Darden Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

Thanks for the reply Namita!

Do you think I have a better chance if I submit in early action? My application is now in progress and I might pull it off just on time.

To be honest, I think it will be difficult for me to improve my GMAT significantly in few weeks (also considering test availability in my area). It sounds cliche but it’s kinda true

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If you think this is the best you can do, then apply in early action. If your application is otherwise very strong, then you never know, it may work with a low GMAT score.
Remember to capitalize on your other strengths, which are also substantial.

All the best and keep us posted

Thank you Namita! Wish me luck!

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Background: Applying Fall 2020.
Race/nationality: White, US
Sex: Male

Undergrad school/major: George Mason University, History (3.43 GPA)

Grad School: London School of Economics MSc. International History

GMAT Score: Have yet to take

Work experience and leadership: Have worked in political campaigns extensively ether as an intern or as a full-time employee before going to grad school, including for a high profile state party. I worked as a researcher for three prominent public affairs outfits. While I interned for several think tanks in college and on the Hill for a high profile member of Congress as well as for a House committee. I am currently working as a government contractor with a Federal agency. In these roles, I have worked with high-level donors, officials, and dealt with issues/risks impacting business.

Community and Others:
Served as a board member and treasurer of my undergraduate social fraternity's alumni org.
Treasurer for a local political organization
Active in DC foreign policy networking organizations.

Post-Grad Goal of MBA:
I want to work in energy finance/consulting, focusing on how political and regulatory risks impact this industry.

Additional: VA in-state resident if that counts for anything. I also know many Darden MBA alumni.

Londinium

Looks good, very interesting profile, I feel very optimistic. Just need to articulate why MBA and how it will make you more viable for the chosen post-MBA job. It's good that you are from VA; they will feel you are more likely to choose them and so they will be more likely to choose you. Esp with George Mason and all. I think they will see you as someone who could contribute to the intellectual focus at Darden; they value spirited and informed discourse. Of course, tough to evaluate your profile without a test score but if you meet the class average, you're a contender; white males are overrepresented but your work experience is a source of diversity so offsetting entries.

Getting a GMAT score would definitely help evaluating your chances for Darden. Another potential target school (for your career goals) would be Yale. Also - should definitely be more specific on exactly which finance role do you have in your mind. There are quite a few that that touches upon regulatory, politics and enegery - and Darden may not be the best choice for some of them.

Interesting,

Just curious why do you suggest Yale?

As I though Yale SOM's big strength was healthcare consulting?

For careers in government and public sector, SOM has a pretty good edge for it. It is one of the "synergies" that they have with the university(Yale).

Hi, please evaluate my profile.

Female, 25 years old, India

Secondary education : 9.4 gpa
Senior Secondary : 81.9%

Graduation :
Bachelors of Architecture
(5 years course including 6 months internship)

College : NIT

CGPA : 7.67

GMAT : 710 (Q49, V 36)

Work Experience : 25 months at Larsen and Toubro
(as on august 2019)
Role : Senior architect

Have taken up more responsibility than is usually awarded at my cadre. Have handled one project in last year and am handling another project on my own as of now.(project values upwards of 100 crores)

Co Curriculars :
1. Regularly volunteer for ngo camps ( elderdly health camps etc)
2. Was part of organizing committees of college fests, department functions, functions in school
3. Was involved in dramatics and debating in school


Why mba ?

I know the technical aspects of a building, from the floor plans to the ventilation system, from the effect it can have on a person to the how livable and sustenable it can be .
I want to able to look at the same built environment from a business/financial/economic point of view also, to be able to have a more cohesive bigger picture.

Thanks !

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Hi All,

Please evaluate my profile.

Age: 25
Nationality : Indian
GRE: 327 (Q168, V159) AWA 4
Undergraduation: B.Tech from NITK (8.04/10)

Work Experience :
36 Months in Wipro Technologies.
Worked on a Class III medical device software (Pacemaker Programmer on iOS and FDA approved) for a leading US healthcare giant.
Lead a team for a software module.

Extra-curricular:
a. Convener of college level clubs
b. Member of Students Council
c. Placement Coordinator.
d. State level Football player, captained district team.

Post MBA Goal and Why MBA: Want to work in Healthcare Industry either as a Consultant or a Product manager and leverage my experience in IT Healthcare.

Please let me know your honest opinion whether I have a shot at Darden and other schools I should target.

Thanks in advance

Things are looking good at your end. To be more specific, this is what looks good:

1. You gave a good GRE score, which is close to Darden's avarage (V-164, Q- 164)
2. Darden has a good offering for healthcare so you will find a direct fit with what the program offers. Check this. And the programs has long been great for professiona with interest in technology. So from your career perspective, its a god fit.

Now the challenge can lie in the execution of your application. Since last year Darden has revamped its essay questios quite a bit. Unlike the other MBA programs they ask a lot of smaller questions, with the intent of getting to know you really well. And that fits with the b-school's personality of being very, very collaborative and community oriented.
So matured answers, that answer the question (yea, this one is not so intuitive), and show depth in your experiences are critical for a successful application. The last one is important because Darden uses the case method, where every student is expected to participate. Your essay answers should reflect the experiences that will be valuable for in-class discussions.

Feel free to reach out if you need help. Among other programs, you can consider Tuck, McCombs, Fuqua, UNC KF, Emory, UCLA.

Hi ,

I am looking for some guidance regarding selection of MBA colleges as I am planning to apply for Fall 2020 intake

I would appreciate if you could take a look at my profile and give me a realistic approach regarding my chances and guide me further regarding how to approach essays.

Here is some information regarding my background :

GMAT : 710
IELTS : 8 Bands

STD 10: 82% (90 percentile) - 2011
STD 12: 83% (95 Percentile) - 2013

Bachelors (2013-2016)
BBA
Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda
CGPA : 6.02
*Not fantastic , I know*

2016-2017
I worked with my father to learn the ropes of family business but did not find it interesting and decided to move on.

2017-2018
Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising and Marketing Communications
Xavier's Institute of Communications, Mumbai ( Ranked in top 5 across nation for communications and media)
B+

2018 -2019
Brand strategist
Shobiz Experiential Communications
I got to conceptualize activation, campaigns and events for various multinational brands . My role often required me to coordinate with various other departments in order to get the pitch ready and present it to the client. I have led projects which required me to give non-traditional creative ideas for a unique experience.

2019- CURRENT
Senior executive - conceptualizer and copywriter
Wizcraft International Entertainment
My profile has the added responsibility of writing content for various clients. Wizcraft is an international entertainment agency ; IIFA is an intellectual property of Wizcraft.
Currently , I conceptualize events and experiences along with designing content in the journey as required.

Post MBA Goal:

Short term
Consulting - Strategy
Mainly for new ventures / start-ups

Long term
Entrepreneurship


Total work experience upon matriculating : 2.5 years

I recently met some MBA schools at an admission fair and asked them whether my GMAT would be a hindrance since I do not come from a conventional background of engineering or finance and hence scoring near 730 or 740 is a tad bit difficult for me. Most of them were open to considering a lower score given my background.

I would like feedback on school selection and please suggest some other schools which you think would be suitable for my profile.

Schools :
NYU Stern
Duke
Cornell
Darden
Rotman
Tepper

Hello!

Requesting a profile evaluation for Darden please.

Background and nationality: Female, Indian

Undergrad Information:
Graduated with a 9.0 of 10 CGPA from a non-IIT college in India.
I topped my university in my first year of Information Science branch beating around 2500 students and securing a maximum grade of S in 11/12 subjects. As a result of this I got a merit seat in Computer Science and then went onto complete the remaining 3 years of my undergrad as a computer science student.
(Information Science and Computer Science are essentially the same branches in India with almost the same curriculum - Computer Science is slightly on the tougher side)
I interned with a local IT company in my second year of engineering.
I was an active volunteer for 1.5 years at a well known NGO - I taught Math, Science and English to the students of Grade 8, 9 and 10.
An active volunteer at college cultural events too throughout my undergrad.

GMAT: 710 (Q49, V38, IR 8, AWA 6) - I really need help deducing if this is sufficient to get me through Darden or if I would be filtered out without an interview.

Work experience and leadership:
In my last semester of undergrad - I interned for 6 months with a Fortune 100 US company and landed a job with them. Been working with them for the past 4 years in the capacity of a software developer.
I was promoted to Senior Associate in my second year and to Manager in my third year with them.
I lead the Scrum/Agile process for the team and am always the talking point when it comes to interacting with the US counterparts.
I am very well known throughout the global team to be able to multi-manage and communicate effortlessly. I usually lead all the team calls and am always depended most upon to manage the team dynamics.
I am also known to be extremely creative and won the best creative team award for my team at one of our Global events.
I am active member with the firm's Toastmasters club and have served on its club officers group for a year (as a Vice President of PR and as Club Secretary)
I have participated in public speaking competitions(won second place at Division level), hosted events(hosted the area and Division events in my city), mentored folks (mainly involves honing their public speaking and leadership skills by providing constructive feedback/evaluations for every project/level they complete and guiding them structure and prepare their speeches) all over my city. I mentor about 25 people within my home club. I have completed the first level of toastmasters international and am currently in the advanced level. I have been recognized with a special award for my exemplary contribution to Toastmasters as a mentor and as a fellow toastmaster.

All suggestions will be much appreciated. Many Thanks!

Hi all,

Profile request for Darden:

25 y/o white male, likely applying in 2020 for 2021 enrollment. Run of the mill middle market private equity app, but am curious

- 3.6 GPA with a finance major (honors specialization) and economics minor from one of UNC/USC/SMU/Wake
- Merit-based scholarship
- Active with a fraternity and some very minor involvement with a small charity group started by a friend of mine
- Heavy involvement with an investment management program at the school (managed stocks for school's endowment)
- Have passed Level I of the CFA, came with a few points of passing Level II and ultimately gave up on the program

- Have not taken GMAT yet but I'd want to err on the conservative side here, assuming 690-700?

Work Experience:
- ~1.75 years of private equity with a small, no-name family office
- Will have ~2.5-3 years of lower middle market private equity experience as an associate upon matriculation. Will have fairly intensive and diverse transaction and portfolio management experience across industries. Potential to be promoted to senior associate before matriculation, and work on small deal teams (3 people total so am heavily involved throughout the process)

EC:
- junior board member of a local non-profit focused on after-school activities for at-risk youth
- active member of another group, responsible for fund raising and hosting golf events

Post MBA - stay in private equity, am in early stages of crafting the 'why mba' story but usually am good at figuring something out here

I know this is light on detail overall but just a general read here would be great. Also considering Kellogg as a reach. Thanks

Interested in the Future Year Scholars Deferred Programme

I am an Indian male.
Background: Civil Engineering
Undergrad Information: 8.9/10 CGPA, Department Topper for Civil Engineering, Continuous 100% scholarship for all 4 years based on previous years performance. I will be finishing the coursework 4 months ahead of schedule.
The college is ranked 37 according to the government of India but it is one of the Top 5 private colleges in India. I chose it because of the scholarship and distance from my home.
GMAT: 710 (Q49 V38 AWA5 IR8) first attempt and 770 (Q50 V45 AWA5 IR8) on the second attempt 30 days later

Leadership: Have been actively involved in numerous activities on campus. Most notably I have worked for three years organising the annual Model United Nations Conference where I worked my way up to the position of Director-General with over 100 people working under me. At the same time, I have been actively participating in MUNs, Debates and Youth parliaments. I am also the president of the Entrepreneurship Club of the University and have organised multiple one of a kind events, interactions on campus, and helped a few entrepreneurs get in touch with investors. Also involved in the Student Chapters of multiple organizations in various capacities. I am one of two the elected class representatives for my batch.

Internships: I have interned in various roles like content writing and marketing but my summer internships have been in the Construction Industry. One at a local construction firm and one at the Project Management consultancy Colliers International ( does not hire undergrads for management positions generally). I used these to cement my disinterest in the construction Industry. I am planning to get an internship in the MBB firms from Feb 2020.

Outside of campus, I have also been involved in social work. I have worked for two years with an NGO working for the rights of women and children in mainly an editorial role but contributing on the ground as and when required.

I have a non-profit in the works which would be aimed at providing clean drinking water at construction sites to the labourers, especially children as they are more vulnerable to diseases. This was a problem I got to know the depth of while on my internships. I want to expand it to sanitation facilities and education at the site once it gains steam. I expect to be helping over 400 labourers at 3 constructions in the next 2 months.

I have completed my certifications in Lean Management and Lean Six Sigma from the British Standards Institute as well as many certifications in Data and Project Management from Coursera.

Post MBA Goals: Finance has always been of great interest to me. I want to get into Venture Capital (maybe Impact Investing in particular) as I have always been interested in entrepreneurship and I like meeting new people and listening to new ideas. India is a great growth market for VC and I want to come back to India and contribute to the growth story here. In the long term, I want to start my own venture.

I am flexible in terms of Post MBA goals since I know VC is tough to break into and might take time. For the short term, I'd be interested in the MBB firms or a role at an early stage startup after seeing my fit

I plan to work in an early-stage startup or a consulting firm in the two years after graduating and start my CFA.

I want to know my chances of getting into Darden- Deferred MBA

Nationality: Indian

Academic grades: Score in 10th is 88%, 12th std grade= 90%. Graduating from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Bachelors of Business Administration program with a CGPA of 3.8/4. My UG university is ranked in top 10 for this field.Pursuing Chartered Institute of Management Accountant (CIMA UK).

Internship experience: Data Analyst at a quick-service restaurant. Secured a 2 months internship at PWC for coming summer

Achievements: Winner of State level table tennis tournament and secured All India Rank 1 in multiple CIMA exams. Won various B-plan competition and startup idea competition.

Extra-curriculars: One year experience at an NGO. Member of Entrepreneurship Cell of my college and AISEC club. Published a research paper on Operation Research in a journal with an impact factor of 7.0.

Certification course: Financial Market from Yale University via Coursera. Stock trading Workshop at IIT-B. I have completed a couple of more certification courses in other domains.

Expected GMAT score: 710-730 ( Got 710 in first simulated/ mock test)

I have also worked closely with my brother on a startup which in in B2B domain and have revenues of a $500,000.

Please provide me valuable insights into my profile and areas of improvement

Hey, I think this thread is more or less dead. Also foreign universities don't care about our 10th and 12th marks.

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