serengeti256 08-11-2004, 07:10 PM Thanks for all the help you give people here. i would like you to take a look at my profile
I scored a 730 v42( 97 %) and q 48 (86%) on GMAT . I think I can do much better,would it be foolish to give GMAT again to get a bump of 20 points?
I am a 27 year old Indian working as a project manager for a non profit environmental research lab at one of the Big Ten universities. I have a masters in Electrical Engineerng from Michigan State Univ with a 3.3 GPA. My undergrad was from a relatively unknown school in India but_ I believe my GPA is somewhere in the range of 3.2-3.3.
By Fall 2005 I will have 2.5 years of full time work ex, the reason its only 2.5 is that I spent more than 3 years in Grad School. Although I am an Indian engineer my work profile is quite different than the "IT" crowd. I manage 5-6 people ,several projects and interact with other research labs all around the world._ All of this sounds quite academic but my work does involve managing the facility, procurement, infrastructure and directing research . I also have some budgetary control.
I have good EC, I started a charity targetted toward educating underprivileged kids in India and am involved with Big Brothers for over a year now. I didnt have a great EC record during grad school other than the student organizations but I was fairly active during my undergrad with_ a Americorps equivalent in India.
I have several prestigious research publications through grad school and have a worked with a consulting firm to turn my research model into a commercial_ product.
I am targetting UNC,Kelley,Broad(MSU) ,Krannert,Georgetown, UT Austin, Olin.Do you think I can be a viable candidate for a higher ranked school like Darden and Tuck?
I can get excellent recommendations from my supervisor and someone else who has been working with me for more than 4 years.
How would you rate my chances at the schools I mentioned above.
Thanks
Serengeti
Clear Admit 08-26-2004, 04:14 PM Hi, Serengeti,
Thanks for reading our discussion board. I have responded to your questions below.
Your GMAT score looks very strong, especially the verbal component. You are already above the average scores for admitted students at most top business schools (700-710); because of this it is probably not worth the effort for you to retake the GMAT.
As a male Indian computer engineer, you will have to work hard to make yourself stand out in the crowd. Your Master’s degree from a respected U.S. program is one element that could set you apart. Your GPA is a little lower than ideal, but not low enough to set off any “red flags.?
Your 2.5 years of work experience are a bit below the average amount at most schools. Your goal, therefore, should be to write essays to show that you have had a wide range of experiences that puts you on par with your classmates who have been in the workforce longer. Your managerial experience could be a big plus on your application, especially as you will have to prove that the socially inept “techie?stereotype does not apply to you. Remember to emphasize both leadership and teamwork experiences at work, if possible.
The combination of founding a charity and working with Big Brothers should serve to show that you are a caring, involved individual, and could help you show that you'll participate actively in campus activities. Remember, it's better to show that you've done a few consistent activities over time, than to list many activities that you have only done once or for a short period of time.
While it is hard to give a definite opinion without having a more detailed discussion about your background and your career goals, you would appear to be a strong candidate for your target schools. I would not put Darden and Tuck out of reach, although they are obviously more of a stretch.
Ideally, you would be able to get recommendations from current and former direct supervisors with whom you have had sustained professional relationships.
I hope that my feedback has been helpful. I wish you luck, and please feel free to contact me if you have more questions about your candidacy.
Regards,
Sarah Scheckter
Clear Admit
serengeti256 08-26-2004, 07:01 PM Thanks for getting back with me Sarah.
About my work ex, I have been hearing from people that there is a trend towrads going back to people with less experience, is that true?
Also, isnt my relatively light work ex offset by graduate sschool?
And lastly, although I am an electrical engineer, my work ex is in environmental research and project management with significant responsibilities and budgetary control. Is that enough of a distinguishing factor?
I am interested in a career in environmental consulting or a general management positin realted to coroprate sustainability
How would my chances be at Cornell and CMU?
Thanks
You have been very helpful!
Clear Admit 08-31-2004, 05:24 PM Thanks for your response.
In terms of schools accepting applicants with little work experience, it is true that some schools (particularly HBS and Stanford) have shown a recent trend of encouraging applications from younger applicants. The average amount of work experience for matriculating MBA students at most schools still falls in the range of 3-5 years.
In my opinion, your time in grad school could be most effective in offsetting your work experience if you had a significant work-like position. For example, did you serve as a teaching assistant?
I am assuming that you are using "corporate sustainability" to refer to environmentally friendly corporate behavior. If that is the case, I would say that your career goals and experience should help you stand out from the applicant pool, as there are few electrical engineers with significant experience/interest in this field.
I think that, overall, you have a solid profile on paper. If you can put together a strong application package, making sure that your career goals and reasons for seeking an MBA are concrete, you should have a strong chance at being accepted at a school like CMU or Cornell. Keep in mind that these schools will be particularly interested in knowing why you have chosen them, and that you will attend if accepted.
If you have other questions, feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Sarah Scheckter
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