4 apps, 4 dings what now?

Question

More about me:
28 yo/Indian/Male/BTech IT
GMAT - 710 (Q49/V38)
WorkEx - 5+ year Analytics Consulting (1.5 year in London)
GPA - 6.1/10, by far the biggest red flag
Admission Consultant from one of the popular names involved

As hinted by the title of the post, during the latest mba application sessions I applied to Tuck, Duke, Darden and Ross and I have already been summarily rejected by 3 of those schools(Ross most likely to follow soon), without interview to boot. I plan give this MBA thing one more "the old college try" and would really like some help in figuring out where do i go from here.

1. Darden has indicated that there is going to be some time in June when i can get some feedback on the application. Do other schools on my list also extend open feedback?

2. With my GPA is it all possible to crack the top 15? I do not plan to go beyond that as the probability of getting my ROI out of it takes a sharp nose dive

3. I already plan to increase my GMAT but is 750+ going to make the critical difference?

4. I hope to get promoted in next few months so there should be further progress on my WorkEx front but would 29 be old from US bschool perspective?

5. Overall any other suggestions would be great...

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

Anurag,

Never say never - so keep up that faith on Ross. Read on for more: 
 
  Most schools do not provide individual feedback - Darden is more an exception.  
  The GMAT will certainly help. There are other ways to manage low grades -  here's  how. 
  The real reason behind the rejections could be multi-layered and not only about the objective parameters of your profile. It would need a far deeper assessment of your application essays - whether your goals made sense and how you demonstrated fit (cliched as it may sound).  
  Finally, reapplication is a tricky business. So the next time, make sure you don't apply only to this set of schools. Whether you can make it to top 15 - I don't see why not frankly.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers,

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

I am sorry you didn't have success anywhere. While it is hard to give an evaluation without seeing your whole application, I am surprised you had no success. There is no reason you shouldn't get into a top 15 if you put together a strong application. That said, 750 will certainly help. Most schools won't provide feedback but if you want a ding report, send me an email. Often the execution is the problem and I can tell you what may have gone wrong. Scott@personalmbacoach.com Good luck!

Admissionado · Answer

Hey there, So a few thoughts for you here my friend. First of all if you get four dings all it means is that you are going to B-school one year late.

The question is which. I don't know if you spoke with a consultant before applying, but in all honesty your application strategy was a bit tough. With a non-IIT degree, a low GPA, and a GMAT that is low for an Indian applicant, as an Indian IT male, the schools you applied to are mostly simply out of range. So the first thing is to take a step back and reevaluate your profile (and yes a higher GMAT will ALWAYS help). Step two is to have someone look at your application. It's also very possible that you didn't get the most out of your application, and that you have more potential. And then step three is to come up with a more realistic set of goals applying to a wider range of schools for R1 next year. So you WILL get into B-school, now is just the time to take a step back and figure out how. Best of luck!!! Jon

CriticalSquare · Answer

To Jon's point above, it's hard to hone in on actionable steps without reviewing your application. While Darden may give you feedback in June, other top programs likely won't be as willing. At first glance, yes, a boost in your GMAT score will help, but you want to couple that with an alternative transcript to show the AdComms that you're serious about what you plan to do inside the classroom.

I suggest having someone take an objective lens to assess your position and select the optimal set of schools for next year taking into account your story along with your short and long term goals after business school. Let us know if you'd like to chat about putting a plan together! Best of luck.

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

1. Darden has indicated that there is going to be some time in June when i can get some feedback on the application. Do other schools on my list also extend open feedback?
MOST SCHOOLS WILL NOT

2. With my GPA is it all possible to crack the top 15? I do not plan to go beyond that as the probability of getting my ROI out of it takes a sharp nose dive
IT IS POSSIBLE BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO REASSESS YOUR FULL APPLICATION TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OVERALL YOUR PROFILE APPEARS OUT OF RANGE AND YOUR ESSAYS PROBABLY WERE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THIS

3. I already plan to increase my GMAT but is 750+ going to make the critical difference?
YES YOUR GMAT IS LOW FOR YOU APPLICANT POOL SO THIS WILL CERTAINLY HELP
4. I hope to get promoted in next few months so there should be further progress on my WorkEx front but would 29 be old from US bschool perspective?
NO NOT TOO OLD

5. Overall any other suggestions would be great...

sharmaanurag · Answer

Thank you all for the feedback. Time to get back to work !

CriticalSquare · Answer

Glad it was useful!  Our free resources  might be of assistance during this process - also check out  our point of view  on what to do after a ding!

MBADecoder · Answer

Tuck also gives a very detailed feedback.

I think a GMAT is definitely on the cards, and as you have rightly assessed, 750+ will help.

Feel free to write to us for giving you feedback on your applications.

4 apps, 4 dings what now?

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