Some questions other than profile evaluation

[resolehtmai]

mbaMission Team,
I appreciate that you answer so many applicants' queries here and share their concerns. Please also take time to answer my following queries regarding the applications:

Background: Indian IT Male.

1) Is '3 GMAT attempts' considered a negative factor by the admission committee?

2) I am currently at 700-710 level as per GMAT mock tests. Does it make sense to reschedule GMAT to a later October date for round 2 applications only to get a higher GMAT score~730+?
(My target schools are Ross, Tepper, Darden, Cornell, Foster, Olin and others in top 15-25 range)

3) If my current supervisor is a relative, can he still provide a recommendation for me? (I don't have any direct contact with a client/customer)

4) Approximately what %age of seats are filled in round 1 vs round 2?

5) After getting a GMAT score, can I count on you to select the best target school as per my profile in the complimentary free session?

6) I don't have any outstanding academic achievements. So does it mean that I should not count on getting a scholarships? Are there scholarships based on just the GMAT score or interview performance?

[mbaMissionJenK]

Hi there,

Let me see how I can help with your q's.

1) Is '3 GMAT attempts' considered a negative factor by the admission committee?
Not necessarily; it's fairly common. Schools take the highest score into consideration, as you can have a bad day, but generally not a fluke 'high' score on an adaptive exam like the GMAT.

2) I am currently at 700-710 level as per GMAT mock tests. Does it make sense to reschedule GMAT to a later October date for round 2 applications only to get a higher GMAT score~730+?
(My target schools are Ross, Tepper, Darden, Cornell, Foster, Olin and others in top 15-25 range)
I wouldn't think that is needed; it's common to increase slightly from your last practice test score to the actual day, you are (hopefully) more focused and determined etc on the real test. So I would think this is a good time to test.

3) If my current supervisor is a relative, can he still provide a recommendation for me? (I don't have any direct contact with a client/customer)
Tough call; if no other options but you'd want to mention briefly your scenario in the optional essay, and still aim to get another reference elsewhere to supplement.

4) Approximately what %age of seats are filled in round 1 vs round 2?
It varies from school to school and year to year. Some schools post that info, you can research by school. But it's not a set formula. Generally we would not advise waiting until round 3 as the vast majority of seats ARE filled by then though.

5) After getting a GMAT score, can I count on you to select the best target school as per my profile in the complimentary free session?
We can provide feedback on suggested schools based upon your GMAT, your other profile characteristics, AND YOUR PERSONAL INTERESTS/GOALS... many applicants forget about that last part--- if we don't know more about what YOU want in a school-- based on specialty/strength, your goals,geographic region, urban setting or not, class size, student culture, international diversity if relevant, teaching style if relevant, etc.. then it would be like throwing a dart at a board of a range of schools if we try to get too specific! The more input we have from you, the better we can aim to suggest schools that fit best. For more on these factors, see https://info.mbamission.com/Selecting-Yo ... ram-E-Book


6) I don't have any outstanding academic achievements. So does it mean that I should not count on getting a scholarships? Are there scholarships based on just the GMAT score or interview performance?
Scholarships are not very common in the b-school world, to be honest, and when schools offer them they are generally based on overall application and given to the top applicants, usually in round 1. Most MBA students finance their education through low-interest-rate educational loans, paid back over 5-15 years with their post-MBA salary. You can certainly research to find some general not school specific potential scholarships and sources of financial aid, but just wanted to ensure you are aware of how rare scholarships are, especially in the higher ranked programs.

Hope that helps, good luck to you!