Application Blues

The past few days have been quite busy checking out various B school brochures and seeing where to apply with my current GMAT Scores.I have lesser schools to select from as my scores are not in the 'Normal Indian" bracket, so that way I wont be wasting time even thinking about the IVY league. I have decided to schedule the GMAT sometime next year in February, which would be useful for applying for fall of 2008, but some schools may accept for the fall of 2007, especially the ones that have deadlines a little late, as far back as in April or beyond, but I would not be eligible for scholarships. Scholarships are preferable, but not essential as they are far and few in between when it comes to an MBA,but my focus on getting an admit is more so towards the course structure, my profile, the B school profile, the average GMAT score to apply at the B school and of course the Average Salary.

But somewhere down the line, the irritant that keeps nagging my mind from an ROI perspective is the fact that its a lot better, I wait a year and apply with better GMAT scores.In all likelihood, I may wait another year, but may apply to just get a feel of the programs and the interview experience, so that I can apply to the better league of colleges next year with renewed vigour.

Some of the schools where I have decided to knock the doors at least temporarily are these(subject to change- based on finances/essays and realistic admits).

Fox,Temple University- Philadelphia
Kelley- Indiana
Thunderbird,Garvin
Georgetown- Washington
UCD Micheal Smurfit SOB(School of Business)- Dublin
Peter Drucker School of Management-California

IE Business School-The Management in Marketing program-Spain

Essec Business School-Paris

INCAE Business School- Costa Rica

Oh Yeah !!! in this quest of Phoren B schools, I quite forgot some of the desi applications. I am takng JMET and Narsee Monjee(NMIMS) this Sunday and SNAP next Sunday with XAT to follow right after my GOA trip.

In between all this there are the 12 hour work days and the compulsarily made optional saturday that is there to work, leaving absolutely no time for other pursuits...(or am i a bad manager ). Too Many questions, Too much analysis, very few answers....Thats life right now.

Whats up with the CAT?

The Common Admission Test(CAT) is one of India's most hyped up tests, in terms of media attention and in terms of adrenaline. I prefer to call it that way,even though I have been plain bulldozed twice before by the CAT, but this time around, though I dont really have any ammunition in terms of performance on the mock cats, I am just hoping for d-day to light up.My Percentiles in the mock tests are consistently hovering between 75 and 90 and I dont seem to be getting further at all. After work,coming and prepping is the hardest thing to do, but ya, that can be the lamest excuse. I have realised that CAT is not just about prep,but largely strategy oriented to help you sail through and thats one thing that I am banking on, to make me sail through. I guess just to test my ego, I would attend IMS's much hyped National Open Free Simcat Challenge.I really liked the way,Webchutney went about marketing it for IMS, given the fact that some of its earlier ad campaigns for Makemytrip was such an instant hit.

Sometimes the lack of prep helps you in a better position to solve only questions that you would bloody well know for sure. My GMAT flopped badly with a rather poor Verbal ability and a rather high quant score.I plan to revise some of my mock papers for the next week or so and ten get back to preparing hard for the verbal part for GMAT,which I plan to schedule it for the 3rd or the 4th week of November and also simultaneously take an honest call on the recco letters that i can honestly prepare from colleagues at work, as time for that is pretty less, given the fact that 2nd round admissions of most imminent B schools end in November December.

These are times, when you cling on to hope and smile all along.I feel like David walking up with a sling and stone in hand, as Goliath comes nearer day by day. Watch this space to know what happens next in a couple of weeks.

Whats all the Commotion?

Today Chennai resembles a mini Baghdad of sorts with Crackers bering bursted every second in some direction and I resemble a patient in bed, who just see's the 4 walls of the house. The whole of last week,I was unwell with cold,fever and an extremely bad throat..and I just seemed to have aggrevated it, by participating in an office function hungama. The urge to burst crackers is long gone,and it feels boring to do it all alone.Parents and family seem like aliens to me as people come and go into the house,while I stay stuck in my room on 2 counts, one being plagued by head aches, and whenI feel too tired about sleeping allday long, I decide to pick up my GMAT book and pore through its contents. The GMAT gets over on Monday, and is it party time after that? Hmm...if the GMAT scores falls within a certain expected range, then yes...but a heap of mock papers lie unused and unscribbled on my table and I need to immideately resume my preparation for the CAT which falls on the 19th of November.These 2 days, if they go on well, can make a hell of a difference towards making my life better.

There are times you just cling on to hope, with the hard work in the background, its one of those times now.There's a lot of frustration, coupled with a few moments of joy.Its about balancing these emotions in a fine ratio that helps you face the worst of adversities in the best possible manner.So hoping for things to get better.

Sleepless nights with GMAT

The next few days are going to pretty busy with my GMAT exams and CAT exams to be given.That pretty much explains the inactivity on my blog.I have prepared a few short articles but never completed it . I also have another good news hopefully,as I hear that my Sony Ericcson phone may be brought back to life.I hear that no major damage has happened to the microprocessor of the phone.I am going to the "ICU" tommorow to check on it.

I am feeling pretty worn out and tired and have developed some back complications, due to studying with crazy postures and unearthly sleeping hours.The last few days are the slog overs that I am banking for my preparation, for both these exams.

I might end up putting a few short posts the in the next few days to break the boredom of forcing my eyes to be active in the wee hours of the night.Expect to see more pictures.