Hello Fellow BTG readers and other folks
Are you interested in "Beat The GMAT Practice Questions" for your preps, then just subscribe to my blog and i will share with you the license.
thanks to eric for sharing with me some licenses which i can share with my blog readers
If you want to know about "Beat The GMAT Practice Questions" then read my review @
http://amarrnaik.blogspot.com/2010/10/beat-gmat-in-festive-mood-again-new-btg.html
Hurry i only have a few copies left to distribute.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
ISB Phone Counselling - focus on Non GMAT aspects of the application
My discussion with ISB folks for my candidature was good. The outcome of meeting was that i was positive on the thoughts of my candidature with a B school. But my low gmat score though as per ISB discussions is not a hurdle if i have a strong resume...
Before this discussions i had multiple discussion with alumnis and adcoms. None of them was so optrimistic after hearing my GMAT score as the folk from ISB with whom i was speaking with his. His point was that my strong work exp is my strength and i should use it to the fullest rather than feeling lost/bad because of low GMAT score...
I would like to thank him for being so optimistic but frankly 640 with non IIT CS degree is no where probably i can reach for a ISB i/v call. It is not that i have not tried with the same score. I did but no calls i got.
Only driving point me was that Rs 1000 is not a big deal for spending on the application, but my concern is on the amt of time that needs to be spent on essays and app as a whole. this will impact my present shaby gmat preps more.
So i have dropped my plans of applying with 640. One thing with which our talks concluded was that " perform your best. With expectations do not spoil health"
Before this discussions i had multiple discussion with alumnis and adcoms. None of them was so optrimistic after hearing my GMAT score as the folk from ISB with whom i was speaking with his. His point was that my strong work exp is my strength and i should use it to the fullest rather than feeling lost/bad because of low GMAT score...
I would like to thank him for being so optimistic but frankly 640 with non IIT CS degree is no where probably i can reach for a ISB i/v call. It is not that i have not tried with the same score. I did but no calls i got.
Only driving point me was that Rs 1000 is not a big deal for spending on the application, but my concern is on the amt of time that needs to be spent on essays and app as a whole. this will impact my present shaby gmat preps more.
So i have dropped my plans of applying with 640. One thing with which our talks concluded was that " perform your best. With expectations do not spoil health"
Friday, November 5, 2010
Happy Diwali to all of you - Indian festival of lights
Hello friends
"May the divine light of DIWALI spread into your Life Peace , Prosperity , Happiness & Good Health HAPPY DIWALI"..Happy Diwali to all of you. i hope all your wishes come true and you achieve success in all your endeavors
for my friends who a not aware of diwali here is a link to enlighten you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali
"May the divine light of DIWALI spread into your Life Peace , Prosperity , Happiness & Good Health HAPPY DIWALI"..Happy Diwali to all of you. i hope all your wishes come true and you achieve success in all your endeavors
for my friends who a not aware of diwali here is a link to enlighten you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Beat The GMAT in a festive mood again - new BTG Practice Questions
Oh my GOD!!!! BTG is on the roll....When you get one gift, did u ever felt how if i get another gift? A gift that is more than worth the money and designed by experts..if not then start doing so..You will ask WHY?
The reason is simple. Beat the GMAT is launching new Beat The GMAT Practice Questions. Some People who are reading my blog must be aware of BTG. others you can explore the wonderful BTG community by clicking below
Visit beatthegmatcom!
The product will be launched on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. I am one of the few people who got a chance to review this product before its launch. Being a Knewton student i am used to such detailed explanations from expert's that when i read answers on forum, i always think can an expert explain me. With so much data available on the internet and abundant comment for each questions, it becomes difficult to pick the right advice/approach for a given Question
BTG product is designed with a user friendly GUI and an expert explanation in an video. What else? You just need a PC with net connection and account for accessing this 700 Q.
This questions have supplemented my preps. At my convenience i can answer the questions and check the explanation. I will definitely recommend to all the fellow GMAT aspirants to try this product. if you do not like then there is a money back guarantee too...Below are some screen shots to give you a feel of the look
Some key features of the product:
* More than 700 GMAT math/verbal practice questions
* Every GMAT practice question features a video explanation for the given question, written/produced by a veteran GMAT instructor
* Completely online practice - study at work or at home, without carrying books around
* Ability to customize your prep based on subject area, with just a few clicks
* Performance reporting to identify your strengths, weaknesses on GMAT subject areas
* Adaptive practice algorithm that mimics the real GMAT -- the better you do, the harder the questions become in your practice session
* 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee if you're not satisfied
Price: $99 for 1 year of access
Doesn't work for Internet Explorer 6 or Internet Explorer 7 browsers: We require Internet Explorer 8 or above. Or Firefox, Safari, Chrome browsers
Do not miss the golden opportunity. Hurry go to Practice beatthegmat Questions !
The reason is simple. Beat the GMAT is launching new Beat The GMAT Practice Questions. Some People who are reading my blog must be aware of BTG. others you can explore the wonderful BTG community by clicking below
Visit beatthegmatcom!
The product will be launched on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. I am one of the few people who got a chance to review this product before its launch. Being a Knewton student i am used to such detailed explanations from expert's that when i read answers on forum, i always think can an expert explain me. With so much data available on the internet and abundant comment for each questions, it becomes difficult to pick the right advice/approach for a given Question
BTG product is designed with a user friendly GUI and an expert explanation in an video. What else? You just need a PC with net connection and account for accessing this 700 Q.
This questions have supplemented my preps. At my convenience i can answer the questions and check the explanation. I will definitely recommend to all the fellow GMAT aspirants to try this product. if you do not like then there is a money back guarantee too...Below are some screen shots to give you a feel of the look
Some key features of the product:
* More than 700 GMAT math/verbal practice questions
* Every GMAT practice question features a video explanation for the given question, written/produced by a veteran GMAT instructor
* Completely online practice - study at work or at home, without carrying books around
* Ability to customize your prep based on subject area, with just a few clicks
* Performance reporting to identify your strengths, weaknesses on GMAT subject areas
* Adaptive practice algorithm that mimics the real GMAT -- the better you do, the harder the questions become in your practice session
* 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee if you're not satisfied
Price: $99 for 1 year of access
Doesn't work for Internet Explorer 6 or Internet Explorer 7 browsers: We require Internet Explorer 8 or above. Or Firefox, Safari, Chrome browsers
Do not miss the golden opportunity. Hurry go to Practice beatthegmat Questions !
Monday, October 18, 2010
ISB - Phone Counseling with Senior Management
i got this email today from ISB. if anyone of you are interested than you can utilize this services of ISB(Indian School of Business)
We are pleased to inform that ISB has setup hotlines for Priority Counseling and Pre-Application Assessment sessions during the month of October & November. Considering the second deadline for submitting your application is on 30th of November, we have setup these dedicated hotlines for you to talk over the phone and get counseled by the senior management from Admissions Department and Career Advancement Services Department at the ISB.
The Priority Counseling service is aimed at people who are interested in the ISB’s PGP but have not started their application process. This is a phone in service where you will be given a fixed phone appointment to clarify all your doubts.
The Pre Application Assessment service is available for those already engaged in the application process. This service will help them understand the gaps in their application before they actually hit submit. This is also a phone in service where you will be given a fixed phone appointment.
To avail either of the above service, please write in to Vijay_Gautam@isb.edu with subject: Priority Counseling / Pre-Application Assessment along with your name, email id and mobile number. We will then inform you of the date and time slot for the phone in appointment with the senior management.
We are pleased to inform that ISB has setup hotlines for Priority Counseling and Pre-Application Assessment sessions during the month of October & November. Considering the second deadline for submitting your application is on 30th of November, we have setup these dedicated hotlines for you to talk over the phone and get counseled by the senior management from Admissions Department and Career Advancement Services Department at the ISB.
The Priority Counseling service is aimed at people who are interested in the ISB’s PGP but have not started their application process. This is a phone in service where you will be given a fixed phone appointment to clarify all your doubts.
The Pre Application Assessment service is available for those already engaged in the application process. This service will help them understand the gaps in their application before they actually hit submit. This is also a phone in service where you will be given a fixed phone appointment.
To avail either of the above service, please write in to Vijay_Gautam@isb.edu with subject: Priority Counseling / Pre-Application Assessment along with your name, email id and mobile number. We will then inform you of the date and time slot for the phone in appointment with the senior management.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Battle of GMAT starts
Officially i have started my gmat preps today. Attended the first class of knewton today.it was for 3 hours. it was draining but quite interesting and lively.
My diagnostic score of knewton is 620 and i am aspiring for 700. :)
Need to work hard to achieve my goal. .
My pre assessment of quant concepts was bad. Got lot of questions wrong... But good thing is that i completed my pre-assessment before the class.
Also I am compiling the list of material apart from knewton.As of now i have got BTG 750 questions,grammar book from gmatclub. Also i have taken the grockit membership so that i can practice more...Any suggestions on the material??i know to much reading without quality does not serve the purpose
My takeaways from today's class are many. the most important being
1. How to compare 2 fractions
2. a proportion problem which was solved after all the ration were simplified and then all numbers added
Next week will be the SC class
Time to go to bed now..Will complete the homework tomorrow
My diagnostic score of knewton is 620 and i am aspiring for 700. :)
Need to work hard to achieve my goal. .
My pre assessment of quant concepts was bad. Got lot of questions wrong... But good thing is that i completed my pre-assessment before the class.
Also I am compiling the list of material apart from knewton.As of now i have got BTG 750 questions,grammar book from gmatclub. Also i have taken the grockit membership so that i can practice more...Any suggestions on the material??i know to much reading without quality does not serve the purpose
My takeaways from today's class are many. the most important being
1. How to compare 2 fractions
2. a proportion problem which was solved after all the ration were simplified and then all numbers added
Next week will be the SC class
Time to go to bed now..Will complete the homework tomorrow
Thursday, October 14, 2010
IESE- Feedback on your profile
Probably the most crisp feedback i have seen till now. Any way aspirants can try for this feedback. If you have 630 or above, i feel you can directly apply to this school rather than waiting for the feedback
Dear Mr. amar naik ,
Thank you once again for your interest in IESE. Based upon our initial review of your profile, the MBA Admissions Team believes that you may possibly meet our application criteria. As such, we would like to learn more about you and your profile and recommend that you proceed by submitting a complete application.
You may apply online at [https://apply.embark.com/MBAEdge/IESE/MBA/57/].
We would like to remind you that this is not an official acceptance for the MBA Admissions application process but rather an acceptance of a preliminary evaluation on your profile.
Sincerely,
MBA Admissions Team
Dear Mr. amar naik ,
Thank you once again for your interest in IESE. Based upon our initial review of your profile, the MBA Admissions Team believes that you may possibly meet our application criteria. As such, we would like to learn more about you and your profile and recommend that you proceed by submitting a complete application.
You may apply online at [https://apply.embark.com/MBAEdge/IESE/MBA/57/].
We would like to remind you that this is not an official acceptance for the MBA Admissions application process but rather an acceptance of a preliminary evaluation on your profile.
Sincerely,
MBA Admissions Team
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Phone interview - Hult International Business School
I had a telephonic interview today done by adcom from Hult International Business School. I was interviewed by "Gopikiran Gajula" who is the Associate Director Recruiting and Marketing of Hult B school
The aim of this interview was to get to know more about me. It all started with greetings. Then below questions were asked
Can u summarize about urself
What is your score of 10,12, Engineering GMAT
Extracurricular activities
Challenges faced in job
Challenges faced in team management
My strengths and weakness
Achievement in job
Why MBA at this point of the career
Achievements While in school
What is the next 10 years plan
Why Hult
Now it was my turn. i asked the below questions
1. Which campus of Hult is better
He said all campus are same. Choose based on the location you want to work post-mba. boston is overcrowded so people would have to adjust once seats are assigned
2. Do the same faculty teach in all campus
one faculty takes lecture in 2 centers. china facility is going to be the full time centre
3. What about consulting company recruitment
He shares the history that Arthur D. Little Inc., the world's oldest management consulting firm, established the School. Curriculum and post mba success stories are good for consulting aspirants
Final Response
It was nice talking to you about your admissions for the MBA program at Hult. I feel confident about your candidature for the MBA program starting September 2011.
As discussed, I strongly recommend submitting your application wee before the October 31, 2010 to meet the first application deadline for the 2011 intake.
MBA Scholars Award deadline: Sunday, October 31, 2010
This deadline allows you to benefit from your choice of campus location and enhanced financial aid support through the school. Hult’s Admission Board will only consider candidates who submit their application on time.
The aim of this interview was to get to know more about me. It all started with greetings. Then below questions were asked
Can u summarize about urself
What is your score of 10,12, Engineering GMAT
Extracurricular activities
Challenges faced in job
Challenges faced in team management
My strengths and weakness
Achievement in job
Why MBA at this point of the career
Achievements While in school
What is the next 10 years plan
Why Hult
Now it was my turn. i asked the below questions
1. Which campus of Hult is better
He said all campus are same. Choose based on the location you want to work post-mba. boston is overcrowded so people would have to adjust once seats are assigned
2. Do the same faculty teach in all campus
one faculty takes lecture in 2 centers. china facility is going to be the full time centre
3. What about consulting company recruitment
He shares the history that Arthur D. Little Inc., the world's oldest management consulting firm, established the School. Curriculum and post mba success stories are good for consulting aspirants
Final Response
It was nice talking to you about your admissions for the MBA program at Hult. I feel confident about your candidature for the MBA program starting September 2011.
As discussed, I strongly recommend submitting your application wee before the October 31, 2010 to meet the first application deadline for the 2011 intake.
MBA Scholars Award deadline: Sunday, October 31, 2010
This deadline allows you to benefit from your choice of campus location and enhanced financial aid support through the school. Hult’s Admission Board will only consider candidates who submit their application on time.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Heard about GMATCH Virtual MBA?
Never heard about the GMATCH Virtual MBA fair before. But when my friend shared the information about this fair, i immediately registered for it..
Well what are the advantages of it
1. GMATCH Virtual MBA Fair gives you a unique opportunity to personally engage with leading business schools from the comfort of your computer.
2. Need not pay anything. More than that you are saving your time in commuting or taking a off from work
I registered myself for it. I hope utilize this opportunity in a better way compared to my first experience of mba tour
http://www.g-match.com
The list of schools participating as mentioned in the website are
North American schools
Baylor University, Hankamer School of Business
Bentley University
Boston University School of Management
Bryan School of Business and Economics, UNC Greensboro
Georgetown University McDonough School of Business
HEC Montreal
Jenkins Graduate School of Management
Northeastern University College of Business Administration
Michigan State Eli Broad School of Management
Odette School of Business, University of Windsor
Ohio State Fisher College of Business
Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business
Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business & Management
Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Graduate School of Management
Purdue University, Krannert School of Management
Saunders College of Business at RIT
Sawyer Business School
Schulich School of Business, York University
TCU - Neeley School of Business
Thunderbird School of Global Management
Tippie MBA at The University of Iowa
Trulaske College of Business
UCLA Anderson School of Management
University of Arizona, Eller College of Management
University of California, Davis
University of Georgia, Terry College of Business
University of Miami - MBA Programs
University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western
*
*
*
European schools
Cambridge Judge Business School
EMLYON Business School
IE Business School
INSEAD
London Business School
UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School
Warwick Business School
*
*
*
Asian schools
China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Fudan University School of Management
HKUST Business School
Nanyang Business School
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Antai College of Economics and Management
Tsinghua School of Economics and Management
Well what are the advantages of it
1. GMATCH Virtual MBA Fair gives you a unique opportunity to personally engage with leading business schools from the comfort of your computer.
2. Need not pay anything. More than that you are saving your time in commuting or taking a off from work
I registered myself for it. I hope utilize this opportunity in a better way compared to my first experience of mba tour
http://www.g-match.com
The list of schools participating as mentioned in the website are
North American schools
Baylor University, Hankamer School of Business
Bentley University
Boston University School of Management
Bryan School of Business and Economics, UNC Greensboro
Georgetown University McDonough School of Business
HEC Montreal
Jenkins Graduate School of Management
Northeastern University College of Business Administration
Michigan State Eli Broad School of Management
Odette School of Business, University of Windsor
Ohio State Fisher College of Business
Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business
Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business & Management
Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Graduate School of Management
Purdue University, Krannert School of Management
Saunders College of Business at RIT
Sawyer Business School
Schulich School of Business, York University
TCU - Neeley School of Business
Thunderbird School of Global Management
Tippie MBA at The University of Iowa
Trulaske College of Business
UCLA Anderson School of Management
University of Arizona, Eller College of Management
University of California, Davis
University of Georgia, Terry College of Business
University of Miami - MBA Programs
University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western
*
*
*
European schools
Cambridge Judge Business School
EMLYON Business School
IE Business School
INSEAD
London Business School
UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School
Warwick Business School
*
*
*
Asian schools
China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Fudan University School of Management
HKUST Business School
Nanyang Business School
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Antai College of Economics and Management
Tsinghua School of Economics and Management
Monday, October 4, 2010
Time To Reboot
Well it's time to reboot and kill the unwanted process. The unwanted process are my thoughts of failure.
Just want to refocus on GMAT preps now.I have done enough research of schools and i feel i need a better gmat score to go to schools of my dream.. Probably will join knewton with the hope of getting 640+50=690
Some good things that have happened are, i got the prize of $99 from BTG
Apart from this i have been selected by TEDx Chennai as the official blogger for their event.It feels Great to be part of the TEDx Team. More details below
TEDx Chennai Blogger
Just want to refocus on GMAT preps now.I have done enough research of schools and i feel i need a better gmat score to go to schools of my dream.. Probably will join knewton with the hope of getting 640+50=690
Some good things that have happened are, i got the prize of $99 from BTG
Apart from this i have been selected by TEDx Chennai as the official blogger for their event.It feels Great to be part of the TEDx Team. More details below
TEDx Chennai Blogger
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
MBATour Experience - International Applicants Getting job in US is becoming difficult
After lot of confusions i finally attended the mbatour in mumbai on 25th Sep. This was first visit to an mba fair and second trip to mumbai. First trip to mumbai was for SPJain interview
I put my journey experience here http://amarnaik.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/namma-chennai-to-amchi-mumbai/
Reached an hour late to the fair. After completing all the checking formalities of taj hotel i was in the main hall where the reception of mba tour was giving id cards to all the participants. it was a big crowd and all the auditoriums were full packed for all the session.
i attended the mba sessions of cornell and HEC
cornell
-she talked about the programs offered by the school
-cornell discourages students with previous mba apply until they have exceptional reason to do so. for instance different specialisation etc
-she mentioned that getting job is getting tough for international students. but still stdudents are getting jobs.each student should have Plan B
-they have immersion with practical. this is not same as internsip but it gives an option to network with companies
-in 2nd year you can take one specialisation outside cornell school
-located outside NY state and hence affordable cost of living
HEC Paris
there average has increased to 690.there have 2 intakes in a year.
talked to Pierrette DOZ-PERDRIX. not encouraging for my profile as their average is 690
if anybody gets admitted to HEC and has some time remaining before joining then it is advisable to complete the basic french course
i talked to some other schools during the fair
Hult Business school
they were pretty much impressed my profile and score. i was surprised...
they have scheduled a discussion next week with me
London Business school
they told me that with my score it will be tough to get in..took their brochure and just walked
Queens Business school
this school does not have a application fee..researching more on this school now
IE business school
the adcom was telling that 650 with a work ex should be ideal to apply. When i told her about the response that i got from the adcom by email she backtracked and told me that it might be because my resume was not strong. i told her that i never sent my resume. so she asked me to resend my resume
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
the adcom from this school was taking more time and explaining in detail abt his school. saw a wharton admitted student talking to the adcom if he an try to broker a student exchange program.not sure what happened next..
this school does not get much visiting from other schools rather they get people from industry to teach.
batch size is 90. 11 indian students joined the last batch
other schools i was not much interested.there was some thing in my mind which was saying do not compromise on schools .took the brochure of lot of schools and came home :)
mbatour scholarship:once u get an admit to a school that u have visited in the fair,the school can recommend ur name for this scholarship
if u guys need any information email me..i will be happy to help
I put my journey experience here http://amarnaik.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/namma-chennai-to-amchi-mumbai/
Reached an hour late to the fair. After completing all the checking formalities of taj hotel i was in the main hall where the reception of mba tour was giving id cards to all the participants. it was a big crowd and all the auditoriums were full packed for all the session.
i attended the mba sessions of cornell and HEC
cornell
-she talked about the programs offered by the school
-cornell discourages students with previous mba apply until they have exceptional reason to do so. for instance different specialisation etc
-she mentioned that getting job is getting tough for international students. but still stdudents are getting jobs.each student should have Plan B
-they have immersion with practical. this is not same as internsip but it gives an option to network with companies
-in 2nd year you can take one specialisation outside cornell school
-located outside NY state and hence affordable cost of living
HEC Paris
there average has increased to 690.there have 2 intakes in a year.
talked to Pierrette DOZ-PERDRIX. not encouraging for my profile as their average is 690
if anybody gets admitted to HEC and has some time remaining before joining then it is advisable to complete the basic french course
i talked to some other schools during the fair
Hult Business school
they were pretty much impressed my profile and score. i was surprised...
they have scheduled a discussion next week with me
London Business school
they told me that with my score it will be tough to get in..took their brochure and just walked
Queens Business school
this school does not have a application fee..researching more on this school now
IE business school
the adcom was telling that 650 with a work ex should be ideal to apply. When i told her about the response that i got from the adcom by email she backtracked and told me that it might be because my resume was not strong. i told her that i never sent my resume. so she asked me to resend my resume
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
the adcom from this school was taking more time and explaining in detail abt his school. saw a wharton admitted student talking to the adcom if he an try to broker a student exchange program.not sure what happened next..
this school does not get much visiting from other schools rather they get people from industry to teach.
batch size is 90. 11 indian students joined the last batch
other schools i was not much interested.there was some thing in my mind which was saying do not compromise on schools .took the brochure of lot of schools and came home :)
mbatour scholarship:once u get an admit to a school that u have visited in the fair,the school can recommend ur name for this scholarship
if u guys need any information email me..i will be happy to help
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The XAT and XLRI Jamshedpur Ready Reckoner
The notification for the Xavier’s Aptitude Test (XAT) conducted by the Xavier’s Labour Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur is out on their website. The XAT will be conducted on the January 2, 2011. Here is a ready reckoner with answers to Frequently Asked Questions and also, a few tips from people who had cracked the exam last year.
Do I need to register for XAT and XLRI seperately?
Yes, XAT is only an exam which many institutes use for their admission processes. You have to apply separately to these institutes. You can apply to XLRI Jamshedpur’s School of Business and Human Resources after you have registered for XAT using the same ID and password. The procedure for applying to other b-schools that use the XAT score such as XIM Bhubhaneswar, GIM Goa or LIBA Chennai will be given on their websites.
What are the eligibility criteria for appearing for the XAT and applying to XLRI Jamshedpur?
The XAT system treats the exam separately from the institutes. So while you can sit for the XAT as long as you have a bachelors degree (even if you have less than 50% aggregate marks), the institutes that use the XAT have their own individual eligibility criteria.
According to the FAQ section on the XLRI website, all you need is a bachelors degree from a recognized or a deemed university. There is no lower cap on the graduation score which means that even if you have less than 50% in graduation, you are still eligible to apply to XLRI.
If you are in your final year of your graduation, you need to complete your final year examination by June 10, 2011.
Other XAT institutes such as XIM Bhubhaneswar, GIM Goa, etc may have other eligibility criteria, which they would make public on their websites.
The XAT registration process is clearly defined on the XAT website.
What are the various programmes offered by XLRI?
a) The Business Management (120 seats) – close to a general MBA offered by most b-schools
b) The Human Resources Management (120 seats) – formerly known as PM & IR, and is an MBA with HR focus.
c) General Management Programme – XLRI’s one-year executive MBA offering for candidates with higher work experience.
d) Fellow Programme in Management – doctoral programme in management.
Are there any seat reservations in XLRI?
No, there aren’t any reservations at XLRI.
What is the format of the test and what were the sectional cutoffs previously?
XAT is one of the most unpredictable entrance tests around. One can never really predict the pattern of the paper or the scheme of negative marking. However, we can look at the XATs of the last two years to broadly understand what it is about.
Also, XAT is still a paper-pencil based test. So while your mocks for the CAT are on the computer, you also need to form a strategy and practice for the paper-pencil format if you are serious about the XAT.
XAT 2009
The test was of two-hours duration followed by an essay for 20 minutes. The topic for the essay — given on the spot — was “The Inherent vice of Capitalism is unequal sharing of blessings and the inherent virtue of Socialism is equal sharing of misery.”
Section Number of questions
Verbal and Logical Ability 35
Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability 38
Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making 31
Total 104
The negative marking scheme was progressive and very different from any other exam. In each section, 0.25 marks were deducted for the first five wrong answers and for every subsequent wrong answer 0.5 marks were deducted.
The overall cutoff for XLRI’s Business Management Programme was 98.03 percentile and for Personnel Management and Industrial Relations (Now known as Human Resources Management) it was 95 percentile.
The sectional cut-offs:
PM & IR: 92.69 percentile in Verbal and Logical Ability, 84.58 percentile in Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability, 80.13 percentile in Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making.
BM: 90.03 percentile in Verbal and Logical Ability, 94.9 percentile in Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability, 90.21 percentile in Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making.
XAT 2010
The test was of 2 hours duration followed by an essay for 20 minutes. The topic for the essay was “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not every man’s greed.”
Section Number of questions
Verbal and Logical Ability 31
Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability 40
Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making 30
Total 101
The negative marking scheme changed compared to XAT 2009. In each section, 0.2 marks deducted for the first six incorrect answers and for every wrong answer after that, 0.25 marks were deducted.
For Personnel Management and Industrial Relations Programme, XLRI had shortlisted around 650 applicants having more than 92.60 percentile in VA, 80.36 percentile in QA, 84.36 percentile in RA, and overall 95.03 percentile for the Group Discussion and Personal Interview stage.
For Business Management Programme, the institute shortlisted around 550 applicants having more than 90.13 percentile in VA, 91.31 percentile in QA, 90.01 percentile in RA, and overall 98.02 percentile for the Personal Interview.
XLRI has provided the XAT 2010 paper for download here.
I had a chat with Pranshu Dwivedi, Jaideep Juneja (both XLRI BM Batch of 2010-12), Kunal Malik (XLRI PM&IR Batch of 2010-12) and Nishant Choudhury (who had converted his XLRI calls but chose to join IIM Calcutta Batch of 2010-12) to learn from their experiences of cracking the XAT. Excerpts from the chats:
What additional preparation do I need to do for XAT apart from what I am doing for CAT?
Kunal says, “You would primarily be taking computer-based mocks while preparing for CAT. It is important that you keep practicing the paper-based mocks as well. XAT is slightly tougher compared to the CAT so you need a deeper understanding of the topics, especially Quant. There is a separate section on Decision Making which is something unique to XAT wherein you are provided with caselets based on which questions are asked. These are pretty subjective and practicing these questions from previous XAT papers is a must. Other than this, by and large, the base of the preparation remains the same.”
According to Jaideep, “Actually for XAT, the CAT preparation should suffice. Just make sure that during the time between CAT and XAT you solve the previous years XAT papers and take 2-3 mock XATs provided by Career Launcher or T.I.M.E. as the major difference is in the decision making sets. Solving them before the D-day would boost your confidence. These sets are very scoring and can make a difference. Also a slight modification would be needed as far as time management is concerned as XAT is of shorter duration (2 hours).”
What sections should one focus on?
According to Jaideep: “In XAT, the Verbal section is more analytical, has more focus on critical reasoning, so concentrate on that. Maths is tough (at least I found it so), so focus on accuracy and as I said earlier, try doing sets on decision making. In XAT 2010, Logical Reasoning sets were tough and a large number of students survived only on the basis of these sets.”
Kunal says, “As I said, you need to focus on the ‘Reasoning & Decision making ability’ section. Since the past few years XAT hasn’t had a separate Data Interpretation section. It has been clubbed with Quantitative Ability. There is a lot of focus on Analytical Reasoning and practicing such questions beforehand would come in handy. You can never guess what XAT throws at you as was observed last year with questions on Facts, Inference & Judgement and Analogies in the Verbal Ability Section. So keep your ends covered.”
How does one think about attempts and accuracy given the progressive negative marking?
According to Pranshu, “Accuracy is very important because if you get too many wrong answers, the progressive negative marking will penalize you really bad.”
Kunal puts forth a different point of view: “In my opinion there is a lot of unnecessary hoo-hah about progressive negative marking in XAT. Just keep your mind off it and attempt the questions that you know and leave the ones that you don’t. Even in the Verbal Ability section, if you are reasonably sure of the answer, just go ahead and mark it. Last year, XAT had minus 0.20 for first six incorrect and minus 0.25 thereafter which in all fairness shouldn’t scare the candidate who anyway faces a minus one-fourth of the marks per question (akin to minus 0.25) for incorrect answers in most of the other exams.”
According to Jaideep, one should focus on one’s strengths and improvise during the exam, “Attempts vary from year to year but in 2010 XAT, I did 12 questions in maths out of 40 (11 correct, 1 wrong, 95.xx percentile), In Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making also I had one wrong and in VA I attempted all and had 4 or 5 wrong. I would suggest you attempt as many as possible in VA and focus on accuracy mainly in QA as that section is generally tough. In Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making, try taking up sets which look easy. If you are unable to solve anything in 4-5 minutes move on to the next set. And do try and attempt a decision making set as they are easy and less time consuming. But don’t attempt questions blindly in VA, if you are weak in that section then choose a few comprehensions and critical reasoning sets and solve them properly. Vocab questions are easy. XAT VA is more about application then about cramming. Application of words is asked rather than tough words.”
Is good knowledge of higher maths or vocabulary necessary to get a good score?
According to Jaideep, “A high proficiency in vocabulary is NOT AT ALL needed. you can easily scrape through with an average vocabulary. And there are a large no of questions in QA and very few among them are based on higher maths. You can always leave them. But if you have the time, try doing probability and get clear on the concepts of maxima and minima and this should suffice.”
According to Pranshu, “Higher maths is not a concern because there are plenty of questions to choose from. However you might do a little better if you were good at higher maths. But there is no point in wasting time in learning higher maths from scratch. A good overall verbal ability skill is useful but not vocabulary.”
Decision making caselets vs Analytical Reasoning caselets. Which ones make better sense to attempt?
According to Nishant, “I for one did very well in the Decision making sets. You can approach them like you would approach Reading Comprehension passages. The only additional thing that you must keep in mind is that ‘Ethics’ is important. Please refer to the book, ’101 Ethical Dilemmas’ by Martin Cohen. Two questions were based on problems from that book. Moreover, it will give you an idea about the approach you should take to solve decision-making problems.”
According to Kunal, “It depends on what you are comfortable with. I always preferred Analytical Reasoning caselets as I was pretty comfortable with those. The thing about AR is that once you have worked out the solution you can answer three to four questions straight away. But still, both types of caselets have easy and tough questions. You have to find the easy ones and attempt those. Also, it becomes tough to work out AR when you are running out of time. So if time is less, go for Decision Making questions first.”
Jaideep recollects his XAT experience and says, “Decision making sets can always be very scoring but there are chances that what you think is the correct answer may not be the same as what the exam setter thinks is right. But the best thing about these sets is that it will hardly take you 2-3 minutes to scan through them and then there are some questions which are very direct. Hence these questions can act as bonuses. If you are very strong at Reasoning then go for those sets only and try and get them all correct. But last year Reasoning Sets were tough and Decision making sets provided some relief. So I would definitely suggest you to go in for at least one decision making set and try and do the straight forward questions. Do at least one set which has 4-5 questions attached to it. It may take time but it would be highly rewarding, I messed up this bit and spent around 25 minutes solving one set! But when I was sure it was all correct, my confidence skyrocketed and I managed to do two more reasoning sets and one decision making set and ended up with a 97.xx percentile in Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making. Hence aim for one decision making set, one big set and a couple of smaller sets with 2-3 questions. Try doing the questions with smaller statements and the questions where conditions are given point wise. These questions become clear more easily than the sets in which conditions are hidden in the paragraphs.”
How important is the essay in the overall process and what sources could one use to prepare for it?
Jaideep says, “I don’t think anyone actually knows how important the essay actually is. In my BM interview my essay was nowhere in sight while in my PM&IR interview it was present in front of the panel. Make sure that you go through the daily newspapers as not only would it help you in the essay but also in the interviews. Also try looking up at the essays of previous years. I think this would suffice.”
According to Kunal, “The truth is that nobody knows. I am not aware of the admission procedure of other b-schools under XAT but XLRI only looks at the XAT score while sending interview calls. But the essay does have some weightage in the final selection. There were candidates who were asked questions based on their essay in the interview and there were candidates who weren’t. I didn’t do any specific preparation for the essay. Reading newspapers and being aware of the current happenings should be enough. You don’t need to use flashy vocabulary. Just put your thoughts in plain English and structure them in a proper manner.”
According to Nishant, “The essay is not used for issuing interview calls. But, it may be used by the panel during the interview. I have a sense that even though no questions may directly be asked from the essay you have written, they will definitely read it to form an opinion about you.”
Pranshu says, “The essay can be anything from absolutely unimportant to really crucial depending on the panel of interviewees and your content in it. If you write something outrageous or something really noteworthy it may be brought up in the interview. Moreover the essay is evaluated only after you get a call.”
Any final thoughts, gentlemen?
Jaideep says, “Don’t panic in the exam as unlike the CAT, the XAT is of shorter duration and is tougher. Time management has a lot of importance and panicking if the exam is tough would only hamper your chances of getting through. If you have prepared well enough for CAT, XAT shouldn’t be a tough nut to crack. And all you engineers, don’t put your ego at stake while solving Quant. I spent a bit too much time on DI and was left with only 30 minutes for QA (I was weak at it). But somehow I chanced upon the easy questions and managed to clear the cutoffs. The key is to attempt the right questions and not waste time on the solvable but time-consuming questions.”
According to Pranshu, “Just carry on with your normal preparation. XAT is the easiest exam to crack if you can keep your nerves. I personally attempted only 51 questions on a total of 101 as far as I remember and managed a 99.95 percentile with a very good accuracy. So just pick the right questions and keep your cool. All the best.”
Kunal says, “XAT usually marks the end of the MBA entrance season and people generally stop preparing by then. I’d say, don’t lose focus after CAT. Keep up the spirits and keep fighting. You never know what entrance exam actually ends up taking you to the other side. All the best.”
Source:http://www.pagalguy.com/2010/09/the-xat-and-xlri-jamshedpur-ready-reckoner/
Do I need to register for XAT and XLRI seperately?
Yes, XAT is only an exam which many institutes use for their admission processes. You have to apply separately to these institutes. You can apply to XLRI Jamshedpur’s School of Business and Human Resources after you have registered for XAT using the same ID and password. The procedure for applying to other b-schools that use the XAT score such as XIM Bhubhaneswar, GIM Goa or LIBA Chennai will be given on their websites.
What are the eligibility criteria for appearing for the XAT and applying to XLRI Jamshedpur?
The XAT system treats the exam separately from the institutes. So while you can sit for the XAT as long as you have a bachelors degree (even if you have less than 50% aggregate marks), the institutes that use the XAT have their own individual eligibility criteria.
According to the FAQ section on the XLRI website, all you need is a bachelors degree from a recognized or a deemed university. There is no lower cap on the graduation score which means that even if you have less than 50% in graduation, you are still eligible to apply to XLRI.
If you are in your final year of your graduation, you need to complete your final year examination by June 10, 2011.
Other XAT institutes such as XIM Bhubhaneswar, GIM Goa, etc may have other eligibility criteria, which they would make public on their websites.
The XAT registration process is clearly defined on the XAT website.
What are the various programmes offered by XLRI?
a) The Business Management (120 seats) – close to a general MBA offered by most b-schools
b) The Human Resources Management (120 seats) – formerly known as PM & IR, and is an MBA with HR focus.
c) General Management Programme – XLRI’s one-year executive MBA offering for candidates with higher work experience.
d) Fellow Programme in Management – doctoral programme in management.
Are there any seat reservations in XLRI?
No, there aren’t any reservations at XLRI.
What is the format of the test and what were the sectional cutoffs previously?
XAT is one of the most unpredictable entrance tests around. One can never really predict the pattern of the paper or the scheme of negative marking. However, we can look at the XATs of the last two years to broadly understand what it is about.
Also, XAT is still a paper-pencil based test. So while your mocks for the CAT are on the computer, you also need to form a strategy and practice for the paper-pencil format if you are serious about the XAT.
XAT 2009
The test was of two-hours duration followed by an essay for 20 minutes. The topic for the essay — given on the spot — was “The Inherent vice of Capitalism is unequal sharing of blessings and the inherent virtue of Socialism is equal sharing of misery.”
Section Number of questions
Verbal and Logical Ability 35
Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability 38
Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making 31
Total 104
The negative marking scheme was progressive and very different from any other exam. In each section, 0.25 marks were deducted for the first five wrong answers and for every subsequent wrong answer 0.5 marks were deducted.
The overall cutoff for XLRI’s Business Management Programme was 98.03 percentile and for Personnel Management and Industrial Relations (Now known as Human Resources Management) it was 95 percentile.
The sectional cut-offs:
PM & IR: 92.69 percentile in Verbal and Logical Ability, 84.58 percentile in Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability, 80.13 percentile in Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making.
BM: 90.03 percentile in Verbal and Logical Ability, 94.9 percentile in Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability, 90.21 percentile in Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making.
XAT 2010
The test was of 2 hours duration followed by an essay for 20 minutes. The topic for the essay was “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not every man’s greed.”
Section Number of questions
Verbal and Logical Ability 31
Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability 40
Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making 30
Total 101
The negative marking scheme changed compared to XAT 2009. In each section, 0.2 marks deducted for the first six incorrect answers and for every wrong answer after that, 0.25 marks were deducted.
For Personnel Management and Industrial Relations Programme, XLRI had shortlisted around 650 applicants having more than 92.60 percentile in VA, 80.36 percentile in QA, 84.36 percentile in RA, and overall 95.03 percentile for the Group Discussion and Personal Interview stage.
For Business Management Programme, the institute shortlisted around 550 applicants having more than 90.13 percentile in VA, 91.31 percentile in QA, 90.01 percentile in RA, and overall 98.02 percentile for the Personal Interview.
XLRI has provided the XAT 2010 paper for download here.
I had a chat with Pranshu Dwivedi, Jaideep Juneja (both XLRI BM Batch of 2010-12), Kunal Malik (XLRI PM&IR Batch of 2010-12) and Nishant Choudhury (who had converted his XLRI calls but chose to join IIM Calcutta Batch of 2010-12) to learn from their experiences of cracking the XAT. Excerpts from the chats:
What additional preparation do I need to do for XAT apart from what I am doing for CAT?
Kunal says, “You would primarily be taking computer-based mocks while preparing for CAT. It is important that you keep practicing the paper-based mocks as well. XAT is slightly tougher compared to the CAT so you need a deeper understanding of the topics, especially Quant. There is a separate section on Decision Making which is something unique to XAT wherein you are provided with caselets based on which questions are asked. These are pretty subjective and practicing these questions from previous XAT papers is a must. Other than this, by and large, the base of the preparation remains the same.”
According to Jaideep, “Actually for XAT, the CAT preparation should suffice. Just make sure that during the time between CAT and XAT you solve the previous years XAT papers and take 2-3 mock XATs provided by Career Launcher or T.I.M.E. as the major difference is in the decision making sets. Solving them before the D-day would boost your confidence. These sets are very scoring and can make a difference. Also a slight modification would be needed as far as time management is concerned as XAT is of shorter duration (2 hours).”
What sections should one focus on?
According to Jaideep: “In XAT, the Verbal section is more analytical, has more focus on critical reasoning, so concentrate on that. Maths is tough (at least I found it so), so focus on accuracy and as I said earlier, try doing sets on decision making. In XAT 2010, Logical Reasoning sets were tough and a large number of students survived only on the basis of these sets.”
Kunal says, “As I said, you need to focus on the ‘Reasoning & Decision making ability’ section. Since the past few years XAT hasn’t had a separate Data Interpretation section. It has been clubbed with Quantitative Ability. There is a lot of focus on Analytical Reasoning and practicing such questions beforehand would come in handy. You can never guess what XAT throws at you as was observed last year with questions on Facts, Inference & Judgement and Analogies in the Verbal Ability Section. So keep your ends covered.”
How does one think about attempts and accuracy given the progressive negative marking?
According to Pranshu, “Accuracy is very important because if you get too many wrong answers, the progressive negative marking will penalize you really bad.”
Kunal puts forth a different point of view: “In my opinion there is a lot of unnecessary hoo-hah about progressive negative marking in XAT. Just keep your mind off it and attempt the questions that you know and leave the ones that you don’t. Even in the Verbal Ability section, if you are reasonably sure of the answer, just go ahead and mark it. Last year, XAT had minus 0.20 for first six incorrect and minus 0.25 thereafter which in all fairness shouldn’t scare the candidate who anyway faces a minus one-fourth of the marks per question (akin to minus 0.25) for incorrect answers in most of the other exams.”
According to Jaideep, one should focus on one’s strengths and improvise during the exam, “Attempts vary from year to year but in 2010 XAT, I did 12 questions in maths out of 40 (11 correct, 1 wrong, 95.xx percentile), In Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making also I had one wrong and in VA I attempted all and had 4 or 5 wrong. I would suggest you attempt as many as possible in VA and focus on accuracy mainly in QA as that section is generally tough. In Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making, try taking up sets which look easy. If you are unable to solve anything in 4-5 minutes move on to the next set. And do try and attempt a decision making set as they are easy and less time consuming. But don’t attempt questions blindly in VA, if you are weak in that section then choose a few comprehensions and critical reasoning sets and solve them properly. Vocab questions are easy. XAT VA is more about application then about cramming. Application of words is asked rather than tough words.”
Is good knowledge of higher maths or vocabulary necessary to get a good score?
According to Jaideep, “A high proficiency in vocabulary is NOT AT ALL needed. you can easily scrape through with an average vocabulary. And there are a large no of questions in QA and very few among them are based on higher maths. You can always leave them. But if you have the time, try doing probability and get clear on the concepts of maxima and minima and this should suffice.”
According to Pranshu, “Higher maths is not a concern because there are plenty of questions to choose from. However you might do a little better if you were good at higher maths. But there is no point in wasting time in learning higher maths from scratch. A good overall verbal ability skill is useful but not vocabulary.”
Decision making caselets vs Analytical Reasoning caselets. Which ones make better sense to attempt?
According to Nishant, “I for one did very well in the Decision making sets. You can approach them like you would approach Reading Comprehension passages. The only additional thing that you must keep in mind is that ‘Ethics’ is important. Please refer to the book, ’101 Ethical Dilemmas’ by Martin Cohen. Two questions were based on problems from that book. Moreover, it will give you an idea about the approach you should take to solve decision-making problems.”
According to Kunal, “It depends on what you are comfortable with. I always preferred Analytical Reasoning caselets as I was pretty comfortable with those. The thing about AR is that once you have worked out the solution you can answer three to four questions straight away. But still, both types of caselets have easy and tough questions. You have to find the easy ones and attempt those. Also, it becomes tough to work out AR when you are running out of time. So if time is less, go for Decision Making questions first.”
Jaideep recollects his XAT experience and says, “Decision making sets can always be very scoring but there are chances that what you think is the correct answer may not be the same as what the exam setter thinks is right. But the best thing about these sets is that it will hardly take you 2-3 minutes to scan through them and then there are some questions which are very direct. Hence these questions can act as bonuses. If you are very strong at Reasoning then go for those sets only and try and get them all correct. But last year Reasoning Sets were tough and Decision making sets provided some relief. So I would definitely suggest you to go in for at least one decision making set and try and do the straight forward questions. Do at least one set which has 4-5 questions attached to it. It may take time but it would be highly rewarding, I messed up this bit and spent around 25 minutes solving one set! But when I was sure it was all correct, my confidence skyrocketed and I managed to do two more reasoning sets and one decision making set and ended up with a 97.xx percentile in Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making. Hence aim for one decision making set, one big set and a couple of smaller sets with 2-3 questions. Try doing the questions with smaller statements and the questions where conditions are given point wise. These questions become clear more easily than the sets in which conditions are hidden in the paragraphs.”
How important is the essay in the overall process and what sources could one use to prepare for it?
Jaideep says, “I don’t think anyone actually knows how important the essay actually is. In my BM interview my essay was nowhere in sight while in my PM&IR interview it was present in front of the panel. Make sure that you go through the daily newspapers as not only would it help you in the essay but also in the interviews. Also try looking up at the essays of previous years. I think this would suffice.”
According to Kunal, “The truth is that nobody knows. I am not aware of the admission procedure of other b-schools under XAT but XLRI only looks at the XAT score while sending interview calls. But the essay does have some weightage in the final selection. There were candidates who were asked questions based on their essay in the interview and there were candidates who weren’t. I didn’t do any specific preparation for the essay. Reading newspapers and being aware of the current happenings should be enough. You don’t need to use flashy vocabulary. Just put your thoughts in plain English and structure them in a proper manner.”
According to Nishant, “The essay is not used for issuing interview calls. But, it may be used by the panel during the interview. I have a sense that even though no questions may directly be asked from the essay you have written, they will definitely read it to form an opinion about you.”
Pranshu says, “The essay can be anything from absolutely unimportant to really crucial depending on the panel of interviewees and your content in it. If you write something outrageous or something really noteworthy it may be brought up in the interview. Moreover the essay is evaluated only after you get a call.”
Any final thoughts, gentlemen?
Jaideep says, “Don’t panic in the exam as unlike the CAT, the XAT is of shorter duration and is tougher. Time management has a lot of importance and panicking if the exam is tough would only hamper your chances of getting through. If you have prepared well enough for CAT, XAT shouldn’t be a tough nut to crack. And all you engineers, don’t put your ego at stake while solving Quant. I spent a bit too much time on DI and was left with only 30 minutes for QA (I was weak at it). But somehow I chanced upon the easy questions and managed to clear the cutoffs. The key is to attempt the right questions and not waste time on the solvable but time-consuming questions.”
According to Pranshu, “Just carry on with your normal preparation. XAT is the easiest exam to crack if you can keep your nerves. I personally attempted only 51 questions on a total of 101 as far as I remember and managed a 99.95 percentile with a very good accuracy. So just pick the right questions and keep your cool. All the best.”
Kunal says, “XAT usually marks the end of the MBA entrance season and people generally stop preparing by then. I’d say, don’t lose focus after CAT. Keep up the spirits and keep fighting. You never know what entrance exam actually ends up taking you to the other side. All the best.”
Source:http://www.pagalguy.com/2010/09/the-xat-and-xlri-jamshedpur-ready-reckoner/
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Entrepreneurs, do you have that Next Big Idea?
Source:http://getahead.rediff.com/report/2010/sep/23/career-iim-bangalore-cell-starts-business-plan-contest.htm
Nadathur S Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL), at the India [ Images ]n Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB) has announced the launch of Next Big Idea, a business plan competition. It is sponsored by the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) under the aegis of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India and Intel.
"The process of taking the ideas to the next level and ultimately commercialisation, can be accelerated through provision of knowledge, expertise and policy support. This industry, academia and government partnership aims to provide precisely that under the Next Big Idea programme," said Harkesh Kumar Mittal, advisor and member secretary, National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.
Next Big Idea aims to encourage innovation, create structure and process for the business plan competitions for leading academic institutions across the country so that the innovative ideas born through these competitions are taken forward to become real businesses. It also aims to create a platform where any individual or team can post their innovative ideas and seek mentoring, access to incubation and angel funds to help them create a real business.
"The need of the hour is not just to help speed up venture creation but also nurture the right ideas which have potential to become disruptive businesses of tomorrow. This unique public private partnership under the Next Big Idea programmes will provide potential entrepreneurs not just the opportunity to make their ideas into reality but will also provide them the opportunity to work with the ecosystem to make their future business sustainable," said a Intel spokesperson.
One more objective of this programme is to build capacity in academic institutions that conduct business plan competitions thereby helping in bettering the quality of business ideas originated from there. The capacity building through academic institutions include offering financial support to their competition and conducting a two day fully paid conference at IIM Bangalore to enable sharing of information best practices to conduct competitions.
"Next Big Idea seeks to provide a perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their idea and get its attractiveness and viability evaluated by experts in an extremely competitive setting," asserts K Kumar, chairperson, NSRCEL.
The incentives to the 40 winning teams include a chance to be incubated and raise seed fund upto Rs 50 lakh from NSRCEL, one week of fully-paid workshop at IIM-Bangalore with intensive mentoring and an opportunity to interact with VCs; 10 cash prizes in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,50,000 and a sponsorship to participate in University of California, Berkeley Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge for the top three teams
More details about the competition : http://nextbigidea.in/HomePage.php
Nadathur S Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL), at the India [ Images ]n Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB) has announced the launch of Next Big Idea, a business plan competition. It is sponsored by the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) under the aegis of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India and Intel.
"The process of taking the ideas to the next level and ultimately commercialisation, can be accelerated through provision of knowledge, expertise and policy support. This industry, academia and government partnership aims to provide precisely that under the Next Big Idea programme," said Harkesh Kumar Mittal, advisor and member secretary, National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.
Next Big Idea aims to encourage innovation, create structure and process for the business plan competitions for leading academic institutions across the country so that the innovative ideas born through these competitions are taken forward to become real businesses. It also aims to create a platform where any individual or team can post their innovative ideas and seek mentoring, access to incubation and angel funds to help them create a real business.
"The need of the hour is not just to help speed up venture creation but also nurture the right ideas which have potential to become disruptive businesses of tomorrow. This unique public private partnership under the Next Big Idea programmes will provide potential entrepreneurs not just the opportunity to make their ideas into reality but will also provide them the opportunity to work with the ecosystem to make their future business sustainable," said a Intel spokesperson.
One more objective of this programme is to build capacity in academic institutions that conduct business plan competitions thereby helping in bettering the quality of business ideas originated from there. The capacity building through academic institutions include offering financial support to their competition and conducting a two day fully paid conference at IIM Bangalore to enable sharing of information best practices to conduct competitions.
"Next Big Idea seeks to provide a perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their idea and get its attractiveness and viability evaluated by experts in an extremely competitive setting," asserts K Kumar, chairperson, NSRCEL.
The incentives to the 40 winning teams include a chance to be incubated and raise seed fund upto Rs 50 lakh from NSRCEL, one week of fully-paid workshop at IIM-Bangalore with intensive mentoring and an opportunity to interact with VCs; 10 cash prizes in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,50,000 and a sponsorship to participate in University of California, Berkeley Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge for the top three teams
More details about the competition : http://nextbigidea.in/HomePage.php
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Response from Rotterdam School of Management
Thank you for sending on your current CV.
First of all, please note that this is by no means an official evaluation. It is a brief assessment of your CV to determine your eligibility to apply for our International Full-time MBA Programme and will not be taken into consideration during the evaluation of your application for a final outcome decision.
From your CV, you seem to be eligible to apply for our Full-time MBA Programme. Your academic and professional background reflect some common points with the candidature of our programme. I would advise you to be a bit more elaborate in your CV. We are interested to learn more about the depth and scope of your work experience, professional conduct outside of the core responsibilities of your job profile, the diversity of your work experience etc.
For your convenience I have included some information about our application criteria and procedures for the Full Time International MBA. Apologies if this might duplicate information you received previously, but it is a useful tool to determine your approach to your application.
We use the following criteria to evaluate applications but please note that all applications are evaluated holistically and we treat all aspects equally.
Professional achievements and future goals
A minimum of 3 years of work experience is required. We are interested in your career development to date, the accomplishments you have made and the impact you have made on organisations. We are interested in what professional targets have you set for yourself and how the RSM MBA fits into your career plan.
Academic Excellence
Candidates must have a university degree. We closely examine transcripts of previous study, and in addition all applicants are also required to take the GMAT. Please refer to www.mba.com, for further details about the GMAT examination. We do not have a minimum GMAT score requirement. However, our average score is 650 which should give you a clear idea of the score range that would put you in a competitive position.
Leadership Potential
As all RSM MBA graduates are leaders in their fields, we carefully look at a candidates energy, drive, emotional intelligence, self-confidence and ability to manage uncertainty amongst other leadership characteristics.
International Outlook
Since we emphasize diversity in our International MBA programme, students need to be able to interact and work with people from significantly different cultures and professional backgrounds. It is an advantage if your previous work history includes international scope.
English Proficiency
Our classes are conducted entirely in English. Students are expected to have strong command of the English language. We evaluate your English proficiency during the admissions interview.
Personal Qualities
We prefer to admit applicants who are fun to work with, flexible and have a good sense of humour. We appreciate candidates who are committed to building long-term relationships with fellow classmates and the RSM.
Please ensure that your submitted application is properly completed and include the following documents:
* Non-Refundable Application Fee (€ 100)
* 2 Letters of Recommendation
* Certified Transcript and Diploma/Degree
* Official GMAT Score Report
We do not have a minimum GMAT score requirement. However, our average score is 650 which should give you a clear idea of the score range that would put you in a competitive position
Admissions Interviews
After an initial selection, candidates with strong credentials will be invited for an admissions interview with an alumnus, staff member or faculty member for further evaluation. Motivation, communication and interpersonal skills are assessed during the interview. Final admissions decisions will be made after the interview comments are received and generally, the entire review process will take approximately six weeks following receipt of your completed application package.
I would advise you to open an online application in order to orientate yourself as to the process involved. There is no obligation if you open the application and you can save and go back in at your leisure.You can access the application via the following link: http://apply.embark.com/MBAEdge/RSM/
It is important that you submit your application as soon as you are ready.
I trust that this has sufficiently informed you. Should you have any further questions and/or need any assistance at all, please feel free to contact me (msteenkamp@rsm.nl) or my colleague Bart Scheenaard at (bscheenaard@rsm.nl).
We look forward to receiving your application, Amar!
First of all, please note that this is by no means an official evaluation. It is a brief assessment of your CV to determine your eligibility to apply for our International Full-time MBA Programme and will not be taken into consideration during the evaluation of your application for a final outcome decision.
From your CV, you seem to be eligible to apply for our Full-time MBA Programme. Your academic and professional background reflect some common points with the candidature of our programme. I would advise you to be a bit more elaborate in your CV. We are interested to learn more about the depth and scope of your work experience, professional conduct outside of the core responsibilities of your job profile, the diversity of your work experience etc.
For your convenience I have included some information about our application criteria and procedures for the Full Time International MBA. Apologies if this might duplicate information you received previously, but it is a useful tool to determine your approach to your application.
We use the following criteria to evaluate applications but please note that all applications are evaluated holistically and we treat all aspects equally.
Professional achievements and future goals
A minimum of 3 years of work experience is required. We are interested in your career development to date, the accomplishments you have made and the impact you have made on organisations. We are interested in what professional targets have you set for yourself and how the RSM MBA fits into your career plan.
Academic Excellence
Candidates must have a university degree. We closely examine transcripts of previous study, and in addition all applicants are also required to take the GMAT. Please refer to www.mba.com, for further details about the GMAT examination. We do not have a minimum GMAT score requirement. However, our average score is 650 which should give you a clear idea of the score range that would put you in a competitive position.
Leadership Potential
As all RSM MBA graduates are leaders in their fields, we carefully look at a candidates energy, drive, emotional intelligence, self-confidence and ability to manage uncertainty amongst other leadership characteristics.
International Outlook
Since we emphasize diversity in our International MBA programme, students need to be able to interact and work with people from significantly different cultures and professional backgrounds. It is an advantage if your previous work history includes international scope.
English Proficiency
Our classes are conducted entirely in English. Students are expected to have strong command of the English language. We evaluate your English proficiency during the admissions interview.
Personal Qualities
We prefer to admit applicants who are fun to work with, flexible and have a good sense of humour. We appreciate candidates who are committed to building long-term relationships with fellow classmates and the RSM.
Please ensure that your submitted application is properly completed and include the following documents:
* Non-Refundable Application Fee (€ 100)
* 2 Letters of Recommendation
* Certified Transcript and Diploma/Degree
* Official GMAT Score Report
We do not have a minimum GMAT score requirement. However, our average score is 650 which should give you a clear idea of the score range that would put you in a competitive position
Admissions Interviews
After an initial selection, candidates with strong credentials will be invited for an admissions interview with an alumnus, staff member or faculty member for further evaluation. Motivation, communication and interpersonal skills are assessed during the interview. Final admissions decisions will be made after the interview comments are received and generally, the entire review process will take approximately six weeks following receipt of your completed application package.
I would advise you to open an online application in order to orientate yourself as to the process involved. There is no obligation if you open the application and you can save and go back in at your leisure.You can access the application via the following link: http://apply.embark.com/MBAEdge/RSM/
It is important that you submit your application as soon as you are ready.
I trust that this has sufficiently informed you. Should you have any further questions and/or need any assistance at all, please feel free to contact me (msteenkamp@rsm.nl) or my colleague Bart Scheenaard at (bscheenaard@rsm.nl).
We look forward to receiving your application, Amar!
Monday, September 20, 2010
thanky you Amy - Ivey Student Ambassadors
Congratulations for surviving a GMAT. 640 is a good score. It is true that big consuting and investment banking firms consider GMAT score when hiring MBA students (they are the only industries that do). From what I heard, they aim for around 700.
That said, I am under the impression that if a student is not a native English speaker and did very, very well in the quantitative section, that might be considered too. If you want to, you could retake the GMAT. Admissions only consider you best score so even if it you do not get a better score, it does not matter. Another option is waiting to be in the program and making sure that these are the industries you are targeting. If so, you could retake the GMAT at that point
That said, I am under the impression that if a student is not a native English speaker and did very, very well in the quantitative section, that might be considered too. If you want to, you could retake the GMAT. Admissions only consider you best score so even if it you do not get a better score, it does not matter. Another option is waiting to be in the program and making sure that these are the industries you are targeting. If so, you could retake the GMAT at that point
Saturday, September 18, 2010
GMAT SPLIT SCORE - Brief by Jeff Sackmann
Found a nice article on gmat score splits
Source:http://www.gmathacks.com/cat-strategy/what-is-the-ideal-gmat-split-score.html
Your overall GMAT score--the number between 200 and 800--is generated from a combination of Quantitative and Verbal "scaled scores." The Q and V scaled scores technically range from 20 to 60, though scores near either end are not used.
The numbering system isn't what's important. Instead, focus on percentiles. Often, you'll hear people report their scores this way: "90th percentile on Verbal, 70th percentile on Quant." So, how does the GMAT combine those section scores into the overall number?
To understand how it works, recognize two things: It's relatively rare that test-takers have equal skill levels on the two halves, and business schools (and by extension, the GMAT) value balance.
Because most people are better at one section or the other, students who are equal are rewarded. For instance, someone who scores the coveted "80/80 split"--an 80th percentile score on each of the two sections--will have an overall score of about 700: better than the 90th percentile.
Thus, your overall score is not just the average of your two section scores.
Part of the reason the 80/80 split is so highly valued is that is reflects a broad skillset that most applicants don't have. Many students have tremendous Quant skills but struggle with the language, while others with more liberal arts backgrounds excel at the Verbal but are frightened away by math.
This shows up in the overall GMAT score. While a 70/90 split is an excellent score (regardless of which one is which), it is not quite as good as the 80/80. A 60/99 is still solid as well, but the result is worse than that of the 70/90 split.
The ideal split score, then, is an equal one. If your practice test scores are showing a huge gap between the two section percentiles, your overall score will increase more if you are able to improve on your weaker half of the exam.
Source:http://www.gmathacks.com/cat-strategy/what-is-the-ideal-gmat-split-score.html
Your overall GMAT score--the number between 200 and 800--is generated from a combination of Quantitative and Verbal "scaled scores." The Q and V scaled scores technically range from 20 to 60, though scores near either end are not used.
The numbering system isn't what's important. Instead, focus on percentiles. Often, you'll hear people report their scores this way: "90th percentile on Verbal, 70th percentile on Quant." So, how does the GMAT combine those section scores into the overall number?
To understand how it works, recognize two things: It's relatively rare that test-takers have equal skill levels on the two halves, and business schools (and by extension, the GMAT) value balance.
Because most people are better at one section or the other, students who are equal are rewarded. For instance, someone who scores the coveted "80/80 split"--an 80th percentile score on each of the two sections--will have an overall score of about 700: better than the 90th percentile.
Thus, your overall score is not just the average of your two section scores.
Part of the reason the 80/80 split is so highly valued is that is reflects a broad skillset that most applicants don't have. Many students have tremendous Quant skills but struggle with the language, while others with more liberal arts backgrounds excel at the Verbal but are frightened away by math.
This shows up in the overall GMAT score. While a 70/90 split is an excellent score (regardless of which one is which), it is not quite as good as the 80/80. A 60/99 is still solid as well, but the result is worse than that of the 70/90 split.
The ideal split score, then, is an equal one. If your practice test scores are showing a huge gap between the two section percentiles, your overall score will increase more if you are able to improve on your weaker half of the exam.
ivey - change from IT to consulting
i Had written an email to ivey school student ambassadors asking if change of industry is possible. Below is the response
"Ivey can for sure help you move towards the consuting industry. In fact, very few students who go into the consulting industry following their MBA actually come from a consulting background. A lot of them are from an engineering or IT background, to name a few.
That said, consultancy firms recruit on campus and hold information sessions so you would definitely have the chance to explore the option."
In another post of mine of Ivey school, an ivey alumni said that getting a job with low GMAT score is tough..So i am confused now. I have sent an email to student ambassador to confirm if low score hampers job chances
"Ivey can for sure help you move towards the consuting industry. In fact, very few students who go into the consulting industry following their MBA actually come from a consulting background. A lot of them are from an engineering or IT background, to name a few.
That said, consultancy firms recruit on campus and hold information sessions so you would definitely have the chance to explore the option."
In another post of mine of Ivey school, an ivey alumni said that getting a job with low GMAT score is tough..So i am confused now. I have sent an email to student ambassador to confirm if low score hampers job chances
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Response from Adcom of Johnson School at Cornell University
Thanks for your email. Your GMAT score is in the bottom 10% of our class profile. Our average GMAT of a matriculating student is 700. Only you can make the final decision of whether you will apply; however, if you do, I would highly recommend retaking your GMAT so that your application is as strong and competitive for consideration.
Friday, September 10, 2010
XLRI -GMP-Admissions Notification:
Admissions Notification:
Instructions for Registering Online for BM / HRM / GMP using GMAT score
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE STARTING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS
1. The online registration for BM, HRM and GMP is only applicable for applicants who would be submitting their GMAT Score. If applicants are in India during the year of conducting XAT 2011, it is prefered that they appear for XAT 2011 exam.
2. The GMAT should have been taken between 01 January 2009 and 31 December 2010.
Instructions for NRI/PIO/Foreign Applicant:
3a. The candidate can choose one or maximum of three programmes, depending on eligibility.
3b. The candidate has to send the xerox copy of his/her passport and visa (if applicable) along with the form.
3c. Before starting the online registration, make sure you have a demand draft (DD)/Banker's Cheque (BC) made. The DD/BC of US$ 50( for single programme) OR US$ 75 (for more than one but maximum of three programmes) is to be made in favour of " XLRI Jamshedpur A/c Prospectus " payable at Jamshedpur
Instructions For Indian GMP Applicant:
4a. Indian candidate can apply only for GMP, depending on eligibility.
4b. Before starting the online registration, make sure you have a DD made. The DD of Rs 950.00 is to be made in favour of " XLRI Jamshedpur A/c Prospectus " payable at Jamshedpur.
5. The candidate has to download the XLRI PP GMAT Form after completing the online registration. The candidate has to paste his/her recent passport size colour photograph and put his/her signature in the space provided in the form. The form is then to be sent to Admission Office along with the DD/BC and GMAT Score.
6. The last date for applying online is 8 January 2011 and the last date of receiving the XLRI PP GMAT Form along with DD and GMAT Score is 15 January 2011.
7. The candidates should write "Admissions through GMAT" on the envelopes.
8. Address all communications to Admissions Office, XLRI, Circuit House Area (East), Jamshedpur-831001, Jharkhand, India
Programmes Offered
BM: 2-Year Post Graduate Programme in Business Management
HRM: 2-Year Post Graduate Programme in Human Resource Management
GMP: 1-Year General Management Programme (for working executives only)
Eligibility:
For BM & HRM programmes, candidates who have completed three years of Bachelor's degree or equivalent in any discipline by a recognized appropriate authorities / Association of Indian Universities are eligible to apply.Those completing their final examination by June 10, 2011 may also apply.
For GMP, the candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree of minimum three
years duration in any discipline by a recognized appropriate authorities / Association of Indian Universities. He/She should be employed in a full-time job and must have at least five years of relevant managerial experience as on March 31, 2011 after completion of graduation.
The candidates should ensure that he/she possesses the relevant experience certificate (or evidence of such experience) along with releasing letter at the time of joining the program.
Definition of NRI/PIO/Foreign National
Definition of NRI/PIO/Foreign National as per "Regulation for admission of NRI/Foreign Nationality/Person of Indian Origin", AICTE letter dated 24 April 2002 will be followed for classifying the applicants.
NRI: "NRI" in this context means Non-Resident Indian as defined in Income Tax Act, 1961 with the following clarifications:
An individual is Non-Resident when he is "not a resident" or who is "not ordinarily resident". A person is treated as "not ordinarily resident" when any of the following conditions is satisfied:
1. If he/she has not been resident in India in nine out of ten preceding years; or
2. If he/she has not been in India for a period of 730 days or more during the preceding seven years.
Persons of Indian Origin :"Persons of Indian Origin" (PIO) in this context means a person having foreign citizenship (except Pakistan and Bangladesh) without "NRI" status, but who holds a Foreign Passport at the time of sending application, consideration for admission and during the period of his study and he/she or any one/ both of his/her parents or any one/ both of his /her grand parents is (or was) / are (or were) citizen (s) of India by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution of India or Section 2 (b) of Citizenship Act, 1955 (Act No. 57 of !955).
Foreign National: "Foreign National" (FN) in this context means an individual having citizenship of a foreign country (citizens of all countries other than India) and not having the status of "NRI" and/or "Persons of Indian Origin" (PIO).
Fee:
For BM/HRM: US $15,000 for the first year and US $17,500 for second year
(The fee includes Admission Fee, Tuition Fee, Course Material, Library and other academic activities fee. The boarding expenses are an additional to the above)
For GMP: Fees and other charges for one year General Management Programme (GMP) will be approximately Rs. 14,00,000/- (or equivalent in $ US) for the academic year 2011 - 2012, plus service tax, if any, applicable from time to time. Food, electricity and other personal expenses would be charged extra depending on the type of accommodation preferred by the student.
Instructions for Registering Online for BM / HRM / GMP using GMAT score
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE STARTING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS
1. The online registration for BM, HRM and GMP is only applicable for applicants who would be submitting their GMAT Score. If applicants are in India during the year of conducting XAT 2011, it is prefered that they appear for XAT 2011 exam.
2. The GMAT should have been taken between 01 January 2009 and 31 December 2010.
Instructions for NRI/PIO/Foreign Applicant:
3a. The candidate can choose one or maximum of three programmes, depending on eligibility.
3b. The candidate has to send the xerox copy of his/her passport and visa (if applicable) along with the form.
3c. Before starting the online registration, make sure you have a demand draft (DD)/Banker's Cheque (BC) made. The DD/BC of US$ 50( for single programme) OR US$ 75 (for more than one but maximum of three programmes) is to be made in favour of " XLRI Jamshedpur A/c Prospectus " payable at Jamshedpur
Instructions For Indian GMP Applicant:
4a. Indian candidate can apply only for GMP, depending on eligibility.
4b. Before starting the online registration, make sure you have a DD made. The DD of Rs 950.00 is to be made in favour of " XLRI Jamshedpur A/c Prospectus " payable at Jamshedpur.
5. The candidate has to download the XLRI PP GMAT Form after completing the online registration. The candidate has to paste his/her recent passport size colour photograph and put his/her signature in the space provided in the form. The form is then to be sent to Admission Office along with the DD/BC and GMAT Score.
6. The last date for applying online is 8 January 2011 and the last date of receiving the XLRI PP GMAT Form along with DD and GMAT Score is 15 January 2011.
7. The candidates should write "Admissions through GMAT" on the envelopes.
8. Address all communications to Admissions Office, XLRI, Circuit House Area (East), Jamshedpur-831001, Jharkhand, India
Programmes Offered
BM: 2-Year Post Graduate Programme in Business Management
HRM: 2-Year Post Graduate Programme in Human Resource Management
GMP: 1-Year General Management Programme (for working executives only)
Eligibility:
For BM & HRM programmes, candidates who have completed three years of Bachelor's degree or equivalent in any discipline by a recognized appropriate authorities / Association of Indian Universities are eligible to apply.Those completing their final examination by June 10, 2011 may also apply.
For GMP, the candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree of minimum three
years duration in any discipline by a recognized appropriate authorities / Association of Indian Universities. He/She should be employed in a full-time job and must have at least five years of relevant managerial experience as on March 31, 2011 after completion of graduation.
The candidates should ensure that he/she possesses the relevant experience certificate (or evidence of such experience) along with releasing letter at the time of joining the program.
Definition of NRI/PIO/Foreign National
Definition of NRI/PIO/Foreign National as per "Regulation for admission of NRI/Foreign Nationality/Person of Indian Origin", AICTE letter dated 24 April 2002 will be followed for classifying the applicants.
NRI: "NRI" in this context means Non-Resident Indian as defined in Income Tax Act, 1961 with the following clarifications:
An individual is Non-Resident when he is "not a resident" or who is "not ordinarily resident". A person is treated as "not ordinarily resident" when any of the following conditions is satisfied:
1. If he/she has not been resident in India in nine out of ten preceding years; or
2. If he/she has not been in India for a period of 730 days or more during the preceding seven years.
Persons of Indian Origin :"Persons of Indian Origin" (PIO) in this context means a person having foreign citizenship (except Pakistan and Bangladesh) without "NRI" status, but who holds a Foreign Passport at the time of sending application, consideration for admission and during the period of his study and he/she or any one/ both of his/her parents or any one/ both of his /her grand parents is (or was) / are (or were) citizen (s) of India by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution of India or Section 2 (b) of Citizenship Act, 1955 (Act No. 57 of !955).
Foreign National: "Foreign National" (FN) in this context means an individual having citizenship of a foreign country (citizens of all countries other than India) and not having the status of "NRI" and/or "Persons of Indian Origin" (PIO).
Fee:
For BM/HRM: US $15,000 for the first year and US $17,500 for second year
(The fee includes Admission Fee, Tuition Fee, Course Material, Library and other academic activities fee. The boarding expenses are an additional to the above)
For GMP: Fees and other charges for one year General Management Programme (GMP) will be approximately Rs. 14,00,000/- (or equivalent in $ US) for the academic year 2011 - 2012, plus service tax, if any, applicable from time to time. Food, electricity and other personal expenses would be charged extra depending on the type of accommodation preferred by the student.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
14 b-school ‘USPs’ that MBA aspirants don’t care about much
Source:http://www.pagalguy.com/2010/08/14-b-school-usps-that-mba-aspirants-dont-care-about-much/
The following terminology is often used by b-schools to attract aspirants. I will take each one by one and explain why none of them is anything worth boasting about at all.
1. Approvals – of the programme (mostly the AICTE, and at other times the NAAC, UGC, etc). This no longer has any significance as most of the 2,000 odd b-schools with these approvals are the ones sulking the most and possibly are the worst examples of how a b-school shouldn’t be. The only quality AICTE-approved b-schools are the one that have been around for long and will flourish despite or without AICTE approvals.
2. Air-conditioned campus – How does it matter?
3. Well-stocked Library – Isn’t this the bare minimum required facility in any MBA programme? How can it be a unique selling proposition?
4. Free Laptop – Sounds like some kind of a free alarm-clock-cum-radio being offered along with a magazine subscription to attract people to join. Why would someone who is investing Rs six lakh in fees and expenses worry about a laptop worth Rs 20,000? More so, how can this be a salient feature of an MBA programme?
5. 100% Placements, ‘Placement partners’ – A closer look will reveal how much of this is true. Some in the sector speak of horrific stories of how HR departments of companies are paid money by b-schools to get the student an offer for three months and then chuck him out. If this is true, then it’s a big scandal in itself. The important question is – “Do I want to join an Educational institute or a Placement Agency to find me a job?” Moreover, even the top-20 (by any definition) b-schools do not manage 100% placements, so how can these private b-schools even dream of doing so?
6. Additional programmes in SAP, Super-specializations – This is actually laughing-stock material. I mean, there are so many more elective course credits available for students in some of the best b-schools that something like this is hilarious.
7. Hostel facility – What about a hostel is a key feature or a unique selling proposition?
8. Visiting Faculty from XYZ b-schools (usually the IIMs or XLRI) – Which means that the school’s own fulltime faculty strength is either low or nil and therefore academic rigour is absent. Employing visiting faculty is always a way of saving costs for any b-school. Which means that a large part of the fees being charged by them is going straight into their pockets — but certainly not into many professors’ fulltime salary accounts.
9. Hygienic canteen – As if the food in all other campuses is killing aspirants.
10. Wi-fi campus – This is the biggest farce of all. If one belonged to the 1980s, they may say ‘wow’ to that. But the current young generation, which takes technology in daily life for granted, will find this mention amusing.
11. Scholarships – This usually means ‘discount’. It turns education into some kind of a bargainable commodity. This word has been overused and aspirants have no respect for something like this anymore. Most students now consider a b-school advertising scholarships as ‘too desperate’. Moreover, any b-school which treats education as a bargainable commodity is likely to treat it exactly as that when it comes to delivering the goods.
12. International Curriculum – Some even go the lengths of claiming that their curriculum reflects those of Harvard’s or Wharton’s. For the small section of people who are not in the know this might be an attraction, but any MBA aspirant who does even the minimum research, this is a lie. One cannot ever replicate the curriculum of these Universities because the kind of course credits available in those schools and the resultant number of teaching hours require a huge fulltime faculty-strength (upwards of 300) that even the best in India haven’t been able to execute.
13. ‘Ranked X in India’ – There are so many b-school rankings in the country now, that every private b-school has a chance to get into a ‘top’ position in some or the other rankings and still have room for more. So many private b-schools now claim to have a good b-school rank that aspirants have become blind to the word.
14. B-school backed by IIM alumni – Great educational institutions are formed by academics from top universities and not business professionals who have been trained to work in the industry. Moreover, there are all kinds of people graduating from an IIM — some become good managers and some don’t. Without going into the individual credentials of each of the purported IIM alumni backers, this argument is pure rhetoric. In many cases, this IIM alumni promoter is a rich man with lots of spare cash who isn’t averse to making a small side-investment in an educational venture as long as he doesn’t have involve himself in the day-to-day functioning — and in exchange the b-school copiously uses his name for marketing itself.
Several b-schools that form an immaculate marketing campaign around the above often wonder why it is not translating to proportionate application form sales or enquiries. As the academic-session date draws closer, these b-schools then have to buy contact number databases of MBA aspirants from various sources and fill up their seats after a large-scale telemarketing exercise. That does get them students, but never the good quality students that will get these b-schools anywhere near a long-lasting reputation
The following terminology is often used by b-schools to attract aspirants. I will take each one by one and explain why none of them is anything worth boasting about at all.
1. Approvals – of the programme (mostly the AICTE, and at other times the NAAC, UGC, etc). This no longer has any significance as most of the 2,000 odd b-schools with these approvals are the ones sulking the most and possibly are the worst examples of how a b-school shouldn’t be. The only quality AICTE-approved b-schools are the one that have been around for long and will flourish despite or without AICTE approvals.
2. Air-conditioned campus – How does it matter?
3. Well-stocked Library – Isn’t this the bare minimum required facility in any MBA programme? How can it be a unique selling proposition?
4. Free Laptop – Sounds like some kind of a free alarm-clock-cum-radio being offered along with a magazine subscription to attract people to join. Why would someone who is investing Rs six lakh in fees and expenses worry about a laptop worth Rs 20,000? More so, how can this be a salient feature of an MBA programme?
5. 100% Placements, ‘Placement partners’ – A closer look will reveal how much of this is true. Some in the sector speak of horrific stories of how HR departments of companies are paid money by b-schools to get the student an offer for three months and then chuck him out. If this is true, then it’s a big scandal in itself. The important question is – “Do I want to join an Educational institute or a Placement Agency to find me a job?” Moreover, even the top-20 (by any definition) b-schools do not manage 100% placements, so how can these private b-schools even dream of doing so?
6. Additional programmes in SAP, Super-specializations – This is actually laughing-stock material. I mean, there are so many more elective course credits available for students in some of the best b-schools that something like this is hilarious.
7. Hostel facility – What about a hostel is a key feature or a unique selling proposition?
8. Visiting Faculty from XYZ b-schools (usually the IIMs or XLRI) – Which means that the school’s own fulltime faculty strength is either low or nil and therefore academic rigour is absent. Employing visiting faculty is always a way of saving costs for any b-school. Which means that a large part of the fees being charged by them is going straight into their pockets — but certainly not into many professors’ fulltime salary accounts.
9. Hygienic canteen – As if the food in all other campuses is killing aspirants.
10. Wi-fi campus – This is the biggest farce of all. If one belonged to the 1980s, they may say ‘wow’ to that. But the current young generation, which takes technology in daily life for granted, will find this mention amusing.
11. Scholarships – This usually means ‘discount’. It turns education into some kind of a bargainable commodity. This word has been overused and aspirants have no respect for something like this anymore. Most students now consider a b-school advertising scholarships as ‘too desperate’. Moreover, any b-school which treats education as a bargainable commodity is likely to treat it exactly as that when it comes to delivering the goods.
12. International Curriculum – Some even go the lengths of claiming that their curriculum reflects those of Harvard’s or Wharton’s. For the small section of people who are not in the know this might be an attraction, but any MBA aspirant who does even the minimum research, this is a lie. One cannot ever replicate the curriculum of these Universities because the kind of course credits available in those schools and the resultant number of teaching hours require a huge fulltime faculty-strength (upwards of 300) that even the best in India haven’t been able to execute.
13. ‘Ranked X in India’ – There are so many b-school rankings in the country now, that every private b-school has a chance to get into a ‘top’ position in some or the other rankings and still have room for more. So many private b-schools now claim to have a good b-school rank that aspirants have become blind to the word.
14. B-school backed by IIM alumni – Great educational institutions are formed by academics from top universities and not business professionals who have been trained to work in the industry. Moreover, there are all kinds of people graduating from an IIM — some become good managers and some don’t. Without going into the individual credentials of each of the purported IIM alumni backers, this argument is pure rhetoric. In many cases, this IIM alumni promoter is a rich man with lots of spare cash who isn’t averse to making a small side-investment in an educational venture as long as he doesn’t have involve himself in the day-to-day functioning — and in exchange the b-school copiously uses his name for marketing itself.
Several b-schools that form an immaculate marketing campaign around the above often wonder why it is not translating to proportionate application form sales or enquiries. As the academic-session date draws closer, these b-schools then have to buy contact number databases of MBA aspirants from various sources and fill up their seats after a large-scale telemarketing exercise. That does get them students, but never the good quality students that will get these b-schools anywhere near a long-lasting reputation
Discussions with EPGP(IIMB) Student
The person with whom i talked has 10 years banking experience. He was aiming only at IIMA one year program but then later decided to apply to IIMB. His main reason for preferring IIM one year programs is that candidates in this programs have substantial work ex(>6)
GENERAL INFO
1.Avg of present students is around 10.5 years
2.there are some student with 640. One of them has a literature background and another is defense person
3.15-20% of students are on sabbatical
4.there is a comprehensive work project where students can work on live projects
ELECTIVES
Here sometimes the are combined with 2 years program student(PGP). But one year get less time to spend. for instance PGP student get 10 weeks whereas as EPGP will only get 5 weeks.
Career growth(Diagonally opposite)
if EPGP students want to change their profile then they will have to compromise their work experience. for instance a guy with 8-9 years work ex will have to compromise 5 years to get into consultancy industries
More details about this program can be found @ http://www.epgp.in/
GENERAL INFO
1.Avg of present students is around 10.5 years
2.there are some student with 640. One of them has a literature background and another is defense person
3.15-20% of students are on sabbatical
4.there is a comprehensive work project where students can work on live projects
ELECTIVES
Here sometimes the are combined with 2 years program student(PGP). But one year get less time to spend. for instance PGP student get 10 weeks whereas as EPGP will only get 5 weeks.
Career growth(Diagonally opposite)
if EPGP students want to change their profile then they will have to compromise their work experience. for instance a guy with 8-9 years work ex will have to compromise 5 years to get into consultancy industries
More details about this program can be found @ http://www.epgp.in/
Monday, September 6, 2010
Disaster Recipe Scores
Veritas:
Scaled Quant:38,Verbal=22
wrong Quant:10,verbal:19
Learnings:
silly mistakes in quants inspite of knowing the concept
sc - could not find error in original sentence still picked another option which is more correct. A is the best in such a case
rc-focus and read
Princeton
GMAT CAT 1 with AWA
Verbal: 31
Math: 44
Total: 610
Wrong
quant:7
verbal:13
Quant - good
do not assume integer unless it is said so
Verbal - had seen some Q previously in forums. overall the score is bad
silly mistakes in CR due to oversight. Read all A properly
Kaplan test CAT : 560
Quant
wrong:14(7 Q oversight error, remaining Q learnt new concepts)
Verbal
Wrong:19(learnt concepts, CR and RC done oversight errors in 5 Q)
MGMAT
TYPE SCORE ESTIMATED PERCENTILE RANK
Quantitative 46 79 %
Verbal 33 69 %
Total 650 84 %
Quant
Oversight - 1(calculation),1(exponents)
error due to hurry : DS 3
Q wrong : 14
verbal
Q wrong : 20
4 out of first 7 questions are wrong. focus more time to get initial Q correct
Quant time was short
verbal time was spare
Kaplan test CAT : 560
26 july 2010
Quant
wrong:11
1,1 oversight error
Verbal
Wrong:17
MGMAT
SCORE & OVERVIEW OF RESULTS
TYPE SCORE ESTIMATED PERCENTILE RANK
Quantitative 41 64 %
Verbal 33 69 %
Total 610 73 %
Quant
Wrong:20
verbal
Q wrong : 19
Kaplan test CAT : 550
Scaled Quant:38,Verbal=22
wrong Quant:10,verbal:19
Learnings:
silly mistakes in quants inspite of knowing the concept
sc - could not find error in original sentence still picked another option which is more correct. A is the best in such a case
rc-focus and read
Princeton
GMAT CAT 1 with AWA
Verbal: 31
Math: 44
Total: 610
Wrong
quant:7
verbal:13
Quant - good
do not assume integer unless it is said so
Verbal - had seen some Q previously in forums. overall the score is bad
silly mistakes in CR due to oversight. Read all A properly
Kaplan test CAT : 560
Quant
wrong:14(7 Q oversight error, remaining Q learnt new concepts)
Verbal
Wrong:19(learnt concepts, CR and RC done oversight errors in 5 Q)
MGMAT
TYPE SCORE ESTIMATED PERCENTILE RANK
Quantitative 46 79 %
Verbal 33 69 %
Total 650 84 %
Quant
Oversight - 1(calculation),1(exponents)
error due to hurry : DS 3
Q wrong : 14
verbal
Q wrong : 20
4 out of first 7 questions are wrong. focus more time to get initial Q correct
Quant time was short
verbal time was spare
Kaplan test CAT : 560
26 july 2010
Quant
wrong:11
1,1 oversight error
Verbal
Wrong:17
MGMAT
SCORE & OVERVIEW OF RESULTS
TYPE SCORE ESTIMATED PERCENTILE RANK
Quantitative 41 64 %
Verbal 33 69 %
Total 610 73 %
Quant
Wrong:20
verbal
Q wrong : 19
Kaplan test CAT : 550
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Preparations for thembatour
The mbatour will be the final place before i make up my mind on what next.640 with a good profile is not a bad score as per some people. But one student from Ivy business school told me that finding a job with a low score might be difficult. i also heard that for campus of some schools GMAT cutoff is set.
Some people who join 2 year schools take GMAT again to improve the chances. After hearing this i have kind of dropped my plan's of applying to one year programs of IIM(bangalore and lucknow)
One of my friend shared with me the detail of guy who succeeded with a 640 score.check the 640 achievers blog "http://hariformba.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-mba-application-journey-from-gmat.html"
now back to my preparations for the mba tour. I have been reading a lot on what to and what not to ask. The below resources are quite helpful for giving that knowledge
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/10/the-mba-tour-before-during-and-after-part-1
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/18/the-mba-tour-before-during-after-part-2
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/26/the-mba-tour-before-during-after-part-3
http://www.beatthegmat.com/how-to-make-the-most-of-mba-fairs-t65266.html
Below is the list of schools that will be coming to bangalore on 19th Sep
Baruch College of the City University of New York
Brandeis University
University of Minnesota
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Cornell University(Johnson School)
California State University, East Bay
EBS Business School
Emory University
ESMT European School of Management and Technology
Georgetown University
HEC Paris
Hult International Business School
IE Business School
Indiana University
London Business School
McGill University
New York University
Queen's University
Rice University
Thunderbird
University of California Davis
University of California Los Angeles
University of North Carolina
University of Maryland
University of Denver
University of Southern California(Marshall)
College of William and Mary
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
York University - Schulich School of Business
i am focusing on the below schools only based on the FT rankings. it does not mean other schools are bad. But my priority will be to meet representatives of below school first
Participating Business Schools | FT Ranking
University of Minnesota | 75
The Chinese University of Hong Kong | 28
Cornell University(Johnson School) | 36
Emory University |34
Georgetown University |38
HEC Paris |18
Hult International Business School |94
IE Business School |6
Indiana University |57
London Business School |1
McGill University |95
New York University |13
Rice University |44
Thunderbird |67
University of California Davis |80
University of North Carolina |49
University of Maryland |43
University of Southern California(Marshall) | 57
York University - Schulich School of Business | 54
Want to be informed as much i can be from the net before i go to their stalls. This will help me using the best use of less time available due to rush of aspirants.
I am listing down following parameters : Duration,App fee,School Fees,Earning Potential,GMAT score range,Average work experience
After this i am going to each schools website and exploring the available resources.
Below is another place where bloggers of different schools are present
http://hella.opencoder.org/mba-student-blogs/
As of now that's it. lot of work needs to be done :)
Some people who join 2 year schools take GMAT again to improve the chances. After hearing this i have kind of dropped my plan's of applying to one year programs of IIM(bangalore and lucknow)
One of my friend shared with me the detail of guy who succeeded with a 640 score.check the 640 achievers blog "http://hariformba.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-mba-application-journey-from-gmat.html"
now back to my preparations for the mba tour. I have been reading a lot on what to and what not to ask. The below resources are quite helpful for giving that knowledge
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/10/the-mba-tour-before-during-and-after-part-1
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/18/the-mba-tour-before-during-after-part-2
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/26/the-mba-tour-before-during-after-part-3
http://www.beatthegmat.com/how-to-make-the-most-of-mba-fairs-t65266.html
Below is the list of schools that will be coming to bangalore on 19th Sep
Baruch College of the City University of New York
Brandeis University
University of Minnesota
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Cornell University(Johnson School)
California State University, East Bay
EBS Business School
Emory University
ESMT European School of Management and Technology
Georgetown University
HEC Paris
Hult International Business School
IE Business School
Indiana University
London Business School
McGill University
New York University
Queen's University
Rice University
Thunderbird
University of California Davis
University of California Los Angeles
University of North Carolina
University of Maryland
University of Denver
University of Southern California(Marshall)
College of William and Mary
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
York University - Schulich School of Business
i am focusing on the below schools only based on the FT rankings. it does not mean other schools are bad. But my priority will be to meet representatives of below school first
Participating Business Schools | FT Ranking
University of Minnesota | 75
The Chinese University of Hong Kong | 28
Cornell University(Johnson School) | 36
Emory University |34
Georgetown University |38
HEC Paris |18
Hult International Business School |94
IE Business School |6
Indiana University |57
London Business School |1
McGill University |95
New York University |13
Rice University |44
Thunderbird |67
University of California Davis |80
University of North Carolina |49
University of Maryland |43
University of Southern California(Marshall) | 57
York University - Schulich School of Business | 54
Want to be informed as much i can be from the net before i go to their stalls. This will help me using the best use of less time available due to rush of aspirants.
I am listing down following parameters : Duration,App fee,School Fees,Earning Potential,GMAT score range,Average work experience
After this i am going to each schools website and exploring the available resources.
Below is another place where bloggers of different schools are present
http://hella.opencoder.org/mba-student-blogs/
As of now that's it. lot of work needs to be done :)
World Executive MBA Tour - One reason is Scholarships for grabs
"World Executive MBA Tour" is another MBA tour which i feel an MBA aspirant should attend. I am also attending http://www.thembatour.com/.
The list of schools that will be visiting in my city is below. You can find other locations details in http://www.topmba.com/mba-tour
Chennai
* Boston University School of Management
* BPP Business School
* Bradford University
* China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)
* Claremont Graduate University, The Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management
* De Paul University, Kellstadt Graduate School of Business
* Drexel University - LeBow College of Business
* ESSEC Business School - Paris
* Florida International University, Chapman Jr. Graduate School of Business
* Georg-Simon-Ohm Management Institute
* George Mason University School of Management
* HKU - The University of Hong Kong - Faculty of Business & Economics
* Hult International Business School
* IAE de Paris -Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne -
* IE Business School
* Kent Business School
* Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business
* Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong.
* Temple University, Fox School of Business
* Thunderbird School of Global Management
* UC Irvine
* UC Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business
* University of Ottawa
* University of Toronto Joseph L. Rotman School of Management
* Washington University, Olin School of Business
Tour Features
* Find out more about the Executive MBA degree - tailored to fit the schedules and needs of senior managers
* Meet Admissions Officers and Alumni face-to-face in a relaxed environment to discuss MBA choices and career impact
* Attend MBA seminars, panel discussions and MBA master classes given by professors from top business schools*
* $1.6 million of QS Scholarships available for fair visitors!*
I am most interested in the scholarships
The list of schools that will be visiting in my city is below. You can find other locations details in http://www.topmba.com/mba-tour
Chennai
* Boston University School of Management
* BPP Business School
* Bradford University
* China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)
* Claremont Graduate University, The Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management
* De Paul University, Kellstadt Graduate School of Business
* Drexel University - LeBow College of Business
* ESSEC Business School - Paris
* Florida International University, Chapman Jr. Graduate School of Business
* Georg-Simon-Ohm Management Institute
* George Mason University School of Management
* HKU - The University of Hong Kong - Faculty of Business & Economics
* Hult International Business School
* IAE de Paris -Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne -
* IE Business School
* Kent Business School
* Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business
* Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong.
* Temple University, Fox School of Business
* Thunderbird School of Global Management
* UC Irvine
* UC Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business
* University of Ottawa
* University of Toronto Joseph L. Rotman School of Management
* Washington University, Olin School of Business
Tour Features
* Find out more about the Executive MBA degree - tailored to fit the schedules and needs of senior managers
* Meet Admissions Officers and Alumni face-to-face in a relaxed environment to discuss MBA choices and career impact
* Attend MBA seminars, panel discussions and MBA master classes given by professors from top business schools*
* $1.6 million of QS Scholarships available for fair visitors!*
I am most interested in the scholarships
Saturday, September 4, 2010
All you need to know about the GMAT
Source:http://getahead.rediff.com/report/2010/aug/26/career-al-about-gmat.htm
If you're planning on studying a management course abroad, chances are you will need to take the GMAT. Here's what you need to know about the test...
The GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test. It is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) and is primarily a multiple-choice test.
The GMAT is required for admission to most US, Canadian and European management schools and many business schools for MBA programmes globally.
It is a standardised test that most MBA programmes use to assess applicants. The test has three main sections -- verbal, quantitative and analytical writing. The test is only available as a computer adaptive test, meaning the test is taken at a computer terminal and questions vary from test to test depending on the test-taker's correct or incorrect answers.
The test can be given all year round with prior registration and depending on the availability of dates.
Test Pattern
The following table represents GMAT test format:
The test begins with the analytical writing assessment (AWA) section. Students need to type their essay on the computer, using a very basic word processor.
Each question must be answered before you can move on to the next question. Further, you cannot return to a question once you go to the next question. The first question will be of medium difficulty. If you answer it correctly, the next question will be a little harder. If you answer it incorrectly, the next question will be a little easier.
Because the GMAT "adapts" to your performance, early questions are more important than later ones. Along with the regular sections student have to appear for the experimental questions as well.
Experimental questions can be in any section and it is not included in the scores. The experimental questions can be standard math, data sufficiency, reading comprehension, arguments, or sentence correction. You won't know which questions are experimental.
Scoring pattern
The four major parts of the test are scored independently. You will receive:
* Verbal score (0 to 60)
* Math score (0 to 60)
* Total score (200 to 800)
* Analytical writing score (0 to 6)
There is no minimum score that students much achieve. The total score is a scaled combination of the verbal and quantitative scaled scores, and thus reflects a student's overall performance on the multiple-choice sections of the test. The AWA score is independent of and has no impact on the total scaled score.
The value of a GMAT score is determined by the percentile ranking assigned to that score. The percentile ranking expresses the percentage of the test-taking population that receives scores below a particular score.
The GMAT does not penalise you for wrong answers, so never leave any question unanswered. With the computer-adaptive test for GMAT, a student cannot return to a question once it has been attempted, so students should be very sure of their answer before proceeding. It is essential that students pace themselves properly and be very certain of their answers.
Universities require the official score to be sent by students for the admission process. The official scores are sent to five universities that a student needs to select on the day of the exam. If students want to send the scores to more than five universities they need to order for additional scores which costs $28 (Rs 1,300 approx) per university. The universities will receive the scores in 20 calendar days. Students may request for additional scores online.
Exam preparation
There are various reference books and notes available for students to prepare. Generally the time needed for preparing for the GMAT is 2 to 6 months, depending on individual abilities. Practice is essential and there are a number of training institutes that offer mock tests before the exam, by which students can work on areas they are weak in.
Some students retake the exam to try and maximise their scores. In such a case, many business schools may consider the higher score or average of the scores.
Registration
Students can register for the test online at www.mba.com/mba. The other ways for registration are by phone, mail or fax.
Students will incur taxes to schedule an exam in certain countries. The details of the same is given on the site while going through the registration formalities. Students need to locate the nearest testing centre and check for the available time slot for the exam and book the same.
Online registration
If student chooses to schedule a test online, they must sign up as a registered user of the mba.com website. Students should be careful while entering the required basic details like name and birth date; these should be exactly as they appear on the identification they will carry at the time of the test at the test centre.
The current GMAT exam fee is $250 (Rs 11,600 approx) the payments can only be made by credit card or debit card.
Rescheduling
Students need to log in online with their account details to reschedule their exam date. If a student want to reschedule their appointment in a country other than the one in which they have scheduled their original appointment, they have to do it by phone.
There is a $50 fee charged to reschedule the date, time, or location of the test. Students should reschedule the date before seven calendar days or else they will have to pay the full registration fees.
Cancellation
If a student cancels his/her test appointment at least seven full calendar days in advance of the date and time of their test date, they will receive a partial refund of $80 (Rs 3,700 approx).
If they do not cancel their appointment within seven full calendar days of the scheduled test date and time, they will have to forfeit the entire registration fee.
If you're planning on studying a management course abroad, chances are you will need to take the GMAT. Here's what you need to know about the test...
The GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test. It is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) and is primarily a multiple-choice test.
The GMAT is required for admission to most US, Canadian and European management schools and many business schools for MBA programmes globally.
It is a standardised test that most MBA programmes use to assess applicants. The test has three main sections -- verbal, quantitative and analytical writing. The test is only available as a computer adaptive test, meaning the test is taken at a computer terminal and questions vary from test to test depending on the test-taker's correct or incorrect answers.
The test can be given all year round with prior registration and depending on the availability of dates.
Test Pattern
The following table represents GMAT test format:
The test begins with the analytical writing assessment (AWA) section. Students need to type their essay on the computer, using a very basic word processor.
Each question must be answered before you can move on to the next question. Further, you cannot return to a question once you go to the next question. The first question will be of medium difficulty. If you answer it correctly, the next question will be a little harder. If you answer it incorrectly, the next question will be a little easier.
Because the GMAT "adapts" to your performance, early questions are more important than later ones. Along with the regular sections student have to appear for the experimental questions as well.
Experimental questions can be in any section and it is not included in the scores. The experimental questions can be standard math, data sufficiency, reading comprehension, arguments, or sentence correction. You won't know which questions are experimental.
Scoring pattern
The four major parts of the test are scored independently. You will receive:
* Verbal score (0 to 60)
* Math score (0 to 60)
* Total score (200 to 800)
* Analytical writing score (0 to 6)
There is no minimum score that students much achieve. The total score is a scaled combination of the verbal and quantitative scaled scores, and thus reflects a student's overall performance on the multiple-choice sections of the test. The AWA score is independent of and has no impact on the total scaled score.
The value of a GMAT score is determined by the percentile ranking assigned to that score. The percentile ranking expresses the percentage of the test-taking population that receives scores below a particular score.
The GMAT does not penalise you for wrong answers, so never leave any question unanswered. With the computer-adaptive test for GMAT, a student cannot return to a question once it has been attempted, so students should be very sure of their answer before proceeding. It is essential that students pace themselves properly and be very certain of their answers.
Universities require the official score to be sent by students for the admission process. The official scores are sent to five universities that a student needs to select on the day of the exam. If students want to send the scores to more than five universities they need to order for additional scores which costs $28 (Rs 1,300 approx) per university. The universities will receive the scores in 20 calendar days. Students may request for additional scores online.
Exam preparation
There are various reference books and notes available for students to prepare. Generally the time needed for preparing for the GMAT is 2 to 6 months, depending on individual abilities. Practice is essential and there are a number of training institutes that offer mock tests before the exam, by which students can work on areas they are weak in.
Some students retake the exam to try and maximise their scores. In such a case, many business schools may consider the higher score or average of the scores.
Registration
Students can register for the test online at www.mba.com/mba. The other ways for registration are by phone, mail or fax.
Students will incur taxes to schedule an exam in certain countries. The details of the same is given on the site while going through the registration formalities. Students need to locate the nearest testing centre and check for the available time slot for the exam and book the same.
Online registration
If student chooses to schedule a test online, they must sign up as a registered user of the mba.com website. Students should be careful while entering the required basic details like name and birth date; these should be exactly as they appear on the identification they will carry at the time of the test at the test centre.
The current GMAT exam fee is $250 (Rs 11,600 approx) the payments can only be made by credit card or debit card.
Rescheduling
Students need to log in online with their account details to reschedule their exam date. If a student want to reschedule their appointment in a country other than the one in which they have scheduled their original appointment, they have to do it by phone.
There is a $50 fee charged to reschedule the date, time, or location of the test. Students should reschedule the date before seven calendar days or else they will have to pay the full registration fees.
Cancellation
If a student cancels his/her test appointment at least seven full calendar days in advance of the date and time of their test date, they will receive a partial refund of $80 (Rs 3,700 approx).
If they do not cancel their appointment within seven full calendar days of the scheduled test date and time, they will have to forfeit the entire registration fee.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Cranfield School of Management - informal assessment
Dear Amar
Thank you for completing the informal assessment form.
From the information provided, I regret that it is unlikely you would be selected for interview with your current GMAT result.
We receive a number of applications from high calibre candidates with similar qualifications and experience who have GMAT scores in excess of our current average of 670, so it is often the GMAT that is the deciding factor when short listing people for interview.
Competition for places is very high and we are only able to offer interviews to a limited number of candidates applying to us.
Thank you for your interest in Cranfield.
Kind regards,
Admissions Executive
Cranfield School of Management
Thank you for completing the informal assessment form.
From the information provided, I regret that it is unlikely you would be selected for interview with your current GMAT result.
We receive a number of applications from high calibre candidates with similar qualifications and experience who have GMAT scores in excess of our current average of 670, so it is often the GMAT that is the deciding factor when short listing people for interview.
Competition for places is very high and we are only able to offer interviews to a limited number of candidates applying to us.
Thank you for your interest in Cranfield.
Kind regards,
Admissions Executive
Cranfield School of Management
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
MBA Schools- Operations Management
I was helping one of my friends who is interested in getting an MBA in selecting schools. I am sharing the same info here
In india schools such as
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai,
SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai
Symbiosis MBA in Operations Management at SIOM
Indian Institute of Management to name a few offer MBA in Operation Management.
http://businessmajors.about.com/od/topbusinessschools/tp/TopOpMgtSchools.htm
Top 5 US MBA Schools- Operations Management
1. Tepper (Carnegie Mellon)
The Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon consistently ranks among the top business schools in the world. The programs offered at Tepper place a strong emphasis on general management, but Tepper is also known for a wide range of specializations, including Finance, Entrepreneurship, Operations Management, and Information Technology.
2. MIT Sloan
The world-renowned curriculum at MIT Sloan is a balance between theory and real-world application. Programs include cases studies, lectures, team projects, industry interactions, and hands-on labs to teach students the business skills that they will need to succeed in the future.
3. Ross (University of Michigan)
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business offers a wide range of curriculum along with advanced elective courses. They also boast an exciting leadership program that allows students to engage with professors and experts in a variety of important fields.
4. Tuck (Dartmouth)
Famous for their small class size and close-knit community, Tuck is one of the most selective and prestigious business schools within the U.S.
5. Kellogg
Most well known for their ever evolving curriculum, Kellogg School of Management (Northwest University) keeps pace with the ever-changing business world and has introduced more than 50 new courses since 1995.
In india schools such as
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai,
SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai
Symbiosis MBA in Operations Management at SIOM
Indian Institute of Management to name a few offer MBA in Operation Management.
http://businessmajors.about.com/od/topbusinessschools/tp/TopOpMgtSchools.htm
Top 5 US MBA Schools- Operations Management
1. Tepper (Carnegie Mellon)
The Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon consistently ranks among the top business schools in the world. The programs offered at Tepper place a strong emphasis on general management, but Tepper is also known for a wide range of specializations, including Finance, Entrepreneurship, Operations Management, and Information Technology.
2. MIT Sloan
The world-renowned curriculum at MIT Sloan is a balance between theory and real-world application. Programs include cases studies, lectures, team projects, industry interactions, and hands-on labs to teach students the business skills that they will need to succeed in the future.
3. Ross (University of Michigan)
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business offers a wide range of curriculum along with advanced elective courses. They also boast an exciting leadership program that allows students to engage with professors and experts in a variety of important fields.
4. Tuck (Dartmouth)
Famous for their small class size and close-knit community, Tuck is one of the most selective and prestigious business schools within the U.S.
5. Kellogg
Most well known for their ever evolving curriculum, Kellogg School of Management (Northwest University) keeps pace with the ever-changing business world and has introduced more than 50 new courses since 1995.
Free GMAT Test on Labor Day, September 6th and more
If any of you want to practice another gmat test then gmat club tests are available free on Labor Day, September 6th
Access will be available from 0:01 AM on Monday morning to 23:59 on Monday night, Pacific Time (USA)
More details you can find in the below link
http://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-club-tests-free-open-access-88231.html
I have set up a reminder in my google calendar for the next gmatclub tests on
# Halloween 10/31
# Thanksgiving 11/25
# GMAT Club Birthday 12/4
# Christmas 12/24
# New Year's day 1/1/2011
You too can do the same
All the best with your preparations
Access will be available from 0:01 AM on Monday morning to 23:59 on Monday night, Pacific Time (USA)
More details you can find in the below link
http://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-club-tests-free-open-access-88231.html
I have set up a reminder in my google calendar for the next gmatclub tests on
# Halloween 10/31
# Thanksgiving 11/25
# GMAT Club Birthday 12/4
# Christmas 12/24
# New Year's day 1/1/2011
You too can do the same
All the best with your preparations
Monday, August 30, 2010
B-School Despite the Odds Master Class - Last Part
Essays
Getting Started
• Putting all your essays in a google doc to organized
• Choose the essay that looks like the easiest and most fun to write
• JUST WRITE. Don’t worry abt word limits, using the exact right terms and
words
• Write an entire draft of essays in one writing
• Set it aside for 2 days
• Then ask urself these questions
o Am I detailed enough
o Am I being honest with myself
o If someone who did not know me read this, would they want to know
more abt me
o If someone who know me read this, would they agree with what I a
saying
When u get stuck
• Take a break and relax. Have someone who know u read the essay and provide feedback
• Work on another essay.
Who should review your essays
• 2 alumni from the school you want to attend. More on September seminar
• Someone who knows you personally or professionally or academically well
• Consider: mentor, parents , siblings classmates, co-workers, friends, online friends and me
Recommendations
Who and When?
• Current or former supervisor, supervisors in community services, professional mentors
• Recommenders need only 6 weeks to complete ur recommendation
o For R1 ask for recommendation around 15 sep
o For R2 ask for recommendation around 15 nov
Kaneisha recommender packet
• A super organized, helpful packet to make sure you get the best recommendation
• Helps the recommender understand why you want to go to business school and why you will be a great fit to the school
• Reminds the recommender of how good you are and help him/her find the write words for you
And lot more……………
Getting Started
• Putting all your essays in a google doc to organized
• Choose the essay that looks like the easiest and most fun to write
• JUST WRITE. Don’t worry abt word limits, using the exact right terms and
words
• Write an entire draft of essays in one writing
• Set it aside for 2 days
• Then ask urself these questions
o Am I detailed enough
o Am I being honest with myself
o If someone who did not know me read this, would they want to know
more abt me
o If someone who know me read this, would they agree with what I a
saying
When u get stuck
• Take a break and relax. Have someone who know u read the essay and provide feedback
• Work on another essay.
Who should review your essays
• 2 alumni from the school you want to attend. More on September seminar
• Someone who knows you personally or professionally or academically well
• Consider: mentor, parents , siblings classmates, co-workers, friends, online friends and me
Recommendations
Who and When?
• Current or former supervisor, supervisors in community services, professional mentors
• Recommenders need only 6 weeks to complete ur recommendation
o For R1 ask for recommendation around 15 sep
o For R2 ask for recommendation around 15 nov
Kaneisha recommender packet
• A super organized, helpful packet to make sure you get the best recommendation
• Helps the recommender understand why you want to go to business school and why you will be a great fit to the school
• Reminds the recommender of how good you are and help him/her find the write words for you
And lot more……………
Sunday, August 29, 2010
B-School Despite the Odds Master Class - Part II
Part II
Financial
• How much debt I am willing to take
• How much debt is the school asking me to take
• How likely I am able to payoff my debt in X years with this loan
• How much mileage I am getting out of my degree in relation to how much it cost me. Integration of cost and benefits. Obviously cost should be higher
Temporal
• How large and active is the alumni community. Is it international or which geography(which u want be) they are located.
• What kind of benefits do alumni receive from the school
• How happy and satisfied are alumni from that school with the experience.
• How happy would I be to be a alum of that school
How best to Use the five elements
• Be honest with ur self
• Ask for advise – But remember who it is coming from
For ex HBS is advising to HBS but u do not then do not do it. Just know
where and wht u r applying to
• Research the school from a variety of resources
• Write down your thoughts and refer back to them
3 Conventional places to research MBA programs
http://www.princetonreview.com/business-school-rankings.aspx?RDN=1
http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/rankings/
http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/global-mba-rankings
3 Un-Conventional places to research MBA programs
Google Blog Search
Beat the GMAT blogger network
Forum for MBA student and MBA applicants
How may schools to apply to
Between 3 to 10
Deciding factors
o Your chances of admission to your portfolio of schools
o The urgency of your going to school this year. Depending on your Age.if
u r young u can wait until to get to ur dream B school
o The amount of time you have
o The amount of money you are willing to spend
When to apply
Round 1: for the super ready
Round 2: for the ready and hopeful
Round 3: only for top applicants who will standout and have a strong chance of admission (NOT RECOMMENDED)
Apply when u can put together ur best application
Financial
• How much debt I am willing to take
• How much debt is the school asking me to take
• How likely I am able to payoff my debt in X years with this loan
• How much mileage I am getting out of my degree in relation to how much it cost me. Integration of cost and benefits. Obviously cost should be higher
Temporal
• How large and active is the alumni community. Is it international or which geography(which u want be) they are located.
• What kind of benefits do alumni receive from the school
• How happy and satisfied are alumni from that school with the experience.
• How happy would I be to be a alum of that school
How best to Use the five elements
• Be honest with ur self
• Ask for advise – But remember who it is coming from
For ex HBS is advising to HBS but u do not then do not do it. Just know
where and wht u r applying to
• Research the school from a variety of resources
• Write down your thoughts and refer back to them
3 Conventional places to research MBA programs
http://www.princetonreview.com/business-school-rankings.aspx?RDN=1
http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/rankings/
http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/global-mba-rankings
3 Un-Conventional places to research MBA programs
Google Blog Search
Beat the GMAT blogger network
Forum for MBA student and MBA applicants
How may schools to apply to
Between 3 to 10
Deciding factors
o Your chances of admission to your portfolio of schools
o The urgency of your going to school this year. Depending on your Age.if
u r young u can wait until to get to ur dream B school
o The amount of time you have
o The amount of money you are willing to spend
When to apply
Round 1: for the super ready
Round 2: for the ready and hopeful
Round 3: only for top applicants who will standout and have a strong chance of admission (NOT RECOMMENDED)
Apply when u can put together ur best application
B-School Despite the Odds Master Class - Part I
Dear Readers,
Below is the details of webinar that was conducted by kaneisha. I am going to publish it in parts. Enjoy reading and you can approach kaneisha(kaneisha@gmail.com,kaneisha@theartofapplying.com)
Join theartofapplying @http://theartofapplying.com/bdo/join/
Part I
School Choice
5 elements of choosing right mba program
Academic
• learn effectively what i need to learn to be successful in my career
• Schools academic are
o case methods heavy
o more lecture
o real word component
Professional
• Resources and characteristic that will help me be successful in my career
• Check school which focus on ur expertise and not on other areas
Personal
Happy living and learning for 2 years
Financial
Where i would get my money's worth
Temporal
where i would from and enjoy being an alum
How to measure the Five Elements
Academic
• Read abt schools curriculum. Take notes of special classes, program etc relevant to ur carrier interests
• Sit on a class campus
• Ask current students and alumni about their academic experiences. Check through linkedin and other social media. Try to approach them and get help for essays. More in September seminar
• Learn about what professors are researching and pick your favorites. Check their ideas if it interest you
Personal
• How do u feel when u visit schools website? Not any feelings of exclusion, inclusion, excitement, anxiety etc. It matters as you are gong to spend 2 years here
• How do u like the student and alumni you meet from that school. Are they smoothy or competitive etc
• How much do you feel like you will fit in at the school? How much does fitting matter to you? There are some exceptional students and take different path
• How happy do u feel during your each visit. When u walk around the school are u getting bored or happy. It matters a lot
Below is the details of webinar that was conducted by kaneisha. I am going to publish it in parts. Enjoy reading and you can approach kaneisha(kaneisha@gmail.com,kaneisha@theartofapplying.com)
Join theartofapplying @http://theartofapplying.com/bdo/join/
Part I
School Choice
5 elements of choosing right mba program
Academic
• learn effectively what i need to learn to be successful in my career
• Schools academic are
o case methods heavy
o more lecture
o real word component
Professional
• Resources and characteristic that will help me be successful in my career
• Check school which focus on ur expertise and not on other areas
Personal
Happy living and learning for 2 years
Financial
Where i would get my money's worth
Temporal
where i would from and enjoy being an alum
How to measure the Five Elements
Academic
• Read abt schools curriculum. Take notes of special classes, program etc relevant to ur carrier interests
• Sit on a class campus
• Ask current students and alumni about their academic experiences. Check through linkedin and other social media. Try to approach them and get help for essays. More in September seminar
• Learn about what professors are researching and pick your favorites. Check their ideas if it interest you
Personal
• How do u feel when u visit schools website? Not any feelings of exclusion, inclusion, excitement, anxiety etc. It matters as you are gong to spend 2 years here
• How do u like the student and alumni you meet from that school. Are they smoothy or competitive etc
• How much do you feel like you will fit in at the school? How much does fitting matter to you? There are some exceptional students and take different path
• How happy do u feel during your each visit. When u walk around the school are u getting bored or happy. It matters a lot
Friday, August 27, 2010
Ivey School of Business - Resume Assessment Result
Thanks for your interest in the Ivey MBA program and for requesting an online resume assessment.
The Ivey admissions process is extremely selective and only the top applicants receive an offer to our program. Resumes are assessed based on several factors including quality and quantity of work experience, educational background, and a demonstrated track record of leadership and achievement. This is a preliminary assessment only; acceptance to the Ivey MBA program is determined by a thorough assessment of your complete application.
After a careful review of your resume, we can see that you have demonstrated a strong track record of professional success and appear to meet the minimum requirements for admission based on the aforementioned criteria. Based on the information you provided, we would encourage you to consider submitting your application to Ivey's MBA program after completing a thorough review of the remaining admissions criteria and application components at www.ivey.ca/mba/admissions/criteria.htm
Before starting the application process, we would like to invite you to attend one of our Ivey experience events like First Class on the Road or Class Visit Day (on campus) to learn more about the program and to interact with our faculty, staff and students. These events represent an important step in the MBA decision-making process and help to determine personal “fit” with the program you choose. You can register for any of our events at www.ivey.ca/mba/events/
Once again, this is a preliminary assessment only and will not bear any impact (positive or negative) on your candidacy for admission.
If you have any further questions regarding the program or application process, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. We look forward to receiving your application, Amar.
The Ivey admissions process is extremely selective and only the top applicants receive an offer to our program. Resumes are assessed based on several factors including quality and quantity of work experience, educational background, and a demonstrated track record of leadership and achievement. This is a preliminary assessment only; acceptance to the Ivey MBA program is determined by a thorough assessment of your complete application.
After a careful review of your resume, we can see that you have demonstrated a strong track record of professional success and appear to meet the minimum requirements for admission based on the aforementioned criteria. Based on the information you provided, we would encourage you to consider submitting your application to Ivey's MBA program after completing a thorough review of the remaining admissions criteria and application components at www.ivey.ca/mba/admissions/criteria.htm
Before starting the application process, we would like to invite you to attend one of our Ivey experience events like First Class on the Road or Class Visit Day (on campus) to learn more about the program and to interact with our faculty, staff and students. These events represent an important step in the MBA decision-making process and help to determine personal “fit” with the program you choose. You can register for any of our events at www.ivey.ca/mba/events/
Once again, this is a preliminary assessment only and will not bear any impact (positive or negative) on your candidacy for admission.
If you have any further questions regarding the program or application process, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. We look forward to receiving your application, Amar.
Apphelp Free profile evaluation
I Came to know Apphelp consulting through another forum. Their website is http://www.apphelp.co.in/
The guy who talked to me is a ISB alum.I registered for their free B school shortlisting service. the guy who talked to me enquired about my GMAT score and work achievements. Based on this he has recommended me the below schools
Oxford Said
HEC Paris
in pre-profile evaluation HEC want's me to improve my score. But they also said that if i can try to cover my gmat weakness by strong angles to 'compensate' this score.these can be found in a solid work experience and international exposure, high responsabilities, academic and professional achievements, social activities, etc
CMU Tepper
Emory University: Goizueta
going to meet this university during the mba tour event
Darden
Kenan Flagler
The guy who talked to me is a ISB alum.I registered for their free B school shortlisting service. the guy who talked to me enquired about my GMAT score and work achievements. Based on this he has recommended me the below schools
Oxford Said
HEC Paris
in pre-profile evaluation HEC want's me to improve my score. But they also said that if i can try to cover my gmat weakness by strong angles to 'compensate' this score.these can be found in a solid work experience and international exposure, high responsabilities, academic and professional achievements, social activities, etc
CMU Tepper
Emory University: Goizueta
going to meet this university during the mba tour event
Darden
Kenan Flagler
Monday, August 23, 2010
Top Schools for Business Marketing
Source:http://education-portal.com/articles/Top_Schools_for_Business_Marketing.html
Top Business Marketing Colleges and Schools
(Source: U.S. News, www.usnews.com):
* 1. University of Pennsylvania-
This top ranking institution has a business school with 20 research centers and initiatives. --Undergraduate Student Body: 9,719; Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:6; Tuition Costs: $32,364; Average High School GPA of Incoming Freshmen: 1:6; Test Scores of Incoming Freshmen: ACT: More than 60% had scores 30-36, SAT: More than 50% had scores 1400-1600.
* 2. University of Michigan-
This well-known university's business school offers a Global MBA program for those who are interested in international business, especially in the Asian market. --Undergraduate Student Body: 24,828; Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:15; Tuition Costs: In-State: $8,910, Out-of-State: $27,129; Average High School GPA of Incoming Freshmen: 3.7; Test Scores of Incoming Freshmen: ACT: More than 50% had scores 24-29, SAT: More than 40% had scores 1200-1299.
* 3. University of Texas-
This public college has a business school, McCombs School of Business, which has 77,500 alumni throughout the nation and in 105 other countries. --Undergraduate Student Body: 37,377; Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:19; Tuition Costs: In-State: $5,735, Out-of-State: $14,435; Average High School GPA of Incoming Freshmen: Not Listed; Test Scores of Incoming Freshmen: ACT: More than 50% had scores 24-29, SAT: More than 40% had scores 1200-1299.
Top Business Marketing Colleges and Schools
(Source: U.S. News, www.usnews.com):
* 1. University of Pennsylvania-
This top ranking institution has a business school with 20 research centers and initiatives. --Undergraduate Student Body: 9,719; Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:6; Tuition Costs: $32,364; Average High School GPA of Incoming Freshmen: 1:6; Test Scores of Incoming Freshmen: ACT: More than 60% had scores 30-36, SAT: More than 50% had scores 1400-1600.
* 2. University of Michigan-
This well-known university's business school offers a Global MBA program for those who are interested in international business, especially in the Asian market. --Undergraduate Student Body: 24,828; Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:15; Tuition Costs: In-State: $8,910, Out-of-State: $27,129; Average High School GPA of Incoming Freshmen: 3.7; Test Scores of Incoming Freshmen: ACT: More than 50% had scores 24-29, SAT: More than 40% had scores 1200-1299.
* 3. University of Texas-
This public college has a business school, McCombs School of Business, which has 77,500 alumni throughout the nation and in 105 other countries. --Undergraduate Student Body: 37,377; Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:19; Tuition Costs: In-State: $5,735, Out-of-State: $14,435; Average High School GPA of Incoming Freshmen: Not Listed; Test Scores of Incoming Freshmen: ACT: More than 50% had scores 24-29, SAT: More than 40% had scores 1200-1299.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Satisfied with Gurome free interaction
My interaction with Gurome consulting has been the best till now.
As usual the lady started with asking my work details. i gave 2 instance of my work which i feel were unique. Also i gave her instance of leadership at work(i feel i am good in it).
Apart from this i shared my international work ex and achievements.
then the focus shifted to non-work achievements. i shared my achievement in CSR and NGO. Then gave info about hobbies which are worth sharing :)
i remember another consultant asking me to list down all my hobbies..Some of them i feel are silly :)
then came the major bottleneck my MBA score.i told it.Now i do not feel so down telling my scores. Fact is fact..my GPA is 3.5
Next was my post MBA aspirations. I want to join Consulting.
Now it was my turn to ask Questions. I asked which colleges i can think of applying. She gave me a lsit of schools which she feels are worth applying. Tuck and Cornell being some of them. Her list has given me a direction to proceed with MBA search.
But one thing to note is that Gurome has a service where they evaluate your profile in more detail and suggest schools. Also they give info about school which cannot be found in google or in school website. She made a statement that the list of schools she gave me can change based on the detailed evaluation... mmm a business mind :)
She also advised about the process on how to get the recos and from whom to get. then she explained about the gurome packages for MBA Student.they charge rs 29K for 10 hrs. the time usage depends on individual writing abilities. This time can be utilized for getting mock interview and list of Questions.
She advised i should apply in R2 as most indians apply in R1 and majority of indians are with good scores. Some of my friends do not agree with it.
Overall my experience with GUROME consulting was satisfactory.I have just started following gurome on facebook and twitter. They frequently share some info about schools and GMAT. i am waiting to attend the World MBA tour on Sep 19 before deciding my next steps
As usual the lady started with asking my work details. i gave 2 instance of my work which i feel were unique. Also i gave her instance of leadership at work(i feel i am good in it).
Apart from this i shared my international work ex and achievements.
then the focus shifted to non-work achievements. i shared my achievement in CSR and NGO. Then gave info about hobbies which are worth sharing :)
i remember another consultant asking me to list down all my hobbies..Some of them i feel are silly :)
then came the major bottleneck my MBA score.i told it.Now i do not feel so down telling my scores. Fact is fact..my GPA is 3.5
Next was my post MBA aspirations. I want to join Consulting.
Now it was my turn to ask Questions. I asked which colleges i can think of applying. She gave me a lsit of schools which she feels are worth applying. Tuck and Cornell being some of them. Her list has given me a direction to proceed with MBA search.
But one thing to note is that Gurome has a service where they evaluate your profile in more detail and suggest schools. Also they give info about school which cannot be found in google or in school website. She made a statement that the list of schools she gave me can change based on the detailed evaluation... mmm a business mind :)
She also advised about the process on how to get the recos and from whom to get. then she explained about the gurome packages for MBA Student.they charge rs 29K for 10 hrs. the time usage depends on individual writing abilities. This time can be utilized for getting mock interview and list of Questions.
She advised i should apply in R2 as most indians apply in R1 and majority of indians are with good scores. Some of my friends do not agree with it.
Overall my experience with GUROME consulting was satisfactory.I have just started following gurome on facebook and twitter. They frequently share some info about schools and GMAT. i am waiting to attend the World MBA tour on Sep 19 before deciding my next steps
Friday, August 20, 2010
Response from Kellogg for profile Evaluation
Because our process is subjective and takes into consideration many factors beyond data points, we cannot surmise ones chances for acceptance based on test scores and work experience alone. Applications receive a thoughtful and thorough review by a committee of staff and trained students. Although we do evaluate test scores, scholastic ability and work experience, we are also interested in learning more about ones values and motivations. We also assess other characteristics such as maturity, leadership, personal character and potential contribution to the Kellogg community. The Admissions Office can assist with questions regarding the full-time programs and the application process, but we are unable to offer prescriptive advice or recommendations regarding ones candidacy.
Book your calendar on 8/26 : "School Choice, Quick-Start Essays, & Killer Recommendations"
The event has been rescheduled to 8/26
you can find more details about this event on
http://amarrnaik.blogspot.com/2010/08/school-choice-quick-start-essays-and.html
Alternatively You CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WEBINAR SERIES at http://theartofapplying.com/bdo/join/
you can find more details about this event on
http://amarrnaik.blogspot.com/2010/08/school-choice-quick-start-essays-and.html
Alternatively You CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WEBINAR SERIES at http://theartofapplying.com/bdo/join/
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
GPA and Indian Grading
Always when i talked to consultants they asked me my GPA during my under graduation.Was not sure about how do the conversion from percentage to GPA. Finally i got it
Here it is
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_grading_in_India
Here it is
Percentage | Equivalent GPA | US Grade Equivalent | Classification |
81 to 100 | 4 | A or (A+ for >90%) | Distinction |
61 to 80 | 3.5 | B+ | First class |
51 to 60 | 3 | B | Second Class |
41 to 50 | 2.5 | C+ | Third Class |
< 40 | 2 | C | Fail |
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_grading_in_India
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