Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 04:18 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 04:18
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
avatar
newwmbaaspirant
avatar
Joined: 22 Jul 2013
Last visit: 12 Dec 2022
Posts: 16
Own Kudos:
8
Given Kudos: 27
Location: India
Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship
Schools: Haas '22 (A$)
GRE 1: Q170 V155
GPA: 3.1
WE:General Management (Education)
Schools: Haas '22 (A$)
GRE 1: Q170 V155
Posts: 16
Kudos: 8
Profile Evaluation Request (Indian Entrepreneur with unique WE) Updated on: 01 Sep 2019, 02:26
Originally posted by newwmbaaspirant on 26 Jul 2018, 06:13.
Last edited by newwmbaaspirant on 01 Sep 2019, 02:26, edited 1 time in total.
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi
User avatar
MBAkarma
User avatar
Joined: 18 Apr 2018
Last visit: 10 Apr 2025
Posts: 1,050
Own Kudos:
216
Given Kudos: 28
Status:MBA Admissions Coach
Affiliations: MBAkarma
Location: India
Schools: ISB IIM HEC EDHEC INSEAD IIMA HBS Rotman
GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42
GPA: 3.75
Schools: ISB IIM HEC EDHEC INSEAD IIMA HBS Rotman
GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42
Posts: 1,050
Kudos: 216
Profile Evaluation Request (Indian Entrepreneur with unique WE) 27 Jul 2018, 03:17
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello SachinKaundinya

Kudos to the detailed pot- always makes a profile review easier.
You can read here on all the factors that will matter in admissions.
A lot going for you in terms of work ex & extracurricular(enough fodder for the essays).
Though your goals look pretty thought out, would need to understand more on how they tie in with your past skills/experience (not very evident from the post that is all) and where does an MBA fit in. What will happen to your company if you go for an MBA.
Weakest element of the profile is definitely acads (720 though a good score, is not the most impressive score for an Indian for top schools). Will need to compensate for it through your stories.)
Coming to the list of schools is a tougher question to answer based on the quantitative nature of the info. Shortlisting a school requires a much qualitative understanding (just like essays) and though I'll say that with much effort your could potentially target top 20, but that is a very generic statement.
Overall, execution of the written application (essays/LOR) is key for you. How you tell your story can give you a fighting chance.
Should you need to discuss this further, let me know.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
MBAkarma.com
GMAT Score Predictor
info@mbakarma.com



SachinKaundinya
Hi!

I'd be grateful if you can evaluate my profile.

26 M, Indian. Looking to get into a top US business school.
5 years WE
GMAT - 720, 48Q/41V
Expecting 110+ on the TOEFL
Undergrad: 3.0 GPA in Engineering from a not-so-popular Indian university.

Very passionate about startups and entrepreneurship.
Battled my way through severe anxiety and depression.
(would be) First in the family to study abroad.

Work Experience:

Current:
Ø Entrepreneur. Bootstrapped an ed-tech startup from scratch to a $150,000 ARR business in 3 years. Still running it with positive cashflow. I know $150k might not sound that impressive to US adcoms, but the company is based in India, it's in a small niche, and it is growing y-o-y.
Ø Grew the business from 0 - 10,000 paying customers from over 150 countries.
Ø Singlehandedly built and grew the company's blog from 0 to 2 million annual readers without spending a dime on ads. The site is currently ranked very highly in the test prep niche.
Ø Helped over 1000 students improve their test scores, through one-on-one personal interaction and mentorship.

Previous:
Ø Director of Support for 2 years. First hire at a SaaS startup company funded by top global VC firms.
Ø Helped scale the company's online support system from 0-10,000 B2B customers.
Ø Worked with the CEO and the engineering teams to improve customer experience.

Previously, I also co-founded an offline test prep company straight out of undergrad. It did really well for a year or so, and we gave the major players (the likes of Princeton Review and Manhattan Review) a run for their money, but had to shut it down due to lack of funding (needed to expand operations). Used this experience to pivot the service into an online platform (the aforementioned ed-tech startup).

Extra-curricular:

Startup Festival - 3 years
Ø Organized the first ever startup festival in my home state (which is also one of India's largest entrepreneurship events) with over 2500 delegates attending from across the country.
Ø Led a team of 20 managers and 60 volunteers, and played a key role in raising funds, partnering with the state government, and managing over 100 speakers, startups, corporate, sponsors, and partner companies.
Ø The event kickstarted innovation and tech in our state.
Ø Not sure how relevant it is to my application, but I have a letter of recommendation from our State Minister for IT & Entrepreneurship (similar to Secretary of State), as I worked closely with the state government on building a startup ecosystem.

President and Regional Head at a major national level non-profit - 3 years
Ø Built and lead the city chapter of one of India's largest non-profits (on the lines of Teach for India) from scratch to the city's largest and the fastest growing non-profit org.
Ø Recruited, trained, and mentored over 250 young volunteers to teach, train, and mentor over 300 underprivileged children across 5 shelter homes in my city.
Ø Helped the organization expand to two new cities in South India. Recruited, trained, and managed over 30 young leaders and over 300 young volunteers, who in-turn impacted more than 500 underprivileged children in 10 shelter homes across the region.
Ø Although this was a few years ago, it wasn't just another community service activity. I actually worked 10-15 hours a week for 3 years straight.

Other details:
Ø Was a founding member of my university's student magazine.
Ø Was also a member of a couple of clubs in college (entrepreneurship, speaking).

Hobbies:
I'm a fitness enthusiast. Have done freelance modeling, and was also a Mr. India 2016 quarter-finalist.
Also an avid reader and debater.

LORs:
Can get strong letters of recommendation from my supervisors.

Cons:
Ø No recent community service experience.
Ø No international exposure.
Ø Although I've built a successful business, I haven't worked for big brand corporate companies.
Ø Indian male. Although I'm not in the IT sector.
Ø Low GPA?

Post MBA Goals:

Long term goal is to build a global business (ed-tech SaaS company). I plan to use the business acumen and the vast network from my MBA to achieve this. To get there, I believe I need experience in the SaaS domain. My immediate post MBA goal, therefore, is to join a growing SaaS company in the US. Over the past couple of years, I've had a growing interest in the SaaS revolution in the US, and I very much want to be a part of it.

Can you please evaluate my profile? Since I have a relatively unique background (and experience), I'm having a hard time understanding how competitive my profile would be at a top school. I'm also looking for schools where my profile would be very competitive, so I can secure a handsome scholarship (half-ride, or GA). I'm planning to apply in Early or Round 1 this year.

Please suggest what schools I would be a good contender at. Whether they would be among the Top 10 (Haas, MIT, Ross), Top 30 (Duke, UCLA, Cornell), or Top 50 (Indiana, UT-Austin, Carlson), etc. Thank you very much. :)
Show more