Anand, if you are trying to select a b-school based on your GMAT score, then you could look at any of the rankings - Business week, Economist, FT, US News (& on and on) - they will give you a fair idea of where you stand vis-a-vis the average score of the class.
However, you would be pumping in a lot of money in your education, so your decision should be a firm one, and based on other criteria - like what are your career goals, which b-schools will help you meet them, which b-school will get you a job after the MBA and where would you like to spend two important years. Once you know these answers, you may decide on certain schools, and if they have a higher mean GMAT score, then retaking GMAT can be a possibility.
With 26 months of work experience, you can still wait for another year - get more work exp. , better your GMAT and apply as a stronger candidate.
MBA Decoder
Hi
I have GMAT score of 660 ( gave in Oct 2008 )
I have professional work experience of 64 months as of now in the IT Services Sector.
Based on my profile , Please advise what are the good B-schools in India where i apply to ??
Thanks
I am Mohit Arora,an MBA & B.Tech .I want to pursue my studies further abroad. I am having 6 months teaching exp & Counselling students about SAT .
I am looking forward fr a great course that suits my credentials & help me begin a real great corporate life.I have a long term vision of starting my own firm 😃 .Please guide me
I am looking for programs in Marketing,Management,Entrepreneurship.Please guide me about the courses & tell the colleges that are good fr me
Hellooo
Here is my profile ;
tenth: 86
12th : 82
graduation: 56 % (first two years, will make it above 60 for sure by the last year ), BBA.
I am giving CAT this year but not expecting a very high score. So I am even trying to look up for a job to gain some work-ex. But I ahve heard that as per my profile I can get a job only in a call centre, which I don't want. Can you please suggest me some suitable way of finding and choosing a job for me. I mean, I am more intrested in finance. But something else would also do, if it's worth mentioning and learning from. Please guide me.
Thank you !
Hi,
I still don't have an idea what makes achieving the "MBA" tag such a discussed and well played topic everywhere around.I have never believed in studying management at a premium B-school without any ground work.
Now coming to the main point,have decent above average first class academics which have provided me enough satisfaction considering clearing 10th board was a mountain to climb and thus started off with a BPO job in the financial services sector to have a view of the Corporate world and thus ended up 1.4 yrs of experience with recession playing on the back of my mind and with an insomniac tag because of night shifts(which was a waste of time time except for the soft skills acquired).The small amount of money saved was invested into a venture and unfortunately could not achieve a break-even point and thus had to let it go cause of the larger risks involved.
My queries are when applying to the top B-schools in India what are the chances of someone like me with very average first class grades and with absolutely no co-curricular activities and how well does the institute consider the time spent in a field related to managing one's own venture,Considering my area of interest lie in fields such as Entrepreneurship as well as Finance. Many of the MBA's whom i have seen have gone onto pursue their venture(sales,manufacturing) plans even after studying MBA-Finance and thus what makes them study for an MBA if they all wanted was to start their own firm.
Thanks
Hi
I have GMAT score of 660 ( gave in Oct 2008 )
I have professional work experience of 64 months as of now in the IT Services Sector.
Based on my profile , Please advise what are the good B-schools in India where i apply to ??
Thanks
Pacific83, your choice of b-schools will depend on your post MBA career goals and the subjects you intend studying to gain the knowledge. There are one year post graduate courses by IIMs, ISB, SP Jain and Great Lakes among the known ones- you can start yoru search by looking at their websites.
Namita at MBA Decoder
I am Mohit Arora,an MBA & B.Tech .I want to pursue my studies further abroad. I am having 6 months teaching exp & Counselling students about SAT .
I am looking forward fr a great course that suits my credentials & help me begin a real great corporate life.I have a long term vision of starting my own firm 😃 .Please guide me
I am looking for programs in Marketing,Management,Entrepreneurship.Please guide me about the courses & tell the colleges that are good fr me
Mohit,
You'll get more value out of the MBA if you have gained some work experience and are able to relate the concepts being taught in class with your field knowledge. Six months of work experience is a little less to get that understanding of the work culture.
Therefore my suggestion to you would be to work for a few more years, understand what you want to do with your career and then apply for MBA. This will also give you a clariy whether you want to be in marketing or management or do something entrepreneurial.
Most b-schools outside India would expect you to have 2-3 years of work experience, thought it is generally not a requirement. So even if you apply now, they would really like to see you as an exceptional candidate before giving you a seat.
MBA Decoder
I still don't have an idea what makes achieving the "MBA" tag such a discussed and well played topic everywhere around.I have never believed in studying management at a premium B-school without any ground work.
Qkhan, you are on the right track. When you are investing 2 years in an education, and lakhs of rupees, you should be doing your groundwork on whether yo need the education at all.
Business schools take entrepreneurship very seriously, and do groom students for starting their own ventures: there are electives on entrepreneurship, business plan competitions, Clubs and other academic/ extra curricular activities related to starting your venture. Infact is it also a good place to develop and test your ideas and network with students who could become part of your start up. Most b-schools have centres for entrepreneurship that will give you tremnedous support in your venture.
So while you may have interesting insights and learning from your own venture, attending a b-school will help you get further perspective on them - by giving you grounding in all apsects of running a business - funding, marketing, operations, resource management etc.
MBA Decoder
Hello Experts
I have appeared for cat yesterday, and I believe and expect a percentile of 92 to 96(vague idea as lot of scaling of scores to be done in cat results)
with exp of 4 yrs in IT, please advice me where should I apply, to get calls for eg. IIM/MDI/SPJain/Great Lakes/IMT regular/executive programs
plz help
PS: i havent filled/applied to any college form till now
cat2009 -94.34%ile
cat2010 - not appeared
Sameer Bhaiya Namaskar....
Margdarshan ke liye dhanywaad...
:
As, I am in receipt of a Bihar Government Scholarship to do an MBA from abroad which will cover my whole tuition fees as well as my personal sustenance allowance at any of the B School abroad...
Hats off to the gentleman in the Bihar govt who approved that sponsorship plan. I'm pleasantly surprised. Looks like Gujarat will have some serious competition on the development scene.
How are the MBA Entrepreneurship Programs at the top B schools? Will i be able to come back with any knowledge of Business at the positive side and contribute to Bihar at Grass Root Level?Yes to the first question, not much for the latter. You will learn a lot of business and 'best practices' which is another term to refer to stuff that's worked in other places.
Your challenge would be to pick those up and either discard or twist them to fit the requirements of Bihar. If you do that well, they'll write a case study on you in a few years.
Humare yaha toh humari pyaari Bhainsiya hai...aap kahe toh aapke paas bhijwa de....Shukriya janaab. I'll start planning to put my cow up for adoption. I will also start thinking about what to do with the value added products (ghee, curd, paneer) I'll start getting along with the high-fat milk.
Entrepreneurial thinking at the grassroot level! ;-)
- Sameer
Founder | MBA Crystal Ball
Hello im a final year Bcom student got a 660 on my gmat
expecting 95+%tile on my CAT
i want to be an entrepreneur and have a great idea to work on!
but i want to finish my MBA/MS before i start with my business as my parents say once i start my business there will be no return to studies and i may repent later.
i have applied to some b schools in India.
thinking of applying for an MS abroad too. as MBA requires work experience
But i have only 15 years of education yet so which colleges may accept me for their MS programme and how is an MS in business management compared to an MBA?
Dear consultants,
Could you please help me make a critical decision?
I gave my GMAT on 7th Nov 2011 and scored 700 ( QA50, VA 34). AWA score is awaited.
I want to apply to ISB in R2. Would be grateful if you could evaluate my profile and tell me what my chances are, especially with respect to ISB
XII (2004) - 76%
Graduation (2008 ) - B.Tech, Computer Science and Engineering - 70%
Currently working as a Software Engineer an IT firm, one of the top performers in the company. This is my second company.
Total work ex as on date - 3 years 6 months.
Extra curricular - Active participation in Sports
Would be grateful if you could evaluate my profile and let me know what my chances are and whether I should spend the next 20 days to prepare my essays to apply in R2 at ISB.
Also, please tell me which other programs i can apply to.. I am open to any location.
Many thanks.
I am 26 yrs old commerce graduate and have a total of 5.5 years of experience.
:
On the education front, I have poor acads and that's where I am concerned and want to know if I have any realistic chance of getting into a top B school.
:
Thanks for reminding me about this one. Seems like it slipped through the cracks.
The 10th/12th marks aren't relevant, but your graduation grades are. It tells Adcoms that you have the capability to do well in an academic environment. Some have a cut-off e.g. equivalent of a 1st class. Others are a little more flexible. The application pre-requisities of school websites will generally carry this info.
Should I start preparing for GMAT and completely concentrate on it or I must do a course like CFA (atleast Level 1) to convince about my abilities to study before applying for any B school and appering for GMAT?Nothing else (including the GMAT or additional certifications) can truly wipe out a less-than-spectacular academic performance. But you can use the GMAT to allay their fears partially. It's the only part of your application that you can fix easily. So do give it a shot.
The CFA is a more expensive and longer term investment. So start it only if you think you can do justice to it and if it is aligned with your long term goals (which you haven't talked about in your original post).
Have good Extra Curricular and have played cricket at national level on many occasions with many other achievements. This is one reason for having poor acads as I was trying to make career in cricket and spent more than 10 years of my life in cricketIf you have made a mark on the National level, that's good. Use the optional essay to explain it, like you've done here.
Do focus on the macro vision as well, or else the application can end up sounding like one big justification story.
- SK
Hellooo
Here is my profile ;
tenth: 86
12th : 82
graduation: 56 % (first two years, will make it above 60 for sure by the last year ), BBA.
I am giving CAT this year but not expecting a very high score. So I am even trying to look up for a job to gain some work-ex. But I ahve heard that as per my profile I can get a job only in a call centre, which I don't want. Can you please suggest me some suitable way of finding and choosing a job for me. I mean, I am more intrested in finance. But something else would also do, if it's worth mentioning and learning from. Please guide me.
Thank you !
The best option available to you is writing papers of Probationary Officers / Management Trainees of different Nationalized Banks.
Thanks for reminding me about this one. Seems like it slipped through the cracks.
The 10th/12th marks aren't relevant, but your graduation grades are. It tells Adcoms that you have the capability to do well in an academic environment. Some have a cut-off e.g. equivalent of a 1st class. Others are a little more flexible. The application pre-requisities of school websites will generally carry this info.
Nothing else (including the GMAT or additional certifications) can truly wipe out a less-than-spectacular academic performance. But you can use the GMAT to allay their fears partially. It's the only part of your application that you can fix easily. So do give it a shot.
The CFA is a more expensive and longer term investment. So start it only if you think you can do justice to it and if it is aligned with your long term goals (which you haven't talked about in your original post).
If you have made a mark on the National level, that's good. Use the optional essay to explain it, like you've done here.
Do focus on the macro vision as well, or else the application can end up sounding like one big justification story.
- SK
Thanks for answering Sameer. One last question before I invest my next 4 months in GMAT. My first choice is ISB. How flexible/lenient are they with respect to acads?Can I expect a call from ISB provided I get a good GMAT score or it's next to impossible like with IIM A and B (as per some PG experts)
Regards,
Shukriya janaab. I'll start planning to put my cow up for adoption. I will also start thinking about what to do with the value added products (ghee, curd, paneer) I'll start getting along with the high-fat milk.
Entrepreneurial thinking at the grassroot level! ;-)
Dhanyavaad Sameer Bhaiyaji, Margdarshan ke liye. Aapke Charano me Parnaam.
Ghost
Hi,
I am having 3 years of work experience in IT firm and gave GMAT. GMAT score is 640 and AWA is 5.0. My IELTS score is 7.5. Am I applicable for the following universities:-
1. Schulich School of Business
2. Rotman School of Business, Canada
3. Queens School, Canada
4. Nanyang school, Singapore
5. Richard Ivey School of Business.
Could you please suggest which universities should i apply?
Thanks for answering Sameer.
:
Can I expect a call from ISB provided I get a good GMAT score or it's next to impossible like with IIM A and B (as per some PG experts)
With or without good acads, it's always going to be a rough ride for schools like ISB. If it's on your high-priority list, I'd say go ahead and apply. Give them reasons to call you for an interview.
Don't let your pre-conceived notions knock you out of the game before it has started.
- SK
I have been looking for a thread like this for quite a while.... 
Hi Sameer,
My profile:
X- 82% (CBSE)
XII- 71 (CBSE)
BBA (2006-09)- 60.5% (I.P. Univ.)
1-yr Post Grad Diploma in Financial Planning (ICoFP..autonomous) :|
Certifications from NCFM (capital market, derivatives)...NISM (Mutual Funds)
1 month classroom cert. in Entrepreneurship Operations from DMS (IIT-Delhi).
Work-ex:
1 year....Marketing/Business development (Manpower management firm)
4 months(and running) as Financial Planning Specialist/Analyst @ Ameriprise Financial Inc. (US-Based MNC)
I just appeared for my 4th CAT.....expecting around 90-95 (got 91 last year) :splat:
Also, I will be appearing for GMAT next year (for 2013 intake)..... and aiming for colleges in Canada (like Schulich, Richard Ivey)....Asia (Nanyang, NUS to name a few).....and few in US.. (No idea about options in Europe)
PLEASE suggest me a plan of action (which forms to fill for CAT...and what should be my target for GMAT)....
Also, since I have some time before I apply for GMAT colleges, HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY PROFILE (extra curricular, academics).... Suggest some colleges which can give a decent schol.
And lastly, MOST of the colleges in USA require 16yrs degree education. I have a 3-yr BBA...and my PG won't count since it is autonomous. WHAT SHOULD I DO regarding this..??
Too many questions, I know....but I AM confused about GMAT...!!!
Thanks n Regards... 😃
Hi
I would like to have your feedback on my chances of making it to the top US Business Schools, especially those with a focus on Consulting / Leadership & Strategy roles.
My profile is as follows:
- Indian, Male, 31 years (32 by 2012 admission intake)
- GMAT - 700 (90%), Q-49 (86%), V-35 (73%)
- Bachelor's GPA - SRCC, 67% marks (2000)
- Post Graduation - MBA from IIFT (a Top 10 Indian Business School), GPA 4.2 / 6.0 (2002)
- CFA Level III Candidate
- Work experience - 9 years (as on Nov, 2011). Worked in UK, China & India.
Current (2009 onwards): Private Banker (HSBC, India). Client Acquisition and Portfolio management Previous (2005-200
: Private Banker (ICICI Bank, UK). Client Acquisition and Portfolio management
First Job (2002-2004): Export Manager (Apollo Tyres, China). Business development for export markets
- Leadership Roles:
Handled China export operations for a 5-member team (2003-04)
Set up Private Banking office for ICICI in UK (2006)
- Extra curricular activities: Teaching under-privileged
Target B-Schools: Top 10 US B Schools, with focus on Consulting / Strategy & Leadership careers. LBS, Insead
Career Progression post-MBA: Short-term Consulting. Long-term - Leadership/Entreprenuership
I need your guidance on the following aspects:
1. Which B Schools should I target with my current profile? Which amongst top 5 (HBS/Wharton/Stanford/Booth/Kellogg) shall I rule out?
2. Any positives / negatives associated with 2nd MBA, 9 years work-ex?
3. I want consulting to be my post-MBA job. However, I will be 34 years by then. How difficult will it be to get into consulting post-MBA?
Please let me know, if you need any more information. Any suggestions and comments are welcome. Thanks in advance for your inputs!
Best regards
Amit Goel