Ask Jennifer@Accepted.com: Application-writing advice for the best global B-schools

[pradeep_si]

Hi Jennifer
My name is Pradeep and I am from India. my profile:
Age-37 years
Experience - 15 years all in middle and senior management in India largest Public Sector Bank.
Academic - Average
Extra Carric- Average
GMAT- Q-49, V-32 Total 650/ AWA-4
I am applyng for HKU MBA, Miami University School of Business.
I want to specilize in finance and investment Banking.
What is my chance of getting into these college.
My future goal is: To get international exposure till the age of 45 by working in some good international bank and then become the entrepreneur.
Please advise me

[go_for_the_kill]

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for the wonderful thread on pagalguy. Some of the information is very insightful.

I am interested in Full time MBA program starting in the fall of 2008.

Profile:
GMAT: 740 ( Q 50, V 40 AWA 5 )
TOEFL: 111
Bachelor of Engineering from National Institute of technology: 70% (aggregate percentage)
Academic achievements: Graduated with distinction, ranked in top 5%
Work Experience: 4 years by May 2008( Oracle India, Enterprise Applications )
Work Achievements: Have done a lot except for programming.
Extra curriculars: Average
Community services: Part of Oracle Volunteers
Recommendations: Good, One from manager and one from another senior person in the organization.
Languages: Learning Spanish
Long term goals: Entrepreneurship

I have applied to Ross and Kelley in Round 2. Will be applying to Krannert (Purdue) and
Carlson (Minessota) as well.

Please evaluate my profile and let me know my chances in the schools mentioned above.
I don't want to delay my MBA and have to start in the fall of 2008.

Eagerly awaiting your reply.

Thanks a lot.

[Accepted]

Originally Posted by john_almighty

Hi Jennifer,

I am 26 years old
I have an undergrad in engg from India and a masters in comp sc from oxford univ.
2 years work exp as a Business Analyst in an Investment Bank in London
planning to give GMAT this year and apply to only LBS, Harvard, Stanford and Wharton...... I don't intend to study anywhere else as I am quite happy with my work and I want to do an MBA in finance with some strategy management as well so that I can come back to an investment bank with a background in maths and CS and education in finance as well.

if i do get a 720+ in GMAT with very good SOPs and Reccos ...... what are my chances at these BSchools.

Does doing courses like FRM and CFA help your application if you are applying for a Fin course in a B School


Thanks for your time
Regards

John

Hi, John. These programs are looking for financial wizards who have demonstrated truly exceptional leadership. With only two years of work experience, you may not have had the opportunity to demonstrate that yet. And without that, there is no such thing as "very good SOPs and Reccos" - because the examples of your leadership are the key to those documents. The FRM/CFA certifications are really not necessary to earn admission. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you your chances of admission without seeing a lot more detail about your leadership experiences.

Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
Accepted - helping you write your best!

From pre-application consulting and strategizing to essay and letter of recommendation editing, resumes, mock interviews, and wait-list tactics - we guide you through the application maze.

[Accepted]

Originally Posted by spran

hi jennifer, i am very much into the management and fund raising aspects and not the techie person. we are doing pretty good and are getting better and better by the day.we ae in the boomin wireless industry and we recently got into nasscom list of 100 top innovators etc. my sights are set on harvard, sloan kind of places. we are a 3 million dollar firm now. thanks in advance spran

Okay, Spran. If you are leading innovation, then I could definitely see you being able to make a strong case for MIT Sloan. HBS is always the more difficult battle, since you will need to demonstrate truly exceptional leadership. Seek those opportunities and make a real impact on the company's direction and positioning and you will be on your way.

Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
Accepted - helping you write your best!

From pre-application consulting and strategizing to essay and letter of recommendation editing, resumes, mock interviews, and wait-list tactics - we guide you through the application maze.

[Accepted]

Originally Posted by pradeep_si

Hi Jennifer
My name is Pradeep and I am from India. my profile:
Age-37 years
Experience - 15 years all in middle and senior management in India largest Public Sector Bank.
Academic - Average
Extra Carric- Average
GMAT- Q-49, V-32 Total 650/ AWA-4
I am applyng for HKU MBA, Miami University School of Business.
I want to specilize in finance and investment Banking.
What is my chance of getting into these college.
My future goal is: To get international exposure till the age of 45 by working in some good international bank and then become the entrepreneur.
Please advise me

Pradeep,
Your GMAT score seems fine for those programs. The biggest obstacle against you for them will be your age. I suggest you call the schools and find out if they consider you MBA material or would "prefer" you apply to an EMBA program given your age and years of experience. You may also want to consider pursuing a different degree, like a Master of Science in Finance, which would provide the finance education you are seeking (but less of the management training) with a smaller applicant pool to compete with.

Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
Accepted - helping you write your best!

From pre-application consulting and strategizing to essay and letter of recommendation editing, resumes, mock interviews, and wait-list tactics - we guide you through the application maze.

[Accepted]

Originally Posted by go_for_the_kill

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for the wonderful thread on pagalguy. Some of the information is very insightful.

I am interested in Full time MBA program starting in the fall of 2008.

Profile:
GMAT: 740 ( Q 50, V 40 AWA 5 )
TOEFL: 111
Bachelor of Engineering from National Institute of technology: 70% (aggregate percentage)
Academic achievements: Graduated with distinction, ranked in top 5%
Work Experience: 4 years by May 2008( Oracle India, Enterprise Applications )
Work Achievements: Have done a lot except for programming.
Extra curriculars: Average
Community services: Part of Oracle Volunteers
Recommendations: Good, One from manager and one from another senior person in the organization.
Languages: Learning Spanish
Long term goals: Entrepreneurship

I have applied to Ross and Kelley in Round 2. Will be applying to Krannert (Purdue) and
Carlson (Minessota) as well.

Please evaluate my profile and let me know my chances in the schools mentioned above.
I don't want to delay my MBA and have to start in the fall of 2008.

Eagerly awaiting your reply.

Thanks a lot.

Go for the kill,
I believe that you mean you are not a programmer per se, right? Your comment "Have done a lot except for programming" was a little confusing for me. If I understand correctly and you are helping guide Oracle's strategy and are able to share examples of collaborating globally and leading in the community, then you should be able to demonstrate to these schools that you will fit in well and lead a thriving management career in the future. The key is in selecting the most powerful stories of your leadership and impact.

Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
Accepted - helping you write your best!

From pre-application consulting and strategizing to essay and letter of recommendation editing, resumes, mock interviews, and wait-list tactics - we guide you through the application maze.

[go_for_the_kill]

You understood it correctly Jennifer. Thanks a lot.

It will be great if you could analyze the essays for krannert (purdue). I could not find it on accepted.com.

Originally Posted by Accepted

Go for the kill,
I believe that you mean you are not a programmer per se, right? Your comment "Have done a lot except for programming" was a little confusing for me. If I understand correctly and you are helping guide Oracle's strategy and are able to share examples of collaborating globally and leading in the community, then you should be able to demonstrate to these schools that you will fit in well and lead a thriving management career in the future. The key is in selecting the most powerful stories of your leadership and impact.

Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
Accepted - helping you write your best!

From pre-application consulting and strategizing to essay and letter of recommendation editing, resumes, mock interviews, and wait-list tactics - we guide you through the application maze.

[bongarcon]

Hi Jennifer,

Many thanks for your efforts in clarifying our queries. I have a query, not on the application writing part, but on the admissions follow up part.

I have applied to the Rotman school of business, and have had my interview for the same. Rotman has a rolling admissions calendar, and so there was no fixed date for application submission or decision.

But I had applied in the very early dates, and am yet to hear from the school. The Adcom representative mentioned that I would be hearing from them in a couple of weeks time, which has elapsed and still no response.

Would you be aware if Rotman has a waitlist of students that aren't intimated of either an admit or a reject? If rejected, how soon would the decision be intimated to the student?

Also, how do you suggest I handle this issue? I have already corresponded with the admissions representative many times on this and I don't want to irritate her .

Thanks in advance for your inputs.

[princesomnath]

Hi Jennifer,

I was browsing this website and i noticed this useful thread. I felt that you have the right kind of authority and knowledge to help me out.

My profile :

GMAT Score ( 640 - 78 % , Q - 48 (85 %) V - 30 (57 %) AWA - 5.0)
TOEFL iBT (101).

Work Exp : 96 months of work experience in Information technology out of which 60 months in technical and architect role and 36 months in USA as Project/Program Manager for American express (via TCS) where i have led multimillion dollar projects with team size 80 to 100 people.

Awarded multiple times quality partner for outstanding performance from american express.

Education Background : BE in electrical from Jadavpur india (top 10). GPA - 3.01/4.

Co-Curricular : Ranked 31st among 1 lac student in X (1993).
Ranked 412 in JEE among 1 lac student in X (1996).
Awarded merits scolarship by govt of india.
Created co-operative society in my native village.
Served in literacy drive program.
Served in hurricane releif commitee.
Elected GS for College festival.


Schools applied :

Smith - Waitlisted (applied in round 2)
Foster school (UW) - Applied in round 1 Interviewed result pending. (went pretty well it was for one hour , Short tern and long term goal, market yourself, strong point, speciality of my leadership quality etc etc)
Carlson (UMN) - Applied in round 2 and yet to hear from them no interview call yet.
Terry (Georgia) - Applied in round 2 and yet to hear from them no interview call yet.
Kelly (Indiana) - Applied in round 1 and yet to hear from them no interview call yet.
Carroll (Boaston) - Applied in round 2 and yet to hear from them no interview call yet.

Can you provide me any pointer wht are my chances.

Thanks in advance
Somnath

[princesomnath]

Just to add i have solid recommendation from Directors of Fortune 500 companies.