Thursday, February 15, 2007

A series of tiresome milestones...

I was browsing the websites of MBA bloggers from previous years and landed up on a particular post by Marina. She calls it The Been There Done That Guide to MBA Admissions. She also features at number two in the Best of Blogging (2005 - 006) list released by ClearAdmit. Check out the blogs of these folks - extremely informational.

The particular post done by Marina inspires me to write down my own perspectives on the various milestones that make the MBA admissions journey. What i am gonna write will be a result of my experiences over the last one year and what worked for me need not work for everyone else. In fact I have instances when i had suggested what i did, only to hear an immediate "This wont work for me". Since the MBA admissions process is a jigsaw puzzle with numerous parts, it is as much important to know what wudnt work for an individual as to know what would work.

Peter Robinson says that the writing of Snapshots from Hell was "a simple act of decency, like going back to the last calm bend in the river and nailing up a sign that reads 'Waterfall Ahead!" Though not something as dramatic, i hope these posts will help a future applicant in some way.

I will try to document the different possible paths to each of these milestones, just to inform someone who is new to the whole journey about the different paths one can travel towards these milestones.

The topics i intend to cover are the following:

1. Why MBA and Where??? - the beginning of it all.
2. GMAT - the numbers game.
3. Testing Waters - investigation on the schools.
4. The Essay writing highway - those 3 months!
5. Handling the recommendations.
6. "Will I? Wont I?" - Post submission doubts/stress.
7. Interviews - preparation and performance.

I might possibly write about handling wait lists, but i need to gather information on the same as (by god's grace) i was never on a wait list myself.

Also, I can make posts on preparing for the MBA - in terms of post matriculation procedures (Scholarships/Visa/Loans), settling down and also about preparing for the academic courses. But i am afraid these would become specific to Chicago GSB and also my plans. I might still go ahead and do it :)

I have also set up a section on the left, where i will accumulate the posts I've promised here.

8 comments:

Achilles said...

hey iday,

this collection will really be very helpful to the future applicants like me.....thanks thanks thanks man!!!
I am eagerly waiting for each of these posts.

TxnSeeksMBA said...

Looks like a great list. Can we add a section for post-interview doubts/stress? :) I could write that one for you!

the being said...

hey, i remember that one from Marina, and I remember she did'nt finish it :P
it'll be good to read ur's though. a very productive way of spending all that non-busy-ness u keep complaining about!

Anonymous said...

Great dude!! Looking forward to detail blogs on those topics. As a toddler in MBA journey, I would like to know whether first topic "why MBA and Where" should also cover "whether I'm financially capable to pursue US MBA"

Anonymous said...

tada
check my noo blog

have your say :)

Sreenath said...

Should be really information though currently i am devoting my 100% to the number game :)

~cu said...

hi, this is really a good information for future applicants :) goodluck in Chicago GSB!

Marina said...

too bad i got lazy and never finished :(