Profile evaluation request

[dogbertrulez]

Background:
- Age: 29
- Nationality: Indian
- Residency: UK
- Sex: Male

Education:
- BS in Computer Engg from top 3 university in the USA (graduated with university and college honors).
- GPA: 3.3 (3.5 until last semester. Death in the family caused the GPA to plummet in the final semester)
- GMAT: Q49 (87%), V40(89%), total 730 (96%)

Work experience: (earliest first)
- Have a period of 8 months after college where I did not do anything.
- 2 years in industry leading company in the US (developer)
- 3 years in a start-up in the UK (70 employees). Promoted 2 times (developer -> project lead -> project manager). Currently heading the company's primary engagement with key customer. Customer face time. Report directly to the CTO. Promoted but no salary increases due to budgetary constraints. Compared to my first job, my salary at my current job (the startup) is quite a bit lower (approx. 40%).

Leadership experience:
- As developer, single handedly made the first commercial release of one of company's product.
- As team leader, mentored multi-cultural team (one of them now independently heads the team in India)
- As team leader, led team that improved the efficiency of the company's product by 2 times. (team size varied from 3-7 members)
- Currently manage 3-4 projects within the company.

Community service:
- no experience in the last 3 years due to a very heavy work load (60-80 hr/week)
- during the previous job, in the US, was involved with a charity. Helped with raising money by doing fashion shows, music programs, and other fund raising activities.
- While at college, during 8 month internship was awarded volunteer of the quarter (various activities such as Junior Achievement - tutoring 1st graders)
- While at college, member of Alpha Phi Omega, service fraternity

Future goals:
- start business career as a consultant (McKinsey, Bain, etc) for 2-3 years
- already have concrete ideas for starting boutique consultancy

Target schools:
1) Stanford
2) INSEAD
3) Kellog
4) Wharton
5) Oxford

Questions:
1) Is the list of schools realistic?
2) Should I add any other schools to this list, such as CMU, etc as backup schools? Please recommend.
3) What is missing from my profile (based on the information presented)? Is there any weakness that I should focus on? Is there anything I can currently do to boost my profile?
4) Should I use the additional essay to explain the low GPA in the last semester and the 8 months of missing employment?
5) I am very interested in going to Stanford (interested primarily in Center for Social Innovation and the Global Management Program). I have a unique idea about a very specific topic - Is it a good idea to contact the concerned professor at Stanford to discuss the same? (I plan to base my goals essay on this topic)
6) Is my lower salary at current job an issue? Can I use it to emphasize my sense of adventure and quest for finding tough problems to solve?

Thank you for evaluating my profile and answering my questions.

[mbamission]

Hi, thank you for your inquiry. I'll take your questions in order:

1) Your list of schools is ambitious, with the exception of Oxford which I think is a quite realistic choice for you. That's not to say you're unqualified - you have a strong profile overall with many attributes the schools like to see (grades, leadership, increasing responsibility, international exposure, entrepreneurial zeal, etc.). It's just that you're in the most overrepresented and therefore most competitive demographic, and that's going to make the challenge of acceptance just that much harder.

2) If your goal is to go to a business school next year, as opposed to going to a very top business school, then I would expand your list, again not because of your abilities but because of your competition. I can't recommend specific schools because I don't know what you're looking for in terms of so many dimensions - type of curriculum, academic emphasis, class size, location, etc. But for "safer" schools, look for those where your GMAT will stand out, as opposed to being just above the average, and where the percentage acceptance is somewhat higher.

3) Community service is what seems lacking; otherwise your profile is strong. I don't think I'd suggest adding an activity now though - it won't seem sincere and you won't have enough time to show results. But do write about some community involvement from a few years ago, and delve into your personal journey as well, so you present yourself as multi-faceted.

4) Yes, but very briefly; they're long enough ago and not significant enough to raise much concern.

5) Absolutely contact the professor. He can become a valuable advocate, but even if not, having spoken with him will make your "Why Stanford" section more concrete and compelling.

6) Not an issue - start ups often involve risk. Highlight that dimension and don't worry about the salary!

Good luck!

Jessica Shklar
mbaMission

www.mbamission.com/blog

[dogbertrulez]

Thanks a lot for the evaluation Jessica.
In answer #2 you mention looking out for schools where my GMAT would stand out. Moreover, considering that I am in one of the most overrepresented and competitive demographic, would a higher GMAT score (>760) considerably improve my chances of admission for my current set of schools? (I understand that I have crossed the 700/80/80 barrier.) OR should is that time better spent on the application essays?

I am aiming to go for the very top business schools. In light of that, is there anything I can do now, other than community service, that would bolster my application?

Your feedback is much appreciated.

[mbamission]

Thanks for the follow up.

Everyone has to make their own decision, but I see spending time developing your story through your essays as more valuable than improving an already impressive GMAT score. I think that, along with being very clear on your goals, story, and why each school is a specific fit, will make the most difference in the long run.
Good luck,

Jessica

[dogbertrulez]

Hi Jessica,

Thanks for your reply. Based on your recommendation, I have short-listed my schools. Can you please advise if this is a good mix based on my profile.

Target Schools:
1. Stanford (stretch)
2. Kellog (stretch)
3. INSEAD (stretch)
4. MIT (medium)
5. UCLA (backup)
6. ROSS (backup)
7. UNC (backup)

Your input is much appreciated. Thank you.