PROFILE EVALUATION - Where do I stand a chance

[akhilsuhag]

Hi,

I would like to know my chances at business schools in the USA. It would help me decide if I should try applying thr or find something in India. If I go abroad I would want to go for a Top 10-15 program.

GMAT: 740

Academics: Class X (School): 84%
Class XII (High School): 76%
Engineering (I am a Computer Engineer): 7.62/10

Extra-Curricular: I have decent extra-Curricular involvement these include-

1) Captain College Basketball Team: I wasn't in the team during my first year but went on to captain it. Lead the team to quater-finals at a national level tournament.
2) Lead Vocalist for a Band.
3) Editor College magazine.
4) I co-founded an Evening School for Underprivileged children, it still continues to this day.
5) Member college cricket team.
6) Co-Ordinator college annual Festival.
7) Debates and Quizzes at School level.

Work: In december I will complete 3 years in work.

1) I started as an Indian IT male with Infosys (10months) but I always had a thing for business studies/entrepreneurship. I knew MALE IT tag would hinder my dreams of a great B-School so I decided to pursue my entrepreneurial dreams.
2) Left infosys to start a venture that did not materialize but my interactions with entrepreneurs led me to an Educational start-up, test preparation company (mbaguru) and I started discussing ADAPTIVE LEARNING with them.
MBAGuru asked me to join them and implement ADAPTIVE learning. It has been a very entrepreneurial experience where I handle a lot of things including (2 years with them):

a) Product Development & Implementation (I work with the tech team to develop our online adaptive learning system).
b) Marketing - Basically online and social media marketing is something only I handle, my inputs are also taken in other marketing initiatives.
c) CSR- I started the organization's CSR initiative. Tied up with an NGO to support Girl education. Help in Fundraising, volunteering and marketing thr products.
c) Innovation: Fields like gamification of edu. Currently building a game for CAT (indian test) preparation. Again I head the project.
d) I also pitch in when it comes to sales and a little bit of teaching. Teaching would include some English/Business basics/Communication and soft skills.

I sit with cofounders and discuss strategy and get a holistic view of a business. I think 2 years in a small start up are worth 4 anywhere else. Made excellent connections with other entrepreneurs (one I work closely is starting a crowd funding platform in the US).

GOALS:

Post-MBA (Short term) - Work for a few years in a top consulting firm. Will again help in networking/learning and paying back my loan.

5 year post MBA: A start-up and a venture of my own. The field is undecided but I have a soft spot for online based models.

Very Long Term: Give back whatever I have learnt to the students. Teach at a good B-school and retire.

I think I have described in as much detail as I can. Hopefully I will get a decent response. Please ask any further questions that will help in decoding my chances.

Thanks and Regards,
Akhil

[Bryant@VeritasPrep]

Akhil-

you have an impressive profile and one that should get you some attention at top schools. Even though you are applying from a very deep applicant pool, because you are so involved outside work and the classroom, you could distinguish yourself. Having an entrepreneurial effort under your belt will be interesting to them, and speaking broadly about your learnings there and how it will be of value to classmates will be critical. One question I would raise is about your post MBA vision. If your true goal is to be a professor at a b-school, it's likely a better path to take the MS/PhD route. The MBA is considered a terminal degree and most professors in b-school don't even have an MBA, but rather an MSM or MSFinance etc. along with a PhD in their chosen study area. MBA degree is better for a secular career.

[akhilsuhag]

Brian Thank you so much for your reply.
I thought the Indian IT male is the biggest pool. I have just 1 year in IT otherwise I just have business experience. My role is more about what more can be done. The co-founders get really busy with the day to day operations of the work so I tend to be the one who works on starting new initiatives ot product development. In that respect although I get IT products developed (systems and game etc) my work is very entrepreneurial.

Secondly my goal of teaching is a very long term goal. This will be post 50 (I am 24 right now) or post retirement when I would want to share my experiences with students. This might even be as a start-up mentor or investor and not particularly as a professor. My aim is to give whatever I have gained and that can be in any respect.

What do you think my chances are at top 10 schools and what schools can I realistically target.

Akhil