I started on my MBA applications full swing two weeks ago. But once I was done with my first set of Wharton essays - things drastically slowed down.
A sort of lethargy set in - since I (naively?) felt the writing of essays was close to complete. It was my old enemy: my escape mentality, kicking in. I would keep myself away from the essays by surfing or sleeping - and didn't feel like opening my essay notebook.
After a week of this, I tried weaning myself away from this rut I had landed in.
To start with, I started staying away from known distractions: surfing, computer games and sleep.
Also, I watched videos about Wharton on youtube (check out this inspiring speech by Warren Buffett) - a low effort way of relaxing and getting back to the flow at the same time.
Last, I made a breakthrough when I saw the book: 'A Sense of Urgency' by John Kotter.
The title intrigued me - and I listened to introductory videos on Kotter and his book on Amazon and Youtube.
Kotter's philosophy started making sense to me: I realized that anytime a goal is near - complacency sets into me. The danger of complacency is clear: It silently robs me of success. In this case it was my MBA essays - and also see its effect on my work.
And so, I'm working now to instill a sense of urgency for my MBA prep. Not just that, I'm also going to try to instill this sense in my work and my team - we've started feeling we're almost at the peak of our performance - and that's not a good thing! I can see this mantra making a big difference to my life already.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Five Steps to Selecting your B-School
So you've decided you want to do your MBA? Well there's good news and bad news!
First the Good news: There are many schools which can give you an excellent MBA in your focus area.
Next, the bad news: There are many schools which can give you an excellent MBA in your focus area!
Get ready to face the dilemma of selecting the right schools for you! Going through each school's website is time consuming, and will leave you confused. Most will appeal to you. These guys know how to market themselves. After all, they teach it!
Business Week, USNews, and Forbes publish rankings of B-schools to cut through the gloss and help you decide. Unfortunately just relying on the rankings won't get you too far. For example, Babson may be #1 for Entrepreneurship, but overall it is not in the top 25 (It is actually #49 as per US News). Wharton on the other hand, is ranked #4 for Entrepreneurship, but #3 overall.
B-Schools always say you should find your best 'fit'. Unfortunately this vague business sentence doesn't help the already confused candidate too much. You'll see most of the top schools have offerings in areas that interest you. If you want diversity, all the schools will proudly showcase their diverse classes - with percentages against every ethnicity and origin.
So then - how do you select the school that 'fits' you? Here are five simple steps to finding your dream B-School:
Step 1. What is it that you want out of an MBA?
This is the first, and most important step in your search.
If you are interested in a focus area like finance or marketing, then consider this area when going through the rankings. Be sure to lookout for pointers in the rankings that speak for how these schools handle these areas.
Also, look at top recruiters coming to these schools. If top companies in the focus area like the school, chances are, you will too.
Once you have some schools that look promising, go through their curriculum in detail to see if you get the depth of learning you want.
Step 2. Brand Recognition
Brand recognition is vital from your B-School. Since you will pay a large sum to get your MBA, you deserve a brand that will back you. Whether we like it or not, having a school's name attached on your resume affects how people look at you.
While most of the top ranked schools will have excellent brand recognition, you will find some in your network are held in higher esteem. These may be Ivy League schools, or those that have done consistently well in your focus area. If you plan to work abroad, check for brand recognition there.
And don't let the publisher rankings affect your decision too strongly - use them only as pointers. Ten years from now, people won't remember your school's ranking the year you applied.
Step 3. Are you qualified?
B-schools famously contend that unless you apply, you can't determine if you are qualified. That is not entirely true, and here are some metrics to help you decide.
If you have a unique profile which the school would like to add to its class, that's a big plus.
If you have a lower than average GMAT (for that school), your profile needs to compensate.
Some schools give importance to academics, and some to volunteer and charitable work. These can help overshadow a lower GMAT score.
Also remember- a higher GMAT doesn't guarantee acceptance. You still need to show you have a unique profile, which will benefit your class and is in line with your long term goals.
In case you need help in assessing your qualification, or seeing how you can showcase your unique profile, check out this book.
Step 4. Special Features and Facilities
All schools tout special features as their unique selling point. These include - recently updated curriculum, newly developed campus, hands on experience, and exchange programs.
Look through these features across the schools and decide which ones you consider important.
Step 5. Culture, Finances, Location and other considerations
Attending school seminars will help you decide which schools you really like. The discussion with the admission council and alumni will give you a taste for the culture of the school. You may want a down to earth, friendly culture - like in MIT Sloan, or a more formal approach - as in NYU Stern.
Now consider the real world aspects of studying at B-School.
If money is an issue (like it is for most): how expensive is living and tuition? How many scholarships are awarded in the year? Are there guaranteed loans available?
Location to can play a big role: Are you going to be far from home and friends? Will climate be a problem? Would a small city be too dull for you; or a big city too overwhelming?
In summary: Go through these steps several times. Finally, apply to the schools that you really love and think you are qualified for. Your chances of selection, and benefiting from your MBA will be high.
All the best for your B-School decision!
First the Good news: There are many schools which can give you an excellent MBA in your focus area.
Next, the bad news: There are many schools which can give you an excellent MBA in your focus area!
Get ready to face the dilemma of selecting the right schools for you! Going through each school's website is time consuming, and will leave you confused. Most will appeal to you. These guys know how to market themselves. After all, they teach it!
Business Week, USNews, and Forbes publish rankings of B-schools to cut through the gloss and help you decide. Unfortunately just relying on the rankings won't get you too far. For example, Babson may be #1 for Entrepreneurship, but overall it is not in the top 25 (It is actually #49 as per US News). Wharton on the other hand, is ranked #4 for Entrepreneurship, but #3 overall.
B-Schools always say you should find your best 'fit'. Unfortunately this vague business sentence doesn't help the already confused candidate too much. You'll see most of the top schools have offerings in areas that interest you. If you want diversity, all the schools will proudly showcase their diverse classes - with percentages against every ethnicity and origin.
So then - how do you select the school that 'fits' you? Here are five simple steps to finding your dream B-School:
Step 1. What is it that you want out of an MBA?
This is the first, and most important step in your search.
If you are interested in a focus area like finance or marketing, then consider this area when going through the rankings. Be sure to lookout for pointers in the rankings that speak for how these schools handle these areas.
Also, look at top recruiters coming to these schools. If top companies in the focus area like the school, chances are, you will too.
Once you have some schools that look promising, go through their curriculum in detail to see if you get the depth of learning you want.
Step 2. Brand Recognition
Brand recognition is vital from your B-School. Since you will pay a large sum to get your MBA, you deserve a brand that will back you. Whether we like it or not, having a school's name attached on your resume affects how people look at you.
While most of the top ranked schools will have excellent brand recognition, you will find some in your network are held in higher esteem. These may be Ivy League schools, or those that have done consistently well in your focus area. If you plan to work abroad, check for brand recognition there.
And don't let the publisher rankings affect your decision too strongly - use them only as pointers. Ten years from now, people won't remember your school's ranking the year you applied.
Step 3. Are you qualified?
B-schools famously contend that unless you apply, you can't determine if you are qualified. That is not entirely true, and here are some metrics to help you decide.
If you have a unique profile which the school would like to add to its class, that's a big plus.
If you have a lower than average GMAT (for that school), your profile needs to compensate.
Some schools give importance to academics, and some to volunteer and charitable work. These can help overshadow a lower GMAT score.
Also remember- a higher GMAT doesn't guarantee acceptance. You still need to show you have a unique profile, which will benefit your class and is in line with your long term goals.
In case you need help in assessing your qualification, or seeing how you can showcase your unique profile, check out this book.
Step 4. Special Features and Facilities
All schools tout special features as their unique selling point. These include - recently updated curriculum, newly developed campus, hands on experience, and exchange programs.
Look through these features across the schools and decide which ones you consider important.
Step 5. Culture, Finances, Location and other considerations
Attending school seminars will help you decide which schools you really like. The discussion with the admission council and alumni will give you a taste for the culture of the school. You may want a down to earth, friendly culture - like in MIT Sloan, or a more formal approach - as in NYU Stern.
Now consider the real world aspects of studying at B-School.
If money is an issue (like it is for most): how expensive is living and tuition? How many scholarships are awarded in the year? Are there guaranteed loans available?
Location to can play a big role: Are you going to be far from home and friends? Will climate be a problem? Would a small city be too dull for you; or a big city too overwhelming?
In summary: Go through these steps several times. Finally, apply to the schools that you really love and think you are qualified for. Your chances of selection, and benefiting from your MBA will be high.
All the best for your B-School decision!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
A school that didn't take 'the high road'
My last blog post was written after I attended a Kellogg Introductory Session.
Though I had already paid the fee for admissions, I decided my startup website would help me understand my areas of improvement. I hoped this will help me in applying with more knowledge of what I want from my MBA.
I had not yet submitted my application, so I was confident Kellogg would refund or defer my application: especially since the highest in ethics is expected from their applicants.
Surprisingly, though, when I wrote to them, Kellogg did not refund the fee or move my application date. They did, however, point to the fine print saying the fee is non-refundable.
Given that Kellogg expects the highest from their students in terms of ethics, this was a subpar experience for me as a prospective. If they had deferred or refunded the fee, I would be all praise for Kellogg. But because of this response from Kellogg when I apply this year, they will have lost a prospective customer.
Though I had already paid the fee for admissions, I decided my startup website would help me understand my areas of improvement. I hoped this will help me in applying with more knowledge of what I want from my MBA.
I had not yet submitted my application, so I was confident Kellogg would refund or defer my application: especially since the highest in ethics is expected from their applicants.
Surprisingly, though, when I wrote to them, Kellogg did not refund the fee or move my application date. They did, however, point to the fine print saying the fee is non-refundable.
Given that Kellogg expects the highest from their students in terms of ethics, this was a subpar experience for me as a prospective. If they had deferred or refunded the fee, I would be all praise for Kellogg. But because of this response from Kellogg when I apply this year, they will have lost a prospective customer.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
MBA vs Startup
An MBA or your own Startup? Which would you choose?
Here is the logic I used:
1. Cost:
MBA : $100k cost of living and tuition + $120k loss of pay
Website: $20k invested - potentially lost in case of failure
2. Rewards:
MBA: Get to meet interesting people, get a great network, learn new skills and get some hands on experience too with internships
Website: Socialize with meetups and cross cultural groups to meet new people, use MBA friends to get access to great networks, learn loads of skills and test them all the time, loads of hands on experience
3. Branding:
MBA: Great branding
Website: Potentially a good brand. But no assurance
So finally, given the fact that I am also more inclined to work on my website, I decided to put my MBA on hold.
Good idea? For me - yes. For everyone? Naaah!
Here is the logic I used:
1. Cost:
MBA : $100k cost of living and tuition + $120k loss of pay
Website: $20k invested - potentially lost in case of failure
2. Rewards:
MBA: Get to meet interesting people, get a great network, learn new skills and get some hands on experience too with internships
Website: Socialize with meetups and cross cultural groups to meet new people, use MBA friends to get access to great networks, learn loads of skills and test them all the time, loads of hands on experience
3. Branding:
MBA: Great branding
Website: Potentially a good brand. But no assurance
So finally, given the fact that I am also more inclined to work on my website, I decided to put my MBA on hold.
Good idea? For me - yes. For everyone? Naaah!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The attack of the admission essays
Oh the essays.
The open ended questions , & the desire to give the perfect answer! This sure makes writing a tough task. Where do I start?
Well yesterday I finally found uhat works for me. As I sat with my roommates who were watching tv, I found myself in the perfect zone for writing.
So, having already decided on the themes I will be using for the answers- I started writing, & thoughts kept flowing.
By the next hour, I had 2 essay questions down.
Nice!
The open ended questions , & the desire to give the perfect answer! This sure makes writing a tough task. Where do I start?
Well yesterday I finally found uhat works for me. As I sat with my roommates who were watching tv, I found myself in the perfect zone for writing.
So, having already decided on the themes I will be using for the answers- I started writing, & thoughts kept flowing.
By the next hour, I had 2 essay questions down.
Nice!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Say hello to future leaders in Providence
Now that I'm done with the GMAT, I need to get into gear for the essays.
I have been looking at the essay questions of the top 15 business schools, and they are (of course) so open ended, that they have me in a dizzy.
'Tell us how you executed a plan', 'Tell us about a challenging interaction'....
oh gee - these are essays where you can't just grab a pen and start writing!
I have been introspecting and have come up with a few situations that match each topic. Now I have to decide which to write about, and then write about it really well!
I did speak with my father, who is among the best speakers of the English language I have met. He is also a management guru - having worked and consulted with large corporations in India.
He recommended trying to understand why the admissions committee is asking the question - what traits are they looking for?
In my situations I would always come up with examples of good virtues, or convincing skills - but he suggested I try to bring out several skills which subtly came into play during each situation.
Thanks, Dad.
I have been looking at the essay questions of the top 15 business schools, and they are (of course) so open ended, that they have me in a dizzy.
'Tell us how you executed a plan', 'Tell us about a challenging interaction'....
oh gee - these are essays where you can't just grab a pen and start writing!
I have been introspecting and have come up with a few situations that match each topic. Now I have to decide which to write about, and then write about it really well!
I did speak with my father, who is among the best speakers of the English language I have met. He is also a management guru - having worked and consulted with large corporations in India.
He recommended trying to understand why the admissions committee is asking the question - what traits are they looking for?
In my situations I would always come up with examples of good virtues, or convincing skills - but he suggested I try to bring out several skills which subtly came into play during each situation.
Thanks, Dad.
getting a 700+ GMAT score
Phew.
Done with the GMAT. Got 710.
Well I had received way higher scores in my mock gmats - & given GMACs claim of 0.95 reliability of the exam, this really should not have happened .. Oh well.
I'm told a score of 710 should be enough to get thru the top schools- since its over the magic 700 figure.
(foreign applicants- especially indians- are rumoured to have more rigorous GMAT requirements).
What did I do for this score?
Well my Prep started 2 months earlier.
I got Princeton & kaplan gmat prep books, & the official exam guides. (i will put up an amazon list soon)
Also I attended a meetup (meetups.com) on the GMAT to find some support from others preparing for the GMAT.
I visited sites like beatthegmat.com, pagalguy.com etc
& of course, I gave the GMAT mock exams (free download from mba.com)
It really helps to get into a test mood- especially since most of the GMAT takers have not appeared for a competitive exam in a while.
For this, having someone also preparing for the GMAT along with you is a big help.
All the best- prospective MBA's!
Done with the GMAT. Got 710.
Well I had received way higher scores in my mock gmats - & given GMACs claim of 0.95 reliability of the exam, this really should not have happened .. Oh well.
I'm told a score of 710 should be enough to get thru the top schools- since its over the magic 700 figure.
(foreign applicants- especially indians- are rumoured to have more rigorous GMAT requirements).
What did I do for this score?
Well my Prep started 2 months earlier.
I got Princeton & kaplan gmat prep books, & the official exam guides. (i will put up an amazon list soon)
Also I attended a meetup (meetups.com) on the GMAT to find some support from others preparing for the GMAT.
I visited sites like beatthegmat.com, pagalguy.com etc
& of course, I gave the GMAT mock exams (free download from mba.com)
It really helps to get into a test mood- especially since most of the GMAT takers have not appeared for a competitive exam in a while.
For this, having someone also preparing for the GMAT along with you is a big help.
All the best- prospective MBA's!
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