To be or not to be…

” To be, or not to be: that is the question:

Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them?”

I don’t intend to get as serious as Shakespeare when he carved these lines in Hamlet. I just couldn’t stop relating to these lines and will try to justify this as an analogy to my life as a second year MBA student!

The MBA program in itself does not force you to take more than 3 classes per trimester in second year. But I think I have volunteered to make my life difficult by taking 5 classes in this trimester. And then, there are applications for on-campus jobs, interviews, and  assistantship work that come as an icing on the cake (and yes, I am being sarcastic!). Oh yeah, and I forgot to add the cherry on top of icing – the networking involved in the info sessions of the companies that come to campus.

At times, it is fascinating to imagine doing all this together. At times, it feels as if the mind is indeed suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Now the important question: Is it noble? Or should I take arms against the sea of trouble by taking just 3 electives (or dropping out, which doesn’t seem a feasible option having come so far).

I would say that there is just a thin line that is stopping me from taking the easy route. What makes the pain noble is my friends that I have made in this program (and by friends, I mean the ones that care about you; not just hang out with you during the “happy hours”). Friends are the greatest stress-buster during the classes because they help you joke about almost everything – assignments, applications, grades, careers, and the grind during weekends!

Although all this seems a little overwhelming right now, I am sure that it will be worth numerous laughs in future. As of now, I am going to hang in there, with or without the rope.

P.S.: My blog entries might become rarer, as my life gets crazier!

Internship update (belated)

This is probably a little too late to write on my internship. My internship experience was just “incredible”. It was a perfect time and opportunity to encounter the intricacies in supply chain and procurement after the classroom learning. I got an opportunity to be on the east coast and go to NY city a couple of times!

What a great internship can do to you? It definitely makes you familiar with the lingo and expands your understanding of the kind of work you might end up doing after your MBA! (and you will know if you like it or not). You feel prepared to take on the world after you see yourself actually do it over the summer. Doesn’t that talk a lot?

The MBA second year is here (since past one and half months), and I feel a little old!

The grass that seemed greener!

When I was working, I thought the grass would be greener on the other side. Now that I am here, I can see that there is very little grass – all wilted.

You have a good, decent paying job. You leave all of it thinking that an MBA would be a springboard to the executive career. And then one fine day, you realize that there is no one out there who considers you worthy of a paycheck. MBA, instead of being an enabler to a superior career, suddenly makes you feel as if it was a mistake – to leave the comfort zone and land up in the tough market – jobless! I had a tough time digesting this fact. As the trimester was inching to an end, the pressure of not landing up with an internship in the U.S. was building up (exponentially). Every morning I got up, the first thought (worry) I had to deal with was – how and when am I going to fetch an internship. The stress in the process was taking a toll on my academics, for I was losing focus and it was becoming increasingly difficult to put together the effort it takes get those A’s on your transcripts. The feeling did make me feel like the biggest loser on this planet…at times (and ironically, my last blog was on how not to be one – which I ended up reading couple of times to keep my morale). On top of it, there was peer pressure and concern from my family members.

So that’s the bad news.  The good news is that after having my fair share of failures, I have finally secured an internship! I will be in the east coast for a change and I feel extremely relieved. It is indeed a big piece of load off my back. There have been quite a lot of people who have given me pointers to deal with this predicament and helped me in the process. I am extremely thankful to all of them. A long saga of dealing with joblessness has come to an end, at least for a while.

The trimester will be over in a couple of days and then all I can wait for is to see what it is like to be a half MBA in the corporate world!

P.S.: I could not write anything for a while. Nothing strikingly important was happening in my life as I was just working on my internship search. Writing on this canvas has to come from inside and let’s see what’s in store for the coming (academic) year!

Just do it!

“Don’t tell me that it is not possible. Don’t tell me that you don’t have time. Everything is possible…EVERYTHING. If you think it is impossible, then may be don’t need it bad enough. If you think it is impossible…then may be you don’t have enough desire to achieve it…Only losers give excuses like that…and you are not one of them…you are young…you are the energy…you are the potential…you are tomorrow…you are here to realize your dreams! So buckle down and show me some will….show me that you can fight this battle as if it was only meant for winning! ”

Guys…as the job market and the internship opportunities have worsened, I know many of you will reflect on the feeling that the world is closing in on you. Hence a few words of courage!

P.S. : I am done with the first tri….and it did made me realize what I am good at…and what I am not! The learning was immense…and overall it was a good show! Bracing up for the internship search now…hope someone is out there to let me try my hand at supply chain management! MBA is indeed learning a lot outside the classroom! ATB to my fellow friends for the summers and well I know that this is the time when the MBA aspirants must be going great guns…best luck!

Living the MBA dream!

Guys, I know it has been a long time since my last post! I thought of giving an update when I landed in the U.S. but then thought I was busy setting up the apartment and accounts. Then I was about to write again but thought I was busy with the school orientation. Gosh! Now I am really busy with events, cases and class preparations and yet scribbling this entry…(life is weird, ain’t it!)

Time to get going! Let me give some updates about how I feel in the U.S., the much awaited transitioning to ‘B-School Student’ and about my impression about W. P. Carey School of Business.  

I am getting used to the life in the U.S. here in Tempe (the university town near Phoenix). First thing that I miss here is “people” (and why not when you don’t have a car with GPS and you need to figure out the way to some place when you are new in the town :)) . The infrastructure is simply awesome and things are very systematic (like you have to cross the road only on the zebra crossing only when you get a signal, the buses coming right on time, etc.).  In short, if you follow the rules, you are most likely to make it hassle-free.

Transitioning to B-School life is “tough”. It gets tough because you have to balance the cooking, cleaning and laundry along with tons of reading involving class preparation, assignments and case studies. Oh, and you have to squeeze in some time for social networking events and partying! To my agony (delight), I have never been involved into so many activities at the same time till date! No worries. It is worth it. It is good to know your true potential when things get tough (and multiply) and you have to push yourself to the limit (and sometimes beyond!) . So it has been two weeks and here I am (still) in one piece – surviving the change!

About W. P. Carey, it has exceeded my expectations as a B-School and so I am very glad that I made it here. The thing I love the most is the small class size (around 90) so that eventually you know everyone personally and you become one big family. The incoming class is smart, polite and have a diverse experience (well there are a dominant IIM profiles, but then that still adds diversity to the entire class :)) in various industries – military, sports, real estate, health sector, engineering, literature to name a few. In one of the orientation events, we were asked if we had ever flew a plane (flew and not taken a ride) and I was surprised to see a guy raising his hand – he was a pilot! The orientation had quite a few interesting events to break the ice between the students and welcome the cohort to the Class of 2011. So think of the class size and profile before you decide to shortlist a school; these are the people with whom you are going to spend your next two years.

I will try my best to keep my friends updated with the happenings here. Right now, it is time to go back in the fast lane…adios!

Getting set to go…

Quite a while since my last post.  Last month has seen myriad of small things falling in place, getting me closer and more prepared to fly in August. On my professional front, I have resigned and will be serving another three weeks before I pack up and get back to my hometown.

On my MBA front, I am done with finalizing the roommies and the apartment. So that is one relatively big worry that has been dealt with. All the Indian junta who will be joining W.P. Carey SoB with me has formed a group on Google and we are in touch through chain mails. It is amazing to experience how people in the same situation gel so well when it comes to sharing and attacking common concerns. I have personally spoken to almost half of my Indian classmates and it is surprisingly pleasing to know that very soon, I will be a part of this exuberant community. The regular chat sessions organized by W.P. Carey has significantly helped in communicating with the seniors and relevant faculty members and I would have loved to attend their Meet and Greet sessions, but cannot for obvious reasons.

The itinerary, airlines and the ticket booking is also done and I have zeroed in on Continental Airlines which takes you to Phoenix in apprx. 22 hours from Mumbai. I am already taking tips for long travel in the flight from my friends so that I can boast of a plan to avoid jet lag (well…umm…the first (un)official plan to enter this new phase of planning :)). With oil prices again steadily touching $70/barrel, IMO, it would be wise to get done with the flight tickets soon before it reflects in the international air fares. The domestic air travel in India is all set to get dearer by apprx. Rs. 400.

On the shopping front, I have got a suit, a pair of good formal shirts and trousers, ties, a pair of formal shoes with laces, spare set of spectacles, footwear and casual wear of course. Utensils are still pending on the checklist!

Err…w.r.t laptop, all the W.P. Carey MBA students are required to buy and ship a laptop to the school well before the program starts and I am finalizing on HP G60t series.

So things are all getting set I guess and I am eagerly waiting to commence this MBA journey and embrace the Indian American lifestyle! ASU <-> USA calling….

Tinkering…

Now that the visa is done, I have enough time on my plate to take things smoothly. Although there are things like scouring an apartment, booking flight tickets, taking(practising) cooking lessons, shopping for a mini-marriage (ya that’s what I like to call it ;)) and making other arrangements, I am taking life at its own pace and yet able to manage things pretty much on time. Fortunately, I don’t have to slog to death in office now that I have put down my papers. So the notice period is turning out to be a regular 9 to 6 job. And right now I am on a vacation spending time with my family and friends and suddenly I am finding a lot of free time when all my other friends are busy (at least on weekdays!). The six months before last two months were so different. I had to juggle my time between my job, applications, essays, preparing for interviews, working with an NGO and then also give time to hobbies. The six months after two months are never going to be the same again either. So I guess now is the time to tinker and just enjoy (and get used to) not doing anything serious. Gosh! Times do change. The past one year has been a witness to this and it has been one remarkable journey.

Application process takes one full year of commitment and then it gifts you with a small stint with leisure time (provided you make it before R3 results). I am fascinated with the very thought of how things would be after two or so months. Going back to student life is going to be as exciting as getting the first offer letter! Till then, I am putting the juggler inside me to sleep and getting the freak out!

My visa interview

So just before telling the visa experience, here are the probable questions:

1. Why do you want to go to the U.S.?

2. Why have you decided to study in this particular college?

3. How will you take care of your expenses?

4. How many colleges did you apply to?

5. What will bring you back?/What are your future plans?/Why will you come back?

6. What is the annual income of your family?

My visa appointment was at 7.00 am in Chennai. I had booked a room in Hotel New Woodlands (recommended – value for money!) so that I could relax on the previous day. I reached the embassy at 6.30 am and joined the queue outside the embassy. Please don’t carry your cell phones, just carry the docs in a harmonium folder and dress in formals (tie not needed at all!). After showing the visa appointment letter, I was let in (everything inside is A/C of course :)) and all the docs in the folder were scrutinised by security. Then I had to go to a counter where the person asked me for all the DS forms, I-20, Passport, Bachelor degree certificate and GMAT and TOEFL score reports and arranged them in a new folder. Thumbs’ and forefingers’ scan was done. I was now asked to go to the adjacent building where there was a waiting lounge (Just carry the new folder as it is with all the docs). I was there waiting for my turn by 7.30 am. The counters where visa is issued were closed then. By 8 am, a couple of counters opened and I was 4th in the queue. Within 5 mins, I got my turn.

Questions:

VO(Visa Officer) – So when did you complete your graduation? – year

VO – In what class did you complete your graduation? – blah

VO – Did you have any backlogs during your graduation? – (what?) – NO!

VO – How long you have been working? – x years with xyz

VO – So you gave your GMAT. – yes (and he took a look at the score report)

VO – (Looking at I-20) Congratulations on your GA! – thanks

VO – O.K. Your visa has been issued – thanks a lot!

That’s it!! Done! It would have lasted less than 45 secs. It took a while to digest the fact that something that was going on at the back of my mind since a month was so easy to deal with! (But then, prepare well…prepare for the worse!). Visa is probably the last, miniscule but eminent hurdle to reach your dream B-School. But then, I feel that it is an objective process. That being said, you can bank on the VO provided that you have prepared well for the basic questions, don’t falter during the interview and have all the necessary documents in place. All the best!

Gateway to your visa appointment

So the breaking news that I was supposed to cover in my last post was that I am done with my VISA (phew! feels so good!).

Assuming that you have got your I-20, here is what you need to do next (this is for Indian aspirants):

1. Pay the Application Fee and VFS Service Charge at a designated branch of HDFC Bank before applying for a US Visa. This includes – Visa Application Fee – $131 (Rs.6943 at current exchange rate of Rs.53) + Service Charge: Rs.374. Visa appointment can be taken only after the fee receipt gets activated which takes around 3 working days.

2. Go to this site and click on the Apply for a Non-immigrant Visa link once the fees are paid. You will need to use the bar-code number from your HDFC Bank Fee Receipt in order to schedule an appointment. Keep your passport and I-20 ready with you while doing this. Your appointment centre depends on your state of residence – the state where you have been residing for past 6 months. (Yes..and so you don’t have a choice). You can check the availablity of dates here.

2.a. Fill out the forms DS-156, DS-157, DS-158 online. Don’t forget to use the help section in every form to know the exact details that you need to fill in. This should get you through most of the fields. You can even contact the customer support and they will treat you pretty well :).

2.b. You don’t need to fill all these forms in one go. You can always save and exit so that you can resume later. However, an inactivity of more than 7 days will delete all your information and you need to start all over again.

2.c. Take the appointment once you have filled in all the info. You can take an appointment within 120 days prior to the start date of your program. (For Chennai, I couldn’t find any normal appointments available and hence had to go for an emergency appointment. This is perfectly fine as long as your appointment date is within 120 days prior to the start date of your program) Finally, take a print out of your appointment letter.

2.d. Print your forms – DS-156, DS-157, DS-158. Don’t forget to affix your visa photograph on DS-156 and handwrite your name on DS-157 in the field 3.

3. Pay $200 SEVIS fee here by filing online form and submitting the amount by credit card at least 3 business days prior to your visa appointment. Make sure that you are connected to a printer this time as you won’t be able to save the receipt online. Take a print out of the receipt immediately after submitting the form.

Now that you are done with the appointment, the next thing is to arrange all the necessary documents. Here is the checklist (this is pretty comprehensive, not everything might be a must):

1. Admit Docs – 1.a. Admit offer letter from the school. 1.b Merit award certificate from the school (if any).

2. Visa Docs – 2.a. Colour Photo 50mmx50mm 2.b. Passport 2.c. DS-156 2.d. DS-157 2.e. DS-158 2.f. HDFC Fee Reciept 2.g. I-20 2.h. VFS Appointment letter 2.i. SEVIS Fee Reciept 2.j. Address Proof for the state of residence – this could be your last 6 months salary slips or a confirmation of your address on your company’s letterhead.

3. Educational Docs – 3.a. GMAT score report. 3.b. TOEFL score report. 3.c. Graduation degree certificate 3.d. Consolidate mark-sheet/transcripts of graduation 3.e. HSC certificate 3.f. SSC certificate

4. Financial Docs. 4.a. Liquid Assets – Passbooks (savings a/c), Investments like Fixed Deposits, Provident Funds, etc. 4.b. Fixed Assets – Property sale-deeds, etc. 4.c. Loans. 4.d. IT Returns for last 3 years of all people who are sponsoring your education (In my case it was my father and I). The liquid assets + loan should cover the first year estimated expense as mentioned in your I-20.

All this should be good enough to make you ready for the visa appointment once you get your I-20. Next is cracking the visa interview itself which I plan to cover in the next post. Till then…ATB for your visa appointment! 🙂

P.S.: There are number of blogs out there which helped me with all this information. Just putting things in one place.

Mistakes…

Yes….and here are things that have happened so far:

Good News : I got linked from Accepted.com here and The GMAT Club here for my post on Waitlist -> Admit – How? Well, it feels really great to get recognized from some of the most trusted sources known for MBA mentoring.

Bad News : I couldn’t pay attention to blogging because I did not have anything concrete to share then. But it is not the only explanation for my hiatus.

Good News : I got nominated for the BoB award by Clearadmit for 09-09. Wow!

Bad News : I am coming to know that only today, now that the game is over on 24^th (results out on 28^th) !! Congrats to Ahembeea and MissionMBA, I knew you would make it there in top 5!

Good News : I got an invite as a judge (ya you heard that right) from Accepted.com for the Beautiful B-School Photo Contest.

Bad News : Again…it is too late….got to know this only today! (the contest ended on 30^th April)

Here is my side of this story filled with agony and ecstacy. I last blogged on 12^th March and kept following the comments for a few days. (And the way I do it is w/o logging in). Then say after a couple of weeks, I thought my blog entry had become stale and did not bother to check for comments that often (again w/o logging in. Well I usually log in to post comments or for posting a new entry). Due to other activities, I was barely keeping an eye on the blogs in the Hella’s list but came to know about the nominations for BoB in the meantime. However, I couldn’t see any comment on my blog(ya ya…w/o logging in) and so assumed that I was not in the game. To make things worse, the email id to get comments notification is an outdated one, something I usually don’t bother to check. So there I was, under the assumption that I have not missed anything in my blog, toiling myself into personal and professional activities. A lot many things happened in between. More on that later…

Cut to last weekend…I was out of station, came back yesterday night and finally logged in my blog today morning to post a new entry and suddenly I couldn’t take my eyes off the comments section. I saw the first comment about the nomination for BoB by Clearadmit as – Unapproved (obviously it didn’t appear in the comments section before as I was checking it out w/o logging in) and another one about the invitation from Accepted.com to judge the Beautiful B-School Photo Contest (This was posted in the “About” section of my blog which I did not happen to explore since my last post). I am feeling really silly (or stupid might fit even better) now that I happen to miss the bus solely due my dereliction and letting the Murphy’s law take over! But then, in hindsight, glad to know that I was considered…

Good News : I have got to learn a lot (at least the basics are in place) about blogging from these mistakes. Hope it helps some of you people as well. Don’t just visit your own blog. Log in (quite frequently)/configure your email setting to bridge any communication gaps to make the most of it!

At last, I would like to express my hearty thanks to Clearadmit, Accepted.com and The GMAT Club for showing the recognition. I will try to give a better response next time!

P.S. : This is not the entry I was going to post. Will post the actual one soon!!