Profile eval: GMAT 680, 3.5yrs Exp Investment Banking

[Road2Ivy]

Hi,

I want to study at INSEAD or LBS. It will be very helpful if you could give me some advice regarding the following questions:

1. Should I take the GMAT again based on my profile?
2. Any other facets of my profile that I should work on?
3. Will taking the GMAT again reduce my chances of getting into my target schools?
4. What is valued more by these schools: International exposure with limited skillset or little international exposure with a diverse skillset?

GMAT Score: 680 (QA: 50 (89%); VA: 31 (60%); IR: 3 (23%))

Experience: 3.5 yrs
1. 2.5 yrs as an Investment banking analyst in a bulge bracket investment bank. Over the course of this period I have worked directly with the NY team as part of a team extension model. I have also had the chance to work in NY for a month. In addition to that, I am the top ranked analyst in the IBD division. I have also been given the offer the join the NY office.

2. 1.0 yr as a Design Engineering in a leading US based Semiconductor designing firm . My work entailed designing semiconductor chips for clients. No major achievements here because I was there for only a year and the recession had just started so all their major projects had bee scrapped.

Education:

1. MBA - Top 10 bschool from India (Ranked among Top 10% of the batch)
2. B.E Electronics & Communication Engineering: Top 10 engineering school (Rank 4)
3. CFA Level 3 candidate
4. FRM (All levels cleared)


Extra curriculars
1. Founder and Head of the Entrepreneurship cell at my bschool
Awarded a certificate of leadership for the same by the National Entrepreneurship Network
2. Event organizer of a few technical and cultural events at my engineering college

Purpose / Motivation
1. Why second MBA?
I want to start my own PE / Asset mang. fund in the APAC region.
Thus, I want to go to a top notch school such as INSEAD that will help me in the following ways:
Globalize my network: It will help me raise capital and business from different parts of the world
Get some work experience in the PE / Asset mang space + learn the nuances of business in different parts of the world
Global brand name

[Jon@Admissionado]

Hey there dude,


You have a very nice profile there.... Let me start with your questions though:

1. Should I take the GMAT again based on my profile?
Good question. I think you CAN get in based on the strength of your profile with your current GMAT. But it will be harder. Whether or not you should retake will depend on: how much of a rush you are in; how much higher you can get, and with how much effort; what benefit you will get from going earlier.

2. Any other facets of my profile that I should work on?
Volunteer work, and leadership experience, where possible.

3. Will taking the GMAT again reduce my chances of getting into my target schools?
No.

4. What is valued more by these schools: International exposure with limited skillset or little international exposure with a diverse skillset?
I'm tempted to say "International exposure with a diverse skillset". If you are asking if you should go to NY, the answer (from a US MBA perspective, not from your life perspective) is yes.




Other than that things look pretty good. For your second MBA, you will need to explain the ADCom VERY precisely why it makes sense for you, but it shouldn't be too much of a hindrance. I've helped quite a few clients with a first MBA get into their second, and as long as it all makes sense, the schools are willing to play along.