What are my chances of getting into top B-schools.

Question

Hi, 
Please advise whether I stand a chance for admission in the top tier colleges such as Kellogg, Yale, Stanford, Wharton, Insead etc. Here is my brief background.

Age-33.

Place of residence-India.

GMAT First attempt-600;Q-38;V-34
 Sec attempt-650;Q-49;V-28

Profession background. 
I am sailing on Merchant vessels since 1996. At present, I am captain of the large Oil Tankers that are trading worldwide. I have encountered many challenges at sea during my 14 years of sailing including persuading the debilitated crew to pass the piracy infected Somalian waters. During passage, two boarding attempts from the pirates were foiled.

Besides sailing, I am a certified Mutual fund advise and during my leave, I am working for a Mutual fund advisory company. I am also a trader and investor. I give advise to my clients on trading in Indian stock market.

I am planning to again appear for GMAT. Will the third attempt have -ve impact on my application?

Pls advise as to what can be done to enhance my chances of getting into such coveted B-schools.

Thanks in advance.

Punzo.

kyro · Answer

hello punzo,

i'm sure you can improve your score by another 50 points. . the top colleges usually admit people in 680 to 770 range. . but then again there is no minimum requirement . . and admissions depends on your GPA too. .

and stanford takes into consideration the best of your scores. . so taking it a third time will not affect your chances of getting in. . Research on the other schools . . I'm not exactly sure. .

ALL THE BEST

AlexMBAApply · Answer

First, you'll need a stronger GMAT -- ideally 700 or above for top schools like you mentioned.

Beyond that, you will be a wild card - in other words, it will be very hard to say what your chances are because your case will be even more subjective since it's not like there's other applicants to benchmark/compare you again (i.e. there's likely none). You certainly have a fascinating background which will make for some compelling essay material.

With most applicants, their biggest challenge is trying to stand out in a sea of profiles that on the surface look the same.

In your case, it's the opposite. You certainly will stand out. The biggest challenge for you is being able to convince the adcom that you can FIT IN -- given your unusual background and age (i.e. a lot of folks will be younger than you and probably have a different perspective on life/career than you have - just a different stage in life perhaps).

I'd focus on another GMAT retake and then go from there. Good luck

punzo · Answer

Thanks a lot kyro and Alex. 
As mentioned I intend to appear for GMAT again and hope to have a score of 700+ this time.
Regarding my GPA, the degree in marine science in India does not disclose the marks/grades, which again is a red on my application. However, the passing percentage in most of the subjects is 70%. Is there anything that I can do on this?

Thanks.

AlexMBAApply · Answer

Don't worry about your grades - it's ancient history, you're more than a decade removed (sorry to remind you that your early 20s was quite a while ago....). They'll be more focused on your GMAT.

Dfb · Answer

Hi everyone,

I'm 22 years of age and about to graduate with a double major in mechanical engineering/accounting from a top university in Australia (top 50 in the world according to QS world rankings). I've sent my current transcript to professionals who have estimated my GPA to be roughly 3.0 in the US - which is clearly not good enough.

I have worked part-time all throughout my full-time degree, including one year as a part-time undergrad consultant at PwC. I've got a job as a project engineer at a medium sized international engineering consulting firm starting as soon as I graduate. Assuming I can score a GMAT of 710+ and after 5 years of work experience (preferably having moved on to project management by then), what are my chances at top MBA programs in the US - such as columbia, wharton and stern?

I have strong EC for an undergrad and I am currently treasurer of the main professional association for engineers in Australia. I'm planning to run for president of that association in one or two years time.

I'm female and asian australian.

Please let me know what you think. Since I know how much I screwed up my undergrad I want to be realistic in regards to my chances at top MBA schools or whether I should just aim for AGSM in Australia.

AlexMBAApply · Answer

Five years away is an eternity. Focus on NOW. Which is your full-time job. The next few years of your life have not even been written yet, and being preoccupied that far into the future will only make it harder to focus on the challenges and life experiences you will face now. The first five years of your post college life are an amazing time of change in your life (not just career, but life). Make the most of it, and then in a few years time, whether you decide to go to b-school or not will be something you decide then.

What are my chances of getting into top B-schools.

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