Request for profile evaluation please...

Launched June 18, 2009
This topic has expert replies
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 3:56 am
Location: Mumbai, India
Hello,

I would kindly request you to review my below profile.

Profile : 25/Male/Indian

Education : Bachelor of Engineering(IT) completed with 3.67 gpa(converted using one of the softwares online) from Mumbai university.

Work experience : Worked with Infosys as a Systems Engineer for 2 years during which I was working for Microsoft Corp. as a client. Interacted with clients and internal Microsoft employees from various parts of the world. Currently working with an NGO - Pratham, which operates in the child education sector, as an Associate since 8 months. It's the largest ngo in India working towards this cause with over 5,000 employees. I work in one of the smaller verticals within the organization which works towards providing vocational skills to underprivileged youth. My job description includes fund raising, communications, donor relations, marketing, etc. Will have a total of 4 yrs or work ex when I join the b-school.(Shifted to an ngo because of an influential book i read and decided to take such a sharp turn. Did not feel i was making an impact being in IT)

GMAT : 1st attempt - 670(Q49, V32, AWA - 5.5)

Extra Curricular activities : Was the annual day coordinator for my undergrad college with over 600 guests attending the event, was a part of the organizing committee within my cluster in Infosys which had more than 300 employees - conducted various informal events under the employee engagement program, volunteered with a few other ngos in India for a few days, helped my uncle in his textile export business - automated a few processes and handled an important consignment in its entirety, was the event head in various events in undergrad college, head of the undergrad college badminton team, member of my class volleyball, fooball and cricket team, won medals in swimming, judo, skating during my school days. I like playing a lot of sports, as is apparent.

Post-MBA goal : (Short term)Work for a social organization with a global footprint in the program implementation and donor communication profile. Get to know perspectives and challenges faced globally. Connect my current ngo with the global organization and work towards expanding its scope of operation. (Long term) Start an organization of my own which will help provide vocational skills to the underprivileged youth in India, as that's what motivated me to join the current ngo.

Target schools - Top 20 b-schools in USA. Not sure if my profile is well suited for the same. Also, would love to look at schools inclined towards CSR or social entrepreneurship.

Please suggest the schools that are well suited for my profile and my goals.
Any other advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Source: — Ask mbaMission |

User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:49 pm
Thanked: 20 times
Followed by:20 members

by milimbamission » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:31 pm
Hello there -

Thanks for the detailed information. Firstly, it's really great that you made the switch from IT to business/communications -- as far as business schools go, this gives you the ability to position yourself as a business person instead of the overrepresented Indian Male Engineer. So, I would definitely focus more on your leadership experience at the NGO if possible than your time at Infosys and deemphasize your technical background.

Your academics are decent, though a 670 is on the lower side for top tier programs. It's still possible to overcome it.

As far as community and extracurricular activities go, I think you've got a decent profile here. You held some leadership positions in undergrad, though it seems you've been less active since then...

Given your interests and your profile, I'd suggest you look into Duke, Yale, Michigan, Cornell perhaps Tuck (very competitive). Berkeley, Stanford and Kellogg are all great programs in this field, but I think these would be reach schools for you. Still, worth researching and deciding for yourself!

Hope this helps,
Mili
Mili Mittal

https://www.mbamission.com

Read the mbaMission Insider's Guides (16 individual school titles)

Download [url=https:// https://info.mbamission.com/MBA-Personal ... ent-Guide/]mbaMission's Free Personal Statement Guide[/url]

Visit the mbaMission Blog

Follow mbaMission on Twitter

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 3:56 am
Location: Mumbai, India

by back2school670 » Sat Aug 25, 2012 2:44 am
Hi Mili,

Thanks a lot for the evaluation. It was indeed very helpful.

I understand that it'll be difficult for me to have a USP for the top 10 schools(Kellogg/Stanford/Haas), but is there any front that i can highlight to leverage my profile for the above schools or other schools you mentioned - Yale/Duke/Tuck/etc.?
I'm also working on a mentorship program that i wish to start by myself, but haven't really finalized on the particulars. Is it adequate if I mention the plan for now or the implementation is more important?
Also, would a better GMAT score really help in getting that much needed push? Thanks.

User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:49 pm
Thanked: 20 times
Followed by:20 members

by milimbamission » Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:25 pm
Hello,

A better GMAT would definitely help you be more competitive at these programs. As for your mentorship program, actions and results are going to be valued much more than ideas (not much of a story/essay if you're just writing about an idea, right?!) As for something to highlight to be more competitive -- it's really about finding the balance of your different strengths and highlighting those. You want to show your leadership capacity, your passion, your strength of character, your well-roundedness. It's difficult for me to say what you should focus on without getting to know your story in much more depth.

Good luck,
Mili
Mili Mittal

https://www.mbamission.com

Read the mbaMission Insider's Guides (16 individual school titles)

Download [url=https:// https://info.mbamission.com/MBA-Personal ... ent-Guide/]mbaMission's Free Personal Statement Guide[/url]

Visit the mbaMission Blog

Follow mbaMission on Twitter