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grad_mba
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Profile Evaluation 17 Mar 2007, 15:16
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Hi,

First, I would like to thank you for your initiative to provide evaluation on profiles.

My profile

Academics
- Post Graduate in Engineering with a GPA of 3.6, my graduate school does not fall in the top 30 though
- Under Graduate - gpa 8/10

Full time Work experience
- should be completing 3 years by fall 2008 (when I plan to attend school)
- won awards within this 2 year span for my performance
- The firm I work for is highly reputed and the leader in its industry

Extracurriculars
- Former professional International sportsperson
- won numerous events at the international level
- recognized and honoured by the President of the nation for my sports endeavours

Leadership
- held various positions right from High school days - captain / secretary / founder

Community activities
- actively involved and held positions at the rotary
- organized various fund raiser events particulary targeted for the welfare of underpriviledged children

Long term career goals -
- pioneer the cause of sports in India.
- Set up a 'profitable' sports academy to create awareness amongst people about various possibilities in sports and sporting events
- find talent and train the right people in a vision to bring India on par in terms of sports with other countries.

Why do I want a MBA degree ?
to equip myself with entrepreneurship skills , to learn how to formally and effectively go about implementing ideas.

My target schools -
Top 10 -

Dream school - Stanford

It will be really helpful if you can evaluate my profile and provide an insight of my chances at the top10. Are extracurriculars really valued, do they invest in people who want to do something completely different ?

I have not yet given my GMAT, wat do you think will be a safe score with my profile and career goals ?

Thanks
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PaulBodine
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Profile Evaluation 20 Mar 2007, 15:35
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grad_mba
Hi,

First, I would like to thank you for your initiative to provide evaluation on profiles.

My profile

Academics
- Post Graduate in Engineering with a GPA of 3.6, my graduate school does not fall in the top 30 though
- Under Graduate - gpa 8/10

Full time Work experience
- should be completing 3 years by fall 2008 (when I plan to attend school)
- won awards within this 2 year span for my performance
- The firm I work for is highly reputed and the leader in its industry

Extracurriculars
- Former professional International sportsperson
- won numerous events at the international level
- recognized and honoured by the President of the nation for my sports endeavours

Leadership
- held various positions right from High school days - captain / secretary / founder

Community activities
- actively involved and held positions at the rotary
- organized various fund raiser events particulary targeted for the welfare of underpriviledged children

Long term career goals -
- pioneer the cause of sports in India.
- Set up a 'profitable' sports academy to create awareness amongst people about various possibilities in sports and sporting events
- find talent and train the right people in a vision to bring India on par in terms of sports with other countries.

Why do I want a MBA degree ?
to equip myself with entrepreneurship skills , to learn how to formally and effectively go about implementing ideas.

My target schools -
Top 10 -

Dream school - Stanford

It will be really helpful if you can evaluate my profile and provide an insight of my chances at the top10. Are extracurriculars really valued, do they invest in people who want to do something completely different ?

I have not yet given my GMAT, wat do you think will be a safe score with my profile and career goals ?

Thanks
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grad_MBA,

You stated your profile in very general terms so it's hard for me to provide a valuable response, however, your professional sports background looks interesting. It could be your major differentiator especially since it relates to your long-term goal. So I recommend making the most of that sports theme. Extracurriculars are important at the top schools because they provide another forum by which to gauge your leadership and impact and because they also reflect your interpersonal/team skills and concern for benefiting more than just yourself. Not sure what you mean by "do they invest in people who want to do something completely different ?" If you mean, do B-schools value people who have unusual goals/backgrounds the answer is definitely yes, as my comments about your (unusual) pro sports background indicate. As for a "safe" GMAT score, at the top 5 or so schools there is no safe GMAT scores. People with 780 GMATs get dinged all the time. But slightly lower on the list a 730-740 or above would absolutely banish any doubt they might have about your intellectual abilities.

Good luck,
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grad_mba
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Profile Evaluation 20 Mar 2007, 16:23
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Hi Paul, thanks for your comments and suggestions.
shall get back to you with more Qs after my Gmat :)

Do the ultra elite schools frown at multiple attempts at GMAT? I have been preparing for just over a month, but want to get done with the test, so that, in case something goes wrong in my 1st attempt, I'l always have ample time to retake the test .. so is that a wise thing to do ?

Thanks in advance
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Profile Evaluation 22 Mar 2007, 23:34
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grad_mba
Hi Paul, thanks for your comments and suggestions.
shall get back to you with more Qs after my Gmat :)

Do the ultra elite schools frown at multiple attempts at GMAT? I have been preparing for just over a month, but want to get done with the test, so that, in case something goes wrong in my 1st attempt, I'l always have ample time to retake the test .. so is that a wise thing to do ?

Thanks in advance
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gradmba,

The top schools are fine with up to 3 test attempts. Any more than that and they question your priorities. Or maybe they just don:t want to admit masochists? :) So two times is perfectly fine.
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grad_mba
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Profile Evaluation Updated on: 26 Mar 2007, 17:58
Originally posted by grad_mba on 26 Mar 2007, 15:21.
Last edited by grad_mba on 26 Mar 2007, 17:58, edited 1 time in total.
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PaulBodine
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Profile Evaluation 26 Mar 2007, 17:29
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grad_mba
Hi Paul,

guess what ! gave my Gmat today and a scored a 660 (q47,v34) ! umm well .. slightly on the lower spectrum than I expected which pushes me right into the dilemma of whether to give away my Gmat prep material as yet :)

I know the score is considered below average at the schools I apsire for - top 10 - Stanford being my dream school !!

However, I want to know if the below factors will in any way,help offseting my comparably low Gmat score at the ultra elite ..

Well, I hate trumpeting about myself, but in need of genuine advice from a professional :)

Below are the additional facts which I believe might help to differentiate myself ..

- I hold a Guinness Record in the sports category (swimming) and my record has been untouched for the past 14 years .. n yes 3/4th of the page is ornated with my photograph :)

- Represented India in multiple international and two World series swimming competitions

- was honoured with the highest sports accolodae of the nation given by the President himself

- there is an entire chapter about me in the 6th and 9th grade official high school texts to serve as a motivating factor for youngters

- held summer camps where I taught swimming to a close to 300 kids ..my first tingling step in my vision to start a full fledged sports academy


So, given my long term career goals, is there a chance that the ultra elites will give me a pass with my Gmat ?

My other factors as I have already mentioned in the thread are pretty much there ..if not weak I guess ..
3.6 post grad gpa / under grad from one of the premiere instis in India
strong work ex / leadership outside of work ..

Oh ya
- Male / Indian / 25 :)
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gradMBA,

Your unusual sports profile certainly will help you stand out at the ultra elites, but the GMAT score may be too much for them to overlook. Stanford and Kellogg might be ultra-elites most willing to overlook your score. If you were a Native American, African American, or Hispanic American your 660 would certainly be good enough, but you're not. Feel free to apply to the ultra-elites but realize the odds will remain fairly slim, though not nonexistent. You may want to see Accepted.com's advice for applicants with "low" GMAT scores.
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grad_mba
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Profile Evaluation 26 Mar 2007, 18:01
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Hi Paul, thanks for your prompt and candid response .. !
If you were to choose 5-8 schools (all in the top 15) with my profile ..what will your choices be ?
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Profile Evaluation 01 Apr 2007, 18:27
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grad_mba
Hi Paul, thanks for your prompt and candid response .. !
If you were to choose 5-8 schools (all in the top 15) with my profile ..what will your choices be ?
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gradmba,

Given your entrepreneurship goals and GMAT I think you could consider Indiana, USC, Michigan, UNC, Maryland, CMU, Cornell, and Darden.

Good luck,
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grad_mba
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Profile Evaluation 07 Apr 2007, 19:45
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Thanks a lot Paul !
After much consideration, I am planning to give Gmat another shot to break into the 700s.
I hope that should propel my chances at the Ultra Elites.
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Profile Evaluation 08 Apr 2007, 20:46
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grad_mba
Thanks a lot Paul !
After much consideration, I am planning to give Gmat another shot to break into the 700s.
I hope that should propel my chances at the Ultra Elites.
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You're welcome and good luck.
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grad_mba
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Profile Evaluation 27 Jun 2007, 19:27
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Hello Paul ! its been a good 3 months and hope you are doing good.

Well, took my G again and broke into the 700s - 710 to be precise (q50,v37) - could have done way much better in the verbal !

Just wanted your opinion on a couple of things -

* Will my new score really propel my chances at the ultra elites given my profile or do i need to take the Gmat again ?

* It will be great if you can give me a couple of schools each in these cadres -

- sure shot (hope there are some top 10s here :))
- competitive
- stretch
- dream

Eagerly awaiting your response and sincerely appreciate your help.
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PaulBodine
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Profile Evaluation 29 Jun 2007, 09:56
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grad_mba
Hello Paul ! its been a good 3 months and hope you are doing good.

Well, took my G again and broke into the 700s - 710 to be precise (q50,v37) - could have done way much better in the verbal !

Just wanted your opinion on a couple of things -

* Will my new score really propel my chances at the ultra elites given my profile or do i need to take the Gmat again ?

* It will be great if you can give me a couple of schools each in these cadres -

- sure shot (hope there are some top 10s here :))
- competitive
- stretch
- dream

Eagerly awaiting your response and sincerely appreciate your help.
Show more


grad_MBA,

Congratulations on your new score. It makes you competitive at some top 10-15 schools. Given your entrepreneurial and social impact goals, you could consider MIT Sloan, USC, Michigan, Haas, UNC, Virginia, and maybe Wharton (and for a dream school, Stanford) if you have leadership/impact in your professional work experience. Your best odds of admission would be at USC, Michigam, UNC, and Virginia, followed by MIT and Haas, with Wharton and Stanford as longer stretches.

Good luck,