GMAT
2nd Attempt - 660 (Q 49 , V 32 , AWA - 5.5)
1st Attempet -550 (Q 42 , V 25 , AWA - 4.5)

TOEFL - 110

Academic background
>> BE Electronics & Communication. GPA - 3.7/4 Gold Medal for topping class (college level). University level rank - 14.
>> MBA from BIM. GPA - 3.4 / 4. University level rank - 12.

Total years of experience - 9.5 years
>> Senior consultant involved in implementation of packaged ERP software for major clients in Fortune 500 list
>> 7 + years of Consulting experience and 2 + years of experience in product management & business analytics
>> Project Management experience and team management skills
>> Multi-cultural exposure - Worked in deployments across Mexico, US and handled clients in Europe (Spain) and China as well
>> Good leadership experience - led several projects and experience in handling culturally diverse teams (approximate team size - 7 comprised of BE graduates)
>> Product management & business analytics exposure in early career
>> 4 promotions across 9+ years
>> Won several awards in "Director's Award" category for successful execution of projects and consistently been rated as "Star performer"

Extracurricular
• Diploma holder in Carnatic Violin.
• Headed the BISMARC (Marketing Club) at B.I.M and conducted several events
• Member of ZETETICA (HR Club) at B.I.M. and conducted several events
• Avid reader – active member of book clubs and conduct reviews and book discussions.
• Astronomy enthusiast - part of Astronomy club in Chennai
• Member of NGO initiative at current firm – Active member in activities such as literacy campaigns, Go-green initiatives etc
• Experience in handling event management as an additional responsibility in several corporate events such as Annual Goal Kick off presided by Directors of the company.

Target Schools
>> IE - Spain
>> ESADE - Spain
>> Emory
>> Cornell
>> Cambridge
>> Wharton
>> Babson
>> Warwick

Planning for a 1yr program and will apply to around 6 schools based on fit.

Please help me with my profile evaluation and my fit for the above schools. Or should I target schools with lesser ranking to have high chances of admission?

Thanks in advance !

Hi mailtoreenaj

Thanks for writing in. Great to see you were able to improve your GMAT score so significantly in your second try! I do see a few red flags in your application.

For one you are likely a bit older than the median age at most schools. This is not a dealbreaker, but something you should at least be aware of. International schools tend to be more receptive to older candidates, and we have a great blog post to help with that:
http://www.mbamission.com/blog/2009/12/ ... m-too-old/

I also am concerned that you're describing your experience in a way that is not going to resonate with your admissions officer. Try to explain your job and responsibilities in vernacular, rather than industry-specific terms, as there is a good chance your reader is not experienced with your line of work.

From your list, I think Wharton and Cornell are likely far-reach schools. Your best chance to be competitve is most likely at the likes of IE, ESADE and Babson. Look for what each school offers that matches your specific interests and focus on that in your essays in order to show the school is a good match -- this will be very helpful in your application.

Best of luck,

Daniel Richards
http://www.mbamission.com

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