I appeared in GMAT recently and got an abysmally bad score of 680 Q-49/V-32.
Though I understand that adcom has always emphasized on the overall application and not just the GMAT, yet I genuinely want to understand the importance of GMAT score and the break up of the GMAT. This question becomes even more important since I read in one of the posts that GMAT scores are also considered at the time of placements.
I have had good acads in the past at IIT and +2 etc. I have pursued CFA level I and pursuing FRM. Can my past academic performance offset my current academic performance( low GMAT score).
Also in my 3 yrs of work ex so far , I have 2.5 yrs of ex in IT and 0.5 yrs in Financial Services. I would have areound 1 yr by the time of admission. Will I be considered in IT pool or Financial Services.
Also I want to know the no of offers made in R1 and R2 last year. How much disadvantage is a person at when applying for R2.
Also can a candidate choose the specialization at the time of admission or it is only after the common currciulum that a person can choose ??
Rajat,
680 in GMAT is a decent score. The breakup of your score in each section is taken into consideration. A too high score in one area and too low score in another is a matter of concern to the Admissions team. Your IIT score and 12th standard scores definitely helps. We need strong indicators of your academic potential. The Admissions team takes all measures to see that each selected candidate comes and performs in the programme. For this we have to ensure that you have the academic rigour intact. There are only a few handful companies that look into your GMAT score. We dont have any pool as such. We evaluate each and every application basing on the merits of your application and not on the background that you come from. IT or finance pool matters very little here. Quality of your candidacy is the key to success. The entire application process is split in to two cycles for the convenience of admissions office. If you apply in cycle-1 there are 560 seats available to vie for. Approximately 200-300 will be filled in cycle-1. You are left with 250-300 seats in cycle-2. The benefit is marginal when you apply in cycle-1. However, you also need to understand that a strong application in cycle-2 is much better than an underprepared application in cycle-1. The key point is that you have to give your best attempt irrespective of the cycle you apply. Candidates can pick and choose their areas of concentration after the core terms are over.
Firstly thanks for your prompt response for all our questions. My query is regarding AWA score. How much of significance does the admin team give for AWA scores of GMAT? If an applicant has minimal verbal score - does this get compensated with a decent AWA score? Or is this thought, just a myth?
Thanks, Viswanath
Viswanath,
Please refer to the reply posted for Rajat on Page 69.
I am a B.E. (Mech) from Punjab Engg. College and have 6 yrs of IT experience in Internet Banking Product (Finacle, if you have heard of) Implementation (both retail and corporate) for major Indian and foreign banks. 1. Does that provides a good enough background to choose Finance as one of the electives at ISB along with IT Management. 2. My college percentage is 71.1 (that becomes 2.1 according to the rating given by GMAT but i was ranked 13 in the class as the highest percentage was only around 80% (historical avgs. for mechanical branches have always been low, I guess). Does that become good enough reason to explain the low percentage in the additional/optional essay?
Hello sir One of my evaluators has submitted the evaluation form by mistake before completing it. Please tell me if anything can be done about it? Will my application be rejected now or can my evaluator re-submit another offline or online LOR?
I'm almost set for to apply in first round.. but i'm facing a situation here, My preferred location for interview is mumbai... but my job requires a lot of interantional travel and during the interview dates in mumbai i have to travel to the US .... and I'll be back in India only by Nov 02nd
So mumbai is out of situation I can opt of Hyderabad (Oct29 to Nov12) but can not attend if my date falls on 29/30/31 Oct or 1/2 Nov
my question to you ... Can i opt of Hyd and request adcom not to put my interview on first 5 days OR Next option is that i go for second round of application,
My query concerns the essays-are they expected to be self sufficient? Let me elaborate-is there a chance that the essays will be read stand-alone and not as a part of the whole application?
Can we mention certain job-related details,activities of the organizations that we occupied positions in etc. in the earlier sections and then explore them further in the essays? If we do so,and the essays are read stand-alone,they would appear too 'abrupt' (i.e. missing the background on what the project or organization was etc...)
Thank you very much for the prompt reply to the earlier question. I have two more questions.
Question 1: I have mentioned details of 3 recent achievements in Essay 1 & Essay 2. However, I have not explained other significant achievement apart from just mentioning a one-liner in "Job Achievements" section. So, can I talk about the other achievements in the optional essay or let the application as is.
Question 2: I am a certified Green Belt in Six Sigma. Where do you think I should put this information. Already, my awards section is full and I had to delete some awards. Can I put this in optional essay?
1. My CPI is heavily skewed (~ 6.5 in first 2 yrs and ~8.5 in last 2). I plan to explain this in my optional essay but the explanation will contain some of the points that I think are my strong points too and so these points will also figure in essay 1. Now, can I only hint at these points in essay 1 and write the details in optional essay ? Or should I repeat the information ?
2. Since the number of words in the essays is limited, I am inclined to use acronym IITG in essays to refer to my college rather than the lengthy "Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati". My understanding is: since you already know the college name from other part of the application, using acronym should not be a problem. Am I right in assuming so ?
I am an IT Project Manager working in USA. I have a question regarding the essays. I have read online that talking about personal traumas is a taboo when it comes to MBA Application essays.
One of the most significant incidents in my life was getting myself a new life after being going a divorce. The guy married for money and eventually got rid of me when he figured there is not much money to make. Bringing myself back to normal all by myself and without loosing my integrity and goodness was a big achievement for me.
Should I keep away from this topic from the essays or should I just be honest?
Thanks for taking time and answering questions. It has helped me a lot.
Below is my query :
Two of the areas of my application that looks weak are academics and "Awards". I assume that a good GMAT score compensates average academics to a certain extent. However, I am more concerned about the 'Awards'. There isn't any significant thing that I can point to. I do have a good quality work experience and a fair amount of extra curricular activities. Could you please let me know how much weight-age is given to Awards and what I can do to compensate for this slackness.
I sincerely apologize if this has already been asked.
Hello sir One of my evaluators has submitted the evaluation form by mistake before completing it. Please tell me if anything can be done about it? Will my application be rejected now or can my evaluator re-submit another offline or online LOR?
Mbamania,
Please write to [email protected] explaining your situation. We will resend the evaluation link to your evaluator. Admissions Team
I'm almost set for to apply in first round.. but i'm facing a situation here, My preferred location for interview is mumbai... but my job requires a lot of interantional travel and during the interview dates in mumbai i have to travel to the US .... and I'll be back in India only by Nov 02nd
So mumbai is out of situation I can opt of Hyderabad (Oct29 to Nov12) but can not attend if my date falls on 29/30/31 Oct or 1/2 Nov
my question to you ... Can i opt of Hyd and request adcom not to put my interview on first 5 days OR Next option is that i go for second round of application,
will appriciate your inputs
Durgesh,
Yes, that can be arranged. Once you are short listed, please drop in a mail to [email protected] regarding the same.
Dear Sir, Can you please explain the 'Gap in Education' column that is there with the educational information.
During my engineering I had withdrawn for a semester due to illness, do I need to put this as a gap and explain. I was still a registered student in the college though.
Would ISB consider this any negatively if such a gap is encountered. Will this act as a deterrent in the admission process.
During the period that I had withdrawn I was involved in some other learning activity related to business, can I also put this in that column.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Thank You Nikil
Nikhil,
You must explain this gap in studies. It will not act as a deterrent in the admission process. You can explain what you did during the break in the Optional essay. Admissions Team
Thank you very much for the prompt reply to the earlier question. I have two more questions.
Question 1: I have mentioned details of 3 recent achievements in Essay 1 & Essay 2. However, I have not explained other significant achievement apart from just mentioning a one-liner in "Job Achievements" section. So, can I talk about the other achievements in the optional essay or let the application as is.
Question 2: I am a certified Green Belt in Six Sigma. Where do you think I should put this information. Already, my awards section is full and I had to delete some awards. Can I put this in optional essay?
Thanks
Mission_mba2009,
You may explain both of them in the Optional essay. Admissions Team
I am an IT Project Manager working in USA. I have a question regarding the essays. I have read online that talking about personal traumas is a taboo when it comes to MBA Application essays.
One of the most significant incidents in my life was getting myself a new life after being going a divorce. The guy married for money and eventually got rid of me when he figured there is not much money to make. Bringing myself back to normal all by myself and without loosing my integrity and goodness was a big achievement for me.
Should I keep away from this topic from the essays or should I just be honest?
Thanks
Christina2008,
We are interested in your professional achievements. If you still want to talk about your divorce, then it is entirely your call which essay you do that in. Admissions Team
1. My CPI is heavily skewed (~ 6.5 in first 2 yrs and ~8.5 in last 2). I plan to explain this in my optional essay but the explanation will contain some of the points that I think are my strong points too and so these points will also figure in essay 1. Now, can I only hint at these points in essay 1 and write the details in optional essay ? Or should I repeat the information ?
2. Since the number of words in the essays is limited, I am inclined to use acronym IITG in essays to refer to my college rather than the lengthy "Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati". My understanding is: since you already know the college name from other part of the application, using acronym should not be a problem. Am I right in assuming so ?
Thanks again, Sachin
Sachin,
Explanation in one essay will do and you may use IITG acronym. Admissions Team
Originally Posted by the.underdog View Post Hi. I have a query about the online application. The education details are to be filled separately for class XII first and then for B Tech next. There are two separate links to fill the two pieces of info. In both the links for filling the class XII and the B Tech details, a text box is given to explain gaps in education, if any. But I didnt have any gap in my education in that way .... I mean I finished my class XII in two years (1999 to 2001) and my BTech in 4 yrs(2002-2006). So I finished both in the stipulated time. But as you can see I joined my B Tech course only in 2002 even though I passed class XII in 2001. (Prepared for JEE in that one yr). So my question is does this count as a gap in education? And if YES, should I explain this in the textbox provided in Class XII details or in the one for B Tech details? Kindly resolve my dilemma. Thanks
Dear Applicant,
Yes, this will be viewed as a gap year. Please explain this in the textbox provided in Class XII details and also in the optional essay. Admissions Team
Dear Adcom,
I'm also facing a similar situation as the.underdog. As i understand your reply, you are asking to explain the gap at two places..... but in the optional essay it is specifically mentioned that we dont have to repeat information which has already been stated elsewhere.
wouldnt it be considered a repeat if i mention it again in my optional essay...
I'm aksing this becuase i have to keep my optional essay for another purpose...
After a brief stint with my first employer, I took a break for 2 years to give the civil services exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), New Delhi. I cleared the preliminary exam in the two attempts I took and was selected to write the main exams on both the ocsassions; do I need to provide proof for this? Where can I enter this experience as it accounts for a very significant phase of my career? I am planning to write about this in the optional essay, is there any other place I should mention this ?
Thanks for taking time and answering questions. It has helped me a lot.
Below is my query :
Two of the areas of my application that looks weak are academics and "Awards". I assume that a good GMAT score compensates average academics to a certain extent. However, I am more concerned about the 'Awards'. There isn't any significant thing that I can point to. I do have a good quality work experience and a fair amount of extra curricular activities. Could you please let me know how much weight-age is given to Awards and what I can do to compensate for this slackness.
I sincerely apologize if this has already been asked.
Regards, Cybershastri.
Cybershastri,
It is always the complete application that is taken into consideration while evaluating an application. We cannot disclose the specific weight age that we give to awards/activities. However, it will certainly add to the application.
Originally Posted by the.underdog View Post Hi. I have a query about the online application. The education details are to be filled separately for class XII first and then for B Tech next. There are two separate links to fill the two pieces of info. In both the links for filling the class XII and the B Tech details, a text box is given to explain gaps in education, if any. But I didnt have any gap in my education in that way .... I mean I finished my class XII in two years (1999 to 2001) and my BTech in 4 yrs(2002-2006). So I finished both in the stipulated time. But as you can see I joined my B Tech course only in 2002 even though I passed class XII in 2001. (Prepared for JEE in that one yr). So my question is does this count as a gap in education? And if YES, should I explain this in the textbox provided in Class XII details or in the one for B Tech details? Kindly resolve my dilemma. Thanks
Dear Adcom,
I'm also facing a similar situation as the.underdog. As i understand your reply, you are asking to explain the gap at two places..... but in the optional essay it is specifically mentioned that we dont have to repeat information which has already been stated elsewhere.
wouldnt it be considered a repeat if i mention it again in my optional essay...
I'm aksing this becuase i have to keep my optional essay for another purpose...
Dear Durgesh & Underdog,
We regret the miscommunication. You may explain the gap year in either of the two sections. Admissions Team