@Daboo343,

Following MBA programs are considered good in Operations Management (in USA - assuming that's where you want to go school)
Top Tier:
MIT
Ross (U of Mich)
Tepper (CMU)

Mid tier
Krannet (Purdue)
Smeal (Penn State)
Broad (Mich State)
Fisher (Ohio State)
Carey (Arizona State)

Regional
UT Knoxville
Katz (Uni of Pittsburg) - (perhaps it's Mid Tier)

As per my experience your extra curricular stuff will kick in after you have satisfied the GMAT criteria. What I mean is that even though Mid Tier schools say that their average GMAT is 640/650, they expect higher GMAT scores from Indian Male candidates. Not all schools are sucker for higher GMAT scores though, and might actually view your application holistically.

Spread your risk, apply to 3-4 Mid Tier schools and 1-2 Regional schools. Write strong essays highlighting your skill set and extra curricular involvement. I assume you would be applying NOW for classes starting in Fall 2016. Then you need to work hard and fast as final deadlines for most schools would be 1st March to Mid March 2016.

If you want to apply for classes starting in Fall 2017. Then you have plenty of time - Online application usually starts sometime in August. Study Manhattan GMAT for improving your Verbal and you'll be a much stronger profile for Mid Tier schools with a higher GMAT. Also try for some additional certifications like Lean Six Sigma / Project Management Professionals etc. This would not only strengthen your profile for admissions but also help in your employment post MBA.

Good Luck

Yes, your GMAT score is rather low for the top schools that Ayon suggested. How many years of work experience do you have? If it's more than the average at these schools - Smeal's average is 4 years - and if you can demonstrate a strong upward career trajectory, then that might be able to mitigate a lower than average GMAT score.

However, as an Indian male with an engineering degree, you'll be compared to others in your peer group, who tend to have higher than average GMATs. Your profile will most likely count against you.

Ayon's Lean Six Sigma suggestion is a really good one.

Thank Ayon and Laurie
I have 5+ year of experience.

Hi,
Need some advice...

I am am Indian citizen and am presently serving in military in senior middle management role. I plan to change career after 20 years of service (compulsory under permanent commission) . I wish to do MBA from one of the worlds best schools but I am not sure which ones would like to consider my application favorably.

I graduated as engineer in electronics and communications engineering in year 1996 with 8.7 CPI (scale of 10). There after I joined Military.

In service during training I was in top 5% and received system of my choice to work on. Got engaged in maintenance management of fighter Aircraft. Graduated from O -Level (field level)to I-Level (in hangar detailed maintenance) maintaining an old fleet of ageing Aircraft. Worked against odds to keep them flying using best critical path and project management techniques to raise productivity of those under me (team of 250 technicians). My efforts were appreciated by Chief of Air Staff.

I also diversified my skills under military norms to manage Airfield Services (electronic equipment) as overall in-charge with a team of 50. I learned differences and soon build a robust infrastructure (within limited resources) to provide services all time and meet all users expectations from equipment.

Nine ears back I was chosen for a transformation project within organisation which is basically and MRO/EAM implementation to help better manage assets and their maintenance programs providing visibility and ensuring accountability. I worked from initial stage of generating interest among vendors, to RFP formulation, to technical evaluation , contract negotiation and now I am working on pilot implementation.

I have also done post graduation in engineering in year 2005-07 from one of India's best Indian Institute of Technology, where I was third in department with 9.34 CGPA.

I had earlier taken GMAT in 2012 and scored 690 ...I am planning to re-take GMAT and am targeting a higher score and feel it is achievable. My only trouble is which schools to target and to understand if my focus and efforts are in right direction. I find myself at crossroads and need direction.

I was considering MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Duke , Darden, IMD, IE, HEC , Warwick, Hanley, IE

From one of the school on my initial inquiry I got a clear message that application of a candidate with my sort of experience is unlikely to be considered for full time MBA and suggested Executive MBA. I staying in India can not attend many of the part time requirements of executive MBA and many best schools just don't have them in India. Further, Its going to be a big change in career for me I am keen to absorb needs of business world and a global perspective by being full time immersed in the course curriculum.. Post MBA I feel I may be most suitable in general management function and can easily become effective in tech company. Strategy and operations attract me but I still need to understand their full expectations in business world.

Please advice, is it worthwhile to try...

I think you're right to steer away from a part-time programme but it's true that most full-time MBAs will not be able to place you with a traditional MBA recruitment programme. Of the schools you mentioned, only Kellogg and MIT's one-year options seem suitable. Henley's one year full-time "executive" MBA would have ben perfect but that closed that several years ago.

The obvious courses for you are the Sloan Fellows programs (at MIT or London Business School); the degrees modeled on that (MSx at Stanford and the Nanyang Fellows MBA); the IBEAR MBA at USC; MBAs at schools with strong defence links (like Cranfield and Manchester in the UK); and mid-career degrees in public administration (such as at Harvard Kennedy and the Harvard-NUS degree); SAIS at Johns Hopkins and the Fletcher school at Tufts are also good choices. You are worth the most to firms in aerospace, so I also wonder about Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (http://worldwide.erau.edu/degrees-programs/colleges/business/index.html) and Toulouse Business School (http://www.tbs-mba.com/aerospace/)

Another option might be a non-degree fellowship. After two semesters at MIT, for example, you would become a full MIT alumnus http://mitsloan.mit.edu/visiting-fellows/curriculum/

@Avadhesh,

Firstly, Thank you for your service to our country.
Secondly, You have a good profile, work & life experiences and a decent GMAT score.

Thirdly, You would need to take some time to make up your mind on where you want to get your MBA? USA? Canada? UK? France? Spain?
This would help you shortlist schools. While the education might be comparable, macro economic and socio-economic factors vary greatly. For example between US and France.

The way I see it, MBA or any masters should be pursued to fill a skill gap. The skill gap that prevents a candidate to make a transition into his or her desired job. Salary, perks,career growth etc. are a byproduct of skills gained and applied. Immigration, work permits and language skills are other major factors

Fourth, This would be the most critical question that you need to ask yourself. What do you want to do? Do you have a specific job or role in mind? What triggered a need for change of career after 20 years? In general, it will be benefiting that your next career industry/role allows you to make use of your transferable skills.

E.g You most likely will not make a good Manager in an Accounting role in an audit firm. However, I can see that your skills are transferable for a Consulting role in a firm that engages in Military contracting.

Think hard about this, To illustrate; If you want to become a Principal at Booz Allen in Govt. / Military contracting then you would need to target schools from where Booz hires such candidates ~~ Usually in DC area (Georgetown maybe?)

P.S - I am unsure how will your military experience in India be viewed as by companies and countries. You may face visa issues, companies might be suspicious.

Good luck!

[quote]@Avadhesh,

Firstly, Thank you for your service to our country.
Secondly, You have a good profile, work & life experiences and a decent GMAT score.

Thirdly, You would need to take some time to make up your mind on where you want to get your MBA? USA? Canada? UK? France? Spain?
This would help you shortlist schools. While the education might be comparable, macro economic and socio-economic factors vary greatly. For example between US and France.

The way I see it, MBA or any masters should be pursued to fill a skill gap. The skill gap that prevents a candidate to make a transition into his or her desired job. Salary, perks,career growth etc. are a byproduct of skills gained and applied. Immigration, work permits and language skills are other major factors

Fourth, This would be the most critical question that you need to ask yourself. What do you want to do? Do you have a specific job or role in mind? What triggered a need for change of career after 20 years? In general, it will be benefiting that your next career industry/role allows you to make use of your transferable skills.

E.g You most likely will not make a good Manager in an Accounting role in an audit firm. However, I can see that your skills are transferable for a Consulting role in a firm that engages in Military contracting.

Think hard about this, To illustrate; If you want to become a Principal at Booz Allen in Govt. / Military contracting then you would need to target schools from where Booz hires such candidates ~~ Usually in DC area (Georgetown maybe?)

P.S - I am unsure how will your military experience in India be viewed as by companies and countries. You may face visa issues, companies might be suspicious.

Good luck! [/quote]

Thanks, Duncan for advice and suggestions. It would help me in narrowing my search for a suitable program. You have provided quite a list where I was wondering if any will meet my profile. Will come back for further help....

Thanks Ayon, the points you brought out are certainly pertinent. I was just caught between desire to attend one of the best school and upgrade my skills using best possible tools so that in short time I can make myself a contributing member of business world. However, what you have suggested are practical aspects I can certainly not afford to overlook. Which only means I need to think and research more. I will take the lead and work on. You may like to suggest me some reading ...posts or articles which help me in my research.....

Thanks