Columbia '10 admit taking questions

[skroy96]

Hi ,
Congratulations to you on your stupendous success. I want a bit of help from you as I am in the process of applying to accelerated MBA from CBS.

My profile is as follows:
BE(Mechanical Engineering) from a Govt. Engg. College, Academics: good, 39 years of age, 16 years of WE in nuclear power sector, now in middle management level.
GMAT: 750(Q49, V44), AWA4.5

I want to know the following:

(1) What should be the source of recommendation letters? Is it ok if they are written by middle level managers or it is better to get them
from senior managers?
(2) What is my probability of being successful, considering my age?
(3) I have not written my essays yet, but when I do, can you have a look at my essays and comment? Did you take any professional services for your resume and essay editing?
(4) Is the prospect of placement good enough without the internship (I want to go for consulting/industry job, post-MBA)?
(5) How did you fill up the transcript template? I am finding difficulty since my University do not issue any transcript and so it has only issued a final certificate and mark sheets for all 4 years of study.
(6) Did you ask for waiver of the application fees? If yes, how did you present your case in the optional essay?
Information from you will be of great help to me. Thanks for volunteering a helping hand in the forum of Pagalguy.

[columbia10admit]

Originally Posted by skroy96

My profile is as follows:
BE(Mechanical Engineering) from a Govt. Engg. College, Academics: good, 39 years of age, 16 years of WE in nuclear power sector, now in middle management level.
GMAT: 750(Q49, V44), AWA4.5

I want to know the following:

(1) What should be the source of recommendation letters? Is it ok if they are written by middle level managers or it is better to get them
from senior managers?
(2) What is my probability of being successful, considering my age?
(3) I have not written my essays yet, but when I do, can you have a look at my essays and comment? Did you take any professional services for your resume and essay editing?
(4) Is the prospect of placement good enough without the internship (I want to go for consulting/industry job, post-MBA)?
(5) How did you fill up the transcript template? I am finding difficulty since my University do not issue any transcript and so it has only issued a final certificate and mark sheets for all 4 years of study.
(6) Did you ask for waiver of the application fees? If yes, how did you present your case in the optional essay?
Information from you will be of great help to me. Thanks for volunteering a helping hand in the forum of Pagalguy.

(1) What should be the source of recommendation letters? Is it ok if they are written by middle level managers or it is better to get them
from senior managers?
- its best to get them from a senior who has worked with you and knows you well, someone you have a good rapport with.. someone who is in a position to comment on your abilities. the designation isnt so important but i'd suggest picking someone senior to you so that they do not think you got a peer to write it.. if you are in middle management someone in a senior management role may be better?
most schools ask for a recommendation from the person you report to. i did not do this (and had to explain why in the optional essay.) I had just shifted teams 2months prior to applying and wanted my ex-boss to write it cos he knew me better. you can look for someone senior who knows you well.


(2) What is my probability of being successful, considering my age?
- i wdnt like to comment on something i do not know! i applied for the fulltime mba starting in the fall.. did no research abt the Jterm. I would recommend that you contact on of the peer advisors or the Jterm members of the Hermes club.
Columbia Business School MBA Program : Contact a Student
contact a few people from this list, they will guide you better.

(3) I have not written my essays yet, but when I do, can you have a look at my essays and comment? Did you take any professional services for your resume and essay editing?
- i wouldnt mind, but i dont know if im competent enough to do this for you PM me, we can talk about this.
i did take professional services, in my opinion a waste of time and money. ive written abt my experiences on the Delhi essay consulting thread.

(4) Is the prospect of placement good enough without the internship (I want to go for consulting/industry job, post-MBA)?
- i think that would depend on your preMBA workexp. but again, please contact students who have applied for the Jterm MBA..


(5) How did you fill up the transcript template? I am finding difficulty since my University do not issue any transcript and so it has only issued a final certificate and mark sheets for all 4 years of study.
- columbia does not need an official transcript till you are admitted. there is an excel sheet which is part of your application; download it, fill it up with your marks.
- columbia requests that you give an official transcript along with a copy of your degree only once admitted. you will need to contact your college/university to do this for you. a transcript is simply a list of the sujects you took and the marks you got.. signatured by someone at college. every univ/college has a seperate system, you will need to check how it is done in yours.

(6) Did you ask for waiver of the application fees? If yes, how did you present your case in the optional essay?
- i did not ask for a waiver, but i know that you can. please write columbia an email for details, they're sure to respond.

[columbia10admit]

Someone sent me a PM asking for these:

Employment Reports (95 - 07):

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/business/...loymentreport/

Profile of Current Entering Class


Size: 711, divided into 11 clusters
Age range: 22–49
GMAT range (middle 80%): 660–760
Undergraduate GPA (middle 80%): 3.0–3.8
Women: 33%
Minority of U.S. origin: 26%
International citizens: 38%

[skroy96]

Hello Columbia'10 admit,
Thank you very much for such an elaborate and useful response. I'll post again in this forum when I need any further help from you.

[abhishek.205]

Please guide me upon that Acads ranging from:
Btech: in 5years..58% ...But i wasnot idle i worked for telecom firm..for 6months..
Class 12th: 52%.....
Class 10th: 64%.....

All becaz i was heavily into sports ..
But now m working good in IT firm..now i like to make it to 5-6 years to offset stupid marks i got..and with good GMAT score from 740+..with 5-6 years of exp in a good IT firm..
CAn i even think of taking EDUCATION in US schools..if i have good workex cant that offset to my low acads..

In between i also plan to do CFA L1,L2 before applying..
Please comment on as my target school is COlumbia and GSB Chicago..
I aslo want to ask somwhere i heard they require atleast first class in all the three classes..grad,10th,12th..IS it so..

and as u said 80% range for Columbia..can i pack my bags and say bye to my dream school,which i would hate to do..
One more thing,,some1 also said..if one have 5-6 years of exp..he may say bye bye to acads,,as ur workex would be given more weiatge and offcoure high GMAT..plz guide me on that..
Please guiode me upon before i take CAT this year....

Thanking you,
Abhishek

[Mcnabb_ISB]

Hi Columbia10admit,

I am currently residing in USA. Is it advisable to shift to India to say IBS or stay here and apply for good US universities?

Tks

[columbia10admit]

Originally Posted by Mcnabb_ISB

Hi Columbia10admit,

I am currently residing in USA. Is it advisable to shift to India to say IBS or stay here and apply for good US universities?

Tks

by IBS do you mean the Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad?

and relocating to India or staying there depends very much on your geographic preferences and career goals. If you would elaborate I would be in a better position to help you as I would be able to answer more in context.

[goel.akshat2]

Hi,

i am applying for mba for fall 09. i ll just give a brief background:

-topper at school
-ntse scholar
-03-07 btech mech engg iit madras ( CGPA: 7.83)
-secured admits to iim l,i for 07 session, but dint take any
-working at halliburton energy services since aug 07 in cairo and indonesia. ll train in the US from aug - oct and work in angola thereafter.
-GMAT score: 770

-extra curriculars:

1. college tt team captain, 2 golds n a silver over 3 years
2. did sponsorship and publicity work for college fests with teams of volunteers under me.
3. coordinated lan gaming event
4. at work, i lead a team of 3 ppl when we go out for work in the desert. communicate with the client directly.

some social service thru sociology course @iit

I have 11 months of work ex rite now but by the time i join i e fall 09, i ll have 2 yrs of work ex. I want to my mba in finance.


1. Which schools should i target, given my profile? also taking into consideration the fact that i am low on work ex.
2. Does columbia encourage ppl with low work ex?
3. Does applying in the early bird period give me a better chance to get accepted? does it also mean that if i get accepted i have to take it or leave it within 2 weeks, hence finishing off my chances at other schools?

Regards
akshat

[Mcnabb_ISB]

Originally Posted by columbia10admit

by IBS do you mean the Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad?

and relocating to India or staying there depends very much on your geographic preferences and career goals. If you would elaborate I would be in a better position to help you as I would be able to answer more in context.

Thanks for the reply. There was a typo in my post i actually meant ISB (Indian School of Business) not IBS not sure if they are different.

Yes, it would be my call defnitely relocating to india but my question is do people do that or i am just one of its kind?

I am planning to take my GMAT in coming 2-3 weeks and i did not start my prep as yet. I am an IT consultant at the moment (ERP to be precise) and i want to make a career change. I am planning to do MBA in Finance or Management Consulting. The two key things i am looking at an university to do an MBA is it shld be in top 15/20 bracket and very good campus recruitment. As is it the most confusing part i am getting paid on the high end and i am quite skeptical whether i would be paid the same once i finish (if at all i happen to be selected) my MBA..

Cheers!

[columbia10admit]

Originally Posted by Mcnabb_ISB

Thanks for the reply. There was a typo in my post i actually meant ISB (Indian School of Business) not IBS not sure if they are different.

Yes, it would be my call defnitely relocating to india but my question is do people do that or i am just one of its kind?

I am planning to take my GMAT in coming 2-3 weeks and i did not start my prep as yet. I am an IT consultant at the moment (ERP to be precise) and i want to make a career change. I am planning to do MBA in Finance or Management Consulting. The two key things i am looking at an university to do an MBA is it shld be in top 15/20 bracket and very good campus recruitment. As is it the most confusing part i am getting paid on the high end and i am quite skeptical whether i would be paid the same once i finish (if at all i happen to be selected) my MBA..

Cheers!

i'm not sure why you are worried about whether people relocate to india or not? my suggestion would be to concentrate on what your end goals lie, and to figure out which mba would suit those goals best. if you want to do an mba in finance, there are many good schools with great campus recruitment in india and the US that would satisfy you. i would think however that it is important to clarify the following points:
- where do you want to work? if you want to work in india, then perhaps looking for an indian school with an indian curriculum and an indian network will suit you better, you will come out with lesser financial issues as well.
if you want to work more globally, there is nothing like a US school.
- are you looking at specific firms that you would like to work with? if so, check whether they recruit from your target schools. make a list of schools (top 15/20 as you say) and start tickmarking! check whether recruitment is in large enough numbers and in profiles you want.
- the amount you are paid post mba depends very much on the premba career, the school placement scene and the industry you choose.
as far as getting sufficient return on investment is concerned.. this depends on what you are paid post-mba..
you shd check out school websites and email students of each school to find out more about this.

good luck!