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Profile evaluation- Help Needed

by ashutoshtyagi » Sun May 01, 2011 6:47 am
Dear Kaplan MBA Consultant,
Hi, I am from India (male), here are my details:

GMAT: 720 (QA:51 VA:39) /5.5.

Graduation: Mechanical Engineering from one of the top 15 colleges in India(70.2%).I am a state topper in physics in class (12th).

College Extra-curriculars: Have organized technical and "Arts-&-Crafts" festivals for two years in a row. Have tutored my juniors for the preparation of placements and various MBA-entrance examinations.

Work-experience: Worked with IBM for 5 months but then i moved to a financial services firm( total experience 4 years). have international experience in south-east asian countries. I progressed from role of testing to being an application consultant in a period of 4 years. have worked on investment banking projects in the capacity of consultant and even project manager (SCB, OCBC, UOB, JPM, etc). i have a failed start-up also.

Post-education extra-curricualrs: worked (as a volunteer) with NGO's for 3 years (teaching blind people, slum children) and even had a social group of my own working on the solid waste management projects.

Professional examinations: CFA levels 1 and 2 both cleared.

I have an interest working either in an M&A role or in a private equity role. can i target top 10 colleges? can you please suggest me which colleges to aim for looking at my profile. i will be applying to b-schools this year.
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by Tani » Sun May 01, 2011 3:39 pm
You have a strong and varied profile and should certainly be applying to top ten schools. That said, top ten schools turn down 80-90% of their applicants from strong, qualified pools. That means you will have to stand out from the thousands of technically-trained applicants from South Asia. You should also strongly consider one or two safety schools that have strong programs in your targeted functional area.

Look hard at your background and goals to determine why you will bring something to the classroom and the business world that is different from what those applicants with similar profiles will bring. Your essays and recommendations will need to be on target and persuasive.

You have much material with which to build a strong essay set. Be sure to allow yourself several months in which to put together the best possible essays. Also be sure to choose your recommenders wisely and allow plenty of time both for them and for the other details such as transcripts that will be needed for a finished application.

Good luck,
Tani Wolff
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by ashutoshtyagi » Mon May 02, 2011 1:04 am
Thanks a lot Tani for the wonderful response. I have already started working on my essays and as you mentioned I will focus more on my diversity part (background) and my goals, however, one thing I am still doubtful is how a career change (from techie to M&A) will affect my MBA application. Will it be seen in a negative light by the adcom?
Please advise.
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by Tani » Mon May 02, 2011 5:50 am
Admissions officers see tons of applications from people who want to change careers. The issue is not the change, but the quality of your reasoning. If you are interested in M&A just because it looks as though it pays well, you will have trouble explaining the move. If, however, there is something specific about M&A that attracts you, and if you can tie that interest to the skills and experience you have gained so far, then you can make a solid and convincing case. First ask yourself why you want to change. Then ask why you expect that you will enjoy the field and why you expect that you will be able to succeed. If you can answer those questions persuasively you will be fine.
Tani Wolff
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by ashutoshtyagi » Tue May 03, 2011 6:07 am
Thanks again Tani. I will focus more on my career change aspect and will work in the directions suggested by you.
I have one more query: I have not been engaged in any community/extra-curricular activities in the recent past (in fact from last year) because my weekdays (& most of my weekends are spent in the office) and any free time that I get, I devote it to my studies (CFA level 1 & 2 exams), so will the absence of recent community activities have any negative impact on my profile. Please advise.
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by Tani » Tue May 03, 2011 6:22 am
While significant leadership community activities can certainly help your profile, admissions committees recognize that many applicants work exceptionally long hours and simply cannot find the time. If your time does free up after you complete your exams, look for a group to which you can contribute your professional skills. Showing contributions beyond simple chores such as stuffing envelopes can indicate your willingness to give back to the community.
Tani Wolff
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