Please advise.

Question

Indian Male / 23 / Bachelor of Business Studies from the prestigious College of Business Studies, Univ of Delhi. Specialization - Marketing (was the topper in Marketing specialization) overall 70.6% in the 3 year degree.

11 months at a market research firm (campus placement), was sent abroad (to kenya) twice. First time, third month in job. I had to kick start a primary research / interview intensive MR project with a team of 22. 17 months at family business. Assisting dad in international trade besides designing a new line of related products. At matriculation, total work ex would be 38 months

Foreign languages - French (completed Intermediate level at Alliance), Basic Arabic besides English, HIndi, Urdu, Punjabi.

GMAT = Took in May2010. SCore = 690 (48Q, 37V , 6.0 AWA) Math was always a problem, verbal was good... the score doesn't really match the comfort level with the language!

ECA and Community involvement = ECAs are average. Hosted 4-5 college events, runner up at music competition, member of street play club, etc. Community involvement = Translating brochures of NGOs from English to Urdu, member of a fraternity that works for underprivileged kids. Not very regular now.

Writing essays myself and LORs will be good, will get LORs from a previous Manager and a present Buying Agent for a large American buyer.

Blog about food, exploring Delhi Food (blog), wrote food review for Outlook during college.

Please advise whether it makes sense for me to apply to Boston University, UT McCombs, Duke, HEC Paris, Emory, Washington Olin, and Ohio Fisher. What according to you can be other schools I can apply to.

Thank you in advance!

mirfan2 · Answer

You seem to be competitive for most of the schools you've mentioned, exception being Fuqua (Duke). What's you're intended concentration / major for the MBA ? Can you please briefly mention you're post MBA goals as well, so that I may recommend some schools to you.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks for your response.

Concentration choice - marketing.

Want to work for a large multinational organization at a marketing function such as brand management , marketing management etc.
Long term plan - entrepreneurial , founding an int" trade consultancy besides expanding family business ( opening an office abroad)

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mirfan2 · Answer

Kellogg's marketing program has best reputation boasting eminent faculty members such as Kotler and the like. Most renowned companies seeking brand mangers tend to cluster at this school. Duke is just a rung below Kellogg, but the same top notch companies recruit here.
From your list Ohio, UT, BU and Olin are not renowned for their marketing faculty. UT has a good Finance program and one the best Accounting programs, I wouldn't go near Texas or Ohio if I wanted to focus on Marketing. Among regional schools Kelly and Emroy have very strong marketing programs and boast happy hunting grounds for recruiters in this area. Going to your international choices, I think HEC is a good choice given your intended specialization, I would highly recommend Cambridge (Judge) as well.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks for your response. I must apply to Duke and HEC that means. With Duke 690 can be a problem though.

Judge... with 3 years of work ex at matriculation??

mirfan2 · Answer

Judge typically accepts candidates with more (5 yrs +) work experience, if can you show track record of upward mobility - promotions or work accomplishments . You can be competitve , keeping in mind that Judge is looking to expand its class size next yr.

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mirfan2 · Answer

If you want to add a safety school , you may want to consider Wisconsin, which offers a specialized program in Brand management.

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Anonymous · Answer

Thanks man.. I am actually considering Wisconsin for its Center for Brand and Product Management. I think it's an excellent way of training students in a particular concentration.

And they have a good job-record... especially for Marketing and their Brand Management Center, a 100% last year.

Would you be able to comment on Boston Univ SOM and HEC Paris...? I know HEC is respected for Marketing... How is the job scenario... and average compensation?

mirfan2 · Answer

My take one on BU : (Short answer, there are better programs out there)
BU is good if you want to be on the Buy side within Finance i.e. portfolio management. Within the Boston area Babson is better known for marketing and even more so for its entrepreneurship program, If your long-term goal entails any entrepreneurial pantsuits Babson should be high on your list, they've lost ground on the rankings front recently, but based on my information its regional recruiting base is still intact. Accenture still recruits regularly from Babson.

HEC :
HEC is like an Ivy league school in France, Mckinsey, BCG and the like regularly recruit from HEC, which means that the quality of placements offered is comparable to the top national schools within the US, roughly speaking top 15 US schools. Hence compensation is comparable as well i.e. USD 100K + Avg base compensation (euro keeps bouncing so you never know what may acutally end up with

)

Just one quick distinction again : Kellogg , Harvard , Duke , Wharton etc are all national schools, Hence the Mangement consulting firms and what used to be Investment Banks flock here to draw fresh blood. Hence the starting salaries are relatively higher at these schools

Emory, Kelly, BU, Ohio etc are all regional schools, the quality of recruiters that usually show up at these schools is bit lower as well. Hence the disparity in average starting salaries.

I hope this helps ....good luck and have fun applying

) Just one quick distinction again : Kellogg , Harvard , Duke , Wharton etc are all national schools, Hence the Mangement consulting firms and what used to be Investment Banks flock here to draw fresh blood. Hence the starting salaries are relatively higher at these schools Emory, Kelly, BU, Ohio etc are all regional schools, the quality of recruiters that usually show up at these schools is bit lower as well. Hence the disparity in average starting salaries. I hope this helps ....good luck and have fun applying

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks man... appreciate your help! I should try my best at HEC that means :-)

especially coz it ranks superb, is close to paris and the biggies recruit there... My only concern is the 3 years work ex at joining HEC. hope that doesnt pose a problem! thanks encore..

mirfan2 · Answer

Don't worry about your lack of work experience,you can show that you have necessary maturity to be at par with your peers. Show your tenacity, that you're looking to succeed and HEC can take you there.

Please advise.

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