Seeking an MBA....

Disastrous GMAT!

Havent updated this blog but yes, GMAT was a nightmarish experience!! Am planning to move my blog from here to --> Simba

G Day - 3, 2 & 1...

Ya, just another 3 more days to go for my GMAT & I am going through extremes. Yesterday, I tried to take up the Kaplan test but gave up mid way, the paper was too difficult & way too boring! Anyways, I am shaking off all the fear and trying to build up a strong front to face that darn exam.

At work, things are kinda moving ahead too. I had asked for a department change long time back and I have been called for an interview. Hopefully, something will turn up on that front and I can get a peek at what I might be looking at Post-MBA. :-)

Thats it for now... Next post after the GMAT! Just pray for me PLEASE!

Fuqua Reception

I happenned to attend the Fuqua Reception here in Mumbai. One word that would sum up this school is the 'community' aspect. Somehow, I had never seen Fuqua in that aspect at all. We had Ms. Sherry Holland from the Admissions who gave us an overview of the Fuqua MBA program. The first thing that set the ball rolling was when she made all of us get the name Fuqua right, as in "Few Qua"... Like only Few Qualify!! :-)

I was looking forward to meet some current students as the mail from the school said. But was disappointed to see none. However, there were 2 recent alumni who were happy answering the questions. Really got a much closer look at Fuqua at the reception. Now, I can definetely make a neater essay for 'Why Fuqua' and 'Team Fuqua'. But I guess I need to wait till my GMAT is done with.

There were close to 15-20 ppl who attended and I figured out that not may were even sure about the school. But hey, thats the way it works here in India. ;-) Thankfully I do not have to finish my interview prior to the deadline. Thats a relief for me. I guess, Fuqua would be the first school that I will be working on!! That reminds me, I need to update that right side of my blog!! Also, after the GMAT, I need to get back to my PG Blog. I feel so much more comfortable there!!

Done with BC!

Finally, one packet is complete. I have just finished putting together all the essays and requisite documents for the British Chevening Scholarship. One peculiar aspect about this scholarship is, the MBA programme should be only a 12 month program and nothing more. However, this fall, I am looking only at Oxford - Said in the UK, which happens to have a 12-month program. I have made a paper application for Oxford cause I need to send a copy of the university application. So, I am 20% done with my Oxford application.. I will go full ahead with the paper application only. I need to make my recommenders send me their recos in sealed envelopes.

More info @ http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-scholarships-chevening.htm

Hey, BTW, am also going full steam with the Fuqua essays. The questions this fall look like this -

1. Describe your professional work experience since earning your bachelor's degree and discuss how you chose your career path. (Limit response to 500 words)

2. What are your short and long term career goals once you earn your MBA? Why are you interested in The Fuqua School of Business and how will The Duke MBA help you reach your goals? (Limit response to 500 words)

3. "Team Fuqua" is a frequently used term when discussing the Duke MBA program. Great teams have great leaders with great ideas and great team play. Thus, "Team Fuqua" means much more than teamwork. In fact, it builds directly from the core values of Fuqua, which are collaboration, innovation, and leadership. Please describe what you would bring to build on these core values and make Team Fuqua great. (750 words)

I am almost done with the first draft of the first two questions. Still pondering about Q #3. :-) Need to rake up those creative cells that have been dormant for a long while...

I am drawing a blank...

As I am winding up my Chevening essays and getting things together for dispatch, I started worrying about the amount of pending work on those essays. I am trying to locate one of my recommenders but have drawn a blank till now :-( ... Just spoke to him a coupla weeks back and he was fine about it!! Wonder, if he is having second thoughts.. Phew, Simba, then its gonna be tough....

The BC Schol last date is Nov 30th. I just registered for the Fuqua reception on the 26th. And the GMAT lore goes on...

Crazy blog

This is a funny lil crazy blog. I can use any kind of coloring only when I am entering a new post at home. I wonder why the color palette is not visible when I blog at office!

Anyways, things were going pretty okayish. GMAT study also was coming up pretty ok. But I saw that there were a lot of places where I was going wrong. With just about a week for my exams, I thought, if I had atleast 2 more weeks, then I could tweak all my bad areas & make sure that I am at my personal best on the G-day. I need to fine tune myself in order to get a decent score. I want to put up a fantastic application.

Yup, U guessed it right! I went ahead and got a bigger dent in my wallet. Its time I bought myself a new one though. :-) Now, the date is finalized. My GMAT exam is on 8th of Dec. All u readers can come back and throw brickbats at me if I even mention that I will postpone further. I dont have too much time on the applications either. I just started my 'Fuqua' app, will be sending the recommenders' names. 3 essays, here I come...:-)

I seem to be ok afterall...

Yes, I am done with mopping & worrying for my GMAT.. atleast as of now! I shook away all the lethargy and fear, now, I am trying to maximise my chances of getting that good score on the GMAT. I have another 2 weeks to go & I am rearing up quite well! No, there is no definite means of figuring out where I stand & where I want to go from here but yes, I intend to give this exam my best.

In hindsight, I dont think I have put in less efforts. I have been punctual & regular in my studies. Probably, had I taken the exam on Nov 4th without postponement, I guess, I would have gone to hell crying about my low GMAT score. (Ya, I am pretty sure about the hell part! :-))

Okie dokie, Diwali this time will mean only studying & more studying, cramming till I fall asleep on that big fat OG. Phew, now-a-days, all my prayers, all my cribs, all my fears etc etc are laced with the words like V, Q, CR, RC, PS etc etc.

I still am not able to figure out my PG blog. Guess, it has to look like that till my GMAT is done with!!

Something interesting...

Yesterday I came across Sachin's blog and read something interesting. Very relevant to me atleast. He basically talks about the anxiety levels one undergoes through the admission processes. To quote him -

"First I thought GMAT is the tough part the rest is about me, myself and my adventures!! NO!! that was not to be - the essays made each of my neuron to activate itself and connect to my heart which had no clue what it felt except that it wanted to get into Wharton!!

Then when I thought the toughest thing was essays and if I got an interview I should be done - I was disappointed, the wait after the interview was toughest.

I jumped on D-Day first running away from my computer and then almost running it over when it said I was Admitted!! I decided to jump and then scream but ended up screaming and then realized that I had to jump !!

Hmm..I was sure I had put the toughest phase behind me and now it would be smooth all the way when I found about Matriculation - I ran up and down putting in papers, filling in forms and updating any contact information and then worrying all the time about what I had put in my application and if I had been careful about each date I had mentioned.

After those anxious moments, after I began relaxing and really enjoying my time - I am back to my troubled self ...wrestling with my brain to squeeze out anything it remembers about these wierd symbols and cryptic forms staring back at me from this self-assessment kit!!!"

Guess Life goes on... :-)

Thanks Aejaz!

Your words were encouraging and thanks a lot for sparing sometime to speak to me. Yes, I have been feeling much better and more confident. The comparison about the marathon was pretty apt. Now, that I have come this far, I might as well stick up and complete the race trying my best to come first!

So, some of the tips when you think you are in a deadlock!!

1) Take sometime off. U need it to get back again with full throttle.
2) Try to analyse where you are going wrong and why. Try to get rid of the problem areas.
3) Everybody works hard but some of them make their own strategies. Figure out yours and stick to it.
4) Guage how you work in a timed environment.
5) Make a definite plan and Attack the GMAT. Its just an exam.
6) Be a professional!
7) Be Realistic! Dont expect miracles on the D-Day!! :-)

A small gist.. So, here I go!!

Ok, I am back!

Ya, I did a good thing to myself. I took off for a couple of days to get rid of my deadlock. I have been so over worked both personally and professionally and it has been killing me. GMAT was looking so big & all pervasive that I didnt think I would ever get out of that treachrous cycle. Anyways, right now, I am looking at a much larger picture of getting into my dream school where I am gonna put in endless hours, streching myself, competing with some of the best minds. Actually, I am looking forward to that!! :-)

So, just abt 20 odd days, get my GMAT over with & start attacking those essays. Wherever I have read about essays, I have seen people talk about 'how dreadful writing these essays are', but somehow I think its different experience. Atleast for me, sitting with myself, spending endless hours about talking about my sacred wishes will definitely be a good thing. I have been planning to do that for nearly 10 years.. ;-)

Right now, I am also working towards changing my department which will give me a peakboo into the kind of work I would like to do Post MBA. It will be great if I can actually be lucky enough to do that. My superior thinks I could do with this change since it is in line with my career aspirations.

My tired days...

For a couple of days, I have not been myself at all. The feeling that I am one of the biggest losers has been haunting me so badly. Maybe I can become famous for so badly wanting to do so many things, failing in all and freaking out! Gosh, I have reached a small saturation point in regards to my GMAT, now no matter how much I study, I do the same mistakes and get the same marks. So, whats the point!! Duh Duh, shouldn't have postponed that exam after all...

Came across a blog which thought a 700+ is bad... I wonder if they were looking at 800+ on the GMAT. Now, the exam perse has become all pervasive, it takes most of my breathing time.. & I am beginning to detest it. Whoever said, GMAT is a test of endurance, focus and persistence, they were absolutely right. I wish I had a million $ to give it to this guy...

Fine, I am in a all down and out mode. I would rather log out & move on....

Pace is pretty slow...

Hmmm.. I know I am supposed to write about the Wharton reception. Actually, right now, I am down and out. Cant really talk about what the Wharton reception meant to me. It was like a re-assuring feeling, something very weird. I will try to talk about it in the next post, please. :-)

Hey, since I rescheduled my GMAT, things have been dragging. Its like U think you will start dieting from this coming weekend, after the weekend bash ;-) & the whole week, U end up bingeing so much that you fall sick & the U cant start that diet at all. I know, a bad analogy.. BTW, I suck in some of those analogies in CR!!

Finally, my list of schools is almost ready... Wharton, Stanford, MIT, Fuqua and a dangler. :-) I had Tuck and UNC, Chapel Hill too but somehow I dont see myself messing up with too many essays. Spare some of those readers!! As of now, UNC is a distant thingie. They require TOEFL and I wont be able to take it before the Jan deadlines. Right now, the British scholarship applications are out and I am trying my level best to submit a decent application before the D-Day.

BC Schol is something I can do with. Considering that I landed in a big soup with regards to funding, I hope to make it to a good school atleast this time either in UK or US. I have a deferred admission at Manchester Biz School and I am applying to Oxford-Said. The sad part of the BC schol is that they give funding only for programmes less than a year. As MBS is a 18-month programme, I am not gonna take chances. This is where M/s Oxford enters :-) I have got considerable work on that application. Atleast the thought process has initiated for the major essays. As they need an academic refrenece, I had to dig out my old tele-books to get those darn nos. of Profs who might remember me. ;-)

Okai, now.. my boat is set asail... Lets see whether it weathers the storm & reaches the far-away banks.

Stanford Reception

Last week was a lil busy week considering that I had to dash off from office to make it to Stanford & Wharton receptions, thankfully on 2 different dates. Also, I was stuck in some training programme which did not allow me to update this blog. Anybody who has travelled in Mumbai local trains can safely vouch for me about the haggles of travelling long distances in over-crowded local trains. Anyways, I reached the place well in time. Surprised that the programme started a wee bit later than it was meant to.

I can state confidently that when I went in, Stanford was not at all there in my list of schools. Somehow I had presumed that it was not the place for me. During the event, I was thinking.. Hmmm.. it looks ok, maybe, I can consider it!! And almost a week after that, looks like, I will be gunning for it with all might. GOD, what am i thinking!!

The reception was hosted by the A. Director of Admissions. One noticeable aspect was the unique way Stanford treated the registered people. You first register for the event and get wait-listed. Then you get no confirmation what-so-ever till 24 hrs before the actual reception. Then suddenly, pooh, you get a mail saying that you are welcome due to some drop-outs. Hey, trust me, the room in which the reception was conducted was just half-full (rather half-empty!) But hey, they make sure that only the serious ones make it!! Only the hungered souls will actually keep checking till the last min. :-) No, I wasnt a hungered soul but surely knew one!!

Yes, my biggest query of all times - Funding was talked about!! But still aint sure about how to go about it. I was kinda enthu abt an alum speaking, who incidentally happens to work in my firm. Looks like he not only got lucky by getting admitted but also, twice lucky, when the firm decided to sponser his Stanford MBA. Yeah, some small, teeny weeny hope lurking around..

By the way, I managed to postpone my GMAT. I better brush up my act if I am looking at these bigwigs. Next post will be on the Wharton reception.

Mock UNGA

The past few days have been a little busy with the Mock United Nations General Assembly going on. Some of our forum members work relentlessly towards assisting NGOs across India. Just like we are involved with NASEOH here in Mumbai, we have some of the members assisting a NGO working towards children education & eradication of child labour. And somehow the volunteers were convinced about my suitability to preside over MUNGA as the Secretary General. I was really surprised & thankful to them. :-)

My trip to Hyderabad lasted only for a day & it reminded me a lot of Bangalore. With so many eating joints, IT firms & crazy traffic, it is close to becomming the twin of Bangalore. I happenned to spend most of the time in the Assembly Hall & was treated really well! The MUNGA went on really well with close to students from 50 colleges & schools representing almost 84 countries. The issue was Child Labour rampant in various countries and how only International Orgs & Globalization can help in reducing these threatning issues. We also had some of the natives speaking in their foreign tongue which added more value & diversity to the event. Many prominent people acted as chief guests & session moderators. It was indeed a great event & took off really well. Great organisers, good speakers & real heart rendering problems.

I happenned to meet some interesting people too. From a 'Padma-Bhushan' scientist to a GM of a big hospital chain. Also, it was great meeting up with lot of volunteers from NGO working selflessly towards betterment of the world.

My Bygone Blog

Yeah, I havent been updating this blog for quite a while. Frankly apart from studying seriously (Really!!) for the GMAT, I havent been productive at all. GMAT study is chugging along okayish but not yet confident about appearing for that exam. When U actually study for anything, U really believe that you will succeed.. U go ahead with this notion for a long while... which sustains till the D-Day & unless something really horrific happens, theres no need to worry!!! Now, I am blabbering!!

Ok, for GMAT & its importance in the application packet. There are two contradictory views. First argument, which is well acknowledged by one & all, Get a good GMAT score 700+, you will atleast not cut a sorry figure in the essays. And considering that I have been out of school for more than 5 years, I need to prove that the books & exams are not (yet!) so ALIEN to me.

Second, after all GMAT is just one of the factors to explain your candidacy. If you closely look into this 'Apping' phenomena, your true competition will only be people like you, who hail from the same regions and have done about the same things that you have. Now, its definitely an art to try to stand apart and convince these Adcom guys. But looking at my demography, I really have big doubts about the number of people 'like me' applying to TOP B Schools. But then again, let it pass!!

My only contention in the whole thing is that I need a good GMAT score so that I really do not spend too much time covering up for the bad score in the essays. That way I can atleast confidently talk about so many other things which might sum up to be more important than an exam.

Thanks Dave

Thanks to some of the useful links on ur blog, I am able to update my side columns. I am just adding the bloggers name & their blog ids. So, guys bear with me :-) I shall update this blog as & when possible. Right now, GMAT occupies 88% of my waking mind. Rest belongs to my work & daily routines. Ya, I still havent gotten around to finalizing my schools & checking out the application essays.

Clear Admit says

Some of the tips I found on Clear Admit. For full info, check their post on Sept 21st 2004.

Admissions Tip: Essays

1) Answer the question. School X asks for a 'failure essay' and school Y asks for a 'team failure essay' - but in an effort to save time, both schools just get a 'general' failure essay.

2) Watch word limits. It is important to follow the rules. Stay within 10% of the word limits. Use the 10% rule as a safety valve - not as a given.

3) Balance. Ideally, you'll want to come across as a bit more well-rounded. Truly exceptional candidates manage to offer stories about work, academic accomplishments, volunteer activities, cultural experiences, outside interests and more. A good way to approach this is to develop a list of the key aspects of your candidacy you need to feature in the admissions process. Refer back to this list as you brainstorm essay topics and see if you can fit the key aspects in....

4) Get to know the school. If you spend time reading up on the MBA program you are applying to, your essays will come across as more informed. Beyond reading, consider making contact with a current student at each school in order to get a first-hand account of life on campus. Visiting is also a good idea, if possible. At minimum, you should be reading the discussion forums and blogs that are authored/moderated by current MBA students at your target schools. Admissions officers can usually tell which applicants wrote their essays after doing this kind of serious research vs. applicants who simply used the MBA rankings to determine their targets.

I strongly feel the point no. 4 is really important. Knowing the school and the program in depth will avoid a lot of detours while penning the "Why" questions.

Days dragging by...

As days go by, I start to wonder whether Nov 5th will be a happy day for me. I am so bad at solving questions in GMAT that I start doubting my capabilities. If there was one problem area, I could have worked on it. But, starting from SC to DS, I suck at all the problems. I need to relax else I am sure I will mess my main paper.

By the looks of it, I will be making to most of the R2s. Sadly, I dont think I will be able to concentrate on my essays & application before the GMAT. That leaves me a couple of months for the essays. But before that, I need to def finalize my schools. Or, it will be Nov mid and I will be still dilly-dallying. I have been visting quite a few forums these days, GMATClub, TestMagic & SentenceCorrection. By now, I have read posts that range from 'Cracking GMAt in 1 month' to 'Smashing GMAT in 4 months'. And that gets me even more worried. I so wish I could pen such a great mail after my exam. :-)

Anyways, back to books...

GMAT aint gonna decide my life...

Yup, precisely... I cant let a small exam decide the course of my future career & life. I know for sure that I can handle the rigors of an MBA. Then how dare a small exam keep me out!! I have decided that I shall go berserk on that exam and score as much as I possibly can. I just need to keep up the tempo & work smart.

Oh my God!!

I am not able to design this blog at all. I really need to get used to this place!!!

Where am I??

Oops, where am I??? Not really sure, just been testing a little... :-)

Seeking an MBA....

Sunday, December 12, 2004

Disastrous GMAT!

Saturday, December 04, 2004

G Day - 3, 2 & 1...

Monday, November 29, 2004

Fuqua Reception

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Done with BC!

Thursday, November 18, 2004

I am drawing a blank...

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Crazy blog

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

I seem to be ok afterall...

Friday, November 05, 2004

Something interesting...

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Thanks Aejaz!

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Ok, I am back!

Monday, November 01, 2004

My tired days...

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Pace is pretty slow...

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Stanford Reception

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Mock UNGA

Monday, October 04, 2004

My Bygone Blog

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Thanks Dave

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Clear Admit says

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Days dragging by...

Friday, September 10, 2004

GMAT aint gonna decide my life...

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Oh my God!!

Where am I??

About Me

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>>Stanford

>>Duke - Fuqua

And still counting...

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