Ask Jeremy @ MBAMission.com - What it takes to get to the best global business school

MBA Mission

Apu,

Apu,

Thank you for your patience. My response to your question is above, Sorry for my error in my post yesterday. I think that I have answered your questions. Feel free to post anytime...

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission

mbaMission - Boutique MBA Admissions Consulting | Home
646-485-8844
Skype:MBAMission

Quote:

Originally Posted by apu

Hi Jeremy,

I'm a lawyer from India's premier law school and have about 4.5 years of experience working in tech and IT MNCs. Presently I am a contracts manager for a fortune 100 concern and am handling all sales contracts for India by myself. I have some experience in the Analytics field with the same concern and have germinated a couple of business impact/change the business projects that used six sigma and lean methodologies.

I want to know what factors can mitigate a very poor academic record in a B-school application.

I have a very consistent record as far as sports is concerned (soccer, basketball, field hockey, volleyball and atheletics teams in my university and captained 3 of them, pretty much the same at school, am captain of my company soccer team as well) and my work responsibility and exposure have been very good. What else can I put forward so that my acads won't drag me down.

I'm yet to give my GMAT: what sort of a score would be a good demonstrator of my ability at academics? I'm at 690 on practice tests without any prep whatsoever.

Thanking you in anticipation of your reply.

Regards,
Apu

Deep Magic

Hey Jeremy

I'm Indian, 27 / Male / engineer.
I have an experience of 4 years in the IT sector including 1 year in US and 3 years in India (with a fortune 200 company).
I took GMAT in August 2007 and scored 750. Gave TOEFL n scored 113 out of 120. I have received admission offers from HEC, Paris and IIM (Indian Institute of Management), Lucknow.

My short-term goal is to work in business consulting. I would be targetting firms such as McKinsey n BCG post-MBA.

Keeping in mind my preferred field of work, which one out of the two b-schools would be a better fit for me?

Thanks!

apu

Dear Jeremy,

my grades are catastrophic. Only the fact that I graduated from my college got me a job during campus recruitment.

Should I do a short term course to demonstrate academic ability? What would be considered mitigating factors for bad grades. What can I do now?

Regards,
Apu

proudnsitian

Hi Jeremy...I am a BE from NSIT Delhi, have 1 year (pre-MBA) work experience and hold an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur. I have a specialization in Human Resource Management.

I am currently working in the middle east in a large conglomerate and handle the Talent Management initiatives in the organization.

I plan to start pursuing my CFA very soon. At a later stage in my career, I wish to do a 1 or 2 year MBA from a top rated US B School. I understand that it is very difficult to secure admission if you hold an MBA...My MBA is rated amongst the finest in India ...What can I do to build a profile that would help my cause? To what extent is having a prior MBA a deterrant?

MBA Mission

The 2008-2009 MBA application season is now officially underway! (Did you heart rate just increase). As you will see below, HBS has just released its essay questions, the first of the top-schools to do so. Oddly, we received notification via Google Alerts and their RSS feed, stating that they were up on May 12, but it seems that they have just been “revealed”. We will be posting our essay analysis shortly; so stay “tuned” to our blog.

1. What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)
2. What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)
3. Please respond to two of the following (400-word limit each):
A) What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
B) Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.
C) What area of the world are you most curious about and why?
D) What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission
mbaMission - Boutique MBA Admissions Consulting | Home
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission

maxster_vain

Hi,

The query I want to ask concerns about the eligibility criterion.

I am a student of Masters in Business Administration at University Business School, Panjab University, which has been imparting quality management education since 1968 and is consistently rated among top B-schools in India.

But because of lack of global exposure available at our institute accompanied with my keen interest in exploring avenues abroad, has made me ex cogitate of doing an MBA from a B-School which should be of global repute and which can provide me the right platform to catapult my career in challenging arenas of the corporate.

That is why I want to sit for GMAT as early as possible and start with the application process.But before that I want to know if having an MBA degree would be a deterrent in getting me admission to a prestigious institute like yours.Would it be seen positively or would it make me stand ineligible to apply for the MBA course?

To mention here I had a percentile of 99.37 in CAT (Common Admission Test) conducted by IIMs, a work experience of One Year and my background is Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College,Chandigarh (considered among Top-10 Engineering Institutes in India).

In hope of a positive and wise reply from your side.

Regards.

Uma_3

Hi Jeremy,
Thanks a lot for helping us out with your valuable insights.I have recenly given my GMAT and am confused about how high I could aim.Could you please give me your opinion as to where I stand a chance?

I am a 24 year old Indian female, planning on applying for Fall 09.I have decent to good grades and GMAT score
Xth - 86%
XIIth - 96%
Engg - 80%
GMAT - 750/5
I have always been in the top 5 of my Dept in college.In Std XII, I was school second.I won a number of prizes in school and college (including 'Best outgoing student").I am a trained dancer(Learnt classical dance for more than 12years) and have given a few performances(including a debut performance a month before my STD XII exams ).I have also learnt Indian classical music for about 5 years.I was my house Vics Capt.in std XI and the Assitant school pupil leader in std XII. I also represented my school at
badminton.In college, I was EEE dept's Joint secretary and placement co-ordinator.
I have an avid interest in dramatics..I have acted in plays both in school/college as well as outside.I was part of a group which put up a few plays(mainly musicals) to aid charitible organisations. I have even done some choreography as part of this.My favourite memory of this is the time I had choreographed a routine for children (part of a disney musical).I took part in a number of dance competitions in school, college and at work. I enjoyed coreographing these as well and I feel that I have learnt a lot through this,especially tact and how to co-ordinate a diverse group of people. I also learnt how to manage a budget(strtch it to cover costumes, props, lighting...) and more
importantly , how to delegate, to get people to listen and believe in what you see, without ruffling too many feathers.This was especially true at work,when you might have your manager or your manager's manager in your group/team.While I already had a lot of experience co-ordinating people in school and college, there were many more
things to consider at work. I also sung in a choir for 9 years.I am editor of my account newsletter at work and enjoy collecting ,editing as well as writing articles for it. As a I junior to the other people on the editorial board, i have had to be careful not to step on anyone's toes, while still being assertive and pushing forth my views.
I have always taken part in whatever activity I could (I dont believe in single-mindedly working/hitting the books the whole day). I would like to describe myself as a well rounded person.
Coming to my profession, I am (unfortunately, in view of wanting an MBA) an IT professional.WHile I do have a lot of responsibility at work , I do not officially manage a team. I should get a promotion before fall 09,but will not having one right now affect my chances of an admit greatly? I have recieved an award at work and am considered one
of the best performers.My job includes mentoring new joinees too.Being involved with the newsletter has given me 'visibility' at work.
Outside school and college, I have been involved in community service only for the past 3 years.I volunteer(not just donate) at a local charity hospital.I am even involved in helping with their administrative work to a small extent.I am confident of get a good, well written recos from the hospital society president and from my manager. I could get recos from senior people at work, but I felt that my manager would probably be able to paint a
more detailed picture of me.
I am interested in pursuing a degree in general management with a specialization in Ops.I initially considered waiting for a few years and building my profile, but have decided against it.I am very confused about where I should apply. While I could say that I wanted to apply only to a highly ranked school,it wouldn't be realistic.Should I consider applying to the top 10, or should I concentrate only on 10-25?The only school I am
definately applying to(so far) is Rochester...that too because they have sent me an application fee waiver.
Thank you for taking the time to evaluate my (somewhat lengthy) profile.

Thanks,
Uma

Uma_3

Hi Jeremy,

I've another question...I've learnt french in school.Will it help if I take a certification?

Thanks,
Uma

MBA Mission

Thank you for your inquiry.

At MBA Mission, we really specialize in the top-American and European programs. I just don’t know enough about IIM to offer you any advice. I apologize.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission

www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deep Magic

Hey Jeremy

I'm Indian, 27 / Male / engineer.
I have an experience of 4 years in the IT sector including 1 year in US and 3 years in India (with a fortune 200 company).
I took GMAT in August 2007 and scored 750. Gave TOEFL n scored 113 out of 120. I have received admission offers from HEC, Paris and IIM (Indian Institute of Management), Lucknow.

My short-term goal is to work in business consulting. I would be targetting firms such as McKinsey n BCG post-MBA.

Keeping in mind my preferred field of work, which one out of the two b-schools would be a better fit for me?

Thanks!

XinYangJulia

Dear Jeremy,

I am julia and want to get some information to enter into MBA course; now I already have about 5 years assistant and management experience and be interested to promote myself, so could i get some detail information for SIMT, such as qualification to enter, how to contact proffessor, tuition fee and so on?

Thanks & best regards
julia