Thank you so much Michael !!

I thought the same. Just wanted to get it cleared from  you. Thanks for the clarification.

First of all, I define 50/50 as within reach.  Schools that are closer to a safety I imagine would be the Canadian schools.  The others would be either reaches or 50/50 but more importantly these schools are within reach.  You really want to eliminate schools that would be out of reach (say the Top 5).

Also, you do not need certificates for your activities.

Good luck,

Hi Micheal,

Need your help in evaluating my profile and answering a couple of questions. Thanks a ton in advance. Hope to talk further.

I am an Indian-Male-FMCG-28yrs.

Although I am an Indian by passport, I have been living in Singapore for the past 12years (Permanent Resident). Have spent all my life from high school onwards in Singapore.

Work experience wise, currently working for one of the top MNC in FMCG space as a Senior financial analyst in the brand management team. Stellar work experience over the last 2.5 yrs here. Promoted and got global awards within the company (top 1% talent). Manage brand's Asia portfolio profits delivery, long term strategy planning, supply chain design/analysis and competitive and pricing strategy work. Have working exposure in 13 asian countries including China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Japan and Korea.

Before this, was working with one of the Top IT consulting firms (2 yrs after undergrad) running project teams and selling deals to clients. Switched to FMCG job because wanted to solve real business problems and moved from managing a local $1Million in portfolio to pan-asia portfolio of $200Million.

Extra Curriculars:
Amateur Cricket Player. Represented my company and my varsity team at all levels in the singapore professional cricket league. Won several tournaments/championships over the last 10 years.
Actively invovled in community service with company programs and programs outside. Not just collecting and distributing money to NGOs but spent 2 weeks in thailand to help build shelters in tsunami affected areas for Habitat for Humanity.

I have a degree in Computer Engineering. GPA was a modest 3.1 but very strong and active ECAs, leadership roles and awards in various competitions. Full academic scholarship in both high school and University (5% of the class)
GMAT: 690 (Q49/V34). Had a tough day on GMAT but honestly the score can probably only go up another 20/30 points at best. So, I am not retaking at this point as I feel I dont have much time to work on my essays.

Future Career Options:
Consulting - first choice
Investment Banking in the FMCG/CPG sector - second choice

Help needed from you:
1. Selection of schools: I am looking at Wharton, Chicago and Kellogg as stretch. LBS, Darden, Cornell as safety/competitive. Off the 3 schools mentioned above in stretch, do you think the chances are realistic or very slim given my GMAT and GPA weakness?

2. Am I missing any school in the range of Ranking 8-12 (Tuck, Ross, Haas, Columbia, Duke) where you think I should be looking to apply? would i be better off focusing in the 8-12 range than focusing on 3 top 5 schools?

3. Any overall comments on each of the sections? Any perspective from you is appreciated.

Thanks a ton in advance.

Cheers

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your valuable insight into the B-school application process.  I would appreciate your help in evaluating my chances at the following schools:

1. Stanford
2. Berkeley
3. UCLA
4. USC

Here's my profile:

Academics
* GMAT: 750 (Q49/87% V44/97% AWA6.0/90%)
* GPA: 2.9/4.0 (3.2 in my last two years) - poor GPA partially a result of extensive extracurricular involvement at UCLA (see "leadership activities" below...)
* B.S. Mechanical Engineering, UCLA

Work
* 4.5 years work experience as an airline pilot and flight instructor
* 4 summer engineering internships during college (mechanical, hydro, project, technical operations engineer)

Leadership Activities in College
* Executive Director, Dance Marathon at UCLA: lead committee of 80-students in planning $200,000 fundraising event
* Resident Assistant and held several other leadership positions at UCLA

Volunteer Activities after College
* Currently volunteer with pilot union on a committee
* Volunteer with UCLA Alumni Association

Goals
* Take airline pilot work experience, coupled with an MBA, to eventually re-enter the industry in airline consulting and management

My main concern is my weak GPA.  Will the upward trend and most notably, extensive extracurricular involvement in college help my case?  At times, these activities required 30-40 hours per week, WITH a full load of engineering classes.  Additionally, will my GMAT score help compensate for my GPA?  And will my unique work experience/industry help? 

I've also heard the the University of California has to obtain special permission to admit an applicant with a sub-3.0 GPA.  Do you know if there is any truth to this report?  If so, just how difficult will it be to gain admission to UCLA or Berkeley?  Should I even bother applying?  Are there other more "GPA friendly" top-20 schools that may be more lenient with my sub-par GPA?  Thanks again for your help.

Hi  ,

Can you please evaluate my profile and quantify my chances at the b schools given below:-

Profile:

25/M

Gmat: 720(V: 38, Q: 49)

Work exp till date:

3 years (1 yr in software dev & 2 yrs in IT consulting for Telecom products)

Leading a team of 4 IT/Telecom consultants for past 1.5 years.

Provide consultancy to one of the software startups side by side with the regular work (Major role in increasing the revenue)-1.5 yrs

Acad:

First class, BE computers, University of Pune

12th grade, 80%, CBSE, India

10th Grade, 92%, CBSE, India

Extra Curricular:

1. Dramatics at College level (Acted and Directed few plays)

2. College Tennis team member

3. Organized various cultural & Technical fests at school and college level

4. Member student council - school

5. Member social service league - school

6. Won a handful of events at National level Technical fests.

7. School soccer team member

Awards:

1. Bravo award - by one of the biggest auto manufacturers for delivering IT solution

2. Scholar award - by school for continuous academic excellence

3. Appreciation for work in current role

Community Service:

1. Volunteer for an NGO which work towards awareness about HIV and AIDS in the city of Pune, India.

2. Volunteer member - My Company’s community relations club

Recommendation:

1. My manager, current job

2. MD & Chairman, the company I provide consultancy to (part time)

3. Support Account Manager of one of my present clients

Nationality: India

Languages known:

English, Spanish (Basic), Hindi

 Can you please list out my chances at the following institutions (Competitive, Safe, not within reach):

a) ISB

b) Insead

c) Oxford

e) Duke

f) Chicago

g) NYU stern

h) Richard Ivey

i) Rotmans, University of Toronto

k) Cornell

Looking forward to your reply,

Thanks & Regards,

Abhishek

You mechanical engineering degree (as opposed to a liberal arts degree) coupled with your GMAT score and extracurriculars will mitigate your GPA.  Yes, University of California does have to obtain special permission for a sub-3.0 GPA but admit people every year who are below this mark.  So, with your background you should apply to UCLA even with this requirement.

As a rough “rule of thumb” private universities do not have this requirement.  But you named all top 20 schools on the west coast.  I wouldn’t worry about the 3.0 benchmark for choosing a broader set of schools.  Instead use the normal criteria of fit, geography, career prospects, etc.

Good luck,

Hi Michael,

 

I wanted to see if you could provide guidance on how to best apporach the following essay questions for the UCLA part time MBA program:

1.       How have people, events, and / or situations in your life influenced who you are today? (Maximum 500 words) 

2.       Why a UCLA Anderson MBA? Why FEMBA? Why are these the right three years in your career to earn your MBA? (Maximum 500 words)

3.       What are your career goals as they relate to pursuing the MBA degree? Discuss your plans to have your UCLA MBA facilitate you being either a career enhancer, shifter or explorer* If your interests are entrepreneurial, are you already an entrepreneur, or do you plan to be an entrepreneur and if so when and how? (Maximum 500 words)

4. Explain a day in your life you would like to relive and why. (Maximum 300 words)

Your question is difficult to answer because I am missing one key statistic, the number of competitive Bulgarians applying to each of your target schools.  

Your application will be judged within this group, so the less competitive your applicant pool is, the better your chances.

That said, given your average GMAT and GPA, H/S/W will be difficult.  INSEAD and LBS might also be tough since presumably more Bulgarians will apply there.

You are competitive for NYU, Booth, and Columbia but might wish to add some less selective schools, such as Cornell for 2nd round.

Best of luck,

You have good experience, good grades and a strong GMAT score but you are in one of the most competitive applicants groups and are older than 30 (schools accept lower percentages of applicants who are 32 or over).  I would recommend you add Haas to that list as well which favors older applicants.

Since you have selected some of the most competitive schools in the world as target schools I would suggest you add less competitive schools as well. You can research top General Management schools on BW or US News & World Report but Beyond Grey Pinstripes (http://www.beyondgreypinstripes.org/index.cfm) will help you locate top environment/sustainability schools to cross-reference your general management research.  Then go to each school’s website to learn more about each specific program.

Best of luck,