Test Scores:
GMAT: 770
CAT 2013: 99.91 percentile in 175,000 students
Undegrad GPA:
Studied at a top 15 engineering college in India (around 98.2 percentile in the entrance test)
B.Tech in Biotechnology (GPA- 6.51/10), 3rd quartile in terms of ranking in class
Have taken courses in Advanced calculus, Linear Algebra, Numerical methods, Statistics and probability, and Economics
Grades in mathematics related subjects are average to bad, cleared all exams in first attempt though
Graduate GPA:
MBA from a top 5 business school in India, in a major Indian university
65.03 % marks (first division, second quartile in ranking in class)
Have taken courses on Strategy, Finance, and Micro and Macro economics
Grades in Strategy and Economics subjects are above average.
Additionaly, I cleared the CFA level 1 exam and the FRM level 2 exam.
Research Experience:
None, other than the masters dissertation.
Teaching Experience:
None
Concentration applying to:
Strategy, Strategy and Microeconomics, and Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Work Experience:
One year as a Management Consultant in a Big4 in India. Have worked two strategy and one operations and tax related project.
Number of programs planned to apply to: Not more than 4-5 (Most likely Kelogg, Insead, Judge, Columbia, and LBS
Dream Schools: Kellogg, Insead, Cambridge Judge
What made you want to pursue a PhD?
I've always dreamed of working in academia, and am an academically oriented person, even though my grades would suggest otherwise. Having worked in management consulting for a year, I've become familiar with how impactful business strategy decisions can be. I'm fairly certain I don't want to continue in management consulting, and the idea of academic freedom looks extremely appealing. Also, a friend recently got into Oxford on a Rhodes, and have heard great things from him about the PhD program. I really really like microeconomics but I realise that it'll be impossible for me to get into a proper Econ PhD at this point, so strategy is the closest thing to that. Ideally I'd want to work on a topic where sound knowledge of microeconomics is required.
The problem is that I don't have a great idea about the subject of strategy, or any idea about what my research proposal will be. For this, I'm studying strategy textbooks and also microeconomics text books. I plan to finish this by July end, after which I'll start reading research papers and start working on my research proposal.
Questions or concerns you have about your profile?
1. Do my bad grades basically kill my chances of a top notch PhD? Will my GMAT and CAT scores compensate for bad grades?
2. My dissertation during the masters is fairly weak. Would I need to provide the full length text of my dissertation during the application process? I will of course read up on the content of the dissertation in case I'm questioned on it during the interview.
3. I'm fairly strong at math, though again the grades may suggest otherwise, any way to highlight this? (My scores in GMAT and CAT for the quantitative section are great)
4. Are the applicants expected to be experts in their chosen field? For example, would someone applying to Strategy be expected to have a sound knowledge of the new and old theories and topics being currently researched in this field.
5. I'm a novice. I have no idea how the applications work. Should I approach my professors and see what they say?