Done with the first year ...

I can't believe a year has flow by and come fall, I will be a second year MBA student at Wharton. And boy, what a year it has been. I was thinking about all the new things that Wharton has given in the first year. The one that tops my list is my set of friends and the amazing people that i met at school. Sometimes makes me wonder how I fit there.

The second semester wasn't as hectic for the first one, except for the recruiting effort for the internship. We had a total of 9 courses in the semester, but they did not seem as intense as those in the first semester. Or maybe, we just got used to the curriculum intensity at the school. Speaking of internships, I must write about my experience.

I began the school with a focus on consulting and technology. But I must say that my liking of technology overpowered the consulting drive. Personally, I could not see myself lingering with any consulting companies for more than a year, and did not find a job of making powerpoint presentations compelling enough. :-) . On another note, i did a school project consulting for a big company and noticed how my interests did not match that work. Nevertheless when the interviews started in late Jan, I wasn't interested and that showed in the outcome. The process of networking in the fall, talking to people at school and finally interviewing clearly showed me that this path is not meant for me. And I decided to get back to what I really enjoyed.

Within technology, I decided to focus on the small companies and startups. Having worked at a large company earlier, I wanted a different flavor during the summer. But startups from the west coast don't show up in Phily for recruiting. I reached out to the Wharton network, to the connections that I had built during the fall. Starting mid February, I spoke to VPs, CEOs, CTOs, at several startups. Funny, a couple startups thought I was applying for engineering positions. All the effort worked out. I got an opportunity to work at a cleantech startup in the Bay area. I start next week and I am really excited about that. Something else also worked on the side. I will be some VC type work for a small firm in the bay area for a short duration.

Wharton so far ... 25% MBA

I am writing to my blog after a long time, so expect this to be a longish post, or maybe not. I plan to comment on my 25% time at Wharton in the two year MBA period. But my stay during the part 4 months seems like a lifetime, filled with great experiences.

Some people call their experience life changing, some might say exciting, some others might say exhilarating, but I would like to say "eye-opening". While there are too many things that Wharton offers, one of the most important is the wide range of opportunities in terms of people, companies,industries, networks and countries, all at your doorstep. Therefore,it's essential that you know what your goals are or at least have an idea where you will be heading.

Talking about them, my goals got redefined several times over the months.There are several industry events for consulting, finance, technology, marketing/luxury CPG etc. Wharton does an incredible job in terms of the access that students get in reaching out to various companies. So much so, that you feel tired and want all the info sessions, coffee chats to stop. But in the end, I think what's important is realizing and finding the spot where you lie. I personally think it's better to have that one job offer that you are really passionate about rather than 5 different job offers. Therefore, sitting down, reflecting over my own thoughts, talking to my friends and family about these things helps a lot. The ecosystem that you meet and create at Wharton with your friends is valuable. I now understand when people that they met their friends for a life time over the course of their MBA.

The journey at Wharton almost feels like an incredible train ride, fast, ever changing, and very rigourous. Yes, the academics at Wharton put all the engineering rigour to shame. I had 7 courses in my first quarter, 5 in the second. Talk about completing 12 intense courses in the first semester versus 14 overall in my graduate degree!The academic rigour is intensified with the smart people in the classroom, not to mention the diversity of their experiences. There's a good amount of thereotical concepts in the classroom learning, supplemented by case competitions, presentations outside the classroom.

And it is with this people, that you get to discover yourself. I don't think one comes of the MBA mastering everything. You have to figure out your strengths -whether it is dealing with numbers, or envisioning highly creative marketing plans, or finding and connecting with a set of people. It is the rich ecosystem that allows one to discover these things and become more self aware. That is the gap that MBA helps to fill in.

There are also very many fun events to keep one occupied, themed social parties every weekend, professional and leisure treks, happy hours, house parties and what not.

Overall, I have enjoyed my Wharton first semester so far, as much as I am enjoying my much needed chilled out winter break, which ends next week. Happy holidays and greetings for the new year!

Wharton Magic

Pre-term has started at Wharton, and boy, has it kept me busy!! There are classes, info sessions and other activities, starting right at 8.00am in the morning, that last late into the night. Not to mention, the excitement of meeting so many people, from different parts of the world. Although, there's enough on my plate, I have started liking this experience. I already like being a part of the Wharton community, and moving around Hunstman Hall, getting lost and finding my way.

On the first day at Wharton, MBA program officers and professors were guiding us towards different sessions. I was reminded of the first Harry Potter book, where the newbie students were guided at Hogwarts. And this is just that, a different type of adventure sans the dark side (who knows? :-). This week, I have sat through information sessions about different activities at Wharton (like the entrepreneurship program, SBDC etc). I already feel like doing many things, but I know that time is limited. So I will have to be picky about what I want to do and make sure that I follow my calling!!

Change in co-ordinates

The 2 year journey has finally begun. This past week, i have moved to Philadelphia and after a hectic first few days, begun to settle down in a new city with new surroundings, people and whatever this change brings with it. Even though I am already missing my familiar territory in Seattle, there's enough excitement and social meetings around me to keep me busy and entertained. Pre-term @ Wharton, according to my seniors, is the most relaxing fun time of the 2 years here. After that, the train ride becomes wild, with more fun and adventure. :-)

Change ...

I have been wanting to change the theme of this blog for some time now, was low for the past few weeks because of flu and now I have to begin packing for the move to Phily. For the past year, I have written about my experiences during my bschool applications. Hopefully my thoughts are helping others who are currently in the same process. Now I plan to write about my bschool experiences.

My background (education and work experience) has been in software technology. In my early school days, I had used the computer to develop a system that solved a problem in my school. That made me realize the power of technology to make a difference in people's lives and pushed me towards the field of software technology. During the past few years, while working as a software engineer, I also got involved in creating IT and growth strategies for small businesses and entrepreneurs. These experiences propelled me to think about my career goals. I thought about in terms of what kinds of problems exist, what I would like to solve, and what knowledge I would need to solve these problems. Business school education would help me in pursuing my goals. So I applied to the bschools.

I have spent the past few days talking to people from industry, entrepreneurs, VCs, recent Wharton alumni gaining insight into MBA education and careers. I feel that the decision to pursue MBA education is the right one for me. My current interests revolve around technology business, entrepreneurship ideas, venture capital, emerging markets, microfinance and some things in the web 2.0 space. I hope to channel my wharton activities around these things and having fun, while learning new things, meet new people and blog about these things.

Waitlist Strategy

Waitlist Process
When the admission results are announced, some people are either suprised or frustrated to find themselves on the Waitlist. After all the effort, all you get is a waitlist! Don't despair. If you are really interested in that school, there's many ways you could demonstrate that to the school and convert your waitlist entry into a admission. This is what I found out when I was trying to convert my MIT Sloan waitlist into an admit, but ultimately sent a different letter to them, because I decided to goto W.

The bschool generally wants to admits those students from the waitlist, who will accept their offer. Therefore, you have that you really want to be there.

1) Get in touch with the school and find out their waitlist process. Most schools will ask you to send an additional letter or an essay indicating your interest in the school. Some might also permit an additional recommendation letter or a reference letter from an alumni. Follow the school's guidelines.

2) Visit the school, if you haven't yet visited the school. Meet the students, professors and see what you like. Did you find a good match between your interests and what the faculty does? Or are you excited by some programs that the school has? Mention that in your letter.

3) What have you done since the admission decision? - any new projects, charity work, or anything that adds to your leadership - mention about this in your letter to the school. The school wants to know about these updates.

4) Some other interesting things that I found while reading these blogs - one student made a support group from a set of current students, whom he knew, to make a case for him and send a recommendation letter for him.

5) Be creative - the more you learn about the school, the more you could write about what impact you could have on your classmates and the school community if you were admitted to the school.

Finally, be persistent about the waitlist and interacting with the adcom. But like any other, if you don't make it, it is not the end of the world. You could apply next year with whatever you have learned through the experience, or decide to move on, to work on your goals without doing an MBA.

Scholarships whatever ...

I woke up this morning with a bad headache. To add to this, my inbox showed me an email that I am not selected for one of the scholarships that I had applied. With that went my last attempt at finding some $$ for my two expensive years in Philly. So be it. I read this useful piece of advice yesterday on a former Wharton student's blog - while getting accepted to MBA school is one thing, and certainly has its advantages, one has to remember that there are a whole lot of students who will be better than U in some way or other. Therefore, you may not excel in everything you do. But that's ok. Once you accept this and focus on what you want to do, it will be fine.

I don't think that I am upset anymore. I tried for the fellowships and scholarships whereever possible, but I didn't get any. That result was not in my control. And it doesn't change me the person in anyway. For those who are wondering what needs to be done for financial aid, here are some ideas:

1) Financial aid for US universities comes in many forms - loans , grants, fellowships, scholarships, corporate sponsorships and awards.
2) Some schools might offer you some $$$ when they admit you, but some other have an additional process, which you can find from the school itself.
3) Top tier financial firms (Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs) have fellow programs, which one can apply for, through your bschool
4) Some top tier consulting firms such as McKinsey, Booz Allen Hamilton also have scholarship programs
5) Popular resources on the internet are:

• FastWeb
• FinAid.org
• Forte Scholarships for Women
• Mittal Steel Co. Scholarships for Kellogg students-especially of Indian origin
• Rotary Scholarships from your country

Of course, you can spend a whole lot of time searching and applying for these. Start with your school's FinAid office to see what help you can get. There are quite a few scholarships/grants for minority students and those from developing nations.

On another note, I have decided that I will continue blogging during my bschool life, though not sure how frequently I will post. I have enjoyed writing here, interacting with fellow bloggers and certainly feel that I can share my bschool experience too.

MBA Interview

Interviews can be stressful at times. But this funny video from YouTube has a nice Grease-y take on the whole thing.