Review Update

Forgot to add that all school snapshots are absolutely FREE!!!

Also pls excuse spelling errors below. The iPad after all is not as miraculous as we feel it is.

Review: Clear Admit School Snapshots

Before I write this review, let me first congratulate the winners of the best of blogging contest. I hope in the coming few months I would be able to offer much better advice for everyone visiting this blog. And also hopefully will have good news to report on my admits.

ClearAdmit School Snapshots
I received an email from Clear Admit offering me a sneak preview of an upcoming product. These are called School Snapshots and are essentially, well, a snapshot of each school you would be considering applying to. I was sent the Wharton snapshot - an excellent and maybe pre medidated choice, given I visited the school during my recent trip to the USA.

What a Snapshot covers
I see these clearadmit products becoming the 'Go To Guide' for each and every applicant at, what I'm hoping, every major business school. Snapshots cover all, and I literally mean ALL basic information you would like to know about an MBA program. Various concentrations a school offers, it's brief history, info on campus, class profile, application numbers, employment information, GMAT scores etc. it's a 3-4 page PDF, which will replace your numerous queries on Google trying to collate this information.

Why does this add value?
- one stop repository
- saves time in researching
- available in clear PDF, save and read on the go, unlike browsing a web page
- I accessed the file and read it on my iPad (writing this from my iPad as well) hence very mobile friendly
- read only relevant information

Why it's not gods gift to applicant-kind?
- I didn't see essay questions covered. Not their explanation etc. but just their mention. Adding those will make these guides essential and even more comprehensive
- data can be represented better - graphs for example don't point out what year the data is for, I assumed its for 2011 and then read it indeed was. Graphical entirety should be re validated
- some more free information can be provided. For example: Bloomberg business week, another free resource, gives not only application numbers, but accepted, yield etc. why not add those?

The obvious answer to your questions - does this I've guidance on essay questions, insider info (best courses, what makes xyz stand out from others etc.), in depth course reviews and other such questions, is a no. For that, Blythe comprehensive school guides.

All in all, I think these snapshots are a very practical and welcome addition to the clear admit repository. I know I'll be downloading all of em this coming fall

The Yankee Visit

Let me begin this post by saying that I am absolutely honoured to be nominated for the BoB awards. Never thought I would be. All the best to everyone preparing for applications, gmat etc. and may this season bring success to each and every one do you. I am currently in the US, have been for 2 Weeks now. Visiting family and seeing the sights. Went around to Los Angeles, went to see the jay Leno show and came on tv, sat next to Jon Voight on the flight to las Vegas, had tons of fun in vegas and spent 6-7 days exploring NYC. During the last 2 days however I went around school visiting and went to Wharton and NYU Stern. Thought I'd share m views 1. Wharton - was a terrific experience. Sat in on a class by Prof. saikat Chaudhary. Excellent class on mergers and I came thoroughly impressed with the students - 2-3 were extremely smart basis the class discussion I observed. Took a campus tour as well. Loved it. All in all, it will definitely be my top choice in app season besides hbs 2. Stern - doesn't have a campus. Nyu is a bnchmf buildings here and there in Greenwich village. I wasn't too impressed with any aspect of the school, especially after Wharton. The main thing that stands out is location. A lot of people lay emphasis on the fact that it's in NYC. I think what you also need to consider is it's location within NYC. It's miles ahead of Columbia as a location, and I would die to live in Greenwich village, probably the liveliest neighbourhood ever. As a school, not my top choice but it may just be my 'NY school' option I head back to India tonight, post which I have 3 weeks of study time until my GMAT. My purpose of visiting the school was to gain inspiration and Wharton did that for me immensely.

Prep Update

So I took the GMAT Prep tests. I scored a 750 and a 740, but I would admit that I did 'cheat' a bit. I didn't give up my practice of checking for the right answer after attempting, and hence, in some cases (2 or 3 questions) I actually changed my answer before moving on. Hence, wouldn't say that the score above represents my actual score - but was happy with how I was performing.

I did start my SC prep - read through MGMAT, rather glanced through it, but it helped me IMMENSELY. I then picked up the SC section from the Official Guide, and am happy to report that I got 95% right - amazing accuracy for me, up from high 70s/early 80s. The plan is to wrap up MGMAT SC Guide and the official guide questions by end of this week. Devote next week to CR, the next to RC.

After that, I'm actually going to the US for 2 weeks or so. When I return on the 23rd of Apr, I plan on devoting 2 weeks to my Quant prep. I have scheduled my test for 20th May, so I should be able to get a solid 1 week of tests in between, including a proper simulation on the weekends, including the Saturday right before my actual test on Sunday.

I seem to be on target for a 720+, look forward to a 740+ - Now THAT would be awesome!

Cracking the GMAT

So with a lofty target set in my eyes, I am out on my GMAT prep. having taken the exam in the past, I am finding it tough to study first from the books and then move on to practice tests etc. So I took on a different approach. i took 6 tests from MGMAT and the way I did them was, I solved each question, then googled that question simultaneously to see whether my answer was wrong or right. After reading the explanation right there right then, sometimes pausing my test, and not changing the original answer I posted in the MGMAT CAT, I moved onto the next one. This helped me 1. learn real time 2. make a list of concepts i need to revise and 3. made it more exciting for me to take tests

I scored between 730 and 780 on the tests.

Then I took the 2 official MGMAT prep tests between yesterday and today. I scored a 760 on both (Q51 V41, Q50 V42). My target will now be to

1. take 6 more mgmat tests over the next 2 weeks
2. do them without looking at any answers simultaneously AND in one go with proper simulated timing
3. Cover the official guides and revise areas of weaknesses
3. reset the MGMAT CAT Prep software and retake the 2 official CATs
4. As soon as I feel confident, register for the next available GMAT test and kill it

My target remains 720+ and although I brim with confidence, I hope I dont falter at the last step.

Target Set

Its Harvard Business School - Class of 2015.

I have been bruised and battered, but I WILL rise up again, I WILL take this more seriously, and I WILL god damn ensure that the best business school in this world sees the best in me. This is an open proclamation - I'm taking you head on HBS, I am coming to Cambridge, Mass.

... And we're back

So I am now getting down to my revised plan towards attacking the B School admissions process. Step 1 for me is to retake the GMAT and score around 740, aim for a 720+ at the minimum.

Have been in prep mode for long - started re picking books around Feb 1st and still haven't been able to concentrate enough to 'study' study. I did take the MasterGMAT trial and must say that I think its a tremendous product. It truly exemplifies adaptive learning and I found the whole content very very useful - atleast whatever I did read/study there.

I am thinking about taking the GMAT in March or in May. In April I am visiting the US, and while I am there will def be visiting a few business schools. Will take the GMAT before June, i.e. before it changes.

Off to the books ...