Advice needed ( GMATBong pls advice )

[maelstrom]

Hi All,

Here is my profile:-

Education - Computer Science and Engineering ( Non - IIT ) good GPA

Pursuing Master in Business Law course ( distance education program ).

Work Experience - Worked for a Software MNC as a software developer for almost a year. Actively took part in recruiting; was also given a medal for my recruiting prowess

Quit my job recently to help manage a small factory that a cousin of mine is starting. We are starting work on ISO certification of the plant now. The switch from software was done basically to differentiate myself from the Indian IT crowd. Moreover I plan to specialise in enterpraunership and I thought the factory experience would prove valuable in the long run.

GMAT score - 720

Volunteer experience - Worked on a databse project for a governement hospital. Teach destitute children on weekends.

Extra - Curriculars - Have been playing the sitar from a few years. Have played once on AIR, But havent done anything spectacular.

Here are my questions :-
1. With no "wow-factors" on my resume, will I be competitive in B-Schools ranked 15 - 30 ( McCombs, Georgetown, Uni of Southern Cali )
2. I plan to apply for the 2006 fall program. By then I will have only 2 years of work experience. Is this too less? Should I wait for one more year and apply in 2007?

Thanks in advance.

- Maelstrom

[GMATbong]

This is interesting... since when I became advisor but I will give my 2 -cents just for kicks.

> Education - Computer Science and Engineering ( Non - IIT ) good GPA

Define good. top 10%, 20% or 50% of your class rank? IIT is not that important once you are out of the top-5(M7) schools. So unless your dream is H/S/W, this should not affect much. Having said that, it's also what you do after school that matter most.

>Pursuing Master in Business Law course ( distance education program ).

OK. But I guess how you tie this into your essay is more important rather than just telling them you are doing this.

>Work Experience - Worked for a Software MNC as a software developer for >almost a year. Actively took part in recruiting; was also given a medal for my >recruiting prowess
> GMAT score - 720
Not being too cynical but ... career ok, gmat ok like many other desi. A little bit young?

>Quit my job recently to help manage a small factory that a cousin of mine is >starting. We are starting work on ISO certification of the plant now. The >switch from software was done basically to differentiate myself from the >Indian IT crowd. Moreover I plan to specialise in enterpraunership and I >thought the factory experience would prove valuable in the long run.
>Volunteer experience - Worked on a databse project for a governement >hospital. Teach destitute children on weekends.
>Extra - Curriculars - Have been playing the sitar from a few years. Have >played once on AIR, But havent done anything spectacular.

spin spin spin.... I think you do have the wow factor depends on "how" you spin it. The quiting and helping to start a small factory certainly set you apart from those who went to US as IT consultants. And cool, I don't think most earthlings play sitar and this will really set you apart. Now, go spin them in your app.

>Here are my questions :-
>1. With no "wow-factors" on my resume, will I be competitive in B-Schools >ranked 15 - 30 ( McCombs, Georgetown, Uni of Southern Cali )

Actually you do seems to have it, the wow factor, if you play it right. It's like poker, how you show your cards will paint a very diff pic of who you are.

>2. I plan to apply for the 2006 fall program. By then I will have only 2 years >of work experience. Is this too less? Should I wait for one more year and >apply in 2007?

A bit young but try H and S first. You have something most Desi IT doesn't have and you are now at the age sweet spot for H and S for year 2006. For other schools, you can try 2007. I can't say you can get into top-5 but I do think you can get in one of the top-10. Make sure you describe yourself as an entrepenaur and a risk taker (quiting your job and all), creative (playing sitar will do) and a leader (setting the company up).

Roger off...

[maelstrom]

Thanks for the help GMATBong

[maelstrom]

GMATBong, what are the chances of me getting into
1. U of Chicago
2. CMU
3. Purdue?

I want to specialize in General Management with a manufacturing + techno touch. Do these school s have a "special liking" towards youngesters like H/S?

To answer your question from the previous post, I was ranked 9/157 in the class. Aggre - 84%. Was ranked 65 among the 30,000 odd people who took up the Karnataka CET exams when I wrote.

Thanks for the help!

This is interesting... since when I became advisor but I will give my 2 -cents just for kicks.

> Education - Computer Science and Engineering ( Non - IIT ) good GPA

Define good. top 10%, 20% or 50% of your class rank? IIT is not that important once you are out of the top-5(M7) schools. So unless your dream is H/S/W, this should not affect much. Having said that, it's also what you do after school that matter most.

>Pursuing Master in Business Law course ( distance education program ).

OK. But I guess how you tie this into your essay is more important rather than just telling them you are doing this.

>Work Experience - Worked for a Software MNC as a software developer for >almost a year. Actively took part in recruiting; was also given a medal for my >recruiting prowess
> GMAT score - 720
Not being too cynical but ... career ok, gmat ok like many other desi. A little bit young?

>Quit my job recently to help manage a small factory that a cousin of mine is >starting. We are starting work on ISO certification of the plant now. The >switch from software was done basically to differentiate myself from the >Indian IT crowd. Moreover I plan to specialise in enterpraunership and I >thought the factory experience would prove valuable in the long run.
>Volunteer experience - Worked on a databse project for a governement >hospital. Teach destitute children on weekends.
>Extra - Curriculars - Have been playing the sitar from a few years. Have >played once on AIR, But havent done anything spectacular.

spin spin spin.... I think you do have the wow factor depends on "how" you spin it. The quiting and helping to start a small factory certainly set you apart from those who went to US as IT consultants. And cool, I don't think most earthlings play sitar and this will really set you apart. Now, go spin them in your app.

>Here are my questions :-
>1. With no "wow-factors" on my resume, will I be competitive in B-Schools >ranked 15 - 30 ( McCombs, Georgetown, Uni of Southern Cali )

Actually you do seems to have it, the wow factor, if you play it right. It's like poker, how you show your cards will paint a very diff pic of who you are.

>2. I plan to apply for the 2006 fall program. By then I will have only 2 years >of work experience. Is this too less? Should I wait for one more year and >apply in 2007?

A bit young but try H and S first. You have something most Desi IT doesn't have and you are now at the age sweet spot for H and S for year 2006. For other schools, you can try 2007. I can't say you can get into top-5 but I do think you can get in one of the top-10. Make sure you describe yourself as an entrepenaur and a risk taker (quiting your job and all), creative (playing sitar will do) and a leader (setting the company up).

Roger off...

[GMATbong]

Most school know the ranking of india university so you don't need to worry about that too much. And they will ask you for ranking in your class.

If you are looking at GM with manufacturing+ techno touch, I think CMU fits you better than the other two.

Chicago - They don't favor youngster like H/S however and most of them have 4-5 years of exp. and actually more mature.

CMU - CMU is netural on age and don't care about age but from what I have seen , they CARE a lot on stats or GMAT number among others

Purdue - don't know too much about the school but I do know they have high acceptance rate. Really purdue is in a tier that can have a lot of other substitude schools.

[maelstrom]

Thanks for the reply GMATBong. I have a couple of quick questions if you dont mind answering them.
1. GMATBong, you asked me to apply to H/S this year. But the main problem is I have changed jobs recently. I will have been an entrepreneur for less than 6 months if I apply to R-2. So I think it will be be difficult to “prove” that I have the heart of an entrepreneur after only a few months.

Will I lose my age advantage if I apply to H/S next year? ( I will be 23 this August )
2. Will publishing economic papers help? Or is my time better spent doing something else?

I posted this question on BW. But I am not getting consistent answers. While Linda says it may help, Alex says it wont. Sandy even went to the extent of saying that the adcoms may look at me as a confused person who really doesnt know what he wants to do.

Please help.

[GMATbong]

Agree, given the short time frame and you are applying for Bschool meaning that you will quit your venture before it really started. They will question "why now" when you can run your venture?

You will not lose "age advantage" at all if you apply next year. And I do think next year might be a better time for you to apply.

If you have the time publishing econ papers, why don't you have the time to do more in your own venture? or do more communities work?

I will go with Alex op. since he was in the same boat as you were when he applied from undergrad?

[CosmicRiddle]

Maelstorm,

1. With no "wow-factors" on my resume, will I be competitive in B-Schools ranked 15 - 30 ( McCombs, Georgetown, Uni of Southern Cali )

You shouldn't have problem in clearing the academic requirements of most of the Top 10 schools. I think most admissions committee also would like to talk to you, given the diversity of interests you have displayed both in academics and in profession. But that again could be your problem when you face the interview, where your career focus would be keenly judged. So from now on you should really start developing your essays on topics like Why MBA? Why now? Why "x" school? Somehow you should develop a story that connects your various career activities to a realistic short term/ long term career goal.

2. I plan to apply for the 2006 fall program. By then I will have only 2 years of work experience. Is this too less? Should I wait for one more year and apply in 2007?

I always hate to advise people to postpone their plans but in your case I do find some merit in waiting. You can use that period to work and demonstrate your commitment to your career development. But that again is just me. If you feel confident & ready to go .. Go ahead!

[maelstrom]

THanx Cosmic Riddle