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Abrarbajwa1
Joined: 13 Jun 2016
Last visit: 23 Apr 2017
Posts: 8
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 2
Location: Pakistan
Concentration: Finance, Strategy
Schools: CEIBS '19 (A) HKUST '18 Judge"18 HEC Dec '17 HBS '19 IE Sept "18 INSEAD Jan '17 Ross '19 (I) Kelley '19 (A)
GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V38
GMAT 2: 730 Q49 V41
GPA: 3.61
Schools: CEIBS '19 (A) HKUST '18 Judge"18 HEC Dec '17 HBS '19 IE Sept "18 INSEAD Jan '17 Ross '19 (I) Kelley '19 (A)
GMAT 2: 730 Q49 V41
Posts: 8
Kudos:
1
25 Sep 2016, 01:20
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Hi,
My name is Abrar, and I'm an MBA (graduated 2011) from LUMS, which is the top business school in Pakistan. I also happen to have a BSc Engineering degree from a local institute. I'm going to turn 31 this November.
After my MBA I have worked for almost 5 years in the Pakistani industry in top companies (conglomerates with global footprint) and I'm doing quite well for myself. However, considering the security/visa issues and low international brand equity of LUMS, I have not been able to penetrate in the international job market. To that end, I have deiced to pursue another MBA, however pointless that might sound. Through my second MBA I intend to develop a strong network and enter the international job market preferably in finance areas. My post-MBA experience is in diverse set of areas including sales, business development, market research and supply chain.
I took my GMAT yesterday and scored 710 (Q49 V38 IR8) which is slightly below my expectations, but I can live with it. My undergrad and MBA GPAs are both in the 3.5-3.7 range. Being realistic about my handicap of an existing MBA, an OK GMAT score and more than 6 years of experience, I'm not aiming for Harvard or Wharton. I'm specifically interested in one-year/one and a half-year programs with respectable rankings like CEIBS, HEC Paris, HK UST, IMD Switzerland, IE Business School etc. I'd also want to apply to business schools where I can get a good scholarship as I'm not too comfortable with student loans.
Do you think I need to improve my GMAT score? Would it make any difference if I get say a 730 in a retake? What else do you think I need to do and which other schools should I be targeting?
Cheers!
My name is Abrar, and I'm an MBA (graduated 2011) from LUMS, which is the top business school in Pakistan. I also happen to have a BSc Engineering degree from a local institute. I'm going to turn 31 this November.
After my MBA I have worked for almost 5 years in the Pakistani industry in top companies (conglomerates with global footprint) and I'm doing quite well for myself. However, considering the security/visa issues and low international brand equity of LUMS, I have not been able to penetrate in the international job market. To that end, I have deiced to pursue another MBA, however pointless that might sound. Through my second MBA I intend to develop a strong network and enter the international job market preferably in finance areas. My post-MBA experience is in diverse set of areas including sales, business development, market research and supply chain.
I took my GMAT yesterday and scored 710 (Q49 V38 IR8) which is slightly below my expectations, but I can live with it. My undergrad and MBA GPAs are both in the 3.5-3.7 range. Being realistic about my handicap of an existing MBA, an OK GMAT score and more than 6 years of experience, I'm not aiming for Harvard or Wharton. I'm specifically interested in one-year/one and a half-year programs with respectable rankings like CEIBS, HEC Paris, HK UST, IMD Switzerland, IE Business School etc. I'd also want to apply to business schools where I can get a good scholarship as I'm not too comfortable with student loans.
Do you think I need to improve my GMAT score? Would it make any difference if I get say a 730 in a retake? What else do you think I need to do and which other schools should I be targeting?
Cheers!
VantagePointMelody
Joined: 19 Apr 2016
Last visit: 26 Jun 2024
Posts: 203
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Given Kudos: 1
Schools: CBS '13 (A)
Expert reply
03 Oct 2016, 20:45
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Hi Abrar,
Thanks for sharing your dilemma with us! As an MBA second-timer, I think you’re absolutely doing the right thing by targeting one-year and other accelerated programs. To answer your question, I think it really depends. If you think you have true upside in your score based on how you performed on practice tests and think you could achieve a 20+ point improvement with minimal effort then sure, it can only help you to have a higher score. However, if you would have to kill yourself in order to eek out a 10-point improvement, then it’s probably not worth it and your efforts are better directed elsewhere – i.e. on writing awesome essays and developing an air-tight story around why you’re seeking a second MBA. (And unfortunately, access to a new job market alone won’t be a strong enough argument. You’ll want to show you’re being more thoughtful about the entire journey and experience.)
In terms of other programs, are you focused solely on Europe? If so, Cambridge (Judge) and Oxford (Said) are two programs that I’m familiar with that could be a good match for you. HEC Montreal could be another great option for you as the average age is a bit older and obtaining work authorization in Canada may be easier than in Europe in the current environment. There are a lot of great one-year programs in the US as well – Kellogg, Cornell, Emory, USC all offer one-year MBA options. They’re definitely worth looking into. If you have specific questions about financial aid, I suggest reaching out to the Fin Aid offices at those respective programs for the most accurate information.
Best of luck to you! Let us know if we can be of further help with your applications.
Best,
Melody
Thanks for sharing your dilemma with us! As an MBA second-timer, I think you’re absolutely doing the right thing by targeting one-year and other accelerated programs. To answer your question, I think it really depends. If you think you have true upside in your score based on how you performed on practice tests and think you could achieve a 20+ point improvement with minimal effort then sure, it can only help you to have a higher score. However, if you would have to kill yourself in order to eek out a 10-point improvement, then it’s probably not worth it and your efforts are better directed elsewhere – i.e. on writing awesome essays and developing an air-tight story around why you’re seeking a second MBA. (And unfortunately, access to a new job market alone won’t be a strong enough argument. You’ll want to show you’re being more thoughtful about the entire journey and experience.)
In terms of other programs, are you focused solely on Europe? If so, Cambridge (Judge) and Oxford (Said) are two programs that I’m familiar with that could be a good match for you. HEC Montreal could be another great option for you as the average age is a bit older and obtaining work authorization in Canada may be easier than in Europe in the current environment. There are a lot of great one-year programs in the US as well – Kellogg, Cornell, Emory, USC all offer one-year MBA options. They’re definitely worth looking into. If you have specific questions about financial aid, I suggest reaching out to the Fin Aid offices at those respective programs for the most accurate information.
Best of luck to you! Let us know if we can be of further help with your applications.
Best,
Melody
