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sarveshmehta
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Indian - Non Traditional - Microfinance & I-Banking exp Updated on: 18 Jul 2012, 06:28
Originally posted by sarveshmehta on 16 Jul 2012, 13:21.
Last edited by sarveshmehta on 18 Jul 2012, 06:28, edited 1 time in total.
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Indian - Non Traditional - Microfinance & I-Banking exp 17 Jul 2012, 16:41
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sarveshmehta
Hey,

I would like to know your views on my full time MBA candidacy for top schools for 2013 start. Thank you for taking the time out to review my profile. Let me give you a brief on my resume so that you can have a better understanding of the same:

a) Work Experience 1: I work as the Principal Manager for Strategy and New Initiatives at Morarka Foundation. Morarka Foundation is a leading microfinance and resource organization offering solutions for sustainable agriculture. Morarka works with more than five million people across fifteen states of India.

My responsibilities at work are two pronged. The first aspect involves strategy creation on developing sustainable models for the conversion of agriculture to agribusiness and setting up linkages with banks for micro-finance funds to rural ventures. The models I develop are cover the complete value chain of the agribusiness model, including capacity building, supply chain management, sustainability, and growth. The second aspect involves project coordination, set up, and implementation for small ventures run by Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and small farmers

b) Work Experience 2: PE/M&A analyst at a leading Indian investment bank. Have gained ~2 years of work experience (front end investment banking). I have worked on various deals, some of them have been the biggest in their sectors in India and also been part of the bank\'s business development exercise. Was solely responsible for originating a see side mandate for an Indian sugar company ($20 mn)

b) International Exposure: Apart from my one year stint in the UK during my masters (A top British Uni), I don’t really have any international exposure. Having said that, I do work with a lot of mid-market and boutique investments banks in US and UK which might count as “international exposure”.

c) GMAT: I have a GMAT score of 650 :-(

d) Social Involvement: I have worked with C.O.R.P for one year teaching English in a municipal school in Mumbai

e) Investment banking background: Mid-market investment banks in India give a better profile and exposure to its analysts as compared to their peers in the US and Europe. I have worked on live deals and also been a part of the business development exercise of the bank which is rare in global banks or US banks where analysts have a limited role.

f) Education: BA (Economics) ~3.8 GPA and university Maths topper at Mumbai University, one of the oldest and prestigious arts and science college in India. (MSc) Masters in Finance and Economics from a top British b-school.

g) Schools short listed: - Cornell

- Yale SOM

- Wharton

- Chicago Booth

- Kellogg

- Tepper School

- INSEAD

- Duke

- Ross

- NYU


Please do let me know if my choice of schools is apt for my resume. Your thoughts will be deeply appreciated. Thank you again for all your help and support.

Hoping to hear soon from you.
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Sorry. I hate to be discouraging but I think you are aiming too high given your GMAT. I urge you to retake, especially if this was your first time taking it. My recommendation is even stronger if you want to go into strategy consulting or continue your career in PE and M&A.

You might be interested in either of these two webinars:
* That GMAT Score
* Accepted Positioning System

Best,
Linda
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sarveshmehta
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Indian - Non Traditional - Microfinance & I-Banking exp 18 Jul 2012, 07:21
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Hi Linda,

Thank you for your reply and taking the time out. I do realize that my GMAT is on the lower side but i think i bring something different to the table. Near perfect undergrad scores, masters from a leading British uni (think UCL, Warwick, St Andrews) and on top of that i think i have a very non-traditional work experience with front end M&A/PE experience along with a managerial position at a leading development sector firm in India. Not many people from India apply with this pedigree. If i work hard on my essays and get strong reccos, i guess i'll be competitive for some of the schools on my list. What do you think? Your views will be deeply appreciated. Thank you again for taking the time out to address my queries.

Regards
Sarvesh
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Indian - Non Traditional - Microfinance & I-Banking exp 18 Jul 2012, 17:47
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Hi Linda,

Thank you for your reply and taking the time out. I do realize that my GMAT is on the lower side but i think i bring something different to the table. Near perfect undergrad scores, masters from a leading British uni (think UCL, Warwick, St Andrews) and on top of that i think i have a very non-traditional work experience with front end M&A/PE experience along with a managerial position at a leading development sector firm in India. Not many people from India apply with this pedigree. If i work hard on my essays and get strong reccos, i guess i'll be competitive for some of the schools on my list. What do you think? Your views will be deeply appreciated. Thank you again for taking the time out to address my queries.

Regards
Sarvesh
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Sarvesh,

I appreciate your gracious response.

I'm not saying it's impossible and you make a good case for yourself. However, most schools on your list have an average GMAT score 50 to 70 points above yours. I suspect that there are a few people applying to these top programs with M&A/PE experience in India and they probably have good grades and a higher GMAT. In other words, I don't think your strong points are so distinctive as to make up for that GMATgiven that the disparity is so great.

A few examples (stats from US News for class that entered in 2011): At Wharton GMAT range (10th-90th percentile): 680-760.

At Booth: GMAT range (10th-90th percentile): 670-760
At NYU Stern: GMAT range (10th-90th percentile) 670-760

At Kellogg: GMAT range (10th-90th percentile): 660-760

Obviously, we're getting closer, but I don't think you can count on being one of the few below that 10th percentile.

Not all the schools on your list have the high GMAT ranges that I cited above. CMU Tepper's 10th-90th range is 550-710. Here your grades and experience have a better chance at carrying the day.

Basically, I'm suggesting that you focus your efforts on programs where you have a better chance of acceptance or retake the GMAT to improve your chances of acceptance at programs where your GMAT could be a major obstacle. And again, if you are interested in top investment banks (in the U.S.) or the elite strategy consulting firms, you probably need to retake.

Sorry. I know this isn't what you want to read.

If you would like help with your MBA application, we're still happy to help you.

Best,
Linda

And, you have not addressed the role that the GMAT can play at certain firms (top consulting firms and investment banks) as a screening tool. Now if you are not interested in those companies, you don't have to worry about it.