Over-represented category

Question

Hi,

I just wanted to understand Over-represented category would mean

Would even govt/ public sector employees from India fall in the same category. 
these are jobs where leadership roles start from day 1. You are given teams and budgets to handle. Even then overrepresented?

Admissionado · Answer

vamkrispk :

Over-represented can cut across categories. It tends to talk about people coming from popular geographic, ethnic and/or gender categories. It can also represent a particular industry/sector and function. The more boxes you 'check' the more over-represented you would be considered.

So, Indian males are quite over-represented. Indian males in engineering are very over-represented. Indian males from the public sector are generally less represented than those from engineering.

There's not much you can do (barring a job change or relocation - and even then that might not make a huge difference), so just be wise about creating a school list so you are appropriately hedging given the competition you are facing.

MBAGuide · Answer

vamkrispk hope this finds you well At the top level, global business schools segment applicants by their geographic region/nationalities. Within each nationality, certain groups may be overrepresented. To put it simply, the percentage allocation to each group somehow represents the actual demographic split from that country's applicant pool. For example, the largest chunk of working-class professionals in India is employed in the IT or tech sector. It is natural that among MBA applicants, these groups find the most representation, and as a result, business schools are spoiled for choice. This is exactly why applicants from this subgroup have to work hard on their applications to get noticed. Addressing your specific concern about government/public sector employees, I have a more nuanced take on this that is not just limited to the demographic being considered overrepresented or not. There are more factors at play than just that. There are certain preconceived notions when it comes to the govt sector employees from India. The Government/public sector employees are generally limited in their experience of working in a rigid setup, with very defined rules and usually a top-down decision-making approach. Very often, MBA aspirants from this sector have only worked in one company, have had limited opportunities to grow/get promoted, and themselves have taken limited actions to break out of the monotonous experience. For many from these sectors, an MBA is often the first time they are actually even thinking of moving out and using an MBA as a steppingstone, instead of making the exit on their own. Why global MBA programs are somewhat extra critical of these applicants is to make sure the applicants they admit have a growth mindset and would not struggle in adjusting to an intense MBA program and the eventual job search, which in countries outside of India is also very different, and much of the onus is on the student. Now having read about your profile elsewhere on this platform, you certainly seem to be a high-potential candidate from within this subgroup. Provided you present a strong story, proof of a growth mindset, diversity of experiences, and a solid GMAT/GRE score, the schools will definitely give you due consideration. You may connect with me directly for candid advice. Best wishes Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, former INSEAD admissions interviewer) MBAGuideConsulting LinkedIn |Read Testimonials on WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

vamkrispk · Answer

Just to get it straight. 
Growth mindset would be to have "Go-getter" attitude and show that you can actually achieve stuff on your own without a machinery backing you. 
But I think B Schools should know that govt and public sector is actually the driver for growth in most sectors in India. 
Though there is top down decision making, but individual powers are also bestowed on the officer at every level. 
So if I were to articulate this in a cohesive manner, then it won't look too bad, I hope?

MBAGuide · Answer

vamkrispk well, the dynamic in the application process isn't conducive to dictating what adcoms should or shouldn't think. Applicants aren't in a position to engage in such discussions. Instead, focus on presenting a well-rounded profile that highlights instances where you have proactively taken on tasks that go beyond the conventional scope of your role, and where you have exceeded expectations. The focus of your narrative should be "you" and not how the public sector is the driver of growth in most sectors. For example if your background is in public banking and finance, make a compelling case for your motivation to work in the public sector. Perhaps you have some interesting insights into implementing projects that affect specific populations, such as the bottom tier of the Indian economy. What problems have you identified and tried to solve? What was the impact? Demonstrate compassionate leadership through stories and an iron will to mobilize such sectors in the long term by leveraging your prior experience and your post-MBA improved business acumen. Effective storytelling is important, but also back your narrative with tangible evidence of a solid academic track record or an impressive GMAT/GRE score. Best wishes Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, former INSEAD admissions interviewer) MBAGuideConsulting LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

vamkrispk · Answer

Thanks Aanchal.
Great advice .. much appreciated!

Posted from my mobile device

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello  vamkrispk ,

Over represented would imply a category that sees a higher number of applications; this could be on the basis of professional background, gender, nationality, etc.

Thus, even though you do not come from a tech background (an overrepresented category), your nationality is Indian (another overrepresented category).

Hope this helps.

Thanks.

Over-represented category

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