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with the following profile I applied to MIT Sloan(dinged), Tuck(waitlisted then dinged), Kellogg MMM(dinged after interview), Johnson (dinged without interview), Tepper (dinged without interview). My question is: what could have gone wrong with my profile at the outset? Which schools do u suggest given my LT ST goals and esp my age? Should I take GMAT instead of GRE? How much should I aim for?

Indian, 34, 2 masters after Bachelors in Engineering (one in engineering, one in Industrial Design from IIT), WE 9yrs, currently Senior Innovation Manager in a Telecom company in India, GRE 326 (168Q 158V 4.5AWA)
long term goal: my own innovation/ strategy consulting company
short term: joining a strategy consulting firm with global footprint
intl exp- 6 months, out of which 4 months at Samsung Design HQ, Seoul

extra curricular:
-part of an award winning NGO into human powered technology
-have an art and design focused company
-was an international baseball player as a child
-won innovation and design competitions (national and international)
-won essays writing and quiz competitions at national level

Thanks so much madam/ sir.

Hey Jon

Thanks for you time.

My basic case is that: after 5.5 years as lead industrial designers with companies like Samsung Electronics and GE, I assumed my current role as Lead in a Business Innovation Team in the Marketing function of a Telecom company. Here I had a hands on taste of business and stretched myself beyond my comfort zone - sketching, model making and 3D Modelling, to 'design; business models and come up with innovative ways to connect with customers and enhance brand presence, to name a few.

So I have a distinct demarcation at 5.5yrs of WE when I made a conscious (and bold) switch from a successful career as a designer to a role in Business Innovation- completely untested waters for me back then.

Moving forward, I want to assume a leadership role in Innovation and Strategy and want to work for companies like Monitor group (Deloitte), Innosight, etc. Innovation as a consulting is at a nascent stage in India. Corporates in the US are more sensitized towards building Innovation Strategies for their businesses and towards leveraging the balanced skill-sets of designers with a keen sense of business. Companies like P&G, Intel and Samsung in the US have Innovation Cells that push the envelop more than their counterparts in India.

This is most interesting to me. Hence a US MBA.

Thanks

Abhishek

Thanks so much Jon

I will surely keep your points in mind. I have finalised the following schools.

HEADSTART SCHOOLS (was waitlisted last year, will show progress, strengthen essays, had feedback from Tuck, they said age no problem, essays might need to be more polished + could take GMAT also while 326 GRE is not an issue)
-Tuck School of Business
-Cornell AMBA
-Kellogg MMM

MAKES SENSE SCHOOLS
-INSEAD
-HEC Paris
-IMD
-HEC Montreal (Canada for easier Visa requirements)
-Schulich (Canada for easier Visa requirements)

DREAM SCHOOLS (Innovation Focused programs)
-MIT Sloan (Reapplicant)
-NYU Stern
-UC Berkeley
-Wharton

Would you have any suggestions- Addition/ modification? Any other prog with focus on Innovation (consulting/ corporate)

Thanks so much Jon

Synchro