My MBA Preps and Apps

I promised in my previous post on writing about my MBA prep and application experiences. So here I go.

I started off my formal prep in August 2007, but I had started thinking of what to do, where to do, when to do about 8 months back when I visited an MBA fair in Mumbai, just out of curiosity! I was quite impressed as well as astounded by the plethora of opportunities that lay ahead after an MBA abroad. Managing work and study was a huge challenge. It took a lot of resolve and discipline (I was lacking both!) to stick to my plan. The 1st thing I did as part of my prep was give a diagnostic test at IMS. I did miserably. This was like someone had shaken me out of my lumber (read over-confidence) and now I found myself in deep water (or deep sh*t?) without knowing how to swim. Since I couldn't join a prep course due to my work committments, I joined a correspondence course. In retrospect, I think a classroom course would had been much more helpful. But then, I am in Mysore without much choice! The next thing I did was chart out a resource (time) allocation plan (I am used to making this for delegating and planning work to my teams, but it was for the 1st time I used it outside work and it really helped me stay focussed and track my progress. It also gave me a lot of confidence that I was gaining ground, though inch by inch, against the coursework), see above, and pasted it on the wall facing my bed. So, everyday I will see my progress when I go to sleep and when I wake up. By mid September, I had signed up for GMAT - 22nd November.

While all this prep was going on, I started on my applications too. I was determined to submit my applications before I gave my GMAT, so when my score was reported I only had to await interview calls. In addition to that there was the higher probabibility of getting an acceptance with some funding, and the early application discount like the one offered by Manchester.

It took a lot of introspection and many drafts of my application essays to arrive at something that looked and read good. Considering the fact that you might have to write anywhere between 5-8 essays per applications, it was a tough task to provide the time. Infact, I wrote many of my drafts while on flights, at airports or in hotels at night while travelling. By the time I submitted my online applications, the GMAT date was closing in. With some last minute cramming (same old practice as during my graduation) I gave my GMAT.

After my GMAT, started the mad rush to submit the application docket (the hard copy of the online application with all supporting documents and recommendation letters). I managed, with the help of my recommenders, to submit it within the next three weeks. Then, I waited. Manchester was the 1st to respond back with an interview call, close on its heels came Cranfield, Warwick and Ivey.

The Manchester interview took place in Mumbai at the The Oberoi. I, in a new red flashing tie, went and waited in The Hilton Towers next door instead. A kind conceirge helped me realise that entry to The Oberoi was through the next building. I ran like hell next door and found Dr. Sprio waiting on me. I, sweating from the anxiety and the running, somehow composed myself. Dr Spiro was a kind lady who has a son my age and also shares similar interests. It was a regular interview and I think I did quite well. In the end, she told me that 'I had had a terrific interview, but the decision will be taken by the adcomm within next 4 four weeks'.

I returned to Bangalore the next day. The Cranfield interview was scheduled in the evening that day. Sean Rickard, Director - MBA Recruitment made me feel at ease. It went on well and I felt myself growing in confidence with every minute.

The third interview was with Ivey - Scott Walker form the MBA admissions was the interviewer. Scott knew me since I had met him three times before during MBA fairs. Infact when I introduced myself, he recalled where we had met and where I used to work (Tyco) before. He told me that I should expect another round of interview, which happened the next week with a lady from the Careers department at Ivey. She was interested in knowing my career background, my motivation to work in a similar field (thats what I had said in my application) and my career plan post mba. She was quite open to accept that students will want to stay back and work in Canada after their MBA to repay their loans. I liked her honesty and openness.

The Warwick interview was a debacle on my part. I had proposed a time and Ms. Broadbent, from the admissions office,and she had confirmed it. I later found that I was not able to make it. I was rushing to a supplier in Chandigarh to address some issues when I got a call from Dr. Jannis Angelis of the Warwick Operations Group (it's one of the most accomplished and no-1 ranked in Europe for operations management) . I told him about the situation and he was very kind to reschedule the interview in the evening the same day after his classes. I was so releaved he understood that such exigencies do occur in real-life situations. I gave this interview too in a hotel room. It helped since Dr Angelis is from an operations background and is an expert in Lean. We hit it off well since I am a 'Six Sigma guy', like he called me. He was very open and clear in his questions as well as suggestions. He gave me impartial guidance on the choice of my MBA schools without ever hinting to show that Warwick is a better place than the others. His suggestions on how I should manage my funding, my post MBA career etc were quite helpful. It was the best admissions interview for me. I told him so too. In the end, he gave me his contact number and email, just in case I would like to talk / discuss or bounce some ideas in SCM / operations management. I sometimes send him emails, updating him on my progress.

Ok, so much so for the prep and applications. This one has been a long (hopefully not too boring) one. To summarize, this prep and application process has been a great learning journey. I have learnt so much about myself, and about math too! I sometimes think that the prep itself has been so rewarding, I wonder what it will be like to do the MBA now! I can't wait for it to begin.

My MBA aspirations

I wanted to delay this as much as possible (I hope you all will understand that it's quite natural), but I couldn't hold myself back from writing about my future aspirations. I plan to do my MBA abroad. This has been one the most important goals of my life for last two years. And, now I am delighted to see that I might just be able to achieve it.

I am quite happy to report that I have been offered and have accepted a place at Cranfield SOM. This news is quite old now, I got the offer in February, even before I started writing this blog! Sean Rickard, Director - MBA Recruitment took my interview. It was quite an experience as it was my first case study based interview. I was given a case - 'Coins and notes money will be replaced by Electronic money eventually, what do you think?' I was quite tense before the interview, as my flight from Pune to Bangalore was delayed and this interview was planned in the evening. By god's grace, some crazy driving the autowallah through the infamous Bangalore traffic I reached the hotel in time. After the interview, I was told that they would come back within a couple of weeks. I got their acceptance letter the third day itself. I was quite impressed by their efficiency.

I got admission offers from Manchester, Warwick and Ivey too. There too my interview experiences were quite interesting. I'll write a separate blog on those. I have declined their offers now. Something tells me that its gotta be Cranfield. Ofcourse the required funding, the ROI factor, and the annual placement stats have played a major role in me deciding to accept a place at Cranfield. But, there are other intangibles and smaller things like the 'super fast' response from Cranfield, the interview experience, and the feedback from current students have played an equally important role.

I'll write in details about my MBA prep and apps experience in another blog shortly. Till then....hang on coz this ride has just begun!

Indian cricket continued.....

Last two weeks have been spectacular for the Indian media (read the Indian gossip media). They have had a field day with announcements following controversial interpretations. It all started with the two-day meeting in Mumbai of the BCCI officials, the team coach, team captain and the seven ex-captains. The build-up to this meeting was phenomenal with rumors running riot on Chappel being reinstated, being sacked etc. To add fuel to the fire, Sachin Tendulkar, quite uncharacteristically, lashed out at the coach for challenging the attitude of senior players. Yuvraj Singh showed his immaturity by supporting this statement on record. Both have been served notice by the BCCI for talking to the press.

Back to the BCCI meeting. All these guys agreed that there's a problem with Indian Cricket, but how do they arrest the rot? To start with, they have decided to scrap the 'experience baised contract' system for a 'performance based pay'. I do hope this will be carried through, as it has been discussed a lot of times before. Another radical decision is to cap the endorsements a player is entitled to 3 max. Quite interestingly, the media has reacted quite negatively to this rather than the players. It's the media that is creating a ruckus over this. None of the payers have commented on this, atleast on-the-record. I think this is the right direction forward. The players are there to play cricket and not to lampoon around like clowns selling toothpaste or insurance. I do remember when P Gopichand, the Indian badminton ace said no to advertising for Pepsi because he knew that the drink is not helping the sportsman. The focus needs to shift to the purpose of the player being there, thats to play cricket, than to dance on TV. We need affirmative actions like this to stem the rot that has been happening in Indian cricket. This will definitely help in the short and medium term.

But, the BCCI has not given any clear indication on how they plan to ensure a long term improvement by improving the way domestic cricket is played in India. The number of competitive games, those that go down to the wire, are hardly ever heard of in domestic cricket. While, these are the games that separate the good from the great, the wheat from the chaff. This is partly due to the talent, or lack of it, among the players and partly due to the facilities provided (including the support staff, grounds, equipments, etc). The BCCI does not seem to have a strategy to improve this.

Until the BCCI has a plan of action and sticks to it not matter what may come, I don't think there will be long term change.