Please join me in welcoming ThinkISB to GMAT Club

Hi ThinkISB

I need a profile evaluation.
I have a GMAT score of 620

However am not from the general pool of applicants (IT or Finance)
My 4 yrs of experience is in indian construction industry (not even real-estate) as a business development executive. Am a BE Civil from a premier institute with decent acads(overall 60%, final yr 65%) , strong college extra-curriculars and an average career growth (2 promotions in 4 yrs). I do have some unique projects that I have handled with some high-profile clients as a team lead involving marketing, negotiations and technical inputs.

I want to know if i should apply for round 2 this year, because my discussions with current ISB students and alumni gave me the impression that mostly my application will be rejected at the first glance of my GMAT score. I do plan to give GMAT again however not possible before round 2 deadline.

Please let me know if i stand a chance, or in case am rejected this yr and re-apply next year would that have a negative impact in my application assessment as compared to a fresh application with better gmat score. I do not wish to lose another year.

Thanks

Dear kyugi,

Apologies for replying late.

From the limited information that I have on your profile, I'm giving you a preliminary feedback on your profile. ISB generally has 4 evaluation criteria;
1. Acads and analytical skills: You are weak compared to the general applicant pool. Your low GMAT should have been offset by above average acads (60-70%) is just average.
2. Work experience: There is a diversity element provided you can show it properly.
3. Leadership potential: Good quality of client handling. So that's average.
4. Diversity: At work and through extra curriculars. I'm not in a position to comment on it right now. Let's consider it average.

So, except for the acads & analyticals part, which is very weak, the rest of you application is decent enough.

I would say there is a good chance you may be rejected. I am being totally straight forward with you. You have to take the GMAT again and score much higher.

As for your second question, ISB encourages re-applicants.

You are welcome to send us your complete profile information to have a detailed analysis done and get recommendations on what you are to do to improve yourself.

Regards,

ThinkISB.

https://thinkisb.com/

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate u giving me a realistic picture.

removed

thinkisb

Just wanted to ask about how long an essay will be tolerable when the adcom says 300 words.. (max ?!)

This time seems to be the shortest ISB have ever asked for.. I have completed my first draft of essays and each of it seems to be something around 550 words.. taking into count each and every wordg.. (word count tool in MS word).. I think I can shorten it to around 330 to 350 words each..

So how serious is the adcom about the essay lengths ?

Just got a PM citing that the online portal doesnt let us write anything more than 300 words.. damn me !

I have another question on the same line though.. Would be thankful if ThinkISB or other veterans can give their thoughts on it too..

the questions is..

How bad is it to have the same incident in two essays ? for e.g. I have the same assignment as an example to higlight one of my positive points (in the firt essay). I have to write the same one in the second essay to describe the most challenging assignment I have handled.. would this be OK ?

Hi ThinkISB,

I'm currently working on my essays for ISB application. Aiming to apply a week before round 2 deadline. My profile is the following:

- GMAT: 700 (50Q/35V/5.0). Was sick on the day of test. Guess it doesn't matter but was really dissatisfied with my verbal. I was averaging 39-40 on all my practice CATs. Even got a 44 on the GMAT Prep I took a night before the test. Guess gotta live with it
- Been in US for past 8 years. Got my bachelors here in Computer Science. Then worked as a consultant for 2 years. Got laid off this year right after getting promoted (the company is doing really bad) and am now working with an ex-client.
- Was always working during my college days. Worked as a tutor for 2 years. Then was an intern in Intel for 2 years. They offered me a full time but due to visa issues couldn't do it.
- Got scholarships/grants for the second year of my college.
- As part of my job, was a consultant and traveled to various clients all over US gathering requirements and designing a solution for their business need based on our software. Was involved in almost every stage from requirements gathering, design, build to test.
- Got certified in our company's software in record time. The test is hard and usually it takes 2 years for people to get certified. I passed the test in the first year.. and then completed the rest of the requirements right after my first year with the company and got certified.

Am really stuck with the essays. No idea how to start and what professional/personal points to include. Is my profile as stated above even decent for ISB's consideration?

I really need to get in as I'm extremely passionate about moving back to India and settling down there. Over the past 8 years here haven't really felt as if I belong here. Really think that MBA from ISB and an exposure with like minded peers there would best bet towards that goal. Would've hoped to have a higher verbal score in GMAT.. but under the circumstances.. guess this is the best I could do

Waddya guys say? Any feedback will be highly appreciated!
Thanks!

Hi

I have a GMAT score of 640 , with around 4 year and 7 months experience .I am B tech with entrepreneur background and with good number of extra curricular achievement .
Should i apply for ISB ???

Dear mbaquestionmark,

The application will not take in a single character after the 300 words. So the word limit is very strict.

Regards,
ThinkISB
www.thinkisb.com
Engage->Educate->Enable
Providing end to end guidance for ISB admissions
Link: www.thinkisb.com
Email: contact@thinkisb.com
Blog: www.thinkisb.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thinkisb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000279267586
Phone: +91 9010917222/ 9010918222

Dear mbaquestionmark,

The essays are given to portray diverse aspects in your profile. So repetition is definitely a big mistake. I suggest you to select separate incidents.

Regards,
ThinkISB
www.thinkisb.com
Engage->Educate->Enable
Providing end to end guidance for ISB admissions
Link: www.thinkisb.com
Email: contact@thinkisb.com
Blog: www.thinkisb.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thinkisb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000279267586
Phone: +91 9010917222/ 9010918222

Dear tantrix,

Please don't whine about the GMAT score because it's a decent score. From the limited information on your profile that I have I can tell you that it is a good one and I encourage you to apply.

As for your essays it is you who have to start off. I can understand that it's sometimes very difficult to write about yourself but you have to do it.

I suggest that you don't try to finish an essay at one go. It never works that way. Note down whatever points you find relevant. After a session of brainstorming stop thinking about it altogether. Visit it later again with a fresh mind. You'll definitely have something more to add or change. After you have a draft ready, show it to people who know you well. Get their feedbacks and revisit the draft again. If need be incorporate those in the essay.

This is how this process works. It's painful no doubt, but if followed persistently can give great results.

Regards,
ThinkISB.
www.thinkisb.com
Engage->Educate->Enable
Providing end to end guidance for ISB admissions
Link: www.thinkisb.com
Email: contact@thinkisb.com
Blog: www.thinkisb.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thinkisb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000279267586
Phone: +91 9010917222/ 9010918222

Hey ThinkISB,

Thanks for the feedback. Don't mean to whine about the score but was looking at the profiles of people at pagalguy who're applying to ISB (they have a google doc with people entering their scores, etc).. and it seems that 700 is on the lower end of that spectrum.

Anyway.. been spending time on the essays and discussing the topics with family and friends. Have realized that just talking and thinking about them gives a lot of ideas. Had a small but nagging question - How much of hobbies and personal EC activities do you think it makes sense to include in the essays. For example, I've always been trying new things such as hiking, surfing, skydiving, etc etc. I feel that trying these things adds a different perspective to what I am as an individual and also gives the extra touch to my application. Do you think it would make sense to add it to the first essay or keep it as a separate section in the 4th essay (as something I can't include in the rest of the essays).

Thanks a lot again for taking time to provide feedback.

Dear tantrix,

There should be a common denominator among all the activities you do beyond work. Hiking, surfing, skydiving, will bring out a new facet in your personality, the fact that you are adventurous. having said that, please keep in mind that the adcom would like to see involvement into something over a good duration. For eg: if you play some musical instrument, it would be good to show that you have been doing it for quite some time and if possible show some achievement in that, like playing in concerts. Mentioning too many activities has the following demerits:
1. The extracurricular profile gets diluted,
2. candidate comes out as someone who lacks focus,
3. It gives a feeling that you have started doing things to boost up your profile for an admit.
Hence, anything that you mention should be well thought out.

Regards,
ThinkISB.
www.thinkisb.com
Engage->Educate->Enable
Providing end to end guidance for ISB admissions
Link: www.thinkisb.com
Email: contact@thinkisb.com
Blog: www.thinkisb.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thinkisb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000279267586
Phone: +91 9010917222/ 9010918222

Hi

I have a GMAT score of 640 , with around 4 year and 7 months experience .I am B tech with entrepreneur background and with good number of extra curricular achievement .
Should i apply for ISB ???

Dear anmolbhatti,

It all depends on the quality of your entrepreneurial experience. If its is something very striking and the adcom likes very much, it can offset your low GMAT score.

But generally, a 640 score with your number of years of work experience is not enough and you stand a good chance of a reject.

Regards,
ThinkISB.
www.thinkisb.com
Engage->Educate->Enable
Providing end to end guidance for ISB admissions
Link: www.thinkisb.com
Email: contact@thinkisb.com
Blog: www.thinkisb.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thinkisb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000279267586
Phone: +91 9010917222/ 9010918222

Hi ThinkISB,

I just want a brief idea on my profile.
GMAT score - 710
Acads - around 67% in BE (comp science)
Work exp - 5.5 years till October '09 in IT.
Entrepreneur experience - I started my own software company last year and that is moving slow and steady right now. I forgot to mention that I started this company while working at onsite for a major indian software firm.
Onsite experience - 3 years of work experience in US (currently in US). Handled few clients and got good feedback mails from all the clients. Tough part was to handle an angry client who was my SME and a couple of guys even quit the company because of her. I made a good rapport with that client and she sent lot many appreciation mails to me. My managers were surprised at this and appreciated me for handling her so well. I am planning to write this experience as my essay of challenging assignment.
EC - I was vice president of students union of our college and we extended this union to several other colleges in our state. I can also mention my entrepreneur experience as one of the EC activities.
Future goal - I want to become an entrepreneur

Can you please tell me if my profile is good enough for consideration or am I lacking in GMAT score/Acads. I am mainly worried about my acads Please provide your valuable inputs.


Thanks

Dear riteshbindal,

Your profile is a good one. However, you are making a mistake of showing your entrepreneurial experience as extra curricular activities. Your goal is to become an entrepreneur and hence the stint at opening your own firm, which is going slow now. To have a better understanding about how to run businesses and the different aspects of it, you need an MBA from ISB --- your answer to why MBA. So keep it in the mainstream. Other aspects in your profile look decent enough. So go for it. All the best!!!

Regards,
ThinkISB.
www.thinkisb.com
Engage->Educate->Enable
Providing end to end guidance for ISB admissions
Link: www.thinkisb.com
Email: contact@thinkisb.com
Blog: www.thinkisb.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thinkisb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000279267586
Phone: +91 9010917222/ 9010918222