant schools mitigate the A+B effect? By increasing seats? They should help and not scare students in times like these

Some schools may increase the number of seats in class in 2021. yet again, it is hard to build more buildings... and if they are not sure they will need these extra seats in 2022, they might prefer to maintain their "regular" numbers and simply have more candidates...

(all this is speculation of course)

Thank you. How can you improve your profile by sitting at home?

lots of ways.

- Online volunteering
- Online pre-MA courses
- Some sort of entrepreneurship
- Improve your GMAT
- Start working on your MBA applications
- School research

Thank You in advance for a possible review to my profile. What possible schools,if any, that I could get into, would you recommend?

Please send me your CV, GMAT Score, school wish list, the timeline of application and any other info to [email protected] for a profile evaluation

We can assume that next year, average GMAT scores might go up a bit (more people applying, more time at home to work on your prep for GMAT). but as GMAT averages are so high already, the increase will be minimal

Do you think B-Schools will see a spike in GRE instead of GMAT because of the aberrant nature of online GMAT where there is no calculator?

Hello! do you think this applies only to MBA applications or also to other degrees such as MSc Management?

I think every university degree, which is starting in September 2020, and has a large number of international students, is worried that they will be faced with many requests for deferrals. MBAs, MScs, BAs...

Some college are giving admissions for round 3 without GMAT, do you suggest those?

GMAT Waivers – you can always get updates on https://www.aringo.com/blog on schools that are waiving GMATs.
Currently, the list of top schools that are completely waiving GMATs seems to be:
Kellogg, UNC, USC, Mccombs, Tepper, Owen and HULT.
Some other schools are temporarily accepting other scores:
Cornell and Darden are now accepting other test scores (for example SATs) and Duke is now accepting the Excitative assessment (EA).

Most of the “other schools” are not waiving GMATs/GREs but are accepting delayed score tests (most schools will “wait” till July 1st).

But, keep in mind, most of “this waiting” in US schools is less relevant for international applicants, as schools know it takes time to issue a visa and to be honest, I cant see many international applicants, submitting applications in June and receiving acceptance in July.

Do you think B-Schools will see a spike in GRE instead of GMAT because of the aberrant nature of online GMAT where there is no calculator?

No, I dont anticipate spikes in GRE rates vs. GMAT.

Will the corona pandemic and layoffs of even top MBAs make the MBA less attractive?

I anticipate MBA programs to be more desirable
Many people are now sitting at home, rethinking their future, thinking of a career change (=next year there will be more candidates)

Will there be greater influx of applications to european schools now tha the US has been impacted badly by COVID? How will COVID impact admissions in country like France, Spain?

If we are talking about September 2021, I think European and US schools will all see a rise in applicants...

Hi I am a corporate Banking relationship Manager in an international bank, From my research not a lot of ppl Come from This background. Can you shed some lights now can I stand out? Post mba goal: consulting. Had some consulting exp in uni but not after I started working 3-4 years ago

Please send me your CV, GMAT Score, school wish list, the timeline of application and any other info to [email protected] for a profile evaluation

How much does no work experience affects my application?

MBA programs do not like to see a gap in one’s profile. yet again, these are special times, and if you were laid off due to the coronavirus and have a gap of a few months in your resume, it can be explained...

Hi I have a 5+ years of work experience in one of the top logistics company. I have graduated from the top college as well. What should be my target GMAT score considering the corona impact discussed here, and ways to improve/glorify my profile further as am on a sabbatical since Feb 2020.

Please send me your CV, GMAT Score, school wish list, the timeline of application and any other info to [email protected] for a profile evaluation

Should I apply to R2 applications or remaining applications anyhow since many schools are not worried about GRE/GMAT as there is still time for September and working from home does give you an extra edge

If you are asking should you apply now, R3 applications for Sep-2020 vs. next year for Sep-2021?

in that case:
Most US schools have extended their deadlines. You can now still apply to most MBA programs till June, and submit test scores till July. The schools did this because they are worried, that many already admitted candidates, will defer or cancel their studies due to the coronavirus impact. Schools are ultimately, a business, and like an airline with empty seats, they won’t want to start the studies with fewer students. BUT they will be super careful in admitting, late in the game, international candidates due to visa issues (most of the US embassies around the world are closed. And international applicants who will get admitted to schools in late June, might not be able to get out a visa on time for September)
Hence, in my eyes, there is a real opportunity now, for US citizens, green card holders, or visa holders, but I feel the window is closing fast for international applicants.

If you do want to apply in R3, I suggest doing this in the next few days, as the schools will be reviewing applications in a first come first serve basis. It is hard to estimate your chances, on the other hand, you have nothing to lose!

Elephant in the room question, is it then worth to go for MBA owning to a global recession , immigration suspension and an uncertain future.

My analysis: MBA graduates will become more hirable (Leading companies will seek quality recruits!)

For round 4 application this year, some schools allow the application without gmat score. Is it worth risking a lower score by sitting in exam early in order to meet the interview decision day, instead of just submitting the application without gmat at all? I don’t have gmat at the moment. I decided to apply only recently. I figured a lot of people would defer so like to try in round 4. Thanks

great question which no one can answer.
you can apply, then try to score a high GMAT, and if you do , update the schools, and if you don’t either apply without a GMAT or defer your application to next year...
Feel free to send me your CV, school wishlist and I can help you get to this decision. I am on [email protected]

Do you think it is now also a good time to apply to the MSc in Psychology at LSE since the applications are still open for the 2020 September? Or it is better to apply in October and start the studies in 2021 September?

you can contact LSE and ask them. their MSc is on a rolling basis... if they say apply, worth trying and worst case, trying again next year. feel free to send me your CV, and I will peep and give you my 2 cents...

Hi I am 29 years old (Turning 30 in Sep) with 7 years work ex. How should I approach a competitive round 1 in terms of strategy?

Hi, I dont know anything about you (origin, gender, GMAT, school wish list...) send me everything to my email and I will try to give you a deep profile evaluation

I am currently working in a leading construction equipment manufacture and market company in the sales role. i have done B Tech from Civil engineering. i will have 2 years of work ex in June this year. Preparing for the GMAT for 2021 intake. My question is in order to work in a leading consultancy company post my MBA or mater’s in data analytics, should i have a relevant experience in consulting prior my MBA or masters? Or i can go for the MBA or master without it?

Most MBA graduates go for a career change post-graduation. you dont need to work in consulting pre-MBA to go to consulting post-MBA.

Considering the Covid scenario, how much would you recommended to go for 1 year MBA vs. 2 year MBA?

I think there will be an uplift in 1Y MBA programs (less time off the market, faster ROI). as no one knows when the COVID virus will be eliminated, hard for me to give you an answer. I would do what is best for you...

Do you think we’ll be seeing a spike in applications similar to the levels seems after 2008 crisis? (Where some b-schools reported 20%+ more applicants)

I think that we will see a lift in applications next year... will it be 20% or 5%... I don’t know

Hello. What are the some of the best ways that can add much weight to your profile for Sept 2021 considering the heavy competition for Sept 2021. I have r yrs of wrk experience working as a developer in an IT company. How can we decide on them

have a great GMAT
Do school research
Work on interesting projects
Have managerial experience
etc.

and most importantly, formulate amazing applications to differentiate you from everyone else...

What are your views on current year deferral affecting the odds of Indian applicant hopefuls for MBA 23?

haha. I hope there will be no effect in 2023 by the coronavirus

Is there any advantage to applying during the R2 interval?

There is a minor difference between R1 and R2 and my suggestion is to apply when you are ready (profile and GMAT are optimized, and your applications are perfect) even if it means missing the R1 deadlines.

The reasons are these
R1 and R2 tend to have similar acceptance chances.
Yes, there are slight advantages for R1, for example, they might be more candidates who are waitlisted or a few more scholarships. The biggest advantage in my eyes for R1 admissions is, if you don’t get in, you can always apply to backup options in R2. So, the biggest advantage is more of a project management perspective, than of acceptance chances per school…
but again, as I said at the beginning, you should only apply, when you think your application is optimum in terms of career, GMAT, and application.

Hi, I’m a journalist with total 7.5 years of experience. For the last 5 years I have been reporting on the Asia Pacific marketing industry and am looking to do an MBA to switch to marketing. I had to however take an extended medical leave from my job in August last year as I have migraine and trigeminal neuralgia, both of which became chronic and daily in January 2019 and there has been not much improvement yet. However I’m trying to prep for GMAT and apply for 2021 intake. How can I explain the medical leave in my application?

1. take the GMAT (and then send me your CV for a deeper profile evaluation)
2. explain the absence. it is an elephant in the room and needs explaining.
3. formulate outstanding MBA applications, be unique, and no school will resist you...

Considering some schools have extended deadlines for the 2020 intake, do you think R1 /R2 application deadlines for the 2021 intake will be pushed a few months back as well? Thanks!

I think the MBA in Sep-2021 admissions will stay "on track and on schedule" = > R1 in September as usual

Will application deadlines for Sep 2021 get pushed as a result of COVID

I dont see this happening.

What are the positive effects of this pandemic on our applications? Or are we the most unfortunate lot of the century?

If you are applying for 2021, it will be a competitive year to apply. positives? maybe that the class will have many quality candidates? employers will know this? MBAs will be more desirable?

Given the pandemic situation and folks not able to give their GMATs from testing centers, do you recommend waiting for the centers to open or take the online GMAT and get ready for the applications to R1 2021 ? How do you plan for R1 especially if you have not taken the GMAT yet !?

Taking the GMAT from home (shorter test, but no pen and paper) or from a test center -> that is your decision... some prefer this, others that

how can yu prepare for R1? start writing applications and worst case, if you don’t take the GMAT on time, apply in R2 (the applications don’t change)

Will this possible increase in competition for 2021 admissions spill over to 2022 admissions?

if the pandemic continues, perhaps, but I doubt it...

Hi! Do you think amid all the recession talks, visa hassels happening in the US, and COVID impacts it is preferable to pursue MBA in India rather than from abroad (especially US)

There are some top MBAs in India too, but they do not lead to the same job market that a US MBA does. This is your call where to apply to...

Know that you graduated from LBS, would you suggest International Candidate to study in London/ Top 15 US MBA? Goal is to join a consulting role after grad in London (if in LBS)/US!

The key difference between LBS and a top US schools is.... the location (same curriculum, same professors, same study group, same consulting firms recruiting after...)
where do you want to live? throughout the degree and after? that should be your main reason for deciding...

What would you say be a good start or a resource to get sorted on selecting schools as I am not sure where do I wanna apply (other than based on the rankings)

check out our website: https://www.ARINGO.com
we have a brief on all schools, average salaries, school specializations...
https://www.aringo.com/top-mba-programs/
https://www.aringo.com/mba-specializations/

Do you think the scholarships that applicants granted for next schooling year will be affected?

tough question. school rely on donations, and if fewer people donate money to schools, they will have less for scholarships... so, they might be fewer scholarships, but they are so many ifs and buts here...and schools, will ALWAYS have scholarships for good candidates

What are the various methods to do effective school research? How do i gauge when I know a school well?

go to ARINGO website
go to the school website
go on LinkedIn and find school alumni
visit the school
join webinars
etc.

Does doing free online certifications will help build a better profile if done on courses such as Digital Marketing,Business Management Foundations etc from various E-learning platforms available online??

It depends on your profile. it may add a bit (a real bit...) and you can show, I felt I am missing this skill, and decided to enroll on the course. the course is less important, but it shows you took an initiative

What’s your view on the likely impact of Covid on EMBA applications?

1. as a lot of EMBAs are sponsored by their employer
2. as a lot of EMBAs commute to their EMBAs
I anticipate that in the near future, we will see fewer EMBA applications

Is there still a scope to apply for this year (R4, rolling or anything)? Considering I will be starting from scratch.. no applications or essays written for now

Most US schools have extended their deadlines. You can now still apply to most MBA programs till June, and submit test scores till July. The schools did this because they are worried, that many already admitted candidates, will defer or cancel their studies due to the coronavirus impact. Schools are ultimately, a business, and like an airline with empty seats, they won’t want to start the studies with fewer students. BUT they will be super careful in admitting, late in the game, international candidates due to visa issues (most of the US embassies around the world are closed. And international applicants who will get admitted to schools in late June, might not be able to get out a visa on time for September)
Hence, in my eyes, there is a real opportunity now, for US citizens, green card holders, or visa holders, but I feel the window is closing fast for international applicants.

If you do want to apply in R3, I suggest doing this in the next few days, as the schools will be reviewing applications in a first come first serve basis. It is hard to estimate your chances, on the other hand, you have nothing to lose!

Is LBS likely to offer more seats than before in r4 given they are more than 90% international?

LBS will wait and see what is happening with their R1-R3 already admitted applicants. on every deferral, there will be a spare seat...

What are your views on mba schools such as Oxford & HEC Paris? Should one consider applying to them over ISB if he is looking for one year MBA

If you are looking for an international experience, throughout the MBA, and international job opportunities, and international MBA brand, and an international network, I think Oxford and HEC are fantastic opportunities vs. the best, "national" MBA in India...

From your MBA advising experience, what are the most common reasons schools reject candidates? (Assume applicants were well prepared, good GPA and decent GMAT score

When I was interviewing candidates at LBS, I looked for many things, smart, interesting, academic, professional, has interests,... nail all of these, and you will stand out...

If you applied last year and got rejected, by all schools, you did something wrong... not sure what...

Since GMAT score is waived-off for few schools for R4 in 2020,how will the scholarships be awarded to the students in the absence of good GMAT scores???

So, you think if you apply in the extended R4, with no GMAT, you have a chance to receive a scholarship?
the answer is, very few scholarships will be givven for applicants applying now for Sep-2020 studies

So can we say this year has more chance of getting through into a top bschool in R4,considering the deferred admissions by accepted students. Where can I get a profile evaluation done for NTU and NUS

Please send me your CV, GMAT Score, school wish list, the timeline of application and any other info to [email protected] for a profile evaluation

If my overall profile is good, whow much negative impact a GMAT score of 700 can have on my profile if I am applying to top 15 business schools both in US and Europe

As I dont know anything about your profile, your professional aspirations, your interests, your origin etc it is hard for me to give you a chances assessment 700 is below most of the top 15 MBA US program GMAT average, so your profile should be "Above average"
send me your CV, and other info to my email [email protected] and I will view it...

What is a good estimate of how long it should take to complete essays for 3-4 schools?

We usually work with candidates 2-3 months on 4-6 full school applications...
obviously, we prefer it to be longer (no pressure) and it can be done sooner (with pressure) your call...

Will the current situation mean that Europe/UK MBA can be more attractive than US MBA ? Up until now I had only considered applying to US MBA.?

I think smarter people than you or me don’t know what the economical situation will be in the US vs. Europe in 2023... Trump, Brexit, Coronavirus, Euro/Dollar etc.?

Bottom line is top MBA graduates will be desirable by employers, globally...

Would there be an increase in competition for 2021 for NTU. NUS or HKUST or any other b-schools in APAC, as well ?

If people are sitting at home now working on their GMATs, there will be a rise in GMAT scores
if people are considering career changes - there will be a rise in applications
in people got sick, or got laid off, there will be some deferral
= yes, it will be harder to get accepted to any top MBA in the world next year

BUT, there is nothing you can do about it apart from creat the best possible application

Will the R1 round be less competitive than R2 this year, because of deferrals?

There is a minor difference between R1 and R2 and my suggestion is to apply when you are ready (profile and GMAT are optimized, and your applications are perfect) even if it means missing the R1 deadlines.

The reasons are these
R1 and R2 tend to have similar acceptance chances.
Yes, there are slight advantages for R1, for example, they might be more candidates who are waitlisted or a few more scholarships. The biggest advantage in my eyes for R1 admissions is, if you don’t get in, you can always apply to backup options in R2. So, the biggest advantage is more of a project management perspective, than of acceptance chances per school…
but again, as I said at the beginning, you should only apply, when you think your application is optimum in terms of career, GMAT, and application.

What all schools should I apply to in US or Europe as an Indian applicant if I am looking for a 1 year mba program? I am looking for both Jan 2021 and Sep 2021 intake? My entire experience is in Operations Management in one of the top 5 FMCG companies in the world

Well, there arent that many top 1-Y MBAs in the US (Kellogg, Cornell, Emory)
Please send me your CV and GMAT Score (Well, and school wish list) to [email protected] for a profile evaluation and I will help you select the schools you should apply to

Would you recommend applying in round 1 even if campus visits and in-person events are canceled due to corona virus? Or is it more beneficial to wait and hopefully be able to network before applying in round 2 (assuming that campus visits resume by then)?

I don’t think a campus visit should stop you from applying in R1
if your application is ready and optimal, then apply!

I want to understand if applying in round 1 for fall 2021 batch makes more sense than applying next year in R1 for fall 2022, in light of the fact that the applicant pool for fall 2021 is expected to be much more competitive. I will have 3 years of work experience by Sep 2020.

If you would like to study in 2021, then apply then, if you have a good job, and want to strengthen your career, before the MBA, then wait till 2022. this is your call... if you have years of experience, you will probably have a stronger profile next year with 4 years of experience, but that doesn’t mean you should not apply this R1.
your call!

That is all from this chat session.

Thanks and regards
Sajjad

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