Startup Leadership Program (SLP) - I'm coming :-)

Today morning was awesome with an acceptance mail from SLP waiting to welcome me. An acceptance after a long time truly made my day :-) I didn't tell many close friends about this so will call now and surprise them. Looking forward to meet some of the amazing people and learning some of the amazing lessons!

Smiling!

A

Startup Leadership Program (SLP)

Yesterday night while researching about Kellogg, I happened to land on a Kellogg current student, Shobhit Chugh's blog, and get to know about this Startup Leadership Program. It's quite impressive, so thought to share it with you. Note: This is not a part of Kellogg. If you have any views on this program, please share.

View more presentations from Anupendra Sharma.

Schools shortlisting: 1 year program v/s 2 years program

Today, I have formally started short listing the schools and the very first question that stands is 1 year program v/s 2 years program. But before pondering over the factors to answer this question, I want to stop for a second and ask: “How important is this question for me?”

I’ve already completed 6 years of my IT experience and when I’ll enter any school, next year hopefully, I’d complete 7. So, as far as my research goes, 7 years of total experience is not so high to lower my chances into US 2 years programs and is not so low to lower my chances into European 1 year programs. In that sense, my chances are equally favourable in both of these programs. For a person who has just 2-3 years of experience or who has more than 10 years of experience, this question might not be as important, because the former knows he/she has relatively brighter chances in 2 years program and relatively lower in 1 year, and vice-versa for the latter. For instance, my friend who has 3 years of experience is not even thinking about 1 year program.

Thus, this question is very important for me. And just to mention, it is also very important for my mom, who is quite worried about my marriage ;-).

There are a few factors (not comprehensive) which I can’t ignore to consider.

Favouring 2 years programs:

1. Without any background in consulting, I need a solid base to make a transition from IT to consulting. Apart from experiential learning through team projects, this solid base would come from internship project in a consulting firm, which I could avail only in 2 years programs with a very few exceptions in 1 year programs such as INSEAD.

2. In 1 year program, I should have razor sharp future goals, as it doesn’t give me any space to rethink or reframe my career plans after getting into the school. In 2 years program, I could have that option, if I realise any change for better.

3. 2 years would give me a little breathing space. 1 year would be no doubt academically rigor.

4. I could make a strong network base with students and alumni in 2 years; 1 year would just pass in a splash.

5. After discussing with current students, friends, and experts, I have this feeling that the transformational education I could avail better in US than anywhere else.

Favouring 1 year programs:

6. If I’m very sure of making a transition specifically to IT consulting, my solid IT background would favour me, and in that case a 1 year programs could also provide the needed solid base.

7. I'll miss on just 1 year income, and will be back to work earning in just a year after 1 year program.

8. 1 year programs are relatively lower fee structures than 2 years with a few exceptions.

9. I’ll be 31 when I’ll come out of 2 years of program; a big concern for my mom.

Given these factors both suits me in their ways. Just going by my heart, I’m more tilted for 2 years program in US, but would target only the top tier ones. So, I’m planning to apply to both 2 years and 1 year programs which clearly fit my goals, and where I strongly fit. I hope this would maximise my chances.

One female just got dinged from Ross and got selected in INSEAD. Means, many people shortlist both programs, not only I. Do you think differently?

The next question is “how many schools in Round 1?”

Keep researching. This is the time to maximise it.

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

Mistakes made, lessons learnt

As I think now about the past few months of my MBA app process, everything boils down to two things:

1. Quality time for apps: I took GMAT in mid-november 2009, and was left with only a lil more than ten days to complete ISB R2 app and a lil more than a month to shortlist and complete other five bschools app. I rushed and I rushed really hard to complete all my apps in time just with a grace of not days but hours and a few by minutes. I gave no essays more than 3 days to draft, review, re-review, and finalise. But I still I managed to get inteview calls from ISB R2, Ross R2, Tepper R2, and waitlist from latter two.

It is very important to give ample amount of quality time for apps most importantly essays. Essays are not just essays, they are E-S-S-A-Y-S. Every letter matters. After all, its all about how well you tell your story :)

2. Community outreach: I never initiated, may be because of less time, efforts to outreach community (students and alums) of the schools I applied. This will not only fill the community section in your app (which remained empty in all my apps), but also importantly help you understand the better and bigger picture about the school, your career goals, and how school fits in your goals, a picture which would always be blur by hopping just a website.

Always make efforts to connect to as many students, alums, and most importantly, newly admitted students in your local area- you could try meeting them face to face.

If I remember anything else, I'll update it in my coming posts.

Cheers,

A