Hi all,

I wish to apply to B-schools in R1-R2 2011-12. I am basically into analytics field. Its the stepping stone to the consulting domain. Therefore I am thinking of applying in consulting (I have very little to substantiate in the field of finance for which I had done lot of courses in my undergraduate but nothing after passing out).
Here's a summary of my profile. Would be grateful to receive your suggestions.

Name: Abhishek
Nationality: Indian
Age: 25

GMAT: 720 (50(92%) in QA, 38(83%) in VA)... AWA-5.5)
Undergraduate: Did my Integrated Masters in Physics from premier institute in India - Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT KGP)
--> CGPA: 7.95/10
--> Did internship in Paris, France in Statistical domain

Work Experience: 2+ (overall)-->
1 year - Mu Sigma Pvt. Corporation Ltd. - Role-Business Analyst: I worked on different statistical analysis tools for a Multinational Corp. in marketing analytics domain. Managed key projects, developed communication skills and effective client relationships.
1 year + 2 months (present) - HSBC Bank - Role- Analyst: I worked in the Risk analytics domain for US Credit Cards business. Different and challenging domain (compared to marketing analytics), lots of complexities and increased responsibilities. Managed strategic projects and furthered my analytical skills.

Extra curriculars: Represented my college for Inter IIT Sports Meet in Basketball and Athletics. Won Bronze in Basketball at that Inter IIT Meet. Received special recognition from the Institute owing to the the contribution.
Apart from this have won sports awards in intra IIT events and in Company. Not substantial NGO or Social work experience (read which can be produced in certificates). Do I need to have the said work-ex definitely?

AIM:
To gain the management tools and larger exposure required for a career in consulting domain.
6-7 years down the line having gained sufficient business knowledge and honed my management skills, I plan to explore entrepreneurial opportunities.

Are my goals properly linked with my current work experience?
I wish to apply in R1-R2 of US Bschools. In which B-schools do I stand better chance? Should I consider Bschools in other subcontinents too? I was a bit inclined towards Europe but I heard the schools there require a lot of work experience.

Your suggestions/feedback will be lot valuable.

Thanks
Abhishek

Abhishek
Thanks for your post. You identify a key requirement in a top application and that is, to make a logical link to your past achievements and your future goals. I can see why a consulting firm would be interested in your experience. you are a classic quant--50 on GMAT math portion and heavy analytics in your career will be helpful when dissecting complex business problems. The consulting world is broad, so narrow your focus to an area that ties into your experience (maybe marketing?) and highlight how valuable you will be to consulting firms because of your ability to break down and quantify measurables and analyze data to hopefully give rise to innovative solutions. By the way, these skills will also be helpful to your classmates in b-school. As an Indian applicant, you will need to focus on how you are different from the average applicant. The typical quant falls short in communication skills, but since you have done work in the marketing field, you may want to play this up as a reason why you have the "total package." Marketing is typically seen as a creative, expressive field, so the combination of knowing this side of business coupled with the quantitative abilities you seem to posess could be compelling.
Hope this helps. Let us know if you require assistance in crafting your story.