Question on quotas (Race, sex, etc...) and my chances

Question

I read frequently about the greatly reduced chances of admission if you are an Indian-Male. I also have read about 1000 posts on here from Indian males so I can see the problem. 

My question is, all of these applicants seem to be Indians raised and living in India. Do Indians born and raised in the US get lumped into the same category? Ask any Indian born in India and they will tell you how different the two groups are. 

Estimating, how much does this reduce someones chances compared to the general acceptance rate? I.e. if Harvard has a 14% rate on average, for the Indian-male or any other saturated category, is a good rule of thumb to cut this in half? More? Less?

I took the GMAT recently. scored a 730. 41 Verbal, 48 math, and 6 on the essays. My undergrad GPA from Texas A&M is around a 3.65. I'd like to apply to a fairly elite list of schools:
Harvard
Columbia
Wharton
Stanford
Berkley
UCLA

I'm really concerned about this saturation problem. Please give me any feedback, it would be much appreciated.

Accepted.com · Answer

Americans of Indian descent are not lumped in the same group as Indians in India. Adcoms realize that the two groups have very different experiences and perspectives. 

Your academic stats are competitive for the schools on your list. Obviously, you also need competitive work experience, goals, and community service.

Good luck!

irach · Answer

Linda
In which group are Indians who have studied and worked in the US and been in the US for 9 years grouped?

Accepted.com · Answer

Indians with substantial experience in the US.

Good luck!

irach · Answer

Thanks Linda. Is that a separate group?

Accepted.com · Answer

Sorry, but my response was a little tongue in cheek and probably flippant. The group really isn't important.

Many schools will "group" applicants for administrative purposes, but ultimately the admissions process is about getting to know you as an individual. It's your job to create a group of 1: you. Not Indian, not American, not IT, not Indian American or American Indian, but You. Don't get hung up on the label or group. Use the energy you are spending worrying about a label or group and focus on bringing out your individuality in your essays and interviews.

Yes, I know that I have frequenlty said Indian males in IT are a dime a dozen. Frankly, US males in IT aren't much less common, whether they are of Indian origin or their ancestors came over on the Mayflower. The task of individuating is probably more difficult for those in a common group, but it is possible. And again, I urge you to focus on you and not your group.

Although this is not "your group," the two books I co-authored with Cindy Tokumitsu deal with applicants differentiating themselves from a common applicant pool. Again, it's not Indian IT male, but the challenge and required response are similar. The ebooks are: 

 
 The Consultant's Guide to MBA Admissions  
  The Finance Professional's Guide to MBA Admissions. 

Finally, Paul Bodine, an Accepted.com editor, has recently written  Great Application Essays for Business School , a hard-copy book. It too provides a lot of advice for writing distinctive, revealing essays.

Good luck!

irach · Answer

Thanks Linda. Now it makes sense :-)

Accepted.com · Answer

You're welcome. I'm glad that clarified things.

Question on quotas (Race, sex, etc...) and my chances

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards