Ask mbaMission

Hi there,

thanks for spending time evaluating candidate profiles, it definitely goes a long way in helping us plan.

Before I begin, let me tell you that yes,I agree, my GMAT score is low. But it is what i ended up with after 4 attempts, although few months apart. I was surprised to see the last two attempts not produce a score over 700 as i was consistently scoring 750-760 on the GMATPreps at home. But , here is my profile.

GMAT: 660 [Q 48, V34] ( top score from 4 attempts )
Undergrad GPA (major in Computer Science ): 3.6 ( from a Indian University )
Masters' GPA (major in Computer Science ): 3.5 ( from tier 2 US University)
Work Experience : 6 years in Information Technology ( 4+ years in Financial services IT, good understanding of mortgage business)
Ethnicity : Asian (Indian)
GMAT: Male
Age: 28, 29 when i apply.

Extra Curriculars: Been Volunteering with Big Brothers , Big Sisters for 2 years.
A mentor for a young kid in that program.
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, help build homes for the needy.
Local CERT ( Community Emergency Response Team ) member for year and half.
Active member of my companies' diversity council, helped organize many events in the company.
Active in Various Charities, can get letters of support from those charities to explain my work.

Apart from my E.C activities, I can get some great recommendations from senior management at work. I definitely was vying for a score in the range of 730- 740 to begin with, but after sacrificing almost 2 yrs of my social life .. , i just have 660 to show up for. I cannot explain it myself , even after scoring so well at home.

With my MBA, I wish to enter Investment Banking industry , work in M&A which fascinates me a lot. My interests definitely are in Valuation and Equity Capital Markets, and i believe M&A is a proper path to achieve my goal.

My original goal was to aim for STERN, Cornell, Dartmouth, Ross, Columbia, but all of them seem a stretch now.

My question is with a 660 and with Indian IT label, what are my options with respect to good colleges with a Finance concentration that will help me achieve my goal.

thanks.

Dear Mad Grad -

Thank you for posting a question regarding your profile. I am happy to share some of my thoughts.

First of all - let the GMAT score go! It is what it is, and you are 100% correct that it looks like you have hit a plateau. Your time and efforts are most likely now best employeed elsewhere in this process.

As a 29-year-old Indian IT professional, you need to clearly explain WHY you need an MBA and how you are different from others similar to yourself. Lots of people want to become investment bankers post business school, but you absolutely must make it clear that you have what it takes to make this pretty difficult career switch. I would also encourage you to investigate some other career options. There are a myriad of industries and careers to choose from after business school, and if there is something else you find appealing or attractive please investigate it - anything else might make you stand out more than i-banking!!

I lack a complete understanding of your professional progression over the past six years. However, it seems that your grades are solid. Combined with the Masters from an American University and strong professional recommendations, I hope that you could demonstrate your upward trajectory professionally. Be sure to say how this background has prepared you for an MBA. Since you have worked in Financial Services, I would definitely show the relevance of your experience to your career goals (to the extent possible). How has your work in IT related to the core business of a certain product group or business strategy within your company? How have you interfaced with the Marketing/Sales department or whatever end user group you serve? Etc. It is usually helpful to move away from technical IT focused discussions to business/managerial/leadership stories.

One dimension that looks particulary strong is your volunteer and community service efforts. Congratulations - having a multi-year track record in this arena can be a huge plus! Is there anyway you can assume a larger leadership or project management role for these organizations? E.g., can you be a shift leader for CERT? or manage a build for Habitat? Those experiences can round out your profile and keep you from being mis-labeled as a generic "Indian IT" candidate. These personal commitments also can yield valuable materials for the essays that want to know about your personality characteristics and key defining experiences.

Stern, Cornell, Dartmouth, Ross, and Columbia are all extremely competitive business schools. Cornell and Ross may be slightly less so than the others. However, if you definitely want to gain acceptance to business school this year, adding some less competitve schools may make sense. Have you considered Emory, UNC-KF, or Kelley? Also, depending on your geography, you may have some attractive part-time options available as well.

Best of luck to you,
Jennifer

Jennifer,

I re-took my GMAT yesterday and scored a 690(46Q, 38V). I cannot spare anymore time preparing for the test as my work life is getting hectic. So, it is what it is with the GMAT score.

Can you know suggest with this score and my profile as described before, what schools should I be aiming for.

thanks for your time. It really helps with the advice you give.

mad.grad -

Congratulations on improving your GMAT score 30 points. As for this change in the context of your overall candidacy which we have already dissected, I have to say that the change is minimal. The competitive schools (Columbia, MIT, Tuck) remain extremely competitive. Your higher GMAT score only helps marginally. It may help you the most with solidifying your changes at the schools just below that top bracket (Cornell and Ross).

Good luck as you begin working on the applications.

Best,
Jennifer