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merlincow
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Retake GMAT at 720? 30 Jul 2012, 12:50
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Age: 25.5Y
Sex : M
Work Ex: 25months (36+months at Fall 2013 MBA Start) at Deloitte Consulting
Professional Role: Java Developer for first 18 months(involved in functional areas as well), identified as indispensable team member by Manager, Team Lead, Senior Manager, other seniors in terms of commitment, highly analytical skills and most importantly the innate charm(few of the ladies ineptly call me a rockstar) which makes my previous team miss me - be at work, or at professional outings.

Since past 6months, I have been involved in improvising Enterprise Value Delivery for projects, or in simpler terms - improvising processes in a SDLC lifecycle. This involves discussion with a panel of Managers, Senior Managers, at times Directors ;getting inputs(Read getting work done) from managers; heard & recognized for value adds (Read management tips) to seniors - aren't all these best leadership examples because they come out of substance and not by virtue of one's position in the firm.
Nationality: Indian
GMAT: 720 (Q50,V36, AWA/IR-awaited) in a week's prep
UnderGrad: BTech in ECE (GPA 6.43/10) from Factual Rank 7 college in India; admission criteria is getting in less than 1% of set of students double that of total appearing for GMAT in a year.
Target Schools(not necessarily in order) : ISB, HBS, Stanford, Wharton, MIT Sloan

If my application deems fit to be read at these schools, then, most definitely, I have a very compelling story(above one is a very brief synopsis) to tell including my past failures, recent successes and a relentless quest to conceive my crystal clear vision for the next 10 years (including the 2 years at B school).
If not, please advise if I need to re-appear for the GMAT and thereby knock off the time for my R1 application process.
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bryantmichaels
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Retake GMAT at 720? 31 Jul 2012, 12:38
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in theory a 720 should be able to get someone in with a really good story, so I reckon you are good to go!
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merlincow
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Retake GMAT at 720? 31 Jul 2012, 13:23
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bryantmichaels
in theory a 720 should be able to get someone in with a really good story, so I reckon you are good to go!
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Thanks Bryant for your conclusive reply. I am assuming it is based on at least a cursory reading of the post.
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Retake GMAT at 720? 31 Jul 2012, 13:54
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Hey hope my reply did not come across as un-thougtful. It's more how you setup the question. There's no reason why someone with a "very compelling story" shouldn't get in with a 720 GMAT. The better question is perhaps, is your story truly compelling? Of course everyone thinks their story is compelling, but will the adcom think so? That is a better question. If the adcoms find your story compelling, I see no reason why you wouldn't get in. But enough with semantics-- How do you determine if your story is indeed compelling? Top business schools get thousands of applications every season from individuals with impressive work experience, great GPAs, and top GMAT scores. However, schools are looking for more from candidates than this alone. Top business schools are looking for demonstrated leadership potential, ingenuity, teamwork, and a passion for making a difference in the world. Particularly when writing your essays, and thereby presenting your story, the most important things are to be engaging, passionate, clear, and memorable, in order to stand out from the crowd. This is how to make your story compelling.

Specifically, pertaining to your essays, you should ask yourself:

Are these examples exemplary?
unusual?
unique?
are they different from others in your field?
do they show leadership?
do they show teamwork?
do they exhibit thoughtfulness?
do they indicate decision making skills or acumen?
will they
…impress someone?
…make them think?
…stick in their brain?
…hook them in?
give the reader insight into
…how you think or make decisions?
…how you lead people?
…how you react under pressure?
…how you work on a team?
…how you breakdown a problem?
…how you respond to an emergency?
…what you enjoy doing?
…how you treat others?
…how you leverage an opportunity?
…how you are innovative?
…how mature you are?
do they exhibit
… passion?
…propensity towards community involvement?
…tendency towards resilience?
…tenacity?
…multi-tasking ability?
…intellect?
...a good level of general knowledge?
…a clear understanding of core concepts of various issues?
…clarity of thought?
…consistency of performance?
…increasing responsibility?
…communication skills?
…personality, attitude, and the way you react in tough situations?
Do they point to your
…thought process in terms of career planning?
…thought process in terms of decision making?
…ethical leanings?
…personal philosophy?
…diversity of opinion?
…ability to handle difficulty?
Do they demonstrate
…how you deal with success?
…how you deal with failure?
…how you deal with authority?
…how you lead when you're not in charge?
…how you handle conflict?
…how you felt about your situation, not just what you did?

If you can say ‘yes’ to at least a handful of these questions, you may be right that your story is compelling. Hope this helps!
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merlincow
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Retake GMAT at 720? 31 Jul 2012, 23:31
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bryantmichaels
Hey hope my reply did not come across as un-thougtful. It's more how you setup the question. There's no reason why someone with a "very compelling story" shouldn't get in with a 720 GMAT. The better question is perhaps, is your story truly compelling? Of course everyone thinks their story is compelling, but will the adcom think so? That is a better question. If the adcoms find your story compelling, I see no reason why you wouldn't get in. But enough with semantics-- How do you determine if your story is indeed compelling? Top business schools get thousands of applications every season from individuals with impressive work experience, great GPAs, and top GMAT scores. However, schools are looking for more from candidates than this alone. Top business schools are looking for demonstrated leadership potential, ingenuity, teamwork, and a passion for making a difference in the world. Particularly when writing your essays, and thereby presenting your story, the most important things are to be engaging, passionate, clear, and memorable, in order to stand out from the crowd. This is how to make your story compelling.

Specifically, pertaining to your essays, you should ask yourself:

Are these examples exemplary?
unusual?
unique?
are they different from others in your field?
do they show leadership?
do they show teamwork?
do they exhibit thoughtfulness?
do they indicate decision making skills or acumen?
will they
…impress someone?
…make them think?
…stick in their brain?
…hook them in?
give the reader insight into
…how you think or make decisions?
…how you lead people?
…how you react under pressure?
…how you work on a team?
…how you breakdown a problem?
…how you respond to an emergency?
…what you enjoy doing?
…how you treat others?
…how you leverage an opportunity?
…how you are innovative?
…how mature you are?
do they exhibit
… passion?
…propensity towards community involvement?
…tendency towards resilience?
…tenacity?
…multi-tasking ability?
…intellect?
...a good level of general knowledge?
…a clear understanding of core concepts of various issues?
…clarity of thought?
…consistency of performance?
…increasing responsibility?
…communication skills?
…personality, attitude, and the way you react in tough situations?
Do they point to your
…thought process in terms of career planning?
…thought process in terms of decision making?
…ethical leanings?
…personal philosophy?
…diversity of opinion?
…ability to handle difficulty?
Do they demonstrate
…how you deal with success?
…how you deal with failure?
…how you deal with authority?
…how you lead when you're not in charge?
…how you handle conflict?
…how you felt about your situation, not just what you did?

If you can say ‘yes’ to at least a handful of these questions, you may be right that your story is compelling. Hope this helps!
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Thanks a ton Bryant for clarifying this up, in detail !!