Please evaluate - GMAT 730, CGPA 8.23/10, Work EX 5+ years

Question

Hi,

Please evaluate my profile.

I have a GMAT of 730 (first attempt). Q 50, V 39, IR 7, AWA 4.

I graduated from BITS Pilani, India (Civil engineering) with a CGPA of 8.23/10.

I have 5+ years of experience in construction domain of a natural gas company. I oversaw construction of a 21 storey green building for 4 years, then looked after tendering jobs.

Presently, I am executing civil works and boundary wall construction works at gas installations of the company.

I want to target schools which can offer me at least 30-40% scholarship.

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

Thanks for sharing your profile. You have some nice elements to your profile. Strong GMAT and GPA with work experience that will not necessarily stand out from the very competitive applicant pool you are coming from. Scholarships are tough to come by in the MBA world especially for international applicants but with your profile on paper I would target programs in the top 15-30 to maximize your chances. With many Indian applicants your essays and EC involvement will factor in so make sure you are spending considerable time on these aspects.

Admissionado · Answer

Hey dude,
So you have a VERY solid foundation with a great GMAT and great GPA... but I still need to know more. A GMAT and GPA doesn't make a profile without your work experience, your leadership, volunteer work, extra currricualr activities... there's so much more to YOU!!!

My first comment though is that your strategy of application maybe needs to be rethought. Why are you aiming for 30-40% scholarship?? 30-40% of what? Tuitions can range from 25,000-60,000 per year....

At any rate, my suggestion for your strategy would be: Going to the best school you can get into. Aiming for scholarships is not usually a strategy that pays off, because it means going to a lower-ranked school and getting a less good job. So really, don't think about scholarship at this point, but rather, where you want to go, and where you can get in.

I hope these thoughts help,
Best,
Jon

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

Ankit,

Apart from points mentioned already a few more thoughts and questions:
 
  You may find a few articles  here  relevant in the scholarship quest.  
  The thing I'd be most interested to know is your plans after MBA. Being from a niche field can be a double edged sword - and it becomes all the more imperative for you to exhibit clarity on that front. It is also important to understand the timelines you have in mind here. If it's R3 this year, the chances of scholarship will become even more remote.  
  Finally, yes, the objective parameters are all good. Strength of your experience and its linkage with future is going to determine your prospects.

Hope this helps some more.

Cheers,

Vibranture · Answer

Ankit,

You have good stats and that will make many schools interested in you. However, please note that your chances of getting scholarships from US B-schools increase as you go down the rankings. One of my students from India with a score of 740 (and not from IIT) got full scholarship from Vanderbilt and ~ 60% from UNC. I was just speaking with another student (IITian) who had a 740 and got 100% scholarship from Mcdonough Georgetown (D.C). Having said that a good GMAT will get you eligible for scholarships but it will eventually be your overall profile that will be evaluated. So do your best in making an impressive application.

So, try to not pay too much attention to the rankings. There are plenty of awesome B-schools that want to entice Indian applicants with strong stats.

Hope this helped!

CriticalSquare · Answer

Hi there!

Congrats on a solid showing for your GMAT! Your GPA is in a great spot as well. Given that we're missing some details as pointed out above, it's tough to hone in on a specific set of schools for you, however check out our tips on  how to think about school selection ! Best of luck!

VeritasPrepEdison · Answer

If applicable, you may also play up your involvement with environmentally friendly causes, using your experience with overseeing the construciton of the 21-storey green building. You could elaborate more on your passion for these projects and how an MBA would help you along these path.

This could help differentiate your from the other applicants.

Hope this helps!

This could help differentiate your from the other applicants.

Hope this helps!

Please evaluate - GMAT 730, CGPA 8.23/10, Work EX 5+ years

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