Hi, and thanks for writing! To answer your questions:
1. Yes, you should address your lower GPA in the Optional Essay. Make sure that you take full responsibility for your performance and objectively highlight the factors that led to the low grades, then speak about how you are different today. A higher GMAT will help offset the GPA.
2. For the GMAT score you're targeting and the date on which you're taking it (as well as your GPA), Top 20 US programs would be tough, especially given your competitive demographic. I would focus on US schools outside of the top 20, Canadian programs such as Rotman and Ivey, and European programs outside of the top 5/10.
Hope that helps a bit! if you want to disucss your profile in more detail, I suggest signing up for a free 30-min consultation here:
https://www.mbamission.com/consult/ppnimkar wrote:
Hello Experts
I'd like to request you to review my profile as below
Nationality: Indian
Gender: Male
Work Experience: IT - 5 years (Global Top 10 IT Service Provider - Forbes)
Highest Degree: BE (Hons.) EIE (Tier 1 University - India)
GMAT: Jan 07 2018 (expecting around 650+)
MBA in: Information Management/IT Consulting/Entrepreneurship
Goals: Short-term: Project Management & Networking
Long-term: AI & Machine Learning Start-up for mid-size businesses (great target segment in India)
Education:
I've done my BE (Hons.) EIE from 2008-2012 with a GPA of 5.95/10
Not to make any excuses...but I spent my time at tech-fests
- Runner up - National Level Tech Fest (Prep from 1st year till 2010 Jan) - Autonomous Maze Solving Robot - Team Lead
- Winner - Intra-college Tech Fest 2011 - Speed Radars & Wireless Charging
- Participation certificates - National+Intra level (Robokombat, among others)
The 4th year I managed to get over 7.0/10 but am not sure if that counts or it can be mentioned as such...
Also, I've had 3 full-time internships (10 months total) during college that helped me to gain a lot of practical knowledge
and helped to instill a sense of responsibility
Work-Ex:
During tech-fests, I realized my inclination towards IT, and so I had decided to take up IT courses during & post college
I followed that with acing 2 certifications and landing a job at my current IT company
I've had a great experience here and led projects & client communications from the very beginning
My primary work is in Business Data Analytics and have slowly moved towards Data Science in the past year
deriving new insights and metrics to extract maximum potential and benefit for my clients (Quant + Qual benefits)
I've got 3 promotions in the last 5 years [<5% of the population] and am currently expecting another one (possibly why I would need to delay to late R2 or R3)
[which would put me in the top 1%]
Couple of IT Certifications + in-house certification + in-house award
Invited to be a mentor on Coursera for one of their IT courses
Volunteering:
NGO1 - 2 years - 2012-2014 - English Teaching Volunteer + Mentor to students & other teachers
NGO2 - 1 year - 2013-2014 - Mentored a French Engineering Student - Giving him an exposure to India (Cross-culture program) + English
NGO3 - 2012 - present - In-house CSR - Organized blood donation camps & carnivals (proceeds were donated)
In-house Emergency Response Team member [Lifesupporters Institute of Health Sciences Certified 'Heart Saver First Aid CPR Provider']
Extra-Curricular:
I love football (soccer) & cricket (Played Inter/Intra-school & Intra-college)
I love to dance - (not-trained, but interested to learn Jive) - I've performed at the office fest in 2015 - in-front of a crowd of about 15k employees and their families (about 20k total)
I love to travel - I've been across many places in India, Middle East, Europe and America
I am a hobbyist photographer
Weakness:
One of my major weaknesses and am not sure if this should be added in an optional essay or if I should add it all...
I had a year's period in the US for BE in 2007-08. I was 17 and very very immature
After the 1st sem, I was put on probation and still did not make any changes in myself or put in any effort whatsoever
Easily the worst period of my life!
This naturally led to the university asking me to take a few courses and come back the next year...
Unfortunately there isn't a concept of 'community college' in India and after spending a lot of time thinking about this I chose to apply to schools in India
and have literally spent the last decade on getting things back on track
1. Should I be putting this major weakness in the application form? or maybe in an optional essay?
2. If yes/no, what schools should I apply to? Am aiming global 20+ US, Canada, Europe & UK, does that make any sense given my entire story?
Please let me know
Thank you for your time
Regards
Prathamesh
_________________
Nisha Trivedi
mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant
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