Thank you for your inquiry and for your kind words. You have very strong grades and solid work experience, and your college activities show diversity, leadership and initiative. Those are all strengths you should be proud of. However, you are part of a competitive demographic and did not list any GMAT score, leadership activities at work or significant current activities that will differentiate you.
In terms of the schools you list, the European/international schools tend to want applicants with more work experience - an average of five years for example. You might be competitive at the U.S. schools you mention but I think it will be a stretch to make yourself stand out unless there are leadership dimensions in your profile that you did not mention.
You may want to look at some of the top 20 U.S. schools that are still excellent but may be more reasonable, at least from the profile you've presented here.
Best of luck,
Originally Posted by cherrie85 View Post Hi Jennifer,
I really appreciate the way you are handling students Queries. It is amazing and trust me I feel it is better than any NGOs work.. coz It is a great pain/confusion that we student suffer while going through the entire application process...
I am just coming from a consultant ( working in a reputed mba consulting centre)to whom I paid for the services for helping me out to select the right college as per my score. I realized that there sole motive is to make maximum money out of the student and mostly they would suggest those colleges name from where they can get maximum commisions... For example I knw someone who had similar score and profile as mine got selected in some xyz coll and i asked my consultant what are my chances over there.. he simply said its not advisable to apply in that college as you have got low score(660) and started giving me the list of colleges that are not even in the 2nd tier...some colleges never heard of.. huh..
So I am really disappointed right now.. and would like your help in sorting out some colleges for me/ U can PM me if u want..
Here is the brief description of my profile..
10th- 77% 12th-69.6% B.E in Electronics and comm-72%
Work ex-- 3 years as a Software Engineer in Infosys Technologies Limited
GMAT(660, Quant-50, verbal-29, AWA-4.5)
Can get a very good LOR from my PM.
I am not planning to write my GMAT again.
Please suggest the best college(US/UK/canada/australia/Europe) as per my marks wherein I can apply?
I am more interested in Jan2010 intake...(2yrs/accelerated 1 yr mba)
If I would apply for Sep 2010 then i would only look for accelerated 1 yr Mba..
Funding is not a problem for me...
Regards, Cherrie. Sincerely, Jessica Shklar Senior Consultant MBA Mission
Hello, Firstly, thanks for ur endeavor to reply to doubts like ours. They go a log way in our decision making process. Here's my profile: 10th: 90% 12th: 93% BE: 9.14/10 (Electronics and communication) Work experience: 22 months in the field of embedded software development. (started August 2007 ) Extra curricular activities: Public speaking. Extempore winner at district level, College editorial board work,Founder of a thriving student activity club at college, organized college level events, ,Theatre (after college...done many public shows in city plus for NGOs) Target: MBA admission in 2010.Looking at a switch to business consultancy post management education. Target schools are : ISB,NUS, NTU and European schools (school research in progress) Doubt: Is my profile good enuf to attempt at european/other international schools? Anything that i can add to my profile that can help me win brownie points? Will it be too far a stretch to apply for Chicago GSB, Wharton?
So sorry for the incomplete info.... My current GMAT score is: 680/6. Planning to retake GMAT in august with a target of 750. Work experience: Software product development for Toshiba (India). Part of a 3 member team completely responsible for a product module development. project completed. Now working on another project which has constant off shore interactions, software support, development. No on site opportunities yet. No extra-curricular leadership at work though :( Another (Final) Doubt: Taking GMAT again is a good decision rt? since 680 is below average scores of some schools i checked.
Thank you for your inquiry and for your kind words. You have very strong grades and solid work experience, and your college activities show diversity, leadership and initiative. Those are all strengths you should be proud of. However, you are part of a competitive demographic and did not list any GMAT score, leadership activities at work or significant current activities that will differentiate you.
In terms of the schools you list, the European/international schools tend to want applicants with more work experience - an average of five years for example. You might be competitive at the U.S. schools you mention but I think it will be a stretch to make yourself stand out unless there are leadership dimensions in your profile that you did not mention.
You may want to look at some of the top 20 U.S. schools that are still excellent but may be more reasonable, at least from the profile you've presented here.
Best of luck,
Originally Posted by cherrie85 View Post Hi Jennifer,
I really appreciate the way you are handling students Queries. It is amazing and trust me I feel it is better than any NGOs work.. coz It is a great pain/confusion that we student suffer while going through the entire application process...
I am just coming from a consultant ( working in a reputed mba consulting centre)to whom I paid for the services for helping me out to select the right college as per my score. I realized that there sole motive is to make maximum money out of the student and mostly they would suggest those colleges name from where they can get maximum commisions... For example I knw someone who had similar score and profile as mine got selected in some xyz coll and i asked my consultant what are my chances over there.. he simply said its not advisable to apply in that college as you have got low score(660) and started giving me the list of colleges that are not even in the 2nd tier...some colleges never heard of.. huh..
So I am really disappointed right now.. and would like your help in sorting out some colleges for me/ U can PM me if u want..
Here is the brief description of my profile..
10th- 77% 12th-69.6% B.E in Electronics and comm-72%
Work ex-- 3 years as a Software Engineer in Infosys Technologies Limited
GMAT(660, Quant-50, verbal-29, AWA-4.5)
Can get a very good LOR from my PM.
I am not planning to write my GMAT again.
Please suggest the best college(US/UK/canada/australia/Europe) as per my marks wherein I can apply?
I am more interested in Jan2010 intake...(2yrs/accelerated 1 yr mba)
If I would apply for Sep 2010 then i would only look for accelerated 1 yr Mba..
Funding is not a problem for me...
Regards, Cherrie. Sincerely, Jessica Shklar Senior Consultant MBA Mission
Thank you for the follow up. A GMAT score of 680 does not change my assessment; you already demonstrate solid academics and a 680, assuming a fairly even Q/V breakdown, reinforces that. It is slightly below average for some top schools but well within an acceptable range. A 750 is obviously stronger and would enhance your profile, but the big gap is not your intelligence, which you have demonstrated.
The additional work information is helpful; it shows you have leadership and possibly some international experience. Emphasize those in your essays.
However, the lack of extracurriculars combined with solid but not exceptional work experience reinforces my original recommendation - try for one or two top schools as a stretch, but target some of the top 20 schools that are still excellent as well.
Best of luck,
Jessica
So sorry for the incomplete info.... My current GMAT score is: 680/6. Planning to retake GMAT in august with a target of 750. Work experience: Software product development for Toshiba (India). Part of a 3 member team completely responsible for a product module development. project completed. Now working on another project which has constant off shore interactions, software support, development. No on site opportunities yet. No extra-curricular leadership at work though :( Another (Final) Doubt: Taking GMAT again is a good decision rt? since 680 is below average scores of some schools i checked.
Thank you for your inquiry. You seem to have a lot to offer in terms of your candidacy. You have strong undergraduate grades, with a positive trajectory. You also have a lot of extracurricular activities and some leadership from college. Since you graduated from college a couple of years ago, those experiences are still relevant for discussion in your applications. Assuming that you have done well at work and have professional accomplishments you can discuss in your applications, you should be in a good position to apply to European or U.S. business schools.
One missing piece of information about your candidacy is your GMAT score. Since you did not include it in your post, I assume that you have not yet taken the test. I am also wondering about what you have doing outside of work since college. In order to be competitive at schools like Chicago Booth and Wharton, you will need to be able to write about your accomplishments and leadership experiences at work and outside of work. In order to be able to tell you whether you would be competitive at the schools you have listed, Id need to know more about your professional and more recent extracurricular experiences as well as your GMAT score.
Thanks a ton for this initiative. For an applicant llike me its important to get a realistic assessment of my chances in some of the b schools I would like to apply to.
I am looking for 2011 admit to the following schools: INSEAD, LBS (MBA or M Fin...still to decide on which one), some top 10 US B Schools like Chicago GSB, Stern, Columbia, Wharton (which I perceive to be an extremely long shot with my profile). There might be some revisions to the list subject to some further research.
My Profile: Work Ex: Total work-ex till now: 4 years Currently: Manager: Risk Management analytics across secured and unsecured lending retail banking products at HSBC. Leading a team of 6 analysts. Involved in initiatives at an organisational level to make it a better place to work. Previous: Risk Management for the Credit Cards portfolio in India of Citibank, Mergers & Acquisitions (Deloitte Consulting) Education: MS in Quantitative Economics (Indian Statistical Institute), B. Sc. in Economics (Presidency College). Ranked among the top 10 in University at the graduation level i.e. among the top 3% of examinees. Both of these are top schools in India in Economics. XIIth: 81%, Xth: 83% Extra-Curriculars: Have been involved since the last 3 to 4 years in the expansion of a children's organisation by involving more volunteers, taking part in important discussions on scope of activities and raising funds through various channels.
Objective: I would be interested in going for a higher degree specifically for the following reasons: a) International Exposure: To gain exposure in a developed market for a span of 8 to 9 years in my area of interest. Long term goal is to settle in India. b) Network: Build a global network which I would be able to leverage throughout my career. c) Career Interest in MC / Financial Services: I am interested in a career in either i) Management Consulting in the finance (or banking) domain OR ii) Financial Services. I appreciate that financial services as a domain is rather broad but hopefully in another 3-4 years by the time I graduate I would be having more clarity on exactly what I would like to concentrate on.
I am planning to take my GMAT in the later half of this year. Would be aiming for a 720+.
Would help a lot if you please provide your candid feedback on my chances of making it to the B Schools mentioned above or is it unrealistic. Though my chances to a great extent would be contingent on a high GMAT score and strong essays still it would be immensely helpful to have your feedback.
Are there any other schools that you think I can apply to given the stated objectives above?
And again thanks a ton for helping prospective applicants like us. Apologies for the rather long post.
Thank you for your post. Without knowing the specific details of your professional performance, it seems as though you have performed well and that have been promoted (managing a team of 6) and are working to improve the processes and/or morale of the employees at your company. You also have sustained and apparently substantive community service all of these experiences strengthen your candidacy for the schools you are interested in.
You were correct when you wrote that your chances of gaining admission to the schools you mention are going to be based, in part, on your GMAT scores and your essays. From the incomplete information that I have, it does seem that you would be competitive at some of the schools you listed. As you mentioned, some of the extremely competitive business schools, like Wharton, may be a reach for you. It is difficult for me to provide a more concrete assessment of your chances because there are important pieces of your candidacy that are missing.
I will provide you some advice as you prepare your applications - as someone with a background in finance, it will be very important for you to distinguish yourself from other applicants with similar professional experiences through your essays. Your stories of leadership and achievement should showcase what makes you uniquely able to contribute to a business school class.
It will also be important for you to articulate a clear vision of your career goals. I dont know what the economy will look like when you apply next year, but assuming that the global economy and the U.S. economy are still struggling, it will be very important to demonstrate that you have a well thought out, specific and credible career goal. If you want to continue to work in financial services, you should include a fairly specific goal and explain why you need/want an MBA in order to help you achieve that goal.
Hello, Thanks for this thread ! As far as I could go through this thread most ppl aiming for Gmat are having work experience and have excellent Academic Background.
well...mine is a different case I suppose !
My profile 10th - 89 12th - 78 BTech (Electronics and Comm.) - 59(ya not even 1st class very low!!) 2008 pass out !
Yet to give my GMAT - possible score - 550-600 !
No proffessional work experience but we have a small scale firm and I manage some of its operations .
I wanna do MBA in US or Canada . I can spend around 10lacs for fee.
PLS can u suggest me some normal colleges that I can apply for >>>..
It seems as though you are just at the beginning of exploring your options for the MBA in North America. Considering that you are recently out of college, and as you have written, your grades were low and you do not have much work experience, it will be very important for you to do well on the GMAT. It is very difficult to suggest MBA programs for you without having detail on your GMAT score, your professional and extracurricular experience or your career interests.
There are many, many programs across North America and I suggest you begin by reading compilations of rankings and descriptions of MBA programs. You should look at the profiles of the candidates accepted, the description of the curricula and resources the schools offer that match your career interests. That is where I would suggest you start. All the best, Sincerely, Akiba Smith-Francis MBA Mission
Hi, My profile is: work ex- 5 yr in semiconductor, currently team lead working with teams across Europe/Japan/US/India GMAT: 770 CGPA: 9.8 12th: 95% 10th: 95% female Extra curriculars: learning french for over 1.5yrs, organizing activites in office, several in college days as well. I'm wondering if I should apply to schools like Insead/LBS. Could you please advise me? Thanks a ton, A.
Great thread with a lot of usefull advice .. Thanks for all the effort that you have put in this thread !!
My query here is regarding the B'Schools where I should/can apply. I am looking for B'School programs which:
1. are of 12 to 18 months of duration. 2. have good placement records particularly in consulting. 3. are supportive of the needs and aspirations of career changers with a track record of having helped students in this regard. 4. don't cost me more than $ 60000.
My profile is:
GMAT: 730/4.5
Good Acads
5 years of experience in Software Industry. Have received awards and recognition.
Not much in terms of EC Activities.
Please suggest a list of colleges where I will have realistic chances given my profile.
What are the opportunities after doing an Msc in International Business? Which are the good universities in UK for this course? What about the careers after completing this course?
I need some urgent advice. My brief profile - M/30/MBA from top 10 school in India/7 yrs work ex currently at a leadership position in KPO of fortune 15 company/GMAT 690. Want to move into marketing/strategy role in Consumer Goods/FS post MBA. Applied to 3 universities. Dinged after Interview at INSEAD, Waitlisted at IMD and Admitted at HEC with 13 K scholarship. Should i accept HEC considering my future goals or should i apply to other colleges? Would you have information on HEC placements since very lil information is available at its website? Any help would be appreciated since I have to pay the deposit at HEC in one week.
Let me begin with a big "Thank You" for the valuable info on this forum. I am pretty new to this forum and my question is not directed to any b-school in particular although I do aspire to get into the very best. My profile in a nutshell:
Workexp - Pretty strong (7.5 + yrs with brands like GE,HSBC,Oracle and ING). Build & led teams, set up new business, turned around a branch, recieved awards/recognitions, A-grade performer, consistently promoted. Primarily work in the area of Financial Risk Management (ALM/FTP/Basel II/Credit Risk/Market Risk etc). Below listed are some significant achievements in my career 1. Turned around a lagging branch in GE Money India for sub-prime loan business. Build/lead a team from scratch, devised BD/marketing strategy/initiatives, ensured high credit underwriting standards (which was my core job as I was a Credit resource). All the hard work payed off and I got promoted to a Branch Manager and rewarded with GE Money India Star of the Month Award for outstanding performance/dispaly of GE values and single-handedly turning around a branch without a branch manager. Performance of the branch improved from 30-40% of targets to 125 % average.All the above was achieved in addition to my core responsibility of underwriting 2.Was a part of the initial 3 member team that set up the sub-prime lending business of HSBC in eastern India. Core job was credit risk management. Was actively in team-building,hiring,mentoring and training of team members (me being a senior member). Also set up the credit-operations function and stabilized 2 branches.Continued effort led to large scale scale up of business in quick time. Was promoted in a year for the effrots that I put and became part of the elite group Champions of Champion for outstanding performance/leadership display 3. Was functional lead in a development project for an Oracle product due to be released this year-end worldwide. Constantly worked with Oracle Project Management and several other stakeholders in India to provide functional expertise.Here I was working in a domain which was absolutely new to me but I managed to learn quickly and master it soon, eventually to lead the initiative.
Acads - Average(not good actually) - 3 yr B.Com (Hons ) degree with 53% marks from Calcutta university. Currently doing CFA (ICFAI),will finish by next year. It leads to a PG degree Community - Some involvement but can build up on it by the next year GMAT - Not taken as yet but confident will get close to 700 Post MBA goal is to take up a leadership role in the Banking/Financial Services industry in my area of interest i.e. Financial Risk Management/ and start a consulting venture once I have sufficeint experience/knowledge
My question is simple...Is the profile good enough for any top B-school admit? What are the plusses and negatives..I am planning for applications next year onwards, so thought it would be worthwhile researching in advance
Thank you for your inquiry. You certainly seem to have a very strong profile and should be a good candidate for both of the schools that you are considering your grades, GMAT score, and the fact that you are a woman working in a particularly male field, will allow you to stand out. It also seems as though you have a positive trajectory at work. It will be important for you to showcase your leadership and accomplishment at work (and outside of work) in your essays. Assuming that you speak French well, you should emphasize that in your application, particularly in the application for INSEAD.
Are you considering these schools because you plan to work in Europe after you graduate? If that is the case, make that clear in your applications when asked about your career plans. One thing that concerns me is that you seem to be a little light on the extra-curricular activities. You should focus on your activities since college because you seem to have graduated five years ago. Try to focus on the ways in which you have had a meaningful impact on people and/or organizations. From your post, this seems to include only work, but I encourage you to think broadly about your non-work activities.
Thank you for your inquiry. You certainly seem to have a very strong profile and should be a good candidate for both of the schools that you are considering your grades, GMAT score, and the fact that you are a woman working in a particularly male field, will allow you to stand out. It also seems as though you have a positive trajectory at work. It will be important for you to showcase your leadership and accomplishment at work (and outside of work) in your essays. Assuming that you speak French well, you should emphasize that in your application, particularly in the application for INSEAD.
Are you considering these schools because you plan to work in Europe after you graduate? If that is the case, make that clear in your applications when asked about your career plans. One thing that concerns me is that you seem to be a little light on the extra-curricular activities. You should focus on your activities since college because you seem to have graduated five years ago. Try to focus on the ways in which you have had a meaningful impact on people and/or organizations. From your post, this seems to include only work, but I encourage you to think broadly about your non-work activities.
Thank you very much for your comments! That is very encouraging :) Regarding extra curricular activities after college: - I'm associated with 2 charities, one is internal to the company while the other is an NGO. I've actively organized events/ aided fund collection for both causes. - Organized and participated in company level cultural events - Hoping to put in the initiative of learning french over 1.5 years
I will highlight my accomplishments (especially leadership) at work. I also have people responsibilities so perhaps I can highlight the people management aspect as well. Yes, I do plan to work in Europe post MBA. Thank you again! A.
I think that perhaps you are thinking looking at the degree prematurely. I would encourage you to consider the career path that interest you first and then consider whether the Msc is the right degree to help you achieve your goals. It is very hard to research different programs without a good understanding of what you goals are. Think about your career interests first and then consider the degree program and schools that are right for you.
Thank you for your message and for being so detailed in terms of your interests. However, the list doesnt exactly narrow down the schools that you might considering applying to.
Most MBA programs are from 12-18 months in duration and I would argue that all of them help career changers achieve their goals. A significant number of business school students have plans to change careers, which is why I would imagine that every business school is equipped to help their students in this way. The same goes for students interested in consulting. Many business school students are interested in working as consultants after school, and as such, many consulting firms recruit from the top ranked business schools. That written, your ability to get a job in consulting will depend as much on you (if not more) as it does on a firms recruiting relationship with your school.
We are not familiar with all of the fees associated with every business program around the world and the dollar amount of any scholarship that you might be offered depends on the resources of the school as well as your personal financial situation, so it is not possible for us to provide a list of the schools that will cost you $60,000 or less.
If you have no familiarity with U.S. or European business schools, I recommend taking a look at the school profiles developed by publications like U.S. News & World Report or Businessweek. Some of the things that you will want to consider are ranking, location (for example, U.S. or Europe or small town/big city), size of the class and size and location of alumni network, and any professional specializations the school might offer. Best of luck on your initial search of schools!