What Are Your Chances Of Getting In

Mr. Amazon

760 GMAT
8.5 on 10 scale GPA
Undergraduate and master’s degrees from IIIT in Hyderabad, India
Work experience includes three years as a software developer at Amazon; gained promotion to senior developer a year ago
Extracurricular involvement in a leadership role in the alumni club in college, alumni fundraising after college, volunteer teacher to underprivileged poor school children; member of team delivering educational content to rural schools using technology
Goal: To join either Microsoft or Google in product management or strategy roles or do strategy consulting work for the tech industry
25-year-old Asian male

Odds of Success:

Dartmouth: 20% to 30%

MIT: 40% to 50%

Berkeley: 50+%

Chicago: 40% to 45%

Northwestern: 40% to 50%

Columbia: 30% to 45%

Yale: 40%

INSEAD: 50+%

London: 50+%

Sandy’s Analysis: Dunno man, those schools should not be hard in general (see breakout below) given the fact that you have a high GPA from a good Indian tech school (although not an IIT), a 760 GMAT and success as a software developer at Amazon which is a hot company (and one everyone has heard of). It also seems like you have solid extras.

Lots of guys like you want to transition from programming into management and the ‘secret’ is to structure your app so that you show leadership as a senior software developer and say that the most rewarding parts of your job have been technical leadership projects such as 1, 2, and 3, and what you want to do is use those talents to ‘transition’ into more general management. As to schools you note, here are some quick notes.

Tuck: You are not in their wheelhouse of banking, consulting or general management and your history and working career seem a long way from New Hampshire, so they may wonder why you are applying. It’s really important to visit Hanover and spend time at Tuck to develop that story.

MIT: They go for guys like you if you can spin your story more toward their mantra of innovation and make a case for how their programs in x, y or z are up your alley. Basically, they will go for your stats and tech background, plus the Amazon halo effect.

Berkeley: This one should be easy. You are in the same time zone. You got the stats. They are open to your goals. Just convince them you are serious.

Booth: You are not their core applicant, but they will go for the stats, Amazon, etc. Visit and make a case for how they can help you.

Kellogg: See Booth. Should be a bit easier since your goals align better with their core competencies. At Berkeley, Kellogg and Booth, your extras, especially your volunteer work “to teach underprivileged poor school kids, member of a team which delivers educational content to rural schools using technology” can be braided into your story about being an innovator.

Columbia: They will go for the stats, and Amazon, and rest don’t hurt. Just apply early.

Yale: see Columbia.

INSEAD + London Business School: Should be easy but 1. You are young for INSEAD, and 2. You got a U.S.-based story, so they may wonder what is up? You will need to explain that.

Handicapping Your MBA Odds–The Entire Series