Hi guys,

I want to apply for FT MBA in fall 2011. My GMAT score is 650 and AWA score is 5.5. I've 6.5 years of rich experience with International exposure in IT Consultancy in one of the top companies of the world.
I am planning to apply to the following universities:
1. Judge
2. Said
3. Warwick
4. IMD
5. Lancaster
I already got a reply couple of days back from Cranfield that it is very unlikely to get a call with 650 score.

Though before appearing for GMAT, I was thinking to apply to LSB and INSEAD but not sure how much my score will help.

Can you please let me know your views on the chance of getting in one of the above schools with my given background?

I think your chances would be highest with Warwick, IMD and Lancaster, and lower with Judge and Said, which are IMO on a similar level to Cranfield but more expensive.

If by LSB you mean LSBF, my cat could get into there: it isn't difficult, but it also isn't of much value as a degree. If you mean LBS, that's a different matter. Their average GMAT is 650 and they like younger/less experienced applicants, so it isn't impossible. INSEAD would be a challenge - not so much the GMAT as the length of experience.

Thanks. Can you tell me why you think it is difficult to get into Judge? In the website, it is mentioned that any score above 620 is okay with them and weightage wil be given in based on the overall application.

Sorry for the typo. I meant LBS. However on the internet, LBS avg GMAT score is shown as 700, so not sure from where you get 650 as the average score of LBS? Do you know anybody who has got into LBS with 650 and 6.5 yrs experience in IT Consultancy?

I think a lot of business schools are quite flexible in terms of the GMAT, in that they want a mix of people by professional and cultural backgrounds, which is why they put a low minimum figure. However, you would need a great deal of experience or experience of an unusual kind to overcome a modest GMAT with those schools. In the case of LBS, while the average GMAT may be close to 700 (though I've also seen much lower figures published), I know of people who've got in with 625 and others refused with 725, because it also depends on experience.

GMAT is more or less 20% of the application. Outstanding experience with low GMAT is by far better than a mediocre experience with high GMAT. Unless you are Indian you have good changes....



<blockquote>Hi guys,

I want to apply for FT MBA in fall 2011. My GMAT score is 650 and AWA score is 5.5. I've 6.5 years of rich experience with International exposure in IT Consultancy in one of the top companies of the world.
I am planning to apply to the following universities:
1. Judge
2. Said
3. Warwick
4. IMD
5. Lancaster
I already got a reply couple of days back from Cranfield that it is very unlikely to get a call with 650 score.

Though before appearing for GMAT, I was thinking to apply to LSB and INSEAD but not sure how much my score will help.

Can you please let me know your views on the chance of getting in one of the above schools with my given background?</blockquote>