Ask a Consultant! - GMAT/GRE Only

MBA
81
Hi,

Is it better to continue my job and go for a distance learning from IMT/Symbiosis or go for a foreign MBA degree?


Distance-ed in India doesn't quite have the reputation of a full-time program in India. If your MBA is a one-time investment, would you really want to do long-distance? One of the greatest perks of a young professional if the networking opportunity that a in-class MBA can give you. Why do you want to pass that up?


My options for a foreign degree are limited as Sydney is the place I want to go to. Are Australian Universities worth it?
Also, will my foreign degree be valued by Indian companies? as I dont plan on staying there for long.


This is confusing-- you want to go only to Sydney but don't want to stay there for long. It looks like the only reason you want to go there is because your significant other is there-- not for professional reasons. Again, the problem with lower-ranked foreign MBAs is that they aren't quite given the recognition that Indian MBAs have. You would have to spend a significant amount of time there to gain work-ex and make the switch here.

Finally, you don't seem to have researched your options in India-- TISS, MDI-HR, IMT-G are some of the equally good places for an HR program in India.

Please Note: I am NOT a Consultant just a Mod
82

Hi
I am planning to pursue an MBA from USA. My profile is as follows:

10th : 85% , West Bengal Board -2004
12th : 77.2%,West Bengal Board -2006
Btech : 8.24/10 , WBUT-2010
ICWAI : Intermediate-2010

Ex-curr : was captain in both schul and colg cricket teams

Work Ex: Sales Engg in a big construction chemicals co, for 7 months as of now.

I wanna take the GMAT , but is at a fix as to how and where to start my prepz.:lookround: Kindly help me out !

Cheers !

83

Guys,

How do you expect anyone to answer queries such as "3yrs experience in large MNC, mediocre undergraduate college, where should I apply assuming I will score abover 700".

There is no way anyone can tell anything with such generic descriptions.

This thread should be used only for posting specific questions and not such generic queries.

Here are some basic requirements:

1. We cannot comment without knowing your GMAT score. Even if you think you are going to do well - its not over till the fat lady sings.

2. You need to provide specific information related to your work experience. Indian IT Engineer working for a large MNC is not enough.

3. Specific preferences related to rankings, geography, and specialization. This in turn should be tied to your overall goal of an MBA i.e. what career path you want to choose post the degree.

Sameer/Neo - please feel free to add more to the above.

Arun

84

Hi

I have a dilemma I hope you guys can help me solve.

I am a Production and Industrial engineer and an entrepreneur handling a manufacturing Industry for 10+ years now. I am looking for a career change / shift. I gave the GMAT thinking i will get an Executive MBA but scored very badly :oops:
I am looking to get into Business consultancy as a career option now owing to my experience. Should i still go for an executive MBA or do I have other options? My areas of interest are Market Research, Strategy and OD. Could someone help me offline on this please? A little direction on how to go about this would help immensely. Maybe i posted this on the wrong forum 😐 I didnt find an appropriate place to post.

Thanks and regards

85

Dear Consultants,
I am an MBA aspirant who seek to do an MBA and eventually startup of my own as quickly the time permits. I belong to the Indian/IT/Male(IIM) community with a workex of 15 months in a large MNC. I am from a good private college supposedly one of the best in UP Technical university with average acads. I posses decent extra-curriculars and had a taste of managing being in the core team of College Fest Org. Comm. and Gen. Sec. of College Computer Society. I did startup after college but failed, though the key relevant takeaway was a need for mgmt. education.
I am trying for top b-schools in India(scored 97 in CAT) as well as MS(Mgmt) in US and EU. I am also looking for program in E-business and Technology Mgmt, Engg. Management. I want to startup early hence cannot wait for 4-5 yrs taking workex and than move abroad for an MBA.
I strongly want to start a Web based business(I have a couple of ideas) so I would like to join a college with a good incubator. A conducive environment for tech ventures, like California would be even better.
While I gathered much knowledge from this thread, I would still ask for your suggestions on the programs which could cater to my needs.

If I happen to go to US ,whether working in a startup after the course could look after the considerable LOANS or I have to work in a large Web Based business company(Amazon, Google per se)?

What are chances of getting a job in India good enough to take care of the loans?

Is EU(considering language contraints) MS a option regarding my preferences?

Are there any other programs anywhere which would fulfill my choice?

It would be of great help and would really help me decide where I am going to put my energies for the next couple of months.
Thanks for the information already given. Keep up the good work. :cheerio:

86
Hello All,

I just gave my GMAT for the 3rd time and scored a max. of 660 in all three attempts (640, 660, 660).

I am looking to apply to PGPX programs in India commencing in the year 2012.

My profile details are as following:
10th- 78%
12th- 89%
BA Economics (Hons), Hindu College, DU- 50%
PG in International Business, Sheridan College, Canada- GPA- 3.7/5.0
ECAs are decent.

Work Ex- Working for a logisitcs company for the past 5 years and was recently promoted as the Head of Ocean Freight department.

I am already a permanent resident of Canada and should be getting my Canadian citizenship within a couple of months.

So, I request all to give any suggestions about the B-schools I should be realistically targetting. I am really interested in ISB, XLRI and IIM-L (Noida Centre). However, please let me know what are my chances, based on my profile and GMAT score to get into any of these B-schools.

Any and all feedbacks would be highly appreciated.

Thanks.
87
Hello All,

I just gave my GMAT for the 3rd time and scored a max. of 660 in all three attempts (640, 660, 660).
I am looking to apply to PGPX programs in India commencing in the year 2012.

So, I request all to give any suggestions about the B-schools I should be realistically targetting. I am really interested in ISB, XLRI and IIM-L (Noida Centre). However, please let me know what are my chances, based on my profile and GMAT score to get into any of these B-schools.
Any and all feedbacks would be highly appreciated.
Thanks.


Some random thoughts here:

1. Your GMAT score is definitely on the lower side for some higher ranking PGPX programs such as ISB, IIM-A, B etc. For the rest I think its fine. The thumb-rule to follow is if your GMAT score is 20-30 points below the median GMAT score for that school then you are in serious trouble.

2. Your work experience is fine - the career progression is fantastic, and more so that you are in a slightly non-conventional career stream. Assuming that you will be able to articulate your career goals, background etc well in your essays.

3. The biggest plus point is the Canadian citizenship part. This will help you in the diversity factor. Whether they have a separate NRI quota on paper or not - your demographics will help "internationalize" their program. So I reckon this would skew things in your favor.

Net, net I think you have a fighting chance at the very top (IIM-A/B/C PGPX, ISB) and a very good one at the mid-tier (XLRI GMP, IIM L Noida campus)

Arun
88
Hi

I have a dilemma I hope you guys can help me solve.

I am a Production and Industrial engineer and an entrepreneur handling a manufacturing Industry for 10+ years now. I am looking for a career change / shift. I gave the GMAT thinking i will get an Executive MBA but scored very badly :oops:
I am looking to get into Business consultancy as a career option now owing to my experience. Should i still go for an executive MBA or do I have other options? My areas of interest are Market Research, Strategy and OD. Could someone help me offline on this please? A little direction on how to go about this would help immensely. Maybe i posted this on the wrong forum 😐 I didnt find an appropriate place to post.

Thanks and regards


I think you need more of career counseling. As you yourself have admitted these are pretty wide ranging and fundamental questions. I am not sure if this can be answered over a post.

Here is my advice - talk to people who are already doing what you want to do. They would be in the best position to advice what you should be doing. Maybe a part-time MBA, maybe a full-time MBA, maybe no MBA at all!

Happy soul searching!

Arun
89
Dear Consultants,
I am an MBA aspirant who seek to do an MBA and eventually startup of my own as quickly the time permits.



1) Frankly I am of the personal belief that entrepreneurship and MBA are not really complementary career aspirations. Only 2 conditions it might work - if you eventually want to be an entrepreneur OR you already have a business plan to execute. In your case you will have a $100K loan on your head when you are bootstrapping your company - not a great position to start! So think about it.

2) Getting a job is anybody's guess. So never be sure that you will land a top job at a top company after an MBA from *anyplace* - including top schools (see my post earlier on this thread). The point is you will have to make enough money on a day job to pay off your loans.

3) Your profile is not extraordinary and you will have a tough time getting through non-CAT MBA programs. I am sorry to be harsh but just remember to keep a plan B in place - just in case it doesn't work out.

My personal opinion is you should perhaps work with a startup and learn the ropes there. Don't bother about the money - make sure you gain the skills. You are young - the world is your oyster. As any entrepreneur would say (including yours truely ) what ultimately matters is your passion. Don't let an MBA stand in the way. If it happens well and good - else so be it.

Arun
90

Dear consultants ,
A small query regarding doctoral programs in US b-school(top 20).
What is the general maximun and minimum age of candidiates being admitted there?
What is the prerequisite for applying to a US b-school doctoral program?
Can you just give a brief idea about things they look for in an aspiring candidate.
My apologies if posted in a wrong thread.

91
Dear consultants ,
A small query regarding doctoral programs in US b-school(top 20).
What is the general maximun and minimum age of candidiates being admitted there?
What is the prerequisite for applying to a US b-school doctoral program?
Can you just give a brief idea about things they look for in an aspiring candidate.
My apologies if posted in a wrong thread.


Okay, I will try to answer some of your queries:
At time of entry:
30% of students will be between the ages of 21-25
50% of the students will be between the ages of 26-30
20% of the students will be over age 30. Max would be around 32-33 years old.
Prerequisite:
Average MBA GMAT score + 80 points.
In general, you are almost required to have GMAT over 750 to get admission into a good school.
Below 700 GMAT, they will not even look at the rest of your application.
Admission rate is usually below 5%.
admission statistics A-Academy : The Academy of Simple Finance
The above link provides the acceptance statistics for GMAT, GPA, and admission rate. If you click the links, it takes you directly to the university admission web page.
What they look for:
Most important: Degree from IIM-A,B,C
They consider other schools, but chances for admission are much less.
Prior research experience, maybe some conference publications.
GMAT score above 750. All the IIM-A,B,C students have this otherwise they would have not got admission into IIM.
Good Math skills. Specially calculus, statistics.
Good reference letters from professors, not from industry managers like MBA applications.
More information: Search on the following web site:
PhD in Business

Please note: I AM NOT A CONSULTANT.
92

Could you please evaluate my profile?

Xth- 70%
X11th -72%
Engineering - 65%

GMAT- 670
Work-ex By the time I start(fall 2012) 4.5 years in an IT company and Data Center opps of a manufacturing multinational.

Post MBA I want to stick to IT Industry in Corp IT or IT consulting

Which schools should I target?
How can I improve on my profile in the next few months before the apps open?

Thanks in advance.

93

one of the best threads

Sir I would like some guidance. My profile is
GMAT 750
10th: 90%
12th: 70 %
Btech Computer science: 72%
Work-ex: 3.5 yrs as of now.
Age: 27 yrs
i have completed all 3 levels of cfa
For last 30 months I have been working as a finance manager in a bank.
Extracurriculars : Decent

I would like to know which colleges should i aim for. How good are my chances of getting into top 10 US MBA programs? Will it be easier or tougher than geeting an adission into top european MBA programs?

94

Hi, I'd like some advice. I'm contemplating Fall '12 for MBA in the US. By then, I'd have 2 n a half years work ex. (I've been in IT since I've started working so worst case I'd be in it till I take admission). I'm planning to take my GMAT in the 1st week of May.

I know it depends on my GMAT score but I want to target the top 10/15 Universities. I have quite some extra curricular activities with some social work thru' college and work.

Would my profile justify admission or do I need to work longer and more diverse?

Also, how necessary is TOEFL during admission? Does it make sense to have a TOEFL score ready while application or do I take it if the University I get an admit from requires it.

95

GMAT- 670
Work-ex By the time I start(fall 2012) 4.5 years in an IT company and Data Center opps of a manufacturing multinational.

Post MBA I want to stick to IT Industry in Corp IT or IT consulting

Which schools should I target?
How can I improve on my profile in the next few months before the apps open?

Thanks in advance.


Your career plans sound logical considering your current experience. You aren't aiming for a complete change, so in comparative terms (in theory) it is easier to manage provided you can demonstrate that you are ready for a broader and bigger role.

There's not much that you've shared about yourself to really understand your strengths and weakness. So tough to give you ideas on what to improve.

If you are aiming for the top 20, a higher GMAT score would be nice. Otherwise, you could look at a mix of schools between the top 20 and the top 30.

- Sameer
MBA Crystal Ball
96

Btech Computer science: 72%
Work-ex: 3.5 yrs as of now.
:
For last 30 months I have been working as a finance manager in a bank.
Extracurriculars : Decent


Nice to have cleared all 3 levels of CFA. Feather in your cap when it comes to extras in the apps.

You have a computer science degree and you are working as a finance manager in a bank? Yeh adla-badli wali kahani zara vistaar mein sunaiye please.

- Sameer
MBA Crystal Ball
97

Hi!

could you please tell me sum schools for communication management abroad(ones like mica)
and also suggest sum good consultants in chandigarh.
Thankyou

98

Dear Consultants,

I have a few queries about securing the I20 from a US B School. I have received admits from a few B schools in the US. Now I am in the process of securing an I-20. What all are the financial documents that I can show as inverstments and secure an I 20. Can I show my ULIP investments. Please help.

Thank you.

Aniruddha.

99
Okay, I will try to answer some of your queries:
At time of entry:
30% of students will be between the ages of 21-25
50% of the students will be between the ages of 26-30
20% of the students will be over age 30. Max would be around 32-33 years old.
Prerequisite:
Average MBA GMAT score + 80 points.
In general, you are almost required to have GMAT over 750 to get admission into a good school.
Below 700 GMAT, they will not even look at the rest of your application.
Admission rate is usually below 5%.
admission statistics A-Academy : The Academy of Simple Finance
The above link provides the acceptance statistics for GMAT, GPA, and admission rate. If you click the links, it takes you directly to the university admission web page.
What they look for:
Most important: Degree from IIM-A,B,C
They consider other schools, but chances for admission are much less.
Prior research experience, maybe some conference publications.
GMAT score above 750. All the IIM-A,B,C students have this otherwise they would have not got admission into IIM.
Good Math skills. Specially calculus, statistics.
Good reference letters from professors, not from industry managers like MBA applications.
More information: Search on the following web site:
PhD in Business

Please note: I AM NOT A CONSULTANT.

Hey trader Joe, thanks ..
My doubts are pretty much cleared...
It will be really helpful if you or consulatants can shed light on few more things....
What are an aspirant chances if he is not from IIMs..but an institute like
IRMA.(I just got selected)..
What are the things one should keep in mind during the two years of MBA so as to help me in getting into a good PHD program.......
I am thinking public policy and finance as my concentrations for phd ...
What linkages one needs to develop ...
So far my search has resulted in following informations...
1.You need to have high grades
2. maths and economics courses.
3.good recommendation letters from profs..
I am targetting top 20 US b-schools .
100
to
Pyschodementia and neo sir -i'm big fan of yours...trying to follow this thread for some months.

Gave one query about my profile in accepted.com and some other forums but there people seem to be very busy.Few had reply which were not at all convincing.

My profile
10-75%
12-74%
grad-54.25% (b.com from C.U.)
icai cpt/pe-i--61.5% and pcc-64 %

i'm still waiting to clear ca final and have solid more than 2 .5 yr intern experience .
I know that i'm having a very bad acdemic profile ,still i have a persistent dream to do good.
Planning to give gmat in 2012 .Do u think it is early? My aim is to look for top 10 us bschools and ISB.

Please suggest.
for record i'm using various test prep softwares.My scores are above 710 + consistently.
please recommend what should be my course of action and will my profile have any negative weightage?
p.s.-copying it here again from gmat query thread on advice of pyschodementia sir.
p.p.s-Please help me asap.