I wish some guidelines for helping me choose a right MBA program. I am Graduate in Agriculture with seven years of work experience in Commercial and Development Banking (SME Finance). I am a branch manager and team leader. I am yet to take GMAT however expect my score to be around 670-690. What are the suitable colleges for me with this profile?

On my own, I have done some research and found these- Harvard, Chicago Booth, Kenan Flagler, Texas Mays, BYU- Marriott, INSEAD, ISB and Schulich. What realistic chances for me in these schools?

Take a look at http://www.find-mba.com/board/27082 and focus on the bottom half of those schools.

Hi Duncan.

Thanks for replying. However, please advise bottom half of tier-1 is it? If I presume so, then do you think I have a realistic chance in Kenan-Flagler, Fisher, Brigham Young University: Marriott, Arizona State University: Carey?

Also, How usual or unusual you find my profile prima fecie? Apart from given info, I was member of University Senate during my graduate studies, have published a thesis (copies found only in my college library though :) !), done 240 hours of social work and have several awards during college for extra curricular activities.

Also, my low GMAT has largely to do with quants and not verbal (!) . Verbal scores are usually in 95-99%ile range. Can I think about Booth?

No, I mean the bottom half of the list; Tiers 3 and 4. You're not a competitive candidate at Booth.

:)))

Ooee ! and here I thought I can try in Tier 1 and Tier 2. However, as I see the GMAT score list, it is below the range of 650 that you have indicated tier 3 and 4. I was hoping that a lower GMAT can be compensated a bit by higher work experience and good recommendations that I may get!

No, you can only trade off so much. As an Indian (I imagine) man with a weak GMAT you would need a lot to trade up from there.

I think it's important to have a stretch school but, to be realistic, you need to be looking at schools where the average GMAT is 20 or so points below your score. If you score 670 then you'd be looking at Tier 4 schools, or low tier 3 schools.

I have been selected for both Thundrbird and Manchester. I am pretty confused between these two schools. Except cost all most many other things are similar. Further Manchester seems cost effective but UK Job Scenario is worse than US. I plan to target World Bank group or one investment banking firm or consulting firm based on profile evaluation. Can you suggest the school from these two? Please help as Manchester has a deadline of 15th March to accept the offer while Thunderbird made an offer this morning. I don't have any scholarship in Manchester but TBird has offered me a scholarship of $10,000/-

Manchester has much better placement statistics than Thunderbird, but neither of these schools of a highly effective route into the World Bank, investment banking or the strategy consulting firms. Prioritise one of these career routes and then focus on the schools those employers hire from.

If you were focussed on industry or general management, Manchester would be the better choice.