Profile evaluation for ISB

Question

Academic Background: 
 
  Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech), Mechanical Engineering 
 Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV), 2021
 CGPA: 8.32 / 10 (83.2%) –  Top 5 in Class  
  Diploma in Mechanical Engineering 
 Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV), 2018
 CGPA: 7.62 / 10 (76.2%) 
  Class 10 – MP Board 
 Scored 77.5% –  Top 5 in Class   
 
 Professional Experience: 
 
  Cloud and DevOps Engineer 
  Cognizant Technology Solutions  | April 2022 – Present
  Client:  Ernst & Young (EY) – Canvas Project 
 Currently working as a Cloud and DevOps Engineer on EY's flagship global audit platform, EY Canvas. 
 Played a key role in  migrating infrastructure from on-premises to cloud  (Azure), enhancing system scalability and reliability. 
 Actively  mentoring junior engineers and new joiners , fostering DevOps best practices, and facilitating collaboration between development teams, product managers, and business stakeholders for smooth application deployments. 
 Regularly interact and coordinate with globally distributed teams in the  US, UK, Argentina, Mexico, and China , although no physical international experience. 
 Recognized by  both client (EY)  and  Cognizant  for delivering high-impact solutions and ensuring critical system uptime.  
 
 Certifications: 
 
 Holds multiple  Cloud and DevOps certifications  (Azure/AWS, etc.)  
 
 International Exposure: 
 
 While not physically abroad, has significant cross-cultural and international collaboration experience with global teams and stakeholders from  North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia .

Goalisb · Answer

Hi,
Your profile has some distinct strengths. It depends on how you highlight and knit your story together. It seems that you have not written the GMAT yet. That would be an important consideration too. There's not much information on the ECs either, its not that they are mandatory but see that you are able to present a well rounded profile in your application.

All the best!

kingbucky · Answer

Your profile looks promising! 
The 8.32 CGPA and top 5 class ranking are strong, and your Cloud/DevOps role at Cognizant with EY is impressive—especially the Azure migration and mentoring. 
Global team collaboration adds a nice touch. For MBA apps, highlight your leadership and impact in essays. 
A GMAT score would help gauge your fit—aim for 645+ for schools like ISB. Add extracurriculars to show well-roundedness. Solid foundation—keep pushing!

shishimaru · Answer

Hey, great start! Your academic record is solid with an 8.32 CGPA. Certifications in Azure/AWS are a plus. 
For MBA, emphasize your leadership in mentoring and stakeholder collaboration. A GMAT score is missing—shoot for 655+ for programs like ISB. Add some community involvement to strengthen your app. You’re on the right track!

supremekai · Answer

Mentoring junior engineers at Cognizant shows leadership—love that! Dig into this in your essays; adcoms eat up stories of guiding others. Share a specific example of how you helped a mentee grow or improved team dynamics.

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello  NikhilBajpai10 ,

You have a lot working for you on the academic and work front but a lot also depends on how well you score on the GMAT; a strong GMAT score coupled with a set of essays that aptly demonstrate your strengths as well as a set of logical goals, will give you a good chance of getting an interview call.

All the best!

MBAGuide · Answer

NikhilBajpai10 What are your goals? Two-thirds of the essays are focused on understanding your goals plan, so it’s a bit presumptuous to ask for a profile evaluation without a plan for the goals strategy. If I am correct in assuming that you may be interested in product management or tech, definitely read this piece I wrote some time back. The Death of Generic Product Management Goals : ISB Wondering how your profile stacks up? Get a free profile evaluation and discuss a tailored MBA plan that aligns with your goals. Best wishes Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer) Founder, MBAGuideConsulting LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

LilacBuds · Answer

Hello @NikhilBajpai10,

Summary of your profile  
      Category   
 
    Your Profile   
 
    Comment

Academics    
  B.Tech 8.32/10, Top 5 class; Diploma, 76%  
  Very good; not IIT but showing strong academic rigor  
 
     Work Experience    
  ~3-3.5 years, global client, tech/DevOps  
  best for early to mid career ambitions  
 
     Certifications    
  Multiple (Cloud, DevOps)  
  Strong add  
 
     International    
  Global teamwork, client collaboration (remote)  
  Valued; physical experience not a deal breaker  
 
     Leadership    
  Mentoring, cross-team collaboration  
  Need more extra-curriculars  
 
     Test Scores    
  Not indicated  
  675+ GMAT or 325+ GRE is advisable  
 
     Post-MBA Goals    
  Not stated  
  Need clarity, especially at application

Strengths  
  1. Solid Academics  
 
   Strong Undergrad Performance:  B.Tech with 8.32/10 CGPA, top 5 in class—this is competitive at global MBA programs, especially as an Indian applicant from a non-IIT/NIT background.  
   Clear Progression:  Progression from Diploma to Degree indicates upward academic progression.  
   Consistent Performance:  Consistent top 5 in class from high school onward.   
  2. Strong Technology Career  
 
   Relevant Experience:  Cloud & DevOps Engineer, experience with  global clients  and leading-edge technologies (Azure migration, reliability, scalability).  
   Mentorship:  Evidence of leadership through mentoring and team collaboration.  
   Recognition:  Official appreciation from both employer and client—shows impact.   
  3. Certifications  
 
   Cloud/DevOps Certifications:  These add credibility and show continuous upskilling, which is highly valued in tech-focused MBAs.   
  4. International/Global Exposure  
 
   Global Collaboration:  While no physical international experience, you have  extensive cross-cultural collaboration  with teams in the Americas, Europe, and APAC. Top schools will value the complexity and global communication here, especially if demonstrated through examples.

Areas to Strengthen  
  1. Leadership/Extra-curricular Activities  
 
  Most top MBA programs expect evidence of leadership or initiative  outside work : NGOs, sports, college committees, hackathons, tech talks, volunteering, etc.  
  If you’ve done any, highlight them; if not, try to add or formalize such experiences before applying.   
  3. Quantitative Test (GMAT/GRE)  
 
  Not mentioned. A strong GMAT (675+) or GRE (326+) will be essential for most top 25 programs, especially as an Indian applicant.   
  4. Physical International Experience  
 
  Possession of multinational exposure is already good; a short-term onsite or global project would make the profile even more robust, but it's not a dealbreaker.   
  5. Post-MBA Goals  
 
  Clarity of post-MBA goals, especially aligning your technical background with management/technology leadership in product management, tech consulting etc, will be crucial.

MBA Program Fit (Top 25, Technology Focus)  
  US:  
 
  CMU Tepper, Ross, Duke Fuqua, Cornell Johnson, Stern, Texas McCombs, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech—especially strong on technology.   
  Europe:  
 
  IESE, HEC Paris—excellent for international careers, technology, and consulting.  
  Oxford, Cambridge are also possible fits.   
  Asia:  
 
  NUS (Singapore), NTU (Singapore), ISB (India)—all strong for tech and global business careers.

Reach out to me if you want to know more about your chances.

Best 
 Rajiv Ganjoo 
 Founder CEO -  LilacBuds  
  www.lilacbuds.com

NehaOnCourse · Answer

Hi Nikhil,

As an ISB alum, I can say that you have a profile which will be looked upon positively by the committee. However whether you convert the interview or not will depend on the Goals story that can show a clear trajectory towards your post MBA career and the role that ISB will play in getting you there. I strongly recommend thinking about your goals at a granular level and not rushing into a story which looks glamorous. We have worked with numerous clients from an engineering background and have realised that the personality and clarity of goals become exceedingly important while differentiating your profile from your peers.

Regards,
Neha Iyengar,
CA, ISB'08 and MBA Head Oncourse

ISBmantra · Answer

Hi  NikhilBajapi10 ,

Here is the brief summary of your Profile Evaluation:
  
There are some strong elements in your profile, especially in terms of work experience. Since you’re yet to take the GMAT, planning your prep and application timeline carefully will be important.

Are you considering only ISB or also exploring international programs? With a bit more information, we’d be happy to provide a more complete evaluation.
Feel free to connect with our team of former ISB Admissions Officers here:
 Need a detailed Profile Evaluation? Fill out This Form.

Best wishes! 
 Team ISBmantra 
 info@isbmantra.com

FLY.reachout · Answer

Dear  NikhilBajpai10 ,

One look through your profile tells us that your  academic performance has been about average , but where your profile  truly shines is your work experience , where you have worked with global stakeholders and also received strong recognition.

Another  positive aspect  is that you have consistently tried to  upskill yourself through multiple Cloud and DevOps certifications , which shows a clear  resolve to progressively get better at what you do  and build expertise in your domain. We definitely see  potential to bring out strong impact stories  from your professional journey.

We do not yet have a lot of information about your  extracurriculars  from what we read so far, but we are sure that  bringing out some of your interests and how they reflect your motivations or personal qualities  can help shape a well-rounded and compelling narrative.

At  Team FLY , we are a collective of ISB alumni dedicated to supporting prospective MBA applicants with  profile positioning, essay reviews and interview preparation . We also post guidance videos regularly on our  YouTube channel , and our latest video on  ISB admissions essays  can be viewed here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZPE97krOHo 
Please feel free to book a  15 minute free session  with us for a detailed discussion:  https://calendly.com/reachusfly/15min

With warm regards,
  Team FLY 
  www.teamfly.org

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My Rewards

Category	Your Profile	Comment
Academics	B.Tech 8.32/10, Top 5 class; Diploma, 76%	Very good; not IIT but showing strong academic rigor
Work Experience	~3-3.5 years, global client, tech/DevOps	best for early to mid career ambitions
Certifications	Multiple (Cloud, DevOps)	Strong add
International	Global teamwork, client collaboration (remote)	Valued; physical experience not a deal breaker
Leadership	Mentoring, cross-team collaboration	Need more extra-curriculars
Test Scores	Not indicated	675+ GMAT or 325+ GRE is advisable
Post-MBA Goals	Not stated	Need clarity, especially at application