Profile Evaluation

[archit3186]

Hi,

Based on the information below, please evaluate my profile for the given B schools and suggest some stretch and safe schools.

GMAT Score: 710 (Quant: 50, Verbal: 35)

Academics:
Dual degree course (B.Tech and M.Tech combined) of 5 years duration in Chemical Engineering from IIT Delhi (One of the best engineering colleges in India)

B.Tech GPA: 7.24/10 (Above Average)
M.Tech GPA: 8.125/10 (Above Average)

M.Tech Project (Final year project of 1 year duration): Got top grade (10 on a scale of 10) in my MTP.

Summer Internship: - Earned significant International exposure working for 2 months with Haldor Topsoe, Denmark (one of the world’s top chemical licencors) .

Work Experience:
Three years full time experience as of today in world's largest grassroots refinery. (Reliance Industries Limited, Jamnagar, India) (Will be 4 years of work experience at the time of joining an MBA college)

Have been involved in various projects. For the last 2 years, I was involved in 4 projects related to Operations Research. Out of the 4 projects, I was working on 2 projects just under the guidance of my mentor without anybody else as a part of the team. In the other 2 projects, I was guiding people in my team who worked under me for those specific projects.

Got the best rating possible (a rating of significantly exceeded expectations) for my work on the projects assigned to me.

Apart from the projects in the domain of Operations Research, I have also worked on a few technical projects (related to chemical engineering).

ExtraCurrics and Hobbies:
Held several good positions of responsibilities during college time.

Was also the Teaching Assistant (TA) for 2 courses at IITD under my MTP guide for a duration of 1 year.

Was a part of the hostel team for Inter-Hostel Musical Play for 2 years in which our team stood first both times.

Have been playing Tennis for the last 1 and a half years.

Strong interest in following Cricket matches and related news of the top ten Cricket playing nations.

Target Specialization: MBA in Operations Management

Target Schools:

Michigan Ross
Darden
Johnson
Tepper
Mccombs
ISB
Kelley
Mays
NUS
NTU


Thank You for your consideration.

Regards,
Archit

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi Archit,

Thanks for posting.

You definitely have strengths in the academic ability area, with your dual degree and academic achievements, and fairly solid work experience and extracurriculars. Your GMAT is on-par or just a touch below the average of Indian applicants with Engineering backgrounds. (note: wasn't sure of what your actual role or roles/titles were in your work experience-- assuming some sort of engineer??)

The biggest challenge you will face will be how to stand out from the crowd, as there are so many with similar backgrounds. Your dual degree and international exposure are places to start that I noticed, but you'll really also want to brainstorm what traits and experiences YOU will bring to the program that are unique, so that you can be sure to highlight those in the application. (And people-management, teamwork, leadership, and communication skills are all big ones that are good to show and can help round-out the fact we already know you are good on the quant and analytical side).

In terms of your schools list, Darden & Johnson sound like your reach schools. The last 4 on your list here would be the ones that should not be as difficult for you to get into. Other than that, you want to do some research and determine which schools sound like the best fit for YOU, and aim to apply to 3-6 schools at least initially as each application is quite time-consuming.

Side note-- you didn't really list out your post-MBA goals, be sure that you have a clear plan in mind to include for your applications, btw.

Hope that helps, and good luck to you!

[archit3186]

Hi Jeniffer,

Thank you for your frank evaluation of my profile :-) I forgot to add my AWA score of 5.5/6 and IR score of 8/8 earlier in the GMAT score information that I provided. Hope, the Adcoms will consider these sectional scores as positives too while evaluating my profile :-)

As you mentioned, I will try to highlight the unique aspects of my traits and experiences in the essays. As far as your question goes about the roles and titles during my work experience, in the first year of my job here at RIL, I was working as Technical Management Trainee and I got promoted to Manager, Technical Services on completion of 1 year of my job.
As far as my immediate post-MBA goals are concerned, immediately after pursuing MBA, I would like to work in the field of Operations research in a good organization. I have had 2 full years of a professionally enriching work experience in Operations research field and I would like to move ahead step-by-step in this field which I am feeling comfortable with.

Thanks again for your reply :-)

Regards,
Archit

[mbamissionjenK]

Thanks Archit. Yes the IR and AWA scores will be small pluses, though the main score is definitely given the most weight.

Thanks for updating with your current/prior roles and post-MBA goals. Just be sure that you make a strong case for the NEED for the MBA, i.e. that it doesn't sound as though you could technically make that same progress in a similar role without the MBA. ;) And aim to have a long-term goal as well that the MBA is critical for, for best chances of the admissions committee agreeing that this is the right next step for you.

[archit3186]

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for your quick reply :-) I will take heed of the tips you gave and will apply to the colleges accordingly.

Regards,
Archit

[mbamissionjenK]

You are welcome! Keep us posted.

[a.mathur4110]

Hi Jeniffer,

Please evaluate my profile as per mentioned below:

Personal Info:

Sex :Indian Male,
age:23 years

Academics:

Xth:85%
Xth:75%
Graduation: Mechanical Engineering , 71.86%; Was amongst the top 10 students of my batch at college.
GMAT : 700 (QA48, V38)

Work Experience:

I have been working as a Project Management professional at Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (a 14 billion dollar Indian Construction MNC) and I am having more than 2 years of experience in engineering management encompassing coordination, planning, monitoring and control of power projects. I also have been involved in a multiple projects, all relating to power infrastructure development.
I also have handled the engineering project management activities for the biggest combined cycle power plant (4000MW) in the world being constructed at Saudi Arabia.
I also managed and coordinated a team of around 250 engineers and designers from across three offices for delivering the output as per client requirements.

Extra-curricular:
Was team leader at number of college festivals and functions.

Headed a team for a national level SAE-BAJA -ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) competition. It also included reaching out to various companies and firms for sponsorships.

Represented my school in singing at National Congress Assembly, Govt. of India .

Co-ordinated and performed at several funbctions organised by my employer for raising funds for NGOs.

Target Course:
MBA in general Management

The following is the list of my Target Schools:

- Kelley School of Business
- Kenan-Flagler Business School
-Anderson School of Management
-McCombs School of Business
-Mendoza College of Business
-Ross School of Business
-Tepper Business School
-Darden Business School

Please suggest wheather my profile is good enough for applying to the colleges i mentioned above. Also, Please suggest any other schools u think i should apply to.

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Sorry for the delayed reply, think I missed your post since you posted on another person's thread, lol!

Well the challenging aspects of your profile are that you are in a common applicant group--Indian applicants with IT/engineering experience. And you are on the young side, sounds like 2 years of full time experience (?). Your GMAT is at or just below the average at the schools you are interested in.

Your challenge will be to demonstrate what makes YOU unique among other similar applicants, and likely to highlight the management experiences you mentioned as those could be an area that helps you stand out from other technical applicants.

I believe your school list is reasonable though Anderson & Darden will be more of your reach programs.

Be sure to focus a lot of time and energy on your essays as those are where you'll differentiate and show why you want an MBA and why that program is right for you!

Wishing you the best.