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TheGuyDangerous
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Joined: 10 Sep 2019
Last visit: 11 Dec 2022
Posts: 137
Own Kudos:
37
Given Kudos: 59
Location: India
Concentration: Social Entrepreneurship, Healthcare
Schools: Fuqua '24 (D) ISB '23 (A) Darden '24 (D) Johnson '24 (D) Kenan-Flagler '24 (I) McDonough '24 (S) Tepper '24 (S)
GMAT 1: 680 Q49 V33
GMAT 2: 720 Q50 V37
GRE 1: Q167 V159
GPA: 2.59
WE:Project Management (Non-Profit and Government)
Products:
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Schools: Fuqua '24 (D) ISB '23 (A) Darden '24 (D) Johnson '24 (D) Kenan-Flagler '24 (I) McDonough '24 (S) Tepper '24 (S)
GMAT 2: 720 Q50 V37
GRE 1: Q167 V159
Posts: 137
Kudos: 37
Profile Eval | Indian | Public Health 20 Mar 2020, 01:12
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Hey Experts,

I would love to have feedback about my profile!
Will be applying for R1 this September, 2020.

Background: Indian Male
Age: 24 (At the time of Matriculation)

Education: B. Pharmacy (Hons.) from BITS Pilani (Top 10 institutes in India)
CGPA: 6.49/10

GMAT: 680 (Q49, V33) in my first attempt. Will be giving it again in the next 30 days. Aiming for a 740+

WE: 3 years (At the time of Matriculation)

Current field of work: Public Health; Public Policy

First 19 months:

- Worked at Tata Trusts in the National Nutrition Mission in Rural Andhra Pradesh (a south state in India) converging the district Health, Women & Child, Education, Water & Sanitation Departments to help reduce Malnutrition in 0-6 yr old Children, Pregnant & Lactating women.
- My work required me to do field visits, build capacity of field functionaries and advocacy for the District Magistrate.
- Two of my initiatives was featured in the Tata Trusts quarterly magazine on National Nutrition Mission.
- My immediate boss was a Harvard Grad (Law) (- now into philanthropy) and is ready to write my LoR.

Second 17 months:

- My work in rural Andhra was recognised and I was offered a role (as a Program Officer) in an organisation that is working on micronutrient fortification of staple food in India under the same National Nutrition Mission.
- This organisation is a Canadian NGO and works closely with the other International Development partners for Fortification of Foods in India. That means I get to work with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Global Allianz for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), UNICEF, World Food Program (WFP),World Bank, Tata Trusts, Nutrition International (NI), PATH etc
- The South East Asia office (the one I work at) has only ~4 employees - means I get more exposure in multiple projects.
- My boss is the South East Asia co-ordinator and was previously Head of Department, Department of Community Medicine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He’s also the recipient of multiple awards including ‘Public Health Champion’ by WHO - and is ready to write my LoR.

Extra Curricular:

- Was the Head of Department, Department of Sponsorship & Marketing in BITS Pilani. Raised a sponsorship of 80L (~100,000 $) for the National Annual Cultural Festival - Pearl’17
- Was a cadet at National Cadet Corps
- Was a part of Multiple departments and clubs in BITS Pilani.
- Volunteered for the Indian General Elections (2019) while working for the District Magistrate in Rural Andhra Pradesh.
[I believe I’ll get to organise a few workshops and events while at the current job - idk if such events count though]

MBA:

- I would like to do my MBA in/ related to healthcare.
- I believe the biggest issue in the public health in developing countries currently is the delivery, operations & logistical part. I would like to work in this healthcare delivery structure post-MBA.
- Would also like to have the consulting option open.
- Schools I’m specifically looking at: Duke & Ross and the rest of the top-20 schools in order of their healthcare curriculum (and their STEM MBA certifications)

I believe the biggest Cons in my profile would be low CGPA & the fact that I have only 3 years WE.

Questions:

What are my chances given that I WANT to apply for R1 Sept’20?
Can I do anything in the next 7 months to improve my chances?
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StratusDonna
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Joined: 31 May 2016
Last visit: 15 Sep 2025
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Location: United States
Concentration: Marketing, Organizational Behavior
Schools: Kellogg
GPA: 3.67
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Schools: Kellogg
Posts: 1,544
Kudos: 218
Profile Eval | Indian | Public Health 25 Mar 2020, 06:59
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TheGuyDangerous
Hey Experts,
Hi @TheGuyDangerous! This is Donna Bauman, Stratus MBA Counselor and I will give you my thoughts on your profile below.
I would love to have feedback about my profile!
Will be applying for R1 this September, 2020.

Background: Indian Male
Age: 24 (At the time of Matriculation)

Education: B. Pharmacy (Hons.) from BITS Pilani (Top 10 institutes in India) For what it is worth-- lots of BITS Pilani grads who went to UNC Kenan-Flagler so keep that in mind as you look at programs!
CGPA: 6.49/10

GMAT: 680 (Q49, V33) in my first attempt. Will be giving it again in the next 30 days. Aiming for a 740+ There is a HUGE difference between a 680 and a 740-- so hard to answer profile unless you have that locked down. It does look like you just need to nail the verbal-- and certainly GMAT club is a great place for that-- have you tried the EGMAT program? Could be useful and not too expensive to give this a shot. You will have way more options with the 740 than the 680-- although this year more than ever before schools may be waiving GMAT/GRE requirements given Covid19 issues.

WE: 3 years (At the time of Matriculation)

Current field of work: Public Health; Public Policy

First 19 months:

- Worked at Tata Trusts in the National Nutrition Mission in Rural Andhra Pradesh (a south state in India) converging the district Health, Women & Child, Education, Water & Sanitation Departments to help reduce Malnutrition in 0-6 yr old Children, Pregnant & Lactating women.
- My work required me to do field visits, build capacity of field functionaries and advocacy for the District Magistrate.
- Two of my initiatives was featured in the Tata Trusts quarterly magazine on National Nutrition Mission.
- My immediate boss was a Harvard Grad (Law) (- now into philanthropy) and is ready to write my LoR.That's great to have Harvard as a recommender-- but even more important is that he/she write about your impact. How did you do your field work in a way that was more innovative, impactful than your peers? Did you come up with novel ways to do things that no one else thought of and had a big impact? That would be great to have them talk about in the rec letters.

Second 17 months:

- My work in rural Andhra was recognised and I was offered a role (as a Program Officer) in an organisation that is working on micronutrient fortification of staple food in India under the same National Nutrition Mission.
- This organisation is a Canadian NGO and works closely with the other International Development partners for Fortification of Foods in India. That means I get to work with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Global Allianz for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), UNICEF, World Food Program (WFP),World Bank, Tata Trusts, Nutrition International (NI), PATH etc Great to have some globally recognized heavy hitters for development work.
- The South East Asia office (the one I work at) has only ~4 employees - means I get more exposure in multiple projects.
- My boss is the South East Asia co-ordinator and was previously Head of Department, Department of Community Medicine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He’s also the recipient of multiple awards including ‘Public Health Champion’ by WHO - and is ready to write my LoR. Again-- what have you done that can show impact? Make sure recommender covers this.

Extra Curricular:

- Was the Head of Department, Department of Sponsorship & Marketing in BITS Pilani. Raised a sponsorship of 80L (~100,000 $) for the National Annual Cultural Festival - Pearl’17
- Was a cadet at National Cadet Corps
- Was a part of Multiple departments and clubs in BITS Pilani.
- Volunteered for the Indian General Elections (2019) while working for the District Magistrate in Rural Andhra Pradesh.
[I believe I’ll get to organise a few workshops and events while at the current job - idk if such events count though]

MBA:

- I would like to do my MBA in/ related to healthcare. Can you narrow that a bit more? I suggest you do some research on healthcare consulting firms and start to target firms that appeal to you. Also use healthcare as the lens to evaluate MBA programs and that will help you narrow your search.
- I believe the biggest issue in the public health in developing countries currently is the delivery, operations & logistical part. I would like to work in this healthcare delivery structure post-MBA.
- Would also like to have the consulting option open.
- Schools I’m specifically looking at: Duke & Ross and the rest of the top-20 schools in order of their healthcare curriculum (and their STEM MBA certifications)
With a 680 both these programs will be tough-- with a 740 you have more options. Other MBA programs with strong healthcare-- first if you look at Duke, look at UNC Kenan-Flagler just 8 miles away. They also have some great healthcare resources. I would look to cities with big healthcare markets such as Boston-- and while HBS/Sloan likely out of reach you could look at programs like Babson or Boston University. One program I highly suggest for healthcare is Vanderbilt Owen-- they have outstanding resources around healthcare. I suggest you look at Indiana Kelley also and they have particularly strong consulting options. Don't overlook many of the top 25 US MBA programs as I see more options for you here and can absolutely help you make that transition to healthcare. Look at programs like Georgetown McDonough, Emory, even Wash U Olin.

I believe the biggest Cons in my profile would be low CGPA & the fact that I have only 3 years WE. And the GMAT if it stays in 680 range-- other options are to look at a program like Rotman (U Toronto) where you might have more options and easier work options also.

Questions:

What are my chances given that I WANT to apply for R1 Sept’20? They will be better if you study hard for GMAT to get closer to the 740 and then also to do school research to pick programs where you really will be a good fit based on your experience. We offer a service at Stratus called Application Fundamentals which is reasonably priced that can definitely help you pick the right schools and understand what you need from an MBA and how to position yourself in the best light so that when you do apply you are ready. To learn more-- reach out for a free consult here-- I am Donna if you want to have a consult with me and I can help match you to the best Stratus resource -- link to do that is here:https://stratusadmissionscounseling.com/consult/ /color]
Can I do anything in the next 7 months to improve my chances? [color=#0000ff]Beyond Application Fundamentals that I mentioned above, I would work on the resume and be sure you are presenting yourself in most impactful way and also keep studying for GMAT! Here is a good resource on how to work on the MBA resume: th23autolink_encode_start_2aipzz62PCEtLSBtIC0tPjxhIGNsYXNzPSJwb3N0bGluayIgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly9zdHJhdHVzYWRtaXNzaW9uc2NvdW5zZWxpbmcuY29tL2hvdy10by1jcmVhdGUtdGhlLWJlc3QtcG9zc2libGUtcmVzdW1lLWZvci15b3VyLW1iYS1hcHBsaWNhdGlvbi8iPmh0dHBzOi8vc3RyYXR1c2FkbWlzc2lvbnNjb3Vuc2VsaW5nLmNvbSAuLi4gcGxpY2F0aW9uLzwvYT48IS0tIG0gLS0+th23autolink_encode_end_2aipzz62
Show more

I do think there will be a lot of great opportunities for great MBA programs this year for those who are prepared and focused! Good luck to you and reach out for a consult if you want to learn more about us.
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GyanOne
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Last visit: 16 Nov 2025
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1,691
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Status: World Rank #4 MBA Admissions Consultant
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Posts: 3,222
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Profile Eval | Indian | Public Health 29 Mar 2020, 02:51
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TheGuyDangerous
Hey Experts,

I would love to have feedback about my profile!
Will be applying for R1 this September, 2020.

Background: Indian Male
Age: 24 (At the time of Matriculation)

Education: B. Pharmacy (Hons.) from BITS Pilani (Top 10 institutes in India)
CGPA: 6.49/10

GMAT: 680 (Q49, V33) in my first attempt. Will be giving it again in the next 30 days. Aiming for a 740+

WE: 3 years (At the time of Matriculation)

Current field of work: Public Health; Public Policy

First 19 months:

- Worked at Tata Trusts in the National Nutrition Mission in Rural Andhra Pradesh (a south state in India) converging the district Health, Women & Child, Education, Water & Sanitation Departments to help reduce Malnutrition in 0-6 yr old Children, Pregnant & Lactating women.
- My work required me to do field visits, build capacity of field functionaries and advocacy for the District Magistrate.
- Two of my initiatives was featured in the Tata Trusts quarterly magazine on National Nutrition Mission.
- My immediate boss was a Harvard Grad (Law) (- now into philanthropy) and is ready to write my LoR.

Second 17 months:

- My work in rural Andhra was recognised and I was offered a role (as a Program Officer) in an organisation that is working on micronutrient fortification of staple food in India under the same National Nutrition Mission.
- This organisation is a Canadian NGO and works closely with the other International Development partners for Fortification of Foods in India. That means I get to work with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Global Allianz for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), UNICEF, World Food Program (WFP),World Bank, Tata Trusts, Nutrition International (NI), PATH etc
- The South East Asia office (the one I work at) has only ~4 employees - means I get more exposure in multiple projects.
- My boss is the South East Asia co-ordinator and was previously Head of Department, Department of Community Medicine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He’s also the recipient of multiple awards including ‘Public Health Champion’ by WHO - and is ready to write my LoR.

Extra Curricular:

- Was the Head of Department, Department of Sponsorship & Marketing in BITS Pilani. Raised a sponsorship of 80L (~100,000 $) for the National Annual Cultural Festival - Pearl’17
- Was a cadet at National Cadet Corps
- Was a part of Multiple departments and clubs in BITS Pilani.
- Volunteered for the Indian General Elections (2019) while working for the District Magistrate in Rural Andhra Pradesh.
[I believe I’ll get to organise a few workshops and events while at the current job - idk if such events count though]

MBA:

- I would like to do my MBA in/ related to healthcare.
- I believe the biggest issue in the public health in developing countries currently is the delivery, operations & logistical part. I would like to work in this healthcare delivery structure post-MBA.
- Would also like to have the consulting option open.
- Schools I’m specifically looking at: Duke & Ross and the rest of the top-20 schools in order of their healthcare curriculum (and their STEM MBA certifications)

I believe the biggest Cons in my profile would be low CGPA & the fact that I have only 3 years WE.

Questions:

What are my chances given that I WANT to apply for R1 Sept’20?
Can I do anything in the next 7 months to improve my chances?
Show more

Hi TheGuyDangerous

- You have solid work experience given your role at Tata Trusts and then the Canadian NGO. Is the quantity enough? Probably, it is a bit on the lower side, but then it is the quality and impact that counts more, especially in your domain. The point is - can you show that you need an MBA now? If yes, you will be fine.
- The weaknesses in your profile pertain more to your low GPA, and your current GMAT (something we understand you are currently fixing). If you can indeed scale Mount 740+, then in addition to Duke and Ross, you also have options in UCLA, Columbia, Darden, and Cornell to consider. If looking at somewhat safer options, then McCombs and Emory would fit the bill. You should keep these in mind as backups/alternative options.
- Fit and burning need (for an MBA) are going to be the major things on your profile schools will look closely at. At this point, the best things to do are: (a) first, use this time to study for the GMAT and get the score you are looking for. GMAC is going to introduce a take-at-home interim GMAT option around April 15, so despite the lockdown, you will be able to take the GMAT. (b) Start early, and make sure you spend good time on your apps and ensure that they are solid. This will require enough time spent on shaping your target programs and goals, and of course ensuring that you meet R1 deadlines. Hopefully, by then, the COVID-19 impact would also have mitigated.

Hope this helps. Feel free to come back with more queries as needed.