Profile Evaulation

[akabaka9999]

Hi - Can you please evaluate my profile for the given MBA programs? Any stretch / safety school advice is very helpful as well.

Demographics:
- 29 yr old South Asian Male (will be 30 when I apply for the class of 2018)

GMAT:
I have not taken the GMAT yet, but practice scores suggest that I might score in the range of 680 and 720.

Undergrad:
- Internationally recognized university (Delhi University)
- Under graduation in History Honors, ranked 4th in the

University
-Intern at a major automotive firm, research based internship

Work Experience:
- 5 years at three international banks (including two major American brands); 3 promotions (Retail Banking and SME Banking)
- 1 year at a well known management consulting firm (HR consulting, non-recruitment)
- 3 years (including 4 months of Global Work Ex) running my own tech start-up (travel), we raised a seed round but the company is in the process of closing

Volunteer Experience:
- Volunteer at a NGO promoting women empowerment in India
- Volunteer and Visiting Faculty (Subject - General Awareness) for students who wish to pursue a career in Law and Banking

Other Achievements:
- Ranked Squash player in India from 2002 till 2005, represented my state and university
- Grade 8 Pianist from the Trinity College of Music, UK
- Achieved a rank of 236 in what is considered the hardest entrance examination in India, the Civil Services (in 2007)

Post MBA Goal:
- VC / Private Equity Firms
- Investment Banking

Targeted MBA Programs:
- HBS (top choice)
- Stanford (2nd choice)
- Wharton (3rd choice)
- Booth
- Kellogg
- Haas

Any other advice on programs or anything is welcome, thanks!

Note - This would be my second MBA, my first MBA was from a reputed B School in India (Grade - B+), but the school and its reputation is unfortunately limited to India itself.

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Thanks for your post. So my first question is just to clarify your point in your career and 'need' for the MBA at this point? You have 9+ years of full time experience, no? Are you still thinking full-time programs, or considering part-time or exec options?

One challenge you'll face will be overcoming and explaining the fact that you do already have an MBA degree... that can be challenging, particularly at top-ranked programs, as you're competing against people who are also well qualified but do NOT yet have that degree and are making a strong case for why they need it...you would really need to share how and why that first degree was not enough, and even then it could still be challenging.

It does sound like you have some solid work experience to draw from and promotions/recognition along the way, along with some extracurricular/other interests and achievements. Of course the GMAT is still fairly unknown. Based on the info here so far, I think your school list could be quite ambitious though, and you may want to look outside the top 10 programs for better chances, food for thought!

Good luck!

[akabaka9999]

Hi Jennifer,

I began my first MBA when I was all of 19, unfortunately my employment prospects as an Arts major were limited. I have three main reasons for going through a second MBA (a flagship program) -

1. I don't have enough global work ex. The institute I completed my MBA from is well rated in certain parts of India but does not have any reputation outside our country's borders.

2. As a "failed" entrepreneur, my employment prospects have dwindled again. Employers (and society in general) within India do not take very kindly to entrepreneurship, and my three years as an entrepreneur is not being considered as genuine work ex in at least three different industries. (I do possess all the necessary paper work).

3. My goal would be to work as/for a VC/PE firm. While India has the privilege of being home to a vast number of Angel Investors, most VC's and PE firms who invest in Indian companies are based outside India - primarily in Singapore and in North America.

I admit my B-School choices is ambitious, but as genuine as my reasons for a second MBA are, and with a 700+ GMAT score, will this be enough?

Thanking you once again for your time and in anticipation.

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Let's see how I can best respond to your additional queries....

I can certainly understand from your perspective the desire for the 2nd MBA from a top ranked program etc. I don't question the value of it etc... BUT the reality of it is still that at these top programs, it is SO competitive and selective to get in (at the very top, they may be accepting only 6-15% of applicants for example!). It's just that there are so many very strong applicants, many of whom still get turned away because of the selectivity... and depending upon how closely your first degree was defined as an actual MBA degree, it remains a challenge for you to overcome in terms of justifying the need for this degree... and also potentially questions may arise about at this point in your career, as you'll be more experienced than the average student (though this is less of a concern in my view than the 2nd MBA situation).

I certainly support anyone giving something a shot if it is their dream and they are determined etc.... but I also have to add in a note of realism and mention that the chances at say a top 10 or so program will be quite slim.

In terms of GMAT, the average at the top programs is often 720-730, and that is just AVERAGE.... so if you want the GMAT to be a stand-out factor in any way, you're looking more for 750-760+, just fyi since you mentioned 700+ being enough.

It can be quite tough to get into VC, even with a top MBA, so that's something for you to dig deeper into as well in terms of research before you apply, so that you can speak to your plans in a compelling way in an interview etc, and ensure your specified path is realistic.

No matter what I'd advise including some options in roughly the 11-30 (give or take) ranking for better chances... there are GREAT schools in that range that will still open up various opportunities and provide global experiences etc. For more on choosing schools, check out our free download at: http://info.mbamission.com/Selecting-Yo ... ram-E-Book.

Lots to think about and research for sure! Good luck on your decisions.