IIMA results are out and I made it.

You all already know I made it to IIMA, but thought it may be a good idea to post my thoughts what went through my Mind when I heard the news on Sep 30 th.

This has been longest one month of my life. The wait is finally over. I’m selected. Now it’s on me to take it up or leave it. I’m 90% inclined to take up the offer. Though there is always chance for me to say no and explore ISB, Wharton, LBS, IMD, INSEAD singapore.

My interview was over on sep 12th and after interview at informal lunch the faculty (interviewers) had mentioned that there was possibility of early results. This information had kept me awake late and wake up early for almost last week. Including my SFO trip. Anyway, after all speculations on dates, results finally came on 09/29/2005. I was amongst the first ones to have +ve results and that was a great relief.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/iim_pgpx/message/546

GMAT was off on aug 3rd.
Application got submitted on August 10th.
I got invited on August 22nd.
Essays were complete by Sep 3rd
Interview got over by sep 12th
Results are in now Sep 29th

But it isn’t over yet
1. Sell/Rent house
2. Plan finances
3. Work out a situation with My employer
4. Work out a situation with my in laws
5. And plan the move

While I’ll be done with all..

I’ll have a new monkey waiting.. IIMA course 

It never ends .. and it is never over…….

IIMA It is

It's been a long discussion with few friends, few acquaintances, family members and most importantly myself. I decided to pursue IIMA out of following short listed schools

1. IIMA
2. ISB
3. Wharton
4. Kellogg
5. HBS
6. Columbia
7. LSB
8. IMD
9. INSEAD
   

The main reason i have mixed bag of schools from Europe, Asia and USA is, I want an international outlook and possibly a job that has international exposure.

Some of them were my backup plans while some of these schools were on my tier 1 list. After a lot of discussions I decided to give IIMA a shot, though reluctant about it's first year i probably did not give the best shot.

I started the application, gave GMAT , waited for my first round (one of the most killing time of my life), got invited for interview, wrote my essays in a week with Bhairavi, Sonu and Anurag helping me edit the essays, preparde presnetaion and finally interview. It was a long road and by sep 12 th i was done and waiting.

The thoughts that were racing my mind during Sep 12 th and Sep 30(date of results) were what if i get in and what if i don't. I prepared myself for both the situations. Outcome was to my happiness, IIMA accpted me.

I'm now prpearing our family move to IIMA from Iselin NJ. It's a lager effort for me to move that inludes selling house, furniture etc and move.

I'm all up for it ... :-) why not it's for IIMA........................ :-)

Now it's time to sell house

After all negotiations, I have chosen the realtor who is in the median of projected sell price that each realtor we interviewed gave us. The price seems right and hopefully I’ll have offers on house in first 21 days (that's her projection).

Once on market we have cleaned the house, no more dirshti's toys on the floor, no more my books and laptops in the way. The house looks different for good. A house that I don't ever want to sell.

Once in while I stand near the backyard door and feel sad. I'm probably not going to have this large backyard for a long time (at least a year). I'm not going to have the space a room for office, a room for temple, a room for library. I'm going to miss this house, my first (our first) house where we put in our heart and soul and a lot of money in making it our home. I'm sure Bhairavi's sadder than I am. But the support she is giving me is just can not be expressed by words.

I'm sad but I’m happy, an opportunity to try going back to India and that too IIMA is worth the sacrifice.

What schools to choose for?

The next logical step for me to continue on my path for growth is to choose which schools will suit me best?

Some of the key factors in mind at this time are

1. School's Ranking
2. It's Return on investment
3. School's sterngths and weaknesses
4. School's alignement to my career path
5. My ability to make it to the school
6. Location (Local, All USA, Europe, Asia)
7. Cost $$$$
8. Ability for my family to live in that place for next year or two

Again these factors are not any perticular order, it's mor of my thoughts typed as they come in.

To do MBA or not to do?

This is a question every one has when they plan MBA studies?

Ofcourse answer depends on one's goal. If a person has aspirations to grow their careers I believe MBA is an essential step-stone. MBA, I believe, can act as catalyst and fast-track one's career. But career in what technology, no -- than one's better off with out MBA. For me MBA will allow me to lead, manage and decide effectively to do the job positions like Manager, Analyst, strategy consultant, Functional leader, marketing and sales personal etc.

MBA's don't do anything but make things effective, they don't produce but the help make process to produce effectively, the help sell the produce effectively.

I'm at a career-path that MBA is an essential and only choice for me to grow my career quickly and with confidence. A project manager, with 5+ years of PM experience and about 11 years in IT has taught me one thing; life is all about learning and bettering myself. To grow in to program management positions or product manager positions and than on to run an enterprise, I need to do MBA. I need the toolset and some real-life like learning to grow my career and stay on my career-path.
I don't know if I will ever achieve experience and skills to do such a job at my current job. I absolutely doubt that I would get width and breadth of experience and skills.

FOR me Now it's MBA or Die ( From :- Do or die ... I believe Gandhiji told us Indians in 1942) :-)