Hopes and Aspirations - Aman Dhingra

Interesting!

2009-04-10T08:23:00.003+05:30

McKinsey has apparently published a collection of essays on global trends. I have not read these essays myself, but one of the predictions according to Times online, is that Spanish will join English as the official language of the U.S. by 2040.

Check this and some other interesting predictions on:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article6070049.ece

The Duke India Business Forum

2009-03-10T10:39:00.003+05:30

A shout out to my friends RP and KM for their stellar efforts in organizing the First Duke India Business Forum scheduled to take place on the 22nd of March at Fuqua. The two alongside many of my classmates have worked hard to put together an impressive list of speakers for the event.

An excellent opportunity to learn about the challenges and opportunities in Indian business for all those who can attend it. The Forum is open to anyone who wants to be a part of it. To register, visit: http://www.dukeibf.com/DukeIBF/Registration.html

Yeh Dilli hai mere yaaaar...

2009-03-06T13:08:00.005+05:30

…yahan Ishq, mohabbat, pyaar! Too bad, I do not have a hi-tech cell phone in which to put this song as a caller tune while I am in Delhi. I do not know yet how much ‘pyaar’ Delhites have to shower on the streets, but I am already in love with the city. Even though this is not my first time to Delhi, it is the first time that I am staying here and exploring a bit. I see development everywhere I look around. Delhi seems to have become so much more livable from 10 years ago. The roads are getting wider and power cuts are not that much of an issue in residential areas. The single biggest infrastructural landmark in Delhi however, is the Metro. Suddenly, you have huge metro stations built underneath areas such as Connaught Place. I traveled in the Delhi Metro for the first time yesterday. Inside the station, there were people who I am sure would never even have gone up an escalator before. For them, we now have efficient, affordable and air-conditioned public transport. I covered a distance of around 40 kilometers in about half an hour! I was amazed. No wonder Sheila Dixit was elected for the third time in succession. People appear to have rewarded the Congress party for the good work.

I joined Udyogini today – so far so good. People appear nice and dedicated. Frankly speaking, I was not expecting such a systematic and coherent organization. The CEO is very knowledgeable and well versed with what is going around in the non-profit industry around the world. Udyogini is constantly looking to adopt best practices in their operations. They work hard to get the best talent possible. More than the money, it is the people they require from donors. I am glad to see all this in an industry where work ‘on the field’ is largely rural and requires you to work at a level that can be comprehended by the villagers. I am off to Ranchi on Wednesday, to do a value chain analysis for one of the projects that Udyogini has in the nearby areas.

Anybody looking to dedicate time for an NGO and serve the cause of upliftment of women in rural India should definitely consider working for Udyogini.

MBA Conquered

2009-02-20T21:48:00.005+05:30

My MBA study is over!

This week I went to school to attend my last lecture towards an MBA. I am graduating a couple of months early with feelings of happiness, achievement and a trifle sadness as I will in all probability not be studying full-time again. But overall I am happy over the way things turned out. I am very glad I decided to come to Fuqua for what has been the most educative two years of my life.

Beginning from March, I will be working for a non-profit organization (Udyogini). I am very excited about this opportunity because it will allow me to spend time and experience the non-profit industry in India up-close and personal. This is something that I always wanted to do but was not sure when and how I will make it happen.

Udyogini is supported through a World Bank initiative and works with poor women to improve their skills as producers and their knowledge of the markets they operate in. I will be working for their business development unit which provides services to its field projects as well as external clients.

The fact that I will travel to various villages in India and stay there for 3-4 weeks in order to understand everything only adds to my excitement. I have spent my entire life in urban India and I look forward to experience the rural life that is home to over 70% of our country's population.

Back after a loong break!

2009-02-11T10:08:00.008+05:30

Sometime back, I decided for no apparent reason that I will stop posting. Maybe, I figured that my B-school experience will be the same till I graduate. I was certainly wrong on that front. Every moment can be a new learning and a new experience - specially if you are a B-school student at Duke. From what I hear, this year's intake is going to be ultra-competitive with many people wanting to shield themselves from recession and take refuge in the 'safe' environs of a B-school. Hope you know what you are getting into :-)

I am in Bangkok these days - studying at SASIN Business School as part of an exchange program that Duke has with them. I highly recommend B-schoolers to go on exchange. Exchange program makes you realize the value of learning outside of class more than ever. Thailand has been a totally different experience - language barriers, cultural differences, heavy tourism focus - everything has made the trip unique. The amazing street food being the highlight for me. They can make their 'Fired' Rice really fiery mind you!

I am finishing my required credits and graduating early. This means I am not returning to Duke after exchange. Instead, I am returning back to India and working for a non-profit for four months. More on that later.

Evolution with time

2008-04-13T08:15:00.004+05:30

Life is still busy. I just got back home after leaving for school early in the morning.

Here's how I spent my day:
0200 hours: Go to sleep. Have done enough socialization for the day.

0715 hours: Wake-up!

0800 - 1530 hours: Reach school and then proceed for COLE Leadership Fellow Team Building exercise at an Army Base Camp near Durham.

1600 - 1700 hours: Brief pit-stop at home. Shower and dress up for a Leadership celebration event at a nearby restaurant.

1700 - 1830 hours: Attend the event.

1830 - 2100 hours: Classmate's daughter's first birthday party.

2100 Hours: Scheduled phone call with a Class of 2010 admit.

2200 hours: Writing this blog and debating whether I should go for the awesome Fuqua Latin Party taking place tonight. Or should I just sweat it out at the racquetball court for an hour and then hit the sack?

This is a far cry from a day in my life around six months back! There were learnings then, there are learnings now. Each interaction here has the potential to enrich your experience. I am learning that there is a certain time for every type of experience. Hopefully, I am going through my set of experiences at the right time - neither too late nor too early.

In other news, an admitted student mailed me informing that I am one of ClearAdmit's in the Best Student Blogger category. Not too bad, huh?

Chicago must be beautiful

2008-03-13T07:57:00.004+05:30

I was invited by my summer internship employer to spend a weekend in Chicago. Met people at the firm, got to know prospective fellow interns better, partied for a couple of nights, caught up with old friends from India, all this while staying in a plush hotel in the heart of downtown.

I like Chicago for some reason. It was typical Chicago weather, what with the winds and the snow. However, I get this feeling that it is a buzzing place. There's movement all 24 hours, everyone looks busy, people are friendly, so many activities going on any day of the week and there's plenty of history associated with the city. There is a certain order to the chaos in Chicago. Having spent four years in Bangalore and having loved every moment of it, I guess that's the way I like it. I hear that Chicago is particularly vibrant during summer time and I look forward to spending 10 weekends there. Hopefully, I will get a decent nest in downtown itself, and that will enable me relish the place even better.

ISB versus a top B-school in the US

2008-03-04T19:42:00.008+05:30

A lot of my friends in India are faced with the option of MBA from ISB versus an that from an American B-school. I will take a shot at penning down my opinion on this.

The first step is to figure out what factors are relevant to making this decision. Some factors that I can think of are:

Career Prospects
Both the breadth (range) and depth (options within a particular job description) of career paths is important. I think a US MBA has an advantage here. Brand recognition is critical specially when you are looking for jobs that are not run of the mill.
First of all, the sheer range of options that are possible if you are graduating from a top B-school in the US is unparalleled - Investment Banking, Sales and Trading, Private Equity, Hedge Funds, Wealth Management, Venture Capital, Consulting, Real Estate, Marketing, Sales, General Management jobs in almost every industry vertical that you can think of - the list is as endless as the number of job profiles that exist in this world. A US MBA opens window of opportunity to many more possibilities than ISB would. Caveat - As an international student, it is really difficult to enter into job functions such as Marketing.
But then what about people who want to pursue careers in industries where it is possible to find a job through ISB? That is where the depth comes in. You have the opportunity to get an Investment Banking job with Goldman Sachs in New York or London of you are graduating from ISB. However, do perform due diligence on what percentage of people actually get the job - more importantly how many people having your background and experience get what they consider to be the best possible scenario. This should be particularly relevant to career switchers - it is easy to switch your function or your industry, but difficult to do both things simultaneously. A US MBA will open that much more possibility of you pulling it off than an ISB. If after graduation, you would anyways prefer to work with Cognizant versus the same job profile in Google's headquarters, then ISB is probably a better choice.

Return on Investment
A major concern about US B-school education is the extremely high fee, specially when converted to Indian Rupee. I wonder if anybody would have even bothered comparing the two options had the investment amount been the same. Joining in the US is definitely a bigger risk - given that it is a bigger investment. However, the returns are definitely bigger as well - even if we consider only money and no other aspect. Question you should ask is what you want from your career in the long term. In the short term, it will probably take the same time to pay back either loan (assuming that you are taking a loan that is).

B-school experience
B-school is a remarkable journey. You have to live it to believe it. Academics is just one small component of the journey. Apparent cliches like diversity in cultures, ethnicity, professional backgrounds can only be appreciated once you are here. My curriculum team of five at Fuqua consists of a people from three different countries and five different professional backgrounds. This is so typical of any MBA student's experience in the US. The educational and learning value of this team I realized only after I was a part of such a diverse team. I doubt if one can get the same experience at ISB. Also, the skills that get ingrained in you by experiencing and learning so many different cultures can only help you in the real business world.
I am sure the quality of education in terms of faculty and facilities are at par with the world's best at ISB. Still, not everything is taught and learnt in the classroom.

Alumni
Alumni effectiveness is a very strong factor in the business world. We do not realize this much in India, but networking is almost a make a break factor in business - and networking starts with alumni most of the times.

Duration
A two year MBA makes it easier to transition into a new career. This relates back to the first point about career prospects for career switchers. A summer job is mutually beneficial for both the student and the company. You get a chance to explore and understand whether you actually want to do that job or not. The firms are also more willing to give you a chance to explore and learn.

There can be numerous other factors that can be deciding factors - such as geographic location, personal reasons, weather, affinity to Hyderabadi cuisine etc. To each one her own. I do not think you can go wrong either. It is more a matter of what you want from your MBA and from your career.

Thank you Life, Thank you Love

2008-02-26T20:43:00.003+05:30

Watching Marion Cotillard deliver her cute thank yous at the Oscars '08 and later on thank you cam, took me back to my own special moments that life has given. The day I cleared my engineering entrance exams, the day I got my first job, the day I got my letter of acceptance at Fuqua, the day I bagged my dream internship - all moments of triumph, lots of silent thank yous and momentary speechlessness. Thank you Life!

Decisions Decisions...

2008-02-20T19:49:00.002+05:30

It is decision time of the year for many. I am getting many queries from first round admits trying to decide which school is the best for them (certainly a nice position to be in). Then there's others deciding what to do with waitlists. I was waitlisted same time last year and was not even sure whether I'll be heading to a B-school or not.

On the school front, many of us are deciding what internship offer presents the best opportunities in terms of interests, future prospects, summer experience etc etc. Many are still hunting for their ideal job. It has been a crazy six months of B-school experience - most of it focussed towards that dream we aspire to achieve with the help of an MBA.

I will talk about recruiting and internships in another post. Lets focus on B-school decision for now. The tough part for some right now is deciding which is the best school to attend out of these. Here's my two cents:

1) Visit the schools if you can. Many schools have an Admitted Student Weekend to help admits experience the culture of the school and know their prospective classmates. All my classmates who attended the Blue Devils Weekend say that it was vital aspect of their decision whether to join Fuqua or not.

2) Do not let perceived B-school reputations sway you into a wrong decision. Rankings might have been helpful for you in beginning to research about schools, but that's where your dependence on them should stop. Do not think that a school is not good in Brand Management simply because it doesn't have a course named 'Managing Brands' in its curriculum.

3) Speak with current students - they should be your best resources of information. Ask them what they were looking for at Fuqua and whether they got that or not - both from a professional and personal development aspect.

4) When it comes to placements, one metric I find useful was the ratio of students getting a job to the number of students applying for that job. This is a difficult number to get though. Again, current students can help you here - they may not have the numbers in their notebook, but they sure do have an idea of how many people were vying to get into a particular industry and how many actually got through.

5) Finally, try to figure out how would you like spend your two years.
Do you want to know your classmates well enough that you dont have to introduce yourself all over again when you meet them 5 years from today? A smaller town and a not so big class size should make this easier in that case.
Fuqua might be the school for you if you are looking for a leadership experience where you can influence the way the school works, where you have opportunities to decide which club should be run how. I have participated in discussions where we tried to figure what direction should Fuqua take given the current global scenario, what is the image we want a Fuqua student to project, what does it mean to be a Leader of Consequence and what should be done to achieve these goals for Fuqua.

Some schools are more team-oriented than others. Not all schools have a heavy focus on team assignments. Fuqua swears by its Team Fuqua culture and I am glad I am a part of it. The Fuqua Fridays, Campout, academic curriculum teams - have all given me friends for life. Be aware of what you want and then decide.

No decision is a wrong decision in the end. It is just a matter of making an educated decision and that is what we have been trying to do all of lives, havn't we?

Congratulations!

2008-01-18T20:44:00.000+05:30

Congratulations to the newly aboard members of Class of 2010 at Fuqua. I remember awaiting the results with bated breath same time last year, eventually falling asleep before getting an intimation :) Hope most of you are able to attend the Blue Devil Weekend and get a taste of Fuqua before joining.

Good luck to all those who did not make it or are awaiting other results. Hope everyone gets the best. Having been through a string of rejections, I understand the not so sweet feelings that accompany it. All I can say is that B-school apps are just a part of a long journey and not the end of the game.

Here's some tips for waitlisted candidates. Forrest's latest blog will also be helpful to you in case you have been waitlisted.

And the answer is...YES!

2008-01-18T02:19:00.000+05:30

I have an internship. It took 5 interviews over 2 rounds to land up an internship in the industry that I wanted to get into.

It is amazing how things change. Just 5 weeks back I was worried about whether firms will even look at me. Then, it changed to whether I will be able to impress the recuiters with the skills that I have learned over the past semester. With an internship in hand, all those scary thoughts of having to spend a jobless summer have been thrown outside the window. I am now looking forward to the day when all my friends here land up super awesome offers and we can laugh over some of our silly responses in those claustrophobic interview rooms. Personally, it is a big relief to have a summer job offer before the first day of school. This should help me focus on my academics better.

Overall, it has been a good start to the internship season at Fuqua. Despite fears of a forthcoming recession, firms are picking up good numbers from here - seems to be either more than or same as last year. Of course, the final word will come from the Career Management Center (CMC) later.

The second years are a vital cog of this recruitment process, and their efforts to prepare us have been exemplary. I know of so many second years who came to school during the winter break just so that we can practice interviews and sharpen our skills with them. Hats off!

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T07:09:00.000+05:30

Life is still exciting, only the players of the game have changed.

There is another challenging year in front of me as I prepare to embrace myself for the upcoming recruitment roller coaster and the related uncertainties. Same time last year, it was just as uncertain. I was awaiting my decisions, writing new applications. Literally everything I did found some link to my essays and my life story. I used to check my e-mail with anticipation.

Then I got through Duke and it felt that my life was about to change. Life did change. It has been an intense last six months. Networking is the name of the game. 'People know people who know people' has been the mantra. Life's goals have evolved from getting into the best B-school and best career to getting the best in whatever I set my sights on. My classmates from around the world have set the bar high. I miss India but find myself learning more and more about America - a country I had so many pre-conceived notions of.

In a nutshell, I am loving it! Here's good bye to 2007 and celebrating the spirit of Team Fuqua as I wish all readers a Happy New Year.

A take on Duke Essays

2007-12-23T02:44:00.000+05:30

With Round 2 deadline approaching, I have been getting a lot of queries on how to approach the essays.

Here's a quick look at this year's essays:

Why are you interested in The Duke MBA and how will it help you achieve your goals? Please also discuss your career path, including your short and long-term professional goals. If you are interested in the Health Sector Management concentration or a joint degree program, please address in this essay.

Make sure you answer all four parts of this essay: (a) Your career progress (b) Long and Short term goals (c) Why an MBA can help you achieve these goals? (d) Why Duke specifically?

A good essay will nicely weave these stories in one steady flow, the transitions will be solid and the big picture will make sense.

The biggest mistake you can commit is to copy paste the 'Why Duke' from your 'Why Some Other School' essay. When you read your essay, do you feel that these lines can be written only for Duke? If not, then it needs to be re-looked

How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua's diverse culture?

This is a diversity essay that you must already have a lot of gyaan on.
The idea is to bolster your professional application by telling them about your activities outside of work. The trick is not trying to please the adcom by telling them what they want to hear, but to tell who you really are.
My theory: All applicants who try to please the adcom by presenting themselves as 'Diverse' end up having similar looking applications and hence lack diversity.
Try writing 'your' story once. You'll be amazed how effective that is.

Describe an example of where you were challenged to lead in a team-oriented context. What was the challenge you faced, how did you address it, and what takeaways or lessons learned have you successfully applied in other leadership situations?

Again, essential that you answer all parts of questions. It is good to have a one/ two sentence summary and result of the situation to set up the essay for the reader, before you get into the details.

Describe a situation in which your ability to perform ethically was challenged. What was the issue, how did you handle it, and what did you learn from it?

An initial summary of what you are going to tell in the essay should help here as well.

I like situations where there is no obvious correct path. For example, a team lead who is asked by the client to distort some facts would always want to write that he did not do it. For me, a better story would be where you had to decide whether to hire/ fire new employees (and hence impact your profits) to give a more accurate/ less accurate result to your client. I find it better because here you could have gone either way and not have been wrong.

Describe a significant leadership failure in your life. What did you learn from this failure? How has it impacted who you are today and the kind of leader you would like to be?

Summary first. After that, the story. Then your learnings and the impact the incident had on your perception of leadership.

A story not very recent might be a good idea as it gives you a chance to show how you improved and implemented your learnings from that failure. The essay also seems to be asking about what qualities you perceive are essential for a being an effective leader. So, you might want to think about your failure story in that context.

How has your personal history and family background influenced your intellectual and personal development? What unique personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? Note: The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally.

All points noted in the diversity question above apply to this one. The difference being that the focus is more on how your background influenced your personality. There may be experiences that have led you to take some actions that you took in the above essay. Here's your chance to tell the adcom about these.

Good Luck to those who are busy finishing their essays for the January 3 deadline and to those who are awaiting Round 1 results.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are personal and I have had no interaction with anyone regarding how best to approach these essays.

Who is a Fuqua Graduate?

2007-11-25T07:10:00.000+05:30

Last week, I was invited for a lunch table discussion with COLE Leadership Fellows and faculty. The conversation centered around Dean Sheppard’s desire for an MBA program that produces leaders of consequence as an outcome of Fuqua.

We sought to understand what constitutes the 'Special Kind of Student' that Dean Sheppard envisions. The discussion that ensued made it clear what brings us students together at Fuqua.

Fuqua strives to nurture students who are great colleagues and great leaders, individuals who are functionally deep and globally sophisticated. A Fuqua graduate is someone who represents a community accountable to make a difference to this world. In general, the way Fuqua looks at the 'Fit' in prospective students is homogeneity of desire and heterogeneity of styles. We want people to stick out to their own aspirations. However, difference in degree of aspirations is not desirable. A Fuqua student is someone who knows how to choose and what to choose (homogeneous) but achieves his goal in his own unique style (heterogeneous).

Opportunities such as club leadership positions provide good exposure, but Fuqua is striving for the next level. Fuqua lets students lead the way in shaping the school's present and future. The synergy between student leadership and faculty mentorship leads to an effective governance and leadership model. It is the students who come up with ideas and feedback, but it is the authorities that mould the thoughts into implementable actions. Based on student feedback, the need for a stronger emphasis on global business environment was identified. This has led to the introduction of Global Institute Program for incoming daytime students before the start of Fall Term. Right from day 1, involvement of first year students was sought and implemented in order to achieve the desired outcome from the program.

An immense involvement of the Fuqua student is sought in shaping the B-school experience. It is this commitment and desire to utilize the two years in the best possible manner that creates a unique leader and a Fuqua Brand Ambassador. It is discussions such as the one I was part of that mark the essence of my B-school journey.

Fall Break is here!

2007-10-19T18:36:00.000+05:30

I am one-term old at Fuqua now and really looking forward to the week long fall break. While time has not exactly flown, past six weeks have been pretty intense.

I always knew it was going to be an intensive two years. However, it is the magnitude of the intensity that I was probably not prepared for. People still ask, “How’s it going?” I no longer find it surprising when people do not bother to listen to my response, but that is the only time during the term that I got to step back and think, how actually it is going.

Most finance and consulting companies ask for your grades. Most people are working hard towards a good academic performance. In such a scenario, more than your understanding of a certain topic, the importance preparing well from an examination point of view drives your intent to learn. I wonder if people are able to extract more out of their academic experience at schools that have a grade non-disclosure policy.

Overall, it has been an amazing two months. There has been a significant change in my perspective. Academically, there has been enormous learning. To be able to peruse and understand a firm’s annual report after taking an Accounting course for just six weeks, is a great feeling. Every day is a new revelation. There’s been a plethora of leadership opportunities – everyone gets to aim at what he/she thought will be his idea of leadership experience.

The highlights of this term were the meeting Marquis in person, the Campout, the Accounting course (a special thanks to Dr. V – our amazing accounting professor, who made such a big difference in our learning experience, with his passion and ability to bundle everything for us in a splendid manner.)

The Duke CAMPOUT

2007-10-01T15:47:00.000+05:30

I am back from a 36 hour roller coaster that is called Campout at Duke. Every muscle in my body is screaming for rest. Over the weekend, I got to sleep a total of 8 hours (and I must have slept the most out of all 1500 odd participants). Yet, I have no doubt that I had the time of my life.

Basketball is a religion at Duke and tickets to matches are limited. So, Duke has come up with this amazing way to distribute tickets to fans. The ask all grad students to Campout.

For 36 hours, you stay out in RVs/U-Hauls/tents in an open space. You do not get to sleep or to go home in this period. The idea is to queue up and sign-in everytime there is a bell, and this makes you eligible for a lottery sale of seasons tickets to Duke basketball matches. To maximize their chances of winning tickets, people team up in groups of 10-15 and then campout. This means that tickets you (or any of your team mates) win as an individual will now be shared by your team. You now have 10-15 times more probability of getting to watch a match.

I have been part of so many team building exercises both within and outside of Fuqua. Campout achieves team building like nothing else. Its a 36 hour non-stop party where you spend time helping each other stay awake, dance, drink, do crazy antics. You not only spend time with your team, but with people in RVs parked all around.

Am sure some of the bonds that I formed during campout are going to last forever.

Today in my life...

2007-09-12T10:28:00.000+05:30

Here's how I spent my last 24 hours:

0200 hrs: Go to sleep. I've had enough of the previous day.

0650 hrs: Wake up alarm goes off!

0735 hrs: Leave for Fuqua

0800 - 0830 hrs: Stats Quiz

0830 - 1015 hrs: Stats class

1030 - 1115 hrs: Some internal class event

1130 - 1215 hrs: Discuss Team Charter with Leadership Fellow and suggest imrovements to team processes.

1220-1250 hrs: Resume review by Career Management Center

1250 - 1310 hrs: Stand in queue, grab your lunch and eat it

1315 - 1530 hrs: Deliver a company research presentation as part of Management Communications course. Provide peer feedback to others.

1600 - 1800 hrs: Go back home, work on resume and set up next review appointment for tomorrow.

Write and submit applications for a couple of leadership activities.

Get dressed in business attire. Rush back to Fuqua

1830 - 2030 hrs: Attend a Company Special Interest Pesentation (SIP)

2030 -2100 hrs: Rush home. Change into casuals to attend Peru Earthquake Fund Raiser Party.

2100 - 0000 hrs: Party!

0030 -0115 hrs: Check e-mail. Cook dinner, eat (As a rule, you do not get much food at parties. Plus, I'm a veggie).

0115- 0125 hrs: Write this blog.

0126 hrs: Thankfully, Wednesdays are no-class days, which means I can put off studying for Accounting and Economics quizzes to tomorrow. So, shut down and sleep. There's a symposium lined up for 8.00 AM the next day.

To top it all, the second years say things are just beginning to warm up. It gets a lot busier than this :)

Hey! Howz it going?

2007-08-17T23:34:00.000+05:30

Its been two weeks since I've been in the US now. Orientation is over and classes started on Monday.

On the first day of school, just before the prof started, an American-born Indian crosses by me and says, "Hey, howz it going?". And he's gone even before I could open my mouth to respond! What a wierd guy I thought. Then I noticed everyone says the same thing to everyone else here.

One of my American classmates later went on to tell me that this is just another way of saying a polite Hello. No one cares about the answer anyways.

So, how do you answer back when someone comes up to you and says, "Howz it Going?" and actually does not walk away. A little more research into this tells me that there's two standard responses to this. 1: "Ummm, not too bad". 2: Smile and say, "Howz it going" even before he's finished his question! I found the latter more exciting so I myself end up saying "Howz it going" most of the times.

Well, that's public speaking lesson number one for me in the US.

On Fuqua, its a great school. The class composition is diverse, not only in terms of nationalities represented but also in terms of professions and richness of work and life experiences. Its amazing to sit in a class and listen to so many diverse perspectives on the same topic.

The Team Fuqua culture is not just an 'on the website' thing. You get the feeling that everyone really goes out of the way to help others around. All in all, looks like I am going to have a good time over the next two years.

So, if you ask me Howz it going, I'd say, "Not too bad" :)

Cheers Duke

2007-06-14T08:55:00.000+05:30

A regret letter from Tuck greeted me in my inbox today morning. So, here's a toast to my only successful application.
Blue Devils - here I come :)

How significant is GMAT?

2007-06-01T14:05:00.002+05:30

Earlier this week, my friend received feedback from Keenan Flagler on his rejected application. Amongst other things, it said, "...we anticipate that the average GMAT score of our successful applicants this year will be well above last year's average score of 660. Consequently, any efforts that you can make to improve your GMAT score from 720...".

The debate over GMAT's significance for a top 10 B-school admit is as atleast old as when I first started looking at a foreign MBA as an option. You will find many so-called 'low GMAT' success stories. MBAbabe got into H/S despite having a less than 80% in quant. Hobbes made it to Duke this time with the same GMAT that he had been asked to improve upon.

All schools say that GMAT is not the only component that they look at. There are a lot of things that make an application and each aspect carries its own weightage. Applicants can offset certain weaknesses in their application, such as a low quant GMAT score, with strong academic background in Mathematics.

My two cents: The adcoms are being honest. They do look at all components before deciding on an application. Importance of GMAT is the same for all applicant pools. What varies is the average GMAT scores among these pools. The average GMAT score of a school may be 650 but adcom cannot help it if you happen to be in a pool where the average GMAT score is in excess of 750 (read Indian IT male in case of my friend). Same goes the other way around as well. If you are competing with a pool where average GMAT is just 550, you stand a good chance of getting into that school (having GMAT average 650) with a score of 600!

Bottomline - tough luck if you happen to be in such a competitive applicant pool. No use frowning over why the feedback given to you says your GMAT can do with some improvement. Either improve a whole lot of things to offset the GMAT (which is manageable if you have a GMAT 720) or bite the GMAT bullet once again.

Of course, as I said before, there are many success stories. Its not impossible to get an admit with a low GMAT, its just tougher than usual. For those curious, my GMAT 720 friend did make it to a good school in the end.

Sunil Gavaskar obliges

2007-05-28T08:09:00.000+05:30

The 'Little Master' visited SAP campus on Friday and our cricket team managed a photo-op with him :)
I was on leave the previous day and so was not aware that the whole team is turning out in white. Hence, the odd-man out.

Tuck update: The agony continues

2007-05-11T08:51:00.000+05:30

This is turning out to be quite a pain. Tuck has decided to extend my waitlist by another month.

I was hoping they will save me the agony of waiting till the very last moment. I am virtually in a no man's land. I am not sure where I am headed.

I have no doubt that Tuck is my first choice. However, that is only when I look at Tuck and Duke on a level ground. As it turns out, the ground is no longer level. I already have an admit from Duke. The people there have shown that they live by the 'Team Fuqua' culture that they boast of. With Duke students, alumni and staff having been so cordial and helpful, and with me having a small scholarship from them as well, I now wonder if it is worth waiting till June 13.

Durham is a small town and most of the good apartments will already be taken by the time I start looking for one next month. Then there's the Visa issue - if I change my school after getting my Visa stamped, I will have to go through the whole Visa process again.

As of now, I think I will confirm that I want to remain on waitlist, hope for an early decision, hope that the decision goes my way and then run around to get all logistics done on time.

Good luck to me.

Tips for waitlisted applicants

2007-05-09T15:43:00.000+05:30

I hate waitlists. Many times during the process, I was at loss to know what to do. I could not get much help on the web either.

A school's reasons for waitlisting applicants may vary from managing the yield to balancing the diversity of the incoming class. From an applicant's perspective, it means only one thing - You are not good enough to fit into their scheme of things outright and need to try harder. An optimistic way of looking at this would be that you are not a 'weak' candidate and they dare not reject you outright.

The critical question is how to handle waitlists. I list down some points based on my experience with two waitlists that I had to deal with. These are some of the things I did or I read about after I received those excruciating waitlist decisions.

Do not act in a hurry. Take your time before you send any update/ communication to the adcom. They are not expecting an update from you the very next day. You generally have about a week's time to decide if you want to remain on the waitlist.

Check what steps specific to your school are to be followed once you have been put on waitlist. Most schools send across a Waitlist FAQ along with a waitlist decision. Schools such as Wharton do not allow you to send any additional material.

Ask the school if you can send stuff like additional recommendations. In my case, Fuqua encouraged this but Tuck categorically told me not to send any additional reco.

Go through your entire application package. Ask someone familiar with the process to read your essays e.g. I got my Tuck application essays reviewed by a friend who had cleared his waitlist at GSB Chicago and so had a fair idea of what the missing links in an app could be. Do you need to re-emphasize something? Maybe your why MBA was not as strong as other parts of your app. Maybe you need to explain this again.

Check with your school if they are willing to give you a feedback. If yes, you are in for a windfall - you have a perceptible weakness that they think can be overcome. Show them that you are willing to make amends.

Check with your interviewer if he can give you any feedback based on your interview. I did that and it turned out to be useful.

Make a list of possible updates that you can send to the adcom.

a) Examples of updates that I know people sent include: Promotions/ change in roles or responsibility/ improved or new test scores (I had my TOEFL waived off at most schools but sent my TOEFL scores as an update later). Updates such as salary hike/ bonus are debatable. If you decide to send such updates, you should have received this bonus/ hike as a result of of performance and you should make it a point to tell the adcom the same.

b) Updates may also include info on any initiative that you took within/ outside of office. Something like you being felicitated by your CEO ;), you launching a new initiative etc.

I would recommend not to send too many update mails during the waitlist period. Two or at the max three update mails should serve the purpose. The adcom should not feel as if you do not have the maturity to understand what needs to be sent and what not. As Thomas Caleel, Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid recommends on Accepted.com - The Development has to be:

important,
unanticipated, and
of significant benefit to the applicant in the time remaining until matriculation
to merit informing the Wharton adcom.

Do not forget the fundamentals: Why is the update important? How will it improve your overall application? What value will you add to the incoming class because of that update?

Can you visit the school? Nothing like it. I was not in a position to go to the US after I got waitlisted but the whole world seems to advice about making that piligrimage to bolster your chances to the max.

I have read about cases where applicants have got current students and alumni to officially put in a word for them. Worth a shot. I did not get this idea while there was still time, neither did any alum/student know me well enough to recommend me. Still, it is an option that people seem to have exercised.

If you already have an admit from some other univ, I think it does not hurt to inform the waitlisted school about this and tell them that despite the admit you would still like to attend their program.

Apart from the updates, it is nice to express your love for the school in your correspondence. Continue your research on the school, continue talking to staff/ students/ alumni/ interviewer.

Do not forget that your waitlist may have more to do with the quality of other applications with a similar profile rather than any weakness in your application. Leave it to the adcom to decide whether you fit into the scheme of things or not rather than being overzealous.

I am still awaiting a decision from Tuck but whatever the result, I am sure that I will not be left out due to lack of trying :)

Edit: A post that should help waitlisted applicants. Rahul added another useful link as a comment.

Duke cheating scandal

2007-05-08T13:18:00.000+05:30

Fuqua has lately been in news for not exactly the reasons it would have wanted to be.

Disciplinary action was taken against 34 odd students for a breach of the Fuqua Honor code. Not surprisingly, this sort of action at one of the top-notch univs in the US has garnered condiderable media attention. Media coverage is not only confined to news about the incident. There is a lot of specualtion about how it will affect Duke's image and the future of its current students and alumni.

I understand that the press and people suddenly have some 'hot' topic to discuss about and they are at it in a full-blown manner. Fuqua management probably saw it coming and hence reached out to all new admits and alumni.

Some say it is appreciable on part of Fuqua to come down heavily on any sort of honor code violation and if anything it will encourage employers to look at Fuqua as an ethically strong institution. If I were a recruiter, I too would look at at in this manner.

Personally, I think it will be back to normal once all this hoopla dies down. No loss of image or anything. No gains either. Some students were caught cheating and disciplinary action was taken against them - end of story.

I doubt if someone's decision to join Fuqua or not this Fall will be influenced by such a one-off incident. Atleast mine is not.

Yaye for SAP Labs

2007-04-20T09:48:00.000+05:30

SAP Labs India has been ranked 8th in the Great Places to Work Study 2006 by Business World and I am so proud to be working here. The Great Place to Work Survey spanned over 120 major companies in India. SAP Labs participated in this for the first time and made it to the top 10!

More noteworthy is that amongst IT companies, SAP Labs is ranked 3. I have not worked with too many companies but going by the experience of my friends in various other companies, SAP is definitely one of the best places to work for.

Infact, I am surprised to see it lagging behind Google and Mindtree. I wonder how much more can those companies be doing for their employees. We have a sprawling campus, free food, free transport, amazingly flexible working hours, the independence to think and express our thoughts openly (for an IT guy, there is nothing more vital than this), a liberal cross-project transfer policy, numerous discussion forums, clubs, a dedicated and active CSR initiative, cricket, football tournaments, dance classes, a nice gym, festival celebrations, Family Day celebrations, guests such as Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore kick-starting the New Year, etc etc etc. Not to mention a highly qualified and intelligent pool of employees who egg you on to perform your best. And these are just some of the things that come to my mind at this moment. I can list down much more if I sit back and think.

I remember on Diwali weekend last year, I had to stay back till 8.30 PM due to some sudden customer escalation. As I sat in the shuttle, I realized that there were just 3 employees going that late! After a fab display of fireworks at office that evening, it was possible for most of us to go home and celebrate. Even though I was unlucky enough to be among those three people, I felt proud to be working with a company that cares and in a company where it is possible to balance your work and life so effectively.

Three cheers for SAP Labs! Go SAP...

Things to do

2007-04-16T10:44:00.000+05:30

It is really difficult to concentrate on office work in office these days. I already feel there's so much to do and so little time left. Last week, I began preparing a list of action items that need my attention. And this list just keeps on growing longer.

Some examples of things on my list are:

Impress Tuck - and that's absolutely vital!
Research on what kind of laptop will suit me best there and where will I get the best deal.
Learn excel shortcuts - I am really bad at this.
There's some fuss being created over getting parking permits at Fuqua. Need to knwo what's the big deal about this.
Check on vaccinations and immunizations. I can save money if I get this done with while I am still in India.
People seem to have already booked apartments in Durham, and I do not even have a flatmate yet (Guess I can blame Tuck for this :))
Then there's a lot of usual research that I need to do about Fuqua - such as a deeper research into the clubs.
Ah! and the VISA - how can I forget that.
Is flight availability already a problem? I heard this a couple of times already.

On top of all this, finish off pending stuff at office, give KT etc etc...

Indian IT professional? Here's how you begin

2007-04-13T08:09:00.000+05:30

I sent a similar mail to some people who approached me for advice. Thought its better to put it on blog.

If you are reading this blog then you have already started doing the right thing.
First things first: Start reading blogs - they are amazing resources of first hand experience from fellow applicants and current students. People who have been there, done that.

Visit Clearadmit regularly. You get some useful info there. Read the blogs of all Best of Blogging nominees.

With blogs, you get a very good idea of the application process. There are some things that can help you in deciding upon which schools to apply. While going through these (and other) blogs, I would recommend that you be on the look out for the following things:
1) What schools are keen on Indian Students
2) What are the kind of profiles of Indian students getting into these schools
3) What differentiated them from others who were not successful
4) Which schools not to apply to. This is a critical question to address - there are some schools that entice you to apply based on their strengths, brand name, your gut feeling etc etc. However, do not get swayed by emotions - do your research well before you apply. It costs a substantial time and amount to apply to each school, not to mention the disappointment of not getting through. My earlier blog caters to this aspect. There are schools that simply are not too keen on my type of people and my educational interests also are not served as well by them. All applicants I talked to did not know anyone in India who got interviewed by MIT. Bottomline: Apply wherever you want to, but Be Aware!
5) A common thread you'll find across all successful 'Indian IT male' applicants in India (I am not sure of Indians who apply when they are working abroad) getting into the top 10 schools is a good GMAT score. No doubt the application consists of a lot of components, but for an Indian IT male, it takes a Herculean effort to sway a decision your way given a low GMAT score.
6) Do not hesitate to contact these bloggers - they are people like you and me, and after a looong application process, they are willing to share their thoughts with anyone who wants to listen.
7) You'll find a lot of comments on these blogs - check them out to find out about other bloggers.

Again, no matter what you do, do not compromise your GMAT preparation for anything. Aim for 800 :) It doesn't take hard work to score well - work smart!

All the Best

My ideal Inbox

2007-04-12T09:20:00.000+05:30

Things I wish to see when I check my mailbox in the morning:

A full freeship award letter from Duke/ Tuck
A pre-approved VISA without having to appear for interview
No work at office
My manager mailing me that since there aint much work, I can go on a paid vacation for my last two months
A mail from a fellow admit saying all my housing needs have been taken care of and I just need to get my $@# in there

Alas! If wishes were horses...

What constitutes the 'Fit'?

2007-04-10T09:12:00.000+05:30

Most people are of the opinion that you should just look at the fit-factor from your point of view and let the university decide whether you fit in its jigsaw puzzle or not. I would say we should always start looking at a school in that way, but in the end, the decision to apply or not should also depend on the probability of getting accepted to the school you are going to apply. It takes around $250 to submit an app to a top school and we better spend this money wisely.

To present an example, here's 5 reasons why I applied to INSEAD:

A major reason behind my decision to pursue an MBA is the opportunity to interact with a diverse student body. Where else than the most 'International' of all MBA courses - going by the statistics that is. It has arguably the most diverse student body in terms of nationality as well as quality.
One of the better one-year courses in the world.
Brand name, esp in Europe. For someone looking to pursue a career in Europe, INSEAD is bound to be among the top-choices.
Amazing spirit of community.
It costs lesser than a two-year course in the US.

And here's 5 reasons why I should not have:

I have never travelled abroad. To apply to INSEAD with the international travel part of your application blank is blasphemy for a profile like mine.
Demonstrated leadership is a crucial factor for admission at all top B-schools around the world. INSEAD seems to value this demonstration a lot more at work than outside it. I was a team lead at my previous company, but later switched to a product development form and am currently leading a team of zero. INSEAD's essay one goes thus: "Please give a detailed description of your job, including nature of work, major responsibilities; and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, number of clients/products and results achieved."
Most of the Indians getting through either already hold a master's degree or have diverse work experience (read non-IT).
One of my stronger points was GMAT, and INSEAD simply couldn't care less for this given the rest of my profile.
To make the most of my education and succeed post-INSEAD, I now think that more work-ex than 3-4 years is preferable if I was looking for a career switch. So while I still think INSEAD is a good fit for me when it comes to enjoying my education and learning the most out of it, INSEAD may actually have done me a favor by not offering an admit.

The point is that there are a whole lot of things to be looked upon when you apply to a B-school. We all apply to schools we think are stretch targets for us. But it is wise to choose the best out of those stretch-schools and not just go ahead and apply. Would I apply to INSEAD again if given a chance to begin my app process all over again? I'm not sure...

Disclaimer: Thoughts mentioned above are personal and have nothing to do with what INSEAD recommends.

Waitlisted at Tuck

2007-03-16T08:52:00.000+05:30

Was surprised to see correspondence from Tuck early in the morning today. They've decided to waitlist me, and that too a full week before their announced decision date for the January round.

Having been through a waitlist already, I can vouch that its quite a pain. Whatever updates I had sent to Duke, I already included in my Tuck Application. Add to that, I have to deposit acceptance fee at Duke by April 2 and I am pretty certain Tuck will not give me a decision by that time.

Will write more on this later...

Finally!!!

2007-03-09T08:35:00.000+05:30

I made it to Duke guys!

Fingers Crossed...

2007-03-08T16:36:00.000+05:30

Fuqua Round 2 results are due some hours from now. Though rejects are not earth-shattering news for me, more so after receiving four of them on the trot, I sure hope the tide of luck favors me this time round. I have my fingers crossed...

Thoughts on ISB

2007-02-23T14:05:00.000+05:30

This may appear like an example of sour grapes. By the time I got to know I am not through to ISB, I had almost decided not to join anyways. Despite three other rejection mails, this one does not cease to surprise me.

I was a re-applicant to ISB this year (had applied with my GRE scores last year). Got rejected last time and requested for a feedback. Here’s what they said: ‘You may look at a good GMAT Score, improving communication and interview skills further, if you are planning to re-apply.’.

I felt the basis of rejection was strange: I have a pretty good GRE score and if they want people to take the GMAT, then there was no need to keep the GRE option open at all. Secondly, ‘improving your interview skills’ is a very generic statement. This probably means that the profile is fine, but they did not like the way I presented myself. I later came to know of many other candidates who received the same feedback. It was as if they had used a standard template for people asking for feedback. Or maybe this was a major criterion for selection and they felt that many applicants actually lacked these skills.

I think ISB is a decent option for anyone who is looking to pursue management education in India. However, ISB interviews sessions are very ‘crude’ to say the least. Each interview lasts approx 20-25 minutes. There are 2-3 people in each interview panel. They never ask Why MBA, Why now or Why ISB in their interviews. They seldom ask about your experiences outside of work. Here’s what I was confronted with this time:
What has changed in your candidature over the past one year?
Why job switch?
What business does your grand father do?
If you were to open a soap factory, how much soap will you be able to sell, and what factors will you consider?
Asked me 'How do you do?' in German when they discovered that I knew German.

And here’s what they asked last year:
In what sectors would you recommend FIIs to invest in India?
What do you like doing on weekends?
A question related to the technology I am working on in office. How am I different from other candidates?

While all these are questions that one can expect in an interview, I am not sure how much a short 20 minute discussion with 3/4 questions helps the adcom. In my case it was enough for them to decide that there are 450 better candidates than me. Maybe my answers were not as refined as they should’ve been. Maybe I was not assertive enough. Maybe they felt that I am just another one of those run-of-the-mill IT guys applying for an MBA. Whatever the case, the fact remains that I wasn't able to sell myself well in front of them for two consecutive years now.

No Feedback

2007-02-22T11:44:00.000+05:30

Here's what Haas has to say on my request for feedback:

"The Berkeley MBA Admissions Committee will only provide feedback to applicants who are denied from our waitlist or denied after completing an interview. In past years, we have provided feedback to all unsuccessful applicants. Unfortunately, the overwhelming number of requests became a significant strain on our limited resources and we found ourselves unable to devote sufficient time to other important projects. As a result, we have reluctantly decided to provide this service only to those individuals who were originally placed on our waitlist or interviewed.

We sincerely wish that we had the time and resources to provide feedback to all of our unsuccessful applicants, especially considering how much time and energy you spent completing our application. Unfortunately, we simply do not. We suggest that you may wish to compare yourself to the profile of admitted students that is available on our website the profile for this year’s entering class will be available in the early fall. This may help you pinpoint weak areas in your application. We wish you all the best as you pursue graduate management study.

Sincerely,
The Berkeley MBA Admissions Team"

Seems there's simply too many people around everywhere these days.

Tuck Interview Experience

2007-02-17T12:03:00.000+05:30

My Tuck interview took place in Delhi last week.

Here's what I was asked:

If I were not to see your resume, what one thing would you take along if I send you to Mars? Then some discussion on what I answered.
What one word describes you the best?
What makes teams work? Some ques about teamwork v/s individual brilliance.
Questions about my experiences as a team lead.
What will your friends say if I ask them about your strengths? And weaknesses? Asked for examples on why I felt those to be my weaknesses.
My experiences in community service – what is one particular experience that you are proud of?
Why MBA?
Why Now?
Why Tuck?
Any questions you want to ask?

The Tuck interview is a bit different from that of other schools. Tuck has appointed a dedicated representative for Asia, and he interviews prospective students across Singapore, Bangladesh, India, China etc. In the end, I was not too sure if this is a good idea. The representative is not a Tuck pass out, so I felt the interview lacked the vital ‘Tuck perspective’ that an alum would have provided me with. At the same time, I think it is better than a telephonic interview that is the norm for most US B-schools - in case no alumni is available.

Overall, it was pretty much a ‘textbook interview’. I came out with a feeling that there was still some information that I could have put across. A key question I wanted to address was why they should take me in Tuck. While I did weave in plenty of stories that would help him judge the answer to this question, there was still some stuff that I could add. He did not ask me if I wanted to say something else, and I thought it wise to leave it at that.

With lots of rejects already in my bag, I surely hope the adcom thinks I have it in me to be a part of the Tuck community.

Duke interview experience

2007-02-07T19:31:00.000+05:30

I interviewed with a Fuqua Alum in Bangalore a couple of weeks back. It was a very pleasant experience. My interviewer gave me a good picture of life at Duke. It was nice to meet someone so passionate about his alma mater.

The interview was pretty much on expected lines. We went on to discuss almost everything I could pack in my application. Some questions I remember were:

1) Tell me about your family
2) Info about my undergraduate institute
3) My decision to join IT after graduating in a non-computer science field
4) Experiences at work. Why job switch?
5) What is my idea of a leader? What are my leadership experiences
6) Which leader inspires me the most and why
7) Why MBA
8) Why now
9) Why Fuqua
10)What other schools have I applied to and why
11)If he were the director of admissions and asked me why Duke should take me, what would my reply be in 30 seconds
12)A situation where I have let someone down.
13)Any questions I have for him.

Mid-way he said he is very candid in his feedback to applicants. He mentioned that I would make a good fit at Fuqua. However, he also said that off the record, he feels that another year of work experience (I currently have 3.5 years of work ex) would do me no harm since my career is yet to hit a plateau and since I am the kind of person who learns from his experiences. He also commented that I have excellent academics though I personally do not think so :)

I think I was able to express my love for Duke in a convincing manner, and he was impressed with most of my answers. The best part of the interview was when he told me enthusiastically about his own experience at Duke. How they used to camp outside for days to get tickets for basketball matches. How everyone is so friendly and involved, and how education at Duke has really made a difference to his outlook.

Considering that I have been waitlisted by Duke, I feel that the interview should do me no harm.

Ramblings

2007-02-07T18:24:00.000+05:30

Its been pretty long since I wrote something on my blog. No particular reason for this - probably been too lazy.

For the record, my app process is going something like this:
Kellog, Haas and INSEAD: DWI
Duke: Waitlisted and subsequently interviewed (will write my interview experience in a separate post)
ISB: Interviewed
Decided to apply to Tuck in the January round and have been called for interview.

A lot of effort has gone into the application process since April last year - time I started preparing for GMAT. I had a GMAT score of 770 to show for two and a half months of efforts, and my MBA dream was off to a flying start. At least I was assured of an MBA, if that was all I cared for. An MBA is assured even now - where and when is uncertain.

I scheduled a feedback session with INSEAD, and the lady told me that the major factor for rejection was absence of international experience in my profile. Not that I was taken aback by this, considering that the school in question was INSEAD. But subsequent DWIs from Kellogg and Haas mean there has to be more than this single reason for my rejections.

I have polished my app since then and decided to apply to Tuck. What transpires remains to be seen. Atleast, its not a DWI this time. Applying in a staggered manner (with an even distribution in rounds one and two) seems to be a better choice as there is no doubt that one's application improves significantly with time.

Also, I am not sure whether I will join ISB even if I get through. It may sound very foolish to have applied at all when I wasnt even sure of joining but I would rather prefer to make that decision after I have something in my hand.

Waitlisted by Duke

2006-12-20T08:34:00.000+05:30

Duke has placed my application on waitlist. It means the agony continues. I have to investigate what all has to be done now for Duke adcom to think that I am a good enough candidate.

My Status till today

2006-12-19T18:34:00.000+05:30

Not all's well at my application end.

Kellogg pushed my app to 2nd round cos they received my toefl scores late.

My recos got lost at Haas, and I had to request my recommenders to re-submit them again. Again this means results are delayed.

Reapplied to ISB, and they got back saying my Class 10 marksheet is missing.

Duke waived my interview because of lack of alumni interviewers. I heard that this isn't a good omen either. Results are due to be out tomorrow, so we'll soon come to know.

Insead's already sent a ding.

Anyways, there's always hope :)

INSEAD ding

2006-11-24T08:38:00.000+05:30

Received a DWI from INSEAD last night.
First decision's not gone my way. Hope I get better decisions going forward.
All the Best to me.

TOEFL...

2006-11-09T16:33:00.000+05:30

Finally got through with my first round apps this Sunday. Work at office has been so hectic that I have not even had time to look into my application status this past week.

I checked my status on Kellogg website, and it says incomplete! The toefl scores are missing. I had taken the toefl CBT in early September. Unfortunately, I myself have not received the scores, and frequent requests to ets do not seem to help. Their way of sending scores by snail mail really sucks. They should let us access our score reports online. I heard that's possible in the new IBT, but what about people who took the CBT? I know of atleast three more people who did not receive their CBT scores on time.

I have shot a quick mail to the Kellogg adcom asking them to confirm if they still havn't received my official toefl score report from ets. I hope its just a case where its taking them some time to match the application with the records.

Kellogg Alumni Interview Waived

2006-10-29T14:15:00.000+05:30

The latest update from Kellogg is that the adcom has waived the requirement of an alumni interview before reviewing my application.

My first reaction to this was disappointment on two counts - one, I miss the chance to interact with an alumni and two, how does this translate when it comes to my chances of getting an admit.

However, a quick mail to my friend at Kellogg has helped. Here's what he says: "not to worry. my interview was waived as well, they called me later.
they will first read your file and then call u as of now it only means that they could not schedule the interview due to logistic issues".

So iDay, and all others(me included) in the same boat can be assured that we are not out of the race, atleast for the time being. Ofcourse, a face to face with an alumni would have been something really nice - but then I dont mind as long as I get through :)

2 down 2 to go..

2006-10-20T17:03:00.000+05:30

I submitted my INSEAD and Kellogg applications this week. Read that scarecrow07 got an interview intimation from Kellogg. Am waiting for mine as well now.

I now have around 1 & 1/2 weeks for my other two apps in the first round - Duke and Haas. My essays for both are almost ready, so I think I can afford a small vacation of two days on Diwali, before diving back into my applications.

Favorite quote and happiness

2006-10-10T11:16:00.000+05:30

I am pleased with myself today :). The first essay question at Haas goes thus: "1.What is your favorite quote, and why is it meaningful to you? (250 word maximum) "

I finshed my Haas essays around 15 days back. All but this one. Usually, I do not start writing any essay till I have a strucutre drawn for all the questions. Haas was different. It made me think of a quote I related to the most, and why? This was taking too much time. I am not the kind who has one single favorite for anything. There are numerous quotes I like and many I come across daily.

I wanted to write something that resonated with my personality completely. I finally found that quote early morning yesterday, and it took me less than an hour to write off my essay. I am happy I got this quote question out of my way. I realized that off late I had started looking for a meaningful quote when I talked to my manager or colleagues. I'll have to change a couple of sentences in other essays in order for this essay to fit the overall picture. But the situation is under control now :)

Updates

2006-10-05T11:37:00.000+05:30

Finally submitted Part1 of my Kellogg application today. Sent mails to one of my recommenders with INSEAD reco link, and also a reminder to start on the Kellogg reco. My other recommender was away on vacation last week, and has now suddenly caught viral fever. Hope he gets well soon.

Saturday is a working day here in Bangalore due to a state wide strike that happened yesterday. Saturdays are the most productive days for me when it comes to my application. Hope I made up for it yesterday :)

Lots of brushing up to do on my essays...

Parameters

2006-09-15T09:53:00.000+05:30

So after after some Infosessions that I have attended, here's the crux of what B schools are looking for in the application package:

Demonstrated Leadership and excellence
Awareness of surroundings and ability to learn from it
Ethics n morals
Initiative
Perseverance
Creativity
Community empathy
Communication abilities
Emotional intelligence
Teamwork
Passion

Though not an exhaustive list, it covers most of the traits that matter. Apart from this, they really expect us to know the school well.

The best fit

2006-09-08T11:57:00.000+05:30

Attended the GSB Chicago Infosession earlier this week. It was hosted at the same place as Wharton's last week. All adcoms are interested in knowing why that particular university is the right fit for us. The concern is valid. A right combination helps both the school and the student in the long run. What I am looking for in these sessions is how these schools differentiate themselves from each other. In this case, I must say the sessions did not serve my purpose.

Both schools sold themselves very well. They had an impressive set of past alumni and current students in their ranks. Both boasted of world class faculty. Both insisted that community involvement is high on their agenda. Both iterated that their school is not just about one particular major, but about holistic learning.

Most people attending such sessions are more interested in knowing about the application process than about the university itself. The Wharton session was more informative in that sense as they gave a good insight into how they go about their application handling and how their quest for the best does not stop at only one particular part of the application. But then again, I did not go to the infosessions just to know that they scrutinize my application really well.

My search is still on....

Making and Breaking

2006-09-01T15:55:00.000+05:30

These essays are definitely the most intersting part of the application. I finished my first drafts for INSEAD about a week back. Think I did a pretty decent job with them. Have spent the past week in getting them edited from friends, listening to their views and incorporating relevant suggestions. Parallely, the outline for the next set of essays has been drawn.

Personally, I am enjoying writing those 'out of the box' essays much more. Kellogg's are one of the better set of essays when it comes to giving the applicant space over what to write and where. I am a bit confused over the word limit here though. Not sure how much is too much. Guess I am ok as long as I weave a meaningful story.

As the essay evolves, my opinions about my application keep changing. The beginning is always optimistic when you think you have so much to write and so less space. Then comes the rigour phase, where you try to fit in the right words at the right places - suspecting you might miss something vital. After a lot of ups and downs, the essay finally takes a shape, only for your friend to tell you this is actually not quite as polished as you think it is! Next, you start editing, and showing it to present students and alumni. Their suggestions are always the most valuable as they've been there, done that! The Clearadmit blogs seem to be good help to know if you are going in the right direction or not.

After all these makings and breakings, i just hope the application reflects my personality well!

Eating, Sleeping and Drinking

2006-08-31T09:46:00.000+05:30

When do you start saying you eat, sleep and drink applications these days? The other day, I read the word 'instead'written somewhere and inadvertently missed the 't' in it! Well, looking at water makes me think of Wharton these days. Cornflakes look like they've been imported directly from Northwestern University.

I was expecting applications to take their toll on me alright. The manner was not expected. Its quite an awakening experience anyways. Deciding I need an MBA at this point was not tough. Explaining this to others is interesting, but not as easy. Hope it all ends on a triumphant note.

Attended the Wharton info session at Bangalore yesterday. Admissions director Thomas Caheel was there. Wharton has this aura around it alright. And the session had nothing that would dimish that. There was an impressive looking gentleman from Bain Capital (who has deferred his admit and will be joining the class of '09 next year), a current second year student and an IAS officer from the class of '90. Apart from the usual stats, Thomas tried his best to tell us that Wharton is not only about finance, and how students have a plethora of choices open to them besides that too. Personally, I believe that no school can boast to be the best in the world based on its strength in just one field. All in all, the session helped in getting a feel of the kind of classmates you will have there and the kind of people you will be competing against for an admit. Might be applying to wharton in the second round - not sure as of now. GSB Chicago is up next, and I hear their info sessions are something one must look forward to.

I'll get back to my applications now, before I start mixing my Kelloggs in wharton insead of putting them into milk.