Hello!

Earnest request to evaluate my profile for Full Time MBA programs. Thanks!
GMAT1: 670 q50 v31 AWA & IR: Awaited.


Background:
Passed out from top Engineering school of India (IIT Kanpur) in 2008. I have a GPA of 3.0/4.0 which is a little above the average score. My extra curricular are also average though I was awarded a Gold Medal by Aluminium association of India for my B.tech Project. I have attended many Research conference as well and presented my work.

At work place, i have been awarded couple of times for my work (Star of the quarter) and was promoted on Monetary terms. I think i can get good recommendations.

Work Profile: I have roughly 4.5 years of work Experience and currently working with a Private Bank as Senior Manager.

What kind of Universities should I focus on and what are my odds in Cornell?

I am confused if I should go for GMAT again as this would be my 4th attempt. Please suggest

I have attended the Cornell Johnson Information session, its been wonderful experience

I dont even see the 'edit post' button !!!

Errr.... why ain't the line breaks and spacings not working? Tried to edit the above post of mine a dozen times!

Hello people..... my name's AK and I would love to get into Cornell. Will be appin' to couple of other US MBAs too.... but Cornell is special. Been to upstate New York in Summer 2004 and loved the whole vibe there.


I've a problem.... got a bit of a "mixed" record you see.... and would like to know if I make the cut. Current student, appin' eterans and fellow aspirants, please take a dekho.
Sorry.... long post ahead!


GMAT-TOEFL:
I haven't written my GMAT and TOEFL yet, scheduled for September 1st week and August end respectively. I dont expect any problems in TOEFL.... aced it once a long time ago. But still slugging on it.... you never know! GMAT is an entirely different beast though..... I'm *most* wary, despite a month of preps.



ACADEMICS:

1. X/XII: 89.5%, 78%

2. BTech in EEE from a reputed (A+) engineering program: 70% aggregate (my univ is notorious when it comes to giving grades)

3. M.S. from a A++ level US university in Aerospace Engineering (Controls): GPA 2.9/4.0. Course requirements not complete!

Now the MS part is *the* blemish; got into a Kill-or-be-Killed department (with grading on a curve that is!) that was never my core discipline...... and populated by hardcore rocket scientists with MIT/Shanghai TJiao ong/ASU/Berkeley/General Dynamics/Teledyne/Boeing/ityadi pedigrees. I got into this different discipline in the first place due to the Controls stream I took in BTech and the odd mechanical courses I had opted for..... and my rather impressive 1 year BTech project on missile guidance algorithms with a major government agency.

First Sem was a disaster (didn't fail in any though!) and though I could pick up to B+ levels in the following 2 semesters I had to leave the course before I could attend a core course AND pull my GPA over 3.0. This was due to a crisis back home and I HAD to tend to...... in and out of the US in like 16 months.


PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS:
None.
Yeah yeah.... I know......

WORK EXPERIENCE:
Total experience of 6 years right now (with 4 yrs in Middle East and East Asia).

I'm in the power & utilities industry and specialize in control & automation. electrical switchgear (MV/LV) and a little bit of fiber optic/radio communications. Two years in India..... feasibility studies, risk analysis and design & engineering for power sector E.P.C AND engineering review and inspection & testing tours (BHEL/BEL units and some private manufacturers) for EPCM/power sector consultancy.
After all this I did about another couple of yrs in Dubai with a electrical and Control-Automation subcontractor (subsidiary of an engineering MNC) for the water, waste water & pipelines sector. Here my job was design & engineering AND estimation for projects in the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.
I'm currently in East Asia as a Senior Engineer in a 2.0 Billion (for 1st phase only) USD project . I wear two hats now - one is design & engineering/estimation/engineering risk analysis and the other is estimation & procurement.


CERTIFICATIONS:
Certified in multiple PLC/DCS/SCADA systems (Rockwell, Siemens, Emerson and Schneider-Electric)
Attended training seminars for Wonderware HMI/SCADA, Schnedier-Electric Drives and Power Systems SCADA.



EXTRA CURRICULAR:
Successful quiz career of 12 years.
Regional/National University level prizes. A.I.U, beetch3s!
Top slots (2nd or 3rd... never the 1st! Highly jinxed team!) in quizzes at IIT-Chennai & IIT-Mumbai.
Topped quite a few other major quizzes.
[There's a problem though..... lost a couple of the heavy hitter certificates somewhere in the US! Guess it's as good as not listing them, right?! I mean, they will need proof right?]

I was quite active in student politics through college.... and I am a veteran of 2 election campaigns with the student's wing. Honest! In fact before my assignment in East Asia I devoted about 4 months for the party youth wing's social services activities.... in advance of the looming elections.
I can give references but does this get the same "weightage" an NGO reference gets?



FINANCES:
My pedigree's quite..... patrician and got pretty good finances. I have saved a tidy bit too.... after that sunken expenses for M.S.


Thank you for your patience! So, what do puys think? Any chance?
-AK

All the AMBAs I know have a masters degree, not having one would severely disadvantage / handicap your application. If the admissions office says that it is a prerequisite, then it is one. Sorry about that.

Jamiroquai Says

Do you have a masters degree?

No, I dont have any Master's degree. I am an Engineering graduate.

...
Does it mean that I am not eligible to apply for the particular course??? Bcoz, I dint see any such requirement anywhere on the site... Everywhere it is mentioned that it is ideal for a candidate to have Master's in Math / Science...
Is there any other way how I can be eligible to apply for the course??? I really was very hopeful of pursuing MBA from Cornell :(
Thanks.

Do you have a masters degree?

Jamiroquai Says

I think the best thing for you to do would be to write to the admissions committee to ask them. They're usually very responsive when it comes to general questions of this nature.

Hi Jamiroquai,
I mailed to gm-mba@cornell.edu on this query and this is what they replied...
In order to apply to the AMBA program you must have a masters in math or science. The program only starts in May.
Does it mean that I am not eligible to apply for the particular course??? Bcoz, I dint see any such requirement anywhere on the site... Everywhere it is mentioned that it is ideal for a candidate to have Master's in Math / Science...
Is there any other way how I can be eligible to apply for the course??? I really was very hopeful of pursuing MBA from Cornell :(
Thanks.

Hi Mani, Jamiroquai,

Could you pls help me clarify, if it is MUST for an AMBA aspirant to carry Master's degree in Maths or Science, OR even an engineering graduate with 10+yrs of experience also qualify for the course????

Thanks in advance!!!

I think the best thing for you to do would be to write to the admissions committee to ask them. They're usually very responsive when it comes to general questions of this nature.

Hi Puys,
Have the admit calls started? Anybody got admit calls.

Mani...

Hi Mani, Jamiroquai,

Could you pls help me clarify, if it is MUST for an AMBA aspirant to carry Master's degree in Maths or Science, OR even an engineering graduate with 10+yrs of experience also qualify for the course????

Thanks in advance!!!

Hi

Hi !

I am contemplating applying in 2013, please help evaluate my profile and advise which Univ's in US should I apply for MBA:

1. GMAT : 680/5.5

2. Qualifications: CFA Charter, CFA Institute, US, MBA - Finance (Distance Learning), Diploma in Revenue Management, Diploma in Marketing Management, Certified Personal Finance Advisor (NISM),

3. Experience: Self Employed -Family Business

4. Extras: Attended MDP at IIMA in 2008, Active Blogger - Blogsite receive 100-150 hits per day, writing a Quiz Book, Developed a proprietary model for commodities trading and applied patent for the same

Please advise whether I should improve my GMAT score or take a chance with this score?

Thanks

Hi I am a Round 2 applicant , submitted my application way back on 30th Nov .... have not yet heard from Cornell... mailed them but got no response.

my profile:
Gmat : 720/4.5
Work ex : 5+ .. leading banks as Marketing Analyst
Acads : B.E ..average (X - 84%, XII - 77% )...
extra currics : Theater, and ngo experiances.. several company awards and national level school and college awards...

guys i have already received a dinge without interview from duke and stern and I am extremely skeptical from cornell too.... I don't know what is the problem with my profile though my essays were pretty strong .... i guess now it is too late to expect an i/v call since decision date is 28th feb... but it would really help if someone can help me understand what is the problem with my profile...not even an i/v call....

Hi

I am looking forward to applying in R3 to Cornell but need an advice on my profile.

Chemical Engineer - NIT - 7.54/10 GPA
GMAT - 670 (Q49, V33), awa 5.0, this is my highest score in 3 attempts:-(
Work Ex - 3 years by the time I join in operations in steel and clean fuel technology power generation.
Extra Curriculars - good (founded my college techfest and much more)
No association with any NGO though.

Is my profile competitive? Can you help me with essay question2?

Everything else sounds alright - but your GMAT score is too low for an engineer

Jamiroquai Says

Can't really say - the process is very flexible. I know people who've received interview calls a week before decisions have been announced. So hold on - and good luck!

Hi

I am looking forward to applying in R3 to Cornell but need an advice on my profile.

Chemical Engineer - NIT - 7.54/10 GPA
GMAT - 670 (Q49, V33), awa 5.0, this is my highest score in 3 attempts:-(
Work Ex - 3 years by the time I join in operations in steel and clean fuel technology power generation.
Extra Curriculars - good (founded my college techfest and much more)
No association with any NGO though.

Is my profile competitive? Can you help me with essay question2?

puy_abhi Says

Hey, thanks for the link! Is this good news or bad news for R2 applicants who have not got a call yet - meaning are they still reviewing applications or just the interviews of R2 applicants are left?

Can't really say - the process is very flexible. I know people who've received interview calls a week before decisions have been announced. So hold on - and good luck!

For those curious as to what's goin on:
Johnson at Cornell > Academic Programs > Full-Time MBA > Admissions > Admissions Blog - Admissions Blog

Hey, thanks for the link! Is this good news or bad news for R2 applicants who have not got a call yet - meaning are they still reviewing applications or just the interviews of R2 applicants are left?

For those curious as to what's goin on:
Johnson at Cornell > Academic Programs > Full-Time MBA > Admissions > Admissions Blog - Admissions Blog

chaitanya_rahul Says

is toefl compulsory??

No if the mode of instruction during your undergraduate education was English.

puy_abhi Says

Are the interview invites still pouring in or is it game over?

Someone on GMATClub posted that he got an interview invite today so looks like there's still hope.

is toefl compulsory??

Are the interview invites still pouring in or is it game over?

Mailed them last week, waiting for the reply.

redundant question

addiegloriam Says

Cornel has an accelerated MBA program ... Any idea as to whether a person with an existing MBA from an Indian school can apply for the same.

why don't you write to the admissions office and ask them. Admissions is always happy to get back to a good question because then it helps bring in a narrower and more desirable selection of candidates.

I'm sure they're sick of getting "evaluate my profile" and "when will the results be out" questions, lol

Cornel has an accelerated MBA program ... Any idea as to whether a person with an existing MBA from an Indian school can apply for the same.

puy_abhi Says

I hope they are sending in batches and ours is the next one :)

same here buddy.. lemme knw if u get one.. at least it will make things clear.. all the best !!

poly_wizkid Says

I wonder if they are sending out in batches.. any idea ??

I hope they are sending in batches and ours is the next one

puy_abhi Says

nope...not for me. still waiting!

I wonder if they are sending out in batches.. any idea ??

nope...not for me. still waiting!

guys.. anyone with an interview call (R2) yet ??? ..... they have started sending the invits ...

same here....fingers crossed!

Hi Puys,

I am an R2 applicant. Just wanted to know if interview invites for second round have started pouring in or not? If yes, is there still any hope left for an interview call?

Same question! My application status is "Currently Under Review". The Johnson thread on GMATClub suggests that interviews have begun for R2. I feel the holiday season may delay things though. Fingers crossed!

Hi Puys,

I am an R2 applicant. Just wanted to know if interview invites for second round have started pouring in or not? If yes, is there still any hope left for an interview call?

hi neosumit
R3 & R4 are tough rounds. Very very few internationals make it - and the ones that do are very strong candidates. Apply to R3 / R4 only if you have no other options.

Ohhh dear.

It hurts me badly.

I have 8+ years of experience in IT and Financial services firm - latest with a top US firm. 750 on the GMAT. Decent ECs.

Would that be competitive?

Now it seems that by the time of R3 very few seats are left...or that International 'pool' gets filled by that time. The yield of Cornell is close to 55% - would that be a case of why R3 candidates still have a chance?

I am planning to apply in Round 3.

Can someone please guide me if Round 3 is the round where maximum seats are reserved for applicants?
I would really like to have this information before applying to Cornell.

Cornell does not mention about the last date for Internationals applicants? So I assume they take International applicants even in Round 4.

Can an alumnus/current student answer my query?

Thanks for keeping this thread going!

hi neosumit
R3 & R4 are tough rounds. Very very few internationals make it - and the ones that do are very strong candidates. Apply to R3 / R4 only if you have no other options.

I am planning to apply in Round 3.

Can someone please guide me if Round 3 is the round where maximum seats are reserved for applicants?
I would really like to have this information before applying to Cornell.

Cornell does not mention about the last date for Internationals applicants? So I assume they take International applicants even in Round 4.

Can an alumnus/current student answer my query?

Thanks for keeping this thread going!

Congrats namsy..Hope to get an admit call too..feeling very anxious

Congrats Namsy - I'm sure you'll find the Johnson School to be one of the most inclusive when it comes to how well the AMBA program integrates into the 2-year MBA program. If you do decide that Johnson is the place you want to be for your AMBA, I would definitely recommend talking to couple of AMBAs from the 2011 batch regarding how they tackled the core and recruiting. I would urge you to start prep as soon as possible.

For everyone else - good luck. I've just started receiving emails from people who've got admits and who I have been advising. Admits will continue to come in over the next couple of days, so keep your fingers crossed.

For interview content, I suggest you look at the first few pages of this thread which I started 2 years ago in the hopes of sharing the information I had. I'm sure you'll find it very informative.

I received a phone call first...mail came much later at 3.30 in the night