‘Ask’ HKUST B-school, Hong Kong: Admissions-related thread hosted by current students

[700willdo]

Originally Posted by tushar1983

Hi

Is there anybody out here who has not heard anything from HKUST/got a reject from them? I had applied in the 2nd week of March and havent heard from them since then. I called them up a few times but everytime I get the same reply - "under review". I dont understand why do they make people wait so long...if they dont want to take (likely the case) a candidate they should atleast inform him/her about it.

Tushar

I had applied on the 15th of March and havent heard ever since. I am sure it is a ding. Anyway, I guess the waiting has not been that painful for me because I already got into NUS with a scholarship. Just goes to show that different schools have different ways of evaluating candidates!!! All the best to you.

[hkust2007]

Originally Posted by tushar1983

Hi

Is there anybody out here who has not heard anything from HKUST/got a reject from them? I had applied in the 2nd week of March and havent heard from them since then. I called them up a few times but everytime I get the same reply - "under review". I dont understand why do they make people wait so long...if they dont want to take (likely the case) a candidate they should atleast inform him/her about it.

Tushar

I know one person (Indian) who got interviewed last week. The reason the school has not sent out dings is probably that they are reviewing your case still. But like I've mentioned before in the thread, dings are normally sent out by snail mail whereas admits are sent out by e-mail and snail-mail.

I think this is a trade-off between rejecting people without looking at more people / interviewing them and actually interviewing a lot more people and delaying final announcements slightly. I as a candidate would have preferred the latter unless I had other options in hand and had to make an option. But then, that's just me.

On a side-note, I think I got my admit in the last week of May last year. So it's really not that bad. All the best to those still waiting for the results.

[tushar1983]

Originally Posted by hkust2007

I know one person (Indian) who got interviewed last week. The reason the school has not sent out dings is probably that they are reviewing your case still. But like I've mentioned before in the thread, dings are normally sent out by snail mail whereas admits are sent out by e-mail and snail-mail.

I think this is a trade-off between rejecting people without looking at more people / interviewing them and actually interviewing a lot more people and delaying final announcements slightly. I as a candidate would have preferred the latter unless I had other options in hand and had to make an option. But then, that's just me.

On a side-note, I think I got my admit in the last week of May last year. So it's really not that bad. All the best to those still waiting for the results.

Thanks Randhir for your views. Its been really a waiting game for me...not only with hk but also with nus..they have put me in the waitlisted category..hopin for the best

[hkust2007]

Originally Posted by 700willdo

I had applied on the 15th of March and havent heard ever since. I am sure it is a ding. Anyway, I guess the waiting has not been that painful for me because I already got into NUS with a scholarship. Just goes to show that different schools have different ways of evaluating candidates!!! All the best to you.

Sorry, I couldn't resist the temptation of replying to this astounding statement of yours.

Of course, different schools have different criteria. NUS and HKUST are as different from each other as DAY from NIGHT. Just because they are close to each other geographically does not mean you can expect them to be carbon copies of each other.

[josevin2000]

Pratap and Randhir, thanks a ton for this wonderful thread. You have certainly made HKUST look much more appealing to us Indians seeking a foreign MBA.

I began my quest for a foreign MBA last November. GAve my GMAT and scored 750. My Profile

Edu : Bachelors in Commerce 76 %
HSC 76%

Workex :
1 year as an associate in a bpo

15 months into teaching ( audio tech and music production )

17 months into sound engineering and music production

Past 4 months into investment servicing

****Extra currics into sports and music

I made the mistake of putting all my eggs in one basket. I never considered hongkong as a viable destination and was going all guns at singapore. Applied only to NUS and Nanyang and was extremely confident of converting both, based on the initial feedback from them.

However I got a ding from Nanyang. And I've been on the NUS waitlist since Feb 8th. Its almost four months now and they still would'nt tell me for sure if I'm in or out. Anyways I think its a ding, but I'm sure will prove to be a blessing in disguise.

I have now decided not to waste time but to start preparations for Fall 2009. since I am very familiar with the application procedure I will make sure I apply well within the first deadlines for every college.

These are the colleges I will be targeting this time around :

1st Choice : ISB, HKUST, HKU, NUS, Nanyang

2nd choice : AIM, SPJain, City University of Hongkong

Hope to keep hearing from you guys about HKUST. All the best with your internships. do share your experiences.

The pics you posted on flickr were really nice. do send us a link as and when you upload more.

Cheers,

Jose.

[hkust2007]

Originally Posted by josevin2000

Pratap and Randhir, thanks a ton for this wonderful thread. You have certainly made HKUST look much more appealing to us Indians seeking a foreign MBA.

I began my quest for a foreign MBA last November. GAve my GMAT and scored 750. My Profile

Edu : Bachelors in Commerce 76 %
HSC 76%

Workex :
1 year as an associate in a bpo

15 months into teaching ( audio tech and music production )

17 months into sound engineering and music production

Past 4 months into investment servicing

****Extra currics into sports and music

I made the mistake of putting all my eggs in one basket. I never considered hongkong as a viable destination and was going all guns at singapore. Applied only to NUS and Nanyang and was extremely confident of converting both, based on the initial feedback from them.

However I got a ding from Nanyang. And I've been on the NUS waitlist since Feb 8th. Its almost four months now and they still would'nt tell me for sure if I'm in or out. Anyways I think its a ding, but I'm sure will prove to be a blessing in disguise.

I have now decided not to waste time but to start preparations for Fall 2009. since I am very familiar with the application procedure I will make sure I apply well within the first deadlines for every college.

These are the colleges I will be targeting this time around :

1st Choice : ISB, HKUST, HKU, NUS, Nanyang

2nd choice : AIM, SPJain, City University of Hongkong

Hope to keep hearing from you guys about HKUST. All the best with your internships. do share your experiences.

The pics you posted on flickr were really nice. do send us a link as and when you upload more.

Cheers,

Jose.

Jose,

It's messages like these that keep us going. Thanks a ton for your msg and all the best for your app next year.

It's been a wonderful experience for me and I'm sure it will be for anyone who joins HKUST. And the best I think is yet to come ... an exchange to LBS in October.

[BOSVIN]

Ranbir and Pratap,

A few questions

1. How many Indians do you have in your batch

2. Do you have guys ( non chinese ) with no experience in their chosen specialization?

3. Are banks in hong kong open to recruiting Indians with no major experience in finance, but armed with the hkUST MBA.

4. If yes, what are the typical roles and avg salaries offered to such guys

5. Can you provide a rough estimate of your total living exp throughout the 16 months of the MBA. And Please include everything that you pay for apart from the usd 41000 as fees, including the tips you give and candy bars you buy. I've heard hong kong is an exp place and am a bit worried about this.

6. Lastly, were any scholarships offered to the Indian students? If yes what was the max and min schol. Also was it need based or merit based.

I'm sorry guys if you've already answered any of these questions, please redirect me there. I read the entire 31 pages in one go and could be that i missed out some of the details.

thanks again for this wonderful thread.

Cheers,

Jose.

[hkust2007]

Originally Posted by BOSVIN

Ranbir and Pratap,

A few questions

1. How many Indians do you have in your batch

2. Do you have guys ( non chinese ) with no experience in their chosen specialization?

3. Are banks in hong kong open to recruiting Indians with no major experience in finance, but armed with the hkUST MBA.

4. If yes, what are the typical roles and avg salaries offered to such guys

5. Can you provide a rough estimate of your total living exp throughout the 16 months of the MBA. And Please include everything that you pay for apart from the usd 41000 as fees, including the tips you give and candy bars you buy. I've heard hong kong is an exp place and am a bit worried about this.

6. Lastly, were any scholarships offered to the Indian students? If yes what was the max and min schol. Also was it need based or merit based.

I'm sorry guys if you've already answered any of these questions, please redirect me there. I read the entire 31 pages in one go and could be that i missed out some of the details.

thanks again for this wonderful thread.

Cheers,

Jose.

1. 6 Indians in our batch
2. Quite a few Non-Chinese with no-experience in Finance looking to get into Finance. In the past, people have been succesful. But obviously this depends on your commitment, persistence, effort and a little bit of luck. Other examples exist as well.
3. Again, depends on commitment, persistence and effort. Top I-Banks - A little more difficult since they don't normally recruit from schools other than the Top 10 schools and HKUST has still not broken into those ranks yet despite breaking into Top20 in FT, etc. But smaller banks, definitely a possibility and happens all the time.
4. Roles and Salaries depend on experience and interest. I don't think I can classify anything as typical. Classes are really diverse here ... so finding 2-3 ppl with same role and salary in a batch will be difficult. Avg Sal last year overall was close to 600,000 HKD going by official figures.
5. I am not very good with estimating my expenses. I just don't keep count. Conservative estimates would say around 3-4K HKD per month here in HK would be additional expense other than Apt / Dorm Rent which is probably another 1.5-2.5K HKD.
6. Scholarship was offered last year. A few of us got the max 75K schol. I think it is a combination of Merit and Need-Based. You need to write an essay giving reasons for your need and they decide with your merit in mind. Min was prob around 30-40K HKD. A few did not get scholarship or did not apply.

Most of the questions were answered in the past I think. Will give you the benefit of doubt this time. But next time someone asks a question, feel free to answer it and reduce our load.

[BOSVIN]

Thanks Randhir. I appreciate your reply.

I enjoyed reading the blogs from pratap, curtis arthi and you. Nice to have a first hand account of your experiences. so you and pratap, both from tech field how are you guys coping with finance now.

I think one big plus for you is your tenure in the us which has probably exposed you to business in an international arena. How much do you think this is helping you.

And what do you think of Indians who have no international experience. It seems HKUST has given preference to students who have had international exposure. Why do you think they have done so.

[hkust2007]

Originally Posted by BOSVIN

Thanks Randhir. I appreciate your reply.
...

I think one big plus for you is your tenure in the us which has probably exposed you to business in an international arena. How much do you think this is helping you.

And what do you think of Indians who have no international experience. It seems HKUST has given preference to students who have had international exposure. Why do you think they have done so.

International exposure does help give you a diverse perspective on several things discussed in class and a good mix of diverse experiences adds to the quality of learning in class.

If you do not have international exposure, you start off with a negative point score .. so its up to you on how you want to make up this point difference.

You could look at stressing on your achievements, diverse experiences you have had in your career, unique experiences that make you an India expert.

In reality, what is essentially required from india candidates according to me is people with Rich knowledge of the Indian Economy and diverse Industries.

If you can show that you have that, I think you might be able to make up for your lack of international experience. But the truth is the school is still biased about people with international experience.