Profile evaluation and advice needed for selecting b schools

Question

Hi,

I recently scored 710 on the GMAT.

I graduated in 2012, worked for two and half years in the VLSI industry.

Post that I took a 2 ur gap from 2015-17 to prepare for UPSC (govt exams in India).

While preparing, I had a small stint where I went and taught xth class students in a tribal school.

I was always interested in working in the education field and ended up starting an edtech company with a friend of mine in 2016. Happy to say after many trials and tribulations over the past 7 yrs we turned recently profitable.
Over 5000 high school students use our platform.
I have decided to take a break now and do a MBA to maybe explore other fields like consulting. I feel a regular MBA will add more credibility to my profile.

Wanted to know how good or bad my profile is and what might be my changes of getting admission to a college like ISB or international college such as INSEAD.

Please help.

Posted from my mobile device

ANK99 · Answer

Hi! It looks impressive! You won't know your chances unless you will try. IMO your profile is good enough.

admitStreet · Answer

Kggmat 1. Your professional experiences, especially in ed-tech entrepreneurship, is interesting. B-schools value the on-the-ground exposure and skillsets that entrepreneurs bring to the table. It would be important to highlight the achievements you made in your roles, the skills/ learnings you picked up, and why/ how an MBA would help at this point. 2. Reg. post MBA career options, consulting can be a good choice, particularly in the Education practice line of MBB's/ Big-4s, or firms that have some focus on the Education sector such as EY Parthenon, LEK, OC&C, etc. Other potential choices, based on your areas of interest, can be general management roles in Ed-Tech start-ups, perhaps even CXO roles. 3. GMAT score, while alright, is about the average of ISB/ INSEAD, and could be a bit lower for other top B-schools considering the Indian applicant perspective. Would suggest a retake if possible. 4. Explaining the 2-year gap in the additional/ optional essays could help. A higher GMAT can help your case here as well. Hope this helps a bit. Feel free to reach out for a deeper chat. Regards, Arvind HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer W: https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

Kggmat · Answer

Hi Arvind/ admitStreet,

Thank you for your detailed response.

One more thing I wanted to know was whether there is any difference in applying in R1 vs R2.

The round 1 deadlines are round the corner for ISB and INSEAD, so I won't be able to get another GMAT score in that time period. Would my current GMAT score be good enough or should I aim for a better one and apply in round 2?

admitStreet · Answer

Kggmat - In my view, if you can improve the score by 20 points or more, it's better to apply in R2 with a stronger application. Alternatively, you could apply to one of the schools in R1 with this score, retake the GMAT after that and apply to the other school in R2. This way, you diversify the risk, and can use any feedback from R1 to strengthen your application for R2. For a detailed overview on the factors to consider while deciding which round to apply in (i.e. R1 vs R2 vs R3) pls read our blog article at: https://admitstreet.com/blog/mba-application-round/ Regards, Arvind HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer W: https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

MBAandBeyond · Answer

Hello Kggmat , I hope you are doing good. Your profile showcases a mix of experiences that can be quite appealing to business schools. A GMAT score of 710 is competitive and falls within the range of scores that many top business schools consider favorably. While it's not the only factor in your application, it's a solid foundation. While the two-year gap for UPSC preparation might raise questions, it seems that you were productive during this time, and your subsequent achievements in the edtech industry demonstrate your ability to utilize your experiences effectively. Coming to your work experience, your experience in the VLSI industry, followed by your entrepreneurial venture in the ed-tech sector, demonstrates a diverse set of skills and experiences. The fact that you successfully built an ed-tech company that is now profitable and serving a substantial number of students showcases your leadership, entrepreneurship, and impact. Your teaching experience at a tribal school and your work in the ed-tech sector highlight your commitment to education and social impact. This can be a unique aspect of your profile that sets you apart. Starting and growing a profitable ed-tech company is a remarkable achievement that demonstrates your ability to innovate, lead, and execute. Your decision to pursue an MBA to explore other fields like consulting shows that you have a sense of your goals and are seeking to enhance your skill set. Considering these aspects, your profile seems strong overall. However, there are a few factors to consider: 1. Clarity of Goals: While you've mentioned a desire to explore consulting, it would be beneficial to articulate your career goals more specifically. Admissions committees like to see a clear plan for how an MBA aligns with your aspirations. 2. Communication Skills: MBA programs often value strong communication skills. Your ability to convey your experiences, motivations, and goals effectively in your application materials, essays, and interviews will be crucial. 3. Recommendations: Strong letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your leadership, impact, and potential can significantly enhance your application. In terms of specific schools: 1. ISB (Indian School of Business): Given your background and achievements, you have a competitive profile for ISB. Your entrepreneurial experience and commitment to education align well with ISB's values. 2. INSEAD: INSEAD is known for valuing diversity and international exposure. Your experiences and achievements could be appealing to INSEAD, especially if you can emphasize how your background can contribute to their collaborative and global environment. Remember that admissions decisions are based on a holistic evaluation of your application, considering factors beyond just academic and professional achievements. Craft your application in a way that highlights your unique journey, passion for education, entrepreneurial spirit, and vision for your post-MBA career. We offer a limited number of complimentary profile evaluations each week . We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools. In this call, the experts will try to dig out your USP for top B-schools and provide you with honest feedback on your profile and chances to your target schools. Book a free profile evaluation call now! Neha Hadke Strategy Manager Testimonials Meet our Panel of Consultants. Email: neha@mbaandbeyond.com MBA and Beyond

CrackAdmission · Answer

Dear Kggmat , Below is my evaluation of your profile. GMAT: Average Academics: Can’t comment due to lack of information Work Experience: • 2.5 Years : VLSI – Core electronics engineer • 2 years : Gap for UPSC prep – part time pro-bono teaching endeavor • 7 years : Ed tech startup It is not clear why after spending 2.5 years in electronics industry, you wanted to pursue Civil Services and again why directly after the prep, you founded your startup. I am sure you have a logical way to explain the above career transition if you get time to have a detailed discussion with another person. However, do understand that ad coms will only review your application for a few minutes before moving to the next one. Hence, its important you are able to clearly draw a logical rationale behind your choices. While its commendable that your startup has now turned profitable, it is somewhat counterintuitive why you want to leave it now and pursue MBA and post that also have no plans to rejoin when you can aim to double down your scaling efforts now. Somehow the passion is getting lost in the story. Extra-Curriculars: Can’t comment due to lack of information Overall: Your profile has a lot of bright spots – starting up and pursuing the entrepreneurial journey for 7 years, building a tech that is loved and used by students, ability to stay positive even after rejections etc. However, the WHY behind the WHATs and HOWs is not coming out clearly. It will be good if you can do some more introspection before drafting your application. Choice of Schools: ISB : With an impactful application (demonstrating how fit into ISB’s academic, cultural & professional fabric) and a logic story (both past as well as future), you stand a very good chance to get an interview invite. INSEAD: Due to lack of any International Work Experience, your chances are pretty slim. Please find below links for a couple of videos where alums from the above schools share their insights on the application: ISB : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUmgE-vBYaI&t=1393s INSEAD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1HaIkLR7Cw&t=342s I am an ISB Alum, CO15, and have been guiding applicants successfully crack their dream MBA programs for the last 6 years. Please free to reach out if you want to seek professional guidance (details in signature). Cheers and all the best!

MBAGuide · Answer

Hi Kggmat I am an INSEAD alumna and have served tenure as INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer. Feel free to connect if you are interested in evaluating your fit with the school. On the surface of it, your GMAT score looks fine. It would help to share the breakup as INSEAD looks at the Q & V scores individually and compares your performance with your demographic. Admissions committees evaluate your scores against your peers from the same population (kind of like a bell curve). For example, a Q49 score (around the 75th percentile) may be considered borderline for overrepresented demographic groups at top business schools. If your quantitative score meets or exceeds this threshold, the admissions committee is confident in your ability to handle the academically challenging curriculum. On the other hand, your verbal score reflects your potential to participate effectively in discussions within a truly global and diverse cohort, especially at a school like INSEAD. No matter how compelling your storytelling skills are, they cannot compensate if you fall short on academic thresholds, because MBA programs are quantitative and analytical in nature. Your two-year break in studies is something that is not very understandable to a non-Indian evaluator. In any case, you should present this time as a period of learning and development. How you present an employment gap requires careful consideration. Even if you attribute the gap to an objective, you may have leveraged your skills outside your core area and received validation by making a positive impact on something while building self-confidence. In your B School applications, be honest about the reasons for the employment gap, but also show how you have grown as a person during this time. The employment gap is traditionally a dreaded topic of conversation for job seekers and MBA applicants alike. But optimistically, the employment gap can also be seen as an opportunity to pursue passion projects or activities that give your life meaning. Expressing your belief in staying productive and learning new skills during the employment gap can have a positive impact on your applicant profile. Your entrepreneurial stint is the highlight of your profile. The education field is a noble pursuit, and any efforts to bring about positive change in the field or to take advantage of a gap in supply will be looked upon favorably by INSEAD. As an entrepreneur in your most recent stint, you should focus on demonstrating A) the Scale (think growth rate) of your business and the impact, B) a solid plan for the future. Get personalized advice tailored to your specific situation. Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need help navigating your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer) MBAGuideConsulting LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

Profile evaluation and advice needed for selecting b schools

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