@Mahip :
Your friend is on site till 2007 Dec. also he'll have to be in the same company to keep the bond. (that means till Jun 200


So no problem he can start his MBA from Sept 2008.

Answers to issues
1) usually MBA program starts @ sept so no issues
2) if you want to apply for fall 2008 (we call it for class 2010) for first round sept/oct 2007 for 2nd round Dec 2007 for 3rd round March 2008 (not recommended for non-US students)
Application contains essays that at least require one dedicated month of introspection
plus you have to submit 2-3 recommendation letters (that means you have to be in touch with you mentor or seniors etc )
all these thing you have to do simultaneously (& that too before submitting your applications ) add three months before deadlines

3) VISA: you should try for scholarships once you get accepted at b-schools
and apply for VISA once your MBA seat is confirm roughly on may 2008

:D

aim-wsc has summed it very well.

Let me put the best case scenario. Your frnd secures the admission and applies for the I-20 from his onsite position and gets it. Now at the time of Visa process, he needs to be in India to appear for the intv. And I dont see any problem here. Most of the B schools start in late July or early August (and some even in Sept), so this would leave him 1-2 months to get over the visa process.

Infact, thr r few admits to Darden (onsite one's) who would be coming to India arnd May-June to get the Visa process done. If your frnd would prefer a Visa date in early June, he would just need someone in India to do the legwork for getting the papers and applications in order. Rest everything seems to in place. Infact, his additional onsite experience might just increase his chances a bit.

@Mahip :
Your friend is on site till 2007 Dec. also he'll have to be in the same company to keep the bond. (that means till Jun 200


So no problem he can start his MBA from Sept 2008.

As for application process is concern:
it takes complete one year.
If he's all ready with the stuffs he should start applying to his desired b-schools on first round R1 @ Oct 2007 ( he'll have to check the deadlines)

and rest of the things will roll on automatically.
since he already has takent the GMAT (& has got great score)

Answers to issues
1) usually MBA program starts @ sept so no issues
2) if you want to apply for fall 2008 (we call it for class 2010) for first round sept/oct 2007 for 2nd round Dec 2007 for 3rd round March 2008 (not recommended for non-US students)
Application contains essays that at least require one dedicated month of introspection
plus you have to submit 2-3 recommendation letters (that means you have to be in touch with you mentor or seniors etc )
all these thing you have to do simultaneously (& that too before submitting your applications ) add three months before deadlines

3) VISA: you should try for scholarships once you get accepted at b-schools
and apply for VISA once your MBA seat is confirm roughly on may 2008

Applying for foreign b-school usually eats your compete one year (part time of course)
Iday's been writing nice articles related to these issues on his blog lately;
I would suggest you to check his blog etc and etc...

Also DO CHECK MY SIGNATURE. WE HAVE 2008 US ASPIRANTS JOINT.
ask your friend to join the leauge on that thread...
we'll keep it updated

SOS~ Please help one of my friend!!!
Solve this Case Study!

Profile:
B Tech, 3 yr work ex till date in TCS
GMAT: 740
Current Proj: ABN AMRO
Past Proj: Morgan Stanley
Latest Offer: Bank of America, London as Business Analyst

Problem: Acceptance of this latest offer

Issues:
1. There is a 6 months bond after coming back from onsite, i.e. till Jan-June 2008
2. How long does Application process takes place for Fall 2008? VISA n other formalities?
Will there be any issue in getting all things done easily even after accepting this offer?

Please suggest!

Hi, I got selected to MBS European MBA with 6000 Euro Schol. The 2 terms out of 4 terms will be in partner business schools, like Copenhagen Business school, Warwick business school, ESSEC, France, IIM Bangalore etc.

Howz it. I also have offer from CEU , Hungary, athens university of economics and business, Greece with 5000 Euro schol.

Alos got a admit offer from NTU-Waswda dual MBA program at Singapore in technology management.
Now its between MBS, Germany europen MBA and NTU -Waseda dual MBA Singapore.
Pls advice if you have ne idea about MBA Germany. How technology management program in NTU- Waseda, Singapore. I have done M.Tech from IIT Bombay. Currently working with GE.

Kapil

PGuru,

Absolutely not intended to under rate your intelligence. Perhaps I should have put it in another way - it's case of saying something perhaps not in the best way. Apologies!

Dear Necromonger, I know u didnt want to under-rate my intelligence so there is nothing you have to apologize for!!! It was just a light expression, seriously. Thanks for your valuable inputs which I have enjoyed thoroughly. Best regards from Lima,

PGuru

PS. I am very excited to know that Ameri has lighted his bulb and will go for H/W/S. Best of luck in your efforts!!!

Hi Friends,
I need your help/suggestions on taking my final call....
Till date, following have been +ve results for me:

I have an admits from Simon/Vanderbilt/Iowa....Cost (after adjusting schol) is coming out to be 16 lacs for iowa, 33 lacs for vanderbilt and 37 lacs for simon...

I have also been waitlisted at Duke, UCLA and Tepper....
I feel if Duke Waitlist gets converted to an admit, it is going to be my first choice...

But right now, I need to pick one from Simon, iowa or Owen.....I would like to have your thoughts on the same...
Just to give my brief background: I have 6 years of work ex in IT (2 years on BSE project and for last 1 year I am also part of my organization's corporate strategy team).

I wanna pursue my MBA in finance....

My Views on the three schools are as follows:

Simon:
Advantages:
a. Location - Close to NY
b. Small Class Size - so better focus from career management center and faculty
c. Good Reputation in Finance education

Disadvantages:
a. Costliest among all three
b. Cant get loan without co-signor, so might end up having loan in India

Owen:
Advantages:
a. Good Placements
b. Average Reputation in Finance education
c. No Co-signor required for loan

Disadvantages:
a. Costly
b. Location - I am not sure about this one as I believe east coast provides better opportunities for finance jobs.

Iowa-Tippie:
Advantages:
a. Cheapest among all three
b. Small Class Size - so better focus from career management center and faculty

Disadvantages:
a. Location - would also face tough competition from Kellog and Chicago
b. Not very well known for finance education.

So Guys please share your thoughts/views...

thanks
hellojp

Hi Smilingtears,

As some one else mentioned, it is extremely difficult for someone who is 21/22 or just out of college, to get into reputed international business schools. Almost all of them require some work experience (2-3 years at least). Indian schools are probably among the rare ones that allow out-of-college students to get into business school.

In Canada, Rotmans and Queens have a good local reputation - sort of like our IIMs. But they will require well rounded work experience.

If she is desperate to do MBA right now, then India is probably the place. Otherwise, she should develop her career and apply later. Being in Canada will also simplify applications to US schools. In my opinion, there is no hurry. Since her family is shifting there anyway, she may be better off waiting a few years and give it a shot to good schools. After all, if she did MBA here, it would carry little weight in Canada later.

I don't think the fact that she is from "a college like yours" will stop her from getting a good job. In most foreign countries, they will probably know IIT and the rest don't really matter. If she is technically good and competent, it should not be hard to get a good job.

It all depends on her priorities, really.

Hola..!!

I don't know if this is the right place to put up my question..but believe me,I did search..but I couldn't decipher..:D So,please just guide me to the right place instead of howling at me..If,in case I'm at the wrong place.. :)

The issue is..A friend of mine is preparing for CAT with me..now,it turns out that her family's shifting to Canada next year..now,she has 1 year to complete her degree..
Consequently..she's thoroughly confused..landing in a new country with a BE degree from a college like ours won't get her a plumm software job for sure..n ofcourse,the plans for Post Grad are in a fix too..

Any suggestions as to what is the bschool scenario in Canada?
Or should she stay here n try to pursue MBA from here itself..?

@smilingtears-

Is doing MBA is her ultimate goal?
what are her priorities? to being busy?
I would take GRE and have applied for MS programs in Canada, as MBA in Canada needs some work-ex
...
just fyi 23-24 of age's considered to be junior in these foreign section

Hola..!!

I don't know if this is the right place to put up my question..but believe me,I did search..but I couldn't decipher..:D So,please just guide me to the right place instead of howling at me..If,in case I'm at the wrong place.. :)

The issue is..A friend of mine is preparing for CAT with me..now,it turns out that her family's shifting to Canada next year..now,she has 1 year to complete her degree..
Consequently..she's thoroughly confused..landing in a new country with a BE degree from a college like ours won't get her a plumm software job for sure..n ofcourse,the plans for Post Grad are in a fix too..

Any suggestions as to what is the bschool scenario in Canada?
Or should she stay here n try to pursue MBA from here itself..?

Thanks for your feedback Nikita and that makes me remember one thing "Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do something...what they mean is that they can't do it, so you can't do it".
The slimmer the chances are the bigger the goal becomes and the bigger it is, the more difficult it would be for me to miss it. Real life is a failure if we don't put at least one supreme effort for our dreams.

Thanks Peruvianguru for the kind and practical advice. Yes I have always thought of myself as an extraordinary individual. It is not to do anything with an extraordinary ability but I always have the feeling that I have been chosen for a special role. I still haven't achieved my highest potential at this time and I know that I can move mountains. This sounds hypothetical and to prove it to ad-com I will really have to move mountains.

I am planning to apply for the class of 2009/2010 and the remaining years will change my life even if I fall (not fail).

Thanks Incarnation, Deba, Aim-wsc, Ats, Necromonger for your views.

I had a talk with Allwin for 10 mins on 23rd March 07...Didn't really had any questions (like this) to ask him. Just wanted to talk to the guy...err...Pagalguy about his own self. And the crunch of that conversation was "Do whatever you want to do".

Allwin? Does it ring a bell? :)

Best Regards,
-Ameri

PGuru,

Absolutely not intended to under rate your intelligence. Perhaps I should have put it in another way - it's case of saying something perhaps not in the best way. Apologies!

Dear Necro, I adhere to/with most of ur comments but the abovequoted statement severely under-rates my intelligence. No point is missing, real life advise has been provided by myself and some other bright PGs to Ameri within a real-life context. At the end, most of us agree it wil be xtremely difficult but possible for him to get admission. For this, it is up to him to decide if 2-3 required extra years are worth the effort!

cheers
PGuru

Ameri (and ats to a certain extent)

For those who are telling you to "keep working hard, achieve your dreams" etc. are missing the point that this is real life with real competition.

Dear Necro, I adhere to/with most of ur comments but the abovequoted statement severely under-rates my intelligence. No point is missing, real life advise has been provided by myself and some other bright PGs to Ameri within a real-life context. At the end, most of us agree it wil be xtremely difficult but possible for him to get admission. For this, it is up to him to decide if 2-3 required extra years are worth the effort!

cheers
PGuru

Ameri (and ats to a certain extent)

I hope to be honest, and not brutal. Applying to business schools is a time consuming, expensive process. It is good to have lofty goals but it makes better sense to gauge our situation and work smart at a realistic goal. Apply where you have a realistic chance.

H/S/W are the world's top schools. Competition is immense. For those who are telling you to "keep working hard, achieve your dreams" etc. are missing the point that this is real life with real competition. Just put a table with two columns, your education, your extra curriculars, your leadership (important), your career progression, and any exceptional achievement outside work. Now imagine that you will have about 3000 other applicants, of which a good % will have outstanding stories to tell. Even if you do a 1-to-1 match with other Indian candidates (Indian/IT/male is perhaps the most competitive pool in the world when it comes to business school applications), you will find that your achievements, the way you put it, is below average. You will have IITans, NITans, other top collegians, with tons of high quality experience, 750+ scores and leadership stories still get rejected. The reason is there are too many with similar backgrounds and high achievements.

If you want to spend the time, effort, and money applying - then research your schools and make intelligent decisions. Simply saying "Will I make it H/S/W" won't get you far. The hypothetical answer to you question is "Yes, you can" but the reality is you have a very slim, next to nothing change to make it there. It is the same thing like a guy in 12th saying "I'm poor at Physics, I got 45/100 in mathematics, but I think I will crack JEE and get into IIT Kanpur Computer Science this year" You can prove all of us wrong by doing something incredible. But based on your admission and background, I would focus on pragmatism. Many of us have gone this path before, and by taking a cold, hard look at ourselves, we can decide the path that leads us to success - not years of wasted effort. If you want to hedge your bets on some rare, mythical example of someone similar having gotten into Wharton, by all means go ahead.

Summarizing - You have a very slim, if nothing, chance of getting into top 10 international unless you have some amazing leadership stories that you haven't told us. If you still want to pursue this goal, wait 3 years and in those 3 years do whatever it takes to turn in a stellar candidature. Remember that the older your get for the application, the more leadership matters.

Al,
Stop feeding all these, its possible stories.
This candidate WILL NOT MAKE IT.
Nothing WILL change in another 5-6 years. The career graph is self explanatory.
Give me a break.

HWS seeks the very best not a C+ developer

Let the dogs bark and keep movin`Ameri. IT IS POSSIBLE!
Career graph is self-explanatory? lol.... please give me a break Nikita. Such BS cannot be taken seriously.

On a positive note, take Nikitas comments as bee stings stuck in ur arse. They r "brutally honest" but wont kill you, let them push u to ur limits. My words do not come from any Bollywood movie plot, u will need to work really hard but u still have got a real chance. If H/W/S is ur goal, trace a 2-3 year personal plan aimed at strengthening ur evident weaknesses while honing ur current pluses (significant intl. work exp., adaptability, etc). Quoting Nike .... "Just do it". gl

PGuru

ameri dude: listen.

i am in a similar situation as u are in. average guy. nuthing too great. a bit better than ur profile. i too had a dream. that im gonna study at one of the top 10...even though i never thot of h/s/w. got thru three schools this year...york/vanderbilt/iowa. none of what i dreamed of. but due to the schols that i was getting etc...decided that makes sense to join one of these. i was on my way.

then suddenly like a bolt out of the blue, there was a thot that i might rue this fr the coming many years. hence i threw my decision outta the window and decided that im gonna try for another year come what may. i dont require peoples opinions to decide my fate. there is no surety that ill get THOSE the next year, but i will still give it my best shot. ill slog my ass off this year. think of ways to acheive things. ill prove myself. i will never know if i never try. i have already started planning my coming year.

even if i dont achieve my dream, ill still have lovely experiences in this one year. ill prove myself to myself. end of story.

moral of the story: take people like nikita head on. mebbe theyll win in the end. but give them a run for their money.

have mercy, Nikita
all right, dont have to be that harsh and that too when thread starter never asked for opinions.
I think ameri got all answers if wanted check post#5 (blog with bonus suggestions )

MY 2 cents- if you wanna be in the best college, YOU have to the best.
and if you're not (& if u r loser ) then least you should BOUNCE BACK like on other.

Al,
Stop feeding all these, its possible stories.
This candidate WILL NOT MAKE IT.
Nothing WILL change in another 5-6 years. The career graph is self explanatory.
Give me a break.

HWS seeks the very best not a C+ developer

I echo the same opinion that everybody has mentioned above. The chances look slim. But then as Incarnation has mentioned, if you want it badly, you will get it, at the worst case it may get delayed.

But it always happens with most applicants that they start thinking from H/S/W, which is very good. Try to do a lot of research and you will get a very reallistic picture.

But make sure, you work damn bloody hard till you get the admit. And you should never get the feeling in life that I could have possibly worked a little harder. Give your best shot and hope for the best. There are many other top 10-15 schools. Start falling in love with them too.

I am not a H/S/W alumnus but following on what Nikita said...

1. Your profile is not competent enough for H/S/W and not even other top 10 b-schools.........that is as brutal as it can get...you will see loads of ppl who have achieved far more than what u have and even they may not look at H/S/W...

2. I was told the same thing when I started appying....I am 23, working with a no-name company, left my first job by giving a 1 day notice coz suddenly I felt that I want to be somewhere else..I have employment gaps, no intl exp, just a plain bachelors degree.......Ppl laughed at me when i tlked about Stern...

3..All i had was a dream to go to Stern.......There is a saying -when you want something, the whole world conspires into helping you achieve it......If u want H/S/W and other top-10 schools, u wd eventually get it...may not be in 2009/10....but if u work ur ass off, build ur profile, distinguish urserlf form others by following what PeruvianGuru said, bring passion in ur application - about what u have done so far, what u want to do, the school etc...u will eventually get it..

Dear Ameri:

I guess the only way u can know if u are a worthy candidate for these schools is applying to them. There is nothing worse than doing nothing for achieving a goal/dream/pursuit. However, though a bit rough, Nikitas comments should be taken into account in the sense of "waking up" your uniqueness. Do u think of urself as a truly extraordinary individual? Have u achieved ur highest potential at this - pre MBA - stage of ur life? Why should the adcom pick u instead of accepting a Peruvian veterinarian, a Chinese foreign policy officer or a Belgian financial analyst? Competition at this level means creme de la creme, people that can stun anybody with their amazing personalites, diverse talents and proven leadership skills.

I hate the GMAT, it is plain BS and measures nothing but the ability of Americans to make US$ millions through services dependency. Unfortunately, it is part of the equation - specially in the case of Indian and Chinese students - so higher scores will definitely boost ur chances. However, when reviewing ur profile, u will certainly need more than a 700+ score. U have three major drawbacks.

1. Not familiar with Indian grading system but college grades arent catchy at all.
2. No leadership roles.
3. Zero extracurricular activities.

At this point, unless u climbed the Everest, ur chances are very slim. How can u revert this situation? simple.... take more time to prepare urself.

1. Go to a decent uni or institute and get a diploma in sustainable development or environmentally related stuff with excellent grades.

2+3. Create/join a voluntary organization that picks up plastic garbage from your citys streets and recycles it making some money through donations or any other (more creative) means.

See, the world is too rich, complex and exciting for not finding something interesting and different to do. I am not telling u to do exactly as written; the idea behind my words is to do stuff that few people would bother about. But that is not enough; whatever u decide to do, do it with passion, drive and committment!!! These qualities will certainly reflect in the final results u achieve, be them personal, academic and/or professional.

Patience and determination, think about these words and all that they entail. U r 26 years old, why the hurry? faster doesnt always mean better. Like the best wines take a couple of years to set up their magic flavours, u should enter into ur own wooden barrel to mature.

And then, after some time filled up with new interesting experiences and accomplishments, I am confident that the world, ur world, wont be the same. It will definitely offer u new opportunities and challenges. best of luck

PGuru

Well my goals are pretty clear of what I want to do. I am not asking Alumini's and Admits to tell me if I can get in H/S/W or not. I am asking whether a case like mine will even be considered as a potential candiadate by them if I write the GMAT with 750+.
Or for a case like mine I will have to do something as enterprising as Allwin to get in the league of potential candiadates for H/S/W because my history is very average UNlike Senapati or other admits who always or mostly had stars in their career paths?

I hope dear Pagal junta is getting my question here.

-Ameri

Here is the first part of my answer if you overlooked

Although I am not from H/S/W, I can say that as long as you have 16 years of education and have taken your GMAT then you are qualified for applying at any US b-school.

In short, you qualify to apply at all the schools in the U.S.

However, you have to email the admissions or browse through the website for basic requirements for admissions. Every school has that stuff on their website.

For example, requirements for international is clearly mentioned on the Wharton website
Wharton MBA: International Students

Well my goals are pretty clear of what I want to do. I am not asking Alumini's and Admits to tell me if I can get in H/S/W or not. I am asking whether a case like mine will even be considered as a potential candiadate by them if I write the GMAT with 750+.
Or for a case like mine I will have to do something as enterprising as Allwin to get in the league of potential candiadates for H/S/W because my history is very average UNlike Senapati or other admits who always or mostly had stars in their career paths?

I hope dear Pagal junta is getting my question here.

-Ameri

Sorry to break the bad news. But you have nothing that deserves an admit to HSW.

Try second tier schools. may be some luck.

Honestly, do not waste time for HSW.

Well my goals are pretty clear of what I want to do. I am not asking Alumini's and Admits to tell me if I can get in H/S/W or not. I am asking whether a case like mine will even be considered as a potential candiadate by them if I write the GMAT with 750+.
Or for a case like mine I will have to do something as enterprising as Allwin to get in the league of potential candiadates for H/S/W because my history is very average UNlike Senapati or other admits who always or mostly had stars in their career paths?

I hope dear Pagal junta is getting my question here.

-Ameri

Hi,

I asked this in two dedicated threads but didnt got any answer...so started a new thread.

<>

Thanks,
Ameri.

Although I am not from H/S/W, I can say that as long as you have 16 years of education and have taken your GMAT then you are qualified for applying at any US b-school.

As far as H/S/W goes, I can bet every dollar that none of the PG guys including Allwin or senapati can predict your chances or say for certain that you would get an admission at H/S/W.

You have to describe your motivation behind each and every activity you did in the past. For example, if you got 6 backlogs in college then simply saying that you did not study will not get you an admission at any top schools let alone H/S/W.

In short, imagine yourself convincing a bride that even though you are not the best looking or the one making most money, you are still competent to marry her because.......fill in the blanks.....

Dont be like Amitabh in Sholay when he was convincing "mausi" about Dharmender..... :)

Good luck!

Hi,

I asked this in two dedicated threads but didnt got any answer...so started a new thread.

My simple question for the experts(Pagalguy, Senapati, Rahul) and Alumini is:-

Do I even qualify for an MBA at Wharton or Harvard or Top 10 B-Schools...?

My profile:

Age: 26

Education: B. E (Information Technology) with 69.9% from a very ordinary(no-name) college in Madhya Pradesh. (I had 6 backlogs during the first 3 years of my engineering though none in the final year).

I know that schooling grades doesnt matter but here it is... :smile:
Schooling: 10th (71%) from a KV in Delhi (Mathematics 90%, Science 81%)
12th (62%) from a KV in Delhi PCM (66%). Subjects PCMBE.

One year spent in a B.Sc (General) course in an ordinary DU college before starting BE (IT) in 1999.

Started working as a Customer Support Engineer for a client (a Call center in Delhi, Wipro Spectramind) through a small infrastructure company (PC Solutions) on local desktop support for 3 months in 2003.

Moved to HCL group in Noida and worked as a Server support engineer for 2 years 9 months for a fortune 500 client (AMD) mostly from Offshore. Visited US twice for 90 days each on a Business visa in 2005. No leadership roles though I trained a couple of fresh batches.

Moved to a desi consulting company and processed H1B in 2006 --> started working as a C#.Net developer for a financial client on the east coast (Last 3 months). This was a complete career change as I worked as a Server administration support.

My total work experience in 2009 August would be 6 years (3.5 years US experience and 2.5 years India in both Software coding and Server administration).

I was not active at all in Extra-curricular in School/College.

As for certificates I have one National Talent Search Competition certificate in Mathematics in either 9th of 10th Standard with 60% marks. One NSS (National Social Service) certificate in 12th for just being a member of NSS(Did nothing). One CRPF marathon certificate.

I don't have a GMAT score at this time but assuming that I get 750+ then do I even qualify for H/S/W or do I need to do something very very enterprising like Allwin to make my dream come true.

I want to go to the best schools only. Class of 2009/2010.

Please be brutal as I value honest feedback and opinions.

Thanks,
Ameri.

ankaccent Says

hi puys, i am in fix,i plan to give my gmat by may and pretty confident that i wud do well in that.I have around 1 YR exp by know(in IT ofcourse),but the problem is that major portion of that period has been BENCH ,and my previous supervisor has left the company,so i dnt know where to get he reccomendation letters frm , are recommendations letter required frm same company ,and will this bench period wud affect my application .guys if anyone of u experts cud help me out with some gyan

As you have mentioned that you have 1 year of experience, I assume that it is in only one company. B-schools will expect at least one recommendation from your workplace, as you have worked for a year. Now, assuming that you apply for Fall 2008, as you will be submitting your appln in oct, you still have 6 more months in your hand. So, possibly you can provide one recommendation from your work place that will have 1 year of solid work experience and can easily hide the bench part. So, make sure you have good relationship with your current boss and continue with him till sep-oct.

you can also try and contact your pervious supervisor. It is not mandatory to take recos from the current reporting manager. Though you can write that ' I am taking reco from previous supervisor as my interaction with the current one is just 2-3 months or watever'. Something of that sort will really help you. ATB for your apps

Though Bench period doesnot show you in bad light, you will be definitely expected to have done something constructive during that period. So you could highlight such initiative if any during that period.
Otherwise in my opinion, it would be better if you could hide this info - which is a difficult task . If you don't know any supervisor, you could also go for peer recomendations and explain to adcom that your only supervisor has resigned.

hi puys, i am in fix,i plan to give my gmat by may and pretty confident that i wud do well in that.I have around 1 YR exp by know(in IT ofcourse),but the problem is that major portion of that period has been BENCH ,and my previous supervisor has left the company,so i dnt know where to get he reccomendation letters frm , are recommendations letter required frm same company ,and will this bench period wud affect my application .guys if anyone of u experts cud help me out with some gyan

Hi friends,

My question is - in what timeframe do they look for extra curriculars? I have plenty of extra-curr during school life - starting from sports, music, community service etc. But less and less during college and very few extra-curr during last 4 yrs.

More than the time frame, it the articulation and passion for activites would matter. If you come up with a plausible and honest answer to why extra-curricular participation has progressively decreased, I do not think it should impact you negatively. Its not only ex-currics that the Adcom looks for.

Pakya Says

I haven't yet decide where to apply - Actually would love to work in USA (for simple reason that it is largest economy and would give me best of the industry experience), but $$ factor gives me sleepless nights ??: ... As of now I have decided to apply for INSEAD, SAID-OXFORD and ISB. Planning to apply in a couple of good US B-schools also. I don't mind working here for a long time (5-6 years) but see myself in India atleast 10 yrs down the line. Do you think it is realistic to study abroad with such preferences?

Why not ? 5-6 years is a realistic estimate to overcome your debt, which you might pick up during your B-School years.

Pakya Says

One more question - I am targetting to get into Finance consulting. Do I need to have good proir knowledge of Finance for that? Does that mean I should start studying basic finance related material to prepare myself for he interviews?

Not that you need to have a prior experience in any particular area to go there post-MBA. 70- 80% students switch careers. What would help however is presenting your interest, knowlege of the Fin consulting industry and the incidents, experiences leading you to this choice of career in your goals essay. Why a particular career interests you ? Wht all have you learnt about it, what's your motivation towards it ? It is absolutely not necessary to prepare for fin stuff at your interview. But that said when you say you want to switch to I-banking or consulting, you are expected to know basic things about the industry? Your investigation, interest and motivation has to be clearly demonstrated - which will mean you would know certain basics about the industry. You cannot say i am intersted in I-banking without knowing what basically happens there, what is a balance sheet, what is a income statment. Correct ?

Not that they will test you for your knowledge of your future career, they'll looks for subtle signs of what all have you done to accustom yourself for your next career.

Hope that helps !

Hi friends,

I have GMAT score of 770 and average acads. 4.5 yrs of IT work exp. (includes 2 years in US) planning to apply for 2008 classes.

My question is - in what timeframe do they look for extra curriculars? I have plenty of extra-curr during school life - starting from sports, music, community service etc. But less and less during college and very few extra-curr during last 4 yrs.

I haven't yet decide where to apply - Actually would love to work in USA (for simple reason that it is largest economy and would give me best of the industry experience), but $$ factor gives me sleepless nights ??: ... As of now I have decided to apply for INSEAD, SAID-OXFORD and ISB. Planning to apply in a couple of good US B-schools also. I don't mind working here for a long time (5-6 years) but see myself in India atleast 10 yrs down the line. Do you think it is realistic to study abroad with such preferences?

One more question - I am targetting to get into Finance consulting. Do I need to have good proir knowledge of Finance for that? Does that mean I should start studying basic finance related material to prepare myself for he interviews?

Hello Everyone,

Need some guidance/pointers to the F1 VISA application process...
I have an un-utilized H1B, that is, I haven't been to the US after I got my VISA in Dec'06..
I was just waiting for the MBA admission results to come by...

Now, I have an admit from the university I wanted and so will be applying for F1...
According the consulate website, a person cannot hold two VISAs together...

So, will I need to ask my company to get my H1B cancelled before I apply for F1 or will the consulate itself cancel my H1B, if they grant me an F1???

I dont want to place both of my feet out of the boat and hope I will get one in...

Anyone been through/heard of such a case???

Rightzzz

I think the consulate itself with cancel your H1 status once they stamp you an F1. From what I know, once you have your H1 ( sponsored by whoever), cancelling it does not need to get in touch back with the one who sponsored.

Logically, your H1 was petitiioned by your employer and visa stamped. There's no way your employer can re-utilize the petition again and hence makes no sense for him to cancel you visa

Hello Everyone,

Need some guidance/pointers to the F1 VISA application process...
I have an un-utilized H1B, that is, I haven't been to the US after I got my VISA in Dec'06..
I was just waiting for the MBA admission results to come by...

Now, I have an admit from the university I wanted and so will be applying for F1...
According the consulate website, a person cannot hold two VISAs together...

So, will I need to ask my company to get my H1B cancelled before I apply for F1 or will the consulate itself cancel my H1B, if they grant me an F1???

I dont want to place both of my feet out of the boat and hope I will get one in...

Anyone been through/heard of such a case???

Rightzzz

Curiouser and Curiouser!!//
Would you guys be able to comment about a DL MBA from a Indiana Kelly / Imperial / Manchester for someone who has around 8 years of workex... in comparison to something like a part time Exec MBA from MDI or a XLRI or a EGMP / AMP from IIMs. Also, the DL is the same as correspondence, am I correct in my assumption ?
H.

What do you want to do with your career? Do you enjoy your current job, company & industry to want to stay or are you seriously thinking of jumping ship? Broadly answer this question for yourself, then work out what's best for you. In general, if you enjoy what you do and believe this is your true calling - go for a DL MBA (or any other non-full time mode).

There're many pros & cons of DL MBAs. There are however many who have done it and gone on to immensely successful careers.

If you seriously want to change one or more elements of your career (function, industry / company, geography) - you'll probably need & want a full time MBA.

vittu Says

By work experience, do they mean work experience while applying or work exp at the time of entry to the program?

Work Ex- By the time, the session begins and not at the time of appying.

Thank you RickyRicks. So, will a statement from Stock Holding Corporation do for this purpose?

Thank you,
Mugu.

Yes, I think the statement would be sufficient. The monthly statement which you get from the firm, where you have your DMAT account, should be fine.

By work experience, do they mean work experience while applying or work exp at the time of entry to the program?

Curiouser and Curiouser!!//

Would you guys be able to comment about a DL MBA from a Indiana Kelly / Imperial / Manchester for someone who has around 8 years of workex... in comparison to something like a part time Exec MBA from MDI or a XLRI or a EGMP / AMP from IIMs.

Also, the DL is the same as correspondence, am I correct in my assumption ?

H.

PS< wrt Indiana Kelley Direct>
1) Online MBA is the course plan @ 48 credits for the MBA degree.

2) Tuition and Fees is the tution @ $875/credit or $45000 for the MBA degree.

DO THEY ALLOW CREDIT XFER BETWEEN KELLEY DIRECT AND KELLEY SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT MBAs ??? if this is possible; then it appears to be a very sumptuous deal.


update AWRRIGHT OKAY ..... Pretty good pretty mee pretty mean...I spoke with a lady called Donna at the Kelley Direct ... the Indiana University allows a transfer of credits between Kelley Direct and Kelley School of Business.. and the degrees awarded are the same.

I would be in touch with Donna and try and find out more... do let me know if anyone has any questions .

No it is not. When you check for a DL degree, make sure the school & the program are accredited by the AACSB (US), AMBA (UK) or EQUIS (EU). If you can't see that, it's not good enough. Depending on your location, some of the better schools offering recognized and accredited DL MBA programs are:

UK (seek further guidance at the British Council in your city)
Warwick
Henley
Open University (this is actually quite a good program)
Bradford
London External Program (run by Imperial College)
Manchester (called MBA Worldwide)

US
Indiana, Kelley Direct
Duke Cross Continent (very very expensive)

Yes, you can show stocks@CMP in the Visa process.

I dont have any info regarding showing them at the Univ level.

Thank you RickyRicks. So, will a statement from Stock Holding Corporation do for this purpose?

Thank you,
Mugu.

Thanks baccardisprite,can u suggest which one is best-Amity e-learning,SCDL,PIMR-Indore,Icfai.All the inst u suggested go for some kind of entarnce exams.

Hello,

Please let me know if I can show funds in stock as finance sources for the MBA education. This is to both the university as well as the Consulate.

Thanks,
Mugu.

Yes, you can show stocks@CMP in the Visa process.

I dont have any info regarding showing them at the Univ level.

Does anybody know if the essays - in general - stay the same year after year? I'm thinking of starting now for the fall admissions process, but not sure if the essays will be the same.

How do I find out if the essay questions listed are for the past admissions in Fall of 07 or the upcoming admissions for Fall of 08.

the essays change a bit but the essence remains the same. you can start working on essays like 'why MBA', career goals, leadership work et al. you can get the Fall 2007 essays on the school websites

Hello,

Please let me know if I can show funds in stock as finance sources for the MBA education. This is to both the university as well as the Consulate.

Thanks,
Mugu.

Does anybody know if the essays - in general - stay the same year after year? I'm thinking of starting now for the fall admissions process, but not sure if the essays will be the same.

How do I find out if the essay questions listed are for the past admissions in Fall of 07 or the upcoming admissions for Fall of 08.

Thank you baccardisprite for the great insight.

Request you to please suggest a few more programs so as to strenghten myresearch.

Thanks. Mahesh

aaronsen Says

What about the Distance learning course from TASMAC-MDBA that gives a degree from Adam Smith University,USA after completion of the course?Is the degree worthwhile in USA?

No it is not. When you check for a DL degree, make sure the school & the program are accredited by the AACSB (US), AMBA (UK) or EQUIS (EU). If you can't see that, it's not good enough. Depending on your location, some of the better schools offering recognized and accredited DL MBA programs are:

UK (seek further guidance at the British Council in your city)
Warwick
Henley
Open University (this is actually quite a good program)
Bradford
London External Program (run by Imperial College)
Manchester (called MBA Worldwide)

US
Indiana, Kelley Direct
Duke Cross Continent (very very expensive)

What about the Distance learning course from TASMAC-MDBA that gives a degree from Adam Smith University,USA after completion of the course?Is the degree worthwhile in USA?

i have a call from IMT-Dubai..........how good is it......thanx in advance for the reply

Dear Necromonger

Thanks a lot for the view on Insead. Please shed some light on my fit for other schools.

Thanks.

Hello, Request you to please comment on my profile for MBA in the USA/Europe. Suggest right time to App. Fall 07 OR Fall 08.

Presently have a work ex of 2.5yrs.

1. Product Marketing Executive : Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (July 2004- Oct 2005)
Was part of the Fast Track Program. Handled All India Support for a Newly launched product. My contribution was recognised. Ex Boss can vouch for it.

2. Sales Engineer - Industry : Schneider Electric ( Oct 2005 - Dec 2006) : Handled Sales for Mumbai worth Rs. 150 Million . Highest Sales in the Western Region. Key Account Manager for 3 of Schneiders Biggest Accounts.

3. Sr. Marketing Engineer : Schneider Electric ( Jan 2007 Onwards ) : Responsible for Product marketing for Western Region. Own Target of Rs 600 Million. Youngest Person in the company with such profile.

Schools Targeting :

1. Kellogg
2. Insead
3. Ross
4. Darden
5. LBS

Request you to please advice on my fit (Chances ??)and suggest more schools which are reachable for my profile. Request you to also suggest what measure i should undertake to better my profile. Thanks for the Advice.

With your education & current experience with Schneider, you do have the makings of an excellent profile. 4+ years of hard core technical sales & marketing with companies like Schneider & L&T;, along with the right MBA would get your foot in the door of both groups like GE, United Technologies, Siemens, Philips, Samsung & of course Schneider i.e the heavy & precision engineering / manufacturing groups and the strategy consulting units like McK, BCG, Bain, Booz-Allen etc, which consult heavy to companies like these.

How about trying for the below programs?

- Leaders for Manufacturing at MIT-Sloan (Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) PROGRAM AT MIT - Leaders, partners, change agents...)
- Kellogg's MMM program (Northwestern University: Master of Management & Manufacturing Program)
- Ross School's MBA + Tauber Institute

These are dual-degree programs that offer both an MBA degree + an M.Sc degree in Industrial / Manufacturing. Graduates will have openings to pretty much any company that's dependent on efficient operations for effective success, and the strategy & operational consulting firms that advise them. The LFM of MIT-Sloan is funded by corporate sponsors, therefore ALL entering students will get a 75% tuition waiver. It might be easier to get into the consulting firms because they sponsor work-permits easily. However, if you graduate from the LFM and are asked by your new employer to return to India, you should be fine ROI wise.

Provided you can score a good GMAT (720+), and can (extremely important) write a set of clear & crisp essays that will thoughtfully & realistically convey your goals + 4 years of experience when MBA classes start, you should be able to swing interviews to both of these schools. These done, your lack of international experience will NOT be a factor - because you come with experience in the world's second fastest growing economy where companies like above are both desparate to grow their businesses and are critical to infratructure development that will platform future economic growth.

Work hard to ensure measurable success in your current job. So work hard over the next 6-7 months, so you will have more success stories to tell. And since you're still young, you will need to ace the GMAT so work towards that.

Good luck.

Dear Freespirit,

Let me comment specifically about INSEAD. I do not want to discourage you, but there a few things that I would worry about your application to INSEAD.

1. Work experience - 2.5 years is at the lower end. While there are few people with that experience, you need to stand out as an exceptional candidate.

2. No social participation - finding jobs for friends does not count! While it may not be a deal breaker in INSEAD, it will hurt your chances in US schools.

3. No international experience - again, this is something INSEAD is very particular about. Is there a chance for you to work abroad in the near future?

From your own account, I gather you have done well professionally but again, your experience level is low.

My recommendation is wait at least an year, and get some international experience before you attempt INSEAD. Remember that this school is not kind to re-applicants, so you pretty much have one chance to make it. You want to get into consulting and INSEAD is super strong in that area - so make your application "unbreakable" (a solid GMAT score is a must because you belong to the competitive Indian applicant pool, you are slightly better off because you are not IT).

Good luck,
-necro

Hello

Request you to please comment on my profile for MBA in the USA/Europe. Suggest right time to App. Fall 07 OR Fall 08.

Presently have a work ex of 2.5yrs.

Education:

1. B.E. Electrical from National Institute of Technology, Karnataka in 2004 with GPA of 3.6/4 ( 7 best College in India. Stood 6th in my Branch)
2. Class XII : 87.6%
3. Class X : 87% . Topper in School

Profession :

1. Product Marketing Executive : Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (July 2004- Oct 2005)
Was part of the Fast Track Program. Handled All India Support for a Newly launched product. My contribution was recognised. Ex Boss can vouch for it.

2. Sales Engineer - Industry : Schneider Electric ( Oct 2005 - Dec 2006) : Handled Sales for Mumbai worth Rs. 150 Million . Highest Sales in the Western Region. Key Account Manager for 3 of Schneiders Biggest Accounts.

3. Sr. Marketing Engineer : Schneider Electric ( Jan 2007 Onwards ) : Responsible for Product marketing for Western Region. Own Target of Rs 600 Million. Youngest Person in the company with such profile.

Extra Curricular :

1. Member, Toastmasters International
2. Very Good Extra Curricular Record in College. Branch Rep for 2 Years. Secratary for 2 College Clubs. Editor College Magazine. Numerous prizes in Intra/Inter college events.
3. Social Work : Nothing on record. Helped lots of people/friends find jobs.


GMAT :

Plan to take it up in May 2007. Expect 730+ Easily.

Keenly looking at Schools for consulting/Marketing. No Co-signer option is a must.

Schools Targeting :

1. Kellogg
2. Insead
3. Ross
4. Darden
5. LBS

Request you to please advice on my fit (Chances ??)and suggest more schools which are reachable for my profile.

Request you to also suggest what measure i should undertake to better my profile.

Thanks for the Advice.

hi ppl
would request your response on the following:

-most colleges in their recruiters profile mention consultaies,wt kind of consultancies are they-just pure financial/general management?
-am not averse to finance/marketing(like number cruncing in fact) but would prefer an hr/generalists role?what are the courses & thus the suitable schools for such kind of work.
-during recruitment is your list of subjects seen
-for a person not interested in pursuing a career in finance/marketing what are the options?
thanx

Hi guys...

Need your inputs..

I have got admit from Rotman and York... Additionally I have also got admit from Rotterdam school of mgmt , netherlands and IE, spain...

I am quite confused as to which direction should I head to (From Indian perspective)

I am allready 31 and with approx 8 years experience in sales and marketing (Allready MBA from good business school of India), I am planning to undertake MBA to go the next level in the corporate world and play important role in international water....

I also have plans of moving to Canada in the long term, there fore Rotman is calling me.. but with 20 months course, I am little bit apprehensive...(On the age front)

I am totally confused between Rotterdam and Rotman..... Guys need your inputs.... As I am not very +ve of Rotterdam impression in Canada .... please revert

Cheers

2) the fact that 3 years of post qual work in IT is not a good measure of someone's mgt potential.

brother...

just to make sure that we're on the same page.. ..
management potential can be judged by one's activities in school.. college.. or work.. regardless of the length of his experience... I always mentioned that the quality of one's experience should be focussed on...

3 years in IT can be spent solving bugs.. getting certifications.. and growing in designation and salary...
or they can also be spent as being proactive in taking leadership activities.. taking risks.. identifying potential areas of improvement within the team and implementing new ideas.. proving to the management that one is a leader within.. so that he can build his credibility as a leader... and then... leading others in s/w dev or solving bugs and getting certifications..

.. lack of experience is no excuse to establish that a chance to lead never came to anyone.. .. management potential is evident in any activity that anyone has done in his life.. thus it is essential to understand how effective or innovative was he in doing that activity rather than what he got a chance to do...

I mean anybody in IT with 6 years of experience... in India.. will have a faint chance of still be writing code.. he will either have a role similar to a tech arch.. or a team leader.. or many a times a blende of both... Now this must be noticed that he became a team leader becuase of his experience.. not because of a pre-displayed leadership potential...
Of course his success as a leader will vouch for his learnings and prove that he matured as a leader over the years...

BUT .. the point remains.. even 3 years of experience can talk a lot about one's managerial potential.. if he has displayed it in those years.. and if his experience is enriched with such endeavors.

As far as I feel.. this is what phoren b-schools try to get out of the applicant judging each and every activity that he performs in his application process.. essays.. interviews.. recommendations.. all speak a lot about the quality of one's activities in life before he decided to apply.


To all puys .. a different perspective and feedback is always welcome..so all who dont agree with me.. please chip in..

cheers .. :satisfie:

comet_nosce
'twas a pleasure to read your post above..... must say that I agree with your view about
1) placement statistics published in the college websites
2) the fact that 3 years of post qual work in IT is not a good measure of someone's mgt potential.
3) B schools as a placement agency/finishing school.

maintain the off-centre stance as far as your views are concerned. you rock.

SPJ is one of my favs in regards to their approach to the admission process...at least on paper.... but not sure if they have got the execution right yet (plenty of weird decisions which are not at all transparent).... hopefully in time indian bschool admission process will evolve for the better... I'm sure that will go a long way in improving their overall standings internationally as well....

dude.. with all due respect to the admissions procedure of all b-schools.. Indian or phoren.... what we were trying to focus on here are the basic differences in the selection process...

I went for the SPJ admissions interview last year and got dinged after 2 rounds of Group Interview... I do not remember blurting out even a single wrong answer.. however I feel that there was one unthoughtful answer that went against me.. When I was asked what companies I aimed at after my PGDBM .. I named some consultancies which their placement records flaunt... BUT.. I was applying for Mfg and Ops.. and looking at an IT experience of 3 years.. the 2nd year student in the interview panel.. immediately interrupted saying that those companies do not recruit there... A clear inconsistency between their own placement stats... and student views... That was the end of my interview and aspirations for walking the corridors of SPJ.. ??:

In the end.. the overall feel was that the primary intention of the whole process was to get people who they can place after the end of the course.. just to make their placement statistics more pleasant to look at...
What happened to quality education.. which should be the base of an institution's placement stats.. not getting a crowd whose previous experience can be an added advantage to have them high paying jobs ..

I remember that around 700 applicants were interviewed for Mfg and Ops.. and the first list had 10 names as selected candidates.. the second list had few more..but the meaning of the second list.. of course.. was stated as one which comes into being when someone selected in the first list leaves his seat...SO.. the final number of seats remains unchanged as 10... Is that true ??? Is SPJAIN really running a class of Mfg and Ops Management with 10 students ?? I was never even bothered to find out...

Look at the difference in the type of questions that students are asked in the threads about interview experiences on PG.. With such resources that PG provides.. one can very well understand the difference in the nature of the questions ppl face in interviews of B-schools in India and abroad...

I was chking out the IIM-I interview thread, and here too there were many questions purely on General Awareness... I mean .. is that KBC ?? or a B-school interview ??

I saw a post from one of my friends .. who has 3 years of experience in IT, and he has spent a considerable amount of time leading his team.. but the focus of his IIM-I interview questions was the depth of his knowledge about his undergad subject.. something that he has not looked at after he migrated to IT... after graduation... How relevant is that in gauging one's managerial potential???
Or
Are the Universities abroad stupid in asking questions to point out the quality of one's work experience or to identify the diversity in one's leadership experience.. rather than asking questions on how much of the intricacies of his undergrad major he still remembers ???

I hope my point is clear.. people in final year grad.. who look at a business school as a glorified placement agency.. should not be the focus of B-schools who are serious about the education experience.. Instead, its the potential of one's success as a manager that should be looked at, be it a recent college grad or an industry veteran.

Disclaimer : Views expressed are entirely personal.. :satisfie:

Do they really need to evaluate 2Lakh app forms???

NO!! they simply filter them out based on their CAT score and/or work-ex.
The GMAT is similar in that fashion except that it does not ask for amount of work-ex when you fill the GMAT app form.

H/W are the top colleges in the World!! Do they get 2Lakh apps every year? NO!
The numbers are NOT all that scary. Its just the hype.

Imagine if the CAT was held as often as the GMAT.

yes, that was my point... they dont evaluate the 2 lakh apps due to the sheer volume(they'd never finish if they attempted to) and resort to the process of elimination.. every other kid in his/her final year of undergrad is encouraged to write the CAT shooting the numbers up....

Foreign schools on the other hand dont encourage this and their number of applications is much more manageable(I think less than 2000 per year per school on an avg).. so they get a chance to check out every app.. whether GMAT is good or bad...

SPJ is one of my favs in regards to their approach to the admission process...at least on paper.... but not sure if they have got the execution right yet (plenty of weird decisions which are not at all transparent).... hopefully in time indian bschool admission process will evolve for the better... I'm sure that will go a long way in improving their overall standings internationally as well....

Edit - Just stumbled upon an article that might be related.
Opposing the Youth Movement

Admission is all about the individual--how you portray yourself. Sadly, that's the thing lacking most in admissions in India b-schools.

I totally concur ...

I got a chance to experience both the Indian and the US B-School interview processes.. and the marked differences shocked me.

I wish.. Puys who grow up to shape academics in future India make effective attempts to bridge the gap.

An awesomely written post. However i disagree with the above point

Admission to a foreign bschool isnt about ticking off boxes with qualities. If it were, admissions would be a simple "Tick all boxes that apply". It is about the story you can show them about your life.
Everyone has a weakness-->Poor acads, low GMAT score, over-confidence,low work-ex, etc etc. How do show an over-all picture is what matters more. inblue has 690 on the GMAT. hardly stellar knowing that she's an engineer but anyone who's met her comes away singing her praises about the kind of info she has, her research and her work-ex.
Admission is all about the individual--how you portray yourself. Sadly, that's the thing lacking most in admissions in India b-schools.

I partially agree with you. Even I am applying to some B Schools. I have 2 years work ex. Have a terrible score. But still taking chances on thin margin.

But, somehow I feel... MBA in foreign is very glossy. I talked to a frd recently in XXXXX. He still hasnt got placed, being a gr8 chap... he deserves a gr8 job. If he had been in India... life would have been different altogether for him .

Knowing yourself during the application process is the first step... it indeed helps u to know urself. Even I gained a lot in the process. But trouble comes when ur program starts. did anyone find that out, how tough it becomes to cope up with studies?
And if not in a top 20 college... things can go beyond recovery

My only suggestion... think hard before investing in an International MBA. It is not a small investment. Make plans and study how soon can u reach break-even. Some people suffer a lot. I know a few.

My intention is not to discourage. Just puting accross some facts which I came to know recently.

Hope to have a good discussion on this