GMAT 680 (Q42, V41) and GPA of 3.44. Shot at Stanford GSB?

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Hello,

I've gone through many posts with expert replies on the forum regarding profiles and admission advice and I'm really in need of some. So thanks a bunch in advance for all the replies. (PS- DO Reply, PLEASE!)

Background

I'm an Indian majoring in Economics from one of the top schools in India (Indian Institute of Technology-Madras). We have a GPA system that is out of 10 and my GPA scaled down to a 4 point system is 3.44 although I expect that it will rise when adjusted for the variations between the systems. I've taken the GMAT twice. My first attempt was a 640. I guess on D-Day I just freeze or get tired after the essays. I did well in the AWA both times getting a perfect score. of 6.0.

My grades did fall from a 3.6 GPA (9/10 Indian scale) after I got stabbed in a mugging attempt in my 3rd year of college. But I've since bounced back from a much lower score and have kept it near the 3.45 GPA mark.

As far as internships go-

I have done an internship at a Private Equity firm and was involved very closely in the process of a fund expansion to the tune of 200 million USD.

I have done two other internships one with a securities firm and other in the Treasury Forex of a large bank. Needless to say, I want to get into finance post-study.

Now for the other stuff-

As far as professional experience goes, I started a small firm in 2009 after my family portfolio was almost wiped out in the aftermath of the crisis when it was just about 2.5 years after my dad's passing and have since paid my tuition and other expenses myself. I oversaw a 450% growth in the balance sheet during my 18 month tenure as a partner in the firm. This was just three months after my stabbing.

I've been a peer counselor for high school students with a training institute that prepares students for college for almost 5 years now and have counseled over 150 high school students during the time. I sat with each of them personally, gauged their interests and gave feedback to the academic counselors who then took over the process. In fact, starting such a peer counseling position was my idea after I recognised a certain gap between student mindsets and counselors in general when I was a high school student.

Extra-Curriculars-

I've been a dancer since I was 9 and am now a certified advanced Latin Ballroom and Salsa dancer.

I've also been practising martial arts since 9 and have been certified as a 2nd Degree Black Belt from the Apex body in India.

I've also held quite a few leadership positions and handled responsibilities both individually and in teams over the years. (I realise that this has already become quite long a post and dont want to further try and sell my achievements)

Well that's it about me. I want to know if I should take the GMAT again or not. I plan to apply early and defer my admission to B-School by 2/3 years. The HBS 2+2 program is one of the programs I'm applying to in R-2 along with Stanford GSB. I want to know what my chances are of making it. Or should I take up a one year masters such as the Duke MMS or LBS MiM, work a couple of years and apply after that to B-School. I wouldn't have so many doubts if my GMAT score were a little higher but since that ship has sailed, I would love it and appreciate it very very (very) much if I could some help here.

Thanks much in advance

Manoj

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by essaysnark » Fri Nov 18, 2011 8:49 am
Hi Manoj -- all the details you've posted here are helpful.

The thing with Stanford is, *everyone* has a shot. They really truly do consider any application, regardless of what the GMAT/GPA stats are.

You seem to have a lot of interesting elements that would help you stand out, however as you know, there are a lot of Indians applying to all these schools -- and, you're young. Stanford does admit college seniors with a deferral, it's something they don't have formalized into a program like HBS 2+2 but they are always on the lookout for those high-potential early career people. With the internships and your entrepreneurial experience, you would be able to stand out from many other college students. And your GMAT and GPA are sufficient, those basic stats show that you can succeed in school and that you could handle the challenging material in a top MBA program.

What matters most at Stanford :wink: are the essays.

(This is actually only partly true; the recommendations might actually matter more, and so it's very important to choose the right people to write those, and even work with them about what they might present -- but the essays are how you present the bulk of your stories of high achievement etc.)


We've actually had somewhat of a Stanford theme on our blog this week:

https://essaysnark.blocked/2011/11/ ... rself.html
https://essaysnark.blocked/2011/11/ ... ck-so.html

We're also talking about "life experience" essays this week during our 30 Days of Essays writing project here: https://30days.hoop.la/displaycontent/co ... 4110557702

You have elements that look quite interesting and we do encourage you to try. The boost in your GMAT from 640 to 680 is impressive. A 680 score is probably within the 80% range (Stanford doesn't publish these stats). A higher score of course would help but it's far from the only thing that Stanford cares about. If you're trying for Rd 2 then you should stick with your current score and focus on the essays and recs; if you're goingn for Rd 3 then *maybe* consider retesting if you honestly feel you can further prepare and boost the score.

We typically advise against Rd 3 since it's so competitive, however you are in a different situation since you'd be asking for deferred admission, so Rd 3 is a viable option for you. However your biggest task in the essays will be to demonstrate a) why you need the MBA, and b) why you want to do it so soon. Not sure that you get to say how long you defer for; three years is pretty long, never heard of a school deferring someone out that long, they'd probably just decline you and ask you to reapply when you're ready.

No matter what, we think you should make plans to launch your career after you finish your studies - not sure why you'd be seeking out a different Master's degree, why not just jump into building this finance career that you say you want? Being able to talk about this with specifics will help your candidacy at any bschool (HBS as well). Getting a Duke or LBS Master's now may actually make it more difficult to get into the Stanford MBA program later, as there's quite a bit of overlap.

Stanford and HBS are both going to look for evidence of leadership, how are you ahead of your peer group, what impact have you made on the world already. The experiences you reported here all look like that have potential for good stories, it's up to you to communicate the importance of them and what your strengths are as a result etc. You should definitely go for it if it's your dream.

Hope this helps and keep us posted and of course good luck with all of it!
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by manojram13 » Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:31 pm
WOW, first of all thank you so very much for such a prompt reply. And who'd have thought that reading stuff about one's profile or essay strats would be so much fun? I mean I sure didn't until I read your blog guys. Now that the grim is taken away a bit and that the thank yous are done, I'd like to ask you a couple of more questions. :)

I want to defer admission by 2 years not 3 because I want to strike that perfect balance between getting work ex and getting into a top MBA program early. And I've wanted to go Stanford since I was 16 even for my undergrad but stuff happened and I couldn't. Although this is not enough of a reason, it is one of the reasons for me. I've fallen in love with Stanford and more so with the GSB.

So my questions are simple-

1) Will a ding reflect poorly when I reapply?

2) Will doing another masters make it really more difficult? I ask this because finance is really not the easiest sector to get into now, even in India where there have been hiring cuts. I've been applying across hemispheres to cover my bases but there is a possibility that I will be jobless, especially because our department does not support corporate interests as career options and without institutional support it is proving a mighty daunting task to get a job. And another masters such as the ones from LBS or Duke can better my chances given their employment reports. Not to sound like a jerk and take these courses as means to an end but it makes more sense than delaying graduation by a year in my school because next year there will still be no support for us who want to get into banking.

Can't I use the essays to better explain the circumstances or will taking such a path lower my chances definitely (or significantly)?

3) What are the chances for me at HBS 2+2?

I know some of the questions stretch the scope a bit but then again I'm at a bit of a fix and need help.

Thanks in advance (yet again)

And oh, I have decided to apply for sure now regardless of what happens and to chase my dream (and reapply another day if dinged). I will definitely keep you guys posted!!!!


Manoj

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by essaysnark » Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:30 pm
Hi Manoj - let's take a crack at your questions.
manojram13 wrote:1) Will a ding reflect poorly when I reapply?
For Stanford, no. For HBS 2+2, probably not.

HBS is generally not as open to reapplicants as some other schools, but we believe this is different for their 2+2 candidates. And, you'd probably be reapplying after the standard "reapp window." Most schools call someone a reapplicant if they are reapplying within 1-2 years of the original app; the schools keep the first app on file and retain GMAT scores, transcripts, etc. They will compare the new app to what was presented in that old one, and make decisions on an assessment of both views. Since you would probably be applying > 2 years later, you likely would be outside that window, so you'd be applying "fresh." It's always easier to get in with a fresh app; there's an uphill struggle as a reapplicant because you'd need to prove how your candidacy is so much better now than before. But if you wait longer between applications, and probably for anyone who first applied to HBS under 2+2, you're not going to be subject to that.
manojram13 wrote:2) Will doing another masters make it really more difficult?
One of the most important things to demonstrate in a bschool app is, why do you need the education? The risk with doing an early-career Master's like the Master's in Management or possibly even a Master's in Finance first is that those one-year programs are basically a mini-MBA; at least, the curriculum at many MM programs are essentially the first year core curriculum of an MBA program. You'd get finance, marketing, stats, accounting, etc. So when you go to apply for an MBA a few years after, you'd need to be able to explain why you need it -- when you'd already gone through essentially the exact-same first-year curriculum with that previous Master's. (Boy this seems confusing, hopefully we're making sense here!)

Going to school because you can't get a job isn't a great reason, as far as the adcoms are concerned. We certainly see the practical aspects of it, but it's tough to justify - particularly if you would need to later defend that choice to an MBA adcom.

It's a similar situation when someone gets an Indian MBA straight after their undergrad, then later realize that they want the experience of a US/Euro full-time MBA -- some US bschools won't even accept an application if you already hold an MBA; others will consider you, but they are frequently skeptical that you need a second MBA if you already have one. We've seen candidates who hold an Indian MBA have a tough time getting into a top school (not impossible but sometimes challenging). We'd be concerned that you're setting yourself up for a similar future challenge based on the Master's programs.

Most of these Master's programs are quite new, and so we are not speaking from experience - we have yet to work with a candidate who already has a MM or MFin who's then looking to get the traditional MBA. Most MBA programs are very welcoming to anyone who has a Master's in Engineering or other areas; we just expect them to be asking questions for a candidate in the future, when today's crop of MM/MFin graduates begin looking to the MBA.

Yes you'll be able to explain your decisions to go for a Master's now in the essays (you HAVE to explain such decisions in the essays) but you'll need a better reason it than just the job market. That won't be very compelling to a future MBA adcom.
manojram13 wrote:3) What are the chances for me at HBS 2+2?
The impossible question!! :-) Everyone's chances at HBS are tough, and the 2+2 program has become very competitive in recent years. It sounds like you have a lot going for you, and there are certainly fewer applicants to 2+2 than through the standard track, so it's always easier to stand out. However, it's a tough call to make, and very difficult to assess without seeing the full profile, so unfortunately we do agree that this one is out of scope. But, since you've decided to apply anyway, our answer is irrelevant, right!?? You're going to go for it, and that's a great attitude to have. :D

Hopefully this has at least partially answered your questions (!!) and we can't wait to see where you go with things. Do keep us posted! And let us know how we can help.

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by manojram13 » Tue Nov 22, 2011 5:25 am
Guys,

Thanks so much again for your post. Term exams are going on so I couldn't reply soon after reading and so gave a thank you jolt first instead.

Now to the answers. Yes, I understand what you guys are saying about the overlap and a possible hurdle with doing a MM now and that schools are open to Masters in Engineering and other streams. But right now there are very few options for me that don't include the research track/further studies in Economics (given that I'm already getting a Masters at the end of the academic year) and I'm not cut out for research. This whole applying to B-School thing has made me evaluate my strengths, weaknesses and everything else that goes with it better and I don't want to get stuck with something I don't want to do or know I won't like.

But given circumstances, I guess I shall apply to one of the MM programs as a hedge and apply to GSB and the 2+2 and see what happens and I think that this is the best informed choice I can make (keyword informed-thanks largely to you guys :)) And I understand that a future adcom might not see such a practical move favourably but if it does come down to doing a MM program, I'll take it up and who knows I probably shall have some interesting experiences at the end of that 1 year. Those along with a coupla years of work, can boost my profile. (But then again, that is a bridge I need to blow up when I get there and there's no use worrying about it now)

Whatever happens, I shall keep you guys in the loop. Thanks much, again.

Manoj

PS- I think I probably will be one of the brave supplicants sending in my draft after these exams (groan)and I know there aren't any guarantees of review but still. :)

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by essaysnark » Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:34 pm
OK Manoj, sounds like your plan is set - but just know that we're a little nervous about a future MBA with this, *especially* if you're be bringing *two* Master's degrees to the table then!!!

But, the most important part of an education is to PREPARE FOR A CAREER and so what you should be focusing on right now is the best next step to get that career underway.

People often overlook the fact that an MBA is a means to an end - not an end to itself! (We're not saying this about YOU, this is just a general comment.)

It sounds like going for a Master's right now is what you want to do to get your career moving in the direction you have envisioned, so yes, go for it! And consider some of those straight-from-school MBA programs too, as we already discussed.

Will be looking out for an essay from you to possibly be reviewed on the blahg in the future! essaysnark at gmail.

Good luck with everything, hopefully those exams turned out well, and let us know if we can help.

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by manojram13 » Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:18 am
Hey guys,

Its been a while and I've pretty much gotten to the final (almost) versions of my essays. I have sent in one of my essays for a review. I know its peak time for you guys and you have much to say and much more to do (what with the awesome rants and blog posts this week-much appreciated btw) but I'd love it and if you can review my essay. It'll help quite a bit! In fact, it'll be a 100 years worth of Santa's presents. ;) :D

Apologies for the late sending in of the essay and thanks much in advance (even if it doesn't get reviewed, the thanks is for the awesome work you guys do)

Manoj

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by essaysnark » Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:46 am
Hey Manoj - good to see that you've rematerialized. Unfortunately it is pretty late now to get any essays reviewed on the EssaySnark blahg... most of the posts that go up in December are written in advance, since we get soooooo busy at this time. If you want to go through a paid review process then we do have some slots available there still! But we cannot guarantee anything at this late date in terms of a free review. :cry:

Just wanted to give you a heads-up on that so that you're not waiting unnecessarily!!! There's a very slight chance that we may be able to get to it but it's pretty unlikely at this point, since paying clients get precedence now - very sorry!!!

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by manojram13 » Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:49 pm
Hey guys,

I thought as much but wanted to check if it were possible just in case. (Also you guys did mention it one of the posts on the blog that while we're eating pie, you'd be editing BS essays!) I mean if not for hope and all that jazz.

Anyway, I've rematerialised on this thread after quite a while but have been active on the blahg. And it has been of immense help in my process. The first two essays for GSB killed me and I almost gave up so many times but at the end of it all I now have figured out stuff about myself that I couldn't have (and probably wouldn't have) without this process. I consider myself lucky that I did this now and this early on because it has made things clear(er).

Its kinda sad that I couldn't get a review but I sorta knew it. Thanks much for a quick reply. Unfortunately, the paid option is not feasible for me at the moment :(

Anywho- quick updates (I guess I owe this to you). Applied for Duke MMS and am applying for LBS MiM as well as a hedge. Couple of job offers on the hand but waiting for finalisation. Applying to 2+2 and the GSB. I'll keep you guys in the loop as to what happens post Jan 10th/11th.

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Great Snark!!!!

Yours truly, with fingers (and toes) crossed, praying like mad and stressing the hell out- (;) :))

Manoj

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by manojram13 » Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:21 pm
Hey ES,

I know it has been a while since I mailed you here. (The blog remains an amazing resource. ES FTW!!!!)

Now to the updates, which I owe you. Your review gave me the confidence to apply to the schools when I was bummed out with a 680 GMAT and the process has made me realise so many things. So I cannot stress enough how much I appreciate your work here and on the blog, giving away all that awesome advice/snarkness for free.

I applied to 4 schools. 2 MBA programs and 2 MM programs. I struck out twice (with this wave of results being out today) with the 2+2 and two strikes means strike 3 is soon on its way, right? I'm a bit bummed but I've made my peace with it. There'll always be a small sliver of hope for GSB (I know you're not bullish for GSB for anyone, on principle. But still) But the realist in me realises that there is a more than good chance that I will not get the deferred seat this year. I've made my peace with that too.

I got an admit into the Duke Fuqua MMS program and the LBS ad-com has decided to travel to India for the interview (which will be in the 3rd week of Feb). I'm pretty confident I'll make it to the MiM as well. Given the situation in Europe/EU/Euro and the fact that Cameron is making headway on his plan to make life miserable for expats in the UK (students or otherwise) by changing visa laws, I'm now leaning onto the Fuqua MMS though LBS is a bigger name. Fuqua also offers more in terms of scholarship in general. As far as jobs go, none so far have been satisfactory. But I guess I have a couple of more months to go to decide.

This is where I ask thine opinion as to how to proceed. I'm in a conundrum. I don't know if I should go to Fuqua and build an international experience and get that job in finance in the US after a year or if I should just stay back at home and do something close enough and then move to banking (assuming I don't get a banking job this year). I mean I guess I want to do an MBA later on but if I go to Fuqua then it might get difficult as you have said before.

I guess my questions are- Will going to Fuqua now deter my chances at B-School later on should I choose to apply again say for the class of 2018/2019? I mean I gain international experience in terms of US education and job experience and will continue to do my share of volunteering and all that and retake that stupid stupid stupid GMAT exam. But will the overlap be a non-starter? Or should I just rough out the tough year and continue with the stuff I'm doing at home in terms of extra-curriculars and community/non-profit and apply in about 2-4 years time for an MBA proper without the international experience?

I know this is something that more upto me- the choosing between the immediate issue of the career and the longer term issue of the MBA/later on whatever-I'll-be-doing-in-life but any and all inputs will be of great help in helping me decide.

Thanks much again,

Manoj

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by manojram13 » Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:30 pm
Oh I forgot. The interview guide was/is awesome (although I may not have any use for it this year :(). +1 to that!!!!!

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by essaysnark » Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:28 pm
Hey manojram13 - thanks for the update and also, it's so good to hear that all our blathering on the blahg and here has been of use to you! :-) You've clearly been doing something right to have made the progress that you're reporting thus far. It's not at all easy to get an offer from the Duke program, and the fact the LBS is wanting to meet you as well is a great indication of the positives in your profile.

Now, you know what we're going to say about your current situation: This one is up to you.

That being said, we don't want to leave you completely in the lurch, and EssaySnark *always* has an opinion, so here goes:

1. Getting into a top MBA program in the US or UK in the future will be easier if you have international experience. If you decide to skip the Master's programs that you're currently in the running for, then you should do so with a strategy for getting some type of international work experience. It certainly will not be impossible to get into a top program if you stay in India, but as you surely have seen, there are lots and lots of candidates in that position, and it's harder to make the case that you need an international MBA experience if you don't have any international work experience.

2. Doing the master's program will not instantly disqualify you from a standard F/T MBA later... but, as we've said somewhere along the way, in your future MBA app, you would need to explain why you need to go for that degree.

3. The real question we have for you though is: If you do the Master's now, how do you know you will need an MBA later? We can sorta see someone saying, at the early stage of their career, that they will want an MBA down the road. But if you're sitting here pre-Master's degree, saying that you somehow KNOW that you will need an MBA too, no matter what... then, that just makes it sound like you're enamored of these three little letters. Don't take this the wrong way, but... Are you sure you are interested in an education? Or are you looking for the prestige?

If you're really honestly considering getting this Duke (or LBS) Master's degree now, why do you feel it would be insufficient? And why do you think that you'll get a decent ROI off of both?

There's quite a few flaws in the arguments laid out in this article but there's also some truth to what he says about the MBA not being worth it: https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/is-an ... -cost.html

This is obviously a very individual decision -- nothing that EssaySnark thinks really should matter to you in planning out your future! This is about following your dreams. But the interesting thing is, you don't really talk about "dreams" much at all in the question you posed to us. In our opinion, the best way to make life decisions like this is to identify where you want to be, and then work backwards and figure out what steps will get you there.

If you want to work in finance, then look at the programs that can help you get that job. If you want to work in a specific geography, then look for the schools that place graduates there, that have those connections.

It's impossible for us to say what path will get you where you want to go, since you sorta omitted that "destination" part from your question.

We do find some flaws in the logic when examining the assumption that you would need both a Master's, and an MBA... but, these are also questions that you maybe don't need to be fully tackling right now!

Remember that typically, the first job (or two) that people get out of college are NOT the "job of your dreams" -- they're stepping-stone roles that help you build experience and skills, that can lead you where you want to go. Yes, you should have a sense of that long-term destination as well, but most people sorta hate their first job(s). Most of us mere mortals have to pay the dues before we end up lovin' life where work is concerned. Maybe you'll be different. (Not sure where we were headed with that but thought it was worth pointing out.)

OK, EssaySnark is getting off the soap box now. It's highly unlikely that anything we just offered is really much use... except to reiterate what you already know: This is a personal decision, and nobody can tell you what's right for you. And, nobody has a crystal ball -- not even you -- so instead of trying to figure out the whole rest of your life, right now, sitting here before you've even graduated from college... give yourself permission to make some mistakes, give yourself the freedom to go live a little, and give the Universe some credit, 'cuz she knows what she's doing, and most things tend to work out pretty well in the end. :D

Signed,
The Nearly Useless EssaySnark
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by manojram13 » Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:09 pm
ES,

Thanks so much for your reply. You're right!!!! I'm obsessing too much right now. I think it is because of 5 years in college was safe but now that I'm graduating, not so much. I used to whine that I didn't have options but options now are killing me too.

That being said, I should have framed my question a bit more carefully in that I'm not saying that I NEED an MBA. True that the GSB is the school of my dreams but Fuqua is pretty damn awesome as well. I was just wondering because it is highly likely that I will get a job at home (and that I may end up hating it) and have to wait a bit, no a couple of years atleast, before I move to get international exposure and experience given the current weird markets across the globe, especially in finance. But I may end up not needing an MBA after all if I go for one of the pre-experience programs. And the MBA is at the end of the day a degree and an education, right? I'm not putting the MBA on a pedestal (okay maybe the one from the GSB a little) and I also know that it has to serve a purpose in life because it's two productive years plus a whole be-jeezas sack of money. It's just that there seems to be a huge trade-off that I'm looking at. I'm just not sure whether to focus on the short term and better place myself to make sure I get into a career track I (think) I want now or to wait for the longer term.

As far as the destination goes, it's become clearer now, after my essays and apps. I want to move to the education sector with a non-profit focusing on improving access to primary education. And in the for-profit front I want to manage a chain of resorts. These stem from intense personal experiences. Volunteering in high school with public school students (Indian public schools are NOT what you guys have in the west) and from my travels across Europe as a kid. So in essence my destination is entrepreneurship. Finance is the backbone for any venture and it also happens to be one of my passions. So I figure working in banking/PE will not only help me build expertise in it for later managing my own stuff but also give me access to a network of investors. So when I thought of the MBA and the access to these things is what came to mind, which in turn prompted the rant and the questions. Those are my dreams and that is my intended destination.

In light of this information (the dreams and destination bit), do you have any more inputs/suggestions/opinions/thoughts/anything-at-all?

So first off thanks for putting things in perspective with the whole description of paying dues to the Cosmos and go live a little comments :). Next, I guess I'm just going to have a chill pill and wait until the season is over and the river is placed on the table to play my hand. That being said, I really want to go to Duke to get all the experiences and the international exposure. I really do and I also figure that 1 year in the grand scheme of things may not be the waste I used to think it would be.

I'll let you know as to what I'm finally deciding come April. Thanks much again!!!!!

Manoj

PS- If I do decide to apply again later for an MBA, IF I DO, I really hope you'll still be in business in snarkville with all the snark!!!! :)

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by essaysnark » Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:26 am
Hey Manoj--

Well one thing is clear: You're examining all your options, and you seem to be approaching this with the right way of thinking!!!

One quick comment though - not that we want to raise false hope or anything - but if you only applied to the GSB in Rd 2, then it's really quite early in their process. Yes, there's just the one more Day of Ultimate Stress re: HBS coming up on Tuesday... but Stanford hasn't begun issuing many (any?) interview invitations yet. So don't write things off completely!!!

With their early interview invitation schedule, HBS is setting up the wrong expectations in many applicants. We're just a month into the second round process and many schools got massive numbers of apps - it's too early to be predicting outcomes for many programs. So hang tight! You never know how things may turn out for you!

That being said, it's good that you're getting your plans in place, and you're right, Duke is awesome. We've honestly never met anyone who ended up at Duke who didn't absolutely love it.

One angle that we probably weren't very clear on about the you-might-hate-your-first-job thing... This could be true regardless of whether your first job is now, when you graduate, or in a year, when you come out of a Master's program. Some might argue, why not get it over with now! :D Basically, if you have a good opportunity at hand now, at a company that you admire, doing work that you think will be interesting, there is NO REASON not to go for it -- particularly if that job is in PE!! That sounds pretty plum.

And, if Duke is willing to accept you now for their Master's program, that indicates that you've got something going on and you may be in a good position to try for the Fuqua F/T MBA in a little while (no guarantees of course but you're doingn something right!!). Your L/T goals are interesting (though you'll need to pick a lane when it comes time to apply to a F/T program - those two tracks are SO very different that you'll only end up confusing the adcom if you try to cram both the nonprofit and the resorts thing into one pitch - but we're getting ahead of ourselves!! in both cases, a foundation in finance will indeed serve you well, so you're going about this the right way in the near term).

So, once again, a very long reply with very little usefulness, but you asked, and we can't resist the opportunity of snarking when it arises. The only tidbit of (still-useless) wisdom that we may offer here is that one year will go by VERY QUICKLY... time only accelerates in passing, the more of it that goes by (wow that should be embroidered on a pillow or something). So, if you decide to do the awesomeness of Duke right now, you will LOVE it, and it will set you up for fabulous success... and if you decide to stick closer to home and gain some of that first-job experience now, then it also will be awesome and you will gain so much. Clearly you're a hard worker and motivated and you will bring a lot to whatever environment you find yourself in, and those people tend to do just fine in life.

/PhilosophySnark out

ps: We fully intend to be doing this for the long haul - have been in the MBA admissions game for (eek!) many many years now and don't see anything changing in the future!!! Except hopefully more and more ways to help more and more of you Brave Supplicants along the way!
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by manojram13 » Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:54 am
ES,

I know I've thanked you many times here and on the blog but I cannot stress enough the enormity of the magnitude of help and encouragement your candid (and prompt) replies have been. So thanks very much, again!!!!

And yeah, the first job thing is true but if I'm going to hate it anyway, then I might as well hate it in a new place where I can further mold my 'space' after gaining some new experiences! :) And I did apply to R2 for the GSB. I've not written it off. I find sitting and waiting stressful (like DUH!) and that in turn stresses me out more, so I'm keeping my mind open and expectations kinda lower because GSB is the dream school and a (possible) ding will be hard. And given the random trickles of interview invites, the hope will be on a slow burner till about a week before March 27th/28th.

As to the decision of staying here at home or going to Durham in the summer, it depends on a slew of factors (scholarships/loans/GSB results/job offer finalisations/etc) and I will know by April-when I will tell you.

And am I ever glad that there's no exit stage right for the Snark anytime soon :) Even if not for mine in the near future, for the better of many many others! :)

Thanks again. Will keep you posted about it all.

Manoj