Application advice requested

Question

Hi, I just gave the GMAT test yesterday and scored a 700. In my opinion its a decent score(considering the amount of effort that went into verbal, to secure that 40!!). My happiness did not even last a day!! (the world is so cruel

).My happiness left me after a friend of mine told me that around 80% of the indian applicants are guys from the IT(information technology) field(I think to myself----what chance do I stand now????) I'm just the average joe! I dont have that super acad or that covetted(blah!) international exposure most of these(read Indian IT guys with loads of experience) guys have. Competition: 1. Very good acads 2. "Onsite"(International) exposure 3. Work ex: arnd 5yrs Me: 1.Acads: Not too good/ not too bad(78%) 2.International exposure: None 3.Work ex: Will be 3 when I join. I am so lost! What must I do? Guys/Gals.....advice plz..... PS: Sorry for all the whining!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear i will improve :D

mNeo · Answer

So you haven't visited other countries. That's the only thing that you seem to lack against your competition. But that is not the same as "international exposure". Did you work with people from other countries? Did you have exposure to other cultures some other way? Even if you didn't, that is just one point against you.

Unless your school used to give 90%+ to everyone, your acads seem okay to me. you GMAT score is good (With a good split), and your work-ex is sufficient for every school.

That only weakness that I see in your profile is that you are not positive about yourself. If you are not positive, confident, optimistic, then there is no way you will get selected in any of your dream schools. I don't think I need to tell you how to fix this weakness.

ncp · Answer

sachin, my guess is you are still not ready to apply to a top school. You have 3 years experience. As mNeo said, there is nothing wrong with your numbers. But, you dont seem to have the belief. That belief will come if and when you hit on your goals for an MBA and have prepared diligently for that goal. What I mean to say is if your only goal for the future is getting into a top school, then you most definitely will not get in.

Seek opportunities at work to lead and learn from people around you. The more you learn, the more confident you will become.

mNeo: If we Indian IT types succeed in the B-school process this year, I think we should write a "Indian-IT MBA Application Kit".

Wait. what comes first? Is it the cart or the horse? :-(

kripalkavi · Answer

Sachin, prasad hit the nail on the head. You really need to know why *you* want to go to b-school. Yes, the money'll be great. The opportunities are tremendous. The network is super cool. But I ask again, why do *you* want to go to B-school? If you can figure this out honestly, then you are ready.

Ok, enough of this Jedi-master talk. Back to the essays :-)

mNeo · Answer

Brilliant !!! I know the title of the kit / book: "Male / Indian / IT"

kripalkavi · Answer

No no no! It's gotta be this: "Male / Indian / IT - The lifting of the curse". Maybe we should all co-author this....

sachinzeus · Answer

thanks a lot for the advice. really appriciate it!

I do understand that my confidence levels are low. 

I do have cross-culture exposure as the clients we work for are in a different part of the world. 

What I do not know...is how do I take the plus points I have and make a good application out of it?

Moreover, I am a bit confused about the colleges I should apply to. 

Here is what I was thinking:

2 top tier colleges (Eg: NYU-Stern, London Business School)

4 middle tier colleges (Eg: Rotman (University of Toronto), Purdue(Krannert), Carnegie-Mellon(Tepper)--though I think its in the top tier too)

2 lower tier colleges.

Is this the way to go?

sachinzeus · Answer

I did not see all those posts when i was replying.

I am really trying to apply for next year and am ready to do what it takes.

I (somehow) feel that if I do not apply this year I ll not be applying the next. I just want to give it a good shot.

kripalkavi · Answer

Again, I would recommend going backward from your goals. For e.g. lets say you want to be an entrepreneur for some reason X. Then you start looking at schools such as Stanford, Haas, etc that have a great reputation for entrepreneurship. Work the list down (looking at 'fit' factor by talking to students and alumni, browsing the forums, reading blogs, websites, etc) to about 4 - 6 schools and then apply. 
I don't mean to rain on your party, but to *start* doing this now would mean that you are significantly behind the game when compared to a lot of the applicants at these top schools. So, I really would consider applying with a stronger profile and well thought out plan next year rather than do a half baked application this year. Then again, these are *my* thoughts. Ok, I'm going to the essays now. REALLY.

Application advice requested

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