Candidate:

Mr. Hopeful Engineer

About Me:

I work with a FAANG company in a purely technical role, though I get to lead projects that usually involve coordination with as many as 6-7 teams and heading a team of 4-5 engineers (which is usually 50% of an avg team size in my company).

I am hoping to transition to a product management role and looking for guidance on my profile & essay.

Schools:

Target School: Kellogg SOM

Considering: Duke Fuqua, Columbia, Darden, Tuck, Yale

See More Profiles For: Kellogg SOM

Application Status: Open

Details:

Undergrad School: Bits Pilani (Top 5 in the country)

Undergrad Major: B.E. Computer Science

GPA: 7.95/10 (College follows relative grading; Avg. estimate around 7-7.3)

GMAT: 720

Age: 25, Ethnicity: Asian or Indian

Extracurriculars: Volunteering : Teachings kids every week for the past 6 months, Few extracurricular activities like teaching-sessions/organizing events in college

Work History:

Title: Engineer (Currently at the same level as that of fresh Post-MBA PMs)

Industry: Engineering

Company: Fortune 100 Top 10

Length of Employment: 3 yrs, 4 mos

Post MBA Goal:

I would like to move to a role that is more business-oriented. I am looking forward to continuing working in the technology sector in a product management role ). I am sure an MBA would help me explore the business world, rounding my existing technical skills to get into this career path.

Odds:

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The Experts Rate The Odds At: 10%

See what the industry experts have to say:

mbaMission Odds Assessment: 10%

Hi, it’s Nisha with mbaMission. Your work experience at a FAANG is solid, and your post-MBA goal of PM is logical. I’m glad you’re involved in volunteerism as well. That said, Kellogg (and the other schools you’re targeting) see a lot of applicants with similar profiles, and you’re applying from a competitive demographic.

To maximize your chances, I recommend doing the following: 1.) Retake the GMAT, aiming for a 740+ 2.) So that you can tell a compelling story about your goals, reflect on WHY you want to become a PM – what drives you towards this particular path based on your engineering experience and interest in technology to date? What type of impact do you want to make in this role/industry, …

Hi, it’s Nisha with mbaMission. Your work experience at a FAANG is solid, and your post-MBA goal of PM is logical. I’m glad you’re involved in volunteerism as well. That said, Kellogg (and the other schools you’re targeting) see a lot of applicants with similar profiles, and you’re applying from a competitive demographic.

To maximize your chances, I recommend doing the following: 1.) Retake the GMAT, aiming for a 740+ 2.) So that you can tell a compelling story about your goals, reflect on WHY you want to become a PM – what drives you towards this particular path based on your engineering experience and interest in technology to date? What type of impact do you want to make in this role/industry, and in the longer term? 3.) Think about what personal qualities, passions, and interests you want to communicate. For example, what has drawn you to tutoring? This will help the AdCom get to know you more deeply and understand what you’ll bring to the program.

School list: Due to your interests in tech, I recommend adding Ross and Stern to your list given their strengths and connections in this area. You could also consider the 1-year tech MBA at Stern and Johnson, which is geared towards technology professionals. I hope that helps – please reach out to schedule a free consultation if you would like to discuss your profile in further detail. Best of luck!

3 years ago Read the full review

The Community Currently Rates The Odds At: 13%

25% | 3 years ago
15% | 3 years ago

Hi, it's Jennifer Jackson from Stratus Admissions. You've got good work experience with leading teams of engineers, and your GMAT and GPA look good although the GMAT will be under the average for our demographic at Kellogg, but not by a ton. Still, it wouldn't hurt to re-take it if you can. I like your focus on wanting to gain foundational business knowledge so you can be more effective in the tech sector and get beyond that technical role. That's a great Why MBA that you can discuss in your essays. Perhaps even point out a time when you were in a meeting and someone with an MBA was able to synthesize or see the bigger picture more effectively, or you were trying to ...

Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson from Stratus Admissions. You’ve got good work experience with leading teams of engineers, and your GMAT and GPA look good although the GMAT will be under the average for our demographic at Kellogg, but not by a ton. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to re-take it if you can. I like your focus on wanting to gain foundational business knowledge so you can be more effective in the tech sector and get beyond that technical role. That’s a great Why MBA that you can discuss in your essays. Perhaps even point out a time when you were in a meeting and someone with an MBA was able to synthesize or see the bigger picture more effectively, or you were trying to persuade/influence someone at work and lacked the skills you needed. When you discuss your goals in the applications, be specific about what skills/knowledge you’ll gain in an MBA program and then what you’ll gain being a PM in tech. Then be sure to point out a LT goal that makes sense on that path. You don’t have to be as specific for that LT goal but do show that you’ve thought about it and are connecting the dots to where you’ve been and why you need the MBA to get where you’re going in the ST and LT. Good luck with your applications!

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