please evaluate my profile

sultan_of_...

12 23

Posted Jul 17, 2012 17:14

Hi,

I've just taken the GMAT and scored 640 (Q49 V29). This is definitely a poor score. However, I strongly believe that the GMAT is only a part of the application, so I do not intend to retake the GMAT.

I'm interested in the following schools:

Insead: As Insead is very GMAT-Oriented, I assume with 640, it is beyond reach. Therefore I will not apply and save my time and their time.

LBS. (My favorite school)
IMD.
HEC
Oxbridge
Cranfield
How would you assess my chances? Here is my profile:

Nationality:
Moroccan / African: African students are a minority in almost all MBA programs (US and EU).
I hold also the German Citizenship

Education :
Engineering Diploma in Energy from a German Engineering school (Duration= 5 years) GPA 3,8
Master Degree in Renewable Energy from a German University (Duration= 2 years) - GPA 4,0
Practical Industry experience during my study time:
3 Months at Teleplan in Germany = Internship
1 year Full Time at Siemens in Germany = Internship and Thesis
6 Months Full Time at Coherent in Germany = Internship
5 Months Part Time as a technical assistant within the University.

Work Experience:
6 years.
Company: Siemens (Germany)
3 years as a Project Manager (Energy Industry)
1,5 year as Project Engineer (Solar Industry)
1,5 years as a Senior Project Manager (Energy Industry)
´
Languages :
I speak 4 languages.

Many Thanks in advance.

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Jul 17, 2012 21:23

Take a look at http://www.find-mba.com/board/27082/ The GMAT is only one part, but it's the most important part. Assuming that you're a man, I don't think you can look much above schools with a 670 average.

Ignore schools in Tier 1; pick one stretch school from Tier 2 and then pick the rest from Tier 3.

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maubia

209 418

Posted Jul 17, 2012 22:09

If you feel comfortable you might try the Cranfield test instead of showing the GMAT

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ezra

521 711

Posted Jul 18, 2012 14:22

LBS. (My favorite school)
IMD.
HEC
Oxbridge
Cranfield

With a 640 GMAT these will all be reach schools - the only one you're competitive at would be HEC Paris. If you're not willing to retake the GMAT, I'd apply to that one, and maybe one or two other schools you'd be competitive at as safety schools (Manchester or Hult, for example.) Then maybe one long-shot school - although keep in mind that at a school like LBS, even the GMAT score of the bottom 10th percentile of admitted students is still 650.

<blockquote>
LBS. (My favorite school)
IMD.
HEC
Oxbridge
Cranfield
</blockquote>
With a 640 GMAT these will all be reach schools - the only one you're competitive at would be HEC Paris. If you're not willing to retake the GMAT, I'd apply to that one, and maybe one or two other schools you'd be competitive at as safety schools (Manchester or Hult, for example.) Then maybe one long-shot school - although keep in mind that at a school like LBS, even the GMAT score of the bottom 10th percentile of admitted students is still 650.

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sultan_of_...

12 23

Posted Oct 22, 2013 14:59

Take a look at http://www.find-mba.com/board/27082/ The GMAT is only one part, but it's the most important part. Assuming that you're a man, I don't think you can look much above schools with a 670 average.

Ignore schools in Tier 1; pick one stretch school from Tier 2 and then pick the rest from Tier 3.

I'm glad that I did not consider the list shown in www.find-mba.com/board/27082/

I could make it with scholarship to HEC Paris and with only a GMAT score of 640!

<blockquote>Take a look at http://www.find-mba.com/board/27082/ The GMAT is only one part, but it's the most important part. Assuming that you're a man, I don't think you can look much above schools with a 670 average.

Ignore schools in Tier 1; pick one stretch school from Tier 2 and then pick the rest from Tier 3.</blockquote>

I'm glad that I did not consider the list shown in www.find-mba.com/board/27082/

I could make it with scholarship to HEC Paris and with only a GMAT score of 640!

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jacksnap

6 11

Posted Oct 22, 2013 17:59

I agree with you. I believe that what most MBA admission consultants forget is that there is a HUGE difference between candidates from English speaking countries and the rest of the world. I mean, if you are from the US and are not able to get over 650 in your GMAT, there is something seriously wrong with you, whereas if you are from Germany and score over 650, you are a strong candidate. More than 50% of the exam tests your English language skills, that's why many not so competitive applicants from the US, UK, Canada, NZ, Australia, Ireland, South Africa and India manage to easily score over 650.

There is something fundamentally wrong with Duncan's post about the GMAT scores. Where you are from matters A LOT.

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Oct 22, 2013 18:16

Well, what that post argues two things:
1] if you're a strong candidate, apply higher up, and if you're a weak candidate apply lower down.
2] The GMAT isn't the only criterion, but it is the most important.

Is there anything *fundamentally wrong* with either of those propositions? They don't pretend to be the only two things applicants need to know, but they are not fundamentally wrong (in my opinion) even though they do not pretend to be comprehensive.

This specific case, of a candidate with 640 who not only gets into HEC with a 640 but also gets a scholarship, is obviously exceptional. That's a good example of a strong candidate getting into a stretch school. But that's what it is. The vast majority of 640 scorers will not be able to get a seat at HEC, even without a scholarship and even if they are German. This candidate is *unique* and you cannot generalise from him to other 640 scorers.

That said, there is a great lesson from this candidate's success: There are many other factors at work. GMAT points trade off all the other criteria that admissions managers look for. If you're strong on several other criteria then certainly try a stretch school that's a tier above your average.

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ezra

521 711

Posted Oct 23, 2013 12:46

There is something fundamentally wrong with Duncan's post about the GMAT scores. Where you are from matters A LOT.

I agree that where you are from does matter a lot - especially in that a GMAT score is often a good indicator of English language ability (among other things, of course) - so it can be even more important for non-native speakers.

However, I don't think that this makes that post flawed, or fundamentally unhelpful. To me, the hard lines of the tier cut-offs are really more blurry in general, but the tiers do paint a good overall picture of how GMAT scores affect admissions chances, and a quick way to filter schools that a potential applicant may not be competitive at.

However, it would be a mistake for a potential applicant to use this post or others like it as a hard and fast guide - as these obviously are not hard rules. (I mean, a majority of business schools don't have minimum GMAT score requirements!)

Really, the best approach would be to ask schools directly about the middle 80% GMAT score range - as this is probably the best and most reliable indicator of application success at a specific school.

<blockquote>There is something fundamentally wrong with Duncan's post about the GMAT scores. Where you are from matters A LOT.</blockquote>
I agree that where you are from does matter a lot - especially in that a GMAT score is often a good indicator of English language ability (among other things, of course) - so it can be even more important for non-native speakers.

However, I don't think that this makes that post flawed, or fundamentally unhelpful. To me, the hard lines of the tier cut-offs are really more blurry in general, but the tiers do paint a good overall picture of how GMAT scores affect admissions chances, and a quick way to filter schools that a potential applicant may not be competitive at.

However, it would be a mistake for a potential applicant to use this post or others like it as a hard and fast guide - as these obviously are not hard rules. (I mean, a majority of business schools don't have minimum GMAT score requirements!)

Really, the best approach would be to ask schools directly about the middle 80% GMAT score range - as this is probably the best and most reliable indicator of application success at a specific school.

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Oct 23, 2013 13:16

I'd visualise it as a 2x2 matrix: Is your GMAT above or below average but within the minima for the current cohort; is the rest of your profile before or above average, but above the minima for the current cohort.
- Yes, Yes: Safe
- Yes and No: Stretch
- No and No: Deny.

i.e. even if you are within the 80% bands, if you are below the average for all of the school's key criteria, you are not a competitive candidate.

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