Profile Evaluation_PhD in OB

[mp04]

Test Scores

: 336 GRE (167 VA, 169 QA, 5 AW)

Undergrad GPA

: 3.1 from Indian Institute of Management (one of the top 6 Indian business schools)

Research Experience

: 0

Work Experience

: 5 Years

Concentration Applying to

: Organization Behavior

Number of Programs Planned to Apply to

: 15 in top 25

Dream Schools

: MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth, Wharton, INSEAD

 

What made you want to pursue a PhD?

Love for teaching and the desire to have reading-writing-thinking life.

 

Questions or concerns you have about your profile?

My doubt is regarding my

suitability to the program I am applying to. When I looked at OB faculty in most schools profs have a background in Psychology or Sociology. Mine is engineering (besides B school) Is that a big factor? Also, 0 research experience.

 

 

[tm_associate]

You know, as much as I would like to inspire more confidence in the process of applicant recruiting, it's actually very random. Each year, the selection committee may be made up of different faculty members, and their priorities in what they view as "good" and what they want in the program may very. Sure, there's a general underlying trend, with very high variability, to what faculty view as a "good background", but you never know what part of your profile may stick out to a certain faculty member.

 

Regardless of what the existing faculties' backgrounds are, you have whatever experience you have. I would own your strengths (i.e., how your background is a strength to the field you want to go into) and show that you also know there are some weaknesses and how you believe the program itself can help address those.

 

Zero research experience is not necessarily bad. There are pros and cons to taking in applicants with a lot vs. no research experience (the ones that have a lot may be set in certain ways of doing things ... makes them harder to train out of potentially "bad" habits).

[ThePhDAspirant]

Go ahead and apply to your shortlisted schools.

 

Indians in management Ph.D programs in the US or elsewhere will largely have either an Engineering or Economics background. You have a decent GPA from an IIM. If you write your LOR well and get good reco's, you will get a serious look.

 

By the way there is a reason why most prof's have a Psych or Soc background. You will figure out why so, once you start your coursework. For now, dont let that bother you.

[mp04]

Thank you for your replies, tm_associate and ThePhDAspirant!