UCLA Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

Hello All

I've been planning to do my MBA starting next fall. I would like to have a feedback on my profile from folks here on the forum. Look forward to some interesting insights.

I have taken my GMAT. Scores are as follows.

Q 46
V 34
Total: 650

How good is my GMAT Score for top end universities? Do I need to retake? If yes, what should I be aiming at? My dream universities are indeed Stanford, HBS, MIT, Haas and Cornell. However, I am more or less okay with anything that is in top 50 in the US.

Thank you all in advance for your valuable feedback.

Cheers

Yeshu
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650 won't cut it. Top 15 or M7 is a lot different than just top 50, especially in terms of job placement, and it's not really worth going to a >20 rated school. 700 or bust, my friend. That's the more or less magic number.

Thanks for your thoughts on this. My aim for going for MBA is not really about getting a job. I want to do an MBA to learn about the US, network and then set up a business. That said how does something like Babson or Hult sound, especially given my business background? Cheers.

Not sure about those schools as my desired career path took me west. Most, myself included, use the MBA as a catalyst for a new career. With that being said, if you're looking to start a business, I would focus on schools with strong entrepreneurship programs; in addition, what kind of business (i.e. if it's tech, look at schools closer to silicon valley). Best of luck in your search!

Hello Yeshu_a,

I think the best advice would be to look at the middle 80% GMAT score of your target schools.
If you are in, it's OK. If not... retake
Keep in mind that schools only care about your highest score !

Good luck for your applications !

Alex

I'm just going to say this. If you walked into the test center and got a 650, you really need to put a lot more effort into this exam before deciding you're done. The fact that you're not trying to use the MBA to get a job, at this moment in time, isnt really a reason to lower your standards.

If you're going to start a business you want to go to the best possible program, for the sake of said company... beyond the actual information you'll gain, the network you will obtain will really put you in certain circles the rest of your life.

I would think of yourself as equally important to a recruiting company. You want to have a top MBA that you can present to investors. It's worth doing properly.

Farrell Dyan Hehn, MBA
Admissions Consultant & Verbal Strategist MBAPrepCoach.com
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Hi guys! Here goes...


Male, 26

Bachelors in Business from top ranked University in Pakistan, 3.5 GPA (top 10 percentile of class, As and Bs in quant courses)

GMAT: 730 (Q45, V46)

4 years of work experience in core brand management of consumer goods, first at a local blue chip market leader and- for the past 1.5 years- at a multinational. Responsible for brands with turnover > $250 mn and stewarded marketing budgets in excess of $5mn. (Note: Brand teams are very lean so I do not have direct subordinates, but I have been entrusted with interns and trainees)

Extra curriculars: Debate and Model UN, during high school as a participant and later as a coach. Gained a lot of international exposure and leadership experience through attending and taking high school teams to conferences/tournaments all over the world.

Post MBA Goals: Transition into consultancy to consolidate my understanding of business fundamentals for 2-3 years before returning to Pakistan to develop a profitable and equitable social enterprise, ideally in the dairy sector.

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Hi,

I would like to get a profile assessment for UCLA-Anderson. Below are my details:
Professional:
I am sales professional with 5+ Years of experience in a Japanese MNC. I have been promoted twice and won 3 international incentive trip in the last 5 years.

Academics:
B.Tech(Computers)-61.9%(4 Years course), PGDM-Marketing(3.8/5 CGPA)(2 Years course)

Do I stand a chance? I understand a lot is depended on my essays; However what should be my GMAT score if I am aiming for top 20 B-Schools?

Thanks for sharing your profile, but unfortunately you probably have to be a bit more detailed than this. What are your post MBA goals? Why UCLA? These things matter quite a bit in your narrative and can definitely make or break your case.

In other news, for a top 20 school, I would definitely suggest trying to be on the top 20%ile of your GMAT score, worst case at + or - 10 points of the median. But it truly depends on your demography. How is the GMAT Prep going?
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Hi souvik101990,

Thanks for the quick reply,

My post MBA goal is to move into a consulting profile,gain experience overseas and start my own firm which identifies micro business models and help build into profitable ventures by bridging global business ideas and local opportunities blooming with modern outlook attracting younger generation.

I just started my GMAT prep, planning to take GMAT by end of this year.

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alright makes sense - follow up question - Why would you wait till the end of this year? The biggest non-intrusive improvement that you can do to you application is by applying early (although not at the cost of the quality of the application)
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Hi,
My basics are rust, I forgot basic math and I score 25% in verbal diagnostic, the entire forum is backing 700+score and I'm not a good test taker, so I want to brush up my basics and focus harder, also I'm into sales so I need to plan my months ahead so that I don't lose my levarage for getting good referrals from my boss and hopefully few more awards to build my otherwise not so great resume.

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Hello!

Please evaluate my profile-

Bachelors in Engineering from one of the top 15 college in India.
GMAT- 750
GPA- 6.4
TOEFL- 110

Work experience- 3 years and 2 months till now. 1.5 years working for a US based advertising network as an account manager and the rest as a Social Media marketing head in a hospitality startup. Several achievements involving teamwork, analytical skills, and leadership to show for it.

Extra curricular- Blogging and several creative writing assignments, International Diploma in Spanish, an award for acting in a spanish movie for a social cause, average social work.

Post MBA goal- I want to wish to move to marketing consultancies in short term and learn the intricacies of marketing strategy and brand management. Later, I wish to open a marketing consultancy firm of my own.

I am aware that essays and interviews matter a lot but I want to know if I should even try for UCLA.

Hi, what is good: 1) GMAT and TOEFL scores; 2) leading a hospitality start-up Marketing team. What you should work on: 1) your 3 year-experience (not so long to get and show impressive results); 2) your switching from Engineering speciality to marketing (why did you switch to marketing? or why did you get Engineering, if marketing inspired you?); 3) multicultural experience (did you have a chance to get it in the US-based company, or worked within national team?) If you get good answers to these 3 points, then you may try

Hi my name is Abhishek Srivastava from India

GMAT : 760 (Q-50 V-44)
Industry : Pharmaceutical Consulting
Work Experience : 72 (months)
Under grad : Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (B.Tech - Information technology)
Under grad GPA : 2.4

I have been working for a market research startup which provides data to pharmaceutical companies so that they could help devise strategies related to new brand production, market capture etc. My post is of a regional manager and I been heading a team of 10 people now. earlier the time size was 2. No promotions because hierarchical structure is very less ( only 2 managers above and then the ceo of company). Yet I have handled major projects for company like glenmark pilot, zydus optistox etc. Glenmark was ready to roll out pan india only when they saw success in uttar pradesh and I was the given the role of leading that projects bringing in revenue of Rs 1.5 crore.

Extracurricular : Film making group in hometown, assistant director for the same. directed movies majorly on women issue and farmer labour.

I want to specialise in operations consulting.

Post mba: I want to work in healthcare consulting.

Hi all! I would really like some insights about my profile:

- Male, brazilian, 32 yo
- Undergraduate in Business at a Top 3 brazilian school (plenty of alumni accepted by Top Business Schools)
- GPA: 2.6 (horrible, and no good reason)
- GMAT: 740
- CFA Level I

Work Experience:

- Capital Markets (Structured Finance) at a top local boutique (Real Estate focused)
* 4 years
* 3 promotions (from intern to Senior Analyst)
* Leading analyst in 8 projects (3 of them were really big ones)

- Capital Markets (Structured Finance) at a Start-Up (as a junior associate)
* 1 year
* Didn´t go well specially because of brazilian economic conditions at the time

- Capital Markets (Structured Finance) at a new boutique (Agribusiness focused)
* Junior Associate
* 2 years (until now)
* Company growing very fast
* Leading analyst of 4 projects

Extracurriculars:
* Writer at a blog focused on Political Education (8 articles published)
* 1 year working at a NGO focused on children education (led 2 new projects)

International Experience:
* 4 months working as a Sales Person at a clothing store in Las Vegas, US (during college vacation)
* 3 weeks studying spanish in Buenos Aires, Argentina
* 2 weeks working ad a NGO (a organic farm) in Cape Town,South Africa

Other:
* Fluent spanish
* Short Course (graduate level) in Applied Statitics (at a top local college) - Final Grade: A
* HBx Core: Pass with High Honours

Post MBA objective:
* Investment Banking

Hey everyone,

Recently decided to apply to R1 and was wondering what feedback there was towards my overall application.

U.S., Caucasian
Mid-Tier Big Ten University, Chemical Engineering (3.1 GPA)
GMAT: 740 (slightly better V than M), first try
4+ years at an industrial manufacturing conglomerate. 1 year rotational leadership program, 3 years sales experience
Active with environmental activism, passionate about software/big data impacts in industry and education
Strategy consulting as short term goal, with a goal of General Management within manufacturing industry long-term

Hey,

So
GMAT : 710
GPA : 3.0 (Graduate in Commerce)
I am a Chartered Accountant & a CFA Charterholder
Location : India
Experience
3 Years Internship in a top international audit firm (Audit)
3 Years Experience in a top US Investment bank (Product Controller for Structured Products)
Currently employed with a top US bank (Treasury Risk - Structural Interest Rate Risk Management)

I am planning to apply for 2021, by the time will have 2 years experience in my current role

Extra Curricular :
NGO Activities
1 Year in a Rotaract Club
Currently part of an NGO that engages in Education for the underprivileged kids (working as a teacher & Center head)

Can someone give me an evaluation and whether I should do something more to better my profile.

Thanks

Hi there - thanks for writing! It looks like you have a pretty strong profile overall, with good academics, solid work experience, and good community involvement. I think you'll be a good candidate as long as you make clear your professional and personal impact on your resume (and get great recommendations that attest to your performance vs. peers and potential) and also, make a strong case for Anderson in your application and interviews. Best of luck!


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