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……………

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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/

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







































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

IE Business School Response

Got all the below responses from Managing Director,IE India & South Asia Office

1. I wanted to know the profile of current batch students(gmat,work ex). I am a MBA aspirant from india with 7 years work ex and 640 GMAT...
The average GMAT score of admitted students last year was 690 and the average work experience was around 5.7 years

2. Are the interviews for international candidates done over the phone
Yes, interviews are done over the phone or in person if admission staff is visiting your city


3. Can you please let me know the spread of GMAT score for which the applicants were admitted(i mean the highest and lowest GMAT)
The range of scores was roughly between 600-780


4. Can i get any guidance from faculty or students who can help me if i should apply given that i have a low GMAT Score
no, our faculty or students cannot help if you apply with a low score


5. Can you please let me know the GMAT range of Asian students. i heard that they are the most competitive pool
We do not have the averages specifically for Asian students


6. Atleast can i get a brief profile overview of students with less that 650. This will help me better, in making my decision
we do not have profiles just for students with GMAT scores of less than 650.

NUS Business School Response

Thank you for your email enquiry on the NUS MBA programme.

For application review, we will consider all aspects of the applicants' profile including your undergraduate degree qualification, GPA grade, GMAT score and Verbal and AWA Score, working experience and professional profile, international work experiences and other professional engagements or extra-curricular achievements. GMAT is one of the asessment factor but it is not the only factor of consideration. We will assess the applicant's overall profile and these factors will be evaluated alongside with other applicant's profile we received for the same intake of application.



Based on the last two recent intakes of MBA application, the average GMAT score from full-time MBA applicants range from 660 to 680.

The next intake will commence in Aug 2011 and admission will commence from 1 Oct 2010 onwards.

The application deadlines for the NUS MBA (Full-time) programme for Aug 2011 intake are as follow :-
(1) 1st application review deadline : 31 Jan 2011
(2) 2nd and final application review deadline : 31 Mar 2011



Please revisit our NUS MBA wesbite again nearer 1 Oct 2010 for online application for the Aug 2011 intake

Monday, August 16, 2010

Win a Essay Guide to Harvard

Stay tuned for our Tuesday Twitter Contest tomorrow organised by Stacy Blackman Consulting. The winner of the contest will receive an Essay Guide to Harvard
http://www.stacyblackman.com/essay-guides/harvard/

Follow Stacy Blackman Consulting on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/stacyblackman

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Clearadmit - Indians are 20 or 30 points above other aspirants

Clearadmit was the first consultant i talked for B school applications. ThinkISB was focused on ISB but this discussion was broad. I mean global B schools.

I had shared my profile earlier.The discussion started with what i do.If i had been interviewed before by any B school.
After seeing my gmat score she asked my prep scores. Most of my prep scores were +30 than my actual gmat,so she felt that the score is accurate and probably i cannot improve.

Questions asked
- Schools that i intend to join. I told her Harvard,Wharton,Columbia,Kellog,Stanford,INSEAD and NUS.
- Which region i intend to join B school. I said "any place"
- What do i wish to do post MBA.

Response from Clearadmit
-Getting into Harvard and Stanford is difficult
-Columbia gives more weight-age on GMAT
-I need to focus on the region where i want to work so that it will be easy to target B schools
-Indians are by default assumed to get better scores. Also indians students gmat scores are 20 to 30 points above other nationalities students
-i should be realistic on which B school to approach with my score. But she stated that profile needs to be evaluated in more detail before making a final call(this was a free 30 min call)

Conclusion
I need to do more homework on schools based on my post MBA goals and gmat score. Use google and various blogs for the research. I need to be more specific on questions asked to consultants rather than being generic.
Also she suggested me Cornell university and university of texas because they have more proportion of IT professionals in their batch.
She was also not much aware of european or asian B school

So i need to make a call on what next and research :(

Friday, August 13, 2010

I am day dreaming : Discussion with Knewton

You: I am an Indian IT Male with 7 years of work ex. My work experience and extra curricular is good. I have tried multiple attempts on GMAT but failed all times. My last attempt just got me 6XX(in preps i was getting 6XX+). The best official GMAT score i have is 640 which i took in 2008.Being an indian IT engineer it puts me at a lot of disadvantage interms of score.lot of people say that indian's in most B school have the best scores. Can Knewton help me in any way to improve the score. appreciate any help. Please let me know incase you need any more details from me.
Nina: Hi Amar. Let me read through everything you wrote first.
You: ok
Nina: Okay, Amar. What is your target score?
You: i want to get 700+
Nina: Okay. What was your score breakdown in terms of quant and verbal?
You: do u want for the highest score or recent score?
Nina: both.
You: latest : Q-4X,V-2X
You: highest: Q-4X,V-3X
Nina: I see.
Nina: Have you taken any previous prep classes before?
You: i have taken some classes in india..but they r local institutes
Nina: I see, okay.
Nina: You sound like a great candidate for the Knewton course.
Nina: We can definitely help you boost your score.
Nina: When do you plan on taking the next GMAT?
You: i want to be confident before i plan my next test..
Nina: I completely understand.
You: also i have a full time hectic job
Nina: I see. Well, Knewton offers a lot of course schedules to fit your life.
You: ok
Nina: And if you happen to miss classes, you can always sit in on another class or watch on demand videos.
You: see i am located in india..
You: at present
Nina: I see.
You: what r my options?
You: r u there?
Nina: Hi, I am here.
Nina: If you are in India, it's still fine since all of our classes are online.
You: ok
You: do u feel i can target 700+ and what will the plan for it
Nina: Yes, I feel like you can get a 700+ with the right type of training.
You: how much time do i need to spend..because job + gmat is very exhaustive
Nina: I understand.
Nina: Well, how much time do you think you can put into studying each week?
You: 20-30 hours realisticly
Nina: Okay.
Nina: When do you want to apply to business school?
You: i want to target R2 for all major B schools
Nina: Okay.
Nina: You can be ready by then.
Nina: I definitely would recommend signing up for the course soon, then, so you can take advantage of this time that you have to prepare for it.
Nina: Since you have access to the course for a year, you can take the live classes as many times as you'd like.
You: how do i know i am ready to take the test....getting low score put a psychological barrier
Nina: I see.
Nina: You'll know when you're ready. But our course will give you the time to figure that out as well.
You: can u please elaborate a bit
Nina: Have you signed up for the free trial yet? It shows you how the Knewton classroom works.
You: i did take a free knewton test before
Nina: Okay.
You: scored a pathetic 6XX+ score
Nina: So, the course lasts about 5-8 weeks, but you will still have access to everything for one year.
Nina: So you can take the class again if you want more preparation.
You: ok
Nina: I definitely think this program is a good fit for you because of your busy schedule.
You: can u tell me how are the classes scheduled?
You: like what time
You: s
You: are they daily
Nina: No, they are usually once or twice a week.
You: is it in the weekend? how much hours?
Nina: Each class is 3 hours long.
You: are the classes scheduled during weekdays or weekends?
Nina: There are schedules for both. Some people prefer weekdays, others prefer weekends, so you have your options.
You: ok
You: can the recorded classes be downloaded?
Nina: The classes are recorded for you, so you can watch it any time you'd like.
Nina: They cannot be downloaded, though.
You: mmmm...so i need a good net speed then
Nina: good net speed?
You: i mean i have a 256kbps connection..
You: not sure if it is enough to watch the class online?
Nina: Hmm, let me check.
Nina: Amar? Can you open this link in another window? You'll be able to check to see if your Internet connection is fast enough.
Nina: 2sc.usc.edu
You: let me try
You: shd i login? the webpage has opened
Nina: You do not need to log in.
Nina: Do you see the Adobe Acrobat connect pro section?
Nina: It should be in the middle of the page.
Nina: do you see that area?
You: nopes
You: this is a USC page?
Nina: Yes. Nothing shows up for you?
You: it shows a login page
Nina: it does?
You: s..i see the school building...at the bottom there is a link which asks to check for system comaptibility
Nina: Yes, check for system compatibility. click there.
You: i got the msg "All settings are compatible with 2SC"
Nina: Then you should be okay.
You: is it possible that u tell me wht shd be the realistic score i shd expect
Nina: It's hard for me to say since I won't know your preparation.
Nina: But you sound like you have a really hard work ethic and are motivated to succeed, so I believe in you.
You: thanks for those encouraging words
You: but 6XX-6XX-7XX is wht i am worried abt
Nina: I feel like there's no point in worrying when the most important part is what you'll be DOING to get to that score.
Nina: Does that make sense?
You: yeah
You: what are the packages u have and the cost?
Nina: The GMAT course is $690.
You: what is this money back guarantee that is display in knewton website?
Nina: If you do not score 50 points better than your previous highest GMAT score, you can get your money back.
You: any term and conditions
Nina: Yes, the terms and conditions are listed here.
You: ok
Nina: Here's a summary of our money-back guarantee. For the full terms, view our terms here: knewt.ly
You: any discounts going on now?
Nina: No, not currently.
Nina: Is pricing a concern for you?
You: i want to get the best deal..
Nina: I see.
Nina: You can talk to one of our GMAT specialists about that.
Nina: Would you like to speak with one of them?
You: i can do that..can i chat with them?
Nina: We can call you.
Nina: Would that be okay?
You: s
You: when ?
You: today?
Nina: When you are free.
Nina: When are you free?
You: i am free now
Nina: Is there a time frame when we can reach you? Will you be available within the next hour?
You: yes
You: i will
Nina: Okay, at what number can we reach you?
You: 9XXXXXX
You: isd code is 91 for india
Nina: So 91 before 9XXXXXX, correct?
Nina: Amar?
You: s
Nina: We will be in touch shortly.
Nina: Is there anything you'd like to ask me in the mean time?
You: what percent of ur students score 700?
Nina: We don't have an exact figure since students are not obligated to tell us their final scores, but many of our students score more than the 50 points guaranteed and over 700.
You: would be more interested how do the the international students who take ur courses online perform?
You: indians students
Nina: They do extremely well.
Nina: We have many Indian students who are happy with the course and very grateful for their experiences with us.
You: great
You: may i know who will be calling me?
Nina: Hey, we can call you soon.
Nina: Ira will call you.
You: ok
You: i am waiting :)
Nina: is this your email address?
Nina: XXX@gmail.com
You: s
Nina: Okay.
Nina: We'll be calling shortly.
Nina: Anything I can help you with now?
You: i will have talk to ira...thanks for ur help
Nina: No problem!
Nina: Good luck with everything!
You: thank u..
Nina: Take care. Ira should get in touch with you soon


Dreaming is not bad sometimes :)
Lets see what Ira has to say

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Great Lakes Gets AICTE approval for 1-year MBA

Source:http://www.pagalguy.com/2010/08/great-lakes-becomes-first-b-school-to-get-aicte-approval-for-1-year-mba/

After years of being meted out step-fatherly treatment by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), b-schools that offer one-year MBA courses now have reason to cheer. The AICTE has just about approved the one-year Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM) conducted by Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai.

This move is expected to ease the granting of approvals to similar programmes in other management institutes too. The approval to Great Lakes has however been issued under the ‘certificate program’ category and not the full-fledged diploma category which is usually awarded to two-year management programs. Under AICTE guidelines, programmes which are of less than two years duration are considered ‘certificate programmes’. For a ‘diploma programme’, the duration of the course has to be two years or 15 months, with a stress on the applicant’s prior work experience. Apparently, the approval came about after stringent norms laid out by the AICTE concerning issues like infrastructure, faculty and student strength were met with by Great Lakes.

According to Prof R Sriram, Executive Director at Great Lakes, the college had earlier applied for approval for its 12-month course in 2006. But nothing came by then, since AICTE as a practice did not approve of one-year courses in management. The institute applied once again in 2009 when it learnt that the AICTE had relaxed its stand on the issue. The second application was followed by a number of visits by the AICTE officials to the Great Lakes campus, interactions at different level with faculty and a thorough check on the different facilities and services on the complex. The approvals also had to go through a string of nods from the regional AICTE office, apart from its headquarters in Delhi.

When asked whether the approval was just a fancy seal or would it have a bearing on the quality of education imparted, or the reputation of the college, Prof Sriram said it would not impact either. “Students have been opting for these courses anyway, even when the AICTE had not approved it.” However, Prof Sriram was certain that the approval would help students to get jobs in the government or in public sector companies, where the AICTE stamp is a necessary requirement. Prof Sriram also states that the approval will help Indians who worked for Indian companies abroad and want to switch companies within that location. “In such cases too, clearance from immigration offices and other local offices become easier when there is a government stamp on your degree.”

However, Great Lakes has encountered very few students who have had dismal job prospects for not having studied in a government-approved programme, he claimed. “But this number can go up in the future. Presently, few people must be switching jobs because of this issue. They can now,” added Prof Sriram. Thirdly, the approval will also help remove the ‘unnecessary nuisance value’ associated with not having an AICTE approval for a course. “It’s just a nagging issue, nothing else. If something is written in the media about non-approved courses and your school’s name figures there, it is just irritating.” AICTE approvals do help in the branding and marketing of an institute

ISB Profile evaluation by thinkISB

Got the feedback from thinkisb for my profile. The person who reviewed my profile was an IT engineer with 5+ year of ex and passed out of ISB.
The major problem she noted is that engineering is a very competitive pool and a 640 score is a major bottleneck. Below are the Key highlights

1) You should write GMAT again and aim for a 700+ score
2) Try and publicize your blog to sell your writing interest
3) Take up more opportunities of pre-sales activities to show focus towards post MBA goal

thinkisb has sent out a detailed response, which can act as a benchmark for me. Anxiously waiting to get the other profile evaluation done by other consultants.

i do not have much hopes but lets see

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

INSEAD Response

Thank you for your interest in INSEAD.



For starters, I should remind you that GMAT is one variable within the category of “academic achievement,” which itself is just one of four key admissions criteria. That is to say, a high score does not guarantee admission and a below average score does not eliminate candidates. Just so you know, there have been unsuccessful applicants with the full 800 score.
Thus, retaking the test or not is optional in your case seeing that 640 is not screamingly far below from our recommended range of 650 to 750. Fundamentally, it also depends on the overall strength of your profile and to some extent, the chances you are willing to take factoring in competition. I have to say this is really your decision to make.

Chicago Booth Response

Thank you for your interest in Chicago Booth. The GPA is one piece of a large picture that the admissions committee considers when evaluating your background- all components are equally important. While we don’t have a cut-off requirement for consideration, we encourage our applicants to make all areas of their application as strong as possible. I can tell you that our current students typically range between 3.0 and 3.8, with an average of 3.5. Though the stats in a class profile(http://www.chicagobooth.edu/fulltime/community/stats.aspx) don't represent minimum requirements, they can tell you a lot about the competition and give you an idea about where you might fall. If your GPA is significantly lower, you can't change that of course, but you can find other ways to demonstrate your academic ability and intellectual curiosity; for example, taking graduate level summer courses or bringing professional certifications to light. We also have an optional essay within the application that applicants may use to address any perceived anomalies.



The admissions committee takes a holistic approach to reviewing individual applicants. There is no one path or profile that guarantees admission. As such, we cannot advise you on the what specific strategies you should employ – this is something that only an individual can determine for themselves. If you feel that taking additional coursework will make you a stronger candidate, you are welcome to do so, and the admissions committee will certainly take that into consideration. However, since we do not base the admissions decision solely on one component, we cannot speculate as to how this will impact your overall candidacy. We consider the entire application when making admission decisions. We also then consider your application and its components in relation to the other applications we have received in that round and for that admission year as our goal is to admit the best class overall.

The Admissions Committee does not have a minimum requirement in terms of work experience. We invite both early career candidates, as well as candidates with several years of work experience, to apply to Chicago Booth. Most of our students have approximately 3-5 years of work experience.



Above all, we seek candidates who can demonstrate a strong record of success and possess a clear vision for the future. When referencing work experience, applicants should highlight skills developed, contributions they have made to organizations, and leadership roles. For more information, please view our class profile(http://www.chicagobooth.edu/fulltime/community/stats.aspx) and/or our early career candidates page(http://www.chicagobooth.edu/fulltime/admissions/early-enrollment/).



The Full-Time MBA Program does not have a minimum GMAT score for consideration, although we recommend that you make all aspects of your application as strong as possible. The mid-80th percentile range of GMAT scores for our incoming class is between 660-760, with an average of 714

Monday, August 9, 2010

Profile evaluation Response from www.accepted.com

How come top B school which claims on their website that they accept B school with less score?
Did i ask a wrong Question? I know success is difficult but the reality is below..

Question
---------
I wanted your help to see if i can target any top 10 US B-school. I have a best gmat score of 640. I tried to improve it, but could not do it.
My goals after mba is to join a consulting firm.I have got 7 years of work experience. I have been working as a project manager for last 3 years.
I am not able to decide on which school to apply because of my low GMAT score
------------


Response
---------
Dear Amar,

Thank you for your inquiry.

I hate to be discouraging, but if you cannot raise your GMAT score, you need to adjust your target schools. It is extremely unlikely that a top-10 US MBA program will admit you with a 640 GMAT. If you would like us to guide you in choosing alternative MBA programs, we would be happy to help you. You can learn more about our MBA admissions consulting services in our catalog. If you would like me to put you in touch with an experienced consultant, please let me know.
----

School Choice, Quick-Start Essays, and Killer Recommendations

Applying to business school does not have to be a huge, expensive headache.

But you wouldn’t know that by googling “how to apply to business school” (Just so you know, 70 million hits come up). Applying to business school involves juggling a lot of moving parts, and it can be extremely time-consuming trying to keep everything straight.

So it’s a great thing that there are plenty of websites, forums, companies, and consultants that are eager to help? Right? Not quite. The process of choosing who to work with, for what, and whether you’re paying too much is also pretty stressful.

It’s enough to make you want to throw your hands in the air and forget about it.

But it really doesn’t have to be that hard. It’s amazing how when you have limited time and resources, you buckle down and just get it done. That’s what I did anyway.

And this (very long) letter is where I hope to convince you that we can work together and get your B-school apps done in a jiffy.

In just 8 months, I went from not knowing a thing about business school to being admitted to Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School.

A few years later, I worked with an equally clueless-but-hopeful client to get him admitted to his dream business school–Kellogg Graduate School of Management (the super-cool top-ranked b-school at Northwestern University).

After the sweet taste of victory, I knew I wanted to do it all over again. And again. But a girl’s only got so much time–and you’ve only got so much money.

So here I am with this brand spankin’ new coaching program, B-School Despite the Odds. It can fit into your already busy and full life, and it won’t decimate your wallet.
B-School Despite the Odds is a one-stop-shop for non-traditional applicants who want straightforward guidance on how to apply to and get admitted to a top MBA program.

And what do I mean when I say “non-traditional applicants”? I mean folks whose applicant profiles don’t necessarily fit into the mold that most business schools usually admit. I’m talking about people who did whatever internships they wanted to do in college (not necessarily what they were “supposed” to do), have a job that they love (or used to at least), and are probably getting underpaid and overworked.

If you’re still wondering what I mean by “non-traditional applicants,” I’m referring to people with some of the following qualities:

* are “too young” or “too old” to be applying
* work in the non-profit sector
* consider themselves to be educators, artists, social activists, or entrepreneurs
* avoided Math classes in college
* have GMAT scores below 680
* didn’t know what “management consulting” or “equity research” was in college (and still may not know)

(Psst . . . all of these things apply to me, so if I could get into a top business school, you can too!)

B-School Despite the Odds is an online resource of the most essential, helpful, and practical strategies for applying to business school within a limited time frame with a limited budget.

I make the process of applying to business school clear, easy to understand, and as stress-free as possible, so you can get your applications done and move on with living fabulously.

Every month, I will conduct a 1.5-hour live web-based seminar, covering what you need to do to be on-track with your MBA applications. Each seminar will end with a Q & A session where you can ask any question no matter how specific it is.
Is B-School Despite the Odds for me?

You can get more information and register at the below link
http://theartofapplying.com/bdo/join/

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Wharton admissions 2010-11: admission essays analysis(Source PG)

Source : http://www.pagalguy.com/2010/08/wharton-admissions-2010-11-admission-essays-analysis/

Wharton’s Admissions Director JJ Cutler has been at the helm for a year-and-a-half and has thus completed a full admissions cycle. So, we are surmising that he knows what he likes or does not like and has therefore changed his essay questions to reflect his preferences. Gone is Wharton’s longer goal statement or the ‘why Wharton’ question, replaced with a mere 300-words on broader ‘professional objectives’. Still, Wharton aspirants have the opportunity to reveal their knowledge of Wharton in a new essay about the type of class that one would design for their fellow classmates. Thereafter, in unique 600-word essays, Wharton asks you to discuss thought processes and reveal how you make decisions.

As a group, Wharton’s essay questions are distinct and creative, giving the applicant a challenge, but also allowing for the dedicated and thoughtful individual to standout – likely what the AdCom intended.

The Adcom begins by announcing, “The Admissions Committee is interested in getting to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid, and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself.”

Essay 1
Required Question:

What are your professional objectives? (300 words)

Three-hundred words? Yes, three hundred words. Well, once you get over the unusual structure of this essay, a fairly straightforward assignment exists: you need to state your goals. However, your goals do not need to be stated in the traditional short and long term sequence. Wharton gives you the opportunity (likely a nod to the fact that few people actually pursue the narrow goals that they describe in these statements) to discuss the bigger picture – your professional objective may not simply be defined by an industry and a title, but you may discuss the type of organization you want to be a part of (a series of start-ups for example) and also explain why.

Remember, as you start to write, you need not offer a lengthy work history, because the question does not ask for it and the word count does not allow it. Still, you may want to give fifty to seventy-five words of context before stating your professional objectives, especially if you are a career-changer or plan to pursue a highly atypical, particular and competitive career path (manage a sports franchise, for example). Some basic context will lend credibility to your ambitions by establishing purpose behind your goals.

Read a detailed guide to writing Personal statements.

Essay 2
Respond to 3 of the following 4 questions:

1. Student and alumni engagement has at times led to the creation of innovative classes. For example, through extraordinary efforts, a small group of current students partnered with faculty to create a timely course entitled, “Disaster Response: Haiti and Beyond,” empowering students to leverage the talented Wharton community to improve the lives of the Haiti earthquake victims. Similarly, Wharton students and alumni helped to create the “Innovation and the Indian Healthcare Industry” which took students to India where they studied the full range of healthcare issues in India. If you were able to create a Wharton course on any topic, what would it be? (700 words)

Due to the long lead-in for this question, some may be confused or even daunted by it. “How do I even start to conceive my response.” However, you need not be concerned and should simply focus your attention on the final sentence: “If you were able to create a Wharton course on any topic, what would it be?” This question is actually far more open ended than you might realize. You might discuss an existing area of expertise and then try to bring some additional focus to what you would hope to learn and what others might gain from your interest. Or, you might consider an area where you have an intellectual interest, but no expertise, but obviously still think that it can add to others experience. It is important to note and thus we are underlining this for emphasis, you do not need to conceive of a course in corporate social responsibility.

As you explain what your course will be about, you can certainly take some time to explain where your interest comes from, why you think the course will be important and what the course might be like, functionally – suggested guests speakers or field trips, for example. You should not delve into the world of fantasy (Bill Gates on Monday, Warren Buffet on Tuesday) and you should not pander to the AdCom, but you can use your proposed course to reveal knowledge of the Wharton experience, by incorporating the school’s resources.

2. Reflect on a time when you turned down an opportunity. What was the thought process behind your decision? Would you make the same decision today? (600 words)

Many schools try to learn about you through your mistakes. Missed opportunities – errors of omission instead of commission – provide significant opportunities for the AdCom to learn about you and your thought process as well. Whether you declined to start a business, take on a project (big or small), take time off to travel or (truly) any other missed opportunity, the admissions committee will need to understand the manner in which you weighed your options and your perception of the risks of either decision.

Of course, you may have made the right choice in turning down an opportunity – you may have made no error of omission at all. In such a case – maybe you made a bold move and eschewed an i-banking offer for a less lucrative path or chose to gain external experience instead of joining a family business — you will still need to show that you went through a thorough process of consideration and that show that your decision making was difficult, but ultimately correct.

3. Describe a failure that you have experienced. What role did you play, and what did you learn about yourself? How did this experience help to create your definition of failure? (600 words)

When a school asks about a failure, they want honesty and expect you to take responsibility. You will certainly not impress the AdCom, if you elect to answer this question and then choose not to own up to your contribution to whatever problems existed. Let us be unequivocal: your worst possible response will occur if you try to lay the blame off on others.

As you construct this essay, you should start by showing positive momentum toward your goal – even if you only had an idea that was promising and the process was a disaster from the start – and then reveal how the experience turned. The sharper the relief between expectations and reality, the more compelling the essay should be. After all, if there was nothing to lose, what kind of impact will you have on the reader?

A curious aspect of this question is the request for a ‘definition of failure’. Many will start their essays with, “My definition of failure is X, but through this experience, it became Y”. You should be cautious about such a start, as it will likely throw you into a pool of ‘typical’ essay writers. Instead, you might choose to reflect on your experience and offer your definition implicitly via your conclusion. You may never need to write, “My definition is…” and this will be refreshing for the reader.

4. Discuss a time when you navigated a challenging experience in either a personal or professional relationship. (600 words)

Clearly, the admissions committee wants to understand how you manage yourself vis-à-vis others – they want more knowledge of your emotional intelligence. As you discuss a challenging experience, you need not think exclusively of loud and public conflicts, but can simply consider instances in which you experienced clashing styles or values. Maybe you struggled to motivate someone or had a different understanding of an ethical issue. The emphasis here is not on the problem itself – though it would help if the problem itself were quite challenging – but is on your navigation of that problem. You will need to show your emotional intelligence in attempting to resolve the issue, regardless of whether you were successful or not. Your thought process and actions, as they affect the desired and actual outcome, are crucial.

Progress update to B school

Frankly i am not sure which B schools i can target. Indian B schools are ruled out because of the high GMAT score that they require.
Still i want to give a second shot at ISB. Hence i will get a profile evaluation done through http://www.thinkisb.com. Need to spent Rs 3300 for it.lets see what they say

Also i am getting free profile evaluation done through
1.stacy blackman consulting
http://www.facebook.com/StacyBlackmanConsulting?v=app_11007063052

2.http://www.mbamission.com/

3. http://theartofapplying.com/

4. http://www.clearadmit.com/

5. http://www.accepted.com/

I also registered for the MBA tour which is going to happen in bangalore,india on 19 sep 2010. will try to meet some adcom people

*i do not think i can improve my gmat. tired of preparing for it.Just hope the schools can find something different in me

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Getting into a top 5 MBA program

A very nice article is located in the below path.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/22644293/gmat-scores-for-top-business-schools

Friday, August 6, 2010

BTG - Won a Grockit Std Membership

thank you BTG. Because of you i won the Grockit Standard Membership.
It is good to get something when ur spirits are damn low

http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/05/parallelism-challenge-part-ii

Journey of Low GMATer

Fellow aspirants
i have renamed my blog to 'Journey of Low GMATer'. Initial name of my blog was 'Airforce MBA'. This name was inspired by the 'Airforce One' flight of US president.

My aspirations are high, but my GMAT score is low. Hence i felt the blog name does not justify the scores.


My well wishers and B-school's say that GMAT is only one of the criteria. But people who have got low score and applied to B schools realize the importance G score.

Whoever refers to my blog should know the story of a low gmater with a high aspiration. All the best to fellow aspirants

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Is GMAT worth my tears?





The Critical Reasoning Question " Philosopher: The rational pursuit of happiness is quite different from always doing what one most strongly desires to do. This is because the rational pursuit of happiness must include consideration of long-term consequences, whereas our desires are usually focused on the short term. Moreover, desires are sometimes compulsions, and while ordinary desires result in at least momentary happiness when their goals are attained, compulsions strongly drive a person to pursue goals that offer no happiness even when reached” in BTG website inspired my today's thought process. I was stuck between 2 answers for this Question, but life is about making one path and not sticking in the middle.

Two day back I had palpitation while sleeping. Went to a doctor immediately and I realized that my pressure is high. Doctor screamed that @28 I do not deserve this. This 70+ guy heard my daily routine and said you seem to be nervous because of GMAT. I have done my engineering in the college which is about 20 mile from my town and college is 50+ years old. My doc was like an engico (term used for student from my college) should take things lightly.

Sitting on a bench I was frustrated and analyzing why I am not going above 640 in my prep test. A sudden drop from my eye just flashed my memories.

What is it all about GMAT? A flashback
In 2007 I was inspired to write GMAT by one of gym buddies. I took it up seriously and faltered to get a 640 only. I had strict list of schools into which I would apply and faulted in interviews. The most memorable interview for me will be the IIM-Indore I/v in IIM-Bangalore campus. In the morning before boarding the train I had an accident. The train conductor of shatabdhi delayed the start of train by 2 minutes to give me the first aid. I got 2 stitches in my hand and attended the interview. I did not make it to the college. I can keep cribbing. Lets come Back to reality now

I cursed myself that I should have expanded my list of schools outside India rather than being adamant about my choice. Today I am at the cross-roads where I am again struggling and preparing for the exam. People say u have already answered u must get it this time. Other says so what if u do not get it "U have a good job". But how do I tell people the stigma of not getting what u want...Well tired, s, tired I slept of in front of my laptop...


Tring...Tring... (My mobile alarm)...Get up (my mom said with a cup of tea in hand)...last night is gone and a fresh day starts...
I have made lot of new friends due to my gmat preps, learnt new things, learnt new concepts and most importantly my determination is still intact and I am still in hunt for what I want. So why to worry...I remember my teacher in gmat class telling me that 'GMAT does not decide that your knowledge is poor/good. It is just an exam'...
Hats off to people who have scored good GMAT scores. for others in the same boat as me, i can only say 'u know what is best for u and people around u. The importance of bolded sentence i realize when i talk to my dear ones. Irrespective of this, I feel a tear sometimes relieves a pressure a lot

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

HEC -- Candidate Profile Response

below is the response from HEC for my profile. GMAT score is haunting :(:(

Thank you for the interest you have expressed in the HEC MBA Program and for having taken the time to submit your Candidate Profile. We have carefully examined the form you provided and would like to provide you a preliminary evaluation of your profile.

Like all leading MBA programs, HEC requires candidates to submit official GMAT scores. Our participants currently have an average score of around 680. Although the GMAT score is only one of the criteria taken into consideration when an application is evaluated, we feel that it could be in your interest to submit a higher GMAT score.

The HEC MBA Program is taught in English, with the option to do coursework in French. In order to succeed in this environment, candidates whose mother tongue is not English or those who do not hold a university degree from an English-speaking institution must show a minimum TOEFL score of 100 (ibt), a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or a minimum TOIEC score of 850. In your case, it seems that the English language proficiency requirement may be waived; however, we cannot grant final confirmation of a waiver until we have received your completed application.

HEC MBA participants learn as much from each other as from our excellent faculty and high-profile guest speakers. Our class size of just 200 and our ideal program length allow our participants to benefit from the experience of their classmates, who represent over 50 different nationalities and have on average 6 years of professional experience. We believe that the professional experience outlined in your Candidate Profile would equip you to make a positive contribution to the HEC MBA learning experience.

Overall, we feel that you have potential to succeed in the HEC MBA Program. Hence, we encourage you to submit a stronger GMAT score and fill out our online application form http://www.etheryl.net/HEC/application/, so that we may more fully evaluate your application.

Once again, please understand that this evaluation is a recommendation and in no way represents a final decision concerning your application. Our selection process is a rigorous one, with the final decision taking all elements into consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns.

Although a 640 GMAT score is not automatically disqualifying, it's obviously quite below our participants average, which means that the rest of your file will have to show 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.
If you feel your profile to be weak in some of these areas, I would encourage you to retake your GMAT

Monday, August 2, 2010

USA Schools- MBA Admissions ranked only by GMAT/GPA

This is 2009 data but i thought much changes would not have happen

School GMAT GPA- ranked here by GMAT score
1 Stanford 721 3.61
2 Harvard 713 3.63
3 Dartmouth 713 3.46
4 (Wharton) 712 3.53
5 Berkeley (Haas) 710 3.57
6 Chicago 709 3.5
7 Columbia 707 3.4
8 MIT (Sloan) 705 3.5
9 Northwestern 704 3.5
10 UCLA 704 3.6
11 NYU (Stern) 700 3.4
12 Yale 700 3.47
13 Michigan (Ross) 700 3.3
14 Carnegie Mellon 696 3.32
15 Duke 690 3.38
16 USC (Marshall) 689 3.3
17 Virginia 688 3.33
18 Emory 685 3.3
19 Cornell 682 3.31
20 UNC 681 3.27
21 ******************Univ. of Florida 680 3.4**********************
22 Univ. of Washington 679 3.38
23 Georgetown 677 3.26
24 Arizona State 675 3.44
25 Washington Univ 674 3.38
26 UC–Davis 674 3.37
27 Texas–Austin 673 3.38
28 Rochester 673 3.52
29 Notre Dame 673 3.2
30 Boston University 668 3.38
31 UC–Irvine 667 3.34
32 Texas A&M 665 3.4
33 Georgia Tech 665 3.4
34 Purdue 662 3.32
35 Minnesota 661 3.37
36 Ohio State 661 3.41
37 Brigham Young (Marriott) 661 3.53
38 Indiana–Bloomington 656 3.37
39 Wisconsin 656 3.37
40 Univ. of Georgia 653 3.4
41 Univ. of Iowa 652 3.34
42 Boston College 651 3.35
43 Maryland–College Park 650 3.34
44 Penn. State 650 3.3
45 Vanderbilt 644 3.27
46 Rice 642 3.25
47 Southern Methodist 640 3.3
48 Michigan State 633 3.22
49 Babson College 631 3.21
50 Illinois–Urbana-Champaign 627 3.4
8 MIT 705 3.5
9 Northwestern (Kellogg) 704 3.5
10 UCLA (Anderson) 704 3.6
11 NYU (Stern) 700 3.4
12 Yale 700 3.47
13 Michigan–Ann Arbor (Ross) 700 3.3
14 Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) 696 3.32
15 Duke (Fuqua) 690 3.38
16 Univ. of Southern Cal. (Marshall) 689 3.3
17 University of Virginia (Darden) 688 3.33
18 Emory (Goizueta) 685 3.3
19 Cornell (Johnson) 682 3.31
20 UNC–Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler) 681 3.27
21 Univ. of Florida (Hough) 680 3.4
22 Univ. of Washington (Foster) 679 3.38
23 Georgetown 677 3.26
24 Arizona State 675 3.44
25 Washington Univ, St. Louis (Olin) 674 3.38
26 Univ. of California–Davis 674 3.37
27 Texas–Austin (McCombs) 673 3.38
28 Rochester (Simon) 673 3.52
29 Notre Dame (Mendoza) 673 3.2
30 Boston University 668 3.38
31 U. California–Irvine (Merage) 667 3.34
32 Texas A&M (Mays) 665 3.4
33 Georgia Institute of Technology 665 3.4
34 Purdue (Krannert) 662 3.32
35 Minnesota–Twin Cities (Carlson) 661 3.37
36 Ohio State (Fisher) 661 3.41
37 Brigham Young (Marriott) 661 3.53
38 Indiana–Bloomington (Kelley) 656 3.37
39 Wisconsin–Madison 656 3.37
40 Univ. of Georgia (Terry) 653 3.4
41 Univ. of Iowa (Tippie) 652 3.34
42 Boston College (Carroll) 651 3.35
43 Maryland–College Park (Smith) 650 3.34
44 Penn. State (Smeal) 650 3.3
45 Vanderbilt (Owen) 644 3.27
46 Rice (Jones) 642 3.25
47 Southern Methodist (Cox) 640 3.3
48 Michigan State (Broad) 633 3.22
49 Babson College (Olin) 631 3.21
50 Illinois–Urbana-Champaign 627 3.4


Source: http://www.urch.com/forums/mba-admissions/107591-usa-schools-mba-admissions-ranked-only-gmat-gpa.html