Mr. 750

Hi, This is Deepak Punwani from MBA Exchange, based in Mumbai. If you can think about profile building in 2 parts, you have done part one. But you now need to build on part two to become a strong applicant at schools on your list. If you are seriously considering top 10 US schools, my advice would be to look beyond E&Y tax for next two years. Consider a move to transaction services at Deloitte / KPMG or better still an analyst position in finance practice at M/B/B. Your acads are really good and Christ University, widely regarded as Bangalore’s shining star is now starting to make its mark in the books of adcom members too. But that wont be enough as you are competing with folks from schools who have a legacy of sending applicants to US programs (think IIT’s, BITS, SRCC, LSR, Ashoka). Would also suggest you get some international experience and leadership projects outside work. And then apply in 2022 or thereabouts. Time is on your side. Good luck.

I think management consulting is an excellent next step for you. Based on your work at PwC, the schools will recognize that you understand the client-service nature of consulting, and your stats and the technical nature of your work (reinforced by the CORe certificate you pursued) will give them confidence that you will succeed in the classroom and later as a management consultant. It also sounds like you’re very committed to making a difference in the greater community and have carved out leadership roles in doing so. That said, breaking into a Top 5 US b-school is ridiculously hard; I don’t want to mislead you! From my perspective, though, the good news here is that consulting firms recruit at many of the top 15-20 schools – and I want you in a place where you can shine & still reach your recruiting outcomes. Schools I’d encourage you to research: Kellogg, Duke, Ross, Haas (very low acceptance rate – comparable to Sloan and HBS, but is passionate about leaders who want to make a long-term difference), and Anderson. These are all still top 5,10, 15 schools (depending on where you look!) and do very well in consulting. I’m not saying to forgo your current list, but having been coaching as long as I have and having seen the outcomes, I’d say to broaden your list significantly so you can maximize the chances of having a win at the end of the day. Good luck!! And keep doing the awesome work in the community – the organization is lucky to have you!

Hi Mr. 750! Thanks for posting. Krista Nannery from mbaMission here. Thanks for posting.
I’m not going to sugar coat this…you’ve picked a really tough list of schools, and with only two years of work experience, the pressure will be on to show that you have a lot to contribute to the classroom. Your recs and apps will need to stress maturity and leadership ability. While not impossible — apply now and see what happens — I think you’ll have more success if you apply in 2022. During this period, look for ways to gain more international exposure, which is valued in candidates like yourself. Also, keep you your extracurriculars — given how interesting and unique they are, they truly will help you stand out in this process.
I’ve given you low odds here because you’ve listed GSB as your dream and with an average acceptance rate hovering around 6 to 7%, it’s a tough one for anyone, but especially for those from competitive demographics.
All the best,
Krista

Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson from Stratus Admissions. You have several parts of your profile that stand out, including the wonderful extracurricular work with disabled people, and a solid GMAT even from an overrepresented demographic. Your experience at EY is a great background for an MBA but it seems you’ve only been out of school for 2 years, which puts you at the light end of work experience. You’ll need to emphasize why now is the time to get the MBA rather than waiting a year or two. I did have a client from another consulting firm who applied with 2.5 years of experience and made a solid case through his promotions and what he’d learned already that it was time to move to the next step in his career and gain the skills necessary for his ST and LT goals. I do like to see the dots connected between your LT goal of your social impact and the social impact work you’ve already done. I’d want to know more why the strategy and corporate finance practice within a consulting firm is the best prep for a social impact startup. It’s not necessarily a bad goal (although you may want to consider roles closer to the social impact space)– just be sure to explain for the reader what you’ll gain from that role that serves you well in your longer-term aspirations. Remember also that GSB is looking for people to change organizations and change the world, so that LT goal is well-aligned there. Just be sure all the dots connect and you have a shot!