Hi,

I seek your inputs on my profile and chances of getting into the US top 10 B-Schools. Here goes my profile...

About Myself: I am 25 years old, born and brought up in a village in Southern India to qualified parents.

Education: Studied science (Math, Phsyics, Chemistry & Biology) at school in India. Shifted to the finance stream thereafter. Pursued a Chartered Accountancy (CA) in India and secured an all India Rank # 26 in my exam (Out of around 100,000 students). Also pursued a Company Secretaries (CS) course (A course to specialize in Corporate Law) and also secured a all India rank # 13. I also completed under-graduation in Commerce (through distance education) simultaneously.
I then pursued by CFA from CFAI, US and completed all 3 levels of the course in my first sitting.

Work Experience: I joined Deloitte as an Article Assistant (Intern) for 3 years where i lead multiple projects in audit, tax & Due Diligence for companies such as Microsoft, World Bank and other MNCs have a presence in India. Subsequently, I decided to join a Management & a Business consulting firm that deal predominantly with Small Medium business in India as a Manager. I lead assignments such as Transfer Pricing, business valuation, Due Diligence, Management Advisory reports, Structuring of Transactions & legal opinions to our clients. After a couple of years, I moved into HP to gain an understanding of working in a global culture. I joined the Internal Audit Team that specialises in areas such as Transfer Pricing, Treasury, Controllership and Finance Strategy & Transformation for HP as a whole. I am currently leading multiple projects & initiatives for HP from the Treasury perspective.

Extra-Curricular Activities: I have been spending, on an average 15 hours a month helping the under-priviledged class of the society from a spiritual front for the past 8 years. I am learning Traditional Indian Carnatic music & also western drums. I play Table Tennis & Badmiton & love to swim. I have also been devoting around 25 hours in a quarter to share my knowledge through guest lectures at Professional Institutes & MBA Schools since 2011.

GMAT Score: 670 (AWA 5.0).

Thank You for your inputs.

Well, that is a very interesting and unusual background. My feeling is that top ten schools will look cautiously at your application. If you passed all three levels of the CFA in one setting then you must have excellent quant skills; and a 670 GMAT implies that you have a very weak verbal skills. In a top ten programme, class participation is a vital part of success. Less than excellent verbal skills will hamper you sharing your value with the class.

My feeling is that, in terms of GMAT tiers, you should be a competitive candidate in schools in GMAT tier two (See http://www.find-mba.com/board/27082) as long as you are over 50 on the verbal side. I suggest you focus there, and then pick a school like Duke or Michigan as a stretch school (maybe UCLA, UNC, Cornell).

If you really want a top ten school, do some extra work on your English and get your GMAT over 700.

Hi guys,

I am going to pose a very unique issue which I am facing while applying to b-schools to embark on my journey to MBA. The problem is I am very overweight and I heard that top tier business schools do not like overweight students. While my height is 5ft1in my weight is over 130 kg which gives me a look that does not go with the image of a high potential manager or leader.

I need your help to identify those top tier school where my extra pounds will not be an issue. Can any of you identify those schools where the average height and weight of students matches to my statistics.

My friend told me that schools will think that if I cannot manage my physique how come I can manage a large organization or department. Schools may also take a view that I would not be suitable for team related activities owing to my bulk and consequently slow response to situations where physical energy is required.

I am also thinking on an option where I can hide myself and try to take interview over telephone but it looks a bit unethical to me to hide my physical state with the school.

I hope to receive guidance from all of you specially those whose BMI is close to mine and have done MBA successfully.

Thanks

Hi Davidsmart,

Obesity should not be a hurdle on getting into a business school, you should discuss this directly with them and hope they will not mind your physical condition as long as you meet other academic and experience related criterias.

I don't think this will be a major issue in selection, but it might be an issue with classmates and employers at the subconscious level. Broadly speaking, it is a diversity issue. If you look for schools that have pro-diversity cultures then you'll find it easier to succeed. A simple way is to add up the % of women and minority/international students and take a look.

Most people put on weight at college, but it's a great place to experiment with a new lifestyle. I recommend that many of my male clients get Tim Ferris's book, The Four Hour Body. It can change your life.

I have received offer from Hult business school even without gmat and they have also offered me scholarship of $20,000. Guys need you advice. And a good news is since my last post i have shed 10 plus kgs. Special thanks to Duncan for great advice.

I'm glad to hear that! Congratulations. Now that Spring is here, you'll find it easy to build momentum.

Hult seems to be very generous with admissions and scholarships. How are you getting on with traditional business schools?

I have received offer from Hult business school even without gmat and they have also offered me scholarship of $20,000. Guys need you advice. And a good news is since my last post i have shed 10 plus kgs. Special thanks to Duncan for great advice.

I have received offer from Hult business school even without gmat and they have also offered me scholarship of $20,000. Guys need you advice. And a good news is since my last post i have shed 10 plus kgs. Special thanks to Duncan for great advice.

David, very good to come to know that your fat has decreased. keep hard working exercies. and dont take admission to hult it is not good

I'm glad to hear that! Congratulations. Now that Spring is here, you'll find it easy to build momentum.

Hult seems to be very generous with admissions and scholarships. How are you getting on with traditional business schools?

Any choice is only as good as the next best alternative. I don't understand why you are not planning to take the GMAT, but I do invite you to consider applying to other schools as well.

One point about Hult: I know and respect a couple of people there, but everyone who has applied to that school and commented on it on this site has been admitted. many weak candidates are getting scholarships. I don't understand how the school can maintain its position in the rankings.

PS I urge you to consider traditional business schools, ideally with AASCB and/or EQUIS accreditations (both of which Hult lacks).

I'm glad to hear that! Congratulations. Now that Spring is here, you'll find it easy to build momentum.

Hult seems to be very generous with admissions and scholarships. How are you getting on with traditional business schools?

Thanks Duncan,

Most of other schools asking me to take GMAT only Hult out of top ranked schools has waived this requirement. I will probably accept their offer as it seems to be the only viable option right now.

Thanks Duncan,

Most of other schools asking me to take GMAT only Hult out of top ranked schools has waived this requirement. I will probably accept their offer as it seems to be the only viable option right now.

I urge you to consider traditional business schools, ideally with AASCB and/or AMBA accreditations (both of which Hult lacks).

Sorry, I meant AACSB and EQUIS. AMBA, of course, does not accredit schools or departments, it accredits individual programmes - which involves a lower level of institutional maturity.