Forum Home > GMAT > Quantitative > Problem Solving (PS)
Events & Promotions
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Jun 0802:00 PM EEST
-03:00 PM EEST
Join Lawrence Mur’ray, Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, at an event in Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, or Munich in May/June.
Jun 0712:00 PM PDT
-01:00 PM PDT
In this GMAT experience talk show, we talk to Tavishi, a young MBA aspirant from India who recently scored 725 in her latest GMAT Focus exam. It’s a 99.9 percentile score on the new GMAT Focus edition and she achieved this feat in her first GMAT attempt.
Jun 0704:00 PM PDT
-05:00 PM PDT
Looking to secure a coveted spot at a top business school? Our team of seasoned MBA admissions consultants, including top B schools alumni and industry leaders, is here to help turn your dreams into reality. Let’s kick-start your journey to success!
Jun 0912:00 PM PDT
-01:00 PM PDT
Schedule a call for Profile evaluation and enrichment for MBA Admissions in India and Abroad.
Jun 1010:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
Unlock your MBA potential with a gratis in-depth profile evaluation discussion with our consultants. With insider knowledge, our experts will help you highlight strengths, overcome weaknesses, and craft stellar applications. Book your session today!
Jun 1002:00 PM PDT
-03:00 PM PDT
Top MBA Admissions Consultant of 2022 & 2023: We work with you to turn YOUR story and YOUR passions into YOUR success. Curious to learn more?- Jun 11
05:40 AM PDT
-12:00 PM PDT
Register for the GMAT Club Virtual MBA Spotlight fair, the biggest MBA fair of the year. You will have a chance to hear Admissions directors from almost every Top 20 program speak, network with peers, and more. 
Jun 1303:00 PM EDT
-04:00 PM EDT
Personal MBA Coach just wrapped up an exciting week at AIGAC 2024. Check out this new blog to find out more about AIGAC as well as 2024 admissions trends and conference takeaways!
Jun 1412:00 PM PDT
-01:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!
Repost:Profile Evaluation Request:development sector work-ex
[#permalink]
11 Aug 2011, 23:22
11 Aug 2011, 23:22
Dear All,
Following is my profile:
Age: 27 years
Acads:
• Under-grad stream: BTech (ICT) from DAIICT (not likely to be recognized outside of India as the IITs are)
• Under-grad CGPA/percentage: 2.96/4 or 62.4 (have a couple of Fs too!) – will basically own up to it in my optional essay. Also, after graduating, I have chosen a completely different field (Microfinance), so will build my defense around that.
GMAT: 740
Extra-curricular: Good (Have won a state-level lawn tennis championship, written 2 academic research papers which got published, was active in the student body of my college)
Workex details:
• Years: 4 (on 28th Aug'11)
• Industry: Microfinance (Development Sector) - currently working in Product Development as Senior Manager (at a top 10 MFI in India)
• Work Progress: Good - have done well and consistently moved up in the 4 yrs at Ujjivan
o Currently leading a product vertical within the company
• International Exp (Abroad): None
Recommendations: I am in good shape on that front
Outside Office Work:
• Lead writer for a social sector oriented blog
• Advisor and volunteer for Activist Circle – a discussion+networking platform for local communities of youth involved in the development sector
o I give introductory lectures on microfinance and mentor fellows who join the Activist Circle fellowship
Post MBA career goal (short-term): Social Venture Fund (I believe that my on-ground operational work-ex in Ujjivan plus the hard-skills, i.e. finance learnt at an MBA program will equip me for a job at an SVF). I plan on taking relevant electives (Private Equity, Finance) during my MBA to give myself the best shot at an SVF job
Post MBA career goal (long-term): yet to give shape to that (I have an idea for a start-up, but I have to think through it and don’t want to appear unrealistic)
Other notables:
• Got admitted to IIM-Indore in 2008 (IIMs are the leading MBA schools in India with acceptance rates of less than 1%), but decided to stay in Ujjivan (I had initially joined Infosys after my under-grad and gave my CAT exam during my tenure there. By the time CAT cleared and results came out, I had switched to Ujjivan and then I decided to stay and not pursue my MBA). I am mentioning this because I plan to use it in my essays
Target Schools: INSEAD, LBS, Oxford, Chicago GSB, Cambridge & Wharton
W.r.t international experience (which is important especially for LBS and INSEAD), I have the following line of thought/defense:
1. I choose to work in India because I wanted to work in the development sector and since I am Indian, to me it made the most sense to work here
2. Post MBA, I want to work in a Social Venture Fund - to understand how companies make decisions on investing in social enterprises. I don't have a preferred location of my job post MBA (India/international) but I am guessing that if I choose India over international, then it might hurt me in my application to these schools
3.My long term goal (potential) is to start-up a end-to-end dairy consulting firm for Indian farmers (I believe that combined with my current on-field experiences and experience in an SVF will provide with the skill sets and expertise to start up in future). I have to refine this further though
In view of 1-3, can I build a logic/defense for my INSEAD/LBS apps which can counter my ZERO international experience?
Also would love to hear thoughts on my chances at other schools - Oxford, Chicago ,Cambridge & Wharton
Best,
Srijan Kaushik
Following is my profile:
Age: 27 years
Acads:
• Under-grad stream: BTech (ICT) from DAIICT (not likely to be recognized outside of India as the IITs are)
• Under-grad CGPA/percentage: 2.96/4 or 62.4 (have a couple of Fs too!) – will basically own up to it in my optional essay. Also, after graduating, I have chosen a completely different field (Microfinance), so will build my defense around that.
GMAT: 740
Extra-curricular: Good (Have won a state-level lawn tennis championship, written 2 academic research papers which got published, was active in the student body of my college)
Workex details:
• Years: 4 (on 28th Aug'11)
• Industry: Microfinance (Development Sector) - currently working in Product Development as Senior Manager (at a top 10 MFI in India)
• Work Progress: Good - have done well and consistently moved up in the 4 yrs at Ujjivan
o Currently leading a product vertical within the company
• International Exp (Abroad): None
Recommendations: I am in good shape on that front
Outside Office Work:
• Lead writer for a social sector oriented blog
• Advisor and volunteer for Activist Circle – a discussion+networking platform for local communities of youth involved in the development sector
o I give introductory lectures on microfinance and mentor fellows who join the Activist Circle fellowship
Post MBA career goal (short-term): Social Venture Fund (I believe that my on-ground operational work-ex in Ujjivan plus the hard-skills, i.e. finance learnt at an MBA program will equip me for a job at an SVF). I plan on taking relevant electives (Private Equity, Finance) during my MBA to give myself the best shot at an SVF job
Post MBA career goal (long-term): yet to give shape to that (I have an idea for a start-up, but I have to think through it and don’t want to appear unrealistic)
Other notables:
• Got admitted to IIM-Indore in 2008 (IIMs are the leading MBA schools in India with acceptance rates of less than 1%), but decided to stay in Ujjivan (I had initially joined Infosys after my under-grad and gave my CAT exam during my tenure there. By the time CAT cleared and results came out, I had switched to Ujjivan and then I decided to stay and not pursue my MBA). I am mentioning this because I plan to use it in my essays
Target Schools: INSEAD, LBS, Oxford, Chicago GSB, Cambridge & Wharton
W.r.t international experience (which is important especially for LBS and INSEAD), I have the following line of thought/defense:
1. I choose to work in India because I wanted to work in the development sector and since I am Indian, to me it made the most sense to work here
2. Post MBA, I want to work in a Social Venture Fund - to understand how companies make decisions on investing in social enterprises. I don't have a preferred location of my job post MBA (India/international) but I am guessing that if I choose India over international, then it might hurt me in my application to these schools
3.My long term goal (potential) is to start-up a end-to-end dairy consulting firm for Indian farmers (I believe that combined with my current on-field experiences and experience in an SVF will provide with the skill sets and expertise to start up in future). I have to refine this further though
In view of 1-3, can I build a logic/defense for my INSEAD/LBS apps which can counter my ZERO international experience?
Also would love to hear thoughts on my chances at other schools - Oxford, Chicago ,Cambridge & Wharton
Best,
Srijan Kaushik
Re: Repost:Profile Evaluation Request:development sector work-ex
[#permalink]
15 Aug 2011, 22:08
15 Aug 2011, 22:08
Hoping for an evaluation soon
Srijan
Srijan
mbaMission Admissions Consultant
Joined: 10 Jun 2011
Posts: 306
Given Kudos: 0
Re: Repost:Profile Evaluation Request:development sector work-ex
[#permalink]
18 Aug 2011, 08:28
18 Aug 2011, 08:28
Expert Reply
Hello seeker1984, thanks for your question.
As you know, your GPA will be a challenge. Was there an extraordinary circumstance that caused your low marks? Did your GPA rise as you progressed through undergrad? If so, you might try to explain these factors in the optional essay. Better yet, do you have any other analogue that is a better representation of your academic ability and potential? Programs will want to know that you can handle the material. Your high GMAT serves as an indicator, but you could use another one to mitigate.
Your competitiveness will come down to the quality of your leadership experience. Can you draw upon “moments” when you truly led both in and out of work: influenced individuals and organizations, drove results, took initiative? You seem to have solid leadership experiences both in and out of work; draw upon those to differentiate yourself and to mitigate your GPA.
In terms of your post-MBA goals, paint a picture that cohesively ties together your past, present, and future. Demonstrate to the admissions committees that your desired career path necessitates an MBA. If you really want to end up in India as a dairy consultant, you will have to make a convincing case that the program you choose best prepares you to do achieve that, as well as your short-term goal. I can’t tell you what your story to the admissions committees will be (and you’re not asking me to), just saying that you should make a logical and plausible case – which you know. Moreover, you might speak to what a US or international program would give you that IIM would not, since you turned it down.
I’d say you have a shot at all the programs you mention, but I’m not sure how much of a drag your GPA will be. Depends on how well you can mitigate that.
Best of luck!
Brian
As you know, your GPA will be a challenge. Was there an extraordinary circumstance that caused your low marks? Did your GPA rise as you progressed through undergrad? If so, you might try to explain these factors in the optional essay. Better yet, do you have any other analogue that is a better representation of your academic ability and potential? Programs will want to know that you can handle the material. Your high GMAT serves as an indicator, but you could use another one to mitigate.
Your competitiveness will come down to the quality of your leadership experience. Can you draw upon “moments” when you truly led both in and out of work: influenced individuals and organizations, drove results, took initiative? You seem to have solid leadership experiences both in and out of work; draw upon those to differentiate yourself and to mitigate your GPA.
In terms of your post-MBA goals, paint a picture that cohesively ties together your past, present, and future. Demonstrate to the admissions committees that your desired career path necessitates an MBA. If you really want to end up in India as a dairy consultant, you will have to make a convincing case that the program you choose best prepares you to do achieve that, as well as your short-term goal. I can’t tell you what your story to the admissions committees will be (and you’re not asking me to), just saying that you should make a logical and plausible case – which you know. Moreover, you might speak to what a US or international program would give you that IIM would not, since you turned it down.
I’d say you have a shot at all the programs you mention, but I’m not sure how much of a drag your GPA will be. Depends on how well you can mitigate that.
Best of luck!
Brian
