Requesting profile evaluation

[p237.iitb]

Hi,
I would request your help in evaluating my profile and identifying the schools that I could target. My profile is as follows:

Undergrad: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
CPI: 7.27/10
GMAT: 720
Extra Currics: Was extensively into dramatics in IIT, held positions in the hostel council, passed out as the General Secretary of my hostel, won various awards and recognitions for my cultural and organisational work over 4 years in IIT.
International Exposure: Did my internship (2.5 months duration) in Sweden. Interacted with teams in Singapore, Japan and Indonesia for business development for international donor agency projects.
Work Ex: Would be more than 4 years for the class of September, 2012. All this while I have been involved into advisory services for various industries in climate change and sustainability services especially carbon credits, corporate sustainability reporting, carbon footprinting, business development towards International Donor Agency projects etc.
Post MBA Goals: I want to get into general management and business strategy. I believe world now needs business leaders who can incorporate sustainability into their core business strategy and make business sense for a sustainable future.
I have shortlisted a few schools and would love to have your comments on the same and any further additions that you may suggest. The schools are - ISB, Kellogg, Booth, Yale, INSEAD, NUS.

Thanks a lot !!

[mbaMissionBrianE]

Hello p237, thanks for your question.

You've provided a good baseline profile, but I'll ask for even more detail below.

I have some questions about your academic stats. Your 7.27 CPI translates to a 2.9 GPA, correct? That is slightly on the low side, but not at all an insurmountable obstacle. And, what is the breakdown of your GMAT? 720 is a good score, but you are in an over-represented demographic. Moreover, if you are male (you did not provide your gender, so I'm not sure), the 720 might not be as strong within your demographic.

Your work experience is an area where you can potentially set yourself apart from other candidates. Climate/sustainability is a unique space, which can differentiate you from the management consultants and investment banker applicants. If you have stories from your 4 years that demonstrate your leadership, initiative, and demonstrated results, that could move the needle with the admissions committees. Also, how do your post-MBA goals connect with your past? The more clearly you can define your goals and the gaps (e.g., skills, experience) you need to fill to get there, the more emphatic a case you can make for why you need an MBA.

In terms of your engagement with the world, your extracurricular activities at IIT are impressive, but I don't have a good sense of what you have done in the community since university. Admissions committees will want to know what you do outside of work. If you do not volunteer, then what are the passions that you commit time to?

Since I am missing some of the details of your profile, I cannot give you as clear an evaluation as you seek. If you have strong work and community service stories, I'd say you should be competitive at the schools on your list and might consider adding more from the Yale tier (e.g., Duke, UVA). If your stories are not as strong, then I'd shade you toward some safer choices (e.g., Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Rotterdam).

Sincerely,
Brian