crucifier wrote:
Hello
Please evaluate my profile. (targetting R1 2025 intake)
DemographicsI am 24 yr old, Male, India. (25 with 3 year+ workex at matriculation)
EducationI have a bachelor's degree from a top 10 college in the country with a major in Computer Science Engineering. CGPA: 9.02 out of 10 (Top 10 in the graduating batch).
GREGRE 331 (V164, Q167, AWA 5)
Work Experience:2 years at BlackRock as an Analyst
- Look after the external representation of the firm, i.e by looking developing and maintaining the country websites across regions.
- Conduct sprint calls and draw product roadmaps for the tools that are under my stewardship.
- Automate the Model portfolio solutions models for the fixed income funds and contribute to the portfolio strategy.
- Mentor and help onboard the new interns into the larger team (~2-3 interns a year)
- Internation expiernece (working with clients around the globe)
Not sure if internships are accounted for...
Intern at Tata Motors as an App dev
- Created a mobile application that would modernize the old maintenince registry into an automised solution. (featuring auto escaltions, notifications, etc)
Extracurricular activities- During my undergraduate years, I led the Google Developers Student Club as its community lead, overseeing approximately 40 members. I attended numerous Google-sponsored seminars and disseminated the knowledge to the club.
- Additionally, I collaborated with NGOs to educate underprivileged children and women about sanitation and basic education.
- In another project with an NGO, I worked on a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) headset to aid people with C5 spinal injuries in communication and wheelchair control, garnering recognition in a prestigious newspaper.
- I have played football at the district level and served as the captain of my college team. I also organise & take part in the football events at work.
Post-MBA Goals: I aspire to enter the fields of consulting or product management, with potential interest in exploring opportunities in finance.
Target Schools: (potential) Ross, Tepper, Kellogg, UCLA, and Hass (guide me on choosing other M7/T15 colleges too
)
Query: I seek guidance in choosing a career stream (Product Management or Consulting) and assistance in selecting the right business school with a strong heritage in consulting or technology.
Thank you in advance!
crucifierYou are on the right track professionally with good academics, but you are still too young to stand a good chance for T15 and M7 schools. Please note that the admissions committee bases their decision on what you have been able to achieve in the time frame before applying for the MBA. Therefore what you will do in the duration after you apply is irrelevant from the adcom's point of view. I also dont see a strong career growth since you have worked in the same role for the last two years. How would you demonstrate a steep career trajectory and meaningful insights relevant to your area of work through the incremental responsibilities you have been awarded due to your performance.
If you give yourself some more time to enhance your profile you could grab projects and professional opportunities that add a new dimension to your portfolio. The profile enhancement would need to show as a take-off point in your career graph depending on your goals. For example, in a strategic role in a startup or in strategy where you get hands-on experience in the building blocks of businesses, negotiate an international assignment with your employer or find one abroad (you have all the fine credentials you need), or get into beginner roles in a hard to enter industry you want to break into post-MBA. I feel there would be no dearth of opportunities for someone young and ambitious and with your academic pedigree. Do not underplay your potential simply by sticking with the "safe" brand names, get opportunities where learnings are the steepest, where you are able to draw insights that you can build upon in your Business school applications and interviews.
Outside of work, find what is your passion. Don't simply join some NGOs because someone advised. I never worked for an NGO pre MBA ever. Really take time to understand what you enjoy doing outside of work and build that up as a passion project by spending a few hours every week or every month on that. You should also invest in some quality travel experiences or maybe consider some community engagement projects abroad where you spend a few days every year with an objective in mind. Visit new countries and engage with local communities there. Understand their problems and share the challenges or innovative solutions to problems you have seen in your country. Learn new languages. These are the kind of things that will actually add good value to your profile for the likes of M7s, and others.
Get personalized advice tailored to your specific situation. Reach out should you need help navigating your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. We do not cap discussion hours.Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, former INSEAD admissions interviewer)Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
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