CEIBS- preparations

Quite some time since I wrote something on this blog. Hey, but it doesn't mean that you feel that I've been Lazy !! It is just that I was and I am busy with the preparations for JOBLESSNESS and rejoining SCHOOL.

The biggest challenge for me and for many others whom I interacted with is of Loans. the problem is that CEIBS has no loan tie-ups with banks for overseas students except those from China and Europe. And the issue is that the bank personnel are not very confidents about the reputation of an intitute in China. So each bank manager, whom I met, I'd to show the MBA ratings and explain the progressive approaches CEIBS take to maintain a continuously Up path in the rankings. Obviously that 10 minutes discussion makes all the required difference but still the manager need a list of formalities done before student gets the cheque. I am sure that in India, CEIBS will certainly acquire the all prevailing good repute which ISB enjoys, but before that happens, I am sure that the loan release will be a lill painful to all the would-be students too. I shall cerainly try to discuss and open up ways bank tie ups for the Indian students too.

To get a VISA has realle been a cake walk with no necessity of an interview and a just 4 days wait. One could also get an express VISA, which is given on the same day of application (but for an extra fee..:( ....... )

CEIBS has given all new entrants, access to a common online forum which we are utilising for knowing each other and resolving other queries among ourselves or through the current students. {My friend is still scrolling in the pics of the :-),...... Guys are gettig ready fo ... Lolz }

And to our surprise and to kill our TOTAL freedom, school has o'ready sent us the scope of a Math/ Statistics test, which shall be taken during the orientation week. {A light Flavour of the days & Nights ahead..........:-) }

Enough for now... since after a days long trekking, I am feeling tired and would be hititng the bed soon......

再见
zài jiàn

My ISB Interview

I reached at the venue 1 hr in advance and waited there while talking to two more aspirants.
15 minutes prior to scheduled time, i was given a piece of paper with the instructions to write 100 words on "FAITH".

I started with "faith is one of the very very important intangible characteristic of any relationship"... and tried linking that with the growing need of rules and lawyers in the business world which shows the lack of faith in the environment. However, not just due to faith factor, but since organisations are making deals with the new places, rules are necessary. Because faith takes some time to develope.

I ended as "faith is very delicate, it might take years to develope but can be shattered in a much lesser time."

Then i was called in my Mr Madhav, a younger chap and i followed him to the interview room, where one senior person was seated. Both of them made a warm welcome and we started with their first question (the senior asked most of the questions during the interview)......... what Lanxess exactly do....

I answered calmly and completely. Since this was the first question and i was not yet comfortable, i took this easy question as an opportunity to make mysef comfortable with the environment and to build my confidence. Then they asked about one of the project mentioned- which too went well.

Mr Raghav asked me about the growth rates which i have achieved and how did i achieve it. Thats went okie.

The next question was about my toughest project and how did i handle it ??
This somehow din't go okie..in hindsight, i think i must have answered in a different way...

They questioned me about my choice of consultancy and then aske me a problem "How much is the market for neck Ties in India ?" They asked me to take time and think. I answered "People wear ties when they are in the business centers like this. I assume, there are 100 more business centers like this with 200 people in each of them, further i assume that everyne has 10 ties. thus figure of Tie usage in Mumbai comes out to be 2,00,000"
The interviewers gave no impressions and moved to the next question....

"As you have mentioned in your essay, that you are the 'best bad news' carrier. So how do you do that ?"... Now here, my answers were basically, half complete and i must have thought about it in more details because they demanded it and i could not convince them..

With this it comes to an end and they offered me an answer. I asked about the exchange program. The gentleman has ansered my question earnestly.

They almost said "okie thanks" ... then the elder interviewer caught my attention and explained me the catches in my choice of consultancy. I can say his careful selection of words was that of school representative but at the same time was of a mentor also. This gentleman told me that they will send the assessment to the adcom and the final decision will come from there. But he explained to me that the better field for me is to target sales and marketing because if i spend my year with a target to join consultancy, but probably looking at my schooling (non IIT) , GMAT score , consultancy firm might not even short list me. It doesnt necessary follows but there should be a backup plan. He explained that to me in details and as i heard that.. all that made sense to me... I listened to him assertively.

With this we concluded and i come out with a better feeling than that i had in my previous interviews.....
I am certainly hopeful about ISB now.....

CEIBS Shortlisting

Happy Christmas to the readers ......

Time and again, there comes some hiccups. By that i mean that getting into wait list at CEIBS is no way a bad news but not even a good news as well. I wish they simply increase the number of seats to admit me. What would u sayy on that ??? (make a comment)

It was a record for me, as for my IMS comsultants as well to start and finish the CEIBS aplication in just 15 hours, less than a days time but it has turned out to be good enough to get me a shortlisting, While, few days work could's get me a chance in Emory Univ.. What is the conclusion here . I am not sure, again the time that i am taking to fill in Cambridge - Judge BS is very high and still none of the question is near completion. But i dont know how and why i am still hopeful that it will be submitted by the deadline 5 days hence.

And then i am visiting my native place early next month and there i hardly hope to work on the applications though i will certainly get a good deal of positive energy to work further.

This writing was to keep the posts updated - - --

B Bye Mr Goizueta . .

Rejection from Emory

It was a nice morning, everything was okay except my earlier days' blues from rejection from Kellogg. I get my second blow with rejection from Goizueta school of management. It was however sudden and unexpected. I never thought that i shall not even get a chance for interview. Definitely it is felt bad... A blow putting me down to earth. I realised as if i never had any wings to fly. just was imagining. Thoughtfully, it means that it wasn't just my interview performances but also my application, which was not upto standard. There must really be a terrible flaw in my candidacy. Did i make a mistake while applying ? Do i have to work further on my assumptions in 'why i wanna do MBA ?' & 'what after MBA' or is it just that the LUCK ruls..... I feel blank on such questions.....!!

But i agree to this A TRUTH THAT DISHEARTENS BECAUSE IT IS TRUE IS OF MORE VALUE THAN THE MOST SIMULATING OF FALSEHOODS

I realised that there is still some applications left for me. I understand that my interview for Fisher has gone well and i should put more sincere efforts in its application. There are others i.e. Cambridge, Oxford, MBS remaining tooo..... It goes on.....

Rejection from KelloggBS

I just received rejection from KELLOGG. Though not a big surprise because i was not happy with my performance in interview with their alumni. However, there could be various other reasons, one very eloquent could be my score of jusss' 680 (leass than 700). But certainly i am feeling bad about it now.

Seems like a bad day today. the interview for CEIBS also did not go well in my opinion. Interview is really my bad point and i should be working over it more next time. The things which i first and foremost like to imporve is my spontanienty of answer.I realize that I try to give answer from my memory rather than my intellectand thus might sound limited and light. I will try to develope a habit of thinking on my feet, when in a situation. Taking too much tension does not help in an interview or for that reason, in any examination. Need to improve on that !!

An after affect of this feeling is also my willingness to show these schools that i can beat their students in competitions. I understand that the world is not finished for me and I should try harder for getting into other good schools and develope myself there.

My CEIBS interview questions

Today on 11th December'07 i had my telephonic interview for CEIBS. I had a sour throat which i told them during the introduction but i hope my voice was clear. There were two interviewer, from China and from Europe. They were asking question in turn. I realised that the telephonic interview is indeed a tougher one than face to face, as i faced earlier two.In telephonic interview, candidate does not receive any encouragement from the interviewer.

First question was walk through resume.

Why i want to do CEIBS / China ?

Then the lady asked me, i have already made a shift from R&D to marketing and after MBA it would again be shifting to consultancy. how would i think i would adjust ?

They asked aout my work experience in teams and also my leadership style.

There are other candidates from India, why we should chose you?

Whats my weakness, which is stopping me from achieving my goals?

Overall it took 25 minutes and then they gave me a chance to ask questions if i have.....

My Fisher Interview Dec'07

I was asked to meet Ms Albert Kara, at 1:30PM at Taj Hotel, Mumbai. I reached before time however it took me some time to locate her in the hotel lobby. It was 5th December'07, the day of world MBA tour and there were many B school representatives who were conducting interviews.
My interview started with her casual remark that it was great that i could locate her in the rush. i observed she was a always smiling kind of lady who would not let me have a clue about her opinion of me. Her first question was 'take me through your CV, starting with the latest engagement'. It was the set question and i answered easily. Next was why MBA, that too gone okay where i elaborated on my desire to better knowledge of all function. She further queried regarding my post MBA plans, why Fisher- I did well. Then suddenly she asked me to describe a hypothetical situation where i would breach any company policy. this question caught me off guard and i said 'okie, let me think '... she said fine u can take your time...' i was unable to find in 6 - 7 seconds and she told me 'it is okie... '. I told her that there is nothing at the workplace which i can think of that might take me to break the policy rules, however there are dilemmas, which sometimes exist but never a question of policy violation. She asked me who is your role model. i answered Ratan Tata and related Tata's group's initiatives and works in the social work to connect to my long term career goals. 'Have you written your essays? ' 'Not yet but planning this week'. ' Have you taken your GMAT' ' yes i said i got 680'.she said it is good , college's average is 670 and i have a strong work experience too. She asked me whetether i have taken TOEFL, i told her my plan to take IELTS this week. She said it was nice talking and may be we see each other soon. I said thanks and did bid good bye.
Overall it was a nice interview and i look forward to write the essays for the same.