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sonalchhajed2019
Joined: 06 Apr 2018
Last visit: 29 May 2023
Posts: 115
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 336
Location: India
Schools: ISB '23 (S)
GMAT 1: 560 Q43 V23
GMAT 2: 680 Q50 V33
GMAT 3: 710 Q49 V37
GPA: 3.64
Products:
05 Aug 2021, 05:23
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi,
I need your help in my profile evaluation and my chances of getting into these B-Schools.
1.Qualification- Bachelor in Industrial Engineering from Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune India ( Graduated in 2012) - CGPA - 8.88/10
2.Work - Exp- I have been working as a part of my Family Business. ( I run an e-commerce site and have been doing this for a long time. I manage a team of 12-15 people) - I have 8 years of FT work experience. In all, I manage a business of about 5 Crores per year. ( And there is roles overlap so I cannot take the complete credit of this).
3.In 2016 I went to Virginia Tech to pursue Masters's in Industrial Engineering. Completed a semester there ( But I did not pursue it since I felt it was not a right fit. )
After coming back to India I tried a number of things to see where my interest lies - such as preparing for UPSC, doing some other startup - which just means evaluating a number of ideas. I did really did spend quite some time evaluating doing a solar startup but decided not to pursue the same. ( But I have not done anything concrete here. - The steady stream of income that came from doing what I was doing was a big security factor and for that reason I guess I did not move forward.)
4.GMAT - 710 ( Q-49, V-37, IR-6) - GMAT online given in Janurary 2021.
5.Reason for an MBA - I do not want to continue doing what I am doing. I want to do something that has a greater impact. ( This does not necessarily mean a Social Impact kind of path but I want to pursue a career that has a deep social impact and also is financially rewarding. ). I also think that I do not have the required skill sets and resources to do something big. And an MBA at a top business school would provide a network and open a lot of opportunities. A few years down the line I want to work in a position of influence and to be able to create a really good impact.
6.Post-MBA Goals- To be very honest I have very rough clarity. But the idea is to get an MBA at a top business school. Explore opportunities while studying there. I have thought of some career combinations but I have not really decided on them yet. I want to work for a few years - Maybe 3-5 years. And then launch my own company. I am very interested in Behavioural Science, Neuroscience, and Technology. And I am planning to do something in this field. ( I am not looking to become a psychologist. ) And I also want to know what opportunities I could pursue in these areas?
Below are a few of the Schools that I am targeting:
ISB, Babson, Kellogg, Columbia, Tuck, MIT Sloan, and Wharton.
Concerns:
1. I am already 30 years old, and that way older applicant to a lot of B-schools. For me personally the age does not make quite a lot of difference. But I know for the B-schools it does. So, I do feel challenged here.
2. Researching on a number of B-schools that I am targeting I did know that they are looking for strong leadership potential. ( I have demonstrated leadership and very good problem-solving potential but not at a scale at while other applicants have )
3.Career Choices: The career choices I have made to date have not been very intentional. It's mostly doing it with what I have got and continuing forward. A lot of the decisions were influenced by financial security than what would have been the best factors such as passion, impact, etc. ( And In the applications as well I would like to maintain the position ).
I looking for the following help from you all. :
1. A very honest feedback about my profile. And chances of getting into these programs. And any other program you suggest to add.
2. Application Strategy
3.Honest Feedback about whether MBA is the next logical step ahead.
4.Whether a GMAT retake makes sense and the strategy for the same. ( By which I mean about the test giving timeline)
5. And why a particular School would make more sense than the other. And does the school selection seem okay
6.Anything else, that you feel would be helpful to my career choices.
Thanks a lot for your time and efforts.
Warm Regards,
Sonal
I need your help in my profile evaluation and my chances of getting into these B-Schools.
1.Qualification- Bachelor in Industrial Engineering from Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune India ( Graduated in 2012) - CGPA - 8.88/10
2.Work - Exp- I have been working as a part of my Family Business. ( I run an e-commerce site and have been doing this for a long time. I manage a team of 12-15 people) - I have 8 years of FT work experience. In all, I manage a business of about 5 Crores per year. ( And there is roles overlap so I cannot take the complete credit of this).
3.In 2016 I went to Virginia Tech to pursue Masters's in Industrial Engineering. Completed a semester there ( But I did not pursue it since I felt it was not a right fit. )
After coming back to India I tried a number of things to see where my interest lies - such as preparing for UPSC, doing some other startup - which just means evaluating a number of ideas. I did really did spend quite some time evaluating doing a solar startup but decided not to pursue the same. ( But I have not done anything concrete here. - The steady stream of income that came from doing what I was doing was a big security factor and for that reason I guess I did not move forward.)
4.GMAT - 710 ( Q-49, V-37, IR-6) - GMAT online given in Janurary 2021.
5.Reason for an MBA - I do not want to continue doing what I am doing. I want to do something that has a greater impact. ( This does not necessarily mean a Social Impact kind of path but I want to pursue a career that has a deep social impact and also is financially rewarding. ). I also think that I do not have the required skill sets and resources to do something big. And an MBA at a top business school would provide a network and open a lot of opportunities. A few years down the line I want to work in a position of influence and to be able to create a really good impact.
6.Post-MBA Goals- To be very honest I have very rough clarity. But the idea is to get an MBA at a top business school. Explore opportunities while studying there. I have thought of some career combinations but I have not really decided on them yet. I want to work for a few years - Maybe 3-5 years. And then launch my own company. I am very interested in Behavioural Science, Neuroscience, and Technology. And I am planning to do something in this field. ( I am not looking to become a psychologist. ) And I also want to know what opportunities I could pursue in these areas?
Below are a few of the Schools that I am targeting:
ISB, Babson, Kellogg, Columbia, Tuck, MIT Sloan, and Wharton.
Concerns:
1. I am already 30 years old, and that way older applicant to a lot of B-schools. For me personally the age does not make quite a lot of difference. But I know for the B-schools it does. So, I do feel challenged here.
2. Researching on a number of B-schools that I am targeting I did know that they are looking for strong leadership potential. ( I have demonstrated leadership and very good problem-solving potential but not at a scale at while other applicants have )
3.Career Choices: The career choices I have made to date have not been very intentional. It's mostly doing it with what I have got and continuing forward. A lot of the decisions were influenced by financial security than what would have been the best factors such as passion, impact, etc. ( And In the applications as well I would like to maintain the position ).
I looking for the following help from you all. :
1. A very honest feedback about my profile. And chances of getting into these programs. And any other program you suggest to add.
2. Application Strategy
3.Honest Feedback about whether MBA is the next logical step ahead.
4.Whether a GMAT retake makes sense and the strategy for the same. ( By which I mean about the test giving timeline)
5. And why a particular School would make more sense than the other. And does the school selection seem okay
6.Anything else, that you feel would be helpful to my career choices.
Thanks a lot for your time and efforts.
Warm Regards,
Sonal
06 Aug 2021, 11:40
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi sonalchhajed2019,
Thanks for the detail and honesty, this is helpful. Given your honesty, I'll reciprocate with complete transparency too. My sense is that you're ready for a change (you've made that clear), but I'm not convinced an MBA is the right next step. It very well may be, but I highly recommend you create some clear direction first. It's extremely challenging to get into top MBA programs without clear goals, and it's also a considerable investment of time, money and energy. For this reason, MBA programs admit people that they can help achieve their goals.
Also, you should know that you're not alone. In fact you're ahead of the game by recognizing you are ready for a change but aren't 100% sure what is next. So, my suggestion is that as a very first step, you spend some time doing self reflection and introspection to ensure you create goals and a roadmap for the next 5-15 years of your professional life. Feel free to schedule a consultation if you want more detailed instructions on this.
Next, evaluate if an MBA will help you achieve those goals. Also, given your experience, I suggest you read the blog post, Am I Too Old for an MBA? Reasons to Consider Alternative MBAs.
To answer your questions more specifically:
1. A very honest feedback about my profile. And chances of getting into these programs. And any other program you suggest to add. - I think I've provided this in my comments above. I don't want to deter you because you actually sound like a fantastic candidate, but suggest you consider 'why an MBA' and 'why now' a little more in depth.
2. Application Strategy - This will really depend on your career goals and personality traits. Generally it takes a few weeks to create a robust strategy, so I'd guide you to start with answering the questions regarding goals, 'why and MBA' and 'why now'. This will help establish key development areas and gaps you need to address in order to achieve your goals. Moreover, it should identify personality traits, experiences and strengths that you'll want to communicate to bring your authentic self into the application. These are necessary pillars for an application strategy.
3.Honest Feedback about whether MBA is the next logical step ahead. - As noted above, I'm not convinced either way at this point.
Happy to discuss live though and give you some structured next steps.
4.Whether a GMAT retake makes sense and the strategy for the same. ( By which I mean about the test giving timeline) - A 710 is below the median for most top business programs. If you narrow down a list of schools and you're below the median for those schools, I'd recommend retaking. Indian applicants tend to score higher than the overall class average, so keep in mind that your peer group of applicants will likely be higher than the median.
5. And why a particular School would make more sense than the other. And does the school selection seem okay - Check out this blog on why a particular program would make sense. Much of this is hinged on your actual career goals and the way the programs align to help you achieve those, but there are also culture, location, alumni, etc elements to consider. [url-https://www.stratusadmissionscounseling.com/blog/how-to-find-the-best-business-schools-for-you/]How to Find the Best Business Schools for You[/url]
6.Anything else, that you feel would be helpful to my career choices. One last note. You indicated your leadership experience may be sub-par, but in fact it seems like you have strong professional leadership experience. Many applicants actually haven't managed anybody directly because they're still early in their career. So, even beyond direct management, leadership can take several forms, such as influence, leading projects, budget responsibility, leadership in extracurriculars or during college, etc.
Thanks for the detail and honesty, this is helpful. Given your honesty, I'll reciprocate with complete transparency too. My sense is that you're ready for a change (you've made that clear), but I'm not convinced an MBA is the right next step. It very well may be, but I highly recommend you create some clear direction first. It's extremely challenging to get into top MBA programs without clear goals, and it's also a considerable investment of time, money and energy. For this reason, MBA programs admit people that they can help achieve their goals.
Also, you should know that you're not alone. In fact you're ahead of the game by recognizing you are ready for a change but aren't 100% sure what is next. So, my suggestion is that as a very first step, you spend some time doing self reflection and introspection to ensure you create goals and a roadmap for the next 5-15 years of your professional life. Feel free to schedule a consultation if you want more detailed instructions on this.
Next, evaluate if an MBA will help you achieve those goals. Also, given your experience, I suggest you read the blog post, Am I Too Old for an MBA? Reasons to Consider Alternative MBAs.
To answer your questions more specifically:
1. A very honest feedback about my profile. And chances of getting into these programs. And any other program you suggest to add. - I think I've provided this in my comments above. I don't want to deter you because you actually sound like a fantastic candidate, but suggest you consider 'why an MBA' and 'why now' a little more in depth.
2. Application Strategy - This will really depend on your career goals and personality traits. Generally it takes a few weeks to create a robust strategy, so I'd guide you to start with answering the questions regarding goals, 'why and MBA' and 'why now'. This will help establish key development areas and gaps you need to address in order to achieve your goals. Moreover, it should identify personality traits, experiences and strengths that you'll want to communicate to bring your authentic self into the application. These are necessary pillars for an application strategy.
3.Honest Feedback about whether MBA is the next logical step ahead. - As noted above, I'm not convinced either way at this point.
Happy to discuss live though and give you some structured next steps.
4.Whether a GMAT retake makes sense and the strategy for the same. ( By which I mean about the test giving timeline) - A 710 is below the median for most top business programs. If you narrow down a list of schools and you're below the median for those schools, I'd recommend retaking. Indian applicants tend to score higher than the overall class average, so keep in mind that your peer group of applicants will likely be higher than the median.
5. And why a particular School would make more sense than the other. And does the school selection seem okay - Check out this blog on why a particular program would make sense. Much of this is hinged on your actual career goals and the way the programs align to help you achieve those, but there are also culture, location, alumni, etc elements to consider. [url-https://www.stratusadmissionscounseling.com/blog/how-to-find-the-best-business-schools-for-you/]How to Find the Best Business Schools for You[/url]
6.Anything else, that you feel would be helpful to my career choices. One last note. You indicated your leadership experience may be sub-par, but in fact it seems like you have strong professional leadership experience. Many applicants actually haven't managed anybody directly because they're still early in their career. So, even beyond direct management, leadership can take several forms, such as influence, leading projects, budget responsibility, leadership in extracurriculars or during college, etc.
sonalchhajed2019
