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Join Ishmeet Singh at the BITSAA Forum for an in-depth discussion on MBA admissions. With a background as a management consultant at A.T. Kearney and a Kellogg MBA alum, Ishmeet shares valuable lessons and tips for prospective MBA applicants. Discover how to choose the right schools, the importance of crafting quality applications, and how to leverage your work experiences effectively. Learn what life after an MBA looks like, including insights into management consulting and the diverse challenges faced in the corporate world.
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Perspectives on MBA Admissions Ishmeet Singh CEL – BITSAA Forum May 13, 2007
Running Head 12-Point Plain, Title Case Agenda • Background • MBA Application • Life after MBA • Summary
Background • Management Consultant, A.T. Kearney (2005- present) • Location: San Francisco • MBA, Kellogg School of Management (2003-2005) • Full-time • Work experience (2000-2003) • Chip Design, IBM Microelectronics Division • Worked on some cool products (Play Station-3, Apple G5) • Location: Bangalore, Austin TX • BITS (1995-2000) • BE, EEE • MSc., Chemistry
MBA Application Application profile Lessons • Think hard- spend a lot of time selecting the right schools • I was all over the place • Be above average, don’t sweat if you don’t get 770! • Take it once and do it right. This is the easiest part of the application. • Start early – A good essay is a result of several iterations • Connect the dots – Leverage your work experience • Have your essays reviewed by alums, friends, lit. majors, anybody else who wants to read them • Don’t sweat over them • Make sure your recommendation letter is not negative. This is a red flag for adcom. • Quality over quantity • 4-5 years with varied experiences • On campus or alumni is a matter of personal preference • Very important – shows genuine interest • Highlight one strong extracurricular, don’t try to be an all-rounder
Life after MBA – Management Consulting • Exposure to clients in diverse industries – hi-tech, manufacturing, retail • Solve different issues – sales and marketing effectiveness, global procurement, product development, etc. • Hypothesis driven problem solving – analytical and quantitative (the stuff engineers are good at) • Travel Mon-Thurs to client locations all over US and some international (yes, lots of airline and hotel points!) • Average work day 8AM-8PM (sometimes longer) • Fast paced, managing expectations is key
Summary • Know why you want to do an MBA • Select the right schools. • There is no backup school – only apply to schools you want to attend • Plan well ahead. The application process is time consuming • You need to balance your work • Primary research is the key • Talk to current students, alums • Visit schools, sit in on a class