I’m planning to apply to MIT, Wharton, Stern, and Tuck in round 2 this year. Can someone evaluate my profile for these schools, please?
Age: 27
Nationality: …
GMAT: 740 (Q 50, V 39)
Undergrad from a reputed university in ABC country with a GPA of 8/ 10 (top 10% in the class)
Extracurricular activities:
Read moreYou’re through your GMAT with an expected score, and with that you’ve taken a firm step toward getting accepted to one or more MBA programs of choice.
And, then, while finalizing (sometimes at a later stage) the target schools, you’re surprised to find that you’re at a disadvantage or not even eligible to apply to a particular school because you don’t have a four-year undergraduate degree.
Read moreAre you facing the dilemma as to which test – GMAT or GRE – to write when applying to MBA programs?
It was a straightforward choice – GMAT – before 2009, as GRE wasn’t an accepted test for admission to MBA programs then. In the initial years of its existence too, GRE didn’t pose much of a dilemma to the applicants, as not too many programs accepted GRE score.
But it has changed dramatically in the last few years: according to Kaplan 2014 survey 85% of MBA programs accepted (at the time of survey) both the scores in contrast to only 24% in 2009. 85% practically covers any MBA program of repute, and hence the problem of some of your target schools not accepting a GRE score, for all practical purpose, is gone now.
So, which of the two to write when you’re applying to MBA programs? Here are few broad guidelines that you can evaluate your decision against:
Read moreHere is an example of strategy for an application with two major weak areas – high age and extremely low GPA. GMAT was above the median, but not too high.
Read moreYou’ve an MBA degree and have worked for 4 years now, but you aren’t satisfied with your career- either you didn’t get the right opportunities post-first-MBA or, after few years, you found that this industry isn’t your true calling.
It’s now or never, and the best option that comes to your mind is doing a second MBA, preferably from U.S. or Europe.
But unfortunately, many international MBA programs don’t accept applicants who already have an MBA. Some accept with riders. And some unconditionally. But even those who accept, want to know why you are pursuing a second MBA, after all it’s not common. That way, they’ve raised the bar higher for you. Made an already competitive process, even tougher.
But it can be negotiated if you focus on the right reasons for pursuing a second MBA.
Read more
