Phd Operations Management,2011 (Profile Evaluation Request)

[smilingchin]

Hello Everyone,

Please provide me your feedback and guidance regarding the schools I should be applying based on my profile below:

Bachelors:

BTech : National Institute of Technology, India
Dept: Electronics & Communication Engineering
CGPA: 8.55/10.00 (with an average of 9.00/10.00 in final 4 semesters)

BTech Thesis: Developed Neural Network models for Time Series Forecasting and applied it predict stock market movements in leading stock indices


Masters:

MS: University of Texas at Austin, US
Dept: Operations Research & Industrial Engineering
Current GPA (after 2 semesters): 3.75/4.00 (Have taken 2 courses from B-school and got A in them)

MS Thesis: Working on a real world Multicommodity Network Flow problem under a professor from the OM department in the business school in collaboration with a railroad company.

Summer Internship: Worked as a Research Intern in the OR Department of a Railroad Company in US

TA: Served as a TA for two semesters in College of Natural Sciences at UT Austin

Projects: Other small projects on Revenue Optimization and Network Optimization as part of courses.

WORK Experience: Worked in India for two years in a Telecom Comsultancy company in their Service Management and Inventory Management division as a Business Analyst and designed and developed software solutions.

TEST Scores:

GRE : 1410 (Q: 800, V: 610, AWA:4.0)
TOEFL IBT: Earlier score expired, awaiting new score (Earlier score was :109/120)

Haven't given GMAT

Recos:

Two recos from UT Austin B-school profs (IROMS dept ,McCombs School of Business). One of them is my advisor and dean of business school.

One from the manager/director in the railroad company who have been funding me. (Manager : Masters in OR, Director : Phd in OR)

Tentative List :

1) UT Austin McCombs (Phd in OM)
2) UCLA, Anderson (Phd in OM)
3) NYU Stern (Phd in OM)
4) Duke, Fuqua School of Business (Phd in OM)
5) Maryland, Smith School of Business (Phd in OM)
6) Univ. of Pittsburgh,Katz (Phd in OM)
7) Univ. North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler (Phd in OM)
8) USC, Marshall (Phd in OM)
9) GATech , (Phd in OM)
10) Northwestern, Kellogh (Phd in OM)

Please let me know if this list if OK, and if possible your take on my chances. Also it will be really helpful if you can provide any changes to this list based on my profile.

Thanks for your help.

[OM guy]

Your background is very good! I recommend you include CMU . CMU & Duke & Maryland & UCLA& U of Michgan may have similar research fits with you so those would be good choice for you.
.

[smilingchin]

Thanks OMGuy for your reply. I checked out CMU OM program and that looks really nice. I am only worried about the extreme selectivity of these programs and whether my profile fits into those. Based on the same point, I also wanted some opinion whether these set of schools are good choices or may be I can attempt a bit higher ranges schools like Haas, UChicago or Columbia or on the other hand these itself are ambitious and I should look for some other schools.

Thanks again for your help

[smilingchin]

Please help guys...

[rsaylors]

First, assuming that you keep the same percentile on the GMAT your score would be about a 740; with a 3.4 UGGPA but if ad-coms simply convert they might take an average of the two and conclude you're a 700.

That would mean that these are all reasonable schools to apply to:
Alabama, University of, Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration Tuscaloosa, AL 100
Arizona, University of, Eller College of Management Tucson, AZ 100
California, Irvine, University of, Paul Merage School of Business Irvine, CA 100
Cincinnati, University of, College of Business Cincinnati, OH 100
Houston, University of, C.T. Bauer College of Business Houston, TX 100
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of, College of Business Champaign, IL 100
Indiana University, Bloomington/Indianapolis, Kelley School of Business Bloomington, IN 100
Michigan State University, Eli Broad College of Bus and Eli Broad Grad School of Mgt East Lansing, MI 100
Ohio State University, Max M. Fisher College of Business Columbus, OH 100
Oregon, University of, Charles H. Lundquist College of Business Eugene, OR 100
South Carolina, University of, Moore School of Business Columbia, SC 100
Tennessee at Knoxville, University of, College of Business Administration Knoxville, TN 100
Texas at Arlington, University of, College of Business Administration Arlington, TX 100
Texas Tech University, Jerry S. Rawls College of Business Administration Lubbock, TX 100
Washington University in St. Louis, Olin School of Business St. Louis, MO 100

[smilingchin]

Thanks rsaylors for your reply.

Are you saying that the universities I mentioned in the list are too ambitious for my profile?

I just wanted to ask because when I checked the universities you mention in your post, it seems they all fall a bit short in the rankings as well as research in OM from the universities I mentioned.

Requesting other seniors also to provide me some feedback on this.

Thanks again for your reply.

[rsaylors]

Apply everywhere that fits your specific research interest;

But the schools I suggested are within range for your scores, the ones you posted are not 'out of bounds' but they are high-end, so be safe.