@Rakesh
you are just awesome. planning to study at this age and a good GMAT score..hats off to you mate !
:thumbsup:
@MBA Mission - sorry to barge in but i could not resist praising this amazing soul.
Dear Amit
Thanks for your encouragement. I only hope some good b-school will take me and that govt. experience is not a "kiss of death" !!
Wishes
rakesh
I totally agree ... gmat at 50 .. WOW ..... that's great .....
@Rakesh
you are just awesome. planning to study at this age and a good GMAT score..hats off to you mate !
:thumbsup:
@MBA Mission - sorry to barge in but i could not resist praising this amazing soul.
Kudos to Rakesh !:grab:!
!:grab:! You really are an inspiration to us... !!!
azeem
Hi Jeremy,
I will appreciate if you can resolve my query as well:
I have a 4 yr. exp. in the outsourcing industry.Currenty working as an Associate Project Manager in a small KPO.I have a Gmat score of 720(Q47,V41).Decent acads,decent community work(undocumented) with General Electric(GE)'s charitable wing and my neighbourhood.I have 2 issues:
-I quit my previous company last yr to prepare for CAT(entrance exam for IIMs) but didn't get thru...so almost 8 months of prep.went down the drain.However,I now have a good profile in my present company.Will this 8 month gap be a huge blot on my application?
-I got a low 4.0 in AWA.Can it affect my candidature? I am only applying to schools in the Asia-Pacific region.
Thanks,
Stigmatic
Thanks for your gentle prodding -- please see my next post...
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Wow Great Job, i have been following this thread closely. There were many unanwered posts. U replied back to everyone on single day. Thanks alot.
Coming to the ISB/ IIM A questions, wanted to know when wld it be possible for u to respond back
As requested, MBAMission's analysis of essay questions continues today with ISB. I will try to complete IIM shortly. Thank you for patience.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Next: Duke
Previously Posted: HBS, Chicago, Columbia, Haas, MIT, Darden, Tuck, Wharton, Stanford, LBS
ISB
1) What, in your opinion, makes you distinct from other applicants to ISB? How will that add value to other students and ISB? (300 words max)
This is a tremendous question for all candidates as it forces you to differentiate yourself from all others. You will notice the word "distinct" is used, but not the word "unique". This is an important nuance as it allows you to choose an angle that may be similar to others, but still requires you to prove that you have greater depth of experience or possess a more informed opinion in a certain area. For example, if you were to choose to write about international experiences, it would be imperative that your experiences clearly standout from thousands of others - that they be inordinate or unusual in nature. (A few years working abroad just won't do). Once you prove what makes you distinct, your work is not done. You will need to discuss how this will enable you to have an impact on your classmates; this aspect of the question will also have a secondary benefit in that it will enable you to show knowledge of the ISB program.
2)What are the three things about yourself that you would like to change? Why? (300 words max)
This question will likely be challenging for most, but the rewards will come if you are introspective and sincere. Weaknesses as strengths are clearly a mistake (i.e. "I try too hard," "I become too emotionally attached,") but true reflection and exploration of aspects of your personality that are not inconsistent with ISB's concept of a good leader ("I am lazy" is a bad choice) are needed. It is best not to just tell the adcom your weakness, but to explore and explain them (the "why" part of the question), preferably with examples, even in such a short space.
3)You are applying to your dream job after ISB. Please prepare a cover letter accompanying your CV. (300 words max)
It seems to me that this question is merely a hidden goal statement. You are essentially explaining your credentials to this phantom employer, a letter which covers your past qualifications and future endeavors. Of course, there is always room to sing the praises of your ISB MBA, but be careful to show knowledge of the program and not just laud the school and its ability to prepare you for this dream role. Ideally, you will be humble and let your strengths speak for themselves. You will have room for a very brief introduction, body (the bulk of your essay) and conclusion - every word will count.
4)You are part of a team which has been assigned a project with a tight deadline that is not extendible. One of the team members fails to deliver on the part of the project assigned to him at the fag end of the project despite his assurance. All the other members of the team have performed flawlessly and completed their parts. There is no way that the project can now be completed even if all the team members provide their utmost help. Appropriate punishment has now to be meted out by the management. The team member is willing to own up his shortcoming and shoulder the responsibility. Should all the team members share the responsibility for failure equally or should they allow that particular team member to get all the blame and punishment? Take a firm position on the issue and support your stand with relevant arguments. (300 words max)
Whether you choose to punish the individual or the team is not relevant; the committee is looking for a window into your thought process, trying to understand how you make decisions using your critical reasoning skills. Furthermore, the committee is interested in understanding how powerfully you can make an argument - how effectively you can persuade. Thus, as the question asks, it is essential that you "take a firm position" and back up your arguments via experience and/or ethical thought.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Next: Duke
Previously Posted: HBS, Chicago, Columbia, Haas, MIT, Darden, Tuck, Wharton, Stanford, LBS
ISB
1) What, in your opinion, makes you distinct from other applicants to ISB? How will that add value to other students and ISB? (300 words max)
This is a tremendous question for all candidates as it forces you to differentiate yourself from all others. You will notice the word "distinct" is used, but not the word "unique". This is an important nuance as it allows you to choose an angle that may be similar to others, but still requires you to prove that you have greater depth of experience or possess a more informed opinion in a certain area. For example, if you were to choose to write about international experiences, it would be imperative that your experiences clearly standout from thousands of others - that they be inordinate or unusual in nature. (A few years working abroad just won't do). Once you prove what makes you distinct, your work is not done. You will need to discuss how this will enable you to have an impact on your classmates; this aspect of the question will also have a secondary benefit in that it will enable you to show knowledge of the ISB program.
2)What are the three things about yourself that you would like to change? Why? (300 words max)
This question will likely be challenging for most, but the rewards will come if you are introspective and sincere. Weaknesses as strengths are clearly a mistake (i.e. "I try too hard," "I become too emotionally attached,") but true reflection and exploration of aspects of your personality that are not inconsistent with ISB's concept of a good leader ("I am lazy" is a bad choice) are needed. It is best not to just tell the adcom your weakness, but to explore and explain them (the "why" part of the question), preferably with examples, even in such a short space.
3)You are applying to your dream job after ISB. Please prepare a cover letter accompanying your CV. (300 words max)
It seems to me that this question is merely a hidden goal statement. You are essentially explaining your credentials to this phantom employer, a letter which covers your past qualifications and future endeavors. Of course, there is always room to sing the praises of your ISB MBA, but be careful to show knowledge of the program and not just laud the school and its ability to prepare you for this dream role. Ideally, you will be humble and let your strengths speak for themselves. You will have room for a very brief introduction, body (the bulk of your essay) and conclusion - every word will count.
4)You are part of a team which has been assigned a project with a tight deadline that is not extendible. One of the team members fails to deliver on the part of the project assigned to him at the fag end of the project despite his assurance. All the other members of the team have performed flawlessly and completed their parts. There is no way that the project can now be completed even if all the team members provide their utmost help. Appropriate punishment has now to be meted out by the management. The team member is willing to own up his shortcoming and shoulder the responsibility. Should all the team members share the responsibility for failure equally or should they allow that particular team member to get all the blame and punishment? Take a firm position on the issue and support your stand with relevant arguments. (300 words max)
Whether you choose to punish the individual or the team is not relevant; the committee is looking for a window into your thought process, trying to understand how you make decisions using your critical reasoning skills. Furthermore, the committee is interested in understanding how powerfully you can make an argument - how effectively you can persuade. Thus, as the question asks, it is essential that you "take a firm position" and back up your arguments via experience and/or ethical thought.
On behalf of MBAMission, I want to wish all of my friends throughout the Pagalguy community a happy Indian Independence Day.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
@Jeremy
Thanks for the Indepedence day wishes 😃 and for providing the analysis of ISB questions
Thanks for your inquiry. Most U.S. schools have first round deadlines in mid-October and second round deadlines in mid-January. All things being equal, you are better off applying in the first round, but the second round is not prohibitive. The third round, which concludes in mid-March, is a challenge for even the best of candidates.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype:MBAMission
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype:MBAMission
Hi Jeremy
Commerce grad with decent acads
currently pursuing master in business law(part time) will complete in june 2007
Have work ex of 26 months ,
I intend to start the program in 2007 hence please advice me the application procedures for top US bschools , but I have not taken GMAT
is it really possible to make it in fall(round 1) 2007 and what can be the deadlines for fall(round 1)2007 ,actually one of the coaching centers informed me that app deadline for majority of the schools is sep 2007(R1) ,If that is the case please advice me as to when I should actully start applying either for fall 2007 or fall 2008.
I am quite pleased to be available to Pagalguy members to answer any questions on the admissions process, from those as broad as What are my chances at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton? or How can I enhance my community and personal profile? to those as specific as How can I mitigate an F in calculus? or Is this response appropriate for Duke essay three?
My goal is to help create transparency and demystify the admissions process for those applying to North American and European MBA programs.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission
www.mbamission.com (new website coming soon)
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Throughout the last six admissions cycles, MBA Mission has worked with a small number of applicants from around the world, helping them gain coveted Letters of Acceptance to top-ranked U.S. and International Business Schools. We work closely with each candidate to identify unique attributes and experiences and then translate them into compelling and, most importantly, differentiated applications.
Thank you for your kind words.
I enjoy offering advice on this forum because of how appreciative people are and how much they valuable my time. I think that I have gotten more thank you notes on this forum in a few months than on all other forums combined, many of chich I have been a part of for years. It really makes it a pleasure to be involved. I only wish that I could clone myself so that I got back to many of you sooner.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype:MBAMission
I enjoy offering advice on this forum because of how appreciative people are and how much they valuable my time. I think that I have gotten more thank you notes on this forum in a few months than on all other forums combined, many of chich I have been a part of for years. It really makes it a pleasure to be involved. I only wish that I could clone myself so that I got back to many of you sooner.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype:MBAMission
Hello Jeremy,
Your posts on the MBA application essays are really informative and useful.
Cant thank you enough :)
I have decided to apply to 6 of the 7 schools i had mentioned earlier. I've moved LBS to R2. Currenlty working on the essays of these 6 schools. Hope to finish them in a months time. Will get in touch with you in case i need any clarifications.
thanks,
Iday
Thanks you for your inquiry.
There seems to be a problem with your characters or fonts. Please repost your message.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
[U][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#800080]www.mbamission.com[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/U]
646-485-8844
Skype:MBAMission
There seems to be a problem with your characters or fonts. Please repost your message.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
[U][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#800080]www.mbamission.com[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/U]
646-485-8844
Skype:MBAMission
HI JEREMY,
Thanks a lot for answering my queries. I will plan the things according to your advice.
I have some more quires regarding my present job:
As I have written in the last post, I am getting very Good experience in the field of Consultancy, but size of the firm is worrying me.
You have mentioned that the Firms size is going to matter but My Individual Contribution to the Firm is under consideration, but I have following doubts.
1. We have small office at Pune, India. Its not a very high profile office.
Will that affect when the B-school will do their Background Check?
2. Though I am getting a very good experience in the present Firm & Now we have good recognition after tie up with H. B. Maynard Co., USA, Still we have moderate revenues. Will this small size in terms of Revenues will adversely affect my application?
3. I have also heard that because of the small size Consultancy Firm, the Accountability & Credibility of the documents related to Firm is Questionable? [I.e. sometimes the Adcomm will question the authenticity of the documents provided related to firm]. This is really worrying me. Can you clarify something on this front?
4. Looking at my overall profile, do you believe that I have Good chance to get into First 15 B-schools in US?
5. If you were to reject me looking at my profile only [ I can portray very good picture in Essays, As I have more than sufficient time available (2 years) & I can write Essays with good Introspection ], What would be possible reasons?
6. I am doing Voluntary Work for the people affected from Flood at ITC, Bhadrachalam. (My Current assignment of Consultancy is here). But I am not associated with any particular organisation; I am just helping these people in packaging food and other things. But there is no proof or certificate of the contribution. In the Background check how this contribution will be checked? Will the B-school will believe on such contribution , Because say for example if Schools wants to check the accountability of the contribution, I do not think so they will find reference of such activities especially after 2 or 3 years in company where I would be working as a Consultant with 3 months Project Duration?
Sorry again for long post but these things really giving me sleepless nights. So pls deal with it.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks for your latest inquiry.
Again, the size of the office or the firm itself is not nearly as important as your experience itself. They are not going to check on your revenues how can they? A prospective business school is not hiring your consulting firm; they are hiring you. I have never heard of a business school questioning the validity of documents related to a firm the AdComs are not spies! You are extended a courtesy -- that you are innocent until proven guilty. The AdComs are not sniffing through your file looking for reasons to reject you; quite the contrary, they are looking for the standout aspects of your candidacy that will make them want to accept you.
I generally dont give personal advice, but you need to calm down a bit; you are going to drive yourself crazy with this intense skepticism as it pertains to the minutiae in your own candidacy.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission
[U][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#800080]www.mbamission.com[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/U]
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Again, the size of the office or the firm itself is not nearly as important as your experience itself. They are not going to check on your revenues how can they? A prospective business school is not hiring your consulting firm; they are hiring you. I have never heard of a business school questioning the validity of documents related to a firm the AdComs are not spies! You are extended a courtesy -- that you are innocent until proven guilty. The AdComs are not sniffing through your file looking for reasons to reject you; quite the contrary, they are looking for the standout aspects of your candidacy that will make them want to accept you.
I generally dont give personal advice, but you need to calm down a bit; you are going to drive yourself crazy with this intense skepticism as it pertains to the minutiae in your own candidacy.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission
[U][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#800080]www.mbamission.com[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/U]
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
HI JEREMY,
Thanks a lot for answering my queries. I will plan the things according to your advice.
I have some more quires regarding my present job:
As I have written in the last post, I am getting very Good experience in the field of Consultancy, but size of the firm is worrying me.
You have mentioned that the Firms size is going to matter but My Individual Contribution to the Firm is under consideration, but I have following doubts.
1. We have small office at Pune, India. Its not a very high profile office.
Will that affect when the B-school will do their Background Check?
2. Though I am getting a very good experience in the present Firm & Now we have good recognition after tie up with H. B. Maynard Co., USA, Still we have moderate revenues. Will this small size in terms of Revenues will adversely affect my application?
3. I have also heard that because of the small size Consultancy Firm, the Accountability & Credibility of the documents related to Firm is Questionable? [I.e. sometimes the Adcomm will question the authenticity of the documents provided related to firm]. This is really worrying me. Can you clarify something on this front?
4. Looking at my overall profile, do you believe that I have Good chance to get into First 15 B-schools in US?
5. If you were to reject me looking at my profile only [ I can portray very good picture in Essays, As I have more than sufficient time available (2 years) & I can write Essays with good Introspection ], What would be possible reasons?
6. I am doing Voluntary Work for the people affected from Flood at ITC, Bhadrachalam. (My Current assignment of Consultancy is here). But I am not associated with any particular organisation; I am just helping these people in packaging food and other things. But there is no proof or certificate of the contribution. In the Background check how this contribution will be checked? Will the B-school will believe on such contribution , Because say for example if Schools wants to check the accountability of the contribution, I do not think so they will find reference of such activities especially after 2 or 3 years in company where I would be working as a Consultant with 3 months Project Duration?
Sorry again for long post but these things really giving me sleepless nights. So pls deal with it.
Thanks in advance.
MBAMissions analysis of essay questions continues today with the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
MIT (Sloan)
MIT can be applauded for taking a straightforward approach to their essays. Each of the four essays are flexible enough that you can showcase your diverse talents/strengths and dimensions of your personality, but are still quite clear in their demands on you as an applicant.
Essay 1: Please tell us about a time when you had an impact on a person, group, or organization. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did (500 words or less).
In this essay, you will need to show a clear cause and effect relationship, between your actions and the resulting implication for others. A successful essay will show how you took specific steps to produce the desired results, focus on the results themselves and then, most importantly, add a reflective element, explaining the personal significance or learning, via the experience. This is a leadership essay and while it does not demand that you exemplify rousing Churchillian leadership, the goal is to show how you exercise your influence and bring about a new and better reality.
Essay 2: Please describe a time when your team had to arrive at a compromise. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did (500 words or less).
The committee is clearly interested in how you reason, negotiate and manage yourself amid pressure; you will notice that they are not asking you to discuss a time when you arrived at a compromise, but when you had to arrive at a compromise the important word being had. A well-written essay will likely show two competing sides, offer a decision that needed to be made and showcase how you acted in a diplomatic way to reach consensus and maximize the outcome. Again, the details of your actions are essential; the committee wants to get to know your personal style, so generalities will not do.
Essay 3: Please tell us a time when you advocated for a position. What alternatives did you consider? Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did (500 words or less).
There is a nuance between essays two and three. Essay two demands that you discuss how you created compromise amid a group, but essay three is more personal and seeks to understand how you evaluate your own thoughts on a position. While you do not need to eliminate external influences in your decision making process, the resolution of the position is entirely your own. Again, even though the end is yours to decide, it is important to show flexibility and open-mindedness along your path. A well written essay will not only show how you came to your own conclusions, but how you were effective in persuading others and gaining support for your point of view, possibly even showing how you ultimately won or lost support for your issue. As in all of these essays, a reflective element at the end or throughout is vital.
Essay 4: Please tell us a time when you put an idea into action. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did (500 words or less).
Some are bound to have trouble differentiating between this essay and essay one, above. In this case, the focal point is that you started something, created momentum and ensured that your initiative took hold. Whereas the first essay is seeking to understand the direct outcome of your actions, this essay could be a story about how you took initiative, got others involved and built something bigger than you could have achieved alone. This essay is not limited to such an idea and you can display singular leadership in this space as well, but it is important that whatever path you take, you show that you were the spark that lit the fuse.
Cover Letter
Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Please comment on your career goals and those factors which influenced you to pursue an MBA education at MIT Sloan. The cover letter provides a chance for you to discuss your passions, values, and interests. Through what you write we hope to discover whether you will thrive at MIT Sloan and how you will contribute to our diverse community. Address your cover letter to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.
MIT is gives you a mere 500 words to discuss career goals, factors that influenced you to pursue your MBA, passions, values and interests and explain how you will thrive and what you will contribute to the program. You will need to be judicious as you draft your letter to Mr. Garcia and ensure that you do not roam throughout, but cover these topics in a systematic and coherent manner. Because the demands of this letter are so extensive and because this is in an unusual cover letter style, you will need to write in a direct personal tone which makes a more acute point about your appropriateness for MIT and engages the reader.
A quick point about your introduction: for some reason candidates feel compelled to start cover letters with my name is X and I am applying to MIT This is a typical and boring introduction offering information that the school already possesses; by creating a different and compelling opening you will grab and hold the attention of an Admissions Officer who has read thousands of these essays.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
MIT (Sloan)
MIT can be applauded for taking a straightforward approach to their essays. Each of the four essays are flexible enough that you can showcase your diverse talents/strengths and dimensions of your personality, but are still quite clear in their demands on you as an applicant.
Essay 1: Please tell us about a time when you had an impact on a person, group, or organization. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did (500 words or less).
In this essay, you will need to show a clear cause and effect relationship, between your actions and the resulting implication for others. A successful essay will show how you took specific steps to produce the desired results, focus on the results themselves and then, most importantly, add a reflective element, explaining the personal significance or learning, via the experience. This is a leadership essay and while it does not demand that you exemplify rousing Churchillian leadership, the goal is to show how you exercise your influence and bring about a new and better reality.
Essay 2: Please describe a time when your team had to arrive at a compromise. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did (500 words or less).
The committee is clearly interested in how you reason, negotiate and manage yourself amid pressure; you will notice that they are not asking you to discuss a time when you arrived at a compromise, but when you had to arrive at a compromise the important word being had. A well-written essay will likely show two competing sides, offer a decision that needed to be made and showcase how you acted in a diplomatic way to reach consensus and maximize the outcome. Again, the details of your actions are essential; the committee wants to get to know your personal style, so generalities will not do.
Essay 3: Please tell us a time when you advocated for a position. What alternatives did you consider? Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did (500 words or less).
There is a nuance between essays two and three. Essay two demands that you discuss how you created compromise amid a group, but essay three is more personal and seeks to understand how you evaluate your own thoughts on a position. While you do not need to eliminate external influences in your decision making process, the resolution of the position is entirely your own. Again, even though the end is yours to decide, it is important to show flexibility and open-mindedness along your path. A well written essay will not only show how you came to your own conclusions, but how you were effective in persuading others and gaining support for your point of view, possibly even showing how you ultimately won or lost support for your issue. As in all of these essays, a reflective element at the end or throughout is vital.
Essay 4: Please tell us a time when you put an idea into action. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did (500 words or less).
Some are bound to have trouble differentiating between this essay and essay one, above. In this case, the focal point is that you started something, created momentum and ensured that your initiative took hold. Whereas the first essay is seeking to understand the direct outcome of your actions, this essay could be a story about how you took initiative, got others involved and built something bigger than you could have achieved alone. This essay is not limited to such an idea and you can display singular leadership in this space as well, but it is important that whatever path you take, you show that you were the spark that lit the fuse.
Cover Letter
Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Please comment on your career goals and those factors which influenced you to pursue an MBA education at MIT Sloan. The cover letter provides a chance for you to discuss your passions, values, and interests. Through what you write we hope to discover whether you will thrive at MIT Sloan and how you will contribute to our diverse community. Address your cover letter to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.
MIT is gives you a mere 500 words to discuss career goals, factors that influenced you to pursue your MBA, passions, values and interests and explain how you will thrive and what you will contribute to the program. You will need to be judicious as you draft your letter to Mr. Garcia and ensure that you do not roam throughout, but cover these topics in a systematic and coherent manner. Because the demands of this letter are so extensive and because this is in an unusual cover letter style, you will need to write in a direct personal tone which makes a more acute point about your appropriateness for MIT and engages the reader.
A quick point about your introduction: for some reason candidates feel compelled to start cover letters with my name is X and I am applying to MIT This is a typical and boring introduction offering information that the school already possesses; by creating a different and compelling opening you will grab and hold the attention of an Admissions Officer who has read thousands of these essays.
Hi Jeremy,
Thanks for the great service.
Just one thing, in the list of the names of Bschools for which you have posted your insight I found the name of MIT. However, I could not find out any post on MIT essays. Did you miss it by any chance or has that message been deleted? If possible could you please repost it?
I am planning to apply to MIT and your valuable inputs will surely give a wonderful platform to start with.
Once again thanks for the support.
-Soul
Thanks for your inquiry.
You seem to have excellent scores both GMAT and GPA and some interesting differentiators via your community service and passion for/success in choreography. Your work experience is a bit vague in your post, but if you can provide some interesting nuggets from this experience, I think that you can be competitive at CBS, Wharton and Chicago. Still, I would need to know a lot more about your work.
As for HBS and Stanford, what do you consider to be your wow factors?
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
You seem to have excellent scores both GMAT and GPA and some interesting differentiators via your community service and passion for/success in choreography. Your work experience is a bit vague in your post, but if you can provide some interesting nuggets from this experience, I think that you can be competitive at CBS, Wharton and Chicago. Still, I would need to know a lot more about your work.
As for HBS and Stanford, what do you consider to be your wow factors?
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Hi Jeremy,
I have recently given my GMAT, and am planning to apply to Harvard, Wharton, Kellogs, Stanford, Chicago GSB and Columbia. I would like to do an MBA in International Business or General Management.
I'll describe my profile below... could you please give me your honest opinion as to where I stand?
1. Education and GMAT score:
I graduated from Delhi University (pretty well known) and finished with 71.2%, 4th in my class.
After that I did a Masters in Computer Applications, from TIET Patiala (quite well known) CGPA 9.02/10, 5th in my class.
I scored 770 on the GMAT. I havent got my AWA scores yet.
2. Extra-curricular activities:
I was an active choreographer during my Masters. In fact, I was called the Choreo Queen :-). Doing those Choreographies taught me more about management and leadership than anything else. Having a vision, and inspiring 20 other people to believe in that vision solely on the basis of my own conviction (I had no authority over the others in the group!), and making the vision come alive on stage, supported only by a shoestring budget, taught me a lot. I learnt to make others believe in my vision, inspire them to work at it with no more promise at a reward than just the satisfaction of work well done. I learnt through trial and error the basics of delegation, and choosing whom to delegate to. The experience taught me to co-ordinate among people of different talents and temperaments, to listen to varied viewpoints, and to balance out conflicting views. I also learnt to grasp the technicalities choreographies are a confluence of many arts music, dance, lighting, stage coverage, costumes all come together to create a 10 minute extravaganza.
At my first job at CSC, I was the Chief Editor of the Internal magazine for the Life Group (all the Life Insurance Projects)Elixir
The purpose of this magazine was to create an informal platform for better interaction between teams. The idea was to get articles, anecdotes, jokes etc from everyone.. and attempt to break down cultural barriers through informal literature. I would write the editorial, scan the submitted articles, and shortlist the final ones, which would then go up for discussion in the editorial board meeting. Elixir not only helped me do something I love read, write and debate, which I had done in school and collegebut also taught me diplomacy. Many people on the Editorial Board were my seniors in rank at work, and I would have to be assertive without stepping on anyones sensibilities. I was also instrumental in getting the onsite team actively involved. Elixir started as an offshore magazine, but by the time I left CSC, it was popular onsite as well, with people actively reading and contributing to the magazine.
3. Profession:
I joined CSC India as a developer from campus as a Software Engineer. I was promoted to Senior Software Engineer in 2 years, but by this time I realized that technology was just the implementation. It was the business that drove the code, the business that took the decisions. I had Software Engineering papers in my Masters, but the full impact of Requirements Analysis hit me when I first started writing Tech Specs from Business Specs. I decided I no longer wanted to be a part of the implementation, but part of the team that took decisions. For that, I needed to gradually move into the Business side of things. I asked for a role shift from Tech to Business Analyst. However, policies at CSC prevented my manager from doing so.
I joined a smaller company, because they agreed to transition me. I trained under their QA head as a tester, and then was thrown into the water and asked to swim, when the company sent me as a BA when they were bidding for BA work on a project. I had no prior experience, but I knew I had an opportunity to prove myself, and follow my own path. In six months, after the trial period ended, we had a permanent contract for a BA. I was a Business Analyst! For the past year and a half, I have been working as a BA.
This is when I decided I needed an MBA. I knew how the technology worked, and how it meshed with the Business. Now I needed to get into the strategy making team, and an MBA seemed the perfect catapult.
4. Community Activities:
I think I can describe this as small in a macroscopic view, but with big impact on two lives. There is an orphanage near where I live, and two girls were due to give their 10th board exams (anyone in India knows that both the Board Exams are really important, since they are held at an India wide level similar to the SATs, I believe). They were scoring 40-50% when I first came to Saikripa. After 10 months of teaching them English and Science 2 hours a day, three days a week their scores went up to 70% in these two subjects. I also had them brushing up on their oratory skills, and building their confidence, because I insisted that they not only write out answers to the questions after each chapter, but also give mini presentations to describe what they had understood from it. To date, Mala and Aarti remain one of my biggest achievements.
So, what do you make of me????
Waiting anxiously for your reply
Keya
Kirti,
Thank you for your inquiry.
I cant say that I do not wish that your Oil experience came later, as there is an emphasis on your more recent experience. Still, if you can speak as a manager and implementer, as opposed to a tech person, you should be able to harness the previous oil experience as a segue to credibly presenting yourself as a differentiated candidate. The rest of your application looks good female, 720, 3.9 and strong community and extra-curricular activities. I think that you could be quite competitive at the schools of your choice. You will really need to make YOUR case for their school, which means that you will need to explain to them exactly how you will use their resources. You dont want to just explain that there resources are awesome which resources will you use and how will they relate to your career?
In terms of learning more about careers, you can check out vault.com. This is a very strong all purpose post-MBA career resource.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Thank you for your inquiry.
I cant say that I do not wish that your Oil experience came later, as there is an emphasis on your more recent experience. Still, if you can speak as a manager and implementer, as opposed to a tech person, you should be able to harness the previous oil experience as a segue to credibly presenting yourself as a differentiated candidate. The rest of your application looks good female, 720, 3.9 and strong community and extra-curricular activities. I think that you could be quite competitive at the schools of your choice. You will really need to make YOUR case for their school, which means that you will need to explain to them exactly how you will use their resources. You dont want to just explain that there resources are awesome which resources will you use and how will they relate to your career?
In terms of learning more about careers, you can check out vault.com. This is a very strong all purpose post-MBA career resource.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Hi Jeremy,
First of all let me congratulate you on your sincere efforts to assist us in our endeavour to gain Value Education.I am sure there is no other panel as pertinent and as helpful as this one, for all those who r framing their applications these days. All credits to you 😃
I am an Indian/Female/26+ years.I am planning to apply for fall 2007 to Chicago
GSB,ROSS,Yale and Krannert(Purdue University) .My brief profile is as follows:-
a.Work Ex:Total w.e of 5+ years in Oil Industry(Marketing of Oil ).Worked for 2.5 years in Operations .Headed the Sales and Distribution team and Control Room operations of a Plant(Effectively Lead a workforce of 25 ppl) .This was equivalent to managing 90% of the operations of a Marketing Oil Depot/Plant.There are lot of stories in this tenure that if narrated well in essays will highlight my managerial ability well. While, I was continuing this role, our Corporation planned to implement ERP and migrate from our legacy software to SAP.Because of my functional expertise and sound analytical skills ,I was pulled from Operations to the Corporate Office to design ERP model for our company. This new team had all senior and most efficient officers of our company .I have been associated with the ERP team since then and together we customised SAP for our company and implemented SAP at more than 325 locations in India.
b.GMAT :720
c.GPA:3.9
d.Qualification:B.tech(Electrical)
e.Honors and Achivements:Topped the university and school(Xth).Merit Scholarships at School and college level (infact got scholarships all through my education).
f.Community Service:I am a very active member of an NGO which aims at bringing World peace and happiness with its ideals based on a buddhist philosophy.We hold exhibitions,dialogues at different forums, exchange programmes with international students on various issues.I hold leadership positions here as well.I am practising its ideals/philospophy for the past five years.Dedicate 8/10 hours every week.All in all, its the axis of my life,and most integral part of me.
g.Extra curricular:Writing poems and have written many for College Magazines and the NGO i just wrote about.Participation in quizzes, skits at school , college level.Organized no. of cultural events at College and organization level.
I need to ask a few questions :-
Is it a drawback that I have a varied experience starting from operations and ending into IT.Will my profile be viewed as that of an IT professional or will be it be viewed in a different light??
I am struggling with Which MBA part of my applications. I have inclination towards Finance and IT consulting (two extremely different streams??: ), but I am not too clear on this.What shall I do/read to gain clarity on this aspect.
Also,I know it boils down to the fact that I need to write a compelling story to sell myself, but I just need to know how do you view my chances of getting through top 15 US B schools.
Shall be eagerly waiting for your reply.
~Kirti.
??: ), but I am not too clear on this.What shall I do/read to gain clarity on this aspect.
I apologize for the delay. I do my best to get to everyone as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Hi jeremy,
Pls find some time to reply to my post . These things ( wriiten in post ) are really haunting me!
Pls read the second post as there is some font problem with the first. So i posted it again.
Thanks!
Thanks for your inquiry.
It is very difficult to differentiate if you are an Indian in IT regardless of the path you choose, whether you are in the U.S., India or even Japan. Still, I would not discount this path on the basis of personal brand equity. Which position will allow for a steeper career trajectory? Which will give you more responsibility and staff you on more important projects? Which one will allow you to have the greatest professional and personal wins? B-schools dont want to see a particular profile; they want to see excellence. Where could you truly thrive and show excellence?
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
It is very difficult to differentiate if you are an Indian in IT regardless of the path you choose, whether you are in the U.S., India or even Japan. Still, I would not discount this path on the basis of personal brand equity. Which position will allow for a steeper career trajectory? Which will give you more responsibility and staff you on more important projects? Which one will allow you to have the greatest professional and personal wins? B-schools dont want to see a particular profile; they want to see excellence. Where could you truly thrive and show excellence?
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Hi Jermey,
Great to have some one like you guiding aspirants like us.
I will start by writing something about myself.
1. BE in Electronics from a not so good college.
2. GPA: 3.5
3. GMAT: 690
4. Work Ex: Worked in top Indian software firms since the last 5 years. Been working on leadership assignments since the last 3 years.
Actually I had tried getting into some good B school this year. Without any help and any knowledge and an average GMAT (690) I got no calls.
After doing some analysis I realized that there is much that needs to be done before I can actually make it to a good B school. According to me some areas that I have identified for myself are.
1. GMAT Score: though 690 is an okay score, if I am applying to some top schools I need a score in the range of 750 plus.
2. Community involvement: honestly speaking none, so I have to work on that.
3. Work Ex: nothing extra ordinary as sought after by the Ivy Leagues.
4. International Exposure: I do have some onsite exposure of 6 months in Japan. But I guess that is not enough.
5. Not a very good college from where I did my Engineering. I guess there is not much I can do to overcome this limitation.
For all the areas mentioned above I have plans to improve upon and for some I am totally clueless. In an effort in doing the same I am facing a dilemma with respect to the career path that I should take which would help me stand out from the crowd.
Actually I have two offers at hand right now. One designation is that of an Executive Assistant to MD. This role is completely different from the job that I have been doing till now. I would be the assistant to my MD and would like run the show on his behalf. My job would be to do analysis, make presentations, attend conferences, attend sales meetings, event management etc. All in all it would be all that managers typically do.
The second offer that I have is from another good Indian software firm. My role would be to work as a project leader but in an international setting (Japan). I might get promoted to the level of a manager very soon and would continue working there.
Irrespective of what path I take I later plan to move to US and then apply while working in US. Now there are a couple of doubts that I had.
a. What job offer should I take Executive Assistant or the Project Leader.
b. Does being in US have a positive impact when I am applying to B Schools in the US.
With Regards,
Nitin
Just an FYI to the community, this post has not gone unanswered. Because of the uniqueness of his situation, Rakesh and I have had a dialogue going via email.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Hi Jeremy,
I became a member of this forum recently and came across your posts. What you are doing is tremendous! You must be flooded with queries but still take time out to answer. Thanks a ton in advance.
I will appreciate some advice from you re B-school selection in US. I am based in India. My profile is unusual. I am 50 plus (yes, you heard it right!) but still kicking well. Science background. Excellent accads and value addition courses. Over 25 yrs experience in government in fairly senior positions, including diplomatic assignments in 3 countries for 9 yrs. I am currently head of a department providing auxiliary services in a state. Still active academically. I just completed a one-yr professional diploma in HRD with CGPA 3.92. My GMAT (Dec 2005) is 720 (V-44, Q-45, AWA -5.5). I am keen to acquire an MBA from a good insititution, and get some real experience in corporate world. I don't know whether a career shift is at all possible at this stage. But I feel I have enough steam left in me and can apply my skills in a different work environment succesfully.
The EMBA programmes of US schools are not suitable since US is not my country of residence. SO I need a full-time programme. Your comments please. Is it worthwhile to apply at all?
Best wishes
Rakesh
Thanks for your inquiry.
The eight months will raise questions; the AdComs will definitely want to know what you did with that time. The 4.0 in AWA should not be a factor. Lots of candidates with 4.0s get into top schools.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
The eight months will raise questions; the AdComs will definitely want to know what you did with that time. The 4.0 in AWA should not be a factor. Lots of candidates with 4.0s get into top schools.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission
www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission
Hi Jeremy,
I will appreciate if you can resolve my query as well:
I have a 4 yr. exp. in the outsourcing industry.Currenty working as an Associate Project Manager in a small KPO.I have a Gmat score of 720(Q47,V41).Decent acads,decent community work(undocumented) with General Electric(GE)'s charitable wing and my neighbourhood.I have 2 issues:
-I quit my previous company last yr to prepare for CAT(entrance exam for IIMs) but didn't get thru...so almost 8 months of prep.went down the drain.However,I now have a good profile in my present company.Will this 8 month gap be a huge blot on my application?
-I got a low 4.0 in AWA.Can it affect my candidature? I am only applying to schools in the Asia-Pacific region.
Thanks,
Stigmatic