Profile Evaluation Please

[[email protected]]

Please help me evaluate my personal brand and chance to attend a top tier MBA program.

Application Round: Fall 2012 Round 1


Applicant Background:

PERSONAL:
- Age 23 (25 at Matriculation)
- African American - First Generation American
- GMAT Not Taken- Estimation 650+ (Strengths in Quant)
- Self supported from college on


EDUCATION
- BS Economics (GPA 3.3)- San Diego State (Low GPA due to working one to two jobs)
- MA Economics (GPA 3.62)- San Diego State (Finished in 1 year while working full time)
---Heavily involved in Economics Department: Honor Society Member, Scholarship recipient (3 years), and Graduate Assistant - Mentoring & Tutoring Programs
---SDSU Athletic Event Management Coordinator-Served in planning and execution of all SDSU events for 2 years


WORK EXPERIENCE:
-Senior Systems Analyst-Union Bank
---Have worked at Union Bank for 3 years (will be 4 years at matriculation) and have been promoted 3 times. Work with Operations & Technology team to lead product upgrades, bank infrastructure updates, and help discover new operational efficiencies. (responsibility has more then tripled since inception- Key strength for application)
---Have received awards twice in the last year based on service recognition and for bringing innovation to the operations team
---Recently been asked by senior management (CIO & Executives in Operations) to investigate new areas of savings

Work Summary- Experience is diverse and responsibility has increased with tenure


COMMUNITY & ACHIEVEMENTS:
-American Cancer Society- San Diego Regional Council Board Member
-Previous Exchange Student (Japan)
-Eagle Scout (Dont know if this will be addressed in the application)
-Former City of Burbank Council representative for youth


I am aiming for colleges like
-Top Tier Schools:
---Harvard
---NYU
---Dartmouth
---Duke

-Middle Tier Schools
---USC
---Vanderbilt
---Carnegie Mellon
---Georgetown



I am worried about my GMAT score and how my GPA will be evaluated, since it is not from a top tier institution. What are my chances of acceptance from a top tier MBA program?


Thanks!

[Bryant@VeritasPrep]

You have several attractive profile components including a progressively responsible career and involvement. you are correct that SD STate will not win you any bonus points, but the fact you have a grad degree and strenghts in quant will help a lot. Being African American is actually a big advantage since statistically there are far fewer African American applicants to b-school. One key to success will be casting a compelling short and long term vision to the adcoms which convinces them you are a mature leadership oriented team player. A 650 on the GMAT would be good--nothing to view as a weakness, but if you can get a 680 even better. Take a good prep class and again, do not underestimate the value in casting a strong vision and framing your experience in well written anectdotes which speak to your strengths and what value you will add to your classmates.

[[email protected]]

Bryant,

Thank you for adding some new direction to my application strategy. The insight you provided gives me a fresh perspective to present to the adcoms. Though I am still in the development stages of my "brand" and/or vision, I know that the direction you have set today will have a substantial impact in my application strategy.

I believe my most compelling application component is my short and long term vision, coupled with a diverse background of leadership/involvement. However, this does not mean that I will dedicate any less time to other areas, especially my GMAT performance.

Finally, I would just like to note that this website has been an indispensable asset in my mission to improve my application. My access to expert advice has remained limited due to time and money. So with that said, I would relish any opportunity you might be willing to provide for me to run application ideas by you.


Thanks again for the profile evaluation.


Best Regards,

Jeff

[Bryant@VeritasPrep]

Jeff--keep your questions coming. Glad to help in any way we can. Lots of heavy lifting ahead in this process for you, but it will be worth it in the end. Good luck.

[pallabgrahi]

Dear All,
Let me introduce my self in the group ( B-School habit )
Brief about my profile
Academics-
MBA- Symbiosis International University-70%
Grad- C.U- 62.5% ( withing the top 10%)
+2- Commerce-69.3%
+10- 82.5%
W.Ex- Total 7 years
Pre MBA -3 years in a govt. organization as clerk in procurement divn.
Post MBA total exp 4Years- Joined an Indian IT Major as Senior Exec- HR, Got my first promotion within 14 months and were handling Regional HR Manager Role in Eastern Zone, having 3 reportees.
Subsequently moved into a bigger role in Western Zone with a divisional responsibility.
Got 2 promotions in a span of 3 years, was nominated for best intern
Currently working in a bigger organization in a higher role of HR Partner for 7 months
Extra Curricular-
Have international representation in swimming
Have won prizes in Quiz, Business Paper Presentation in very prestigious B-School events
Used to write poems-One of my poems has been read at a FM Station
Is not very active on NGO activities but as a part of organization helped one NGO to set up a stall for them at workplace, helped them with contributions
Avid reader of varied subjects
Knowledge of German Language- 1st Level
Reason for doing 2nd MBA- Global exposure, better career opportunity
GMAT- Not yet taken- Planned to only target top b-schools with (hopefully 700+ score )- planning for 2013-14 intake, then my experience will be around 8-9 years
Now my questions are
1. Which are some of the best colleges for HR Management course, with significant placement record since I want to build my career in HR Management/ HR Consulting- Now I am open across geography, target budget INR 25 L (USD 50K) ( am I getting too optimistic here ??)
2. Is there any source of data which I can refer to in terms of placement record of Indian students passing out form reputed B-school
3.Can I consider Asian top b-schools a better bet in terms of landing a job (since language barrier may be limited)though my first preference is European B-School ( provided I will at least be treated equally as a job hunter and will be able to work in European countries for atleast few years.

May be I wrote too much
Thanks for the time and your valuable suggestion
[/spoiler]

[Bryant@VeritasPrep]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there are not many b-schools out there that will accept someone who already has an MBA. If you have not had the kind of career access you are seeing with your first MBA, it is likely the admissions committees will assume you will not achieve it with their MBA. An MBA is considered a "terminal" degree, meaning you never should have to return to school again after you get it. There may be some schools who do not hold this bias, but I do not know of any offhand. Make sure you inquire with the admissions office of your targeted programs to make sure they will not hold having another MBA against you.