The Application Process

Hi,
There is this question that has been plaguing me for quite some time now. Can anyone please provide me some insights?
I am targeting top 10 US B-Schools, and I am not sure how good will my 720 GMAT be? I have quite an even split (Q49/V39), however, my IR score is too bad (2). I had taken GMAT before and scored a 640 with IR7.

Profile in brief:

I am not from IT -engineering pool. I have worked as an Associate Consultant ( SME) in Risk & compliance vertical of an IT giant ( read Infosys,TCS,Wipro bracket), before moving on to Credit Risk management/ analytics role with a global rating agency( read S&P, Moodys).
I have a BBA ( passed in First division) and a PGDM, form a decent but niche B-School with a fair enough CGPA(7.4/10).I am a FRM charter holder and is also pursuing my CFA.

I am not a career switcher, and would like to stay back in Finance industry in an equity research role post MBA

The dreaded part:
I am an Indian, and i have heard GMAT thresholds being higher for Indian candidates. How true are these stories? Is my 720 GMAT not enough for M7, or may be others in top 15? What score should i really target, i don't have much time to decide and am pretty confused.

Any help is really appreciated.

djonga wrote:Hi,
There is this question that has been plaguing me for quite some time now. Can anyone please provide me some insights?
I am targeting top 10 US B-Schools, and I am not sure how good will my 720 GMAT be? I have quite an even split (Q49/V39), however, my IR score is too bad (2). I had taken GMAT before and scored a 640 with IR7.

Profile in brief:

I am not from IT -engineering pool. I have worked as an Associate Consultant ( SME) in Risk & compliance vertical of an IT giant ( read Infosys,TCS,Wipro bracket), before moving on to Credit Risk management/ analytics role with a global rating agency( read S&P, Moodys).
I have a BBA ( passed in First division) and a PGDM, form a decent but niche B-School with a fair enough CGPA(7.4/10).I am a FRM charter holder and is also pursuing my CFA.

I am not a career switcher, and would like to stay back in Finance industry in an equity research role post MBA

The dreaded part:
I am an Indian, and i have heard GMAT thresholds being higher for Indian candidates. How true are these stories? Is my 720 GMAT not enough for M7, or may be others in top 15? What score should i really target, i don't have much time to decide and am pretty confused.

Any help is really appreciated.

I don't see great chances at M7 with this profile, but it depends on the other elements of your application, such as the strength of your stories, where you went to undergraduate, your performance at work etc. I recommend applying to some in top 10 and some in top 15.

If you want help putting your applications together, send me an email: [email protected]

Best,
Scott

Personal MBA Coach wrote:

djonga wrote:Hi,
There is this question that has been plaguing me for quite some time now. Can anyone please provide me some insights?
I am targeting top 10 US B-Schools, and I am not sure how good will my 720 GMAT be? I have quite an even split (Q49/V39), however, my IR score is too bad (2). I had taken GMAT before and scored a 640 with IR7.

Profile in brief:

I am not from IT -engineering pool. I have worked as an Associate Consultant ( SME) in Risk & compliance vertical of an IT giant ( read Infosys,TCS,Wipro bracket), before moving on to Credit Risk management/ analytics role with a global rating agency( read S&P, Moodys).
I have a BBA ( passed in First division) and a PGDM, form a decent but niche B-School with a fair enough CGPA(7.4/10).I am a FRM charter holder and is also pursuing my CFA.

I am not a career switcher, and would like to stay back in Finance industry in an equity research role post MBA

The dreaded part:
I am an Indian, and i have heard GMAT thresholds being higher for Indian candidates. How true are these stories? Is my 720 GMAT not enough for M7, or may be others in top 15? What score should i really target, i don't have much time to decide and am pretty confused.

Any help is really appreciated.

I don't see great chances at M7 with this profile, but it depends on the other elements of your application, such as the strength of your stories, where you went to undergraduate, your performance at work etc. I recommend applying to some in top 10 and some in top 15.

If you want help putting your applications together, send me an email: [email protected]

Best,
Scott

Thanks Scott, for such an honest feedback. Do you believe i can strengthen my chances by scoring higher in the GMAT, will something around 750 make a difference?

Yes, that would make a difference and allow you to reach a bit higher.

Hey,
In addition to the above, I think you might also want to have another think about how an MBA would help you move from Associate Consultant role to Credit Risk Management/Analytics as the skills are quite transferable and you might try moving to a larger global organisation and try making a parallel switch - often certifications are easier, cheaper, more focused and equally valuable. If you are serious about degree, why not a Masters in Finance degree?

I think your profile is pretty strong for top 15. Top 7 might be a bit of a stretch, but worth dropping an application to see what happens. Given your quantitative skills you might want to retake though. If you could bump your score by 20-30 points, you can give yourself a real shot at top 7 schools. Good luck to you!

"Michael@VeritasPrep" Thanks a lot . I will certainly see if a bump in score is possible.

Developing your essays with highlights of your leadership and teamwork skills, together with international experiences will help complement your quantitative background. It will help make the case of how an MBA will help you reach the next level of your goals