How to improve your chance of getting into a business school?

As everyone of you might know, there are two stages of getting accepted into a business school. Your written application in which you need to market yourself and your interview in which you need to sell yourself. Improve on these two and you improve your chance of getting accepted. Simple?

Improving written application: A business school written application has many pieces, some of which you can improve and others you can't. Ideally, to stand qualified and competitive for a top-notch business school, all the pieces should be up to the par, which couldn't be possible for many. So the idea to improve your overall chance is to improve your best on the pieces you can improve to compensate on those which are below average and couldn't be improved. Below listed are the written application pieces:

1. GMAT: Try to score good i.e. 720+. This might compensate for the low GPA.

2. Resume: A good one page Resume could create a lasting impression. Jump to my earlier post to know about resume building in detail.

3. Essays: Your stories are the most important and could set you apart. They must be compelling but at the same time easy to comprehend.

4. LORs (Recommendations): This is also a very important piece and depends on how well you select your recommenders. Your recommenders must know you well and could back up your stories.

5. Professional Growth in both title and responsibilities: The companies you have worked with and the growth curve both in the title and responsibilities are very important. Remember, schools are looking for the leaders both in professional and personal life. Secondly, how many from your company have made into good business schools makes a difference. Means if you are working in company X where 1 of every 10 gets into a business school, improves your chances quite a bit.

6. Extra Curricular and community work: You can't improve much on these except you are planning to apply after a year or two and have enough time to work on these. But don't join just for the sake of the mentioning it your application. Be very serious about it, else they will make out in the interview.

7. University and GPA: Where are you graduated from? If it is a renowned university like IIT and is heard by the admission committee makes a difference. You can't improve these but could compensate.

Improving your interview: Interview is the final but the toughest part of the admission game from your side. No matter how perfectly who have marketed yourself in your written application, but if you can't sell it in the interview, they won't buy you.

You are at the interview stage means admissions committee likes your application and is interested in knowing more about you. Mostly a business school interview goes for 30 to 60 minutes and this is the time where you need to back up your written pieces, most importantly your essays and professional responsibilities, in a very smart and impressive manner, and this requires your soft skills, improving those is not easy and demand a lot of time. Below listed are a few ways:

1. Keep your responses short, succinct and to the point.

2. Rehearse your responses before the interview. You could record your responses for the basic interview questions (like why MBA?) and improve by listening and practicing them time and again. You could also practice in front of a mirror to get more confidence.

3. Take mock interviews with your friends and ask them for the honest feedback.

4. Take mock interview with the experts. There feedback is worth the money.

5. If you have enough time and not good enough communication skills, join a communication course / class and improve your communication skills to the best you could.

Hope this helps improving your chance of being accepted into a business school.

Best!

A

Fruitful were my last few weeks!

Hello there,

I have a BIG smile on my face :-)) writing this post and have many reasons to back it. And to share with you these reasons in brief is the main purpose of this post.

Few of you, my readers, mailed me to check on me and asked me why off late I am not posting anything.  This is the first and foremost reason of my smile making me believe that I have got some really serious readers following and I promise them and you to post more often.

A few people have approached me for guest posts and even paid advertising which signifies the popularity of my blog and the thought itself becomes one more reason.

Last few weeks I was working with 3 guys as a MBA application mentor and just completed applications with them under my initiative mentioned in my earlier post. I worked with these three for the first time and helped each with just one school application. We all have worked really hard and the increasing satisfaction in their tone with every revised version of an essay kept making me more confident and thrilled. One of them even wants to post a testimonial on my blog as a guest post, making me elated. Desperately, waiting for their interview invites now.

One of the weakness I had always felt in my resume was no international exposure. This weakness no more exists in my updated resume as from last 2 months I am working out of US and hopefully be here for many months to come.

And last but most important reason of my BIG smile is that I am getting married this December to the love of my life. Her name is Isha and we both are madly in love :)

Thanks all for this :-))

A

An Interview with Accepted.com

Accepted.com has recently interviewed me and featured the same on their portal. Here's the link - http://blog.accepted.com/acceptedcom_blog/2011/8/26/mba-applicant-bloggers-interview-with-a-of-mistakes-lessons.html

A

Accepted.com wants to interview me!

Today I got a mail from Sarah Pritzker of Accepted.com that they've been following my blog and are enjoying reading about my experience as an MBA applicant. They want me to share my story with them in an interview that they'll then feature on Accepted.com blog.

This mail gave me a very good feeling along with a humble feeling I am having everyday talking to a few new applicants who are interested in my consultation.

Jump to my last post to check out my MBA consultation help offerings.

A

Interview Questions: Rotterdam School of Management

Yesterday evening, I had my interview with an AdCom of Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). This interview was over Skype because I was not able to attend the interview held previous week when she was in Bangalore (due to some personal reasons).

The interview started at 8:30 PM IST and went over for about 35 minutes. She decided to switch off her cam, because of dim lights in room. I was on cam.

This interview was a little different from my earlier ones in respect of some very new questions. Here they go (not in the exact order they were asked):

1. I have read your essays. I want to know why you chose this year to apply for MBA? Do you think it is a perfect time for MBA for you?

2. You have mentioned your career goal in your essays. Could you explain in detail about it? What exactly is your plan, which is your targeted companies, etc.?

3. I see that you have served in one of the companies for just 4 months? Why you left it so early? Do you think you could have waited for some more time there?

4. Tell me something about the NGO you are associated with and your responsibilities there?

5. If I say, that you are taking this interview for RSM, then what is that one key thing you would be looking in the applicant?

6. How are the key things that influences Indian businessmen or entrepreneurs in doing business?

7. How your friends describe you in 3 words?

8. What will you bring to the RSM community?

9. What is that one thing you are very passionate about at this point in your life?

10. What are the things that really daunts you when you think of coming to RSM?

11. Do you think you are a leader? Why you think that? What kind of leader are you?

12. What kind of leadership skills you want to improve upon in RSM?

13. What changes you see in yourself after doing MBA from RSM?

14. If career is not a factor, do you want to get settled in Netherlands or back in your country?

15. In one of your essays, you have mentioned about a very harrowing event of your life? What is the biggest learning you took from it? Could that event happen again in your life?

16. Why you chose this career in Information Technology? What drives you about your job?

17. If I say tomorrrow is your holiday, how would you like to spent your entire day?

These are more or less all the questions she asked. I will get to know the result next week. I am not yet selected in any school, and if this time I got selected, I will be in soup. I won't be able to leave the school nor I would love to have my honeymoon in there ;)

But still I hope to taste that soup!

A

Updates on my journey so far...

I am coming to my own blog after so long. It's a mixed feeling. I am feeling sad that why I didn't blog for so long. I think because my updates are negative, I was hiding from them and from my readers, like a child hiding from his parents after getting flunked. At the same time I am feeling good that, even though a little late, I am back to my blog and writing with a smile on my face. I have had always smiled while writing a post on this blog...somehow I loved this blog and my journey with it. And I deeply apologize to my readers, if they have visited this space with expectations of a new post or my updates.

I have lot of updates on my MBA journey and off-MBA life. Let me start with MBA:

1.      You must have guessed by now that I am not selected in any school. Even though I have a 740 score and a quite decent profile, somehow somewhere I lacked miserably. Even my MBA mentors not able to judge the reasons behind.

a.      One reason could be that I applied only to top-notch schools. ISB R1 (ding post interview), Ross R1 (waitlist post interview), Kellogg R1 (waitlist post interview), Richard Ivey R2 (interview), Harvard R2 (ding w/o interview), Stanford R2 (ding w/o interview), MIT Sloan R2 (ding post interview) and finally, Rotterdam.

b.     Other reasons could be my non-IIT college, IT background and zero international exposure.

c.     Another reason could be just above-average communication skills, which is not enough to compete; I feel so and will work upon it very seriously.

2.     Important: I feel it’s necessary to mention here that I took the services from Kaneisha Grayson of The art of applying and found them totally waste of money. I am in MBA admission process for last two years now (unfortunately though), have worked with many people in this industry, and very well understand the difference between good, bad and worse service providers. And Kaneisha Grayson’s services fall, according to me and my experience, in the last category. I would strongly discourage you to take her services. I will soon write a detailed post about my horrible experience with her. Disclaimer: These are solely my personal views based on my own experience.

3.     My Rotterdam is interview is scheduled for tomorrow and even if I get selected in this last school for this year, I might not be able to attend the school in January 2012. The reason for this I mentioned in my point 5.

4.     Important: After scoring 740 GMAT, having two years of experience in resume preparation and essay writing, working with so many amazing, good and not-so-good mentors, and interacting with many alumnus, students and applicants, I have gained a real good insight about GMAT preparation, and essay writing and reviewing. If you have noticed, I have received the interview invites from almost all the schools. This itself explains the quality of my submitted Resume and Essays. Owing to this knowledge, I consulted two of my friends, in their Resume and essays for Ross and Darden. Both of them had received the interview invites. If you need any help or reference, drop me an email.

5.     I am getting married soon with the love of my life and I am very elated because of this one reason. At least life is on progress for good, if not MBA then MarriageJ.

6.    This doesn’t mean my MBA dream is dead. I am very much planning to re-apply with full enthusiasm and stronger profile in 2012. My love will support me for my MBA, she promised. But that time only to one-year schools. I am grown old for two-years now, and practically won’t be able afford them.

7.      I am getting an opportunity to work in US for a few months. This would give me much needed international exposure and could shine in my resume. I am very much looking forward to it. Also for my honeymoon ;)

8.      I am also planning to join toastmaster to nurture and master communication skills. Hope this would help.

9.      Last but not the least, I have a passion for writing fictions and sketching portraits, which I had never shared on this blog. Follow me on my personal blog and let me know how much you like my work. I will wait for your comments there!

Seems like a lengthy enough mail to compensate my absence!

Never let yourself down by failures, God must be weaving something more pleasant for you!

Love…Cheers!

A

An evening with Richard Ivey

She was waiting for me, standing tall next to the pillar, with folded hands and crossed legs, as I entered the Taj lobby. I was 15 minutes before the scheduled time and she was free, so we decided to sit at the pool side. It was a pleasant evening wheather of Bangalore with no drizzling thankfully. Some wedding preperations were going on there and we started with a light conversation about Indian weddings and how they are like grand parties and she told she wants to attend one. And then, the interview began.

It was not a blind one and she was well informed about my application, but it was quite standard with a few spontaneous questions. She was easy going and so was the interview.

Walk me through your resume briefly.

Why MBA?

Where do you see yourself just after MBA? Exactly what role you think you would be playing?

What do you see in a MBA school?

Any leadership or team work experience.

Any challenging situation in team. How you handled? What you learned?

What concerns career team in Richard Ivey could have with your placement and how they could address them?

What's your long term goal? Any specific company in mind for long term?

Any constructive criticism from the manager.

Why we should take you?

Any questions for me?

And the pool side meeting was over in half an hour with hand shakes, smiles, a light conversation about her India visit, and a final hand shake.

Was it a date? Will be revealed on Dec 17 ;-)

A

Some fun, lost rhythm, and the wait...

Though a little late, I wish all my readers a very prosperous Diwali and a successful Year ahead. Wish we all get into the schools of our choice.

Aha! Last ten days were real fun with my cousin’s wedding and Diwali celebrations. In amidst of chit-chatting with cousins I met after long, dancing on every single song, relishing the variety sweets, drinking Bacardi with dad, licking my fingers on mom’s delicious food, and playing cards with family till 2 am, I managed to write stories for first two essays of HBS and get them reviewed by my reviewer.

I am back from home but will confess that the rhythm of writing stories every night is lost somewhere. Yesterday, one of my closest friends made me realize that the time is running faster than I, and I don’t have a single minute to waste provided I have 5 US schools and I safe UK school in my list for round 2, and I have one more cousin’s wedding coming up in last week of this month. So from today, I am going to regain my lost rhythm with more focus and efforts.

I personally feel one more reason for this lost rhythm – the anxious butterflies inside and outside me waiting for ISB result - though I keep saying to myself and everyone that nothing going to happen there as these results are so relative. These butterflies remind me of one more news to share – interview invite from Richard Ivey on 19th – face to face with manager of admissions in Bangalore. If anyone has Richard Ivey interview experience, please do share.

My next post would be only after ISB result – all the best to all who are awaiting the result!

A

ISB interview done, what's next

Ahh, I'm done with ISB interview again last Sunday and it was all together a different experience than last time, in terms of both staying in Hyderabad and the Interview. Let me rewind a bit...

Last year it was fun and easy, as I had my awesome friend in Hyderabad living 5 minute from ISB, and he had a car, you know ;) He picked me from railway station, breakfast was ready at his home, and I had a feeling of refreshment after seeing him after long. My interview was in the morning next day and I had a whole day to roam, revise, and relax. He dropped me to ISB, and gave me moral support. I was the only one without a formal jacket; felt a little awkward but was quite confident. Post interview went out with him and his wife, and had lots of masti. Interview experience was alright. The very first question, tell a story, made me nervous, which they asked only after I provoked them saying I love writing, but overall it was pretty cool  and went for around 30-35 minutes. I was too confident and happy post interview, but that happiness didn't last long, as you know!

This year it was hard, as I get down to a alien station of Kacheguda, ran to catch a local MMTS train to reach Hafizpet, get an auto to reach my hotel after he took me to two wrong hotels, and had breakfast alone. The interview was on the same day in evening and I was tired of the whole night journey, with cockroaches playing on my face even in third tier AC. After sleeping for 2 hours, I got my formal jacket ironed, revised some points, and left for the interview. This time I was in jacket like all others but was not that confident. This time the interview was quite different. It went for just 15 minute with 2 guys and a lady in the panel. One of the guys was all in mood to grill me asking so many cross questions all related to why this career and why mba, with a no smile face. Then I broke the ice when the other guy asked me to show some salsa steps and I asked the lady, mam will you dance with me ;) Everyone laughed, though I didn't dance. Then they all got engrossed in listening my personal story I mentioned in an essay, and before I knew, they said we are done. Don't know what to make out of it. Que sera sera, as one of my friend rightly said.

I'm not keeping any hope, so I am all set to start for round 2 apps. Thinking of HBS, Stanford, MIT, Kellogg, and Ross. Also, keeping Cranfield and Manchester in the list. But looking at few disturbing factors and festive events lined up in next 2 months, I might have to cut short my list.

Anyways going home tommorow for my cousin's wedding and Diwali celebrations,
Its a Refreshing feeling!
A

Interview calls update

I'll keep it short and sweet...

2 days back, I came from my office, tired, to see a rejection mail from Cambridge. Quite fast and shocking. Didn't know why I got dinged in round 1; to find the reason I logged onto a few forums like pagalguy and guess what many Indian aspirants were shocked like me. Don't know what has happened.

Many of my friends have received ISB interview calls, and I was hearing that today is the last day to receive a ISB call for people located out of Bangalore. I have lost all hopes, in fact I think i was not hoping, and suddenly my cell beeped at 7 PM...yeah, you guessed it right :) So have to prepare for interview now...5 days to go....

All the best...to me ;)

A

Cambridge Judge business school - submitted

Just submitted my Cambridge Judge business school after multiple reviews and spell-checks with few friends and myself. The Cambridge announces the interview decisions in November first week and result in just 2-3 days post interview. I was just talking to my friend today in London that if I get an interview call, I might fly to Cambridge for the one day exclusive school visit plus interview. So, the fingers are crossed as usual and a little tighter this time ;-)

A few updates:

1. ISB interview calls are floating in pagalguy forum but I'm still checking my inbox for the same.

2. Planning to submit Richard-Ivey in two days.

3. Post which I could concentrate completely on Kellogg.

Time to sleep!

A

Feedback interview - Tepper, Carnegie Mellon

Last night Laurie Stewart of Tepper called me for feedback interview. It was a scheduled interview but I wondered why my interviewer, Linwood Harris, didn't give me feedback. The duration of interview was not mentioned in the mail but it went for just 13 minutes, and seemed more like a formality. But seems feedback interviews happen this way only, in which they tell you everything but tell you nothing!

She started thanking me for applying to Tepper and asked whether I'm considering Tepper MBA again. Then she emphasised on listed four points:

* It was a very competitive pool this year, and it is too tough to point out strengths and weaknesses of an applicant in this kind of pool.

* My GMAT is fine and no need to retake it.

* Continuity to work on your leadership and give examples like contribution, problem solving, difference you make in company and so on.

* Apply preferably in later rounds like in round 2 or 3 - This one was a little strange to me. When I asked why she said to have more time to improve my profile.

To my surprise, without even asking me for any questions, she was about to hang up wishing me all the best with reapplication when I said "I had a few of questions to ask, may I?" 

 

1. What are the strengths and weaknesses in my application? - As, I told you in the starting that it was very competitive pool this year, and it is too tough to point out strengths and weaknesses. But yes your strong GMAT and work experience is definitely your strength and you should build on them. Show more work on your leadership and give examples.

2. Did my story make sense to you or do I have to work on it? – Yes, as I read your story, it was convincing. That’s why you were in waitlist, which means you are qualified for the school. 

3. Would Tepper consider my old application with my new one? If my career goals have become clearer now and thus would change a bit from the last time, how would Tepper consider them? – You have the option to submit complete new application or just additional essay telling your accomplishments since last time you applied. Yes, Tepper do have access to your previous file. And, if your career goal has changed, you must acknowledge the same it in your new essay.

4. Did my 740 GMAT score make up for my GPA enough, and if not, by how much do I need to compensate for that in other areas, and how? – Don't retake GMAT as it is very strong, plus you have good professional experience. GPA still matters but not to that extent as it would for a applicant with less years of experience. Additional course is not recommended from my side but it is completely your choice.

5. Do you get a huge number of applications from (software) engineers from India? If yes, by how much am I succeeding to stand out?

6. What do you recommend that I work on from now until the application submission in order to maximize my chances for admission?

It was 13 minutes over, and she said she had to leave and couldn't continue any further, and my last 2 questions remained unanswered.

Nonetheless, it's better than nothing!
A

My views on Informational interviews - A smart way of outreaching community

Though I didn’t get a chance to conduct any informational interviews in my last application year, but I did a lot during my waitlist period, and to my amazement they really helped me a lot.

So as the MBA fresh season begins, starting the MBA application process with informational interviews would be a good idea. The only key is to craft them in a smart way. Here I would like to put in some points from my experiences:

1. Why Informational interviews: In simple words, it is just outreaching smart people in smart way to become a little smarter. Informational interviews would take you beyond the school’s website, and make you well informed about the insights and perspectives of those people who have already been through what you are planning. It would clear your doubts and give you a better picture of your goals and that school.

2. What first – Short listing schools or conducting Informational interviews: I believe you could start with one or two schools which clearly fit with your goals, research them from the website or other available sources, and conduct informational interviews for them. This would give you a head start. During those interviews with currents student or alumnis, you could manage to gather data points about other schools which could fit your goals and interests. In that way you would keep progessing.

3. Whom to interview:

a. Current students or schools’ ambassadors
b. Schools Alumni. (Great, it you could find some alumni from your company or university)
c. Faculty – If you are razor sharp in your goals and that faculty’s subject, else it might give a wrong impression.
d. Entering students – This is a good idea at this point in time, as you might get a chance to meet them face to face in your city and it would be more informal. They might not be best to know the inside of a school, but they might devote more time, might tell you about their mistakes and learning, and might provide you fresh perspectives on how to approach application process of that particular school. So just invite them for a coffee!

Below are some useful articles, which could help you prepare your set of interview questions:
    

Crafting an Effective Informational Interview Request
Conducting an Impressive Informational Interview
Sample Questions for Informational Interviews (focused more on career)

All the best and please comment your experiences.

Happy interviewing,

A