I would really appreciate if you could take some time and evaluate my profile and provide me with some feedback. I am planning to apply for Fall 2011 session

Age: 29
Nationality: Indian Male
B.Tech from private school in Electronics and Communication - Avg 68%
M.S. in Electrical Engineering from USA (top 50 school) - GPA - 3.72/4.0 (A's in all but 1 class)
Was a Reseach Assistant during MS, worked on a project for NASA (thesis project), wrote and presented papers in conferences.

GMAT: 640 (Q46, V31) AWA 5.0

Work Exp:5 years (as of Sept 2010) in US
Working in an Avionics company (Pretty big name in avionics) in a team that builds GPS receivers for commercial aircrafts, my profile is completely NON Software, I work at the black box level on the System development life cycle. Basically working with customers, FAA to get requirements at high level, break them into SW and HW functionalities,work on design strategies, integration etc.


My Questions are:
1) I know I have a very weak GMAT but I have heard that schools considers low GMAT for people with diverse profiles/work ex, Will my profile/industry experience be considered “Different” and that different that it can offset the low GMAT?

2) I am thinking about taking GMAT again but not too sure if I will be able to take it before the deadlines, so in case I am not able to take it again, With this GMAT do I even stand a chance ?
I was thinking of applying to some schools in Europe/Asia and some in US region
What schools would you recommend I should aim at with this profile ? (I am more interested in Europe and Asia schools)

3) I am particularly inclined towards ISB, LBS and INSEAD. With my current profile What do you think my chances at these schools ?

4) I am trying to decide how can I best use the time between now and the time I apply, as in Do I go all out on working on Essays and preparing the application packet or Do I try to split the time between retaking the GMAT and Essays, application etc.

Thanks, I really appreciate your help.

Hi mayank.rastogi

1) It is true that GMAT is just one factor in admissions, and that candidates with unique backgrounds can overcome lower GMAT scores. I think your background/interest in avionics is a bit of a differentiator, but potentially not enough to overcome the a low GMAT by itself. While avionics is not a common post-MBA field, your experience is largely built on traditional business. This category of "different" is often used to candidates who are former professional athletes, dancers, etc.

2) There are plenty of schools that you can be competitive at with a 640 GMAT. Since I am not familiar with avionics programs, and not overly familiar with non-U.S schools, I am hesitant to give specific recommendations. Every school you potentially could be interested in should have the profile details of their recent admitted class online, which is a good way to benchmark where you stand competitively.

3) Similar to my above answer, I am hesitant to comment on specific schools. I am familiar with these programs though and believe they could be reaches given what I know about your profile.

4) You want to make sure you put your best overall application forward. Essays can be very time-consuming, and of course so is preparing for the GMAT. If your practice tests indicate you can raise your GMAT score significantly, you may want to try and get the test in again if you're thinking LBS/INSEAD are your top choices. Ultimately it is a personal decision based on your confidence in GMAT practice and ability to write good essays quickly.

Best of luck,

Daniel Richards
http://www.mbamission.com

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