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

Neo2000 Says

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

With the kind of changes CAT is undergoing, this cannot be ruled out.
I remember reading some months ago that IIMs were contemplating making CAT online as they had to make considerable efforts in preparing for and conducting CAT. May be in not too distant future, we will see the online avatar of CAT.

Barricuda Says

unfortunately evaluating 2 lac+ individuals for 1700 odd IIM seats(these stats are from when I wrote CAT in 2004) would make their Adcom go nuts also

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.

And let's be realistic here--The moment a student knows that he isnt getting the required 99percentile score is he really going to apply to IIM-A?? Again,i think not. That drastically reduces your number of applications.
Indian b-schools make a small fortune by closing their last date of application before CAT results are out. Students are royally screwed and nothing's being done about it.
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.

It is about the story you can show them about your life.

Admission is all about the individual--how you portray yourself.

Couldn't agree more. An abroad b-school application is a very insightful journey. You have to present your complete picture to the adcomm. The whole process helps you know yourself better, reflect on your past life, think about your future life, where you want to be, what you want to do in life.
The kind of introspection that I underwent for my first application made an amazing experience. It was as if I had seen my complete past life in a movie - remembering every important thing that I had done in those years.

Sadly, that's the thing lacking most in admissions in India b-schools.

Indian b-schools are very different from global b-school in all respects and so it is not a fare comparison. The basic difference in application procedure arises becasue of the sheer numbers involved. Think about it; if IIMs start having an application procedure similar to the one's abroad, imagine the traffic they would have to handle - more than 50000 applications!!! Looking at the amount of Indians keen to do an MBA,I don't see any other way of selecting candidates as of now.

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

Thats so true.... unfortunately evaluating 2 lac+ individuals for 1700 odd IIM seats(these stats are from when I wrote CAT in 2004) would make their Adcom go nuts also ... I gave up on the indian bschool admission scene 2 yrs ago after an unsuccessful attempt... wasnt able to get myself to filter thru the process of elimination and reach the stage where they take a closer look at the individual's application.

4-5 years of good work experience is necessary; top academic grades, international experience, extracurricular involvement are absolutely necessary.
Applying for an MBA in a top school abroad usually makes sense if you have had an excellent career till now, have had all-round achievements to speak about in academics, work and extracurricular involvements and aspire for a international career in management.

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

4-5yrs of work-ex is not a must. inblue and iday both have 3-3.5 and an admit to Chi.
What is important is that you show career progression or achieve something at the workplace. Susie Derkins would probably say you can pfaff everything and still get an admit but that's a different post

Outstanding acads againt aren't a must. forendogma has a 56% in his engineering but has a Wharton admit. Then again, he started his own company and ran it for 4years

International experience is another misnomer. I remember the Stanford admissions director clarifying that they mentioned that because they wanted american students to realise that there's a world outside of the US. All b-schools understand that not everyone has a chance to work abroad. That does not in any way lessen your chances for an admit.

Extra-currics is again doubtful. While no doubt helpful in that it helps admission directors see another side of you, it isn't absolutely essential. For e.g. somebody coming from a single parent home wouldnt necessarily have extra-currics. If he showed that he didnt because he spent the time at a job in order to give his family a better life, that would carry more weight.

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.

MBA in India or Abroad

An Indian MBA can be good enough to put your career on the fast track. The top business schools in India, IIMs, XLRI, FMS and Bajaj, provide excellent all-round business education and excellent placements. The effort required to clear the entrance tests can be enormous, but that's a small price to pay for a great future.
An MBA abroad is not necessarily a better option. Unless you are aiming for the top 20 business schools across the world, a top Indian MBA may be better. The top 15-20 US business schools and a few other European schools like London Business School, INSEAD and IMD Switzerland are about the only schools that promise better prospects than a top Indian MBA.
MBA in the lesser known schools in UK, Australia and Canada may not be worth the effort. You would end up spending a lot of money and may have to return to India for a job that requires you to compete with MBAs from the top schools in India. Indian companies are likely to prefer an Indian MBA to an MBA from a lesser known university abroad.
An MBA abroad can cost anywhere between $120,000 in the top international schools to about $30,000 in the mediocre schools. An Indian MBA on the other hand can be obtained at a fraction of this cost.
While you may find the CAT and other Indian MBA entrance exams daunting, an admission in a good MBA programme abroad comes with its own set of challenges. You will need a high GMAT score, take the TOEFL, fill out multiple applications, write essays for each application, arrange recommendation letters and official transcripts. 5-6 months of study could get you admitted to an MBA programme in India. Applying to a good school abroad could take about a year to complete.
Even if you are ready to take these challenges, competition for a place in the top international business schools can be several times tougher than gaining an admission in an IIM. You would be competing with the top students from across the world as against the top students in India. 4-5 years of good work experience is necessary; top academic grades, international experience, extracurricular involvement are absolutely necessary.
Applying for an MBA in a top school abroad usually makes sense if you have had an excellent career till now, have had all-round achievements to speak about in academics, work and extracurricular involvements and aspire for a international career in management.
Applying for an MBA in mediocre schools in UK and Australia can be justified if working and living abroad is very high on your life agenda. If that is the case and you have the money to spend go ahead with your plans.

Hi PGs,
I was going through some threads about the GMAT essays and wanted to know what exactly it means when it is said: "the quality of work exp matters"(say for IT professionals).Can anyone please elaborate this or give pointers in an already existing thread is present which captures this?

Wow!!!
Two comparisons for the work exp.
1) Quality v/s Glamour
2) Quality v/s Quantity

Elaborating wrt the IT/ITES
Applicant A has worked for 8 years before applying to the MBA -- his workex has been in primarily about working in core-coding initialy in the helpdesk-troubleshooting for an international bank who has retained the services of App A's employers to maintain the s/w for their IT network. App A registered 1 vertical move in 4 years.
Subsequently App A moved to another organisation where he worked as a part of a Project team for another ITES MNC and worked on a new s/w offering for the BFSI vertical... after 2 years of work he became a Team lead and is now a Project Manager with his new employers.
App A has worked onshore for about 1 year while he was in the helpdesk and has been client facing since he has become a PM.

Applicant B has worked for 6 years before applying for the MBA-- he started as a code-jock with an ITES MNC and after 1.5 years of writing code moved to testing/QC. He is now a Senior Quality Analyst with the same employer. Registered 2 promotions in the last 6 years.

Both have mentioned in their SOPs movement to IT Consulting as the reason for their MBA.


Glamour factors for A-- demonstrated growth in the heirarchy, handling change, customer interaction ( and various examples of his employability post MBA, also various examples of the value he has created for his employers).
Quantity factors for A -- total workex 8 years 3 out of which as a people manager (which is a recognised mid manager role), 1 year of customer relationship management (which is again a different employee skillset).

Glam factors for B--demonstrated growth in the heirarchy, handling change, sustained performance across assignments (as expressed by different s/w products and upgrades he has vetted in the last 4 years).
Quantity factors for B -- total workex 6 years -- 4 years in QC.

In a SOP or a resume--both A and B would use the Glam and the quantity factors in conjunction with extracurrics to top-up the appps.

Typicaly the question "Quality of Workex ?" is answered by answering "how does your workexperience before the MBA make it easy for you to get a job after your MBA"-- glamour apart, someone who wants to move to consulting post MBA and has been working in operations for most of his pre MBA workex (like our friend App A) is looking at an MBA to help his switcheroo -- but as a Consulting firm; would I go to a B school to hire someone whose main workex is s/w development or would I pick up someone who has worked in QC?


The fun part is, if you make the "Quality of workex" a driver of employability post Qual-- then you can improve the quality of the workex by changing the post qual plan.





DISCLAIMER ::: the above is my opinion... I have written the essays but not applied yet-- so, my opinion is not a qualified opinion, and hence, is open to improvements and differences of opinion.

Manishkaka
everyone to his own... would suggest you read the Why MBA essays to get an example of the thought process..do a google search for "why+MBA" or "MBA+Admission+SOP+essays".

I would go with Passion=becoming my own master
--Basic nature= independence.
MBA=Entrepreneurship (asa ccourse major) Brand name(opens doors ) Networking ( Alums+Batchmates+professors) Knowledge levers (Faculty and research)



Kakke -- have been seeing your posts and questions for a while-- would suggest you write a draft before you ask a question about the essays.
The essays are very personal..and answers to your questions usualy end up with someone giving you an outline of the essay (their essay).
Someone else's views should be used to improve your comprehension or grammar but the thought content in your essays should be your own--else you would definitely get cornered in the interview.

Hi Guys,

How to approach this question?

Tell the Admission Committee about one thing in your personal or professional life for which you have a great deal of passion. How do you relate your this passion with your basic nature and how do you find, it is going to play an important part in building your career as an MBA?

Hi,
I will be taking GMAT in June end.
I am looking for some help with regrad to the schools I should apply.

My profile is as below.
10th - 86.5%
12 - 78%
BTech in Mechanical - 66.7% from NIT.
Work Experience
Will have worked for 4 yrs in the IT industry by the time i Join ( planning for 2008 admit)
Got a campus placement in an IT company(small one !) - Have worked for 2.5 yrs here till date
International experience - Nearly nil. Although was sent to onsite for a quick fix to a problem being faced by the folks at onsite.
My plans are to do the MBA in finance. The reason is career switch. Well, still need to explore the reasons...

Extra curiculars
Active member of Sports Committee@workplace
No experience in the NGO sector.
Was part of the state cricket team, that won tha national championship.
Was Captain of the University cricket team.
GMAT - Will be taking in June 2007. Targetting a score above 700.

Schools - Top 50 worldwide. Will target the schools with better ranking in finance.
After MBA - I would like to get into investment banking.
Kindly advise me on the schools that I should apply/target considering my profile, giving due thought to my future dreams.

">www.businessweek.com>

Also please suggest on the areas(GMAT, community service or anything which improves my profile) i should improve.

Hi PGs,
I was going through some threads about the GMAT essays and wanted to know what exactly it means when it is said: "the quality of work exp matters"(say for IT professionals).Can anyone please elaborate this or give pointers in an already existing thread is present which captures this?

Hi,
I will be taking GMAT in June end.
I am looking for some help with regrad to the schools I should apply.

My profile is as below.
10th - 86.5%
12 - 78%
BTech in Mechanical - 66.7% from NIT.
Work Experience
Will have worked for 4 yrs in the IT industry by the time i Join ( planning for 2008 admit)
Got a campus placement in an IT company(small one !) - Have worked for 2.5 yrs here till date
International experience - Nearly nil. Although was sent to onsite for a quick fix to a problem being faced by the folks at onsite.
My plans are to do the MBA in finance. The reason is career switch. Well, still need to explore the reasons...
Extra curiculars
Active member of Sports Committee@workplace
No experience in the NGO sector.
Was part of the state cricket team, that won tha national championship.
Was Captain of the University cricket team.
GMAT - Will be taking in June 2007. Targetting a score above 700.
Schools - Top 50 worldwide. Will target the schools with better ranking in finance.
After MBA - I would like to get into investment banking.
Kindly advise me on the schools that I should apply/target considering my profile, giving due thought to my future dreams. Also please suggest on the areas(GMAT, community service or anything which improves my profile) i should improve.
Eagerly waiting for a reply

Answers / recommendations in blue.

QUESTION Please detail the five year plan for your career including the jobs you would like to have, how you would leverage your education, and how you would otherwise prepare yourself for this path. Tell us why your goals make sense given your plan and your background. (limit 500)

1. They are strictly asking for my 5 year plan. Do they expect me to be very clear about? Or how it is going to be?

Yes. They expect you to be clear at least about what you're passionate about, and what you need to do to get there. 5 year-plan is a guideline, the adcom wants to measure your clarity of vision for yourself. Once you decide WHAT you want to do, try and find a list of companies (or an industry) WHERE you would like to put your past experience + MBA skills to use. In addition to clarity for yourself, your ability & diligence to research your possible future is something the adcom will definitely look for and appreciate. Research the organizational aspects of the industry you decide on and try finding out what positions MBAs (with 2-3 years of experience) typically get recruited to; where they are typically after 5-7 years. Then work an SOP around the information you find. Doing this will keep your essay specific and your ambitions realistic.
As of now I am equally inclined toward Finance, Marketing, Entreprenuership, Information Management System and General Management . Can I write in my SOP that, I am yet undecided with my fav stream, and the first year in college will help me decide the same?
No. You need to choose one stream or two RELATED streams.

1. I have 2 yrs work ex... IT background with excellent extra curriculars.

I have tried writing this answer:
"My short-term goals are to enhance my knowledge base in theoretical aspects of business, meet new friends and colleagues, and succeed in my studies. Fulfillment of these goals will lead to the longer-term goals which also constitute my post-graduation career plans, namely, building a solid and professional career in business. I believe that an MBA will assist me in furthering my academic and professional experience in order to achieve both short and long-term goals. "
Vague and ambiguous. Refer above, and be more specific. 500 words is quite a short essay.
I dont know how to make it look like a perfect 5 year plan.
Also "how you would leverage your education, and how you would otherwise prepare yourself for this path"
I dont know what to write for this. can someone please explain?
"In long term I have an ambition to establish my own company. I aspire to own an internationally recognised firm, which could thrive on cutting edge technologies, excellent work force and outstanding work ideology. "
IF you want to start your own company in 5 years, explore the market for the product & service you believe you will sell and decide whether being an entrepreneur producing that product or delivering that service is a realistic ambition!! Secondly, go through the courses the school delivers and understand which ones will deliver the right kind of education and skills to equip you for a long term career. IF investment banking (example) is your future - then you might want to find out if the school is (genuinely) strong in Finance and IF they send a good number of people into banking!!
Put your research into an essay. Believe me the adcomm WILL appreciate it. The above is unlikely to pass muster.
Should my this ambition be added somewhere... as they are asking for 5 years, I am confused. I need help on this Thanks a lot

Good luck.

Hi guys,

One more help

I have to write answer for this question for a 2 yr course in US.

QUESTION
Please detail the five year plan for your career including the jobs you would like to have, how you would leverage your education, and how you would otherwise prepare yourself for this path. Tell us why your goals make sense given your plan and your background. (limit 500)

1. They are strictly asking for my 5 year plan. Do they expect me to be very clear about? Or how it is going to be?
   
2. As of now I am equally inclined toward Finance, Marketing, Entreprenuership, Information Management System and General Management . Can I write in my SOP that, I am yet undecided with my fav stream, and the first year in college will help me decide the same?
   
3. I have 2 yrs work ex... IT background with excellent extra curriculars.

I have tried writing this answer:
"My short-term goals are to enhance my knowledge base in theoretical aspects of business, meet new friends and colleagues, and succeed in my studies. Fulfillment of these goals will lead to the longer-term goals which also constitute my post-graduation career plans, namely, building a solid and professional career in business. I believe that an MBA will assist me in furthering my academic and professional experience in order to achieve both short and long-term goals. "
I dont know how to make it look like a perfect 5 year plan.
Also "how you would leverage your education, and how you would otherwise prepare yourself for this path"
I dont know what to write for this. can someone please explain?
"In long term I have an ambition to establish my own company. I aspire to own an internationally recognised firm, which could thrive on cutting edge technologies, excellent work force and outstanding work ideology. "
Should my this ambition be added somewhere... as they are asking for 5 years, I am confused.
I need help on this
Thanks a lot

Hi guys,

This question is regarding recommendations.

How is the reco letter written? Is it mandatory for the recommendor to write it in ink, or can we take a print out? It is geting tough for me to get a hand written reco.

I am applying for RSM, ESADE, IES. Any ideas, suggestions. If someone can give pointers to Reco gyan some where in PG.

Thanks a lot.

Visit the sticky thread on MBA admission -thread of gyans to know about recommendations.
I havent seen the applicaitons of RSM/ESADE etc but every college has a pre-determined format of recommendations which is available as a part of the applicaitns. Now most of the colleges accept online recommendations where you can just specify the email id(s) of your recommenders. The recommendation form is directly mailed to them which they can fill and then either mail back or upoad at the admissions site.

Hi guys,

This question is regarding recommendations.

How is the reco letter written? Is it mandatory for the recommendor to write it in ink, or can we take a print out? It is geting tough for me to get a hand written reco.

I am applying for RSM, ESADE, IES. Any ideas, suggestions. If someone can give pointers to Reco gyan some where in PG.

Thanks a lot.

Hi,
I have an admit from University Of Iowa: Tippie School Of management.
I wanted to discuss the pros and cons here !
Please reply with your views .

Thanks
Hansy

Hi guys....

Can any one revert with the positivities about the RSM as against other European colleges.

I am of the opinion that RSM falls under B grade institute and there fore after the MBA, landing a job will be really tough. Any comments

Thanks

deepakantil Says

Hi Guys... Just for your information and to make you look at the thought process more objectively. I have offers from RSM, erasmus and Looking at Cambridge. I dont know whether I should also apply to LBS (in the last round)... Because I am not too sure on the positive result (GMAT of 640 with 7+ years exp in S&M;). How will be IE.... Guys revert with your views... Thanks

Deepak,

1) RSM and IE are on the UK HSMP list. It means you can search for a job in the UK without having to plead a case for a work permit with any prospective employer.

2) If you can speak one of the major European languages at least fluently enough to carry on a business conversation, the company looking at your resume & experience should interview you. So enroll immediately in Speanish classes if possible (or French..) and spend the next 5-6 months upgrading those skills. They WILL help. If you like IE, then use their admission rules (believe their admits are valid for 2 years), and use the extra year to enhance your spanish skills..... It might help more than just merely applying to Cambridge or choosing RSM. The extra year gives you the time to build a genuine language skill for your CV, one that employers will value as much as your experience and top MBA.

3) If the companies you are interviewing with are the big names in their respective countries, and IF that company wants you bad enough i.e you are able to convince them well enough, they WILL sponsor your work permit. Example - Novartis / Nestle in Switz, ABN Amro / Rabo / Philips etc.. in Holland.... The big UK banks, Unilever etc..

4) With 7 years of sales & marketing experience, you have less to worry about than several others.

5) IE & RSM are genuine European top-10 schools. They have strong alumni networks in reasonable positions in some of Europe's best companies. Start building the network, start talking to people. When in school, use career services to train you to interview for jobs both on campus and confidently put your best foot forward off campus. Last but not least, your living in a country like Spain or Holland means you can access the entire EU / Schengen (NOT UK) without another visa. It means your logistics when traveling short notice to interview with companies (that WILL happen) are taken care of.

Be more confident dude! You've got far more going for you than not.

Hi Guys...

Just for your information and to make you look at the thought process more objectively.

I have offers from RSM, erasmus and Looking at Cambridge. I dont know whether I should also apply to LBS (in the last round)... Because I am not too sure on the positive result (GMAT of 640 with 7+ years exp in S&M;)


How will be IE....


Guys revert with your views...

Thanks

Hi Guys...

Just for your information and to make you look at the thought process more objectively.

I have offers from RSM, erasmus and Looking at Cambridge. I dont know whether I should also apply to LBS (in the last round)... Because I am not too sure on the positive result (GMAT of 640 with 7+ years exp in S&M;)

Guys revert with your views...

Thanks

Hi Guys....

I have got admits from IE, Spain and various other colleges (did not focussed in UK).

Now I am really confused whether Europe and particularly Spain will be the right destination for studies... I am quite confused on whether to go for it or not.

I am quite apprehensive on the job prospects post MBA. Primarily for Indians, Spain is definitely not the destination and there fore may not be the right destination from long term perspective.

How well is the college as compared to other institutes (In spain IESE) and vis a vis other European colleges.

How easy or tough will it be to land a career in UK after MBA in spain. My back ground is 7+ years in sales nad marketing. Have worked in India and currently in dubai. Would like to move to Western side of the world

Guys please do revert with your inputs ....

Thanks

u are right in being apprehensive about Spain but then you haven't really told us your options. they could be better or worse for all i know?
but in general MBA from Spain to move to UK for the job should be pretty tough even when i think of it as an independent viewer.

Cheers

Hi,

This is an urgent query.

How to calculate GPA? I scored 70 % in my graduation from Delhi University.

Please someone tell me the way to calculte GPA, have to apply in a B School in short duration.

thanks a lot

Kaka

Often schools ask you to submit the score in the scale in which it was calculated. Majority of the schools would have an idea wht 70% from DU translates to in terms of its weightage.

Also, if you have to compulsary write ur score in terms of GPA, the best thing would be to shoot a mail to the particular school and proceed accordingly

Hi Guys....

I have got admits from IE, Spain and various other colleges (did not focussed in UK).

Now I am really confused whether Europe and particularly Spain will be the right destination for studies... I am quite confused on whether to go for it or not.

I am quite apprehensive on the job prospects post MBA. Primarily for Indians, Spain is definitely not the destination and there fore may not be the right destination from long term perspective.

How well is the college as compared to other institutes (In spain IESE) and vis a vis other European colleges.

How easy or tough will it be to land a career in UK after MBA in spain. My back ground is 7+ years in sales nad marketing. Have worked in India and currently in dubai. Would like to move to Western side of the world

Guys please do revert with your inputs ....

Thanks

Though I havent researched a great deal abt European schools, I can put forward the points that I had in my informal meeting with Mr. Javier Munoz, IESE associate adm dir.

If you happen to join any B school in Spain, most of the job offers would be from European companies and you would necessary have to learn Spanish to be competitive and mingle with your peers at the school. The current batch of IESE has some 15 indian students. I am not sure abt the no at IE. The salaries in Europe are more or less comparable with that in US. So, it all boils down to whether you want to be in Europe and put in extra efforts for learning few other languages.

I would suggest you to get in touch wiht current Indian students in IE/IESE to get a first hand response about the school and job prospects.

Hi,

This is an urgent query.

How to calculate GPA? I scored 70 % in my graduation from Delhi University.

Please someone tell me the way to calculte GPA, have to apply in a B School in short duration.

thanks a lot

Kaka

Hi Guys....

I have got admits from IE, Spain and various other colleges (did not focussed in UK).

Now I am really confused whether Europe and particularly Spain will be the right destination for studies... I am quite confused on whether to go for it or not.

I am quite apprehensive on the job prospects post MBA. Primarily for Indians, Spain is definitely not the destination and there fore may not be the right destination from long term perspective.

How well is the college as compared to other institutes (In spain IESE) and vis a vis other European colleges.

How easy or tough will it be to land a career in UK after MBA in spain. My back ground is 7+ years in sales nad marketing. Have worked in India and currently in dubai. Would like to move to Western side of the world

Guys please do revert with your inputs ....

Thanks

Hi bacardisprite,

Thanks for the detailed information.

Rahul.

Hi Harshg,

As mentioned by Rahul (itsrahul), the scope for Sports administration is huge ouside India. I am primarily looking more at Sports Marketing using some form of Media, most probably TV. Something in tune of a sports channel/magazine/events. I plan to start my own business.

Rahul.

Hey Guys !!
I ahve some queries about VISA and FInancial proof etc. Is there is forum where I can find all answers?
I have heard that Its better to show money in personal account. But is it okay to ask someone to put money in my account and generate statement..will they check that most of the money has been credited in last one month...Or shud i just submit a certificate and not send the actual bank statement...pls help

Sid

having large deposits in the past couple months may draw suspicion and attract too many questions.... you can ask friends and relatives for copies of their bank statements and a letter or affadavit from them stating that they are sponsoring your education for so and so amount.

Hey Guys !!
I ahve some queries about VISA and FInancial proof etc. Is there is forum where I can find all answers?
I have heard that Its better to show money in personal account. But is it okay to ask someone to put money in my account and generate statement..will they check that most of the money has been credited in last one month...Or shud i just submit a certificate and not send the actual bank statement...pls help

Sid

Barricuda... thanks for the link from the McCombs... I tried calling the GIAC but did not get a response.

Again, I also think that the 10+2+3 would not be THAT big a issue but would wait to hear back from the admission offices.

as Baccardi mentioned if you look closely at the admission criteria web pages of the some of the schools, they gove special mentions to the 3yr degree programs from India. Sometimes they are more specific about the BCom degree although I can remember at least one school misinterpreting it as the Bachelors in Communication degree from India :)

Edit - Could not find the school showing the communications error, but here is an example of a school being specific about the BCom from india program

World Class MBA Admissions Questions

hmmmm... i think I was slightly woozy when I posted the cost of MBA as a 2.75Cr ... my post was incorrect ...and I have edited my post (to show 0.75 Cr)

Again, I also think that the 10+2+3 would not be THAT big a issue but would wait to hear back from the admission offices.

Thanks BaccardiSprite and Rickyricks for your imputs.
H

Baccardisprite
I was hoping for some names (names of the colleges in US and UK) which (we may know for sure) admit the 10+2+3 grads.


I have another query added to the list ///does anyone know of someone who has been able to get into a US Top 20 MBA on the bases of an Indian 10+2+3 ??

I know a fellow admit (10+2+B.Com) to Darden who is also admitted to Duke, Michigan and Chicago this year. If you consider these colleges as top 20, I guess your question is answered.

Baccardisprite, yaar!! gyaan de diya!!! ...

I was hoping for some names (names of the colleges in US and UK) which (we may know for sure) admit the 10+2+3 grads. Yes, the quest to score the Business World rankings --and reviews then post a query to each admission office (8 done till now) is still on but have recieved no answers from the admission offices / registrar's offices. I have another query added to the list ///does anyone know of someone who has been able to get into a US Top 20 MBA on the bases of an Indian 10+2+3 ?? please also let me know weather the Cost of the MBA is closer to US$70k or US$150k.. the costing which has been worked out seems to be for 3 quarters (and the reference given is the academic year) and I am confused if this refers to the total cost of the MBA or the cost for just 1 year.
PS> the coming back to India was used more as a reference to convey that the course should have a brand value in the Indian market (eg Thunderbird is maybe not the best course for my friend whereas a UCLA Anderson might be )-- conceded, that the return back to India may not happen immediately post qual considering that the amount of the student load would be above a INR 2.75 Cr (or is it double this amount).-- but it is a cert in around 3 years post qual.

All the UK Schools (LBS, Ox, Cam, Cran etc..) will accept his degree, as long as it's from one of the major metro, named (like JNU) or state univs in the country. Afraid you'll have to be patient with the US schools adcomms. This is peak admission season, and such queries are generally less on their priorities. Scroll his thread + the "interviews & beyond" threads on various schools that have been opened.... I vaguely remember Wharton accepts the 3 yr Indian Bachelor's degree...

Closer to $150K - ($90K for 2 academic years in tuition + $60K living costs for 24 months). It converts to about INR 66L.... Your conversion is way off....

Baccardisprite
yaar!! gyaan de diya!!! ...

I was hoping for some names (names of the colleges in US and UK) which (we may know for sure) admit the 10+2+3 grads.

Yes, the quest to score the Business World rankings --and reviews then post a query to each admission office (8 done till now) is still on but have recieved no answers from the admission offices / registrar's offices.

I have another query added to the list ///does anyone know of someone who has been able to get into a US Top 20 MBA on the bases of an Indian 10+2+3 ??
please also let me know weather the Cost of the MBA is closer to US$70k or US$150k.. the costing which has been worked out seems to be for 3 quarters (and the reference given is the academic year) and I am confused if this refers to the total cost of the MBA or the cost for just 1 year.


H.

PS> the coming back to India was used more as a reference to convey that the course should have a brand value in the Indian market (eg Thunderbird is maybe not the best course for my friend whereas a UCLA Anderson might be )-- conceded, that the return back to India may not happen immediately post qual considering that the amount of the student load would be above a INR 0.75 Cr .-- but it is a cert in around 3 years post qual.

Some questions to all. at behest of a friend of mine.. someone who is a BA English (10+2+3) and is planning to take a GMAT this year and apply with the R1 for the next intake (colleges not shortlisted as yet). The Workex is around 7 years and there is no additional part time academic qualification. I was asked these questions but I am not too sure about the answers to I seek help here !!

1) regarding the years of education for a MBA in the US and UK ...I understand that some of the BSchools consider 10+2+3 years as the necessary academic qualification for an admission into a MBA level program while others recommend a 10+2+3+(masters degree) for a Indian student.

Q) are there provisions for a bridge program (pre MBA) conducted by the B school or the University for someone who manages to secure an admission??
Q) do the 7+ years (as of now) of workex make an impact, sufficient enough for the adcom to overlook the (just) 10+2+3 years of full time acads.
Q) as most of the schools use mutliple criteria (GMAT workex acads extra currics) -- how seriously is the absence of an Indian Masters Degree (enforced) if the performance across the spectrum is good.
Q) if all else fails, can someone help me locate B schools in Europe and US who seem like a good bet for my friends ( who wants to come back to India post MBA and would be taking a loan to finance the padhai)

Your friend needs to contact schools (US or UK) individually and ask each adcomm whether / not they would accept a 3 year education. UK schools invariably will, since their B.x degrees are generally also 3 years. Some US Schools already do, search around the forum and you might find those.

Q) Yes, they do run summer school where they offer courses in econ, accounting, maths and calculus. However, these are full-time courses and quite expensive - like a full sem.

Q & Q)Yes & Yes, if he/she has good experience and school accepts 3 year degree, should be fine as along all other parameters like GMAT, essays and references are good.

Q) If your friend wants to borrow to study abroad - wanting to return to India immediately after graduation is admirable but misguided. Indian salaries will take years to reach western levels. If he/she wants to continue working in India, then ISB or IIM-PGPX is the way to go.... unless he/she has a rich parent willing to support or pay the loan off once graduated.

Some questions to all. at behest of a friend of mine.. someone who is a BA English (10+2+3) and is planning to take a GMAT this year and apply with the R1 for the next intake (colleges not shortlisted as yet). The Workex is around 7 years and there is no additional part time academic qualification.

I was asked these questions but I am not too sure about the answers to I seek help here !!

1) regarding the years of education for a MBA in the US and UK ...I understand that some of the BSchools consider 10+2+3 years as the necessary academic qualification for an admission into a MBA level program while others recommend a 10+2+3+(masters degree) for a Indian student.

Q) are there provisions for a bridge program (pre MBA) conducted by the B school or the University for someone who manages to secure an admission??
Q) do the 7+ years (as of now) of workex make an impact, sufficient enough for the adcom to overlook the (just) 10+2+3 years of full time acads.
Q) as most of the schools use mutliple criteria (GMAT workex acads extra currics) -- how seriously is the absence of an Indian Masters Degree (enforced) if the performance across the spectrum is good.

Q) if all else fails, can someone help me locate B schools in Europe and US who seem like a good bet for my friends ( who wants to come back to India post MBA and would be taking a loan to finance the padhai)

Hi...

Thanks for the feedback...

Can any one suggest good ways to finance the international MBA.... Finance is definitely one of the main concern for any indian heading for International MBA

Thanks

Hi, Thank you friends for your kind input...
My thought process with regard to finalization will be based on the following points and thats why this is leding to confused state of mind
1. Choice of specialisation: -- Strategic consultancy / general management / Investment Analaysis in that priority
2. Choice of place of work: -- USA / UK / Canada in the preference. I dont plan to work in Europe for long time.
3. Expected salary Obviously the average salary from college is also one of the influences
4. ROI (Even though the cost of living is different in different places, but all of them comes to numbers nd that whats count)
My background is :-- Around 7.5 years experience in different sales and marketing functions.... there fore it becomes critical for me to shift from sales and marketing to above mentioned functions.... and then that becomes the critical point in selecting the institute... Please do revert with your views on the above subject. Thanks

"different" sales & marketing functions? .... Anyway for what its worth, don't choose your post MBA profession based on the salary!! Choose the field you are most passionate about. Worry about place of work / ROI later.

Hi .

Thank you friends for your kind input...

My thought process with regard to finalization will be based on the following points and thats why this is leding to confused state of mind

1. Choice of specialisation: -- Strategic consultancy / general management / Investment Analaysis in that priority
2. Choice of place of work: -- USA / UK / Canada in the preference. I dont plan to work in Europe for long time.
3. Expected salary Obviously the average salary from college is also one of the influences
4. ROI (Even though the cost of living is different in different places, but all of them comes to numbers nd that whats count)


My background is :-- Around 7.5 years experience in different sales and marketing functions.... there fore it becomes critical for me to shift from sales and marketing to above mentioned functions.... and then that becomes the critical point in selecting the institute...

Please do revert with your views on the above subject

Thanks

xcoolaryan Says

I am posting this query on behalf of my friend... He plans to pursue MBA in england ( not scotland), he will get adminssion this year in top-20 UK bschool, he got 3yrs of work-ex, he vl get one-yr full time work visa after completion of course but someone told him that chances of remaining and working in UK full tine after one year is rare, because UK companies dont prefer non-EU employee because of work permit problems......... can anyone put more information regarding this..... my friend got more tensed after recent news about Indian doctor facing departure order from UK....

Provided his qualification is good and he's young, i.e about 25-26 now, he should be eligible to apply to the UK's HSMP program. Secondly - if he's in a technology related field, his employer won't have a problem extending his work permit. Attached are the new HSMP rules. Ask your friend to read it and evaluate the opportuity to go to the UK.

Working in the UK - Information about the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme?

deepakantil Says

Hi Guys... Want your advice.. I am planning to specialise in Strategic consultancty / general management during my mba course... in that regard, I applied to some good colleges.. Post application, I have been offered position in RSM, IE and HEC... Now going forward, I am really confused on picking up the right institute which should be value for money, high ROI, Pay back period of loan amount should be low and last but not the least the assurance facor of landing strategic consultancy dream job post MBA... Need your personal inputs.... Thanks

I would like to correct myself (thanks to itsrahul for pointing it out). HEC is NOT on the UK Gov HSMP list for the MBA provision. IE and RSM are ON the current list. Please note the list is subject to periodic review.

These 3 schools are comparable in the opportunities they bring you. As all of these are on the UK Gov's HSMP list, you will be able to access the UK job market hurdle free. All of these attract the major tech & strat consulting firms to campus, so no worries there as well. Learning & knowing a local European language is a must. Depending on which country appeals to you more - enroll yourself immediately in a French or Spanish course (even if you're going to RSM) and become conversational in these languages. Then use dedicated classes in the MBA to improve your language skills. You will then be more recruitable in offices other than London (like a Madrid or Paris office of a BCG or McK).

Obviously you will need to slog hard to prepare for the consulting interviews (case & fit). I do know that HEC has a strong Consulting club with plenty of on-line resources to prepare from.