B-Schooling Queries

 

GMAT yada yada

 

Hi Simba, How are you doing? Getting ready to go to Duke? What’s the progress on the Visa? Btw I did write to ask you something. I just learnt frommba.comsite that you have to specify the 5 schools that you are applying to at the test centre, otherwise you'll have to pay for it!

I just wanted to ask you if we could do that after we saw our score or do we need to do that before the test. Also i just started preparing couple of weeks back and wanted to know if couple of months preparation is sufficient, considering an hour of daily prep and 3-4hrs on the weekend. thanks and lot and best of Luck with your MBA. Cheers.

Thanks Anand, I am doing pretty good!! :-) Visa still is some time off.. am working on my documentation still!! Thats the sad part Anand, u have to name the schools u need to send the scores to before the exam starts. So, u basically, apply for a couple of safe schools & couple of long-shot schools... & keep ur fingers crossed!! If u are good at cracking the CAT, then GMAT quant will be easy where as Verbal will be way too difficult & u may need to spend loads of time on that!! I think it is advisable u finish ur GMAt by Aug so that even if u need to retake, u can take it before R2 around Nov or so!!! :-) Cheers.

Congratulations. Could  you please help me in writing my admission essay? Thank you.

Hmmm, How can I help u?? U need to write them and I am no authority in editing them!! :-)

of course I don't want you to write it for me, I want you just to give me some advice. Hmm.. looking at my busy days, I am scared to get committed! But ya, send them.. i will take a peek... can't promise much though!! :-)

Hi Simba, Wassup? When are you leaving for ya school? Do you still work for Reliance? I wanted some advise frm you. I'm writing GMAT this year 'coz I've the bandwidth to prepare (which I wont have next year) and I'd been planning to app sometime in next 4-5 years. Of late, I'd been toying with the idea of app-ing this year @ ISB (with 2 years of work-ex ). So, I thought, I'll talk to you. Would you please tell me/ give me pointers abt your experience - especially as a woman candidate?

Hey D, Nice to hear from you!! I am leaving to school on Aug 2 or 3rd. My last date with RIL is July 1st!! Take up the GMAT if u have the time & energy.. but if u do so.. its better to apply within the next 2 yrs or so as after that GMAT score 'might be' considered old!!! Yup, go ahed with apping & get into ISB. No doubts its an awesome school!! :-)

My work experience is around 6 yrs mostly in the Telecom Hardware domain - am into wireless & optical equipments... my current responsibilities in RIL was overseeing the network expansion. ISB, like many schools have a soft edge for women.. they need to balance the ratio!! So, am sure u can make it easily.. just put up a fantastic application with a good GMAT score!! :-) Anythingelse... ping me..

Hi Simba, I understand that 640 is a low score but is score the be all and end all of things. Now that you are in US you would be a better judge of how much they value a score. I am just attaching my profile for you to have a look.

I think as Indians we make a big thing out of a score because we have grown up in an environment where marks is everything in life but as far as I have talked to US ppl, they seem to treat it differently. I have some good acads and strong research work in my undergraduate and would you think that a one day blip on a sentence correction shows how good or bad someone's english is. I am looking at a mix of schools in the top 20. Where do you think I can make it. Now that I am a part of NASEOH, have heard a lot about you from rohit and puneet. Your comments do matter.

Hmmm... I had a score of 640. But I made it. Yes, scores are not everything but I am sure that though I got waitlisted at Wharton, I was finally rejected becoz of the score! So, that is the difference.. I agree with everything u have said about we Indians & scores... I didnt believe in any of it & hence I went ahead with my plans. Now, I am here :-)

That was my belief.. I was wondering if it might be a problem as u have less work experience.. u are competing with people around 4-15 yr of experience.. but I see that u have a great 'experience'... The CV also speaks a lot about ur calibre! Just go ahead & apply!! We will cross our fingers... :-)

Hi Simba, Thanks for your encouraging words. I had mailed some profs in Stern but got a very strange response from them, saying practically I cannot get through stern with this work ex and score. It was strange coming from them bcos I believe in what I wrote in my previous email but then I think there are 2 kinds of people, some will understand what I am trying to portray and some will have fixed ideas.

Where do you think, I would stand a chance. I am just attaching a list of schools where I am planning to apply. Can I make it to Duke or Haas, if not then is Cornell, CMU, Rochester, UIUC, USC worth going too... Or would it be the case of IIT and the rest like it is in India.

Can I even make it to some big school in top 5 like Chicago, Kellogg, Wharton. Have lots of question in store... Maybe I will pester you for a long time :-) Regards.

With less time in hand, cant answer much!! But nobody can predict ur chances anywhere. So, take 2 top/ 2 bottom & 1 BIG - Wharton or Kellogg!!

Hi Simba, Any idea about University of Rochester - Simon and University of Southern California - Marshall. Are they good b schools ? Also, after that reply from Stern's academic director, Should I still apply to it or drop it ?

No idea about the first two!! And Stern.. if u wanna go there, go take a chance!! U dont have much to lose except 200 bux :-)

How are UCLA - Anderson, Cornell- Johnson and Carnegie Mellon - Tepper. Just these last questions. Hope to see your reply soon.

LOL, they all must be good! I didnt look at any one of them!!

As you were last year. My story goes like last year I was admitted to Georgetown and waitlisted at Yale. However couldn’t go to Georgetown because the loans never came through, after months of running around the Indian banks. One weakness in my application were a low GMAT score - 660. So to overcome that I again took it this year (last week) and damn the same score - ditto . Though improved on the verbal score at the expense of quant.

I am applying to 3 schools including Duke. Would like your advise - should I address the weak/multiple GMAT thing in the optional essays . Should I take it head on. Should I end my application on this 'factor-that-will-lead-me-down' tone? Ofcourse without being faffy about it, how does one address the weakness. Thanks for your time.

Yes, address the weakness head on. Dont make damn excuses. Just say, why things went bad & what u learnt from them & how u believe that this bad score is not detrimental of ur performance in DUke if u get admitted. Reason it out like a logical person & they would understand! Good Luck!

Hey simba, Was going through your blog the other day. I did find some of the stuff pretty interesting. Been reading up ur posts on pg as well for quite some time now. So you could assume that I am pretty aware of your existence.

Coming straight to the point - I find myself in a quandry and would do with some advice from your end. I have done my graduation from IIt Roorkee and am currently employed with TCS for the last 19 months. I did give CAT but didnt get calls, was terribly shattered. The only saving grace being the fact that I applied to ISB which shortlisted me for the interview. Had a pretty decent one, I am pitching for a career in sports management and did manage to get those guys to listen my point of view. The problem stats with me having to take GMAT and crack 680 before March 10th. Till 2 weeks back I didnt know * shit about it and the situation hasnt changed much presently.

I have booked 28th Feb for a crack but the prep just doesnt seem to be taking off. I am doing the OG 11 th edition and have given a couple of tests. The performance has been pretty average, 680 on Powerprep, 690 on Princeton and 600 on Kaplan. I need some help as to how I could improve the scores in the coming fortnight - Quant is doing okish with scores 0f 49 and 50. Verbal has taken a beating.

How do you think I should structure the prep to make max use of my time? Work in office has got pretty hectic lately and am caught up from 10 to 10 on a daily basis. Any inputs from your side would be genuinely appreciated. In case I did happen to disturb you, please do pardon me.

Have never been good at GMAT but I would suggest , goto GMATCLUB or Testmagic forums & kill urself over the verbal stuff in the next few days!! Nothing is impossible if you really want it bad enough! Good luck! Simbaaa

Hi Sowmya, Hope you are doing good. Thanks for the pagalgirl invite :). Some news on the Duke front, I am another Indian who has been waitlisted in Round 2 (thankfully I have a Non IT Profile) I have a low GMAT score, this I believe is the main reason for the waitlist.

My essays were pretty good & am sure that my recommenders would have done a "wow" job. I am retaking the GMAT for the nth time :(. Any suggestions as to how I should tackle this?? Thanks & Regards.

Niv... All I can tell you guys is, you are facing a very stiff competition this time! I went to the Dean conference when he came back from India & got to know that the no. of applicants from India have actually doubled!! Hmm.. now, thats a fact.. so, I guess, it will just become harder as the rules just get more stringent! How low is ur GMAT... I heard even 720s getting waitlisted.

Is there any way you can go real crazy on GMAT & get an awesome score.. I know its hard Niv, I am not saying its easy but that might be ur best chance.. u get a smashing GMAT of 750, I doubt whether they can ding you then.. do u get the message.. Are u upto the challenge dear?? :-)

:)...Now am all enthu abt the GMAT...Duke has always been a favourite, thanks to your blog and have a couple of cousins in NC and they just cant stop raving abt Duke... So, I guess i'll just give it all I have and hope for the best. Thanks for the mail!!!

 

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