I thought it would be a good idea to let you readers ask me questions. These questions can be about profile evaluations, general MBA experience, pretty much anything and everything regarding an MBA in the US.
Post your questions as comments and leave your name so I can address my replies to you. Thanks :)
ps: leave your email if you want me to inform you when I have answered your Q.
Posts
77 comments:
Hey TrueConfessions,
I appreciate the time to answer the questions - this will be really helpful to the plethora of b-school applicants (me included!) - thanks much!
So, with that in mind, here's a few questions I was hoping you could answer:
1. I understand you may want to remain anonymous, but can you name your school and what you're studying?
2. Did you always consider the US as your first choice or did you give some thought to schools in the UK, Europe or Asia? Why or why not?
3. Aren't most b-schools actually geared towards the case method (or atleast most top-ranked ones)? I understand HBS probably pioneered this (or made it famous), but why do you think it makes a large difference?
4. In your opinion, how much career mobility (both a lateral shift across industries and a vertical shift within the same pre-MBA industry) does an MBA really give you? Do you think that a career change with an MBA is a lot more difficult now, and are certain schools more affected than others? If so, which ones and why?
5. How difficult are your classmates that are graduating now fnding it for full-time placements? Have you heard any particular stories that you might be able to share? What about internships?
Thanks a bunch for your help! Look forward to your responses.
- GM00
Hey GM00,
Great questions. Here are my answers.
1. I am a first year MBA Student. I dont know if I want to give the name of the school, but its a top 20 US institution. I am thinking of not doing this anonymously, but haven't decided yet.
2. I gave some thought to Australia, but it did not work out. I had very little experience and schools other than the ones in US were very strict about the requirements. Plus, I felt that schools in the US have a better placement record.
3. Not really, each b school as its own methodology. Most schools have a mix of lecture based and case based learning. I personally prefer this kind as you get the best of both worlds.
4. A career shift has been difficult now. Most of my friends got jobs in the same industry they were working before. You need to have either the function or the industry experience. For example, you were a marketing guy at a pharma company. So you can prolly get through a marketing role in a non pharma company, or a finance role in a pharma company. Any other combinations, though not impossible, are difficult.
I do not know which schools have been affected more than others. I guess all were screwed this year.
5. Dude, I cant even answer that question in this space. lol. In a sentence - VERY HARD. Students are struggling to find jobs and internships. The silver lining is that things have started easing, so hopefully by next year hiring will start to pick up.
Let me know if this helps.
Thanks for your willingness to help.
Would you please give your assessment of the appropriate schools for a person, who intends to apply for the batch starting in 2011 Fall with the following profile:
Indian, Female, 24 yrs; workexp: 1 year (working in Singapore)
Intends to apply a year from now (3 yrs experience at the time of matriculation).
BBM (SMU, Singapore)- GPA 3.75/4.0; top 10% of the class; University scholarship
Doing Masters in Chinese Studies (likely to complete in the next 16 month)
GMAT: 740 (Q;88%; V;92%)
Languages: Hindi; Kannada, Tamil; French (fairly good); a bit of Spanish and Italian
Work experience: 1 year as on date;
Big four audit firm- position:advisory associate;
Member of University debating team; member of work-life balance committee and member of CSR committee in the current organization.
Resident senior in the University hostel
Hobbies: Diving (Advanced open water diving certificate) and Trekking
To which B-schools should she apply to? Stretch, reach and safety?
She is likely to be senior associate at the time of application in 2010;
Would you advice waiting longer and gain more experience and achieve greater career progress or try and get in with just 3 years experience?
Thanks
Nothing 1954
Hey TrueConfessions -
Thanks for the responses!
I've been weighing the question of a US MBA vs a non-US (perhaps European) MBA keenly over the past few months. There is no question that the US MBA came out ahead up until recently. Now though, 2 years of tuition at 150k plus the opportunity cost of not working has to be considered even more, especially with TARP being the 800 pound gorilla for all the banks, which up until now were the heavy hitters at top b-schools.
Anyway, that's a whole another topic. But thanks again for the comments.
-GM00
@GM00,
Well is all depends. Restrictions placed on companies will end in 2011, so by the time you graduate things should get a lot better. Yes, the 100k loan is a big problem. I just realized that my monthly loan payment will be around $850 -- which is HUGEE. So, this is a personal call, if you feel your financials allow you to do so go ahead.
1954,
You have a great profile. Here are my thoughts:
Good: Global experience, high GMAT, multi-lingual, good company
Improvements: Years of work experience, lack of social activities after college
I think that you have a strong profile, and your school selection will really depend on what you want to do after your MBA. I think 3 yrs is on the lower side, but I myself got in with about 3 years work experience, so you can too. However, the reason I see it as a problem, is what happens after you get in. When you apply for jobs you will be competing with students with 5+ yrs of work ex and companies might pick them before you. I am going through the same thing. Companies will say they are looking for young talent, but very few actually mean what they say. A lot of young ppl I know are struggling, it cant be a coincidence. So lets do this, tell me what you want to do post MBA and we will make a list of schools for you.
Thanks True Confessions of an MBA.
She is in a consulting/adviosry job at present, in one of the big4 audit firms. She is on a 3 year rotation programme as of now. Just now she is only a rooky- she is involved in PPP/ privatization/ project finance projects. She is likely to be exposed to 'Financial Due Diligence' during the next rotation. If she is lucky, she may have an opportunity to work in the 'corporate Finance' team of the advisory division after a year. She will be a senior associate after a year and probably will become assistant manger/ manager after 4 or 5 years of total work ex.
She intends to get into consulting post-MBA, unless she changes her mind during the MBA.
Hopes to get into Mckinsey/ BCG/Bain post-MBA, if she can, otherwise, in some other consulting firm.
Her long term plan is to get into consulting in the not-for-profit sector.
Her job + her part time Masters course in Chinese studies keeps her busy and she doesn't have much time for community engagements outside of her work place. But she has opportunities to do community work as part of her role as a member of CSR team in the company where she works and in fact she is taking advantage of this role to do some community service projects.
Any suggestions on what she should do to improve her chances of getting into the best/right school?
Thanks and look forward to your reply.
Nothing1954
HI,
I want to go fot US-MBA fall 2010. I have three years of work experience (wil able to show 3.6 at time of filing application). Presently, I have started Gmat prepration few weeks ago. I had collected quite a lot information about Gmat.
Though, my doubts remain following:
Profile: B.Tech (E&TC) -- 67%
Work-Exp-- 3 years (software company in R&D deptt)
As I am targeting a score closer to 710.
What are my chances of getting into "Top 40 US b-schools"?
If I get to complete MBA from Uni say ..Wisconcin school of business(taking an example). What will be the return on investment like?
Can True Confession kindly comment?
@1954
Consulting is a very competitive industry, and so I would advice that you should be open to smaller boutique consulting firms too. These big firms usually take only 1-2 students. Having said that, I am sure she has the potential to make it, but it’s good to keep other options open too.
As for not for profit sector goes, you will have to show the school that you have enough not for profit experience. Think about it this way, if you were the admissions director, would you believe a student with only for profit experience saying he/she wants to get into not for profit sector or a student who has significant not for profit experience?
I am sorry for the blunt answer, I hope it helped.
Hi Samar,
You have asked great questions man. Not many people think about ROI (I didn’t). If you can score above 700, you will have a safe shot at top 40 schools. I had 3 yrs and 710 and got in UNC, so will be pretty safe. You will graduate at time when the economy would be growing (well hopefully), so you would get a pretty good placement. However, please consider other factors like cultural fit and long term goals when selecting the school you want to attend.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Thanks Buddy, for giving your insight. After going through b-school forums(specifically pagal guy),I have found that while answering a query the line of reasoning very much depends on what that person answering has got(I mean comparatinve logic). I am really glad to know that you are graduating from one of most brilliant Uni in US.
But, can you also provide details about what actually has done the magic in your case which resulted into your admission to UNC?
I reckon not many guys with 3 yr exp in their pocket and 710 Gmat had managed to get qualified for UNC admit. I am sure you would have done something incredibly smart. Can you please highlight what you observe was golden stuff in your application to UNC which rewarded you admission finally! ;)
Thanks for your help..
Hi,
I want to know what are my chances to get into a good B-School. Though I am not sure why I want to do an MBA but have a very strong desire to be an enterpreneur. I have done M.Tech with around 70% (6.8 GPA). I am working in Clinical Research Organization for about 2 years now. My hobbies are photography, trekking and adventures.
I know, for getting into an good B-School, my profile is not good. But how can I improve? what all things I can still do to get into a really good B-School.
Hi Anshul,
I want to know whether its right time(for me) to do MBA.I'l be having 3yrs of exp by next june and my profile is gud with 93% in X 97% in XII and 94% in BE and with lil bit of community service. What are my chances of getting into top 20 B schools assuming that I'l get 700+.
usually wht % of students are with wrk exp <=3yrs. I know its tough to say exact %. but an intelligent guess will do, to clarify that getting admit with 3yrs is rare thing or possible case.
I have to take decision whether to go for it or to wait for one more year.
--KK
Samar,
Thats a great question. The thing about UNC is that noy many students with entrepreneurial profile come to the school, and each school wants to balance their student body when it comes to diversity of professional bckgrounds. So, I think this is what worked for me.
I should say that this is my take, and i might be wrong. So, the trick for you is to find the school which is looking for the skills you have. I know its easier said than done, but theres a school out there looking for you.
Viks,
Never underestimate yourself buddy. I had a weak profile too and got in. If you want to be an entrepreneur, apply to Babson. It fits your profile pretty well. Check it out. What is your GMAT?
Anshul
KK,
That is a hard Q for me to answer. A small percentage of students do make it to top 20 schools with 3 yrs of work ex. Look for schools that are seeking younger applicants - Purdue, Rochester, CMU.
If you can wait another year, think about this - would you get promoted? Would you be doing anything better than what you are doing now? Will these new changes have a significant impact on your profile?
If yes, then you can think about waiting another year. I know this answer was a little vague, hit me back if you want more clarity.
Thanks for quick reply.
probably by nxt aug i'l be promoted to senior softw eng, which is still into devlopment side not managing ppl. And thr won't be much diff in rest of profile as I continue to wrk with same NGO and same acad records. I also thought abt doin 1yr distance learning course in othr field of interest. This will add up to extra degree.
Will these changes have much impact in admission.
Can you plz give me ur thoughts abt schools like Ceibs,NSU,HKUST,Oxford,IE..
--KK
I forgot to ask one more thing. If I decide to go for 2010 intake, then I'l be applying in R2. will this further lessen my chances
--KK
Hi Anshul,
Thnks for ur reply! It is a great help.
I have never heard of Babson, but when searched I got what I was expecting.
I haven't given GMAT.
How do you think that I can boost up my profile?
How much work exp is ideal for MBA?
My email id is vikasagrawal56@gmail.com, please feel free to mail me.
@KK,
I do not have much info on non US schools, so you'd be better off asking someone else about the specific schools. If I were you I would give it a shot with the current profile and see what happens. You have nothing to lose except a few hrs and a couple hundred bucks. But if you get through, it'll be worth it.
R1/R2 is more or less the same. I had applied in R2 and got through. So dont worry abt that.
@Viks,
If you can work with a NGO that focuses on "Green" initiatives that will be great, cuz everyone here is going crazy about green stuff. Whatever you do, dont do what everyone else is doing, cuz that wont help you at all. Think about anything, absolutely anything different - teaching kids music, or fighting for GLBTA rights, and you'll be golden.
about 4ish years is the average for an MBA. Let me know if this helped. Post your questions here, that way others can read it too. If you want to discuss something personal or very specific let me know.
Anshul
Thank you for all your suggestion, I'll definitly try get into these stuffs.
I am interested in photography and wildlife.. so try to do something.. :)
Thanks for your help, if u have anything/idea please let knw.. :)
Vikas
HI anshul,
I am 26 year Indian male, working for n IPR(patents) consultancy firm in India.
Currently I am working as tech team lead and have 3 year sof work ex.
I have received an admit from ESS.EC, paris without scholarship. The cost at ESS.EC is going to cost me around 37-40 Lakhs INR. Shall I wait for another year and apply to top 20 US B schools or take the plunge this year.
How is placement scenario for Indians going to be in 2012 (i know its hard to guess, but any insight from your perspective)? WITH OB.AMA gearing up for second term, how difficult it is going for Indian nationals to secure a permanent job in the US.
Based on my profile, would you recommend some top US B school.
Or shall I go to france and graduate in 2011. Hope that france is least hit by this economic turmoil.
Or shall I gear up for next year as graduating in 2012 is more advisable. If i go to Ess.ec this year I will graduate in 11 and would have 1 year post MBA experience by 2012.
So what is your take?
I also sent you my resume at the mail ID given at the blog. However, some other Anshul replied back saying that he was not the one I was looking for.
An urgent reply is really appreciated.
John
Work ex- 3 years
GM AT : 650
Acads Avg
EC :Avg
Social: Avg
GMAT 690
Hi Johnyg,
Sorry for the late reply. I think you should go to France. First of all, its a 1 year program. I think thats great cuz all of yoru learning basically takes place in the first year. 2nd yr is more or less job search.
Further the price tag of your MBA is pretty impressive, and lesser debt you have going into the future the better.
2011 should be good for hiring. Hiring in the US shoudl also pick up by 2011, and def by 2012. If I were you, I would go to France.
Dear Anshul,
Thanks for the excellent help you are providing to the fellows !! Much appreciated !
My profile : 710, AWA 4, 4.2 exp : Telecom Sector
I am not having any strong penchant towards any area, though want anyone of finance/IT-Consulting/Marketing.
I have still not finalised which all colleges to apply. Though have made a list :
Applying (90 % sure) : Stern, UCB, Yale, Cornell, Ross, Kelley, McCombs.
Not Sure : KFBS, Mcdonough, Kelloggs, Fisher, Tippe
Its a long list as I am not able to decide where all to apply and where not :(
1- Request you to throw light on what are my chances at KFBS as you are currently studying there
2- How is KFBS overall ?
3- Any other comment or advice on my college choices would be really appreciated as I need to curtail my long list !!
Thanks in advance !!
Hector
just dropped by to say that you are doing a wonderful job.
good luck with ur MBA
Dear Anshul,
I thought 40 Lakhs is too much for MBA.
What is yr comment on it? My friend has joined BU where he will have to only shell 20 Lakhs, same goes for a fren who has joined SMITH.
Its a 2 year course and I am skeptical about ROI.
There is one B school in germany H.HL where the entire expense would be around 16 Lakhs (received good schol) for 18 months course. what shall I do? France with 40 ro Germany with 16. or US next year. Sorry for troubling you again. How much an MBA costs in US generally?
@Johnyg,
MBAs in the US usually cost around $100k. Smith might be a good option for you. However, I like the Germany option. One of my friends here at UNC was telling me that he should have gone to Germany for his MBA because there are very few MBAs there. So if you want to work in Germany go for it. However note that job opportunities in the US after that MBA might not be as good
hope this helps
@Hector,
man I am so glad you msged me. First of all, I am sorry if I sound harsh, but I wish someone gave me the advice I am about to give you.
Firstly, please decide what you want to do. If you go in with 2-3 choices, you will end up suffering a lot. I can tell from experience. ALso, your choice of schools will depend on the industry you choose.
I feel the schools you have short listed are "stretch" schools. Apply to a couple schools from the list, then apply to schools in the 20-25 range. I am a 710 and trust me its not that great a score. I think my score is the lowest amongst all desis at UNC.
I am not a big fan of UNC, the career services isnt that good. If you want to pursue finance, then u can come here, not otherwise.
so please think more about what you really want. do not look at starting salaries to decide that (i did that.. hehe). Now i know that it was a bad idea.
do not hesitate to msg me for more help. I hope u do.
Anshul
@jatmusings
thanks man, appreciate it. I just feel that someone should give prospective students an insider's view.
Anshul
Hey Anshul,
Do you mind giving me your email address??
Or some id where I could talk to you.
I am really confused about HHL this year and US/UK Mba next year.
Germans are not that open towards Indians.
It is tough to crack in if you dont have sound knowledge of German.
SO I am still skeptical about job security in Germany.
Are Indians getting H1 in the US comfortably?
Considering Obama's policy, would it get difficult for Indian grads to get job thr?
Johny
Hi,
I had pinged you in Pagalguy regarding colleges in CA.
I had one another query. I wanted to know what kind of placements happen in general management? I mean how big a role does work-ex play in this area and what kind of companies recruit people from general management and what is their profile after the course.
Divya
@Johny
I have a friend who worked in Germany, and he said that germans are reserved people and will open up once they know you.
Plus, you will have similar problems in the US too. To successfully network, you need a sound knowledge of american sports, and trust me its like learning a new language in itself.
Getting jobs by the time you graduate will not be a problem, hopefully, but the problem is what after that? If you plan to settle in the US be prepared to wait 5-6 yrs for your green card. That too if everything goes well. This is what turns me off abt the US. I am myself thinking of moving to Canada for the same reason.
@Divya,
There is no one answer to your question. People will get hired from all backgrounds and profiles. But yes, work ex DOES matter a lot. Think about it, why would you hire someone with little work ex in a gen mgt role? Hope this helps.
Thanks a lot Anshul for your detailed reply & time !! Much Appreciated !!
ATB for ur future endeavours !!
thanks and yr welcome :)
Hi,
Can you give your take on Cornell's MBA wrt reputation, ROI, job opps? I ve heard it looses out majorly on jobs to B-schools from NYC, n with the recession it could become worse.
Hi Anshul,
Great work mate, you are really doing a great job. I wanted your opinion on my list of colleges
I hv a Gmat of 720, 3.8 yrs of exp in IT by time i join, a promotion,Average Acads fro top 20 engg college in India, Good extra curriculars where i got a chance to lead, a bit of community contribution
I'm aiming for Consulting posy mba
UNC is one of my preferred schools
Others are Emory,Duke,Rotman,Georgetown
What is your take on them. Should i apply to a lower ranked like Owen of BU to be more safe.
by the look of it UNC looks good in Consulting but then wats the reason you dont regard it that highly?
@Really,
You raise a very interesting pt. I had never thought abt that. I don’t really know anyone in Cornell so hard to say but I would agree that jobs in NYC would first go to other schools in the area. Having said that, NYC has enough opportunities to take in Cornell grads along with those of other schools. My suggestion would be to talk to an Indian current student.
@Samurai,
I really like your selection of schools. You need to add a few safe schools too because IT is a very competitive pool and you want to hedge your risk. BU sounds good as Boston is a consulting hub, also consider GA Tech. Safe schools should be in bigger cities so the city offsets the low ranking. It’s not that great a school but being in Atlanta will help a LOT!!!
About UNC, man it’s a great school for academics but not for placements, especially for internationals. The professors, classes, students are just awesome, but career services and other program people are not very helpful. I have seen many desis who wanted to get into consulting and are now very unhappy with UNC.
Hi Anshul,
Thanks for the reply. I ll try to get in touch with an Indian alum. Another question - Can you list out US B-schools reputed for their Consulting course/placements, apart from the top viz Columbia, Kellog, MIT, Wharton, HBS?
Thanks.
hi,
First, Kudos was answering queries. I found your comments/replies much more mature than most desis ;)
Down to my question -
How good in KF with regard to Finance and how does it compete with Dukes in that area.
Also, say if i have a 650 GMAT but otherwise a strong profile like strong workex, intl experience, startup experience and ya..being a not IT person..how much chance do i have getting in all other things being equal.
I am a career enhancer btw, and not a career changer.
Cheers!
@Really,
Look at Emory, GA Tech(being it atlanta really helps, it is the consulting hub of the south), UT Austin.
@iam3vil,
You have a good profile, however a lower GMAT will def hurt you. UNC is good for Finance so it shouldn't be that bad for you. However, you raelly need good grades for Finance and there is a LOT of competition. I would suggest retaking the GMAT and getting closer to 700. That will really open more doors for your. Please msg me back if you have more questions.
@1am3vil,
Well Duke does have an advantage (better ranking), but UNC is pretty well known too. I spoke to a few of our seniors and one the things that stood out was that many students at UNC want to work locally whereas at Duke people are willing to anywhere in the US. So, there are more companies at Duke than UNC.
As for CMC helping students with H1b issues and jobs, I have not been satisfied by their efforts. You might get a different answer if you talk to some other international, so please talk to more students. I am just sharing my opinion.
Posting as an anonymous user just to test if I am going to get this error you were talking about.
Anshul
thanks man, all your views are much appreciated.
Cheers!
Hi Anshul,
First of all, thanks for maintaining this blog and answering all the questions. Please answer some of mine too. Thanks in advance.
1) Could you please advice on how to get the financing (150k USD is a lot of money)? It might not be easy for me to get a loan since I can't get a co-signer (in US or India). I know some schools like duke and cornell can get you a loan even without a co-signer but somehow I am not really interested in those schools. I am also considering some canadian schools and unfortunately none of them help you at all with this.
2) Also, I am trying to find some good schools that might be a good "fit" for me. If I do an MBA from the US (..considering UK/canada too), I'd like to get placed either in NY or california (maybe chicago and boston too but definitely not in remote places like wisconsin or small cities/towns). This is VERY IMPORTANT for me (maybe even more than the field i work in). Regarding the field.. I am still undecided between finance/consultancy/project management. I think I should be able to figure it out by the end of first term, once i get a "feel" of all these first hand.
Btw my profile- good school, bad acads, good gmat, no extra-curricular, international 4 years (in sep, 2010) tech (non-IT) work-ex with good achievements and recos.
Considering all this, which schools in top 10-25 range would you suggest? i am leaning pretty strongly towards NYU and UCLA right now (but the financing problem is holding me back). I am also considering doing some internships at potential employers during the 2nd year and so nyu and ucla should make even more sense for me considering their location. I am also thinking of applying to manchester/warwick/cranfield/hec montreal/ontario as backups (would apply to only 1-2). what do you think of these choices? which other schools would you suggest to also look into?
Thanks,
MBA 2010
@MBA 2010,
First of all, your three career choices are very very broad and different. Finance, consulting and PM are 3 very very different ones. Your entire job search strategy will be different in each case. Waiting till the end of first year to decide will be a BIG BIG BIG mistake. I can say that because I did the same thing and now I am suffering the consequences.
You need to decide before joining your school what you want to do. Otherwise you will be lost all the time. Each of those careers will require so much time that you will not be able to concentrate on all and will end up doing an average job in both.
If you are not able to decide what you want, go for schools with a great location NOT ranking. For example, Choose NYU, Emory, GA Tech, CMU (i highly recommend this one because it is good in all the three careers you are interested in). You should mainly focus on the NE because it will give you access to all three career choices.
Possible cities options could be NYC, Boston, Hartford, Cleveland, Chicago (not in the NE but still), Pittsburgh, Philly. Some southern cities like atlanta might be good too.
What is your GMAT score? I know you said good but an exact number will help me suggest better fit schools.
Dont apply for schools in montreal, apply for schools in ontario. Montreal is very french, so job opportunities will be less unless u speak french. I am currently in Montreal so I can tell.
hope this helps.
Hi Anshul,
Thanks for the reply. My GMAT is 760 but I am still not too excited, since my acads otherwise are not good enough.
Actually, i am not so interested in finance (the only interest in that was/is due to the good job/salary opportunities though I am not sure how true that is now).
Also, I always thought PM and consultancy were somehow related since in both one has to deal with strategy and so the overlap in courses and club activities should be large. But of course, I don't have a business background and could be wrong. So please correct me if I am.
Considering, a priority order of PM = consultancy > finance and the fact that I would like a job in NY, which schools would you recommend?
Also please tell me about some viable financing options (without a co-singner in US or india)- this is right now the MOST important question that i have to find the answer to.
And I keep reading on forums that if one wants a job in US, one needs to do MBA from US. How true is this? What about oxford, LBS, isb etc for a job in US/NY?
Thanks,
MBA 2010
@MBA 2010,
PM and consulting have similar and different things. Yes strategy is a big part of both, but the recruiting process for the two is different. However, you can do PM with consulting. Its doable. Finacne and consulting are totally different. You can choose schools good for consulting and you should be able to pursue PM too.
For a job in NY with a score of 760, give a shot to all the top schools... MIT, Tepper, Harvard (why not), NYU, etc.
If you want to work in the US, its better to get your MBA in the US too. I am not sure about other schools placing their students in the US, but I would suggest sticking to US schools.
Financing options are very limited man. Check out schools that give loans without cosingor - Columbia, UNC, Chicago, Darden.
hope this helps man.
Hi Anshul,
Please suggest me which schools I can go for:
I have 7 years experience in IT/Telecom domain.
Currently (since 4-5 months) working on building a social enterprise related to education (it's a For-profit organization).
It should be stable in another 3-4 months - by the time I go for an MBA.
Currently I'm looking for an 1Yr MBA. 2 years according to me does not help me much as I'm pretty convinced of what I want to do. Either start my own venture if things I'm planning to are implementable or have stint with a venture capital firm so that I learn more about Entrepreneurship till I start my own.
Currently I'm looking at schools that have strong entrepreneurial bent and allow me complete my MBA at a lower cost.
1. Babson of course
2. CEIBS/HKUST/NUS - Allows me to work in China's growing private education sector
3. Cranfield - Fine - Scholarships available
4. ISB - Closer home
Would really appreciate your comments.
Regards,
Hi Anshul,
Not sure if you are still active on the blog, I have a few questions for you regarding my b-school selection.
GMAT-690
Did my Undergrad in mech eng (top 10% of class) from India and moved to Canada 4 years ago for MS degree (GPA 3.7/4). A Canadian citizen now.
Work exp - Currently in Biz dev group of a chemical/petrochemical EPC firm. Strong leadership, team work skills and have shown initiative and innovation at wrk. Total 3.5 yrs of wrk exp at the start of MBA
Looking to get a good exposure in general mgt with a focus in operations mgt. My goal is to get ops consulting experience post MBA that would prepare me to lead the operations of a product-based firm in a expanding overseas market. Till now I was focussed on Rotman and Ivey, but feel that US schools will offer me much better opportunities specially international opportunities.
What schools do you suggest me to apply based on my profile? Few schools that comes to my mind are Tepper CMU, KFBS and Darden. What do you make of them?
@Anonymous,
I am in the same boat as you. I want to start my business or work with a startup company. Here is what I think, if you want to get into a VC firm, you need to be from the top 2-3 schools. Look at the profiles of most VCs, they are either from Harvard or Stanford. Not saying you cannot make it, but it will just be very hard because the number of openings are very few, and supply of talent is pretty high.
That is why I am going after startups that are backed by VCs. The catch here is that your pay will be very *very* low, but the experience will be very good.
Your schools are all over the place, do you plan to return to india right away? Do you have a business idea in mind?
If not, I strongly suggest focusing on one country and taking it from there. Please answer the above questions and lets take it from there.
@Sanyam,
Do Rotman and Ivey not have enough international opportunities? I would not come to US unless I got in MIT or any of the top 5. UNC is not the place for operations. CMU, MSU,ASU are better choices.
Do you get in state tuition in Rotman and Ivey? If yes, I would not consider US schools because the money you will save adds up to a lot of savings in the future.
Plus working in the US is a big problems, even with a canadian passport. Getting a TN visa is a hassle too. I have a couple canadians here at UNC who are struggling with jobs in the states.
once i have the answer to my questions, i can give you better advice.
Hey There!
I have a few questions..would love to get your feeback..
My sister (cousin) from India is trying to apply for MBA here in the US. She got a 610 in her first attempt. She was asking me if there were schools that would take that score.
Also, what is your advise as far as people that want to come here to pursue an MBA. Is it worth doing it as in are job prospects out there.
I told her that if she wanted to do an MBA she has to do it from a good school. She's up against alot of competition. Especially after the financial meltdown there aren't many job opportunities for MBA candidates.
Her dad's a business owner..So I asked her if she wants to eventually run the business then it probably doesn't make sense to spend $100,000 to get an MBA from here.
Look forward to your comments
Hi Anonymous,
I think your sister really needs to decide what she wants to do after her MBA. If she wants to start a business then spending $100k is not a good idea.
If she wants to work in the US, there are still many jobs out there. The situation is bad today but by the time she graduates it will be pretty good.
610 is a low score and it will be hard to make the cut into any top school. There are schools that will take you for this score, but then your opportunities are limited.
I would suggest retaking the GMAT and see if she can score closer to 650. With a 650 you can apply for top 30-40 schools.
hope this helps.
Hi Anshul!
You doing a gr8 job dude. Keep up the good work!!!
Need your help dude..
I am a BBM Graduate, right now working for HSBC, I am basically into Compliance ( I work for Anti Money Laundering department) I am planning to do my MBA after I have a min of 2 years of experience.
I wanted to know which all universities I can apply for in Canada. I am interested in Queen's and Ivey. Other than those i am also interested in ISB.
Wanted to know whether I have chances of getting selected with my current profile. Also please suggest on how to improve my profile. I am thinking of volunteering for some NGO. Will that help?
I will be writing GMAT next year. Aiming for 700+
@Ashish,
Sorry for the late reply man, I am in a vacation mode :)
You can look at
Ivey - 1 year program, i like that you save a year and a lot of $$
York
Queens - have heard good things about this one.
McGill - you have a good shot here.
U of Toronto - might be a little difficult with your profile.
I think you should start contacting indian students at these schools to get a better sense of what kind of students are admitted. 2 years is always on the lower side bec ppl usually have 4-5 years.
But i got in with 2.5 so u can too. best of luck
Very nice initiative Anshul..God bless u..i got answers to so many ques...jus by reading the blog...Thanks...I'm applying to ivey and one among(queen n rotoman) nt decided yt...plz suggest if possbl...profile 690 gmat/IIT/team leadIT/v good acads/very good ECs
@Anonymous,
Why dont you try retaking the GMAT. The reason I am saying so is that if you score above 700, and with your IIT background you will have a shot at the top 20 schools. Are you only focusing on Canada? Please tell me more about your post MBA goals and I can then suggest good schools to you.
Hi Anshul,
I have received an admit for UNC's class of 2012 program. I will have almost 6 year exp by the time I join. Just like a lot of us I havent yet finalised on what i really want to do after my MBA (and hence not looking at 1 yr MBA programs), but broadly I am looking at general management, corporate planning and strategy, strategy consulting. I do believe that these streams are not very different from each other, the latter two probably similar enough (in terms of knowledge and skills required with consultin requiring extra skills)for me to try for jobs in both. When i was shortlisting my schools for application, I did have couple of other schools that I ranked above UNC, but as things turn out I do not have those options now. I was generally impressed by UNC's faculty in consulting and it did seem to have reasonably strong industry relations in this field. Last year's placement record however hasnt been good for consulting in particular and for internationals in general.
I can understand from your earlier posts that UNC is not particularly strong in consulting. So my questions are:
1. Is UNC working overtime to improve its academic training and industry relations in consulting?
2. How are gen.mgmt and corp.strategy placements at UNC? Generally in US, are companies interested in internationals for these profiles?
3. If i do not get a job through the CMC, will I be able to strongly leverage the UNC brand and alumni network to find a job reasonably soon?(Simply put, how strong are the UNC brand and alum net inside US :))
TIA and regards,
hi ansul,
i m planning to pursue my mba either frm usa or frm canada..bt found US mba have more value in it sense..
now, i m doing bba n still 1 year to go to complete it.
my question is as follow
1: Are US universities accepting 15 year education(3 year graduation) or not?
i found on google that most of US university are accepting only 4 year graduation..it mean individual can not apply if he completed 15 year education.
2: And my second question is about work experience.
what kind of work experience they(b school) consider...mean to say if i want to make carrer in MBA(marketing)..will my experience as marketing executive counted or not?
hope i will find reply as soon as other.
thanxx in advance..
nitish
@Anonymous
I would first say that the 4 concentrations you have chosen are very different. May be not so much when it comes to the skills part, but definitely when it comes to job search. Your search strategy will be very very different for all the 4 concentrations. You need to focus on ONE and ONLY ONE concentration from the start. Use this time you have to talk to current students and alumni to figure out what is it that you really want to do.
UNC's placements will be good by the time you graduate courtesy of the booming economy (I am hoping things will get back on track by then). Don't expect much from CMC and on campus interviews but off campus search should get you satisfactory results. However, students who have opted for lower ranked schools in bigger cities like Atlanta and Boston have gotten more job offers. RTP is great if you are interested in Health Care, not a hot bed for anything else really.
If don't have an option to go schools that are in bigger cities, UNC won't be a bad choice. However, if you can enroll is a lower ranked university in a bigger city, go for it. Please do not hesitate to ask more questions. Hope this helped. Anshul
@Nitish
I am not sure about the first question, you will have to contact schools for that. As for the 2nd question, it seems that you don't have any post bba work experience. is this right? If yes you will have a very hard time getting into top 30 schools. Schools and employers look at work experience and I wouldn't advice you to pursue your MBA with no work ex. Hope this helps. Anshul
Thanks for reply. And i really appreciate your effort for making such a nice page.
But my second answer is still in vague and you estimated right i m still fresher n 1 year short to my graduation. My question was:
What kind of work experience they consider i.e. will they consider work experience of marketing or sales execute.
That is what i wanna know. Please reply m waiting..@@
thanks again
Nitish
@Nitish,
Your work ex (Marketing Executive) will only be counted if it is full time and is after your undergraduate degree. Does this answer your question? Do not hesitate to post again for clarification.
Hello Anshul,
Firstly, thank you for this forum. It seems to be helping quite a few applicants. :)
I am considering an MBA in Europe, but would like to know more about my career options post one. Otherwise I dont see why I should do an MBA in the first place.
I have some performance evaluation experience in Engineering and now non-profit. I have undergone rotations through various functions in the engineering firm for 1.5 years along with the performance evaluation work I have done with 1 department. My non-profit work involves volunteer management, performance monitoring and research for 0.5 years now. I would apply to a school once my experience with the non profit hits 1 year plus.
I have been involved voluntarily in 2 other non-profits for the past 6 years. For one as a volunteer (2 years) and the second one as an active donor & advocate(holding fund-raisers, on-site project visits over time etc) for 4 years.
I'd like to stay in non-profit management or shift to non-profit consulting. Please advise me on this career shift and whether an MBA can help.
If it can, do any schools in Europe come to your mind?
thank you. :)
Hi,
Really helpful blog...
I must say that i have a lot more clarity after reading all of your posts.
A little about me, i have been working in the tech industry for about 4 years and i want to move into a business oriented role in a technology company post MBA.
I have shortlisted some schools based on my goals which are UTAustin, CMU Tepper and ISB.
I wanted to know some other schools in the US which have a high %age of tech placements.
Thanks for the help and keep up the good work.
Ciao
@Anonymous
I do not know much about b-schools in Europe so can't help with school selection there. You threw in quite a few numbers so I am not sure how many years of full time, post college experience you have. From what I know most b-schools in EU require a lot more work ex than the US ones. So you might want to chat with students there.
One thing you might want to consider is the debt you will carry after your MBA. I have a debt of more than $100k and my monthly payments are more than $1200 a month for the next 10 years. This might be a bit too much for you on a non profit salary. Something to think about. Hope this helps.
Hi Anshul.. I appreciate the sincere efforts you are putting in to convey the right picture for the future aspirants.It is not an exaggeration to say that I learnt from your blog than what I did from my research on the web for past couple of days.
As someone who had been through the same stage,I hope you would give me a better advice.
I have got a typical profile..Indian male with 4 yrs exp in IT industry/10 months in UK/70 % in B.Tech/avg EC and CS/GMAT-710
Now from what you have been telling all along,I understand that it is not worth to go after ranking alone (that rules out UNC for me)
I don't want to change my profile from IT,as I comfortable with it.But the challenging aspect is that I am not aware of the colleges where IT would become an asset rather than an handicap.I am willing to go to any location provided that gives a good ROI and does not change my stream(from your posts I understand that hands on exp has greater leverage).
Any good B-Schools(irrespective of ranking) for IT/E-Commerce where I have chances for aid with my GMAT score of 710 ?
Thanks,
Ranadhir.
Randhir,
Sorry for the delay, I was busy with job interviews. Firstly, you are on the right track as far your research goes. Your main problem will be the competition from desis. Most desis have a very similar profile and a better GMAT than you (sorry but its true, I have a 710 as well so I know). Your best bet will be schools on the west coast. I am realizing now that MOST tech companies are on the west coast, there are more opportunities on the WC as well.
I just got back from SFO and let me tell me you that place has sooo many opportunities for tech people. Choose 6 schools, 2 of each level - stretch, realistic, safety schools. Hope this helps man. If you want more personalized advice give me more information about you and we'll take it from there.
Hi Anshul,
Thanks for taking up this amazing initiative.. all the discussions on this page have been truly helpful.
Here is my profile :
Indian/ IT / female
GMAT : 750
Acads : Very good throughout
WE : Two years (3 yrs by aug 2011)in an IT firm with excellent knowledge of computer networking.
EC and Community service : Very average
I am looking at an MBA in fall 2011. Like most others, I am not too sure of my post mba goals but I have a fair idea that I want to get into consulting. Is there any other post mba line you can suggest considering that I have hi-tech computer networking experience? ( I am a Cisco Certified Security Professional(CCSP) as well ).
I have shortlisted the following schools based on my profile and chances of scholarship:
ISB - stretch
NUS
Tepper - stretch
Kelley
USC Marshall
Boston University
Could you let me know you thoughts on these and any other schools I can consider?
Thanks ,
mba_fall2011
@MBA_FALL2011
Your GMAT is pretty impressive. The weak part of your profile is your WE: both length and the type. There are MANY Indians with exactly the same profile. You will have to work hard to distinguish yourself.
The schools you have chosen are pretty good. Here is my suggestion - pick as many schools as possible on the West Coast. SFO is the place to be for technology. I wish someone had told me this before starting my MBA. You will not believe the number of opportunities available in SFO. You have to be there because companies won't hire if you are not local.
Doesn't matter if the school you get in isn't ranked. Location will more than compensate for your school's lower rank. From your list take out Kelley. Not a good fit for your profile.
Stretch - Berkeley, UCLA, Tepper
Realistic - USC Marshall, UT Austin (Austin is a good place to be for tech as well, nothing beats SFO though)
Safe - Choose any two schools in the bay area, BU is a good choice as well. They give out a LOT of scholarships to Indians.
Hi Anshul,
I am 30 yr old with 8 yrs work ex..planning for fall 2011 MBA..
profile: gmat 710
work ex - includes 2.5 yrs in govt telecom, 2 yrs in telecom MNC and now i am freelance technical consultant with ericsson.. last 3 yrs in north africa..2 countries, different projects
EC and community - average
Applied for: Tepper, darden and Olin
will apply : Boston uni, USC marshall
in pipeline: UK MBAs if nothing above works and some more safe US options ( what u suggest)
My concern is how older students like me are perceived? Does it affect my chances to get in?
Do companies prefer younger ppl?
Since location is very very important for me, What else u suggest?
Will really appreciate ur reply
Br
Vishal
Vishal,
You have a good profile but I totally understand your concern. Firstly, you talked about location being important... how are you going about choosing your location? What industry do you want to work in after your MBA? I can help you with location only after this information.
My suggestion will be to look at schools where average age is closer to yours. For Tepper has a young average age... around 25... so not a good fit for you... Call the schools you are interested in and ask to talk to students your age. They will be able to give you a better sense of what you can expect.
Answer my questions and then we'll take it from there.
Thnx anshul for ur reply...
Post-MBA my goal is to go in consulting.. i have been kind of technical consultant since last 3 years so want to widen my horizon.
Location: preferably in a gud metro area where my chance of getting a job are more..( Hence Boston Uni) Also i will be moving family with me so thats another issue.
Finance: i have no constraints..still a scholl is always welcome.
I applied to Darden/Olin/Tepper for their reputation ( and lot other factors), but i am sure there are far more younger Indians with higher GMATs. so my chances are not that bright.
I want to apply to some schools with decent ranking and gud location where i can get jobs. Mid-east and West coast are priorities.
Let me know what u think..
Br
Vishal
Hi anshul............
grt work......I just want to know wethr is it possible to do a mba from u.s all on loans? I mean around 17-18 lkh from sbi or other and other from U.S....Or what is the minimum ammount nrrded atleast from ones side leaving the loans aside............
Thanks
Rahul
Hi,
Thanks for all your answers. It did help me to know more about MBA admission.
I am preparing to apply for fall 2011. I have 3 years and a half of working experience. My GMAT is 600.
My question is "Do I have chance for top 40 B-school of US?". Could you send me answer to my email address: steppe.vn@gmail.com?
Thank you very much for your kind help.
Steppe
@Vishal,
For consulting pick the following cities - Boston, Atlanta, NYC, Chicago, basically any major metro. I will focus mainly on Boston and Atlanta. It would make more sense to focus on the NE part of the country. Try Emory and GA Tech. They have good placements for consulting.
@Rahul,
Some schools provide loans without Co-signor. I think Darden, UNC, Chicago are amongst them. You might want to recheck because there were changes in the law last here and that might have changed these things. I did my entire MBA on loans... UNC and Bank loan from India. Be careful about taking too many loans... even though you will make $100k+, all your money wll go into paying back loans leaving you broke. I am telling this from experience.
@Steppe,
Yes, you do have a shot. I would focus on 30-40 ranked range. Here is what I would suggest. Forget ranking at this stage. Focus on schools in big cities. Being in a big city will compensate for a lower ranked school. Please give me information regarding your post MBA goals and we can make a list of potential schools.
Post a Comment