To app or not

Launched January 9, 2010
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To app or not

by narenkr » Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:51 am
Dear Experts and friends...
I'm quite confused and do not know whether I should go ahead and app or should give a retake of the GMAT. Please can you take some time and evaluate my profile and let me know your expert recommendations.. The details are as below:

GMAT score: 640 (Q48 V30) AWA 5.5
Work ex: 5 years till date with working experience of various geographies (IT Consulting)
Current position: Module Lead

Nationality: Indian (male)
Educational Background:
B.E(Hons) Mechanical Engineering and MSc (Hons) Economics from a very reputed college in India (BITS Pilani) with a CGPA of 6.89/10

Would I have any chance of getting into the below bschools?
1) Tepper school of Business, PA, USA
2) NUS Business school, Singapore
3) Nanyang Business school, Singapore
4) IESE Business School Barcelona, Spain
5) HKUST Business School Hong Kong, Hong Kong

In addition to the above, will I stand any chance of getting into a good bschool with my current GMAT score and the profile listed above?

So, is it advisable to give a retake of the GMAT? My plan is to basically apply for the fall of 2011 and I will have 6years of work ex till then..

Thanks in advance..

Regards,
Narendra.
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by Scottie@VeritasPrep » Wed Sep 15, 2010 8:24 am
Your GMAT score is below average for your target schools. However, it is not out of the range of applicants who've been accepted in the past. If you apply now, then the rest of your application should be stellar to make up for a lower than average GMAT score. That means exceptionally well-written essays, strong LORS, etc. Additionally, you should be able to show a clear progression in your career and also articulate your future career goals.

If you have only taken the GMAT once and can pinpoint your areas of weakness then it would be worth working on those areas and retaking the exam. A score closer to or above the average will strengthen your application and increase your chances of getting into your target schools.
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by narenkr » Thu Sep 16, 2010 12:27 am
Many thanks for your invaluable inputs Scottie. Might research on few other schools and then consider other options as well.

Looks like giving the GMAT another attempt is the viable decision now :(

Regards,
Narendra.

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by narenkr » Thu Sep 16, 2010 2:39 am
Hi Scottie,
A quick question, what are your thoughts on the Cranfield University, UK. Thanks in advance...

Regards,
Narendra.

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by aicuevas » Mon Dec 13, 2010 2:48 am
Hey, don't fret. I have a gmat score of 620 and got admitted to IESE's Sept 2011 intake. All the best!

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by narenkr » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:23 am
Hi Aicuevas,
Thank You, would you mind sharing your profile? Coz that would play a bigger role considering the scores below 650..

Regards,
Narendra.

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by aicuevas » Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:06 pm
narenkr wrote:Hi Aicuevas,
Thank You, would you mind sharing your profile? Coz that would play a bigger role considering the scores below 650..

Regards,
Narendra.
Hi Narenkr,

I don't think my profile didn't stand out that much. I suppose I made my points clearly in my essays and in the wonderful interview I had with the AdCom director (I didn't even have to undergo the IESE Assessment Day).

Age by the start of the MBA Program: 26
GMAT: 620 Q - 40 (58%), V - 34 (68%)
Nationality: Philippines (Filipino)
Work Background: Financial Regulator
Work Experience: 4 years by the start of the Program
Education: local top University, GPA of 3.41

That generally covers it. Also, try to get a copy of "The MBA Reality Check" by Forster and Thomas. This book helped me a lot in what to write about in my essays.

Do you have further questions? Just ask. :)

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by narenkr » Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:11 am
Hey,
Many thanks for responding and sharing your profile!!!

Belonging from a pool of applicants where the GMAT scores are around the 700 mark, I some how believe that I need to boost my score higher :(

Was also worried about the 2 yr programme and the cost involved, so still checking out on the loans and scholarships that they offer.

But I did send my profile for an initial assessment and they have responded that it may possibly meet their application criteria :)

I'm also expecting a call from them regarding the same. Will keep you posted.

Regards,
Narendra.