Profile Evaluation - GMAT 770, WE 3.5

[suveluv]

Dear John,

I need some candid feedback from you!
Here is my profile :-

1. GMAT - 770 (Q 50 , V 44 , IR 8 , AWA 4.0 ) -> worried about AWA being poor.

2. GPA - 8.05/10, from India in B.E. IT , non IIT

3. WE 3.5 years , Family retail Business , 450+ employees , 30 stores
-> merchandiser and IT department head
-> part time investing of personal portfolio in Indian Equities - 55% return in 6 months.

4. CFA L1,L2 passed. L# applied for June 2014

5. Extracurriculars in College
-> Club President
-> Made a one month TV show
-> one month community service

6. extracurriculars after college
-> reading books extensively.
-> french language classes.
-> regular gymmming
-> no other concrete activities.

Well I am aiming for Harvard, Wharton, Chicago and MIT Sloan.

a) Do you feel I have a competitive profile for the target programs?

b) will my low AWA score be a problem?

c) My recommender are my business associates who are not exactly aware of what the application entails and though I have explained them the expectation of recommendation and its importance, I feel they might not still be able to fully explain themselves although they whole heartedly support me. What do you make of that?

d) I might not be writing the best essays around. If my essays are only average and not stellar, how badly that affects my chances?

I know I have asked for quite a handful of info.
Thanks for taking the time out.

Regards

[Jon@Admissionado]

Hey dude,
First of all FANTASTIC GMAT!!! Amazing! (and you are worrying about the AMA!! Hah!!! Don't!)

Before I answer more about your profile I need more info about the family business - what is it, what you do, what achievements you have, and whether you are expected to take it over.


Get back to me with this info, and I'll get right back to you.

Best,
JF

[suveluv]

Hey Jon,

Ours is a fashion retail business with 30 stores, 450 employees, and INR 800 million + turnover.
. I manage 10 stores on a day to day basis, managing 180 people and am the head buyer for all the 10 outlets having annual turnover of INR 260 million. Among my achievements are
1. setting up the company IT department and management of complete IT
2. Introducing inventory management based on reports and creating seasonal buying strategies
3. fully supervised opening of 4 outlets, including location finalising and personnel hiring.

Well I will be taking over the business eventually.

Thanks for such a detailed analysis.
BTW I have already applied in R2 to colleges, but your valuable advice is still most welcome and looked forward to.

[suveluv]

Happy New Year!!!!

I forgot in the earlier post!

[Jon@Admissionado]

Hey there, and happy New Years to you! So, what you have looks pretty good. The business seems big enough to be very relevant, and if you can make a strong argument for what its potential is, and how you hope to develop it in the future, I think even Top schools will be possible. I mean you have a LOT of management, probably more than 95% of any MBA class, and Bschools will LOVE that, but it does have to be presented right!

I think at the same time, you should also be applying to a few Top 20 schools out of the Top 5, in R2 and 3 if you can still make it, to give yourself the best chances.