Ask mbaMission

Hello,

I am applying to b schools for round 2 however i am low in confidence with the GMAT score of 690.

My profile brief is as below:

EDUCATION
- Electrical engineering from National Institute of Technology, India (GPA 2.8).
- Was an active member of the sutudent society of electrical department.
- Have participated on one act plays and have been awarded as best actor in inter-college competitions. Have been an active participant in several plays thereafter.

WORK EXPERIENCE - 4 years
- Am a Senior Technical Associate in Tech Mahindra Limited, responsible for delivering client requirements for for CRM applications. Have been a team lead responsible for getting the best output from the resources. Have efficiently manages resources and restructured the team wherever necessary.
- Have managed client requests and complains with minimum cycle time. Have been an active participant in importan meetings with clients in order to get a good delivery output.
- Have been an onsite co-ordinator and have worked in UK for 6 month to cater to immidiate requirements from the client for important meetings and workshops.
- Have been awarded 7 times in four years by the company Tech Mahindra Limited for my exceptional perform in the field.
- Have been awarded ones by clients British Telecom for extraordinary efforts put in to increase the RFT in CRM application.
- I am oracle certified Siebel Business Application Consultant.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND
- Am from India
- Play guitar and was a part of a college rock band.


GMAT score: 690
Quant: 51
Verbal: 31

GPA: 2.8


I am aiming for colleges like
London Business School,
Northwestern University (Kellogg),
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton),
Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper),
New York University: Stern
Yale School of Management

Some of them could be too far fetched but trying to keepmy hopes for the best possible.

I wish to study general Management, Operations Management or Enterprenuership.

The reason I am little unsure of admission to these colleges is because, my academic background has not been so bright in the undergrad.. and the GMAT score is also not above 700 which would be expected for many good business schools.

Please let me know if there is any scope selection of my profile application in the above mentioned B-schools. it would be

great if you could suggest some of the best possible colleges for the profile.

Thank you.

Hello priyank.rawat, thanks for your question.

I agree with you that you GPA and your GMAT will be obstacles to overcome in applying to top programs. Regarding your GPA, specifically, was there an extraordinary circumstance that caused your low marks? Did your GPA rise as you progressed through undergrad? If so, you might try to explain these factors in the optional essay. Better yet, do you have any other analogue that is a better representation of your academic ability and potential? Programs will want to know that you can handle the material. Your high GMAT serves as an indicator, but you could use another one to mitigate the 2.8.

And, regarding your GMAT, given that you come from an overrepresented demographic in the MBA applicant pool who typically scores high on the exam, your 690 is somewhat of a challenge.

You might mitigate your quants by emphasizing the quality of your leadership experience, both in and out of the office. Can you draw upon "moments" when you truly led: influenced individuals and organizations, drove results, took initiative? Your 7 awards obviously indicate that you are doing noteworthy things at your company. Speak to those achievements that earned you the awards.

In terms of extracurricular activities, what you've done more recently has more weight than what you did in university. Do you have any major things you do outside the office?

I think Tepper, Stern, and Yale are more realistic choices for you than the first three programs you list.

Best of luck,
Brian

Hi,

There's a correction in my profile. I have a UG-GPA of 2.48 on 4 point scale.
Rest is same, 4.5 years experience with 7 organizational awards to my credit.
GMAT score - 690
seeking MBA in Organizational / Information Systems.

For extracurricular - I participated in several one act plays. Won first prize in one and received a best actor award for my performance in One act play.
Also, was a part of back during my undergraduate course.

To highlight my experience where leadership quality was displayed. I have been a team lead for last two years and have lead team of size ranging from 4 to 25. At present I lead a team of 4 to deliver the product.

I'm applying in below universities, but not sure if getting in these would be possible with my profile.
My TOEFL score is 95 so I can apply only for below universities as they do not require TOEFL score of those having UG course conducted in english

University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)
Boston College (Carroll)
University of Wisconsin--Madison
Purdue University--West Lafayette (Krannert)
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Please let me know if applying in above business schools would be sufficient.
In case you feel that I might need to apply in more colleges then which colleges can I target. I am going to take TOEFL on 14th, so might try for other universities which have deadlines in Feb.