What Are My Chances - Profile Evaluation Tool! WAMC

Hi all!

So what are my chances, and what should I do to increase them?
I'm a 29-year-old Male from Indonesia

Targeting for R2 this January since I got accepted to a full-tuition scholarship that expires in 12 months
Target school: MIT Sloan

GRE: Q166 V163. For reference, Harvard's median GRE is Q163 V163 and its median GMAT is 740, so its safe to say I'm a bit around 740 on the GMAT

Undergrad: Major in Theoretical Physics from the Country's 1st STEM-oriented university, quite a low GPA of 3.01/4

Total Work Experience: 6 years

Current Employment: Head of Trading at an Indonesian Hedge Fund. promoted from senior software engineer within 3 years. Working remotely with multiple teams in Indonesia, India, Pakistan, France, Cameroon, New York, though I'm based in Indo

Previous Employment: Mostly revolves around data science, machine learning, and investment management at local FinTechs

Extracurriculars: Other than weekend hobbies, pretty much none. I was head of a science club and Science Olympiad in high school, tho I think its irrelevant

Thanks!

Hi. Consider posting your profile eval in the decision tracker
While your result does look better if you change the answer, I think that's inflation.

Thank you
BB

👋 Hey r_putra_rp,

I came across your profile evaluation query on the forum and thought I'd reach out to offer some assistance from my own experience.

So here is what I would suggest:

📈 Strengths:

💼 Stellar Career Growth: Your ascent from a Senior Software Engineer to Head of Trading within 3 years indicates an extraordinary blend of technical and leadership skills. Such trajectories are valued because they showcase potential for further managerial success post-MBA.

🌐 Global Team Management: Coordinating with teams across various nations signifies a unique capability to handle cross-cultural dynamics and remote collaborations — essential in today’s globalized business world.

🔬 Analytical Acumen: Theoretical Physics, being one of the most challenging disciplines, underlines your analytical and problem-solving prowess.

📊 Competitive GRE Score: Aligning with Harvard's median makes you a strong academic contender for other top-tier programs as well.

🚧 Areas of Improvement:

➡️ GPA: Your 3.01 is slightly below the average of top-tier programs. If there were extenuating circumstances, it's imperative to clarify in an optional essay.

➡️ Extracurriculars: Engage in relevant community or leadership initiatives to demonstrate a holistic personality.

➡️ GMAT score of 740 is undoubtedly impressive, highly competitive and can help you target some of the good schools out there. Remember that it is just 25% of your application as the rest depends on your work ex, extracurriculars, volunteering experience, projects, and certifications, etc. So create a compelling and impactful application.

🏛️ MBA School Recommendations:

➡️ Dream: MIT Sloan, Wharton, Berkeley Haas, UCLA, Booth (ultra dream but can be considered)
➡️ Competitive: Tuck, Kellogg, NUS, NTU, Tepper, Cornell
➡️ Safe: Boston, Babson, USC, UNC

💡 Strategy: Emphasize on the interdisciplinary skills you’ve gained transitioning from software to finance. Connect with alumni in the finance sector, and align your goals with the resources each of these schools offer, especially its emphasis on innovation and leadership.

If you need more help, we'd be happy to set up a FREE call and give more pointers on how to improve your profile and the right schools you should target.

Or DM for help!

👉 Click Here to Schedule a FREE Call 👈

Hi, please evaluate my profile:

Ethnicity- Indian

X - 90.42 (ICSE - School In India)
XII - 83.08 (State Board - Maharashtra, India)
BCom - 73.52 (State Uni- Top 10 college)
MCom - 80 (State Uni - Top 10 college)

College extra curriculars:
1. Head of the marketing dept of the MUN club, Jt. Secretary of the Management Club, Editor - English of the Annual College Magazine, Head of PR of the Marketing Club
2. Won story writing contests, academic prizes for individual subjects, trophy for the being the best writer of college, published 2 research papers

Work experience: 4.5 years

Industry: Digital and Mainline marketing

Companies:
FCB Group - for 2.7 years, secured a promotion
Ogilvy - made a lateral movement at the same level and stayed there for 9 months
FCB Group - joined as an account manager, leading a group of 3 team members

Impact: Worked on Retail, finance and FMCG brands.
Led the end to end execution of campaigns
Was the key spoc on the accounts managed
Came up with strategy/ideas/insights for campaigns managed

I also have a small career gap of 3-4 months as I was the sole caregiver for my parent who had to be hospitalised

Other Hobbies:
1. MMA - Certified Black Belt
2. Writing - Blog with over 40K followers on Instagram, published in several anthologies

Goals: To transition over to the brand side as a brand manager post an MBA

Target GMAT score: 720+
(Currently scoring 680 - 700 in mocks)

Target Schools - ISB, IIMs, USA (Top 20 - please help with recommendations basis my profile)

Posted from my mobile device

👋 Hey lalliemoon,

So here is a detailed profile evaluation for you!

📈 Strengths:

📚 Solid Academic Foundation: Your consistent academic performance, culminating in an 80% during your MCom from a top state university, establishes a strong intellectual foundation.

🎖️ Extensive College Leadership: Your roles as Head of the Marketing dept of the MUN club, Jt. Secretary of the Management Club, and Head of PR of the Marketing Club depict strong leadership and team management capabilities.

✒️ Prolific Writer: Winning accolades like the best writer of college, securing victories in story-writing contests, and having two published research papers not only showcases your writing prowess but also your commitment to academic rigor and research.

🌐 Stellar Work Experience: Your tenure with industry giants like FCB Group and Ogilvy signifies a strong professional trajectory. Returning to FCB Group in a managerial role is particularly commendable.

🔑 Key Impact in Role: Spearheading end-to-end campaign execution and ideation showcases your strategic acumen. Your role as the key SPOC establishes your reliability and expertise in managing high-stakes accounts.

🥋 Multi-faceted Personality: A certified MMA black belt signifies discipline, perseverance, and physical fitness. A thriving blog with 40k+ followers is a testament to your writing and ability to engage a wide audience.

🚧 Areas of Enhancement:

🎯 GMAT Score: You're on the right track targeting 720+. Pushing your score slightly above this can significantly improve your odds given the competitive Indian demographic.

⏳ Career Gap: The gap for caregiving is valid and understandable. Ensure this is communicated appropriately in applications to show your commitment to family and your ability to bounce back post adversities.

🏛️ MBA School Recommendations:

👉 Dream (USA): Wharton, Booth, UCLA, Berkeley Haas
👉 Competitive (USA): Duke Fuqua, Michigan Ross, Tepper
👉 Safe (USA): Kelley, ASU, Foster, UIUC

💡 Application Strategy:

📝 Essays: Draw a lucid connection between your marketing experience and your aspirations to transition to a brand manager role. Your hands-on experience, combined with the strategic acumen you wish to gain from an MBA, can be a compelling narrative.

📚 Recommendations: Get them from supervisors who've seen your direct impact, especially during campaign ideation or strategy formulation.

🎤 Interview Prep: Anticipate questions on your career gap, the reason for the lateral move to Ogilvy, and your decision to return to FCB Group. Having clear, concise, and confident answers will be crucial.

🖋️ Highlighting Extracurriculars: Emphasize your MMA journey and the discipline it has instilled in you. Your blogging success can be highlighted to demonstrate your ability to influence and connect with a diverse audience.

🤔 If you need more help, we'd be happy to set up a FREE call and give more pointers on how to improve your profile and the right schools you should target.

Or DM for help!

👉 Click Here to Schedule a FREE Call 👈

lalliemoon - some thoughts on your profile:

1. Acads (10th/ 12th and GPA) are alright. Your target GMAT score (ideally 730+), balanced with a strong application, would be competitive for ISB/ IIMs and T-20 US programs. With a good score, US15-20 typically offer better chances for scholarships.

2. Work-ex is interesting, given the marketing names, and your promotion. Post-MBA goal is broadly aligned too. Some questions to ponder on: Why brand management? Which sector/ companies would you target? Why not switch right now (i.e. is it impossible, or difficult)? How would an MBA help? How would (target-school) help?

3. While we can't prioritize schools based on this initial assessment, looking for schools with a good % of alumni in marketing/ brand roles can be a good starting point. Schools' employment reports, rankings (such as Bloomberg/ QS) and simple LinkedIn searches can help here.

4. Interesting hobbies/ ECs. Make sure to highlight what you learned from these activities, and how these would enable your contributions to the MBA class.

Hope this helps a bit. Feel free to reach out through the link below for a deeper chat.

Regards,
Arvind
W:https://admitstreet.com| E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

Hello lalliemoon,

I hope you are doing good. Here is an evaluation of your profile after a deep discussion with our top profile experts. To begin with your academics, your academic record is strong, with a consistent upward trend from your Xth grade to your postgraduate studies. Your score of 73.52 in BCom and 80 in MCom from a top 10 state university is particularly impressive. Your participation in extracurricular activities, such as heading the marketing department of the MUN club and being the editor of the annual college magazine, demonstrates your leadership potential and well-roundedness.

Coming to your work experience, your 4.5 years of experience in digital and mainline marketing is relevant to your desired career path in brand management. Your experience at FCB Group and Ogilvy, where you led teams and developed successful campaigns, shows you have the skills and experience to succeed in this field. Your 3-4 months career gap to care for your parent is understandable and should not negatively impact your application.

Speaking about your ECs, such as MMA and writing, demonstrate your well-roundedness and commitment to personal development. Your black belt in MMA is a testament to your discipline and focus, while your successful blog with over 40,000 followers shows your creativity and ability to connect with an audience.

Your goal of transitioning to the brand side as a brand manager post-MBA is clearly defined and aligns with your experience and skills.

Your target GMAT score of 720+ is ambitious but achievable. Your current scores of 680-700 in mocks indicate that you are on the right track. With continued preparation, you should be able to reach your target score.

Target Schools

Your target schools are all highly competitive, but your profile is strong enough to make you a competitive applicant. Here are some specific recommendations for USA top 20 schools:

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business
University of Virginia - Darden School of Business
Emory University - Goizueta Business School
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill - Kenan-Flagler Business School
Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business
Georgetown University - McDonough School of Business
University of California - Berkeley - Haas School of Business
University of Michigan - Ross School of Business
Cornell University - Johnson Graduate School of Management
New York University - Stern School of Business

Your overall profile is strong and competitive. You have a solid academic record, relevant work experience, and well-defined goals. Your hobbies demonstrate your well-roundedness and commitment to personal development. With a strong GMAT score, you have a good chance of being admitted to your target schools.

Recommendations

1. Continue to prepare for the GMAT and aim for a score of 720+.
2. Strengthen your essays and application materials to highlight your unique strengths and experiences.
3. Network with alumni and current students from your target schools to learn more about their programs and culture.
4. Attend admissions events and webinars to get more information about the application process.

We hope this evaluation is helpful. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Feel free to schedule a free profile evaluation call with us to discuss your profile better and give a fair evaluation of your chances of admission to top Business schools.

Hello r_putra_rp,

I hope you are doing good. Your profile is strong, and you have a good chance of being admitted to MIT Sloan's MBA program.

Your six years of work experience in finance and technology are highly relevant to your desired career path in business. Your promotion to Head of Trading at an Indonesian hedge fund demonstrates your leadership potential and ability to succeed in a competitive field.

Your GRE scores are strong and in line with the median scores of admitted students at top business schools like Harvard. Your undergraduate degree in Theoretical Physics and your experience in data science and machine learning suggest that you have strong quantitative skills. This will be an asset in the quant-heavy curriculum at MIT Sloan. As an Indonesian male, you would add diversity to MIT Sloan's student body.

Your undergraduate GPA of 3.01 is on the low side for MIT Sloan, which has a median GPA of 3.6. However, your strong work experience and GRE scores should help to offset this weakness.

Your lack of extracurricular activities in college could raise questions about your leadership potential and ability to work in a team environment. However, your strong work experience should help to mitigate this concern.

Recommendations for increasing your chances of admission:

1. Highlight your quantitative skills in your essays and application materials.
2. Emphasize your leadership potential in your essays and application materials.
3. Get strong letters of recommendation from your supervisors and colleagues.
4. Network with MIT Sloan alumni and current students to learn more about the program and culture.
5. Prepare for the GMAT and aim for a score of 740 or higher.
6. Ace your MBA interviews.

We hope this evaluation is helpful. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Feel free to schedule a free profile evaluation call with us to discuss your profile better and give a fair evaluation of your chances of admission to top Business schools.

Thanks for the profile review! I plan to apply to HEC, IESE, Cornell, ISB, Duke, CMU and SP Jain with this score.
In EY, I work as an implementation consultant with its Tech Consulting practice. Post an MBA I would like to move to management/strategy consulting roles.

Please let me know if this list of schools is ok.

scrantonstrangler - while I wouldn't be able to recommend/ prioritize schools based on this initial assessment (this takes a deeper understanding of your profile, preferences, etc.), your list broadly seems alright. I would consider some more UST20-30 programs (which have good % alum in consulting i.e. your target role) and have a good mix of Ambitious and Reach/ Safe programs before arriving at the shortlist.

Regards,
Arvind
Founder, admitStreet
HEC Paris MBA alum
W:https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

Hi everyone,
I'm applying for R2 deadlines and need guidance on my profile. Would be great if you could help.

Background:

Indian female, 24 (25 by the time I start my MBA). Undergrad: Maths Hons, LSR (Top school in India)
Work Experience:

3 years AND 3 months of experience to date.
2 years at GEP Worldwide, a global supply chain consulting firm. Worked with a client based out if UK and led the entire reporting suite for the client across S2M, P2P and contracts
1 year at an Executive Search Consulting firm. Lead Consulting as a sector for the executive search business. led 5 mandates to date - all pertaining to Partner/Senior Partner/CXO positions

GMAT: 690 (Q 49, V 35)


10th Score: 9.6 CGPA
12 Score: 95.6%

Post MBA Goals:
Strategy Consulting at BCG

MBA Targets: Top 25 Globally + ISB in India

Social service: 2 months at Yes Foundation, social arm of YES bank; 1 year at National Service Scheme at LSR.

I'm working on my applications already but would be good to know how I stand, thank you.

Iti24 - some thoughts on your profile:

1. Your Acad scores and undergrad pedigree are strong, but the GMAT is a bit on the lower side. Broadly speaking, UST15-30 and some European programs would present better odds. For reference, average scores of top MBA programs can be found here

2. Your professional experiences are interesting, given the consulting and international exposure. Have there been any promotions? While your # years work-ex is slightly on the lower side for some programs, the consulting angle could help offset this. Would suggest contemplating on your experiences/ skills gained, linking them to your post-MBA goals (i.e. why strategy consulting), and having a strong narrative on how an MBA can help.

3. Limited information on ECs, but here again, the goal is to showcase consistent involvement in activities beyond work, and how these have helped you grow, ideally in ways that would also benefit the B-school.

Hope this helps. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to have a deeper chat.

Regards,
Arvind
Founder, admitStreet
W:https://admitstreet.com | LinkedIn | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

Age – 34 // Exp – 10.5 Years // Male // Non IT // Non Engg.

Education – Top of class academics in both school and at tertiary level. Topper in school and finished among first 5 at university.
1. 10th – 84.4% Topper of class
2. 12th – 87.4 % topper of class
3. Graduation - B.Sc. Nautical Science from a top of leagues maritime college with intake from IIT JEE. Result - 80.1%
4. PGDM Shipping Management, part time while working.

GMAT - 680 // Q49 V33.

MBA Targets: top one year programmes. India and abroad. Need advice on this.(Indian schools I knw. )
Already working on application for Indian schools. Targeting R2 schools outside India.

Post MBA – Career with operations heavy compny like Amazon or ecommerce.


Exp –
1. Total Exp of close to 10.5 Years, Both working on ships and now ashore at leadership position.
2. A 2.5 years Gap in between, wrote for civil service exams. Appeared for forest service interviews, final result, not in list.
3. Worked for Maersk and NYK, both fortune 500 MNCs.
4. At Maersk I was responsible for antipiracy and maritime security operations of over 80 ships, combined asset value 3.1 Bn USD.
5. Now working for a startup in leadership position. Heading safety and quality.
6. Profesionally, was awared for designing developing and implemeing an AI based animated LMS system for my current employer.

Extra Currics
1. Regular performer at open mics
2. Maintain an active blog where I write poetries and short stories, written more than 100 now. Some also published in magazines.
3. Instituted a scholarship in name of my grandmother, for students from my school.
4. NSS volunteer
5. Also associated with old age home.
6. Manage social media accounts accorss platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and WA ) for my college alumni group. Led some initiatives to increase community engagements.

Awards
1. Regional level basketball meet
2. Lot of literary wards in school and college
3. School level and inter company football matches.

Hello drec108,

I hope you are doing well. Your profile seems good on the surface.

MBA Targets:
India:

Consider targeting top Indian B-schools such as the Indian School of Business (ISB), IIM Ahmedabad (PGPX), IIM Bangalore (EPGP), and IIM Calcutta (PGPEX). Leverage your strong academic background, especially your B.Sc. from a prestigious maritime college and your PGDM in Shipping Management, to showcase your foundation and domain expertise. Highlight your work with Fortune 500 MNCs like Maersk and NYK, emphasizing your leadership roles and responsibilities.

Abroad:

With a GMAT score of 680 (Q49, V33), you're competitive for many top one-year MBA programs outside India. Consider schools like INSEAD, IMD, Oxford (Said Business School), and Cambridge (Judge Business School).
Emphasize your international exposure from working with global companies, showcasing your ability to adapt and thrive in diverse environments. Your experience in maritime security operations, particularly managing assets worth $3.1 Bn, can be a unique selling point to demonstrate your operational and strategic capabilities.

Application Strategy:

Craft compelling essays that weave together your professional journey, academic achievements, and extracurricular involvement. Highlight your initiative in designing an AI-based LMS system, showcasing your innovative mindset and adaptability to emerging technologies.
Use your experience of writing for civil service exams and interviews to discuss resilience, determination, and adaptability.

Obtain strong recommendation letters from your supervisors at Maersk and NYK, emphasizing your leadership skills, operational expertise, and contributions to the organizations. Consider getting a recommendation from your current startup, focusing on your role in heading safety and quality and your initiative in implementing innovative solutions.

Emphasize your leadership roles in professional settings, particularly your responsibilities in antipiracy and maritime security operations.
Showcase your leadership skills in managing safety and quality in your current role, including your initiative in implementing AI-based solutions.

Discuss your involvement in NSS and association with an old age home, showcasing your dedication to social causes and community service. Develop a coherent narrative that ties together your academic achievements, professional experience, and extracurricular involvement.
Emphasize your strengths in leadership, innovation, adaptability, and commitment to community service.
Tailor your application strategy to each school's specific requirements and values, demonstrating why you are a strong fit for their program. By presenting a well-rounded and compelling application, you can enhance your chances of securing admission to a top one-year MBA program in India or abroad and achieving your career goals in operations with companies like Amazon or in the ecommerce sector.

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.

Feel free to schedule a free profile evaluation call with us to discuss your profile better and give a fair evaluation of your chances of admission to top Business schools.

Neha Hadke
Strategy Manager
Testimonials
Meet our Panel of Consultants.
Email: neha@mbaandbeyond.com
MBA and Beyond

The work experience is on the higher side but for a 1 year MBA could be explained. I suggest you look at the MBA programs in Europe - Warwick Business School, WHU. Apply to the executive programs in IIMs and try ISB. For the US, you might have to have a very strong goals essay to justify the transition. But these schools in US might be a good fit given your experience and GMAT - ASU, Indiana Kelley, Ohio State University,

You can also check out other school profiles and get your matches here at findmyorbit [dot] com

All the best,
Satya
Founder (Orbit, and MBA Notion)

Hi Guys,

Wanted to get my understand my odds and what i can do to improve my profile?

Age – 26 // Exp – 3.6 Years // Male // IT // Engg.

Education –
1. 10th – 88%
2. 12th – 93.4 %
3. Graduation - BITS Pilani
4. B.E. Electronics + M.Sc. in Biology (7.5/10)

GMAT - 710// Q49 V36.

MBA Targets: R2 T15 to T30 ( Emory, UNC, Scheller, Mendoza, Kelley, Simon)

Post MBA – PM

Exp –
1.Worked across Fintech startups as PM right out of college
2. Manage a team of 3 at a fintech lending startup and own P&L


Extra Curriculars
1. Work with an NGO and co-developed a product with my company with the NGO (think lending for education for underserved communities.
2. Avid hiker and motorcyclist.

Hey, I had a very similar profile to yours. NIT Durgapur, IT, 2.5 ye, 322 gre. That might give you some context. To improve your profile, the immediate things you can do are write excellent essays, do virtual tours, networking. I would say also target schools that might not see a lot of tech applicants, that way you are differentiated. Apply to WashU, a lovely school, with great people, and very generous with scholarships. It's in the same tier as your other listed schools. I loved my 2 years there. It's all about balancing the incoming cohort for the adcom. On the flip side, applying to Scheller might seem great for PM, but your competition is higher. Also, know that once you are in the program, it's on you to find the job.

The best thing you can do is to retake the GMAT and get to 740+ if you can and have the time.

For exactly the questions you are asking, visit the tool I built at https://findmyorbit.com/ and sign up to get free mentorship.

All the best,
Satya

Hello rsgsmall,

I hope you are doing well. Your profile looks good on the surface. Speaking about your academics, your records are impressive, particularly your 12th-grade score and your graduation from BITS Pilani, which is a prestigious institution. The dual degree in Electronics and M.Sc. in Biology showcases your diverse academic interests. A GMAT score of 710 with a balanced quantitative and verbal score places you in a competitive bracket for the schools you're targeting.

Your experience in fintech startups as a PM and your leadership role, where you manage a team and own P&L, are strong points. These experiences demonstrate your expertise and leadership qualities. Your involvement with an NGO and the collaborative product development initiative is commendable. Additionally, your interests in hiking and motorcycling add a unique dimension to your profile.

Connect with alumni or current students from the MBA programs you're targeting. This will provide you with insights into the program and potentially strengthen your application. Secure strong letters of recommendation that highlight your professional accomplishments, leadership skills, and contributions to the organizations you've been a part of.

Craft compelling essays that articulate your career goals, experiences, and how an MBA from the respective school will help you achieve them. Prepare thoroughly for interviews by researching each school's program and aligning your goals with their offerings. Emphasize the impact of your work, especially in terms of driving growth, innovation, or making a difference through your collaboration with the NGO.

Overall, you have a competitive profile with a strong academic background, relevant work experience, and impactful extracurricular involvement. Focus on aligning your goals with the MBA programs, showcasing your leadership and impact, and leveraging networking opportunities to enhance your chances of admission to your target schools.

Best of luck with your MBA journey!

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