Mr. Future Brand Manager

Your 2.8 suggests that you were never meant for computer science. You were smart to get your master’s in analytics from Indiana Kelley which really helped with your first big transition into a Fortune 500 CPG company. Your 720 GMAT is solid, though I have to say I would have expected your score to be a bit higher since you area also doing some GMAT tutoring on the side for the past five years. One big question here is not why you want an MBA but rather why you want to go to IESE which is an excellent school, one of Europe’s very best, but there is nothing in your story to indicate why that’s a good choice for your goal unless you would, of course, prefer to be at a far more international school with a more international student population. I think your chances there are very good, if you can convince IESE that it is your first choice and have a strong argument for it. By the way, if you haven’t already, you might want to read my fly-on-the-wall account of an IESE admissions committee meeting at which the school makes admit/deny decisions:
https://poetsandquants.com/2019/06/17/inside-an-adcom-session-how-a-top-european-business-school-decides-who-gets-in/

Hi, this is Deepak Punwani from MBA Exchange. You have a very interesting profile and while your odds for IESE may be stronger than my score of 45%, wanted to provide odds for other top schools which may also help you achieve your goals. If you are only considering Europe, then given your experience (especially length of experience) IMD seems a better bet than IESE. IESE has 1% of its class with workex > 10 years. That says a lot ! So if you are able to show great work experience and have your ducks in line re your post MBA goal and why is now right time for you, then IMD becomes a possibility. If you are keen at looking at US schools, Kellogg and Cornell both have strong inroads into CPG and also have one year programs. Worth considering. Two things stand out a somewhat of a red flag for me though 1) Your pace of growth at work – you will need to show that you have grown faster then peers as marketing analyst and specialist don’t seem to straightaway indicate that you are outperforming peers at work. 2) Your GPA is low. If you have converted it, then recheck the formula. And if your actual GPA is a 2.8, be sure to explain in optional essay as every school would have heard of VIT and would know that 2.8 is low. Good luck

Hi, there. Mr. Future Brand Manager – Julie-Anne Heafey with mbaMission. You’re an interesting candidate: you’ve got some unique experiences around the globe – not everyone boasts startup experience in Zambia AND Fortune 500 US experience. I also like your masters’ in data analytics -those skills are in demand and employability absolutely helps with admissions. The biggest hurdles for you are your well-represented background combined with what is potentially a comparatively low GPA vs. your competition (?). I’m not sure why you want to go to IESE – is it US visa issues? Where do you want to work post MBA? I’d make it clear to them that it’s more than that and demonstrate how/why they are the ones to help you realize your CPG dreams. Your odds look pretty OK there to me given your varied background and solid GMAT (~40 points above the profile). Good luck!