Try reading the post at the start of this thread.

Dear Duncan,

I am receiving full time MBA at Cranfield, Manchester, NUS School of Business, and just had an interview with Imperial. The programme will start this autumn.

I am an 32 y.o. asian with 6++ years working experience in which 3 of them are in managerial role. My aspiration in taking MBA is to develop my leadership skill and expose myself to consulting in international business situation. My career aspiration is to climb the management tree in my current company and to establish my own firm in the long run.

What is your view about my situation? Currently, I have a tendency to select Cranfield but I am still not fully sure about my decision.

Please read my profile page. It is impossible to answer your question meaningfully in the space of a few sentences.

I think the following schools should go into tier 4:

Howard University (average GMAT 511)
NCSU Jenkins (average GMAT 634)
Fordham University (average GMAT 620)
SUNY Buffalo (average GMAT 620)

I think these schools really belong in a tier five or even six. I've listed the top 100 schools in the top four tiers.

Oh I see, it threw me off that tier 4 was labeled "GMAT under 650."

Yeah I was focussing on the top schools.

Hi Duncan,

I am Indian Female, with 7 years of experience in IT, currently working as associate project manager.

My GMAT is 580. I understand that this is the major hole in my profile and so my profile will not even be accepted for under 650 tier schools.

However, I just want to know if I have chances in USC IBEAR program for 2014, as I am really interested in this international program.

Thank you

That seems like a question to ask them informally.

I would say that unless you have something really interesting about your profile, the IBEAR program is a bit out of reach for you without a much higher GMAT score - not only are you well below the cohort average here (which tends to be in the 630 range), you're also below average in terms of work experience - cohort average tends to be about 10 years.

You usually have to be above average somewhere if you're below average somewhere else.

Hi Pomurali,
Frankly, investing some time in increasing your GMAT it will pay off 100 times. Think like this : if you invest 3-4 months in studying GMAT as a test, for sure you will reach at least a 650. And that will get you in a much better school. And you will reap the benefits for the rest of your life. So... is it worth it?
Adrian

Hi Duncan,

Thanks a lot for this post, it has been really helpful. I am an Indian currently working in a multi national engineering firm in a sales and marketing function for the past 2 years. I have scored 690 in my GMAT.

Going through your posts, I am now confused whether to apply for Tier-2 colleges or for Tier-3 colleges. Please advice.

Karthik

Wow - this post now has over 46,000 views!

For each of the following cases, I suggest you subtract one tier to find safe schools:
* - If you are in a very competitive group (like a male engineer or IT guy), or
* - from a country with a large number of MBA applicants (like from India or China), or
* - you have the bare minimum of work experience.
Under these circumstances, apply the same number of tiers lower than your GMAT to maximise your chances of admission and financial aid.

If 2 years is your total work experience, then you should be looking towards the bottom of the tiers.

A 690 GMAT starts in tier 2; subtract one for being Indian, and one more for having only two years' work experience: that puts you at the bottom of tier 4 for safe schools, and then the bottom tier three for stretch schools.

Improve your GMAT and work experience.

Thanks Duncan.

Hi Duncan,

I have 650 GMAT score. I am an Indian IT male with 7.5 yrs work experience. I have got admission to Queens university canada and john hopkins carey school (global mba).

I am vonfused as to which college would be better. Please help.

Maybe it depends on your career goals?

Take a look at Shortcut to find the best US MBA www.find-mba.com/board/36065
and How to use LinkedIn to find the best school www.find-mba.com/board/33571

Hi,

I just finished going through the entire thread. It is really helpful.
Please find below my profile.
29 year old Female IT, WE- 7 years at Indian IT companies(In USA for the last 3 years)
UG - B-Tech in Electronics and Communication,
GPA- 7.77/10,
GMAT - 730( Q-49, V-40)
I have decent extracurriculars, nothing spectacular.

According to the criteria given in the thread, I should subtract one tier for being an Indian. That means I should apply to colleges in tier two.
My question is whether I have some realistic chances of getting into a school which is towards the bottom of tier 1, say Darden or Kenan-Flagler.
Are those totally 'stretch' schools for me?

They are stretch schools. Yes.

Hi Duncan

Wonderful thread and what i really appreciate is that you are a tough critic and its immensely helpful for people.

I have read the post in its entirely and having a GMAT of 710, i will put myself in tier 1, then subtract one tier as i am an Indian IT Male.

Work ex- 8 years, 3 years international (London), substantial leadership and teamwork/interpersonal skills/managerial roles. Extraordinary extra curricular in the field of fashion , modelling and acting for 5 years, across APAC and Europe(London, Milan and Berlin fashion weeks), all while doing the mainstream job. Other activities being fitness training(online)

My question is - would i have a fair chance at INSEAD and should i give it a shot?

Thanks
G

My post is not clear enough. You should subtract one tier for each of the three conditions, so that means you need to look two tiers below. You don't have a good chance at Insead unless you're currently working for somewhere like McKinsey or Goldman.