Now that I have to take my decision, I thought of listing down factors to consider to make decision when there are offers from more than one school and course.
There are two parts to this - school and the course and they both go hand in hand.
First step is to prioritize what is more important of the following and decide accordingly
1. Career aspirations - Do you want to work or go for further education
2. Methodology - More handson or more theory
3. Region of work - where do you want to work
4. Region of comfort - where do you have more friends, place familiarity etc
5. Food habits - availability of particular food choices specially if you're vegetarian
6. Social life - Do you want more community involvement or are happier on your own
7. Party life - Do you like to go out in the evening a lot
8. Commute - Are you okay with walking or have to take a bus or need a car
9. Reputation of the university
10. Reputation of School
11. Reputation of course
12. Peer group - Too many people or too less
13. Accommodation preferences - Do you want a hostel or are ok looking for something by yourself
These are just some I was able to think now... There can be lot specially if you have a family. Btw, most of the b schools have spouse community which has a lot more fun. If your spouse is working or if you have kids of school going age well u got to think a lot more.
An easy way to shortlist schools is to begin with your main focus. If it's finances then look for tuition, cost of living, scholarships available etc. If it's job security then region, ranking and placement data is important. If location then you know how to begin and so you begin with first cut.
Next comes your chances - typically everyone will say aim for 1-2 top ends, 3-4 wit fairly good chances and 1-2 sure shots. The problem is u never know where things go wrong or where they might click. In my case my sure shots dint work out either and i know of mor such stories. I also k ow people who were discouraged from applying to a school cuz it was out of his league and he made it through quite easily. My take on this is you know what you want, listen to your heart and then use some brains to self analyze your capability. When on doubt - outsource!
Let me go back to the shortlisting of school and course. There are times we are lost in the glamor of going to a top ten or twenty ranked b-school that we either not make it or fight it out at each stage - loans, school work, peer pressure, job hunt and then loan payback. You may sometimes find a lesser known school with great faculty n placements n less expensive too smwhere in lower ranks.
Similarly in glamor of MBA you might forget that all you care for is to get into a particular organization or field of work n miss out on looking at other courses that can take u same place. Like cfa for finance professionals, crm courses, ms courses on project management, SPHR for HR professionals. I'm sure there is a lot more out there in the market that we're not very familiar with.
My big tip on selecting school - know what you want to do, your studying is means to get somewhre MBA should not be the end goal!
Ohhh n also don't be a conformist, do wht u feel is right for u... Good luck!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
NYU MS in HR
Last evening when i least expected i got an email from NYU that my results are now available for my application. And it was a positive...
I think i missed mentioning about my LSE and NYU apps in detail on this blog. Well these were two courses i applied to out of my interest in a course in Org Dev.
I could never be sure on which I preferred but I did expect to get through them. So i now have both results in hand and both positive. This is a good place to be in.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I think i missed mentioning about my LSE and NYU apps in detail on this blog. Well these were two courses i applied to out of my interest in a course in Org Dev.
I could never be sure on which I preferred but I did expect to get through them. So i now have both results in hand and both positive. This is a good place to be in.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:,Hyderabad,India
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Post admission - preparing for the move
In the next few posts I'll write about my preparation to move - Visa, Loans, Travels, Connecting with alum, Summer job, Part time work options, Driving License, Accom etc.
The first thing that hit me is that I won't be earning for an year. Trust me the impact of this is much higher when you come closer to jumping in, nothing can prepare you for this feeling. The impact is worse if you have been working for long! Suddenly the entire life will change from earning and living lavishly to studying. Moreover, my course is lot more academic which is a huge transition considering last I went to school was 10 years back and that too I did not do much subjective work.
I always thought I would quit my job a few months earlier, travel India and then move out. The entire perspective is now shifted to working till last minute, take 20 days before travel to pack and shift to my hometown, spend time with my parents and then head out.
The first step is to make a list of things to do -
* Visa - Applications have to go 3 months before date of travel so I have to wait till July
* Loans - Doesn't look complicated as I don't have to fund a two year MBA at a big B-School. (For those considering going to B schools, think this over very carefully)
* Driving License - haven't even started to find out how this works
* Accommodation - Connected with seniors and applied for school halls (they look good)
* Travel tickets - haven't decided the date, planning to block tickets already
* Part time work options - no clue yet!
* Alumni connections - already started on this, they are very helpful
* Sell my stuff - I have loads of things I'll have to sell before I shift including about 200 books! Will have to hold this till I get my visa and then go through the last month selling mania
* Meet people - family and friends I want to meet before I travel
The first thing that hit me is that I won't be earning for an year. Trust me the impact of this is much higher when you come closer to jumping in, nothing can prepare you for this feeling. The impact is worse if you have been working for long! Suddenly the entire life will change from earning and living lavishly to studying. Moreover, my course is lot more academic which is a huge transition considering last I went to school was 10 years back and that too I did not do much subjective work.
I always thought I would quit my job a few months earlier, travel India and then move out. The entire perspective is now shifted to working till last minute, take 20 days before travel to pack and shift to my hometown, spend time with my parents and then head out.
The first step is to make a list of things to do -
* Visa - Applications have to go 3 months before date of travel so I have to wait till July
* Loans - Doesn't look complicated as I don't have to fund a two year MBA at a big B-School. (For those considering going to B schools, think this over very carefully)
* Driving License - haven't even started to find out how this works
* Accommodation - Connected with seniors and applied for school halls (they look good)
* Travel tickets - haven't decided the date, planning to block tickets already
* Part time work options - no clue yet!
* Alumni connections - already started on this, they are very helpful
* Sell my stuff - I have loads of things I'll have to sell before I shift including about 200 books! Will have to hold this till I get my visa and then go through the last month selling mania
* Meet people - family and friends I want to meet before I travel
Sunday, May 8, 2011
London School of Economics
7 weeks after submitting application, 3 days of super intuitive anxiety... An emil in the mailbox on the busiest day at work late in the eve... 5 minutes before an extremely important meeting. the first thot another reject and then before clicking... I need to be positive and the first line... "i'm pleased to inform you..."
LSE it is... Masters in organization and social psychology. Still time before i decide whether i hit this or pursue the more sought after MBA greens. But for now i know i have what i need.
Like i mentioned in my earlier blogs, MBA is not the end its only a means for me to get where i want to. If its not my top choice of London Business School, well... London it still is!
Will write more on what i consider to decide and what my final decision will be.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
LSE it is... Masters in organization and social psychology. Still time before i decide whether i hit this or pursue the more sought after MBA greens. But for now i know i have what i need.
Like i mentioned in my earlier blogs, MBA is not the end its only a means for me to get where i want to. If its not my top choice of London Business School, well... London it still is!
Will write more on what i consider to decide and what my final decision will be.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Hyderabad,India
Thursday, May 5, 2011
TOEFL results and after reject plans
So I took TOEFL finally. I can't comment on how to prepare for it because I never prepared. I registered 6 weeks in advance and couldn't prepare. 5 days before the date I thought of rescheduling but couldn't due to internet issues. And the rescheduling does not happen 2 days before the test. So I decided to jump in. In two days all I did was to look at question patterns, go through some online resources and went for my test. And to top it all I went for speaking test with bad throat.
After the plush GMAT center TOEFL test was a huge disappointment. My story of TOEFL center isn't as bad as many I have read online. People there were courteous, we got a locker. During the speaking section everyone around is audible and gets the same questions. I was able to hear what others were replying.
Well for as bad a prep as I had I got a 102 which is good enough for me to apply to courses that I want to. I would not be able to give tips as I did not really put in effort.
Now also comes time to start looking at what am I doing this year.
First step - Request feedback from schools from last year
Second step - Relook at feedback from people who reviewed my essays and applications
Third step - Re evaluate goals and aspirations
Fourth step - Do I still want to do an MBA?
Fifth step - School selection
Sixth step - Hunt for recommenders and start socializing with them... second most dreaded one
Seventh step - Apply! the most dreaded one for me
My checklist
First step done
Second step - in process
Third step - this is easy cuz my aspirations remain
Fourth step - hmmm... this is a tough one cuz I have made tremendous progress at work and that changes well not everything but a lot! Do I still need an MBA - I do need some form of higher education. I'm lost on options out there in the market. Also age plays a role as I'm growing older.
So its time now for self exploration reflection! more as I decide my path...
After the plush GMAT center TOEFL test was a huge disappointment. My story of TOEFL center isn't as bad as many I have read online. People there were courteous, we got a locker. During the speaking section everyone around is audible and gets the same questions. I was able to hear what others were replying.
Well for as bad a prep as I had I got a 102 which is good enough for me to apply to courses that I want to. I would not be able to give tips as I did not really put in effort.
Now also comes time to start looking at what am I doing this year.
First step - Request feedback from schools from last year
Second step - Relook at feedback from people who reviewed my essays and applications
Third step - Re evaluate goals and aspirations
Fourth step - Do I still want to do an MBA?
Fifth step - School selection
Sixth step - Hunt for recommenders and start socializing with them... second most dreaded one
Seventh step - Apply! the most dreaded one for me
My checklist
First step done
Second step - in process
Third step - this is easy cuz my aspirations remain
Fourth step - hmmm... this is a tough one cuz I have made tremendous progress at work and that changes well not everything but a lot! Do I still need an MBA - I do need some form of higher education. I'm lost on options out there in the market. Also age plays a role as I'm growing older.
So its time now for self exploration reflection! more as I decide my path...
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Dealing with Rejections
I have already written about it, thought of expanding a little more on this. Its never easy to deal with rejections. When others know you're applying, there are eyes on you. Some are hopeful and more confident than you are - you should've applied to better school, Wharton Booth Kellogg are better options. Some are waiting for you to fail - She can't get through, let her touch reality in some time. Others - She would've never made it to these schools, remember how she was in school this was so out of reach for her; She has no skills (analytical, comm, etc etc)wasn't deserving enough; If she can get through this school then I can get through Harvard and Wharton with all the scholarship I want.
Other things that run through mind are answering your recommenders, specially if you asked for too many from same person. Answering bosses when you put your promotion at stake and kept telling your boss that I'm only staying until I get R1 results - R2 and so on.
Then comes the money factor. At the beginning of application it is GMAT and Application fee for 2 schools. This grows to 5 schools, then TOEFL, then mail costs of sending transcripts, transcript evaluation, essay review, consultant fee etc etc. This varies from person to person. In my case it has extended only to TOEFL. No plans to use consultant yet.
The first step is that if you researched and prepared well, you would know that MBA is not I have to get through this year or its gone. MBA is not the plan, its a means to achieve a plan. If that plan is as short as 2-3 years, then well look at your plan B.
I have heard many people say I have to go for MBA this year, I will complete it by the time I turn 26, work for two years, get married by the time I'm 28 and then first baby by 30. Or the story is I got married last year, will do MBA by the time I turn 29 and then first baby by 30. Or I have a child who is two years old, will do my MBA by the time he/she is 3-4 and then need to think of his/her school, savings etc etc.
There are many such stories I've heard. In fact one such story was why I let of Asian Institute of Management in 2007. I'll never know how that would've turned out for me, I do know that I will never regret not trying for other schools even if I failed at most of them.
If you don't get admmitted in the first year of application, first off, don't lose heart. Second, take a short break to rejuvenate. Spend time with family, go travel, get pampered, sit at home and get drunk. Whatever it may be take a break from regular MBA plans and preps. This break can last anything between a week to a month or two.
Now ask some more questions -
- Why did you apply for MBA in the first place
- What is your long term goal
- What is your short term goal
- What are your essentials for the schools you go to (gmat, age, placements, location etc)
- What is changing this year for you (at work, extracurriculars, personal life etc)
- Do you still need MBA
If you still want to do MBA then you should now get into analysing your apps -
- If you have feedback from schools, take a look at that
- Look at your essays
- Who recommended you and do you know what they wrote (specially weakness, are you working on it already)
- Who reviewed your application
- Did you spend sufficient time on your applications and with recommenders
- Who can recommend you next year, have you built more bonds with people
- Which schools you thought are good but never got around applying to them
There are more questions that will offset from the above. Write them down, even if its in a word or two so that you can refer back.
Now -
- Evaluate if you need to retake GMAT (this is the easiest to do)
- Do you want to reapply to some schools
- Do you want to explore other programs besides MBA
- Which schools and which round do you want to apply to
- Do you want to use any previous recommenders
- Restart the application process
Now these are the starting points. I'm sure you'll find many articles on reapplications. To me MBA was just a means and my goals haven't changed. As I explore options, I will post if there are some I feel might be helpful to others.
Other things that run through mind are answering your recommenders, specially if you asked for too many from same person. Answering bosses when you put your promotion at stake and kept telling your boss that I'm only staying until I get R1 results - R2 and so on.
Then comes the money factor. At the beginning of application it is GMAT and Application fee for 2 schools. This grows to 5 schools, then TOEFL, then mail costs of sending transcripts, transcript evaluation, essay review, consultant fee etc etc. This varies from person to person. In my case it has extended only to TOEFL. No plans to use consultant yet.
The first step is that if you researched and prepared well, you would know that MBA is not I have to get through this year or its gone. MBA is not the plan, its a means to achieve a plan. If that plan is as short as 2-3 years, then well look at your plan B.
I have heard many people say I have to go for MBA this year, I will complete it by the time I turn 26, work for two years, get married by the time I'm 28 and then first baby by 30. Or the story is I got married last year, will do MBA by the time I turn 29 and then first baby by 30. Or I have a child who is two years old, will do my MBA by the time he/she is 3-4 and then need to think of his/her school, savings etc etc.
There are many such stories I've heard. In fact one such story was why I let of Asian Institute of Management in 2007. I'll never know how that would've turned out for me, I do know that I will never regret not trying for other schools even if I failed at most of them.
If you don't get admmitted in the first year of application, first off, don't lose heart. Second, take a short break to rejuvenate. Spend time with family, go travel, get pampered, sit at home and get drunk. Whatever it may be take a break from regular MBA plans and preps. This break can last anything between a week to a month or two.
Now ask some more questions -
- Why did you apply for MBA in the first place
- What is your long term goal
- What is your short term goal
- What are your essentials for the schools you go to (gmat, age, placements, location etc)
- What is changing this year for you (at work, extracurriculars, personal life etc)
- Do you still need MBA
If you still want to do MBA then you should now get into analysing your apps -
- If you have feedback from schools, take a look at that
- Look at your essays
- Who recommended you and do you know what they wrote (specially weakness, are you working on it already)
- Who reviewed your application
- Did you spend sufficient time on your applications and with recommenders
- Who can recommend you next year, have you built more bonds with people
- Which schools you thought are good but never got around applying to them
There are more questions that will offset from the above. Write them down, even if its in a word or two so that you can refer back.
Now -
- Evaluate if you need to retake GMAT (this is the easiest to do)
- Do you want to reapply to some schools
- Do you want to explore other programs besides MBA
- Which schools and which round do you want to apply to
- Do you want to use any previous recommenders
- Restart the application process
Now these are the starting points. I'm sure you'll find many articles on reapplications. To me MBA was just a means and my goals haven't changed. As I explore options, I will post if there are some I feel might be helpful to others.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
ISB doesn't want me
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
From my fav poetry well it is fav poetry of I guess half the Indians. So I lost ISB... To be honest as much as I whine n crib I did think I'll make it to ISB. Funnily this was my safe school at the same time I was never big on it.
It may be easy for some to say well if ur heart wasn't in it then may be that showed. Well it did not, I just suck at being expressive about myself which means essays interviews take a lot out of me.
But today I'm not analyzing what went wrong at ISB, I want to talk about how to handle failures.
I'm not the only one out there. First off anything requires a backup plan. The better your backup plan, the safer you are and quicker you recover. When I said in ISB interview that I have back up plan... Well I do. Its good to be confident but it is equally essential to stay grounded. I've heard counter arguements to my theory that if u begin with thinking I might fail then chances of failure increase. The point here is to begin with success in mind and still keep in mind the what if sky falls... Impossible itself says its possible.
As important the backup planning is, it has to be achievable and yet something that will make u happy. My applications started with schools I yearn for and I've had back schools at every stage and no I'm not giving up, not just yet.
Even with the realistic school planning, I have looked at other courses that I can go for besides MBA. All said and done MBA to me is means to achieve something. So yes I have looked at other easier to get into courses which won't pay me so well but will also cost me a fifth of what an MBA would. And yes I have even thot of situation where I don't go for full time studying or studying at all.
The other thing while applying for MBA is that some of us leave everything else. Remember this is only a part of your regular life not the only thing you do for 6 or 8 months. After spending time with extra focus on MBA apps, I have now started applying for jobs, because if not MBA I do need shift in work I do. I have also taken additional responsibilities at work, and am glad my boss didn't hold them from me. I also built trust with him that even if its ISB and I have to go, i will ensure my work is stabilized before I leave.
All said and done its never easy to deal with failures and when it's continued for quite a few months. I had ppl ask me 2-3 times when I said I dint get ISB. Yes it did make me feel worse but now when I think it sounds like ppl believe I deserve it. If I deserve to be at ISB then well there are other competitive schools.
Aomfirat I blabbered about back plans n MBA as means to something. Now let me blabber on what I did to cope with the huge setback.
First, I had a hunch ISB will be negative since two days before the result were due - my intuition isn't all that bad. I kept wishing n willing it to be positive.
When I did see it's negative, I came home n got into bed at 8. I dint want to talk to anyone so informed ppl of result over text msg n asked them to not call. Then I went on overdose of chocolate for two days. It did help a bit.
Next day there was too much work in office and I cudnt bail out. Unfortunately my work is all ppl interaction. It weirdly worked to help me, nothing gives a better kick to a trainer than to see ppl find benefits from my work. And I did a fairly okay job with my trg program. In t eve I knew I needed vodka and some break. Bryan adams came to my rescue. Went to a friends place to listen to Bryan adams concert with vodka n munchies n random conversations. He stays near the concert venue so we sat in his balcony and stayed away from the mad crowd. Late nite dinner back home. Took a day off to rest and ease my head.
Redefined my backup plans. Emailed previous school for feedback. Emailed all my friends who have and can help me plan next steps and scheduled phone time with them.
Thats what is surviving me thru yet another failure... A rather unexpected one. Do I feel okay yet, not completely but I can manage thru anything and will be fine in a few days.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
From my fav poetry well it is fav poetry of I guess half the Indians. So I lost ISB... To be honest as much as I whine n crib I did think I'll make it to ISB. Funnily this was my safe school at the same time I was never big on it.
It may be easy for some to say well if ur heart wasn't in it then may be that showed. Well it did not, I just suck at being expressive about myself which means essays interviews take a lot out of me.
But today I'm not analyzing what went wrong at ISB, I want to talk about how to handle failures.
I'm not the only one out there. First off anything requires a backup plan. The better your backup plan, the safer you are and quicker you recover. When I said in ISB interview that I have back up plan... Well I do. Its good to be confident but it is equally essential to stay grounded. I've heard counter arguements to my theory that if u begin with thinking I might fail then chances of failure increase. The point here is to begin with success in mind and still keep in mind the what if sky falls... Impossible itself says its possible.
As important the backup planning is, it has to be achievable and yet something that will make u happy. My applications started with schools I yearn for and I've had back schools at every stage and no I'm not giving up, not just yet.
Even with the realistic school planning, I have looked at other courses that I can go for besides MBA. All said and done MBA to me is means to achieve something. So yes I have looked at other easier to get into courses which won't pay me so well but will also cost me a fifth of what an MBA would. And yes I have even thot of situation where I don't go for full time studying or studying at all.
The other thing while applying for MBA is that some of us leave everything else. Remember this is only a part of your regular life not the only thing you do for 6 or 8 months. After spending time with extra focus on MBA apps, I have now started applying for jobs, because if not MBA I do need shift in work I do. I have also taken additional responsibilities at work, and am glad my boss didn't hold them from me. I also built trust with him that even if its ISB and I have to go, i will ensure my work is stabilized before I leave.
All said and done its never easy to deal with failures and when it's continued for quite a few months. I had ppl ask me 2-3 times when I said I dint get ISB. Yes it did make me feel worse but now when I think it sounds like ppl believe I deserve it. If I deserve to be at ISB then well there are other competitive schools.
Aomfirat I blabbered about back plans n MBA as means to something. Now let me blabber on what I did to cope with the huge setback.
First, I had a hunch ISB will be negative since two days before the result were due - my intuition isn't all that bad. I kept wishing n willing it to be positive.
When I did see it's negative, I came home n got into bed at 8. I dint want to talk to anyone so informed ppl of result over text msg n asked them to not call. Then I went on overdose of chocolate for two days. It did help a bit.
Next day there was too much work in office and I cudnt bail out. Unfortunately my work is all ppl interaction. It weirdly worked to help me, nothing gives a better kick to a trainer than to see ppl find benefits from my work. And I did a fairly okay job with my trg program. In t eve I knew I needed vodka and some break. Bryan adams came to my rescue. Went to a friends place to listen to Bryan adams concert with vodka n munchies n random conversations. He stays near the concert venue so we sat in his balcony and stayed away from the mad crowd. Late nite dinner back home. Took a day off to rest and ease my head.
Redefined my backup plans. Emailed previous school for feedback. Emailed all my friends who have and can help me plan next steps and scheduled phone time with them.
Thats what is surviving me thru yet another failure... A rather unexpected one. Do I feel okay yet, not completely but I can manage thru anything and will be fine in a few days.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:KPHB Rd,Hyderabad,India
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)