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walker777
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 16 Feb 2011, 21:04
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hi, Please let me know what would be the shortcomings in my profile that would work against me for top colleges.

GMAT: Q49 V34 , AWA:5.5 total : 690
Currently working as a Project lead handling teams of 15 to 20 people on multiple technology portfolios.
8 years of work experience in IT (software services ) industry performing various roles as Project Lead, Business Systems Analyst etc.
Undergrad: BE, Mechanical (76% Overall) No GPA system.
Age: 30

EC:
Have been a VP of Education team of Toastmasters club of my firm and an active member of the club
Involved in managing accounts /loans of a Savings group of 15 women who are below poverty line and live in a slum colony at Pune.
Other :
Completed Level 1 of CFA
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bakfed
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 16 Feb 2011, 21:46
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hi there, I can't quite see a shortcoming in your profile.
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walker777
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 16 Feb 2011, 22:14
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Thanks. I have been told 2 things , my age and my disparity in Quant and Verbal score. Are they going to be a problem for applying in top 10 schools in US ? How could I overcome these... Any suggestions.
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 16 Feb 2011, 23:26
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Your age is certainly a bit over the average age, but instead of seeing it as a "shortcoming", we can just as easily turn that into a competitive advantage because out of your 8 years of IT experience, you may have experienced something that you wouldn't have normally experienced in 3 or 4 years. In terms of your GMAT, it didn't strike me as a shortcoming. Now, ideally, everyone agrees that a 700+ score would help you reach a certain magical threshold. Honestly, a 690 and a 700 doesn't make a whole lot of difference. B-school admission includes so many factors that a 10 point difference won't make or cut you from the list. Sure, a 690 and at the age of 30, you better have a good reason to convince the AdComs to accept you; however, same goes with a person with a 720 and 24 years old, either one requires some convincing reasons. You would just have a different set of reasons from a 24-year-old. I'm a cautiously optimistic person, and err on the side of realism. However, too much guessing into the admission games won't help or hurt anyone, but simply create unnecessary angst in yourself. So again, I stand by what I said in terms of shortcomings. I do see that you would have some explainings to do to the AdComs in terms of your goals and 'why now', but again, that goes the same for someone out of college for 4 years with a 750 gmat score.
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 16 Feb 2011, 23:29
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Double posting to answer your questions: in terms of your age, obviously, there's nothing you can do about it now. In terms of GMAT, you could always retake. With some studying and a hint of luck, you could raise your verbal score up and get a 720. Honestly, if I were you, I'd just go ahead and apply to the schools that you'd like to get into in round 1 for class of 2014. You've already missed the round 2 deadlines for class of 2013 and round 3 is pretty much a doomed timeframe for an IT person (my opinion). Again, because your age may play a factor in here, I'd apply as soon as possible, in the most reasonable timepoint, which is round 1 for class of 2014 (matriculating in the fall of 2012).
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walker777
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 16 Feb 2011, 23:40
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Thanks bakfed. That was surely helpful!
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 19 Feb 2011, 07:41
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I am not an admissions pundit. Your profile looks solid to me and ticks the right boxes. Solid Gmat, Engineering background with analytical and team-based experience, good ECs. Assume you can communicate why MBA, this specific Bschool and goals.

Nothing you can do about your age and Bschools leaning towards younger folks. See it as an asset rather liability and what you can deliver: maturity, experience, leadership, setbacks, humbleness to learn with/from younger classmates.

I may add that you come from a very competitive applicant pool: International, male, IT. Have you landed interview invites from your target schools?
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 19 Feb 2011, 21:06
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Most critical part of your application will be how would you differentiate yourself from the rest of the IT crowd that applied to all the top schools.
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walker777
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 20 Feb 2011, 04:03
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Jock4MBA
I am not an admissions pundit. Your profile looks solid to me and ticks the right boxes. Solid Gmat, Engineering background with analytical and team-based experience, good ECs. Assume you can communicate why MBA, this specific Bschool and goals.

Nothing you can do about your age and Bschools leaning towards younger folks. See it as an asset rather liability and what you can deliver: maturity, experience, leadership, setbacks, humbleness to learn with/from younger classmates.

I may add that you come from a very competitive applicant pool: International, male, IT. Have you landed interview invites from your target schools?
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Thanks. that helps. I am lurking in dark about what should be my are of concentration n MBA. I dont know of a way to make a choice. Any help would be appreciated. Getting a job after MBA in US or CANADA is very important at this stage of my career. Thanks.
Nachiket.
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 20 Feb 2011, 09:53
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walker777


Thanks. that helps. I am lurking in dark about what should be my are of concentration n MBA. I dont know of a way to make a choice. Any help would be appreciated. Getting a job after MBA in US or CANADA is very important at this stage of my career. Thanks.
Nachiket.
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Nachiket,

MBA concentration depends on what you want to do post MBA. For e.g. if you want to get investment banking after MBA, there will be a concentration/focus in the MBA program for IB which will fall under finance domain. If you are interested in marketing jobs, marketing should be your concentration and so on. The best way would be to first refine which industry and function are you interested in working after MBA, and pick the concentration relevant to that in your MBA program.
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 20 Feb 2011, 18:25
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Nachiket,

I notice that you did CFA1 though you don't work in finance related areas. Any motives that led you to this time consuming involvement? Just think that most engineers would be chartered engineers. BSchool expect stardust from some older folks with vertical careers.

Your application may benefit from some international experience in some target BSchools. Others are fine with it.
Again you are in tough pool. In football worldcup draw group stage, it would be called "Group of Death": Great teams with the misfortune to compete in early group for a place
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walker777
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What are the shortcomings in my profile 20 Feb 2011, 20:13
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Jock4MBA
Nachiket,

I notice that you did CFA1 though you don't work in finance related areas. Any motives that led you to this time consuming involvement? Just think that most engineers would be chartered engineers. BSchool expect stardust from some older folks with vertical careers.

Your application may benefit from some international experience in some target BSchools. Others are fine with it.
Again you are in tough pool. In football worldcup draw group stage, it would be called "Group of Death": Great teams with the misfortune to compete in early group for a place
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Hi,
I have been working with a bank and finance interests me a lot. I have done it from the perspective of gaining knowledge. It has helped me see businesses from a different view point.

Regards,
Nachiket