My GMAT prep so far
It is almost a month since I started working towards my MBA. It is time to reflect on where I am with my GMAT prep. My plan is to take my GMAT by end of May. I would spend June and July on my essays. Then work on all the satellite issues regarding the application process.
I have finished all the verbal sessions listed in my Kaplan book. I had gotten this book secondhand from a student who attended the Kaplan course. It is informative and the questions are kicking my posterior. I got 72% right on the last section - advanced comprehension and sentence correction. I am still repeating some mistakes and I am unhappy about it. However, I always mark the questions I got wrong. This helps me revisit them to understand the flaw in my analysis. I am getting better at some types. So I do feel good and bad about my prep so far.
I have not yet taken a full fledged test. I have amassed only 7 computer tests so far. I would like to start taking them, only after I feel that I have done due diligence to the test material. At this point, I think end of February will be when I start on the full tests.
I have been spending 4 hrs in the weekends and 4 hrs in the week days. Life is tough with balancing a career, family and MBA prep.
I would like to start narrowing down my choices of MBA schools. It would be the focus of my next entry.
MBA - Is it for me?
I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately regarding my quest for a MBA. This post will address all of my thoughts till now:
I seriously took stock of all the traits of mine - positive and negative. I am well educated with 2 Masters degrees in my bag. I am presently an IT Development Manager. I have had a progressive career with a promotion to a new title at an average of once per 2 years. My salaries and the reviews reflect the growth that has occurred over the past 8 years. My best traits are my analytical skills, teamwork and sense of humor. I have had good success with motivating my team members and by bringing the best in them by providing encouragement and constructive criticism whenever necessary. I have also improved at my delegation skills in the past 2 years. I have worked with a very diverse range of people in my career and all these interactions have made my experience richer.
The negative traits of mine include procrastination and instant gratification. I have been getting better at making these traits less influential on my personality. I am now managing to procrastinate my need for instant gratification. Hey! that feels good. I love to play with words a lot.
When I put the MBA in perspective, there are other negatives that I have to grapple with. I am of East Indian background in IT industry. I am 33. By the time I apply to Business School, I will be 34. I would like to apply only to Ivy League schools for a full time MBA program. Having done a part time Masters in Computer Science, I know fully well that my personality cannot do justice to MBA without full-time requirement.
I am presently well paid by industry standards. So the ROI with an MBA would probably take at least 8-10 years for me. My desire is to change my career and focus on finance or in marketing. My people skills and quantitative skills are very good and I would like to put them to use. Regardless of the MBA ROI, I have to sow the seeds for my future career (procrastinate the instant gratification part).
I am married with two kids. My wife is fully supportive of my MBA. Financially we will not have a problem with funding my MBA. This further reinforces my need for a full time MBA instead of part time. I don't think I can do justice to my family with a career and a part-time MBA commitment. My kids are fairly young (4yrs and 1 year) but the worst part (terrible twos) will be over, by the time I start my MBA program. I fervently hope! I come from a family where I was the first engineer. I had to chart the way myself career wise. And I am proud of where it has taken me. I have always felt that I did not try and get an Ivy League education. At least for the sake of my kids, I should do the MBA.
The average age of full time MBA students seem to be around 28 years. From my reading, it seems like I am too old for a full time MBA and too young for an Executive MBA. I wish (like many) that I had explored the MBA option 4 years ago. However, I think I needed that time to mature in my thought process and establish my career goals. I feel that I am at a point where I can contribute as well as get enriched by what an MBA can offer.
I have a good mix of academic and extra curricular pursuits on my resume. I was the President of the Indian Association when I was doing my first Masters degree. That experience taught me to improve on my networking and public speaking skills. I notice that some of the applicants mention about their diverse and awe inspiring volunteering activities etc. My background (coming from India) did not allow me to spend time on volunteer activities. The only thing I recollect was being a blood donor multiple times since I have B-ve blood. It is rare in the region I come from. I read in some of the MBA posts that a leadership role in an organization is more valued than a volunteer role. I am hesitant in trying to enroll in a volunteering activity at the moment. I think the adcom committee would see though this facade.
I am still working on my GMAT prep. I will outline where I am in my next blog.
This is my current state of mind. Not a fun state to be in. Hopefully it will change and take shape in the next few months. This is a challenge year for me!
My first blog ever
Ah! Writing the title of my first blog was an exhilarating experience. From a spectator, now I have transformed into a player. Ever since I caught the MBA bug, I have been reading countless blog entries of so many MBA aspirants. Information overload of the Nth order.
I guess the only way for me to keep my sanity would be to keep track of what would be important for me. Ironically, the best way to keep sane from all the blog information is to create another blog. Talk about internet bandwidth bloat (assuming someone does read my words) .
Hmmm....Now to think of what all I want to store in here. I think I would like to save my analysis of which MBA schools would suit me. Also, anything about the application process that I need to make myself aware of.
My current reading list includes the following:
1. Stunk and White - Elements of Style
2. How to Get into the Top MBA Programs by Richard Montauk
3. Writing Right - Zimmerman
4. 65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays
I am concurrently reading the following GMAT books:
1. Official GMAT guide 10th edition
2. Kaplan guide
3. Princeton - Cracking the GMAT
4. Princeton - Verbal and Math Review
If someone has any suggestions for me, please do post a comment.
