Profile Eval : 740 - 3Y Exp - Europe MBA starting 2016

[rvsubman]

Hello,

Requesting your evaluation of my profile.

Academics:

GMAT 740, Q49, V42, AWA5, IR3 (Took only once)

UG: BTech Mechanical Engineering, 75 percentage (No GPA), India, reputed institute in my state (admits top 3percentile)

PG: MSc Naval Architecture, 62.5% (No GPA), UK, University of Southampton

Work Experience (3 years at present)
Gap year after PG. I went for PG with PhD in mind, but by the time I finished MSc, I realised I wanted to work in industry. So took 15 months to figure out my future, research jobs, apply and find one. Spent time in India/Singapore travelling. Gave up options to do PhD in University of Edinburg, UK and NTU, Singapore. (No formal offers, but invitations from Professors as I was in contact with them.)

Job 1: Trainee Design Engineer in a ship design company in India - 3 months
Job 2: Graduate Trainee - Newbuilding (of ship) supervisor for a shipping company. (Employer is a big regional ship owner operating internationally and listed in Bangkok stock exchange). Location India, duration 1 year
Job 3: Same company, promoted to Supervisor. More independent responsibilities, location India, Duration 1 year
Job 4: Same company, new role as Asst. Site Representative, Locaton China, Duration 5 months
Job 5: Same company, but now working as Supervisor. Location China, Duration currently 11 months

Profile highlights for jobs 2-5:
Inspection, surveys, monitoring of construction of ships at two different shipyards.
Worked with international personnel - Indian/Chinese/European/Thai etc
Interation with individuals at different level on a day to day basis: workers/Sub contractors/shipyard engineers/3rd party surveyors/Ship's crew/Shipyard management/owner office top management(less frequent).
Working in a small site team of one Manager and 10-12 inspectors at same level.

Post MBA short term goal: Operations/Project management/logistics
Long term goal: senior management
Post MBA industry target: Manufactoring/Maritime/Oil & Gas/Construction/Logistics

Misc:
Lanchester scholarship at Uni. Southampton
Conducted Paper presentation contest during UG study in my institute.
As an Indian, I speak four languages.


Target schools

HEC/RSM/Warwick/INSEAD/IMD/ESADE

The chosen schools are either good for operations/strategy or have a large alumni presence in the industries I mentioned. So, with my profile, given that scholarship is a necessity, are they apt choices?

Your suggestions will be highly appreciated. Targeting Jan '16 or Sept '16, depending on scholarship chances and respective starting dates at universities.

[Jon@Admissionado]

Hello there!
Good to hear from you good sir,
So first thing is that you definitely deserve a bit slap on the back for that 740 on your first try. That is most awesome, and will help you a lot.

Overall I like your profile. You come from a good and non-traditional industry, with lots of potential for growth. You have some international experience,a s well as some real leadership. Your work experience is solid, and you seem to be at a good juncture to prepare for an MBA.

Your goals are a biiiit wide open for my taste. I don't see any reason for you not to go with maritime/shipping/shipbuilding as your industry of choice (but for your goals choose ONE position in ONE industry.. no dashes and no slashes and no alternatives).

Other than that, regarding programs of choice - the ones you chose are good. Any reason LBS is not on the list? And what about US schools?

Best,
Jon

[rvsubman]

Dear Jon,

Thank you very much. I will take note of your advice about the post-MBA goals.


Regarding schools, I am having a hard time. Now it is getting late for Jan '16 intake. (Only schools I can apply now are RSM and HEC. As for other schools I can apply only for Fall '16 or Jan '17 admissions. If I am convinced that there is a chance at other schools (higher ranked) I would definitely wait for their next intake.

Frankly speaking, I have the feeling that LBS/INSEAD/HEC/IMD are all a bit ambitious. That is precisely the reason I asked for your evaluation, so that my application will not be totally pointless. If it makes sense to do so, I will definitely apply to LBS.

As for the US, I have no idea what the market is like for maritime industry. Also, my wife has a scholarship at TUDelft. I want to be close to her.
Thanks again.

[Jon@Admissionado]

Well, the only thing I can't help you with is being close to your wife Obviously you have to decide on the limitations of where you are willing to be before I can help you figure things out

But it's an interesting position you are in. On the one hand I always advise (and think this is really the best way to go, usually) to simply go to the best school you can. I wouldn't advise LBS if I didn't think you could get in. And it's a great school.

Since shipping/maritime is your industry, presumably (and I'm not an expert here, so correct me if I'm wrong..) the Netherlands and Germany are probably both quite good destinations, even if they don't necessarily have very high ranked MBAs. But that doesn't mean that they won't have MBAs hooked up to your specific industry, or that they won't help you get jobs in those specific countries (it just means that their overall prestige will be lower).

Something to take into consideration...

and given your GMAT and unique industry. I don't think your profile is too poor for HEC/INSEAD/etc.. okay LBS will be a bit tough for sure, but it's always good to have 1-2 tough schools on your list.


I hope this helps, and if you have any other thoughts/comments/etc. let me know.

Best,
Jon