What should be my target score for applying to Top 20 Colleges?

Question

Hi Experts,

I want to know what should be my target score to get into top 20 B schools.
My profile is as follows:
Indian Male, 32 years old
Engineering graduate in Computer Science
Total of 8.5 years of work experience (3 years with a leading IT MNC in India, 5.5 years in retail banking with the largest bank in India, State Bank of India, in managerial position).
GMAT Prep Mocks: Mock 1: 740 Q49 V 42
Mock 2: 730 Q48 V42

Extra Curricular:1. Has been a part of an NGO which works in education sector for rural students, for 6 months
2.During my stint as Software Engineer, was a member of employee club and conducted a fundraising program for wedding of poor girls.
3.Have conducted a number of financial literacy camps in rural areas.

Thanks
Abhishek

GeneralEducation · Answer

Hi  anshkool4u ,

Few thought on your profile I like to share here.

Work Experience - You have a very good and diverse profile, having worked in IT and Banking sector in the managerial position should be a noticeable point to look into your profile for the adcom. Having 8.5 years of full-time work experience will be a smooth deal in your case because applicants planning to apply for top B-Schools need to have average work experience of 4+ years.

GMAT - By taking an average in your last two GMAT mocks, It looks promising you to have the ability to score 700+ for sure in your original GMAT test. Though 700+ is a good GMAT score, you need to target for higher GMAT score like 740+. Since your from Indian IT pool, you will likely to face your competitor applying with more or less the same profile(80% of the candidates applying for MBA are from IT background). To be the safer side you need to target and achieve a bigger number in original GMAT.

Extra Curriculum: Your idea of working towards rural development is unique. Being a part of NGO which works for rural education show's your social responsibility, fundraising through a club would be an amazing point to impress adcom, cultivating idea's in young rural minds through camps will be an added advantage to be highlighted in your profile.
Said things mentioned above, we advise you to try to improve and score in GMAT well.

Or you can contact us for " Free profile evaluation " with our consulting experts!

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

A few reflections on your profile  anshkool4u :
 
  First up, there isn't really a   magic GMAT number  . Higher the better is really the mantra here. Your mock score range is good - try to overachieve on that! In general, one can add 20-30 points to a given school's average to get a sense of the Indian GMAT average.  
    MBA after 30   is tricky. This means that you should exercise caution in school selection and be prepared to explain this well in your applications.  
  The transition from IT to banking is interesting. While that will make for a great story, also ensure you connect the dots well, both looking backwards and forward towards your post-MBA plan. Retail banking is usually a bit tough to connect with several post-MBA plans. 
  The ECs and volunteer efforts sound encouraging. The scale and impact delivered will however finally determine how much mileage you get. The rural literacy campaigns were as an extension of work or outside?

Hope this sparks the right thoughts and direction.

Cheers,

CrackVerbalShree · Answer

Hi anshkool4u,

I am assuming you are in a techno-managerial role at SBI - Great transition. However, what is more, important is your plan for what you would want to do next.

You might want to look at schools which accept people with your experience. There are some schools/programs such as MIT SDM program that you could explore.

GMAT: You seem to be on track with your GMAT Score. This is a good sign.

Extra Curricular: These are good. What is more important is how you tie all these experiences to your story. How does it make you a different person today? What is also important is are you pursuing all this even today.

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

Hey Abhishek,

Thanks for posting! Looks like you have a very interesting profile - I'm curious, what are your goals post-MBA? And what schools are you focusing on at the moment?

For a generic top-20 program, anything above a 720 will make you very competitive, especially with schools ranked 15-20. Going further into the top 15, this is where it's going to be more about who you are as a candidate rather than how high you score on the GMAT (assuming your score clears a certain hurdle).

With a 730-750, I could see you being a very competitive candidate at a t-15 school, especially with a well-crafted story, strong essays, and stellar recommendations. Take the GMAT and see how you do!

Regards,

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello  anshkool4u ,

Thanks for writing in.

While you have strong professional work experience (complete with managerial experience), the duration of the same is on the higher side; moreover, when you apply for an MBA post the age of 30, you need to write your essays in a way that they make a compelling case for your need for an MBA.

Considering your overall case, the GMAT Mock score looks good and if you can score something around the same (740), you will stand a competitive chance. Of course, the GMAT score is only a part of the story and a lot will also depend on how logically you portray your career goals, achievements, and need for MBA.

Should you have any follow-up questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

Good Luck!

anshkool4u · Answer

Shreeatcrackverbal ,  MG4MBACrystalBall ,  ExpertsGlobal ,  PersonalMBACoach ,  GeneralEducation

Thanks dear experts.
Here are a few more details, which I feel are necessary after reading the analysis by different experts:
1. The financial literacy camps were a self motivated, the need of which i felt while I was having a discussion with a friend of mine, and its not a work extension.
2.I am purely into general administration/banking role,which involves branch management as well as credit decisions for retail loans.
3.As such, why MBA after 30 is a question which I definitely need to work upon.Though the real reason was my craving for clearing Civil Service Exams, but after being out from Interview stage twice, I finally have no other way to boost my career other than pursuing an MBA.

GeneralEducation · Answer

Hi  anshkool4u ,

The solid profile which is balanced on all fronts - academics, career growth and impact, and leadership experiences outside work is more likely to attract adcom. The only thing for you to focus now on is your GMAT, aim to score high like targeting at 730+. Your strong extra-curricular, with interests in diverse areas, will put you in the zone of consideration for admission. You also need to mention how your work helped the company cut costs, earn profits or simply reduce time. We all have achieved a lot in our jobs but sometimes fail to acknowledge the same. Both Career Progress and Achievements will then need to translate wonderfully onto the application essays and interviews.

However, having a strong post-MBA goal is as important as having good GMAT, academics, achievements and extra curriculum to decide your question of which schools to apply, you should first consider your career targets and that will help you in deciding which schools to apply. Career target will help you decides on post-MBA aspects like Industry that you want to work in (for e.g. Financial Services, Consulting, Retail, Consumer Products etc), Function you want to work in (for e.g. Finance, Analytics, Marketing etc), Location- which area of US your want to work in (e.g. New York City in Northeast, Chicago in Midwest or Silicon Valley in US-West) Look for schools offering best career opportunities in these areas and also have a Salary Vs Cost comparison to see which schools fall in your budget. This would help in deciding the best B-Schools for your profile & career targets.

Best wishes for your GMAT preparation! 
If you need any further assistance in the application process, feel free to contact us or DM me directly.

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

anshkool4u , the self-initiated thing will be awesome, make sure you use that well!

On the motivation, see if this helps in thinking through about your   post-MBA goals  . Don't see MBA only as a way out - also be aware of what it can/cannot do for you.

Cheers,

Sanchita1216 · Answer

Hello abhishek, I am also a banker with 6yrs of experience. I am just starting to prepare for GMAT. I am still researching and all.. can you help me? How did you achieve such high score??

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What should be my target score for applying to Top 20 Colleges?

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