My Profile Evaluation: Unique or not?

Question

Hello guys,

I am looking for some insights on my profile so I have an idea of what GMAT score I need to pursue MBA in operations management in Michigan State University and Indiana University.

Please feel free to suggest more university that could fit my profile.

Current GMAT focus Score: 635 (GMAT classic equivalent: 690) Planning to retake the GMAT again
Age: 28
CGPA: 7.43/10
Undergrad: Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh 
My Background: I was born and raised in Kuwait (Middle-east) but Indian citizen by passport. Do the admission committee differentiate on the basis of the passport or the country of birth?

My Work Ex Story:
I did my Btech in Electronics and Communication Engineering. While I was studying my father and my brothers started an engineering contracting business in Kuwait and India (Installation, maintenance of home automation, electronic security systems) and during my sem breaks I used to work with our technical team. The company faced alot of challenges and at the time of my internship semester (semester where you have to do a manadatory internship for credits) so I had to come onboard and help out my brother who was in charge of the India operations. We had a labor shortage so we had to recruit interns from our district trade school and train them from scratch. I was involved in the hiring process. As there was toxic work enivornment brewing up we had to lay off some of the staff (who also happened to start a competing company) so I was the last technical guy left. I had to train the new recruits and this time around we avoided the mistakes we made the previous time and it worked. With the company back in form I had to rejoin my university after the sem break.

After completing my university degree I decided to come back and join my business. As soon as I joined I had to take over the operations since my brother had to step away from the business for some other commitments. I reviewed our whole supply chain and updated few vendors who gave us better deals and experimented with few other product lines some worked out some didn't. Then due to many economical policy changes which happened in a small span of time (Demonatization of Indian Rupees, Introduction of GST, etc.) the business wasn't doing great and I decided to hand over the operations to our senior engineer and  head back to Kuwait to join operations there. Then the pandemic hit and we had to shutdown the operations in India permenantly.

In Kuwait, things were much slower since I was new to the market and its environment. Our team was already a well oiled machine and I got to learn more technical work. But our Security Safes division was not doing great, seeing that as an opportunity I started focusing my time on it. My brother had this great idea of customizing our high grade bank safes to a luxury verison of it and market it to capture the luxury side of the Security Safes market. So I decided to experiment with this idea- started editing our safes photos, I started an instagram page, posted a few photos of my customized safe prototype and took a bold move of putting paid ads to see if there actually was demand for the product. Turns out there was demand and I even had a customer who asked me for a price for one, since I already knew what a company in USA charges for a comparable product and with a quick mental math I told him a price. Then and there a negotiation started, in the heat of the moment I renegotiated and sold my first luxury safe. After my kept the call I shockingly realized I needed to really deliver this order in a month. Within a week(highly stressful one I must say), I was able to assemble a supply chain of vendors to complete the project in time. That's the begining of a productline that now brings 50% of our revenue till date. I learned a lot about quality control and product development because of this experience.

Though the new venture did show promise, it didn't take off to such a scale that all of us in our family could see a stable income due to the economic climate in Kuwait at that time. I came across an opportunity to work in my field of study (electronics and communication)- to work as a technician in a Radio and Satellite Broadcasting station. I was interested to join the company so I could experience how an industrial and production facility functioned even though I had to work as a technician instead of an engineer. I have been working in this plant for 3 years now and I have discovered my passion for operations management (something that buildup since the start of my career). During my tenure at my new job, I was able to do projects that improved efficiency of broadcasting operations and maintenance operations.

While I am away from my family business, the business has started its own production facility for customisation of Safes. I am now determined to get formally educated from a business school and learn the new age of business (data driven) so I can head back to my family business with a lot more expertise rather than experimental ideas.

I played with the "Check my Chances" tool of the GMAT club decision tracker and I am not able to decide if I come under the Over-represented demographic or not. In college I was part of rock band and have won a few city level competitions. I was vice-captain/coach of the college basketball team (government colleges in India sometimes do not have the budget to have a specific basketball coach) and I have few modest achievements in that too. I have organized college events (RedBull basketball 3v3 tournament in the college).

I would like to ask the respected admissions consultants and my fellow peers here in GMAT club to please evaluate my profile and give me feedback on what I could do to better my chances.

Sincerely,
Kiran Thomas

MBADecoder · Answer

Hi Kiran, That was a great read and the one advice I want to give first is that every applicant has a unique story. Your story has many ups and downs, which also means that you have experienced substantial personality growth. I'd any day rate this is higher than your status as over represented / Indian/ foreigner citizen. You can differentiate yourself on the strength of your unique experiences and the adcosm will take cognizance of it. Do, dont overthink about the pool that you belong too. However, to address the technicalities, I believe you will be considered an Indian applicant based on your citizenship. That said, international experience matters. You've not mentioned your undergrad institution or grades; both are important to understand your competitiveness across this parameter. This 690 GMAT would be a little low, so a retake is on the cards. This will be more essential if your undergrad GPA is not very strong. Regarding your work exp- the family biz story is interesting. You showed grit, perseverance, intiative, risk taking and resourcefulness - all these qualities will help you in your narrative as b-schools like leaders and go-getters. I'd need some clarity on the current experience - you mention that you worked as a technician - was that a step down for you? What would matter more is how was your growth and career progression for the entire three years you have worked here? And, what were your achievements like? did you help this business grow as well (quantifird achievements)? On another note, you will have to get recommendations from a manager from this experience, so I hope you are mentally lining up people to do the job. The career goals and desire to scale the family business are valid - you may consider when you will go back to the business- immediately after MBA or some years later after getting work experience outside your company, Both would be viable paths and I would encourage you to think of the merits and demerits of both when you start to frame your career goals. Your ECAs are alright, but do you have anything new since the time of college? If not, this may be an areas to beef up. Lastly, if ops management is an interest, there are several other programs you may look into, to add to your list. These include Ross, Tepper, Fisher (Ohio), Scheller to name a few. Hope that helps! Namita Garg, Founder, MBA Decoder Email: contact@mbadecoder.com Profile evaluation: https://mbadecoder.com/services/free-pr ... valuation/

thomaskiran960 · Answer

Thank you so much for the reply.

I did my Btech from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh and CGPA 7.44/10

My present employer is a government broadcasting company, it’s a non profit. Our business is broadcasting and my job as a technician (broadcast engineer) is to make sure all systems are running at optimum capacity, responsible for the maintenance of the system and we have the liberty to pitch ideas/projects to improve efficiency of the operations. I was responsible for a few major projects (planning, procurement, project scheduling, project coordination and team coordination) and I took on a role (worked as the acting Network administrator) outside my job description since I had expertise for it and our station was in need of the role. Got myself certified as a “Cisco Certified Network Administrator” before taking on the role.

As for the ECAs, I am still pursuing my passion for basketball by participating in local open tournaments with no achievements other than participation. My music career is still in existence in the form instagram reels. 😅

Posted from my mobile device

MBADecoder · Answer

Hi Kiran, Thats a good profile. Your acads are at an average level, but they are not going to cause you trouble as such (unless there are failed subjects). Aim for a 720+ GMAT score as it can also help you get a scholarship. In terms of your current role you will have to make it relevant for business schools. How do you do that? Well, b-schools look for leadership, business acumen and quantifiable achievements when they view your resume and the rest of your application. Your technical skills are not that important. For both your experiences- at the broadcasting company and at your family biz- you should focus upon those elements that show you improving the business value by taking initiative, leading new projects, adding to the topline and optimizing costs/ efficiencies. Your job descriptions suggest you have such experiences at both the companies, so good on you! So, as your next steps, double down on your GMAT prep so that you can hit the right score in your next attempt; that will allow you time to apply to more than just 2 b-schools in R1 (Sept- Oct). My suggestion is to put in 5-7 applications so that you can maximize your chance of admissions and have some negotiating power for scholarships. All the best, and to feel to reach out for a profile evaluation. Namita Garg, Founder, MBA Decoder Email: contact@mbadecoder.com Profile evaluation: https://mbadecoder.com/services/free-pr ... valuation/

admitStreet · Answer

@thomaskiran960 - interesting profile. Some thoughts:

1. Your acads are decent. Regarding GMAT, the average (Classic) GMAT scores of top global B-schools are  here  - it'd be ideal to aim for 10-20 points above your target school's average. Given your plans in operations management and entrepreneurship, aim to prioritize schools that have a strong network/ ecosystem across both. This would require further discussions, to narrow down to an optimal mix of ambitious and reach/ safe programs.

2. Your entrepreneurial stint, professional/ operational roles and ECA's can present good angles for essays. It'd be crucial to have a strong narrative highlighting your skillsets gained (functional and sectoral), career plans (post-MBA and long-term), and how/ why an MBA fits in. On a side note, try to quantify wherever possible, especially on your CV; B-schools love numbers. Some guidelines are  here .

Hope this helps some. Feel free to reach out with your profile for a deeper chat.

Regards,
Arvind
Founder, admitStreet |  Schedule a free chat 
W:  https://admitstreet.com  |  LinkedIn

TheRedPen · Answer

Hi @thomaskiran960,

Your story was quite a good read, bringing me to my point of how you can effectively present your endeavors to the Adcoms. Your overall academics are decent with your work experience at your family business and otherwise.

We can effectively use your work-ex to portray the wide variety of skill sets you've earned and how your overall experience can supplement your learnings at the MBA programs.

We recommend connecting with you over a call with our MBA consultants to strategize your profile for M7 applications. You can schedule a free call with the team  here .

You can also connect with the team via call at +91 7780769732

AugustAcademy · Answer

Hi,

You have an interesting story.  Having said that, I feel you would still be a bit over-represented.  Your score should be good for MSU though (just going by your conversion that it is approx. 690.  Ideally 700 - 710 for an Indian passport holder here.). Kelley - another 20 points would be useful.

Things to work on: GMAT, if you are planning for higher ranked programs (are you?), EC's.

Feel free to reach out for a longer chat:  https://bit.ly/GM_AugAcd_Profile_Evaluation

Best,
Karthik

thomaskiran960

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello  thomaskiran960 ,

Thanks for writing in.

While you will be considered an Indian, the entrepreneurial experience (including your experience in Kuwait) will prove to be immensely value-adding.

We will possibly be reiterating what has already been said above - you have some strong talking points; hence what you need to work on is building a narrative that adequately captures your strengths and diverse experience. Ideally, you should be working on improving your GMAT (such that you are able to breach the 710/720 mark if one looks at your score through the GMAT Classic version lens).

Hope this helps.

All the best!

thomaskiran960 · Answer

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for all your replies. It's amazing how GMAT club helps us all connect. Honestly I wanted to reply to all of you well-wishers when I get my target score.

I had just given by third attempt of GMAT focus and it didn't go well. I was having a bad day, woke up with a headache and I just went for it exam because I couldn't reschedule in the last minute. I hoped I could get my best score in spite of that but I got my worse score till date- 620.

The last attempt I tanked my quant by not answering my last question in quant and still got a 83 and got myself a 690. I knew the new GMAT has a huge penalty for missing questions. I was hoping by the next exam I can easily go beyond the 700 mark. But sometimes things don't go according the plan. I feel defeated to be honest and I am trying to gather courage and strength to face the exam again.

I have a few questions. Do I still have time to give the GMAT another attempt? 
Can I take break from the preparation so I don't feel burn out? If yes, for how long?
I did self study up until now - GMAT forum quizzes and Official Guides. I followed  GMATNinja  methods. Should I go for an online Test Prep? Or Should I just trust my gut and go ahead do what I did up until now and give it another attempt?

bb   GMATNinja   TargetTestPrep   MartyMurray

MBADecoder · Answer

Sorry to hear this. Unfortunately, it wasn't your day, but don't give up hope, as you were likely to do better had you not woken up sick. Perhaps you built too much pressure upon yourself. Yes, you have the time to retake and I believe getting personal coaching will help in bumping the scores up. Regarding the break- I think a short one would be ok, but if you get into your comfort zone and forget about it then you can also lose the grip on your study. The GMAT experts may be able to answer this better, but I think a week to 10 days break should be enough to refresh. More power to you. Namita Garg, Founder, MBA Decoder Email: contact@mbadecoder.com Profile evaluation: https://mbadecoder.com/services/free-pr ... valuation/ Helping MBA Aspirants secure admission to their dream programs since 2011

thomaskiran960 · Answer

Hello Everyone,

I gave my 3rd attempt of GMAT Focus Exam and scored a 655 - Q84, V84 and DI79. Gmat Classic equivalent score 710.

Thank you for all the responses. I have been preparing for almost an year now and wondering if I should give it another attempt to break the 720 ceiling or focus completely on my applications.

Regards,
Kiran

CandidateCoach · Answer

Hi Kiran,

First of all, congrats on your score - that's great? My first question is however, why is a 720-equivalent your "ceiling"?

The reality is the GMAT Focus is a significantly harder test and I think you're killing it! The second reality is that schools don't really have a clear handle on how to interpret scores, so you're lucky in a way to be applying during times of uncertainty.

What you should absolutely do is make your personal brand and storytelling the top priority. Along with finding the schools that are truly your best fit for you (based on knowledge gaps, goals, values, learning style, etc. ), put the GMAT on the back burner and pivot to priority on your application! You can always retake the GMAT again if you have the bandwidth and want to give it another slug! But this is not your priority. Today's TOP SKILL for bschools: Adaptability. 
Understand the ROI on spending more time ont he test, and show that you know how to adjust to the priority of now: your application/essays.

Hit me up if you'd like to discuss in my detail and have a free full profile review and consultation.

-Eric Lucrezia

thomaskiran960 · Answer

Hey Eric,

Thank you for your take on the matter.

If you could quantify how important is a GMAT score in the MBA applications in relative to the rest of application what will say about that?

It's a great outlook on the matter given the new GMAT situation and that the new GMAT was tougher, honestly I wasn't aware of that. I hope you are right on this matter because it was a hell of a ride to reach this score to be honest. I was under the impression that since I am a Indian Passport holder my candidacy will be considered "over-represented" and that my GMAT score should be above the average of my target school by atleast 10 points. Getting a 10+ points GMAT score is bigger hurdle to get pass.

I have reached a point where I can either taking the GMAT or start focusing on my application. I am currently weighing my options. I hope to get into the top 15 B-schools and I am not sure if my profile and past experiences will be able to offset the expected GMAT score of the "over-represented" Indian Engineer. Which is why I am took a chance and decided to ask the GMAT club community. The community has been so good to me for being candid on their opinion and hope to hear from everyone else. Your take on this matter is very interesting and I hope to connect with you soon.

Regards,
Kiran

admitStreet · Answer

@ thomaskiran960 - I agree with Eric that the GMAT is one aspect of your application. While it's hard to exactly quantify, I would say that all these angles play an equally important role in your candidature: academic pedigree/ GPA, GMAT/ GRE, CV/ work-ex, extracurriculars, school-fit, essays/ narrative, interview performance. Some schools tend to overindex certain angles more than others, but broadly, all matter. Having said that, since you belong to the Indian Male applicant pool, where high-scorers aren't in the minority, I would recommend aiming for 10-20+ points above the average of your target schools. This again is a general rule of thumb, and there can be exceptions. Whether your overall profile can compensate for the GMAT or you should retake will mainly depend on these factors: - Do you foresee an improvement if you retake the GMAT within the next few weeks, while the tempo is still on? Did your score vary from your mocks, and if so, why - can it be improved along those dimensions? - How particular are you on US Top-15. This is a personal and professional choice, and if you're very particular, retaking would help increase chances. If you expand the horizon to US Top-25, the current score with a strong application could work. Feel free to reach out for a deeper chat. Regards, Arvind Founder, admitStreet | Schedule a free chat W: https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com | LinkedIn

AugustAcademy · Answer

Hello,

Congrats on breaking the 650 barrier.  Or a 700 as per the old GMAT.  For an Indian male applicant, this will typically position you for success at a school that is ranked in the US top 30/35.

If you are interested in a T15, then you will need a 740/750 equivalent.

Of course your profile matters - but we seem to be living in times where everyone has done some amazing things at work, and so finding points of differentiation is becoming rarer by the minute!

Still, I think this warrants a back-and-forth discussion that may be difficult in a forum, where communication is asynchronous, and there could be a few days between our replies.

Feel free to reach out if you want to chat more:  https://bit.ly/GM_AugAcd_Profile_Evaluation

Best,
Karthik

My Profile Evaluation: Unique or not?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards