Admissionado
Joined: 30 Nov 2009
Posts: 9216
Location: Chicago, IL
Schools:Brown University, Harvard Business School
Re: urgently need your advice about which school to target
[#permalink]
13 Dec 2013, 05:00
Hey dude,
Thanks for dropping by. So I'll be honest you have a bit of a tough profile. Indian Engineer, with so-so grades, on the older side, and we are almost done with round 2. It's not ideal for sure. Also, when I read through what you have here, my first question is: what else do you have besides being an engineer? What make you UNIQUE?
I don't want to discourage you, of course! But I do want you to know the obstacles in your way. Actually the toughest thing is the deadlines, cause we are less than a month away, and to be honest R3 is not an option. I think your schools list may be a bit challenging, but its definitely a fair start. The thing is, it's something to start with in R1 so that you can see what happens in R2. I don't know how much time you have right now, but I guess what makes most sense is to apply to however many schools you can in R2 (I guess if you are working fulltime, this would be about 2-3 before R2 is over), and see how that goes. And if not, then make an early plan for next year.
The two most important things for you are:
1. To think about WHY NOW. You are an older candidate, and more likely than than not, the schools aren't going to like that, not unless you give them a REASON to like it!!!
2. To find your unique selling points. I'm sure you did fantastic in your job, but we need more. We need to find some items that will make your application MEMORABLE.
In addition, I'd suggest thinking about looking into Euro and Asian schools, since they tend to be more open to older candidates, or/and to consider EMBA programs which may fit your age better,
Best,