CMU / Tepper - 06-05-2018 | Clear Admit ApplyWire

June 5, 2018 9:16am ET

Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Emory / Goizueta, Indiana / Kelley, London Business School, Michigan / Ross, NYU Stern, UT Austin / McCombs

Intake Year: 2019

Pre-MBA Career: Environmental Consultant

Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting Companies: Booz Allen Hamilton , BCG , Deloitte , Ernst & Young , PWC

GMAT: 690

GPA: 3.1

Years of Work Experience: 6

Location: USA

Post MBA Location: USA, UK

Notes:

Trying to get some feedback on whether I am overshooting with my choices. I have good ECs such as volunteering and sports. Will be applying in Round 1. May be able to squeeze in another GMAT attempt before then.

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Show Comments (5) Last: June 8, 2018

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1577 If you can retake the GMAT and improve by 20-30 points, that might have an overall impact on admissions. It might also help with consulting recruiting. Your GPA is also on the lower end of admits, which might make the GMAT more important, have you taken any additional coursework? Can you show real impact at work? For your ECs, beyond volunteering (which is good), any additional impact/leadership? Regarding applying in Round 1, it should really only be necessary if you are from a competitive profile (Indian national, male, IT etc). The schools you have listed are a decent spread. With your current numbers, T16 might be tough, but the next tier might be doable. You do have time to strengthen things. (0)

anon24028 Verified User. Likes Earned: 8 I agree with Alex! Being an environmental consultant should help you stand out, but make sure you can quantify your achievements and impact in an accessible way--I think you may need to "wow" them a bit more with other elements of your candidacy because your GMAT and GPA are not homeruns. You also really need to be able to prove your quant skills + that you'll be able to handle the coursework. A GMAT retake would be a good idea, or taking some quant courses. (0)

anon15707 Likes Earned: 0 Thanks for your response. To answer some of your questions Alex- I have an engineering background (chemical) no additional coursework since then. Can show significant and quantifiable impact at work with good recs. I am an Indian male working in the US so am aiming for R1. Would enrolling for online courses at this point help? GMAT - my best quantitative was Q49 and best verbal was V41. Just haven't been able to put those together but I plan to give it another go. (0)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1577 Chem E is good, tough degree. Yes, apply in R1, as an Indian male. Retaking the GMAT again is good. A 20 point gain would do wonders for these programs. Online courses may help, if there's an obvious weakness from your transcript. I imagine you have plenty of quant from your engineering degree. Maybe 1-2 biz related courses, get straight As, indicating a solid transition to MBA. Improved test score would have more impact, most likely. (0)

grichmond Verified User. Likes Earned: 1151 Thanks for sharing your profile. You have a nice selection of programs on your target list - with some 'reaches' in LBS/Stern/Ross, and some safer bets in Kelley and Emory. I do think that your GPA/GMAT tandem may prove challenging as an Indian male, given the level of competition in that segment of the applicant pool (and the fact that even lower ranked schools often have their pick of Indian male applicants with solid numbers). Alex also makes an important point about the value of a strong GMAT score when recruiting at top consulting firms like BCG...so there could be additional reasons to seek a boost in your score. Best of luck! (0)