Research MBA Programs

Hello,

I would be really grateful if someone could evaluate my profile and rate my chances of getting into my targeted schools. Here is a snapshot of my profile:

GMAT Score
Overall: 730 (96%)
Q: 49 (77%)
V: 40 (91%)
AWA: 5 (57%)
IR: 7 (82%)

Target Schools
NUS
INSEAD (Singapore campus)
HKUST

Educational Qualifications
Graduate Studies
School: University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
Degree: Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
GPA: 3.77/4
Year of Graduation: 2013

Undergraduate Studies
School: Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Degree: Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering
GPA: 7.818/10
Year of Graduation: 2009

Work Experience
- Have about 4.5 years of cumulative experience as of now (consumer goods; wind and solar energy R&D; strategy/advisory consulting in the energy and power sectors)
- Have led several business development efforts at my current employer (drafting knowledge/white papers, preparing proposals and prospective client pitches, etc.)

Post-MBA Goals
- Join a top-tier management consulting firm (likes of Bain/BCG/McKinsey)
- Maybe start a boutique consulting firm in the long-run

It would be great if someone could also answer these specific questions:

1. Will the fact that I'm already working at a consulting firm prove to be an advantage or a hindering factor? Perhaps one could argue that I don't really need a MBA to pursue my career goals. I have been grappling with this question for quite some time now to be honest.

2. Probably related to the first question, is wanting to switch from strategy to management consulting (which in my opinion is more impactful) a good enough justification for pursuing an MBA?

Thank you very much in advance!

Sagun

Hi Sagun,

Given your short-term career goals, working in consulting per se isn't going to be advantageous or disadvantageous to your chances. A good answer is about providing the rationale for being interested in a particular path. If someone has a leap-of-faith career goal, then it requires a solid rationale for it.

Your GMAT and GPA (considering that it's from a competitive program) scores are fine for top schools. However, the main differentiator (on academic stats criterion alone, top schools receive applications many times over their formal/ informal academic threshold) will be the evidences of steeper career progression, leadership, problem-solving, communication skills, ability to work with diverse set of people, any captivating personal story, and so on. These are the things that pull the applicants in; academic stats serve more as filters. If you can demonstrate these evidences in your application, you'll have a good shot at your target schools.