GMAT 770... Professional Advice sought before moving ahead..

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Hello Sir/Mam. I am Rohan Ahuja from India. I am currently in that state where the next step seems very foggy & I would be grateful if you could offer some insights, so that I can get an idea on how to move ahead. I am kind of on a roll when in comes to aptitude tests (:P) with a 770 GMAT score and 99.99 percentile in most Indian MBA entrance tests. My aim is obviously a top class MBA that will allow me to transition into MC. My profile in brief-

Class X score - 92%
Class XII score - 92%
Graduation (B.Tech in ECE)- 83%
Work-ex - 15 months in IT & 3 yrs as an Administrative Officer in India's largest Insurance Company.
ECs - played club football professionally for 2.5 yrs & helped my team gain promotion to 1st division from 3rd division, involved in lots of social activities in the field of education for the underprivileged. Plus the usual school staff (medals in Annual Sports, Debate certificates, national conference etc)
FRM L2 passed
Age - 31 or 32 depending on when I join

I know this is a very brief glimpse at my profile but from ur vast experience, do u think this kind of profile has a shot at winning FULL scholarship in mid ranked US B-Schools (Cornell, Emory, UNC, McCombs) or Judge/Oxford or Rotman (the very last name on my list, strictly a back-up). Coming from an extremely middle class family, finances are a HUGE concern for me, which is basically why I am keeping the top-ranked Indian MBA programs as back-up (very cost effective, amazing RoI but severely lacks a global footprint). If I had been born into a different economic scenario, I would have gone for a Top US degree in a heartbeat but my family's financial situation has severely dented my options. Also I read in multiple great articles that there are B-Schools in the US (mainly in the 15-30 bracket) that basically buy high GMAT scores to get ahead in rankings. So if I can take my score upto an impressive 780-790 (which is beyond the 80%ile range of even some of the very best), will that help?

This is why I am writing to you to get an idea on where exactly I stand in the scholarship arms race. It would require serious financial commitment (Admission Consultant fee included, which is a must for me) if I decide to go ahead, so I just want to get a brief idea of the MBA scholarship race & if it is within my reach.... Thanks in advance, will greatly appreciate if you could give some honest & indepth insights...

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by mbaMissionJenK » Thu Sep 15, 2016 7:25 pm
Hi there,

Congrats on the great test scores! The GMAT is exceptional, and I don't feel a 780/790 will be worth trying for over a 770, fyi. The GMAT is already going to be a strength or plus to your profile. Of course the GMAT is not everything and the schools will also assess your leadership experiences, community involvement, recommendations, story of your goals and reasons for the degree, etc.
I know your main focus is scholarships at the moment... certainly top scores are important for scholarships so you will be in the running. They do still look at all other aspects of your profile too, though again GMAT is a big one for scholarships. Full scholarships are fairly rare, so keep that in mind. Also another important point for scholarship would be applying Round 1 if possible-- not sure if you are looking for this year or next, as R1 already passed or is coming up soon at various schools.

I definitely understand the challenges re: financing, and I do feel you'd be a candidate for some good scholarships at the schools mentioned. And beyond that or if needed, a large portion of MBA students finance through low-interest rate educational loans, paid back over 5-15 years with their post-MBA salaries, in case that helps.

Good luck and keep us posted! If useful we do offer a free 30 minute consultation option at www.mbamission.com/consult.
Jennifer Kedrowski
MBA Admissions Consultant
www.mbamission.com
[email protected]

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Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
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by rohan_ahuja_12 » Fri Sep 16, 2016 5:45 pm
Thank you so much mam for such a prompt & informative reply. Scholarships are a huge concern for me (as u have rightly noticed) & my friends who are currently pursuing their MBA keep telling me that Rice Jones, Foster, Carlson etc are schools where a big scholarship will be all but certain. But something tells me that I should not settle for those (25-35 category) and an IIM Ahmedabad or ISB degree will be more valued than those. I am awaiting a few more replies from alums & consultants. Once I have the full gist in my hand, I will get back to you. Thank you once again for keeping urself available at the beck & call of hapless aspirants like us :)

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by mbaMissionJenK » Tue Sep 20, 2016 6:43 pm
Sounds good! You likely want to spread out your school choices (in terms of selectivity and how your profile stacks up), and see how things fall! And of course, research the schools in depth to ensure you could see a good fit wherever you apply! Keep us posted on how we can help.
Jennifer Kedrowski
MBA Admissions Consultant
www.mbamission.com
[email protected]

Register for a Free Consult from mbaMission: https://www.mbamission.com/consult.php

Visit the mbaMission Blog: www.mbamission.com/blog

Follow mbaMission on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbaMission

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