Please Evaluate my profile

[siddharth.singh3992]

Hi,

Request you to analyse my profile. I am applying to top B-schools in the first round, please suggest what kind of schools might be a good fit.

Gmat - 730

Undergrad - Academics with 2.9 GPA. Bachelors Of Engineering in Electronics and Communications from PES Institute of Technology (an autonomous Institute, under Visveswaraya Technological University, Bangalore, India)

Work Experience - By the time of joining,I would have 3 years of experience in a tier 2 consulting firm.
Type of work is technology consulting centered at business i.e. IT Consulting and Performance Engineering.

Awarded promotion in the first year at work, with top rating.

Also did Internship at Oracle India for 2 months in Network Architecture.

Extra Curriculars

Co Founded an NGO that works for Indian Army Martyr's Families: India Watch.
Organised a major fund raiser by conducting a city wide marathon for the cause.

Had been active in the college community, during school and work. Organized multiple events.

Would Wharton,UCLA, Ross, Darden, Chicago, Kelloggs, Duke, Sloan, INSEAD and McCombs consider my profile?
What are the chances?

Do you think a higher GMAT score can help? If yes, then how much should I target? if I re-take the GMAT.

Thanks.

Siddharth

[mbaMissionKate]

Hi Siddarth,
Happy to evaluate your profile
Would help if I could get a bit more info from you....

• -What was your quant / verbal breakdown on the GMAT?
  -Is 2.9 your GPA converted to a US scale? If so, please let me know the raw GPA as reported by your school.
  -What are your post-MBA career goals?
  -Are you involved currently with the NGO you founded?

Thanks!
Kate

[siddharth.singh3992]

Hi Kate

Thank you for replying.

Please find the additional info below.

1. GMAT scores breakdown : Q48 and V42
2. Yes, I scaled down the GPA from 10 to 4. So my raw GPA as per the school is 7.25 out of 10, under relative grading scheme.
3. Post MBA, I am looking for a career switch to Market Strategy and Branding.
4. I am involved with the NGO, but not actively. I had started the NGO while I was in college. I used to handle campaigning and fund raising events for the same. Currently I manage administrative work which does not require my active participation.
5. Also adding one more point(if that makes a difference), I was house prefect in school for 2 years, In 11th and 12th grade.

Thank and regards
Siddharth

[mbaMissionKate]

Hi Siddarth,
Thanks for the additional info! So let's see...I think the big strengths in your profile are GMAT (great overall score plus good balance in your quant & verbal) and your work experience, in your particular your fast-track promotion. Hopefully coming from a consulting firm you have some good team experience and client-facing experience too. Any international exposure, either to international clients, or business trips/projects abroad? If so, make sure you highlight them somewhere. On the flip side, I think the weaker areas in your profile are GPA....engineering is a difficult major but I usually consider 8/10 to be a strong GPA, so not super concerning but not stellar is how I see it. Lack of current extracurriculars -- b-schools really care most about current activities, followed next by activities from college, and they really don't "count" things before that. Can you restart / increase your involvement with the NGO? That would be great.

On the career goal front, make sure you are demonstrating clear reasons why you want to switch to marketing, and highlight any exposure you've had to marketing or branding practices. This will help to ease their mind that you are set up well to make that transition.

I don't think you need to retake the GMAT, 730 is a great score. Now there will be other applicants from your demographic with higher scores, so you could retake and aim for a 750 or so which would put you above the average for the top bschools, your score right now is right about at the average for schools like Wharton and Chicago.

As far as school choice, I can't give you any exact chance numbers but I think the toughest ones will be Wharton, Chicago, Sloan, and Kellogg. These are all extremely competitive schools. So yes, they will consider your profile but I think your chances at those will be low. So do apply to a range of schools including some of the ones you mentioned, perhaps even adding one more outside the top 20 (Kelley, Georgetown, Foster, etc.).

Good luck!