ISB Ding

Applicant Name: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Application No.: xxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,

The Admissions Committee has completed its review of your application for admission to the ISB. Despite your many merits as a candidate, I regret to inform you that we are not able to offer a place in the class beginning April 12, 2010.

Several members of our Committee carefully evaluated your application in the following areas: work experience, career plans, academic, extra curricular and community involvement, leadership and interpersonal skills. Decisions are based upon an evaluation of your individual strengths and weaknesses, as well as your qualifications relative to those of our applicants.

Please note that this decision is not a reflection of your personal qualities and achievements or your potential for success in management, but merely a reflection of the limited number of seats in the class.

If you are interested in a feedback on your application, please place a request at http://pgpapp.isb.edu/user and we will be able to provide it in the month of May 2010. I request you not to forward us emails soliciting feedback at PGPAdmissions@isb.edu .

I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours, and thank you for your interest in the ISB.

Please note:

All disputes arising out of or in respect of Admission to the PGP shall be referred for Arbitration to the Dean ISB Hyderabad or to his nominee, whose decision shall be final and binding on the parties. The Arbitration shall be at Hyderabad and be conducted in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.

Sincerely,

A.M. Kannan
Director - Admissions & Financial Aid
Indian School of Business
Gachibowli
Hyderabad 500 032
INDIA

TOEFL

Now, the big question is that I need to take date for TOEFL.
I need to write it as soon as I can. I know that writing it won't be any problem, but I am just waiting for ISB. If ISB happens, I would not need to write TOEFL. And I would be able to save some more money which I can use it in some other cause.. read celebration. :) So, just waiting for the TOEFL.
Except that, I have started finalizing my DUKE and EMORY essays. they are into shape, and very soon, I would be done with them.

I know, that there is long way to go.
I hope, things settle for good. ameen.

MBA Essay

Here are some key points for moving your essay from good to excellent, & some characteristics of an ‘Excellent’ essay:

 -The essay response should communicate an experience that clearly responds to the information requested by the Admissions board.       This  means that the connection from the essay question to the essay answer is obvious.

 - All unnecessary information should be removed. Every piece of information included in the essay should make an indispensable contribution to the story.

 - The essay should be reviewed carefully for applcication red flags –a any subtle communication that could reveal application weaknesses or take away from the writer’s strengths.

 - The essay should be easy to read and doesn’t require that the reader invest time to understand what is being communicated.

 
- The structure, layout and style should get the reader excited and involved emotionally while reading the essay. The writer should use various techniques to achieve this result, including a good story, common emotions or feelings.

 - The writer should take advantage to communicate other important traits in the same essay without any deviation from the primary theme of the essay.

 - The closing sentence of the essay should close the reading with a feeling of satisfaction and job well done.

 - An intense emotional connection should be made with the reader from the beginning and this connection lasts until the end of the essay. The writer should communicate action (mental, verbal and physical) to keep the reader in step with the emotions the writer wants the reader to feel. Remember that thoughts often must be made explicit since the Admissions Board can’t be expected to mind read.

 -  The detail shared by the writer should be chosen in such a way to create a profile that is unique from the ten thousand other applicants answering the same question. The writer can achieve this by communicating personal data that goes beyond superficial information.

Tension!!

I went to Bangalore last weekend to attend the DUKE session. Now, I got waiver of 200$ in the application fees. It is okay, though i had missed the round 1 deadline. This is one of the nice thing apart from my Bike trip to Bangalore. Yes, I went to Bangalore on my FZ-S. It was an experience to travel that much distance. I saw bright sunlight, then beautiful evening on the highway, and then drove in drizzling rain in the night. So, had a life time experience.
While coming back, I had to drive for over 2 hours in the rain. That was also okay. I mean, that did not bother me much. And its okay. But, now, I am feeling the importance of getting acceptance from ISB.
I don't know as why I am building so much pressure. In fact, I am not trying at all but it is slowly slowly coming on my head. Now, I seriously feel that it would be one of the great day if I get accepted in ISB.
Now, frankly, I feel that i am hanging in the air. I cannot go anywhere and I don't have any anchor in life. I know, I should feel confident but I wish, If I could get accepted in ISB. Please bhagwaan ji. I know, it has been totally your blessing. And it would be really great if I can get final admit. You have made me to come this far. I hope, that my interview was liked by them. Otherwise, they have reason enough to accept me. I mean, i have done few good things in life... and had fought since last one year. But.. now, it is almost, i am on the doorstep. Just matter of getting in. I think, i give my 100% to get inside. The day, you gave me the information, I started day and night preparing for the same.
But, now, I would be leaving this place. It would be very very momentous and matter of pride if I go out of this place with such a big blessing in my hand. Love you bhagwaan ji.

DUKE-Info Session.

I talked a lot for waiver of my application fees for DUKE. But at the end, they showed their helplessness saying that they cannot do so. At last, i got one mail like this.

Hi xxxxx,

I have presented your request to the committee that decides upon Financial Hardship waivers, and unfortunately we are unable to grant your request.

However, you may qualify for an application fee reduction by registering for and attending an Information Session in your area hosted by the Fuqua School of Business. Your fee would be reduced to $50 dollars (a $150 dollar savings) if you register for and attend such a session.

Please contact our India Office for information regarding date and location of information sessions. They are scheduled almost weekly across the country.

Telephone: + 91.80.2334.6554
E-mail: india@fuqua.duke.edu

I hope you will find a session that is convenient and will have a chance to learn more about our offerings simultaneously.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I'll be glad to provide assistance.

Best regards,

Anneli

Anneli Richter

Sr. Associate Director

Office of Admissions

Duke University: The Fuqua School of Business

phone: 919.660.7705

fax: 919.681.8026

Then, I found out the application date for the first round that was Yesterday. Sometime, i felt that i have got a chance but then at this point of time, when I have so many things in my plate, i wanted to save as much money as I can. So, I decided to apply to the second round. Tomorrow they have INFO session in bangalore and I am going there now to attend the same.

But the good thing is that, I am not going by train or plane or Bus. I am going by Bike. As I have already told that now hardly 20 days are left in my current company. There are some works to be done by me. But ... you know, who works in the resignation period. So, I am just coming to office.. doing some basic stuff. and then moving ahead.

I would be going to Bangalore today by BIKE>. I wanted to go for some ride like this long back.. but perhaps, i did not get opportunity like this.

I know this can be risky as I would be alone. But.. Adventure IS Taking RISK. Anyways, not a big thing.. as such. But yeah, i would like to go for the same. Would be moving out in some 40 minutes from now.

Will update about the INFO Session once I am back. It should be good. I am more interested in their energy management program. If the things are good, and I feel that things are okay with me..i would straight away write my essays. Also, I can meet my consultant in IMS>. Yeah. that is correct. that would be good.

Confusion

No.. this is not the write time to write on my blog wall. Why? I am sitting in my office. The place where i have been working since last 3 years. And, now I have resigned. Remaining days are fast becoming from double digits to single digits. And, then I would be on a different route. Sometime, I am feeling that, what a relaxed life it can be if you are working somewhere. You are sure that at the end of every month you are going to get a salary in your account which you can use the way you want.

And, now, things are different. I wanted to be an entrepreneur all along. For the same thing, i have been giving big big lecture. And, now when i am so close to being one, i am realizing the problem which are faced by an entrepreneur. More than the problem posed by the outside world, most of the time, you have to fight within yourself to fight for your dream. But, then a question pops up? What was the dream actually? Was it to be an entrepreneur? Or be a big name in some particular industry and in some particular domain? Nopes. I did not had anything like this in my mind. I know, that i wanted to do something of my own. And now here I am. At least for the next few months, things are not going to be as simple as i have been taking it. It is going to be lot more difficult and the challenges are much more than I can cont on my finger. apart from making a rapport with the official in Delhi, i need to create an atmosphere around me. An atmosphere of support and confidence. I don't know, but I think, i have been looking at the wrong source of light. In stead of looking inside, I have been looking outside for the inspiration. Perhaps, this is the reason for my being late. Frankly, now, I am running late for 3 years. I mean, i have definitely missed 3 years in my life. Now, I cannot do anything. Of course, I have not wasted but, yeah, those are not the best use of my life.

So, what are the things in my plate?

TOEFL

ECOnirman-Layout and Further Development

Emory Essay

Emory Recommendation

MIT Recommendation.

I know, if i get the ISB call, then 90% of my problem would be solved, and I will feel on another plane. But Am i that much lucky? Would I be that much lucky? Seriously, I feel that that would be a great present from Bholenath, If I get into ISB. I just want a kind of safety net and I think ISB would be the one. But.. that is what, all along, I have been getting things due to his mercy. So, again, I am at his doorstep, praying for ISB. Om Namah Shivaya.

What to do when you are in between application and you are not getting the motivation to apply to the next B-School? I know... it won't be the case if you are self motivated and at this age, expecting motivation from outside is something which is not good stuff. This might be helpful.

http://www.goal-setting-college.com/motivation/inspirational-motivational-songs/