Hi
alphainc,
Thank you for your post. Your extracurriculars sound deep and interesting, so that could help serve as a differentiator for you as you look ahead to applications. Even better if those activities and your own "passion and purpose" connect with the ethos of the programs to which you're applying.
Was the gap year in between high school and your university studies? Or was it between your university studies and working? It's likely worth noting / explaining via a few sentences in the Optional Essay, but if it's either of the scenarios I've mentioned and you've since had five consecutive years of full-time work experience, then I don't foresee too much negative impact to your candidacy.
Scholarship offers are extremely unpredictable, but if I had to offer a few thoughts they'd be as follows. First, include programs at which your stats (GMAT, etc.) sit a decent bit above the class averages. As male applicant from India, you already want to target programs at which your GMAT score is 30 points above average. So if you're also scholarship focused, then I'd encourage you include some programs at which your score is 50-60 points above average. Second, apply to as many programs as you can in R1 (without compromising the quality of your applications). Third, get to know the programs extremely well. Research, engage, speak with current students and alumni. Understand what you'd pursue (courses, clubs, extracurriculars) and how you'd uniquely contribute. This should connect back to your career goals as well, which should be super coherent and specific.
If you're trying for scholarships, then you will want to cast a fairly wide net in terms of number schools and rankings range. Twelve to 16 programs is too many, but something like 8+ might be a consideration if you can handle it, do a good job across all of the applications, and get to know all of the programs well. (That might mean submitting some in R2.)
As far as school selection is concerned, I'd start by looking at schools in the 25 to 50 range of the rankings. Then vet whether they align with with your goals, send graduates into your desired field, and see what the stats look like for their average class. The higher end of that range will be much more difficult to get into (and scholarships are also much less likely), but that will at least give you an initial "menu" of programs to consider. Maryland, Penn State, Rochester, Pittsburgh, and Illinois might be worth adding to your preliminary list. I'm not sure I'd call them "hidden gems" -- there isn't much hiding to do when you're looking at a list of 25 schools -- but they might be worth looking into further.
Please let me know if I can be of any assistance with respect to school selection and/or your future applications!
https://www.avantiprep.com/free-consultation.htmlBest Regards,
Greg
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Greg Guglielmo
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