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Low GMAT Score of 530! What do I do now?

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Low GMAT Score of 530! What do I do now?

by cooldude81 » Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:08 am
Hello Sirs/Madams,
I took the actual GMAT yesterday and secured a score of 530 (Q: 40,V:25).I took 2.5 months to prepare along with Job(mostly studied on weekends, and 1-2 hrs after office). I was always getting mock scores around 500-600 in Powerprep,GMATprep,Kaplan etc. My Job involves 24 x 7 support to clients,so I have to do Oncall on alternate weekends,some times night shifts,etc.I am interested in doing MBA from ISB, Nanyang, IIM-A 1 year, SP Jain GMBA ,IIM-L 1 year, IIM-C 1 yr etc.Among foreign universities,my choices are: MIT Sloan,Stanford,Columbia,Tepper and LBS.(of course,taking 30-35 lakhs loan, if I secure admit)
My Profile details as below:
I am a B.E (Mechanical) 2003 passout with 6 years Work experience ( 2 years in Mechanical Engg. domain and 4 years in IT domain(Windows System administration - basically IT Support for Windows servers).I switched from Mechanical engg. domain to IT domain in the year 2006. I do not have any "Managerial" experience in this 4 years IT Support work-experience. But,I have supervised a team of 8 people ,while working in shifts in IT domain in the year 2006-2008.

My Work/Acads Profile:
2006 - 2010 - IT Support domain(Windows System administration ) domain as System admin.
2004 -2006 - Mechanical Engg domain as Design Engineer.

B.E Mechanical (2003) - 62%
Diploma in Mech engg (2000)- 80%
S.S.C - 81%

Respected Sirs/Madams, I am really very demotivated and disheartened,seeing my actual GMAT score of 530.And Studying along with the nature of Job I am doing, is a kind of "third degree torture". I really feel like quitting the MBA quest.

All you expert Sirs/Madams, Please advise me what should I do?

Should I go ahead and apply to ISB 2nd cycle, Nanyang 1st cycle, etc with my current GMAT score of 530 this year? Should I run after getting my reco/transcripts/essays done now then?
Or should I compulsively retake the GMAT for the 2nd time?
Can Good essays/OK reco letters coupled with a GMAT score of 530 make a difference for me,when I apply for ISB, Nanyang,etc ?
Please,Please help me come out of my dilemma......
Moderators,please move my query to correct forum,if I have posted in the wrong place.But I really need help :(
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by Tani » Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:41 am
Hello,

Your profile has several weak points in it. First, the GMAT is well below the range for the schools on your list, most of which are looking for 700+ scores. That is complicated by the fact that you will be in an applicant pool in which the GMAT scores are outstanding. If you have identified and corrected specific weaknesses behind your current score, it may be worth retaking the test. However, if you simply plan to do more of the same for the next month it is unlikely that your score will change significantly. You might want to consider taking a course or using a tutor to help you identify what you should be working on and how.

You also say your recommendations are likely to be "okay". You will need "stellar" recommendations to overcome the GMAT score and make you stand out.

It looks as though your "managerial" experience is low. Take a close look at your team supervision experience. If you are merely recording attendance and reporting, that would not be managerial. On the other hand, if you are responsible for assigning and evaluating the work of the team you supervise, that qualifies as managerial, despite the lack of title. Management is getting things done through people. If you can demonstrate that you have mobilized a team effort, you should make that point.

Finally, you talk about "good" essays. To stand out you will need exceptional essays, ones that sparkle and catch the committee's eyes. Again, you made need professional help to put your story in the best possible terms.

Overall, if you are determined to start your MBA next year, you should expand your list of schools. There are many fine schools that offer an excellent education, but that are less selective. Identify your career goals and then research programs to see which meet your needs. Information on what companies interview at and hire from the schools can be helpful in guiding your choice.

Good luck,
Tani Wolff
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by cooldude81 » Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:14 pm
Hello Tani Madam,
Thanks a lot ,Tani Madam, for your quick and detailed reply.I really appreciate it!!!

Regarding my team supervision experience,it was not merely recording attendance and reporting. In my role as a 'shift supervisor' in my last company for 2 years, I was responsible for assigning tasks in that particular 9hr shift and evaluating the work of the team of 8-9 people to whom I assigned the tasks,basically I got things done from them.

As you said, this experience qualifies as 'managerial'. But I have no mention of it on my work-experience letter from previous company.Also,my Job designation/Title in that company was 'Engineer-System Administration',which does not reflect this management experience in the title too.

Madam,as you said regarding expanding the list of bschools,here I have another obstacle. MBA from ISB, Nanyang, IIM-A 1 year, SP Jain GMBA ,IIM-L 1 year, IIM-C 1 yr would cost me about 15-19 lakhs INR (which is quite manageable) with good ROI,global exposure and good placements.I wont have to worry about recession,market factors,etc if I do not find any placements in this case.

But, if I consider foreign universities options,I would like to play safe by going for the top Bschools as mentioned in my above list because of the fact that I would be investing 30-35 lakhs INR(almost same huge amount equivalent to investment in top bschools), opting for huge loan(of course) for these less selective bschools with good quality of education,but they wont necessarily provide good placements and good ROI. Finance for foreign MBA is a big issue for me here :( On an average,all these 'less selective' bschools cost 30 lakhs INR,which is a huge amount to repay in India,if I do not secure a well-paying job soon after my MBA. A BIG worry for me :(

Also,people/peers say that foreign MBA Bschools no longer give full tuition waivers/scholarships for full-time MBA course.With the "weak profile" I have and the "good acads" I have (but not exceptional acads),I feel no foreign Bschool would provide any kind of tuition fee waivers/scholarships to me,though if I manage to crack a GMAT score above 650+ in my GMAT retake.

That's the sole reason that my bschool options are limited here.

Madam,I would once again appreciate your reply in this regard too.Awaiting your reply.
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by Tani » Wed Sep 08, 2010 6:22 pm
The calculation of ROI for b-school is complicated, but you can usually get information from the schools on the average starting salary for their graduates. They may even break it down for international students. An extra 15 lakhs is a minor problem if your starting salary is 10 lakhs per year higher. You may want to research some of the less selective schools in Asia as options.

Although your title doesn't say "manager", schools understand that leadership and managerial experience do not always come with explicit titles. You would have to describe the extent of your responsibilities and the results in your essays. If you are using a supervisor from that company as a reference, you can ask him or her to address those aspects of your performance in the recommendation.

Waivers and scholarships are always hard to come by and you would not be eligible for the US federal subsidies. Schools will ensure that you have enough to live on between loans and aid, but you will have to decide how much debt you can comfortably handle.
Tani Wolff
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by ECLS » Wed Sep 15, 2010 7:31 am
on a different note does it make sense to apply to IIMB or ISB with a 530 score even if you have stellar essays and outstanding letter of recommendations..?

from what i know schools in India are hungry for high scores and give second priority to the other aspects of the application...
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by Tani » Wed Sep 15, 2010 7:43 am
A 530 score makes your application a long shot at any highly-rated school. I have seen the Indian schools turn down 700+ scores. Schools are very ratings conscious and average GMAT scores play a part in that. For a school with fewer than 200 in a class, your score could lower their average by a point. They are unlikely to do that. From their perspective, why should they accept someone with stellar references and brilliant essays and a 530 and turn down someone with stellar references and brilliant essays and a 730. They will have many of the latter to choose from.
Tani Wolff
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