Ask MBA Crystal Ball

Short answer is, direct supervisor is preferred, especially in case of 1 reco. But if that's not an option, don't you have someone in a senior role, other than your boss, who you work closely with? If yes, that can be another potential. Recency helps in the reco.

Hope this helps.

Tuck MBA Admissions – Interview with Regional Admissions Director (India, SE Asia)

Were you aware of the unique placements opportunity at Tuck where you can 'opt' to get interviewed by marquee consulting firms of your choice? In a tête-à-tête with Sudershan ‘Suds’ Tirumala, from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, we got several interesting insights into the Tuck MBA admissions process, the importance of GMAT / GRE scores, MBA essays, interviews, jobs – and of course, the intriguing self-nomination process for placements. Read more

Hi

I plan to apply to top 30 B-schools in US/Europe next fall.
I already hold an MBA from an Indian University and have over 5 years of work experience. Kindly evaluate my profile and advise on the schools that I should target:

Work experience:
- 5 Years in Sales & business Development with an Indian MNC in the steel industry.
- Experience of handling multiple brands in the capacity of a state manager. Worked in 3 different locations
- Nominated as project leader for quite a few consulting initiatives within the company. Delivered better than targeted results.
- Internship at a leading consumer brand in India in a retail business development role . Offer Pre-placement Interview based on the project work.

Academics -
MBA- Class of 2010 - 2.95/4.
Undergrad - B. Tech. - 9.5/10 - Gold Medallist (Rank 1 in the university)
Class X & XII - 94.4% & 85.2% respectively
NTSE scholar & State Rank 1 in Class X

Leadership positions-
- Member of Placement Committee at B-school. Elected by the students of the batch
- Secretary of Maths club & Treasurer of Electrical Engineering Club in College
- Chair Programming Committee - IEEE Students' chapter in college
- Office bearer in various capacities in school

Other activities -
Winner of music & sports contests at school level.

Kindly evaluate whether my profile is good enough to target the top 30 B-schools. I am interested in pursuing a career in Consulting. Are there specific schools that align with this?

Cheers

Srinath.S wrote:

Hi

I plan to apply to top 30 B-schools in US/Europe next fall.
I already hold an MBA from an Indian University and have over 5 years of work experience. Kindly evaluate my profile and advise on the schools that I should target:

<<snip>>

Kindly evaluate whether my profile is good enough to target the top 30 B-schools. I am interested in pursuing a career in Consulting. Are there specific schools that align with this?

Cheers

Dear Srinath,

Consider the following points:

1. The nature of your experience, especially the consulting assignments you have mentioned, sounds pretty interesting. Sales and BD can mean quite different things - it'll be good to understand the exact nature of your experience. Also think of how you will justify the consulting goal now. For you, more than others, the goals story has to be water tight.
2. There might be certain schools that you cannot target since it will be a second MBA. Check here for more.
3. You have not mentioned the name of your schools - so I cannot gauge the relevance of things such as that gold medal. The brand/pedigree of the institute is pretty important. The dip in MBA GPA has to be justified. Not sure if you've taken the GMAT yet? Another important parameter to gauge your chances as well as the post-MBA goal feasibility.
4. Finally, for reasons mentioned here, I will not be able to provide specific school names. But top 30 should definitely be doable with a good GMAT score and rightly articulated goals story.

Hope this helps,

Cheers,

What's the Magic Number for MBA applications

Occasionally we get queries such as this – “I applied to 15 schools last year. But look at my luck. Not even one admit. I thought the odds would be better than this. How many b schools should I apply to this time to increase my chances?”.

Three operative words (luck, odds, chances) in there would give you an indication as to why our friend’s machine gun strategy didn’t work. He was leaving too much in the hands of destiny. Read here to find out what's the right strategy.

Hi guys...
I'm looking for US schools with Consulting/Technology as top industry..
My profile is as follows:
GMAT : 640
GPA : 6.7/10(out of 10 GPA)
Work exp : 5 years
Pre-MBA roles : technical team lead, project lead, PMO support and resourcing admin
Pre-MBA industry : IT consultancy- MNC
Nationality : Indian
International exp : 2.5 years in South Africa
No .of promotions : 3
No of members in current team : leading 7 members
Extra curricular activities :
1) school representative
2) college fund raising committee member
3) NGO (environment ) - in India
4) NGO - (children) - in South Africa
5) awards and appreciations from South African clients and immediate managers

I have the following schools in mind:

1. Temple University - Fox School of Business and Management
2. Syracuse University - Whitman School of Management
3. City University of New York (CUNY) - Baruch College - Zicklin School of Business
4. The College of William & Mary - Mason School of Business
5. Purdue University , Krannert School of Management
6. University at Buffalo School of Management
7. University of Pittsburgh, Katz Graduate School of Business
8. Texas Christian University - Neeley School of Business
9. North Carolina State University- Poole College of Management
10. University of Texas, Dallas Jindal School of Management
11. Brigham Young University Marriott School of Management

Any thoughts...

suhasancd wrote:

Hi guys...
I'm looking for US schools with Consulting/Technology as top industry..
My profile is as follows:
GMAT : 640
GPA : 6.7/10(out of 10 GPA)

<<snip>>

10. University of Texas, Dallas Jindal School of Management
11. Brigham Young University Marriott School of Management

Any thoughts...

Consider the following points Suhas:

1. Though the name of your organization would have helped, but your career progression seems to be pretty good here. 3 promotions in 5 years is usually not feasible in the IT Consulting space. Add to that the fact that you are already leading a mid-size team. All these will help you differentiate from the competitive pool of applicants you are up against.
2. The ECs show a good continuity. It will also be important to understand your level of involvement though. If it is just as a participant, the mileage will be limited.
3. The less than stellar GPA from a non-pedigree (?) college is a pull-down. The GMAT further corroborates that. Is that your first attempt? Given the potential I see in the profile, if there is energy left with you, I would strongly recommend a re-take. The feeling I get looking at your target list is that you might be short-selling a bit. A closer to 700 score can really do wonders to your chances - even if that means applying in R2. Think about it.

Cheers,

Name of the organisation : Tata Consultancy Services.
UG college - Anna University, Chennai
Regarding EC :
India - Volunteer and participant
South Africa - represented and led a team

If I retake the gmat in September, would I be able to apply in R1 ?

~Suhas

suhasancd wrote:

Name of the organisation : Tata Consultancy Services.
UG college - Anna University, Chennai
Regarding EC :
India - Volunteer and participant
South Africa - represented and led a team

If I retake the gmat in September, would I be able to apply in R1 ?

~Suhas

Suhas,

R1 has a definite edge but never at the cost of a sub-optimal application. Though our work has good international and leadership flavor, the GMAT can be a real handicap. I would recommend giving it all even if that means targeting the R2 deadlines. If you are done with it by early September, you should still be able to target a couple of schools at least in R1. Though don't rush the GMAT for that.

Cheers,

Hello Sir,

Please evaluate my profile and provide your views on the queries mentioned below.

Indian/M/25

Educational background:

Xth (CBSE) - 89.4%
XIIth (CBSE) - 92.0%

Merit list holder in IIT-JEE 2007
Strong AIR in other engineering competitive examinatons

Undergrads
83% aggregate in Undergrads (First class distinction)


Professional Background/Work Experience - 4.5years


Why MBA
For career shift.Looking to make a move to operational management.

GMAT
Gave my first attempt yesterday.Scored 710(Q50,V36,IR7).

Queries
1.Please provide your inputs whether I stand a chance in following Bschools. I am looking to apply in schools outside india.

Tepper
HEC Paris
NUS
McCombs
Moreover I wanted to apply to INSEAD but with this score I feel there is not much of hope.


2.I am not trying here to get names/suggestion of any Bschool but want to know which course(1yr MBA or a 2yr MBA) is preferable for people from non-conventional background looking to make a career shift.

Thanks.

Escalate wrote:

Hello Sir,

Please evaluate my profile and provide your views on the queries mentioned below.

Indian/M/25

<<snip>>

2.I am not trying here to get names/suggestion of any Bschool but want to know which course(1yr MBA or a 2yr MBA) is preferable for people from non-conventional background looking to make a career shift.

Escalate,

Consider the following points:

1. Your non-common background, if presented well, can be a real differentiator. So don't think of it as a 'constraint' rather look at it as a bright spot in your profile. We've worked with folks from similar background and know the profile you get to build at sea.
2. Did you have a 3 year undergrad? The article here may be of relevance if yes.
3. Finally, if you think you can do a 20-30 point jump on the GMAT, definitely think of a re-take. Can really bolster your chances overall. Ideally, you should target a 2 year course though unless you are going for big brands such as INSEAD.

Hope this helps some.

Hi,
I am looking to apply to business schools outside India, for a second MBA . It would be great if you could evaluate my profile and help me with some of my queries.
Indian/Female/30/Married

Educational background:

Xth (CBSE) - 90.6%
XIIth (CBSE) - 84.0%

Recipient of National Talent Scholarship,awarded by Government of India to 700 students in the country (2001-07)
Recipient of Junior Science Talent Scholarship , awarded by Government of Delhi to 100 students in the city (2000)
Awarded a certificate by the French Embassy, for scoring 95% in French in CBSE Examination

Undergrads (B.Engg) : Electrical Engineering - 2007 passout from Thapar University- one of India’s top 5 private engineering colleges/deemed universities.
GPA – 6.4/10

MBA (Services) from FMS Delhi
Major in Marketing with 66% marks.

Extra-curriculars
Joint Secretary : Vista(Media Relations) , FMS, New Delhi
General Secretary: Literary Society, Thapar University ,Patiala
Member, Editorial Board: “Avant Garde”, Thapar University magazine
Convenor: Choreography Team at Saturnalia ,Thapar University, Patiala

Professional Background/Work Experience – 5 .5 years
I have worked in brand management & product marketing roles with some of India's most trusted brands ( Brand Equity would agree ) in household care ( All Out), Banking ( Axis Bank) & Insurance( Max Life Insurance). I've worked extensively on communication & creative development, product launches, email & digital campaigns, brand strategy & consumer research.
I am currently working with my father-in-law’s business, which is a small outdoor advertising agency that I want to take to the next level.

Why MBA
I have built on my marketing skills through my work experience, but I want to add strategic capability & leadership skills, so that I can grow my family business significantly, in scope & magnitude.

GMAT
Looking at a 700+ given the mocks.

Questions

1. Do you think I have a shot at a top 15 program in the US/Europe?

2. I am looking at a marketing/consulting specialisation in the following schools, please let me know if I can add/remove anything from the list.

LBS
HEC Paris
NUS
INSEAD
Kellogg
Ross
NYU Stern
HKU/LSE


This would be a great starting point.

tanukaushik wrote:

Hi,
I am looking to apply to business schools outside India, for a second MBA . It would be great if you could evaluate my profile and help me with some of my queries.
Indian/Female/30/Married

Educational background:

<<snip>>

2. I am looking at a marketing/consulting specialisation in the following schools, please let me know if I can add/remove anything from the list.

LBS
HEC Paris
NUS
INSEAD
Kellogg
Ross
NYU Stern
HKU/LSE


This would be a great starting point.

Answering your questions and then some more Tanu:

1. You have a very interesting career arc indeed. I take it that you went for your MBA immediately after undergrad without any gap? Was 66% good on a relative scale there? This is important to know since your undergrad seems to be on the lower side. Try to go as high as possible on the GMAT to ensure you do not raise concerns on your academic potential. With the kind of goal you have, and the fact that you already seem to be running a successful business, the top schools should definitely be within reach with well articulated essays.
2. In your list, I am not sure if HKU/NUS really make sense given you want to achieve. I don't think you should dilute the brand you are seeking to add to your profile. LBS/INSEAD might be a bit tough in general since you don't seem to have international experience (?). US schools should be the preferred options; maybe something like an Oxford may be good to consider too.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Hello,

I would like to thank you in advance for doing this. I am not completely convinced that an MBA would be right choice for me. But anyway I would like to gauge where my candidacy stands against my peers for business schools.

My profile:
Indian Male; Age: 29
GMAT: 690
Undergrad: IU Kelley ; GPA: 3.25; Major: Finance
Grad School: WUSTL Olin, Master's in Finance: GPA: 3.6

I worked in the family business for about 6 months. The business has annual revenues approx. $15-$20MM and is a real estate development and constructions business.

After grad school, I got this unique opportunity to work for this small VC firm in Singapore as an Investment Analyst. And that's what I have been doing for the last 3.5 years.
The firm that I work for has a unique business model, we basically are a sales accelerator for high-tech european/american mid-sized companies in Asia through an equity aligned model. It is kinda hard to describe but basically we invest in western mid-sized high-tech firms and bring them to Asia. Help them rigorously to expand throughout Asia and exit in about 3-5 years. We as a firm are involved heavily in the whole life cycle of all the companies in our portfolio.

My role entails almost everything, I do research and due diligence to pick new companies, I have been involved in the negotiations of these deals, and then I am usually involved in overseeing their day to day operations for the first 4-8 months till we can set everything together and after that I usually oversee the firms in a financial capacity quarterly. For the past year or so I have been supervising two analysts. Before that as an analyst I supervised a couple of interns.

Through my role, I have gone on roadshows all across Asia to find new clients for these firms, helped/pitched for these firms to get more financing from Asian VCs, interviewed and recruited people to work in these firms, made great contacts throughout Asia and learnt a huge amount about new technologies mostly.

No extra-curricular after college really.

I don't want to waste two years getting an MBA which isn't not H/S/W. I currently don't think my profile would provide me with strong chance of getting in those schools. So, I primarily focused on 1 yr MBAs.

My school choices are Kellogg, INSEAD, Cornell, Oxford, Cambridge. I would love to get any school recommendations.

My career choice post-MBA is the same as now which is 1) Larger VC firm; 2) Investment fund focused on Consumer/tech/retail; 3) Tech strategy F500. I would like to stay in Asia for work.

Thanks for your evaluation and comments.

Hello Sameer!

Would be grateful if you could take a few mins to help me out.

Below is my brief profile

Indian female
GMAT - 760 Q-49 V-46 IR-8 AWA 5

Work Ex - 4 years in Analytics

B.Tech. Information Technology 78% 

12th CBSE 90%

10th CBSE 94%

Extra curriculars - Played chess at an international level

Post MBA - interested to work in Consulting

Would like to understand my chances of getting into ISB, INSEAD, LBS. And what colleges in the USA can i target to get with some financial aid?

How should i go about with my admission prep if I am planning for R1? What according to you would be my strengths/weaknesses and tips to work on them?

Thanks in advance!

I'm planning to apply in round 2 as that'll give me more room to develop my profile.
-25-year-old male
- Grew up in India
- GPA : 3.7
- GMAT : 650 (Q49, V28, IR 5 , AWA: 4) gave in 2012, recently I appeared again for GMAT but scored only 640(Q50, V25, IR 7)
- Undergraduate degree in Engineering(Polymer Science & Chemical Technology) from "Delhi University" (Delhi College of Engineering)
- 2.5 years(till date) of Business Development Profiles (first Business Development Executive than promoted to Biz Dev Manager & Center Manager)in educational consulting firm (Gateway Abroad Ltd.) and in a local 25 year old Educational group, mentoring and training students for various competitive examinations(catering 7000 students annually ). I've started a new training Institute as well under the educational group I've mentioned earlier for training law and management Aspirants.
- Active volunteering in an NGO since past 2 years (impacting 7000 households and 36000 residents)
- Ran a chapter of SIFE (now ENACTUS) successfully mentoring National award winning team in college
- Technical skills involving R programming, Statistical Inferences, Corel Draw, etc

Which colleges should I apply for in US, Canada and Europe where I stand a fighting chance ?