Suggestion on retaking gmat, and profile evaluation

[shikher.saluja]

Hi,
I took the gmat test today and scored 700 (q- 48 and v-37), had a penalty in q for leaving out a question, I got a 650 (q - 48 and v-31) in my previous attempt. My target b-schools are ISB (which is in India, the country where i am from), Michigan Ross, Mc Combs, Eli Broad and MIT Sloan.
My profile is as follows:
Work ex - 2yrs+ in an Automotive Tier-1 Multinational ( I belong to electronics background not IT, and work on active safety systems that are radar or vision based for adaptive cruise control systems)
Extra Curriculars - Involved in Fund raising through CSR of Delphi, Can play guitar well and have won accolades throughout my college and work life for event organizing.
Achievements- Winner of few awards at work, Paper in SAE world Congress 2013, few accolades during school and under grad.
Academics - Undergrad cgpa- 8.95/10 ie 3.6/4 from one of the best colleges of India
12th - 93%
10th - 84.6%
Do you think i can make it to my dream colleges ( sloan is beyond my score though). 2 Colleges that i would want to get in are Ross and ISB. Do u think i should take gmat again? or should i increase the number of years in my work ex?
Please give some suggestions !!!
Thanks in advance-
Shikher Saluja

[mili]

Hi Shikher,

Thanks for sharing your profile. I think your academic background is strong, but that you can improve in your leadership experience by waiting another 1-2 years before applying. In the meantime, I suggest focusing on getting a promotion at work, increasing your responsibility level (within role and outside of your role (e.g, recruiting, etc.), taking on a leadership role in a nonprofit/NGO that you are passionate about, and increasing your extracurricular activity/leadership. Once you've rounded out your profile as such, I think programs like Ross (and perhaps even MIT... hard to say), will come within reach.

I hope this helps,
Mili




Mili Mittal
Senior Consultant
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[shikher.saluja]

Hi Mili,
Thanks for replying!!! Sadly, I do not see myself getting promoted in atleast the next 2 years, because the company i work in (which is an MNC based out of Michigan) follows a fixed promotion plan after an employee becomes an Engineer after being a GET (Graduate Engineer Trainee) for 6 months, but i see myself getting an opportunity to lead the execution of a project. Anyways i actively work for a committee at office that decides and organizes events every month for employee engagement (the committee works closely with HR), do you feel that this doesn't bring out leadership in my profile? My target is to get involved in project management in a Tech company after MBA, at the same time i am also interested in supply chain and operations (can join a college that is known for either of these streams). Can you please suggest colleges that suit my profile with the current gmat score. Do you feel i have chances at ISB this year (work ex will be 3 yrs in april 2014, when the curricullum starts)?

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi,

Those experiences are also ones to include in your application, yes. In terms of whether to apply this year or next, it is true that you may be able to strengthen your application with an additional year of quantity and quality of work experience and potentially through any additional projects or leadership experiences. However if you feel that this is the right time to apply you can certainly give it a shot and just be prepared to answer the question of why NOW vs later in your career... why are you ready for the MBA? What will you bring to the program, and what will the degree bring to you and to your future career? Be sure you have clear short and long term post MBA goals as that can make the difference in a competitive admissions environment. There is a chance at ISB based on your personal statement and recommendations and rationale for the MBA if you put together a strong case for it, or the other schools you mentioned; you may want to look at other options too such as Georgia Tech; also Penn State Smeal is known for supply-chain/logistics as are the others on your list. Wishing you the best!

Jennifer Kedrowski
MBA Admissions Consultant
www.mbamission.com
jen@mbamission.com

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[shikher.saluja]

Hi,
If i apply to one of the colleges that i listed and do not convert it, does my chance of converting the same college reduce the next time i apply with more work ex? Also, i wanted to ask whether i should focus on retaking the gmat to increase the score (considering if i want to apply to some colleges this year)? or should i work more towards extra curriculars ex- music lessons to hone guitar skills more? Can you suggest a few colleges in which the outgoing class secures job in product management, especially in tech companies?
-Thanks
Shikher

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi Shikher,

Generally your chance will not go down when you re-apply a future year; most schools encourage re-applicants and if you are able to demonstrate strengths in your application your chances can be better. It also shows the school how much you are interested in their program.

You had mentioned Broad at Michigan State previously... of their graduates, 40% went into supply chain management, which I know you mentioned, for example. At Smeal (Penn State), 45% went into operations/logistics. Ross does have a decent number of hires go into technology as well as operations.

If you google things like "Ross MBA Employment" or "Ross MBA Hiring Profile" you can find charts and stats for each school on where their grads went on to work. Or if on the school's website, look around for Career Services or Employment Data etc, almost all make that info available to you.

Still it is most common for grads to go into consulting and financial services at most programs, so keep that in mind even at MIT and Georgia Tech for example, but good to get a feel for the profiles at various schools. Not many programs specialize in Product Management per se (U. of Wisconsin is one), but for PROJECT management you'll gain skills in that area at virtually all reputable business schools.

Note that your 700 GMAT is right at the average level at Ross for example and many of these programs (can also look for 'Class Profile' on each school's site to check that out, average GMAT and range). So if you are applying to schools where you are at their average or above, you may want to focus your time on other achievements for your application and also on creating very strong application essays that explain your past experiences, what you bring to the MBA, why you need the MBA, and how it fits into your future goals.

Best,

Jennifer Kedrowski
MBA Admissions Consultant
mbaMission