Ask Stacy Blackman

Stacy,

I have been following your MBA consult for the last year or so. They have been of great help in terms of giving me an idea about the process as a whole.

Profile:

1. Undegraduate: Mechanical Engineering. C.G.P.A : 7.22 /10 National Institute of Technology
2. GMAT: 690 (A49; V35)
3. Work Experience (2008-11) : 2 yrs in Direct Sales of Industrial Lubricants in Fortune 279/500 company - Marketing Exe.
1 yr in an NGO supporting Rural Education across the State - Project Manager

Positives: Felicitated by Executive Director of the firm for an unique market initiative.
One of the Reco's will be from the GM of the firm as he had directly mentored me.
Surpassed targets on three occasions across all the territories & verticals of the business unit.
NGO work: More agiving back to rural community which would India's Future.

I moved out of my job as i felt a need to shift to education sector and help the community. This i believe does exhibit risk-taking ability, a trait of any manger.

4. Leadership Roles: Secretary, Literary & Debating Club at College. Led a diverse team of 45 or in introducing events, recruiting people, managing finances and shaping the future ideology of the club.

Class Representative, interfacing with Department, Professors and Students to formulate calendar plans, schedules and handling issues related to course-work.

Programme Committee head for Cultural events and couple of other events. They do show that i always take responsibility.

Volunteer for CRY during college days in their education projects. Was involved in Right to Education bill project. The bill has been recently passed by the Indian Government.

5. International Papers: Direct Marketing in Rural India - Selected for International Conference in IIM Calcutta for this December which had also given me a Judges' Critic Prize for my article 'My 2 cents on marketing' which had emphasized on relationship Marketing and my experience about the same.


6. Path ahead: Looking for a career in Direct Marketing in Rural Markets especially in countries like India & China, in the education sector. I realize that my understanding of the diverse and complicated Rural markets are its nascent stages, thus an MBA in Marketing would offer the right set of peers and professor who lay foundations for understanding the 'bottom of the pyramid'.

7. One more important thing: I passionately worked as a Manager of a Rock Band in my college. We recorded an album, grossed revenues, sold CD's and performed shows. I would indeed go record and say this would be on top, if i were to look back and answer 'What was the one thing that changed my life?'. But, i am unsure whether this would taken in the right spirit. Are there chances that i would come over as frivolous. But, it was indeed a significant part of my college life. We signed a deal with Kingfisher for 0.15 Million for our record label and they helped us tour the country with our music.

I am not in a position to take my GMAT again due to two reasons, one i am a field worker and have been consistently on rural travel and will continue to do so as part of my work and two, it would increase to 720 max.

I am looking at Columbia and Austin. Can you suggest where this profile lies in terms of Safe and Dream schools?


Thanks.

Venkatesh Krishnamoorthy

Thanks a lot for the precise info.

I am not an Indian IT applicant, i infer that unless i am aiming for a +50 increase in GMAT score not to give it a shot again. Time would be better spent in ramming in solid essays and Recos. Is this correct?

If i were to give the GMAT one last shot in December 1-4th and aim for 740 +, would it justify? I would have to be more systematic in balancing essays and the preps.This would make the reach's much safer and a more probable shot at one dream. That would imply that i mail them my test center scores and give them the official score little later.

Choice would be:

1. Kellog/Wharton (Depending on hypothetical good retake)
2. Columbia (GMAT heavy)
3. Chicago Booth (GMAT heavy)
4. McCombs (still finding more about the school)
5. NUS

6. ISB. (with current score)


My take being 2 & 3 are programmes i want to be in.

I would like to know your take on this. Though the details are given in your site, is the consultation fee for international applicants higher?

Thanks.

Venkatesh Krishnamoorthy