Thanks Sameer. I am trying to sort out these 23 schools according to their specialization. I would ideally like to major in Strategy Consulting or IT Consulting. Where can I get this info? I'm sure with just two specializations, I can narrow my search to probably 10 and then start from there. Any help on the Info would be great! Thanks a ton!
ronyk SaysThanks Sameer. But can you help me with what specific traits does Harvard, Kellogg and ISB look for?
Hi ronyk,
I try to avoid broad generalisations, but will do so here just coz you are insisting. Handle with care and digest with discretion 😃
All 3 schools look for a track record of achievement inside and outside the professional sphere, leadership, teamwork, clarity of though about your goals etc. But the way you present your stories for each would be different (that's where the nuances come in).
Harvard likes stars with big visions, a change-the-world plan will help. Check out some of their class CVs to get an idea of what I mean. Kellogg wants folks who'd make good team players on both sides of the table (leaders and contributors) who can make an impact to the communities they operate in. ISB prefers a no-nonsense logical and crystal clear approach (on the ISB thread, check out the feedback they've provided to some of the rejected applicants).
Your approach will have to be customised based on what your profile has to offer. Force fitting the traits listed above into your application will backfire if you don't have the right content to work on.
For instance, We've worked with guys who've got into super-competitive schools (including ISB) as reapplicants. The profiles of these candidates did not change dramatically over the year (that's what Adcoms look for), but the approach in the re-attempt was slightly different. But this approach worked mainly because the profile already had several good things going in its favour.
So take it in two steps.
- First of all, evaluate whether your profile would be considered a good fit for these programs.
- Then think about how you will pitch your story to them.
- Sameer
MBA Crystal Ball
Thanks Sameer. I am trying to sort out these 23 schools according to their specialization.
:
Any help on the Info would be great! Thanks a ton!
Check out US News or Businessweek lists. They have speciality wise rankings. You could use that as a sieve to filter down your choice.
Then do the 'fit' mapping to chuck out a few more.
Then start building your application for each of them.
Hope that helps.
- Sameer
MBA Crystal Ball
Hi Sameer
First of all Congratulations on doing a very good job in assisting all the queries posted as of date :)
Here's what my Profile looks like:
1. 10th Std : 82% (Mumbai SSC )
2. 12th Std : 68% ( HSC Board Mumbai: I Nearly escaped flunking in Hindi which was not my forte as a result it affected my overall grades :P)
3. Graduation 2.3/4.0 GPA ( Mumbai University: I did my Computer Engineering)
4. Work-ex about 3 Years
a. Worked as Manager in Liabilities Portfolio for ICICI Bank for 2 years
b. Presently Interning with Crisil as Rating Analyst for 1 year. (expect to work here for another 1.5 Years)( How i Became a Finance person from Computer Engineering is altogether a different transition which I am used to telling My Current as well as Prev Employers 😃 so i can handle this part)
5. No Extra-curriculars to boast of
6. Hobbies include playing Chess( took part in District level competions thats it) and Art Designing
7. GMAT Score 720 (Q: 51 V:45) AWA: 4.5
Here are the Queries that i need to address:
1. I am Looking to Pursue MBA in area of Finance (as that is what i feel is my core skill and i dont feel the need to divert into any other domains). I Have Identified the following Universities:
a. NYU Stern b. Columbia c. Carnegie Melon d. HKSTU (Hong Kong) e. Booth School Chicago f. Duke Fuqua
2. I Know I have messed up acads but I Think I have compensated it with good GMAT scores and Good Role and Responsibilities in my Organisation.
3. If in Anycase I Delay entering into the programme by another 1.5 Year, how do they review candidates with current and Past GMAT scores?
4. From the Cost perspective, How easy/difficult it becomes to repay off your Edu. Loans after you have secured a job.(Considering the Loaction where you are working say Home Country/US/UK/Europe/Australia etc)
5. I would Like to Enter into Financial Consulting maybe working Some good years in a Pure Finance Domain.
Kindly Review My Profile and suggest any amendments required in the college selections.
Thanks and Regards
Sreekanth(aka Sabbathmailer)
:cheerio:
Hope you don't mind me filling in 
Here's what my Profile looks like:
1. 2.3 GPA is a pretty huge negative. Despite the GMAT 720 - this will hurt you (mind you - not harm you but just hurt you
).2. Shift from Comp Sci -> CRISIL is interesting. Definitely a plus.
3. Not having anything else in the profile can *possibly* harm you since you would have very few stories to set you apart from the crowd.
Here are the Queries that i need to address:
1. I am Looking to Pursue MBA in area of Finance (as that is what i feel is my core skill and i dont feel the need to divert into any other domains). I Have Identified the following Universities:
a. NYU Stern b. Columbia c. Carnegie Melon d. HKSTU (Hong Kong) e. Booth School Chicago f. Duke Fuqua
Good mix of schools. Columbia, Booth are dream. Stern, Duke are stretch. Carnegie Melon is a good shot. HKUST is definitely a safe bet.
2. I Know I have messed up acads but I Think I have compensated it with good GMAT scores and Good Role and Responsibilities in my Organisation.
Yes but not entirely. Given the competitive nature of the applicant pool - it will be something that will be seen negatively.
3. If in Anycase I Delay entering into the programme by another 1.5 Year, how do they review candidates with current and Past GMAT scores?
I didn't understand "the "current and past GMAT scores" part? If it is what I understood the answer is - GMAT is valid for 5 years - so don't worry
4. From the Cost perspective, How easy/difficult it becomes to repay off your Edu. Loans after you have secured a job.(Considering the Loaction where you are working say Home Country/US/UK/Europe/Australia etc)
Some factors to consider:
1. That you will get a job
2. That the job will be high-paying
3. That you will meet the requirements for VISA (H1 in the US)
According to me MBA is always a bet - to speak finance parlance "hedging against the volatility of future by securing a good education"
There are no guarantees that any of the 3 things above will happen. No one knows what the world will look tomorrow. No one will know how it will look in 2015.ROI is at best an art, and at worst speculation. So take this plunge as a leap of faith - hoping that quality of education will pay back in more ways than one (networking, brand equity etc).
5. I would Like to Enter into Financial Consulting maybe working Some good years in a Pure Finance Domain.
Very doable. The E&Ys; of the world are always looking for talent.
Just note that MBA is not to be mistaken for an education in Finance. You are better off with a CA or an ICWA in that case. Do an MBA for a well-rounded education - something more than just numbers that you can learn from a book. Your stories around "Why MBA" have to be well articulated and you may want to look at some other aspects of your profile that can add to making your profile a bit multi-dimensional.
Another advice is to look at certifications in Finance. Not just to show the MBA Adcomm you can take up additional coursework but also sharpen your own saw. Would a CFA do the trick? I don't know - but worth a dekho.
Hope this helps,
Arun from CrackVerbal
PS: An id called Sabbath and posting on a Sunday
Hope you don't mind me filling in
...
Hope this helps,
Arun from CrackVerbal
PS: An id called Sabbath and posting on a Sunday
Hi Thanks for the Jiffy Reply :)
1. What I Meant by Current and Past GMAT scores is that assuming a candidate has given his GMAT fresh this year vs another who has given it some 2-3 years ago, is there any difference in terms of assesment( for the schools mentioned prev)?
2. Since you Mentioned the Acads could possibly be a negative, what can you suggest to cover it up and possibly balance it out. (As there are few stories to tell, i am not a "Story-guy" type.I just want my Work to do the talking. So against this backdrop what stories can i make that you could possibly think of 😃 ) (PS: Assuming there's a thin line of balance between "Hurt" and " Harm" 😁 )
Lastly the Sabbath One was too good :)
Thanks and Regards
Check out US News or Businessweek lists. They have speciality wise rankings. You could use that as a sieve to filter down your choice.
Then do the 'fit' mapping to chuck out a few more.
Then start building your application for each of them.
Hope that helps.
- Sameer
MBA Crystal Ball
Hi Sameer,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your time. I had a great interactive session with you and I must say the discussion was very useful.
I think the expertise you and your team brings with MBA Crystal Ball is what really perked me up. I am seriously considering writing GMAT again to improve my score (I know a lot of consultants who didn't).
I would recommend a basic MBA Crystal Ball profile evaluation to any MBA aspirant! Sameer and his team are doing a great job!
Thanks a ton!
SuhPra
Hi Sameer,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your time. I had a great interactive session with you and I must say the discussion was very useful.
:
Thanks a ton!
SuhPra
Glad you found the discussion useful, SuhPra.
Disclaimer: SuhPra doesn't work for MCB and wasn't paid or arm-twisted or had his pet dog kidnapped to post that response. He has posted this on his own account based on his offline interactions with our team. However if it still appears as a promotion rather than a genuine response, more than happy to have any or all of it edited out by mods.
- Sameer
MBA Crystal Ball
1. What I Meant by Current and Past GMAT scores is that assuming a candidate has given his GMAT fresh this year vs another who has given it some 2-3 years ago, is there any difference in terms of assesment( for the schools mentioned prev)?
I think I answered that - doesn't matter
2. Since you Mentioned the Acads could possibly be a negative, what can you suggest to cover it up and possibly balance it out. (As there are few stories to tell, i am not a "Story-guy" type.I just want my Work to do the talking. So against this backdrop what stories can i make that you could possibly think of 😃 ) (PS: Assuming there's a thin line of balance between "Hurt" and " Harm" 😁 )
I think I answered that too - take CFA or any certification which shows your commitment, and ability to handle intense course-work
Regarding the hurt v/s harm what I mean is there has to be more to you than just GPA, GMAT, and Work-exp. What else makes you as a person? What are you passionate about? What would make you an interesting classmate to have? What about you would surprise the Ad Com? Get the drift?
Arun - CrackVerbal
Dear Consultants,
I have attempted GMAT 3 times(660,670,640),scores are in that order only.I have around 10 years of experience in the IT telecom.
Extra Curricular: Nothing special to boost about.
Career growth: Normal I guess as I am working as a project manager right now.
I know that I belong to IIM(Indian,IT,Male) category,thats why I am more apprehensive about my chances of getting an admit in good colleges.
I need your expert views on my prospects for colleges in India,apart from IIM-A,B,C and ISB. Reading all the previous threads I come to knwo that I should not consider these coleges as competition is very tough for these colleges and my score is below median/mean score I think.So will it be worthwhile to get the MBA done from any other college considering my work experience?
I am targetting for 1 year MBA program only and location is not a boundation for me as long as I get a decent college.
And how about my chances of getting an admission in NUS,INSEAD,LBS or IMD. Are they in my range or should I look for some lower tier colleges.
Actually I want to get admitted to an MBA collge(decent/good) in 2012 and I am keen on doing MBA.I understand that "decent/good" is relative to one's aspirations but considering my profile where do I stand.Please share your thoughts.
I would encourage you to apply and do not be afraid of rejection. We are after all Indians, and from the time of our birth we are destined for Engineering education, followed by IT work and then MBA degree. We just have to use our talents and abilities as best we can. If the story is spun right, you can still differentiate yourself and get admission into a good school with 670 GMAT even though you do belong to the dreaded IIM (Indian, IT, Male) category. You just have to do the best you can and when any rejection comes, just brush it off, pick yourself up, and get ready for the next fight. Sooner or later, success will come, and it will be even sweeter because you had to struggle so much to get it.
Please note: I am not a consultant.
Dear Consultants,
I have attempted GMAT 3 times(660,670,640),scores are in that order only.I have around 10 years of experience in the IT telecom.
Extra Curricular: Nothing special to boost about.
Career growth: Normal I guess as I am working as a project manager right now.
I know that I belong to IIM(Indian,IT,Male) category,thats why I am more apprehensive about my chances of getting an admit in good colleges.
I need your expert views on my prospects for colleges in India,apart from IIM-A,B,C and ISB. Reading all the previous threads I come to knwo that I should not consider these coleges as competition is very tough for these colleges and my score is below median/mean score I think.So will it be worthwhile to get the MBA done from any other college considering my work experience?
I am targetting for 1 year MBA program only and location is not a boundation for me as long as I get a decent college.
And how about my chances of getting an admission in NUS,INSEAD,LBS or IMD. Are they in my range or should I look for some lower tier colleges.
Actually I want to get admitted to an MBA collge(decent/good) in 2012 and I am keen on doing MBA.I understand that "decent/good" is relative to one's aspirations but considering my profile where do I stand.Please share your thoughts.
I feel your pain - taking GMAT is like a root canal operation. You want to do it once. You want to do it right.
Having said that, I would advice you to spread your options a bit wide. So as a Project Manager with 10 solid years of work experience under your belt why do you want to do an MBA? See everything is for a purpose. So what is the "end" goal you want to see for yourself. Trust me - MBA is not the end all. You can definitely go up the ladder - as a delivery manager, as a Director, and as a VP in any company without an MBA.
However if MBA is what you want to do then of all the schools you mention only NUS is an exception. The rest are in the dream/stretch category. So if you think there are ways in which you can convince the Ad Com then do apply (but I will be frank - the chances are pretty low). My suggestion is to also consider some other programs that might be easier for you to get in. For starters XLRI runs a great 1 year GMP program. Then you have the other 1 year program offered by IIM L (Noida Campus). You have GLIM and SPJain as well.
Once you have the MBA degree what you do in life is all upto you. So all the best for your journey!
Arun - CrackVerbal
Satyakam83 SaysHey thanks, just another thing, can you suggest whether the 2yr PGDM in SP Jain Mumbai is any good for 6+ exp? I know SP Jain MUmbai is generally very good and they have recently started accepting GMAT scores, but not sure if its worth it for 6+ exp
With 6 yrs work-ex going to US or UK is the best option.Any college abroad is better than IIM-A ??
Next is ur choice
I am inclined towards taking Marketing as my specialization when I do my MBA (I have converted a few and will take up). I am a guy who would prefer a life which is more dynamic than static.
But, I keep on hearing from my friends and family that life after marketing would be hectic and it would be tedious, affecting social life and all.
From personal perspective, I am okay with that kind of life. But the BIG Question is that,
Am I supposed to travel and live a hectic life even if I pursue marketing as my career option in my say early 30's ???
Kindly help me outta here. .
Regards.
Hi mission_IIMB,
As an LBS alumni, I can tell you that you should not fret over your GMAT score only. The entire application is taken into consideration when applying to b-schools. The only thing that is key is to DIFFERENTIATE yourself from the rest of the smart, IT, Indian candidate pool since there are thousands of applicants from India (and therefore, slightly disadvantageous to be Indian when applying to b-school).
As I see you will report your 670 GMAT score. That coupled with a strong application can get you through the likes of INSEAD and LBS ( i got through both the schools with a simialr score).
Hope this would encourage you to apply!
Thanks "pmecser" for the motivation to apply to these schools.I am definitely going to apply to LBS now.Initially I was thinking that I may not stand a chance but your post has kicked my confidence :)
Can you suggest me other colleges which can be targeted with this score?I am considering like IMD,INSEAD.
And also can you tell me something more about your experience while applying with the LBS.I understand that every applicant is unique but I can take one or two leafs from your experience.
Am I supposed to travel and live a hectic life even if I pursue marketing as my career option in my say early 30's ???
Please note: Let us stick to MBA related questions and not digress from the topic.
However, just this time I will answer
Leading a hectic life is less to do with Marketing, Finance, Sales, Operations etc. and more to do with the company culture, your position, your personal preference etc.
Marketing would mean essentially travel for attending trade fairs, seminars, ad shoots, promotions, road shows, meeting customers etc. So expect around 20% of travel when you hit a relatively senior position as most cases you will be the "face" of the company.
However as I mentioned, this is still not a make or break to choose (or not to choose) marketing. If you are not up for hard work in your 30s (and 40s and 50s) then don't aspire for leadership roles. A lot of companies are okay with keeping their employees lateral i.e. not moving them up but moving them horizontally. Pay may not be proportional but would be decent all the same.
Arun - CrackVerbal
I feel your pain - taking GMAT is like a root canal operation. You want to do it once. You want to do it right.
Having said that, I would advice you to spread your options a bit wide. So as a Project Manager with 10 solid years of work experience under your belt why do you want to do an MBA? See everything is for a purpose. So what is the "end" goal you want to see for yourself. Trust me - MBA is not the end all. You can definitely go up the ladder - as a delivery manager, as a Director, and as a VP in any company without an MBA.
However if MBA is what you want to do then of all the schools you mention only NUS is an exception. The rest are in the dream/stretch category. So if you think there are ways in which you can convince the Ad Com then do apply (but I will be frank - the chances are pretty low). My suggestion is to also consider some other programs that might be easier for you to get in. For starters XLRI runs a great 1 year GMP program. Then you have the other 1 year program offered by IIM L (Noida Campus). You have GLIM and SPJain as well.
Once you have the MBA degree what you do in life is all upto you. So all the best for your journey!
Thanks "Psychodementia" for the honest and direct to face response.I appreciate it.Actually your thoughts match what I was thinking about my chances,that's why I wanted to know from experts where I stand. There may be people who got admitted with the lower score into these schools I mentioned above but I don't want to feel good thinking about the exceptions.
So in your opinion I should look for the colleges you have mentioned.But could you share your thoughts about how much value will these colleges add to my profile if I get MBA degree from these colleges.Will it be really a good idea to do MBA from these colleges?
I would encourage you to apply and do not be afraid of rejection. We are after all Indians, and from the time of our birth we are destined for Engineering education, followed by IT work and then MBA degree. We just have to use our talents and abilities as best we can. If the story is spun right, you can still differentiate yourself and get admission into a good school with 670 GMAT even though you do belong to the dreaded IIM (Indian, IT, Male) category. You just have to do the best you can and when any rejection comes, just brush it off, pick yourself up, and get ready for the next fight. Sooner or later, success will come, and it will be even sweeter because you had to struggle so much to get it.
Please note: I am not a consultant.
Thanks "TraderJoe1976",you are not a consultant but you are definitely a "Motivator".
aHi
i got 8 yrs of work ex in a PSU power sector
i was in project management
plz guide for my career boost
aHi
i got 8 yrs of work ex in a PSU power sector
i was in project management
plz guide for my career boost
Ram ram bolaram-ji,
Aur kuch bataiye na pleejh apne baare mein.
- Sameer
MBA Crystal Ball