Profile Review request

Question

Hi requesting a profile review. I've provided the details below. Thank you.

Schools Targetted -  LBS and HEC Paris

Pre-MBA industry: Non-Profit and Government
Post-MBA industry: Consulting
Region Targetted - Europe
Post-MBA short-term goal - Management Consulting in Europe, with emphasis on Sustainable Finance
Post-MBA long-term goal - Working in public policy body in Europe working in Sustainable Finance

About Myself:

1. Demographic: 32/M/Indian

2. Education Qualification
- Undergraduate: Bachelor’s in technology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee
-GPA - 7.32/100 (9.07/10, on six management and finance electives, if that counts)

3. GMAT
- 760 (Q51/V42)

4. Work Experience
- Securities Market Regulator (5.5 years by the time of enrolment) + previously, freelance content developer working with clients in India and the US (around 6 years)
- Current Industry: Securities regulator/ government
- Current Role: Manager

Job 2 (current job) – Regulations on sustainability reporting by Indian companies; previously worked on Regulations and Supervision regarding credit rating agencies, ESG ratings, real estate infrastructure trusts (REITs)
• represented India at the global regulators meet in Paris in 2022; led multiple deliberations at the international organization of securities market commissions; frequent interaction with securities regulators in other jurisdictions including US SEC and ESMA, and international bodies such as the Financial Stability Board of the G20.
• invited on various panel discussions and lectures on sustainable finance and related areas.
•Took the lead in drafting over 12 regulatory circulars pertaining to the aforesaid entities; represented the regulator in over 7 cases before the Supreme Court of India and State High Courts
• Lead role in developing regulatory framework for providers of ESG ratings, a first-in-the-world initiative.
•Undertook over 14 examinations of credit rating agencies in India, leading to unprecedented enforcement actions against non-compliant entities, in reference to credit ratings of debt securities amounting to over 11 billion USD.
•Actively monitoring regulatory developments in the US SEC, ESMA, the UK on the above subjects; extensive discussion with these regulators

Job 1 (previous job): Freelance Content Developer
• As a freelancer, worked online with multiple clients to develop educational content for students in India and the US on subject matters including English, Math, General Aptitude, and the Sciences.
• In parallel, undertook following initiatives:
o Worked with city municipality and local volunteers to co-lead a group to carry out clean-up drives of public places and gain insights on urban waste management.
o Led online interviews of personal finance experts and mutual fund distributor platforms.
o Took the Common Aptitude Test (99.7%ile) and Civil Services Examination (with specialisation in Political Science and International Relations)

5. Extracurriculars:
• Certifications:
o Certificate in Sustainability and Climate Risk – Global Association of Risk Professionals
o Certificate in ESG Investing – CFA Institute
o The Materiality of ESG Factors - Wharton Online
o Unlocking Investment and Finance in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) - World Bank Group

• Volunteering:
(1) Lead, Placement Operations (promoted from Community Engagement Lead in August 2023)
o Succesfully assisted two candidates with visual impairment get bank officer jobs.
o Connecting, engaging, and maintaining mentor relationships with students with disabilities to enable sustainable employment opportunities for the students, and thereby contributing to UN SDG-4, specifically targets 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5.
o Recruited as a volunteer via the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) platform.

(2) Co-founding Volunteer – Child Rights and You - Local Chapter
o Co-founded a local chapter of CRY and led a team of volunteers to mobilise funds, partner with local schools and promote awareness of child rights in and around the town.

• Bronze Medal - Acara Sustainable Social Business Plan - Partnered with students from my college and University of Cincinnati, Ohio, US, to develop a sustainable social business plan on waste management.

6. Languages
Hindi (Native), English (bilingual proficiency), French (elementary proficiency)

8. Potential Red flags
- Unusual work experience (regulator/government + freelance) compared to general MBA intake (consulting, PE/VC)
- Age is on the higher side of an average MBA class profile

9. Questions
- Do I have a reasonable shot at an MBA from LBS and HEC Paris?
- Any suggestions on how to draft essays based on my profile.
- Any steps that I can take to solidify my profile (such as connecting with alums, learning more about consulting, campus visits)

10. Positives
(i) Ability to contribute to the MBA experience during and after the programme
o A regulatory perspective will be helpful in MBA classes and study groups, especially on niche and evolving areas such as ESG.
o I had contributed to my undergrad college by establishing CRY local chapter. I aim to leave a similar positive impact at my target schools.

(ii) Academic Capacity (GMAT and University Degree)
o 760 GMAT, with 96/97 percentile in Quant/Verbal.
o While GPA may be low, the GPA considering management/humanities/ finance electives shoots way up to 9.1/10

(iii) International Motivation
o Represented India at global regulatory meet at Paris
o Extensive virtual and physical deliberations with regulators in the EU, UK, US
o Bronze-winning sustainable business plan in college, in which I partnered with students from University of Cincinnati, Ohio, US
o Learning French
o Monitoring regulatory developments in the EU/UK/US etc and documenting the same on Linkedin
o Specialised in international relations, while preparing for civil services examinations (exam for the Indian Foreign Service)

(iv) Leadership Potential
o Co-founded CRY local chapter in college
o Currently, a community engagement lead for a non-profit I joined via the UN volunteers platform, wherein we are attempting to undertake capacity building for visually-impaired candidates and help them get jobs.
o Taking lead role at work in drafting regulations in niche and nascent areas, such as ESG ratings.
o Playing lead role in the Division's interactions with foreign regulators and international standard setting bodies.

Thank you!

mbaMissionMichael · Answer

Hello MBAinEurope, and thanks for your post.
The application process is truly holistic, and committees will look at your stats (GPA and GMAT), work experience, and extracurriculars.

Your GPA is a bit below the average, but your GMAT helps to compensate for that, and is excellent even compared to others in your demographic. It would still be good in the Optional Essay to mention how well you have done in quant-related courses.

You do have solid accomplishments and leadership in your current job. However, the average years of work experience is closer to 5, so if you choose to apply with more years, make sure you demonstrate why now is the time, as opposed to earlier. It will also be important to explain why you want your MBA, and to also illustrate the skills you already have which are transferable to consulting. Be sure your story makes sense, and is realistic and specific.

Regarding extracurriculars, make sure to really emphasize your leadership roles you have taken on. You have some good ones on which you can elaborate. Focus on quality over quantity, in terms of the ones where you have made the most impact.

You do have a chance at your two target schools, but they are extremely competitive. You should still illustrate that you have done your research and spoken to students. But I always suggest applying to several schools, including reach, target and safety. Those two are certainly not "safer" schools. But you have a chance. Good luck!

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