Profile Evaluation- GMAT 660(V31,Q49) and 9 yrs exp

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Hi - Just would like to what are the chances of getting into a top 20 ranked B Schools with my profile.

Current GMAT score I have is from Aug 2011 which is 660 (V31, Q49) and currently have a work experience of 9 yrs.
4 yrs in India and 5 yrs in US(NY) working in Financial Services/IT. Would be 10 yrs experience by the time i apply and get into school next year.

And I'm planning to give GMAT again in next couple of months to have a score which is more recent and relevant with the new GMAT structure.

Ideally looking for a 1 yr MBA, unless i get something in top 10 not keen to spend 2 yrs.

Any advice is welcome!

Thanks in advance.
Sarat

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by MargaretStrother » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:14 am
Hi Sarat,
With 9 years of experience you're a little senior for many top-20 programs, so you'll want to make sure your GMAT is at or above the median for the schools you're applying to. I find that the farther a candidate is from their undergrad years, the more that GMAT needs to be above the school's average -- and I do mean the average, not the 80% spread. They will also expect you to have a really strong sense of why you want an MBA now, and why this particular school. Research, class visits, and clearly defined post-MBA goals will be valuable here.

Without knowing your leadership or community service history, it would be hard to assess chances, but you'll find that some of the one-year programs, such as Kellogg's or the Columbia J-Term, will have a slightly lower expectation in the GMAT than two-year top MBA programs. If you're looking at European programs, many of which are one-year anyway, you'll be able to assess your own chances easily by looking at their class profiles. Most top MBA programs expect a GMAT above 700 as a starting point, so if you believe that you can retake it and get your numbers to a more competitive level, why not give yourself that extra advantage?

You might also consider a part-time MBA from a top business school. Because you're in that gray area -- slightly senior for the full-time MBA, slightly young for an EMBA -- a part-time, fully-employed MBA from a "brand" school might be a better bet for you.

Good luck!
Margaret Strother
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by sarat.tata » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:35 am
Hi Margaret,Thanks very much for the response.

As a first step, I'm looking at giving GMAT again and get a decent score that can improve my chances.

Coming to my experience - I did perform senior roles at work in the past 3-4 yrs(like leading/ managing a 5 to 20 member teams at different levels) both in India and in US as well, which I believe should help to project my role better but not really much on the community service as such.

I will check the part time MBA programs as per your advice to see if that fits my schedule.I'm looking for more of a role in Finance space post MBA and currently pursuing CFA as well , cleared 2 levels.