Profile analysis and best probable schools

[SushilC30]

Hello,

I gave the 1st shot to GMAT last week and got a score of 760 (Q51/V40) and IR 8. I am a Dual degree (BTech + Mtech) in mechanical engineering from IIT kharagpur with a GPA 6.99/10. I am 30 years old and have a total work-experience of 67 months; 21 months in a Power Sector and rest in an Automotive manufacturing MNC. I was selected for the Fast Track program in my current job of manufacturing and have had a 6 month international experience.
Which schools should be the best for my career and what field should i highlight as my future goal (Consultancy, Operations, Finance??). I dont mind switching the field if it gets me into the best schools. Also, considering my age and WE, should i go for 1 year MBA or 2 year MBA?? What are my chances to get into Stanford, Harvard, INSEAD or LBS??

Thanks for your inputs...

[mbaMissionKate]

Hello!
First of all, congrats on the awesome GMAT score! Very impressive, especially on your first attempt
Your work experience sounds strong, especially the fast-track nature (hopefully that translates to some good leadership / management responsibilities) and the international exposure. You don't mention anything about extracurriculars / activities outside work but let's assume those are strong too. Your GPA is good, maybe not stellar, but you went to an IIT and have the really high GMAT, so not a huge concern.
To be honest your chances at Stanford and Harvard are going to be really tough. Stanford is the most competitive b-school in the world (only 7% acceptance rate!). Over 30 applicants have a really hard time at Harvard where the class skews quite young (average age is 27 there). So those two would definitely be high reaches. INSEAD and LBS are competitive too, but not quite as, so I feel better about your chances there. Plus schools in Europe tend to skew on the more experienced side. For more experienced applicants, I also often recommend MIT Sloan, 1-year options like Kellogg/Cornell/Notre Dame/IE Business School, or EMBA options (though I don't think you have quite enough experience yet for those programs, usually 7-10 years is needed there).
Your question about career goals is a good one, and one that I'll turn back to you -- what are you passionate about doing? What kind of impact do you want to have? While switching careers is certainly possible, there still needs to be some connection to what you've done in the past, so my general advice is to opt for something like Operations, or perhaps Operational Consulting. I think switching to Finance would be tough. Keep in mind too that if you opt for a 1-year program, then it's typically even harder to completely switch careers (no internship).
Good luck, and keep us posted if we can help with anything else!

[SushilC30]

Hello!
First of all, congrats on the awesome GMAT score! Very impressive, especially on your first attempt
Your work experience sounds strong, especially the fast-track nature (hopefully that translates to some good leadership / management responsibilities) and the international exposure. You don't mention anything about extracurriculars / activities outside work but let's assume those are strong too. Your GPA is good, maybe not stellar, but you went to an IIT and have the really high GMAT, so not a huge concern.
To be honest your chances at Stanford and Harvard are going to be really tough. Stanford is the most competitive b-school in the world (only 7% acceptance rate!). Over 30 applicants have a really hard time at Harvard where the class skews quite young (average age is 27 there). So those two would definitely be high reaches. INSEAD and LBS are competitive too, but not quite as, so I feel better about your chances there. Plus schools in Europe tend to skew on the more experienced side. For more experienced applicants, I also often recommend MIT Sloan, 1-year options like Kellogg/Cornell/Notre Dame/IE Business School, or EMBA options (though I don't think you have quite enough experience yet for those programs, usually 7-10 years is needed there).
Your question about career goals is a good one, and one that I'll turn back to you -- what are you passionate about doing? What kind of impact do you want to have? While switching careers is certainly possible, there still needs to be some connection to what you've done in the past, so my general advice is to opt for something like Operations, or perhaps Operational Consulting. I think switching to Finance would be tough. Keep in mind too that if you opt for a 1-year program, then it's typically even harder to completely switch careers (no internship).
Good luck, and keep us posted if we can help with anything else!

Thanks for your reply..
I would try to answer to your questions: I am passionate about techo-managerial projects, things related to productivity improvement and quality improvements. And with tech i dont mean IT and software, but more about production, engineering and machines. Also, i feel that i have a good command over people with whom i work and i can drive projects towards completion. But all this is because of my experience for the past 4-5 years. I might be good in something else but i have not tried them yet. That is the reason i am confused. What are the career prospects for Operational consultancy?? Is it as good as consultancy? What are the target companies which hire for operational consultancy and which schools are the best for them??

Looking forward to your reply.

[mbaMissionKate]

Hi again, thanks for your responses. I think you'd like operational consulting and from what I know, the career prospects are quite strong. Even in a down economy, companies may still hire operational consultants to improve efficiency / cut costs, right? A backup option could be something in supply chain management perhaps. Or maybe a strategy / general management role for a product-based company that leverages your manufacturing experience. As far as specific consulting firms to target, check out Deloitte, PwC, IBM, AT Kearney - those are the big ones that have a more operational focus. As for schools, check out Kellogg and Tuck (strong for consulting in general), and I think you'd like Sloan and Ross too which are both strong in operations.

Good luck!