Admission for MBA in Germany

Hi ajinkyaghodchore ..
The schools you mentioned are the best in Germany. As chaitanya1317 suggested, your GMAT is not up to the mark, you should re-attempt to score in a range from 670 to 700. Kindly take care that most of these schools has a very small class size and competition will be tough. I have few questions for you:
1. What makes you interested in German MBA programs?
2. What other programs you are considering?
3. Do you know German?
4. Why you want to do MBA?
5. What are your short and long term goals?

Hello everyone,

I am seeking advice if my profile is suitable for German MBA programs. Mainly, i'm looking to apply for Mannheim and WHU Full-time MBA programs.

Background, Nationality: 32 years Male, Indian

Undergrad info: B. Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Kurukshetra (CGPA: 9.16/10). I was member of Placement Advisory Committee in the college.

GMAT: 670 (Q49, V31, IR7, AWA5)

Work Experience:
- Associated with Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) since Jun'10, Total WE:10+ years
- Currently working in the role of Manager in Powertrain integration and development in R&D division
- Diverse experience in the areas of Project Management, Resource & Budget Planning, Regulatory study, New Product Development, Calibration
- Winner of ACES 2016-17 - MSIL's top award presented to Top 12 employees in a year - I was one of the two employees in whole R&D (1800+ people) to get the award

Post-MBA goals:
- Short-term: To move into Business Strategy roles in Mid-Senior management preferably in Automotive or related field (Catalysts, Oil, Technological service provider etc.)
- Long term (5+ years Post-MBA): To get into a C-suite role

Please also advise if there are any other schools which i can target.

Hi HimanshuDinodia,

Glad you reached out!

You do have a decent profile with some great work exp of 10 yrs to showcase the impact in your organisation.

Furthermore, your target industries are in line with your current work exp - a trait that future potential organisations distinctly favour!
Germany is blessed with some niche companies in the automotive and supply-chain industries that further align your both short and long term goals.

Additionally, a GMAT score of 670 puts you in the sweet spot - given you apply by R1 and R2 deadlines since these elite B-schools need to maintain the diversity factor with a cohort of about 50-60 students.

Thus, apart from Mannheim and WHU, I would recommend ESMT Berlin, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management and HHL Leipzig.
You can also explore TU Munich, but it has a MiM program, not an MBA.

Check out these links for further insights -

1) Top 10 MBA-programs in Germany
2) MBA in Germany

All the best!

Thanks XyLan for a prompt reply.

I have a few more queries.

1. I understand that Mannheim has a locational advantage (in terms of career prospects) as compared to WHU. Is that correct?

2. Is it strongly advisable to apply as early as possible considering that my WE is slightly on higher side?

3. Will it still make sense for me to take a chance at Said/Judge with current GMAT score?

HimanshuDinodia,

Let's address all your queries -

1. I understand that Mannheim has a locational advantage (in terms of career prospects) as compared to WHU. Is that correct?

Both these schools are on par with each other.
Hence, the answer is both Yes and No - it all boils down to your target industries once you graduate.

Thus, to take a holistic call, I would suggest connecting with current students through LinkedIn, student services and ambassadors of these universities to understand the career fairs, workshops and target organisations.

You can also download the MBA Brochure to gain insights on designations, industries and RoI( a paramount factor! ).


2. Is it strongly advisable to apply as early as possible considering that my WE is slightly on higher side?

Absolutely - I cannot emphasis it enough: The sooner you apply, the better are not only the admit chances but also the value of scholarship awarded.
Thus, apply early and champion the admits - Have the options in your hands to choose the B-schools!

3. Will it still make sense for me to take a chance at Said/Judge with current GMAT score?

Yes - Even though your GMAT score is 20 points less than the average of Said/Judge, you have an added advantage of 10+ yrs of experience.
GMAT is a vital factor, but not the ONLY decisive factor: The average MBA work exp is 7-8 yrs at Said/Judge.

Furthermore, the AdComs look at your profile holistically, reaming factors such as Work Exp, Academics, GMAT, Work Impact, extra-curricular, volunteering activities, short term and long term goals, international experience, Team-size, etc.

Check out this Said vs Judge discussion.


I am sure you will have your queries once you start the application process, so feel free to reach out.

Good work XyLan If anyone has any questions about MBA in Germany..feel free to approach me. I am an ex student and have a good network around top b schools in Germany and Europe

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