Profile evaluation - Non-IT Indian male

[adhith]

Please help me evaluate my profile:

About me: Indian with a non-IT background
Program interested: MBA - Part time
Area of interest in MBA : Entrepreneurship, Strategy
GMAT: yet to take - expecting 650+
GPA: Masters - Industrial Engineering (Texas)- 3.69 (worked for 1.5 years part time teaching students on Supply chain systems)
Bachelors - Mechanical Engineering (India) - 3.79
Work experience: 3.5 years in Fortune 50 company - Currently project manager for Global business operations
Promoted once.
Multiple awards - Director level and at CFO level
Six sigma(green belt) and PMP certification

Extracurricular: Member of Asian employee group leading recruitment and professional development efforts within the company. Active Member of a Professional networking group leading marketing efforts. Not a lot of community involvement except for event organizing for teams at work and some monetary donations every year.
Held offices both in both undergrad and Masters. 1. Editor for College magazine (6000+ copies) 2. Newsletter Editor for Operations research community. 2. an Avid debator - multiple awards in a lot of elocution competitions and Best outgoing student award.
A state level tennis player and a Kung-fu black belt instructor.
Age:25
Gender:M
Target School: Kellogg, Booth, Ross, Mccombs

Why MBA: I have a manufacturing background and understand operations well. Want to understand the other pillars in business like Finance, marketing, HR and would eventually want to start my own business in services consulting.

Questions:
1. Would a 650 GMAT be sufficient ( i haven't taken the test yet, but my work is not allowing me to concentrate on my studies and am not scoring beyond that in practice tests : scoring between 630 to 660)
2. I am looking for part-time programs only because of Visa constraints - would 3.5 years of work ex at the time of school commencement be sufficient?
3. Please let me know if this level of professional work experience, extracurricular involvement and academics would help me get into target schools.. What are my chances for getting into the target schools?
4. would a non-IT Indian with a manufacturing background give me an upper hand compared to the sub-applicant pool?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help!!

[mbamission]

Hi Adhith,

To answer your questions:

1) There is no cutoff to a "sufficient" GMAT score, but I think your case will become a lot more difficult at Ross/Booth/Kellogg with that score, as it is well below their median. McCombs would be more realistic, but also below their median.

2) I don't think work experience would be an issue for part-time programs; you'll just want to state why a part-time program makes sense for your plans

3) My assessment is that Kellogg/Booth/Ross are in the "reach" range, and McCombs would likely be competitive.

4) It's difficult to say who has an upper hand based strictly on background. While you are separate from the Indian IT pool, manufacturing is likely not a rare background for applicants to the schools you listed. I suggest you focus on making it clear why you are seeking an MBA and state that clearly in your essays; as a clear story will help your case regardless of your background.

Best of luck!
Daniel Richards
http://www.mbamission.com

Read the mbaMission Insider's Guides (14 individual school titles)

Visit the mbaMission Blog

Follow mbaMission on Twitter