Please evaluate my profile

[RajanS]

Hello

I am in the process of applying to Harvard, Sloan, Stern and INSEAD for 2011/2012 intake. Can you please evaluate my chances to any of the above colleges based on my profile


Nationality: Indian 29yrs ( will be 30 at time of entry)

Pros:
Occupation: Research Engineer in a Semiconductor company in US (Non IT)
Experience: 6yrs (at time of entry)
GMAT: 720
GPA: 3.89/4 (Graduate in US), 7/10 (Undergraduate in India)

Cons:
Extra curricular & community service

I will get excellent recommendations from my supervisors and managers. I have co-authored several patents and have good growth in my career.

Eagerly awaiting your feedback. Can you also please suggest some "safety" schools?

Thanks
Rajan S

[jkhousto]

Rajan -

Thanks for your questions regarding your profile. Basically, you are from the most over-represented demographic (Indian, male, engineer or IT applicants) applying to business schools, and your statistics are really average for these schools. Of those you mention, Stern would be the easiest for you to apply to successfully. Plus, your relatively older age and longer work experience will tend to work against you at some schools, particularly HBS.

What I am not seeing are any true points of differentiation. The candidates who successfully gain admittance to HBS are stellar across multiple areas of the application, and they have a track record of accomplishments (academic, professional, usually community activities, often athletic accomplishments) than tends to stand out. Your standard career track and lack of extra-curricular activities will really handicap you against these types of applicants.

You need to do some serious research on schools that are less competitive than the ones you list. I would suggest you begin doing some comprehensive research on schools ranked 15-25 and see what you find appealing among those schools.

Good luck -
Jennifer