Last post of 2010 : Looking back and much more

It is already 6:30, another five and a half hour left in 2010, and I am still in office.  Not much work to do but I have to sit here for an hour( In Indian work environment, this is a normal scene), so why not look back at my experiences, especially the MBA story.

I prefer to write about my MBA story because I think it is essentially a very important step and a very logical one too. It is essentially about what you wanna do in life. What excites you. What makes you try harder if  you fail once. These are not easy questions to answer but the answers do come with time. Our experiences tell us what should be done. There will always be people who will tell you this one thing is the best thing to do or this is something which should be avoided at all cost. DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM, jump in the water, face the music and experience yourself what its actually like. THEN DECIDE. In my case I had tough time facing the music, but once I came out of the 'Do not Know what to do' phase, I knew exactly what I want.

Once you know what you want, then it is about hard work and focus. I want an MBA degree and I have been focused on it for a while now. The first hurdle is always the GMAT. The exam is a necessity. It can harm your application but do not assume that if you ace the exam you are through. The GMAT should not be a limitation. When I am focusing on my application, I should not worry about my GMAT score and think for even a split second that GMAT is the reason why I might not be able to go to School X. That is what I trying to achieve here.

I have finished OG 12 and results are as follows:
RC: accuracy of 90%. This is my strongest section in Verbal and I intend to strengthen it further.
CR: Accuracy of 87%. I can handle these. But time management is an issue. I have to make sure that I finish each question in less than 2 minutes.
SC: 77% accuracy. My weakest section .Both in accuracy and speed. I am a non native speaker. But English is my second language and I ought to improve my performance.
You might be thinking why haven't I mentioned Quant score. The thing is I know I can HANDLE quant and can achieve a score of 51 IF I maintain discipline during the exam.
I am aiming a score of 750+. Therefore, I need that 51 in Quant for sure and anything less than 40 in Verbal will be a deal breaker. Keeping my current accuracy and speed in mind, I need to buckle up and practice more.


So the Plan for 2011 is -
Give the OG12 diagnostic test. Check for speed and accuracy. Get a reality check of my Quant. Do I still have the 'Touch' ?
Get Manhattan GMAT Tests. Practice them for endurance.
Review OG12 SC questions. SC is all about 8 different problem types( modifiers, tenses, agreement, style, idiom, Pronouns, comparisons, Active/passive) , review makes it easy to recall concepts in crunch times.
Focus on Official Guide GMAT Verbal Review. Nothing is better than actual GMAT questions.
Dig into the awesome material available at GMATCLUB and beattheGmat.
Check for speed in each and every question I attempt. (There are good timers available on Gmatclub)

So this was a little review of what I have done and what I intend to do on the GMAT front.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY. MAY ALL OF US GET INTO OUR DREAM SCHOOLS :) ... IN 2011 ITSELF

BSOD ( blue screen of Death)

Murphy's law personified. My dear old creaking office laptop finally gave way. It happened last sunday evening when I was checking the EPL schedule ( no need to blame the beautiful game) and suddenly  the Blue screen appeared. Initially, I was not perturbed. This was a normal thing on my Dell D620. I thought, I just need to force shutdown the system, restart and we should be back in business. But this time, We went out of business. The dreaded machine said : NTOSKRNL.exe does not exist, Contact technical support. I searched on the net and realized my windows has been corrupted and that means re installation. So, First thing in the morning, visit the office in gurgaon.
Reached office at 11 a.m. The moment I showed the message to IT helpdesk, the guy gave me that ' ohh boy..its all over' look and told me that the laptop needs formatting and it is quite possible that no data would be recovered. Here I need to elaborate, the real culprit here is the encryption software installed on the machine which just does not allow the user to uninstall windows without uninstalling the encryption tool. And the encryption software itself can lead to data loss if not uninstalled properly.  In short, the software that is supposed to prevent data loss is actually causing it!!!. Ironic indeed.
The Murphy's Law prevailed. Total loss of data. After some discussions and arguments with IT team, it was understood that nothing could be done apart from issuing me a new laptop. Yes a new laptop. I had heard that the firm is issuing new 13 inch Lenovo ThinkPads which are half the weight of those DELL D620s. So am I going to get a new one or a second hand D620? Then came the sleek, black and definitely smaller ThinkPad. With 3 GB RAM, 300 GB hard disk & i5 processor, the 'little' Thinkpad X201 is a substantial improvement. Though the font looked smaller and a rather unconventional position of Ctrl key will take time to adjust but I admire my new Laptop.
So here it was.. within a span of 24 hours, windows crashed, all data lost and new laptop issued. A lot can happen in one day !!!

Scope for Improvement

The Toastmasters meet was fantastic. Our president conducted a very informative session on handling impromptu speeches. Then we had 3 sessions on Table topics. Everyone came out and spoke on random words. I was given 3 words: Beer Mug, Tie & Deadline. As expected Beer Mug  was the easiest ;) . The whole idea is to link the words together and make a coherent speech. Mind you, one does not get much time to think( max 4-5 secs). Just go there and start speaking ( not blabbering). So it is very important to structure the theme as you speak and if you can conclude nicely, then my friend you have nailed it!!
On the GMAT preparation side, I am starting to feel the strain. The accuracy is going down and I am taking more time per question. I attribute the slump to two things. First, my GMAT verbal is not like American armored vehicle so I always find it difficult to reach the require level ( 90% accuracy in the stipulated time). Secondly, GMAT Official Guide 12th edition has questions listed in order of difficulty. So as one reaches 50-60 mark, the quality increases( people might disagree with me but I found this pattern on all three sections : RC, SC and CR). Hence, OG is no more a cake walk. And I know it is good, as GMAT is adaptive and I should be prepared to handle the transition in difficulty levels.
But listing the problems is not a solution. To increase speed, I thought really hard where I am going wrong. Apart from the occasional loss of concentration, there is scope of improvement in sentence correction by using the options more effectively. It goes like this. My general tendency on seeing the SC question is to read the whole question and search for the incorrect part in the underlined portion of the sentence. This takes lot of time because sometimes ( especially in modifiers and idioms) I take too long to find the mistake. Hence, to save time, I can read the options immediately after reading the question and identify the 'changing words' across the options. In this way, I will have an idea of what kind of error the question wants me to address. The result : Time saved. I think with some practice, I will streamline the approach( consultant speaking ;) and increase my speed.
By the way, Barca defeated Espanyol 5-1 in the Barcelona Derby. The score might suggest that FC Barcelona crushed Espanyol, but it was actually closer than that. How often do you see Barca having less than 60% possession in the game. Well played Espanyol for giving a tough fight to the best football club on the planet.

A busy week

I know the blog is specifically for MBA preparation but it has been a very busy week. Traveled to 4 different client sites and carried out 'presales' study. Actually, it was nice break from the usual office indoors. The factories, the warehouses, frenzy of the product dispatches, shouting plant heads and a lot more. Manufacturing industry is a completely different ball game, we service people have it very easy in our air conditioned rooms :) .
Needless to say, not much study this week. But I still managed one or two sessions with the official guide and yes regular visits to forums have become a habit now.
On clear-admit, I found a decent article explaining the correct way to use modifiers. Again, all these articles, forum visits and google searches are a way to increase my accuracy in SC. Well, the weekend is here and I am planning to meet some old friends. I also have my Toastmasters session today. We are having a class on table topics (extempore for 2 minutes) along with a live session. Looking forward to it.

Why do I need a title every time I blog?

Work in progress. Yes. Started with the OG 12th edition. The GMAT verbal requires the test taker to answer 41 questions in 75 minutes. That is less than 2 minutes a question. This is where I struggle. I generally achieve good accuracy but I lack speed . That is why, I am taking each sitting on OG as an actual test. Till now, not much trouble in CR and RC but I am still not very comfortable on the SC side. I guess it is still early days, I am hoping that more practice will fine tune my SC skills.
Talking about practice, I came across Grockit, a very cool website to practice GMAT sectionals. Apart  from Grockit, there are some free tests listed on beatthegmat( Manhattan, Kaplan, Knewton, Princeton, Veritas Prep). I will get my hands on them once I complete OG.
Anyways, got a call from a ex colleague. He has also decided to apply to US bschools next year. He went to the Darden coffee chat this Saturday and briefed me on that. Apart from the MBA Gyan ( read knowledge), we discussed the merit of joining an NGO and its overall impact on the application. Infact, the current Darden student, whom my friend met at the coffee chat, had not done any community service. This raises a very pertinent question. Is community service a real parameter to decide a worthy candidate? Especially in a country like India, where we do not have a very strong volunteering culture. In US schools it is compulsory for kids to contribute to the community. Hence it makes sense. I think it has more to do with the cultural aspect of a region. It is not that Indians are apathetic, it is just that we do not have a set structure in place for general public to get involved in social initiatives. Yes, now the things are changing. We have these NGOs coming up everywhere( a bit too many for my liking. it sometimes feels as if everyone has left his jobs and decided to pursue non profit career). But on a serious note, I believe community involvement is very good way for people to really make an impact and most importantly it is a very humbling experience.
On the football front, Liverpool lost to Newcastle United (1-3) last night :(  . Gerrard, Carragher and Joe Cole are still injured, Torres is still struggling and I do not know what Lucas is doing in the team (you can't find him on the pitch). Well, Roy Hodgson has been promised lot of dollars for January transfer season. So I hope Liverpool will make some good purchases.

The one with the SC book

Finally I have been able to finish Manhattan GMAT SC guide. With 9 chapters, great examples and lot of English grammar concepts it is undoubtedly the best Sentence correction guide on the planet.
Now I have to focus towards practicing Verbal : Sentence correction, Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning. I personally feel there are no specific rules in RC and CR, it is all about practice practice practice. In SC, I always feel one needs to set a "correct method' reference. Otherwise , It is like shooting in the dark. MGMAT SC guide is my reference. Though, I already feel that I am beginning to forget certain rules ( especially the idioms.. I just can't memorize them). Yesterday on the net, I was able to find MGMAT flash cards. One more summarized kick ass material to read, especially during office hours ;).

So, the target for the coming week will be something like this :-
OG 12 Verbal section: Accuracy expected around 85 percentile.
MGMAT Flash cards : contains some cool SC and CR concepts. Nice to make a strong foundation.

85 %ile might look like a stretch but I have been to various forums and seen Indian applicants literally destroy the GMAT. The competition is fierce and I cannot leave even a single stone unturned. We desi janta ( read Indian people) are a very competitive lot. One needs to be at his best game to stay ahead otherwise very quickly you can become one of the 'Also ran'.

One more thing, I am enjoying this sense of purpose once again. All the time, there is this urgency to do something and not waste time on the distractions( read FB). But as some great man said - Nothing is permanent, so lets see how long I can keep focus.

The Game Plan & The Evaluation Tool

Three days of silence on the blog. Culprit: A long weekend and not much study. I really felt guilty to miss out on 2 days( I think the blog is working... It is pushing me to study so that I can blog about my progress). So here it goes...

On the forums I found some good review of the MBA prep strategy book Your MBA Game Plan. Immediately searched for it on the net and was able to find a Google e book!! ( I love Google). Well the book is a bit old (2003 edition) but core foundations for producing a stellar application have not changed much with time. Apart from listing the essential traits of a Good MBA applicant, the book delves into profession( Consultants, Bankers, Marketers, etc) wise specific approaches and warns about general stereotyping that occurs because of the number of 'identical' applications. There are also college specific tips and strategies( though quite old ..2003 stuff) coupled with preparation chart to keep a track of your preparation. The most important of the all the tips is to differentiate yourself by your personal stories, individual accomplishment, likes, dislikes and most importantly your passion. The book categorically warns the applicant from asking for too many essay reviews or committing to too much editing. That just erases the personal feel of the essay and hence makes it 'just like the others'.  The book also advises the applicant to start early and keep room for contingency plan such as retaking the GMAT, changing your evaluators and even school choices. All in all, it is a good read. I would recommend the book to anyone starting the MBA preparation.

The forums have treated me pretty generously these days. Today, one of the members shared a link specifically listing the chances for engineers to get into Top B schools. It is quite a neat tool (if not perfect) to gauge one's current status and weak areas. Like in my case, I need to work on my essays, resume and Community involvement  and many more. Quite an eye opener I must say, but I am ready for the challenge.

GMAT preparation is not going as per plans. I am still studying the Manhattan GMAT SC book. Need to tighten the screws. Target is next two days, then I will move to Official Guide 12th edition

By the way, On Sport Center saw an Englishman who cycled from London to Brisbane to see the Ashes. He traveled for more than a year and covered more than 25k kilometers. What a Feat man !!!

Winters are here

Good Morning people, It is a lazy Saturday morning. Best time of the year. Awesome weather, winters are kicking in and it feels like life has never been better :) . I just love Delhi winters, especially in December. The sky is all clear. Sun shining in all its glory. Nip in the air. Minimal wind. Maximum of 24 Degrees. All in all, the best time to sit in the sun and read a book. And, that is exactly what I have decided. Mr. Amartya Sen, I am going to wind you up.
I was standing in the balcony and saw kids playing in the park. I then realized that these kids get up before me everyday!! either it is for school or just to maximize their play time on the weekends. They are more active than I am. That's it. No more lazy ass stuff. I will start running in the morning. I have been trying to motivate myself to get up at 6 a.m and go for a run. But, somehow, every night I get 'lawyered' by an insane argument that I am very fit and I do not need to run.( Oh this self critical brain..I hate it)

I need to have my breakfast and prepare for the party tonight. My cousin is coming after a long time. he got this new job and is throwing a party. I think I should postpone my running plans by one day. I will start from Monday instead of Sunday :P

Mailing List

Kellogg is coming to New Delhi on 19th December and I cannot go. Reason: Registration full :( . Kellogg is my dream school and here I am in the city and still cannot visit. COME ON. I mailed the adcom my desire to attend and they said check for cancellations on last 2 days. Lets see..
Well on the flip side, I learned a lesson today. Register yourself in the mailing list of your target schools. I registered for around 7-8 schools. Some just register your email id, others give you a proper log in with customized pages and preferences. Of all the schools, MIT was most impressive. They provide you with your very own SloanSpace ( sounds cool right?) customized to list news related to your interest areas. It also provides tips on application strategy and the MIT 'fit'.

On the GMAT front, not much progress today.  Had to go to the Toastmasters meet  and it is Friday so not in a mood to study :) . After all, I have the whole weekend to try and study( notice the lazy try ;)). I also have to finish reading The Argumentative Indian. It is quite a heavy book with lots of detail and I have been avoiding it for a while now.

Profile Evaluation

Today morning I got a reply on my profile evaluation request on gmatclub. Unlike some other evaluations, this one by Robbie was a detailed one. He pointed out the following:
-> Get a GMAT score around 750 to really stand out
-> Take leadership roles in your ECs. ( adcoms wants to see initiatives and impact not just passive involvement)
-> As I have no international experience, focus on your travel across India and the diversity you experienced across the nation.
-> Identify the right schools for you on the basis of your study style(case based, experimental learning, Lectures), location preference and career goals.

I already had some realization of my weak areas but it is a funny feeling when you get to hear the same from the other person. It is like somewhere you are thinking maybe it is not that difficult, not that competitive but when you hear it from an expert then you just cannot find excuses ( not a very good habit, right?). Well at least the last cobwebs in my brain have been cleaned up and I know what I have to do.
GMAT preparation is underway. I do not know if I can get 750 but I have a 'must reach' score in mind. On the EC front, I need to get more involved in my NGO work. ( I have been out of touch for a while now). As for the schools, I have a list in mind but that requires a separate post.

Well back to GMAT preparation, I came across a very good article on Subjunctive mood on beatthegmat. It is one of the trickiest topic on the gmat and it requires special attention. One needs to keep in mind two situations: Hypothetical scenarios & demands and proposed ideas. ( look at the article and go through Manhattan GMAT SC guide)

Anyways, Liverpool is playing against Steaua Bucharest and leading by 1-0. Go REDS. Liverpool did not qualify for Champions League this year but I guess we can salvage some pride by winning Europa League. After all it is my second favorite team after FC Barcelona.

A day off

Came back from office at 6 A.M.  One of my longest stays ever but it was good. Lot of issues resolved by yours truly ;).  And the best part - a Day off.  Makes sense too. After working 20 hours one needs a break right?
Anyways, the break gave me some extra hours to study. I studied the flash cards and completed the verbal section. The tips on idioms were the best. I really get confused in choosing the right idiom ( credited with or credited for). I think the trick is to memorize the idioms and practice as much as possible. But still I feel I need to strengthen my fundamentals. My action plan is as follows :
Complete the Manhattan Sentence Correction guide - I have done first two chapters and it is really good.
Then go for GMAT Official Guide (12th edition): Real GMAT questions to find out where do I stand.
Next KAPLAN 800 - it has the toughest questions. Necessary to tackle the trickiest questions on the GMAT.
Overall, It has been a lazy day. I need to push myself further. Keeping in mind the GMAT score of fellow Indians, I really need to make a feast of it. I need to cut down my PS3 time( I am crazy about FIFA), played around 2 hours today. Bad boy ... bad boy.....  . I guess I need to pack the console and keep it in the closet.

Till next time.......

El Clasico, Flash cards & Consulting

Sleepy eyes but can't sleep.  It is 2 a.m  and  I am still in office. The client got the application upgraded and there are some serious performance issues. The tech team is all engrossed in the problem but they also need a functional lead in case things go worse.
 Well, what the hell. I had a great start to the day. Watched the El Clasico and simply looooveeedddd Barca thrash Real 5-0. Five Clasicos in a row. FC Barcelona Rocks.
On the other side, I stumbled upon some really good stuff on beatthegmat.com. The site provides digitized GMAT flash cards for free( yes for Free). I went through them today. they are preety good.Some really cool facts and figures listed and very easy to read. What I really liked were the 'strategy' tips. "In a set of sentence correction questions around 20% are already correct". I might not vouch for the assumption blindly but while solving SC questions it is not easy to digest that the sentence in question is already correct. After all the section is called " Sentence Correction". I find SC very tough. Reasoning and RC are OK but SC god help me. I have an accuracy rate of 70% as of now. Need to take it to 80-85%. 

Today, I had a discussion with one of my friends from IIM Bangalore. He got an internship in a niche strategy consulting firm. Work life is hectic but he is getting paid 4 times his pre MBA salary( one of the less important benefits of an MBA ;) ) .  He says life is very hectic as they have around 5-6 presentations a week and lots of assignments. Well that is B school life I suppose. US schools are famous for rigor. Schools such as Darden explicitly boast about their exhaustive curriculum and how students 'survive' the rigor to become real managers.
More importantly, He made it clear that any big consulting firms demands an MBA sooner or later. If you are a consultant and you do not have an MBA, you will be left behind  in all aspects : roles, responsibility, compensation and yes influence. I say influence because consulting is about Impact as a resource. It is very easy for your firm to sell your cv to the client if you are an MBA( especially from a Top B school). Every type of consulting be it operations, strategy, technology or even environmental requires business sense and X factor.

Well it is already 3 a.m and I can't sink deeper in my chair. Even Iron Maiden's Trooper cannot keep me awake.

Signing off now....by the way next Clasico is in April... Mr. Mourinho needs to rebuild his team before that.

Cheers!!