Profile Evaluation

[Guest]

Hi Alex

I am giving some relevant information on my profile.

Request you to evaluate it :


GMAT Score : 720 (51Q/35V, AWA 5). Please note the 99th percentile quant...but also the 74th percentile verbal score.

GPA : I guess around 3.3 (90th percentile score....)

Undergrad : Bachelors in Business Studies from Delhi University. (best B school for undergrad studies in India). I majored in Finance. However it was a 3 year undergrad degree

Incomplete Post grad : Completed 2 years of a 3 year MBA, Executive Program (evening regular) from IIM, Lucknow (among top 3 B schools in India). I completed 2 years, however left MBA because of certain professional and personal reasons.

Work Experience : 5 years 3 months (6 years by Jul09)

Working with the world's most reputed bank (Forbes No. 1 company). Worked for approx. 4 years in India and 1.5 years in California. Currently working as Associate Vice President in California

- Am 25 yr old and had 3 promotions in my career of 5 years with the bank.
- Work for retail/personal banking and have experience in 2 countries
- Recognised as best performer for last 12 consecutive months GLOBALLY in my division.
- In my last two promotions, I was the youngest Manager/AVP in India.
- Chosen for international conventions twice in last one year to represent my department

Recommendations

- Will have two very strong recommendations. One from my direct supervisor and one from a client (very successful and renowned in his profession)
- Third from a peer if required

Leadership experience

- Was managing a team of 4 people in my previous role. However since the current role requires managing HNWI relationships, I have not been allocated any resources. Hence it may be a drawback
- I was the school captain (head boy) in high school, also the house captain and some major contributions
- I led some study trips in college
- Organized many events and contests in the organisation

Next move in the organisation: Vice President

Extra curricular - Correspondent for all newsletters in my organisations. Contributed couple of articles in college magazine.

Worked for Helpage (helping old people) in India for a year and mobilised funds from the bank clients towards charity and health care of inhabitants of old age homes

Target Schools : Stanford/Wharton/Harvard/GSB Chicago/Columbia

[MBAApply]

Those schools you mentioned are out of reach. Your profile isn't competitive enough -- it's not about GMAT scores or GPAs or how good you are academically; it's that the quality of your work history coupled with your extracurriculars aren't competitive compared to the kinds of applicants who are applying to these schools.

Schools like Michigan, Duke, Darden, Yale, Cornell, UCLA, NYU and Berkeley are stretches where you can choose 1 or 2 to apply to.

Schools like UNC, USC, Georgetown, CMU, UT-Austin, Purdue, Indiana and Emory are schools where you would be competitive (choose 3 or 4 from this group).

Also, one last thing: do not reference high school in your essays or applications; focus on college onwards.

Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com

[Guest]

Thanks Alex...for helping me with reality check.

I will be really grateful if you can elaborate on "quality of work experience". You mention that it is not competitive enough.

Just wondering what it means.

Also, do you think INSEAD and LBS are in reach

[Christian]

For what is worth...

Obviously, I am not an admissions consultant nor I wish to be. Just voicing out my opinion...

I wouldn't say that the Tops Schools aren't out of reach, you have to give them a shot if you really want to, you know by what Alex has said here that you are not "competitive" but you must be able to find some uniqueness on you that will set you apart and grab onto that to polish your application.

Everything is possible if you really want to, but you have to go for it, otherwise...

Good luck

[Guest]

Christian,

You write poorly. My advice for you is to not advise other people.

:P

[Guest]

Thanks Christian for those encouraging words.....

I think you write well. I was actually put off by what Alex said. I think he came out quite strongly :(

[Christian]

to the guest that commented on my writing. What was your score on the GMAT Essay? mine was 5.5, oh poorly?

anyway, my advice does not have to do anything with my writing skills or does it? I am actually encouraging this guy to go for it.

Please ellaborate... and identify yourself before commenting.