Hey everyone!

This post may be useful for those who are preparing for fall intake.

In this session, we will be walking you through snippets of a few good profiles we have converted to top business schools. We will read out some essays of successful applicants too.

We will be sharing what business Schools want to see in an application and will be sharing tips on how you can stand out even if you belong to an overrepresented pool.

Agenda:

Explain your plan: Rather than how flashy a plan is, we need to prove it is feasible and achievable.

Leadership/Achievements: How to showcase your leadership & achievements to align them with the values of your target school.

Contribution to the community: Communicate your contribution and impact on the lives of people around you even when you don't have NGO/community experiences.

Why a specific School

You may know more about the session here.

Can you get a second MBA?

Why do you need a second MBA? Is it possible for you to do a double MBA? How should you enhance your applications for a second MBA?

You have an MBA degree, you are working in a reputed firm, you have suitable work experience but still, something is missing- maybe your MBA degree is not from your dream B-school, maybe your reputed firm is not satisfying your personal needs or not contributing to your personal development, or maybe your work experience is simply not in the industry you’re passionate about.

This article will help you in clarifying your thoughts on getting a second MBA, the MBA colleges that accept students for second mba abroad, and ways to enhance your chances of getting into your dream B-school despite a second MBA.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO DO A SECOND MBA OR DOUBLE MBA?

1. NO PRIOR WORK-EXPERIENCE BEFORE YOUR FIRST MBA:

Sometimes because of the fear of not having a gap in academics or “uncertainty” about the job market, people rush and go for an MBA program right after their graduation, and because of this rush, they lack gaining any work experience which, in some way, undermines all of their MBA experience. If you’re someone who might have rushed for pursuing an MBA without work-experience, more often than not, you will find yourself clueless about your career and goals post-MBA!

This is very common in India where students directly move up the academic ladder from graduation to their post-graduation(MBA), since there are many top-notch universities which allow the admission of students with low or NO work experience. This works well as a bait for students to get high-salaried jobs in less time and with less effort.

Therefore, after your first MBA when you gain considerable work experience and explore fields, and finally get more insights into your interests, career goals and life purpose, you seek a second MBA from a B-school that can exactly give you the experience you wish to gain. Hence, there is no harm in doing a double MBA if it makes sense for your career and ambitions.

2. FIRST MBA FROM A LESS REPUTED SCHOOL AND YOU WANT TO GAIN A SECOND MBA FROM ABROAD:

Competitions in business schools are cut-throat and you might not be able to grab that one seat in your dream business school for one or many reasons. And sometimes, as demanded by the situation at hand, you might have compromised in getting into a not so reputed B-schools or simply not your dream school.

In this industry, ranking matters a lot. Your future placements highly depend on which school you are from, which companies hire MBA graduates from the school and what place it holds in the market. If the school you have gained your first MBA from could not provide you the experience and opportunities you needed to reach your short-term goals, you very much need the second MBA!

Therefore if you feel a second MBA from abroad or a particular school can help you move ahead in your career now or change the direction of your career, you should consider a second MBA and it’s plausible to do a double MBA!

3. UNSATISFIED WITH YOUR CURRENT JOB AND NEED A SECOND MBA TO GET YOUR DREAM JOB:

Even After putting in so much effort, people sometimes are not able to make it up to their dream jobs. You may feel unsatisfied in terms of monetary need, social need, personal need, and development.

So, a second MBA may help you get a job that fulfills all your needs and can provide you with better career prospects.

4. NOT SATISFIED WITH MBA SUBJECTS OR REACHED A STAGNANT POINT IN YOUR CAREER:

Sometimes people are not satisfied with the subjects they chose in their first MBA because of the lack of knowledge about which subject will best suit them. Or they may not have explored the opportunities they should have to reach their goals. Or simply, the first MBA was a decision taken in rush and you were clueless about what you wanted through it.

Therefore, the first MBA may have turned out more expensive than it was supposed to be in terms of return on your investment and your career (a cost not affordable!). You may have stuck in an industry you don’t like or you may feel stagnant in your career now.

Adcoms understand too that having a double MBA is all okay if you have plausible reasons to pursue a second MBA from their business schools.

WHICH SECOND MBA SHOULD I GO FOR- ONE-YEAR OR TWO-YEAR?

After deciding to go for a second MBA, the next step is to shortlist the right MBA programs. For people pursuing a second MBA, one of the major factors to be factored in is the time and opportunity cost of the program. You may wonder whether to go for a one-year MBA program or a two-year MBA program for the double MBA degree you’re going to pursue?

With experience from our consultants, we have tried to determine some factors that can help you select the right choice for your second MBA:

FINANCIAL DEPENDENCY:

One year MBA program is directly related to the low costs incurred because of the short duration. It obviously involves less time lost out of the job market and an affordable opportunity cost relative to a two-year MBA. So if money, cost and ROI are some of the important factors for you to consider, a 1-year MBA program will rather go in your favour for pursuing a second MBA.

GAIN LEARNING/EXPOSURE OF A FULL-TIME MBA :

If you think you need a full-time experience of an MBA, strong network opportunities and a good break from the job market then you should definitely go for a 2-year MBA program for your second MBA. It will provide you with an immense learning experience with more internship opportunities and can work well for candidates who need theoretical business knowledge, more opportunities to explore or a strong network to move ahead after your second MBA in the chosen career.

CAREER GOALS:

Selecting the right duration of the MBA program highly depends on an individual’s career goals. Before shortlisting any MBA programs, you first need to dig in deeper to find what career you want to set your direction to after the second MBA, what experience you wish to gain (for your long-term goals and personality development) and what companies you may wish to get in.

DURATION:

If someone is at the stage of their life where they immediately need to get settled and urgency to get a reputed job in their destination fields, then 1-year MBA is always the right choice for a second MBA.

CAREER SWITCH:

As is the case with many second MBA aspirants, you might have gone wrong initially in your career but now you know where you want to head and it requires you to switch your career or you may want to explore the business world better during your second MBA. In both cases, a two-year MBA can be suitable for your overall profile.

Read further, colleges offering second MBA and how to enhance your application for second MBA.

To everybody out there hesitating in applying to their dream business schools because of their gaps, we would like to say, everyone has one or the other gaps in their profile! What matters is your clarity of going into a business school and how you present this clarity of purpose to adcoms. Yes, your story and its logic do play a very important role in compensating for any of your gaps. So, do not sell short, go and apply to your dream schools! We are with you!


Cheers!


MBA and Beyond

Hey Everyone,

To add more value to your profile evaluation, we are organizing a workshop with our founder, Shantanu, this Saturday, June 12 (19:00 IST- 13:30 GMT).

Round 1 submission deadlines in September may seem very far off. There is a LOT that you should be doing NOW to prepare to submit the strongest possible applications in the fall. Time invested now will allow you to do more introspection, networking, and find & work on your weaknesses so that you can maximize your chances in Round 1 applications and put your best foot forward!

Many applicants struggle with exemplifying their international experience in the applications. Some are worried about not having any and thus find difficulty in filling this gap. This is why, in this workshop, Shantanu will be walking you through some of the most important (and overlooked) aspects of your application. Here is the agenda of the workshop:

International Experience: What can you show as International Experience and how to address if you do not have sufficient experience of working outside of your country

Resume: How to structure the bullet points in the resume

LoR: How to align LoRs with your overall story and theme of the application to have the maximum impact in your apps.

Q & A TO FOLLOW!

Anybody interested can register here: Coffee with MBA & B

Also, those worried about their international experience may like to read this article. It gives insights into adcoms’ perspective and how you can explain this aspect in your MBA applications.

Cheers!

MBA and Beyond

WHILE WE'RE ALREADY HALFWAY THROUGH PRIDE MONTH, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO SHOW SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE!

Hey Everyone, to help students better understand and take full advantage of the scholarships and grants provided by several b-schools, we are organizing ‘Coffee with Alums'. With this initiative, we aspire to help LGBT+ intellectuals reach their dream schools with greater sense of clarity and purpose. We are organizing an event next Saturday, June 26, 2021 At 12:30 GMT (22:00 IST).

We believe social change happens through small, everyday actions of acceptance and love. Confidence to be yourself, to follow your path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry.

Where can we find hope? Perhaps it is indeed in Pride month. We at MBA and Beyond want to create a world where the LGBTQ community is championed, celebrated, and protected. And not just this community, we as a team envision to solve more social problems and create a community in the world that can complement and support each other.

And we commit to being a part of the movement by showing genuine allyship. We believe talking about real people and experiences can reshape the narrative, change the conversation, and lead to lasting transformation.

AGENDA OF THE SESSION:

1. What top MBA programs are doing for LGBT+ (communities, clubs, scholarships, and grants).
2. How can you have an edge for your target schools?
3. Live Q&A and peer discussion.

In the end, we will be giving you a few questions to tackle. You will be given 3 days to submit your answers based on what you learned from the session. Best answers will get up to a 20% discount from MBA&B. This also gives us a chance to evaluate your profile better and decide if we can be successful together.

Anybody interested in the event or strongly supports the cause can sign up by registering here: Coffee with Alums.


Cheers!


MBA and Beyond


We are together!

How to overcome a low GMAT score?

The admission committee considers every part and detail of the application during the application review process. Business schools are not looking for all 780s as GMAT scores for MBA. They need people who can bring different ideas and perspectives to their classes, are employable to top companies, and significantly contribute to their classes.

So thinking about your low GMAT score from this angle will help you put together your entire application as a whole instead of worrying about your low GMAT score.

However, you could do a couple of things to justify your low GMAT score.

1) LOR'S: YOU SHOULD DEDICATE AT LEAST 10% OF YOUR TOTAL PREPARATION TIME WORKING ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION LETTERS TO UPGRADE YOUR PROFILE DESPITE A LOW GMAT SCORE.

Firstly, remember that different programs require different recommendation letters, so check the admissions section for your application. This could be a key to acing your application after a low GMAT score.
The admissions committee is looking for a recommender who has worked with you, who knows you as a person, and can share real-life stories and anecdotes that demonstrate a lot of information about personality rather than understanding your potential from your low GMAT score. LORs from non-profit organizations with which you have collaborated may also be helpful to balance your low GMAT score.

2) SOLID RESUME TO ACE YOUR ADMISSION DESPITE A LOW GMAT SCORE:

Aside from your recommendations and low GMAT score, the quality of your work speaks volumes about your ever-bright and gleaming career rather than your low GMAT score. And there's no better place to highlight the promotion, international experience, and leadership than your resume.

3) ESSAYS: HOW TO EXPLAIN A LOW GMAT SCORE IN YOUR ESSAYS?

First, briefly describe the steps you took to prepare for the GMAT exam, as well as any obstacles that prevented you from having more time to study for the GMAT. Then, to strengthen your candidacy and showcase your capabilities, draw their attention to the supplementary coursework you have done. Supplemental coursework will help overshadow your low GMAT score.

The key to focusing away from a low GMAT score here is to emphasize your distinctive personality and life experiences. It aims to demonstrate who you are as an individual rather than giving yourself a tag of your GMAT score.

Consider yourself a product, and write down all of your USPs. Introspect over questions such as:

Where are you in your career right now?
Where do you want to go?
Do you need an MBA to reach there?
How can the school assist you in getting there?
Why have you picked this school at this point in your academic and professional career?
Why do you think you are more than your low GMAT score?

4) INTERVIEW; HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR LOW GMAT SCORES?

If you've received an interview invitation, you're almost there! This means you could divert attention away from your low GMAT score and impress the adcoms members. This is your chance to shine, and this is when you realize that you are much more than your low GMAT score.
So, don’t fret over your low GMAT score because if adcoms are calling you for an interview, that means they have gone past your GMAT score and want to know more about you.

5) SUPPLEMENT COURSE WORK FOR A LOW GMAT SCORE APPLICANT:

The GMAT score for MBA is a trustworthy indicator of your academic skills and abilities to succeed in the MBA course. Try to take and excel at additional coursework in subjects such as statistics, economics, calculus, or accounting which will help you reflect your ability to survive the quantitative rigor of business school despite a low GMAT score.

To everybody out there hesitating in applying to their dream business schools because of their gaps, we would like to say, everyone has one or the other gaps in their profile! What matters is your clarity of going into a business school and how you present this clarity of purpose to adcoms. Yes, your story and its logic do play a very important role in compensating for any of your gaps. So, do not sell short, go and apply to your dream schools!

We are with you!

“Coffee with alums”- LGBT+ event


Cheers!

MBA and Beyond

HOW TO ADDRESS YOUR SHORT TERM GOALS AFTER MBA?

Short term goals after MBA are those in which you envision yourself as soon as you graduate from your dream business school. The short term goals after MBA must be very well specified in terms of industry, location, the set of firms you are aiming for, and your seeking role.

You will be expected to clear the competence necessary for the post you envision for your short term goals after MBA completely, the primary duties you will be managing, and the outcomes of your short term goals after MBA you are expected to display over the following 1-2 years.

CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF YOUR SHORT TERM GOALS AFTER MBA:

• Your short term goals after MBA is the Stepping stone to your long term goals after MBA
• Your short term goals after MBA should be as precise as possible, indicating substantial study and thinking relevant to industry/function/geography/potential firms
• Realistic and attainable short term goals after MBA.
• Concentrates on gaining skills, competence, and experience for career goals after MBA.

HOW TO DEFINE YOUR SHORT TERM GOALS AFTER MBA?

1 . Progression in Your Career goals after MBA while implementing the short terms goals after MBA

Working towards your career goals is a case of your short term goals after MBA. For example, you are already performing a function in a related industry and would like to accelerate to higher positions or the corporate brand.

As an example for short term goals after MBA:

I am a software engineer with product development expertise seeking a position in product management for a Silicon Valley technology startup. An example of vertical growth is not changing dimensions but seeking a more prominent role in the same industry.

Such short term goals after MBA are rational and straightforward to define and manage. When it comes to explaining the short term goals after MBA in your post MBA goals essay, the requirements remain the same. Still, your ability to visualize yourself in that role and showcase the skills you bring to your career goals after MBA places a big role in how you address your post MBA goals essay. It is easier to explain because you already have peers or seniors undertaking that post MBA career role and can explain the difference between it and your current position.

The first step in writing your post MBA goals essay is to look up your target school’s employment statistics and reports. For example, if you want to have a promising career in Investment Banking in the US, you may want to consider which schools have the highest graduates going to these fields shortly after their post MBA. Second, look at the subjective factors of career goals after MBA- how your school will shape you and your career for both short term goals after MBA and long term goals after MBA.

2. Career Shift as a short term goal after MBA

Career Change after MBA is the most common situation of applicants’ short term goals after MBA. You wish to "transition" into a more interesting position in a more exciting industry and company as your post MBA goals- in the crux. So, you want to shift your industry, position profile, and, most likely, area. This situation accounts for more than 60% of all individuals interested in pursuing an MBA.

As an example of Career Shift as a short term goal after MBA:

I am a software engineer in a technology firm looking to advance into a business strategy function with a giant tech firm/start-up.

Such transformations need a great deal of awareness and research, and for these short term goals after MBA, you need better convincing abilities to show yourself employable. The adcoms want to know your grasp of the position, what talents are "transferable" from your current work to the new role you are envisioning for short term goals after MBA, and how the MBA will help you learn the lacking skill sets and achieve your career goals after MBA.

To everybody out there hesitating in applying to their dream business schools because of their gaps, we would like to say, everyone has one or the other gaps in their profile! What matters is your clarity of going into a business school and how you present this clarity of purpose to adcoms. Yes, your story and its logic do play a very important role in compensating for any of your gaps. So, do not sell short, go and apply to your dream schools!

We are with you!

Cheers!

MBA and Beyond

HOW TO ADDRESS YOUR LONG TERM GOALS AFTER MBA?

Your long term goals after MBA outlines your ultimate aim, the pinnacle of your career – the response to the question "what do you want to be when you grow up?" However, before we move ahead with long term goals after MBA, you need to know that an MBA is not only to help you achieve your short term goals after MBA. While it may seem a little off the charts for a two-year MBA to shape your long term goals after MBA, but ten years down the line, you will understand that this MBA will shape a big chunk of your personality!

And so, you need to think about the impact of your long term goals after MBA. How do you want to gain from this experience of achieving long term goals after MBA for your personal development? You do not need to be very concerned with vivid detail for your long term goals after MBA. Instead, concentrate on the influence you want to make throughout your career. The admissions committee is interested in learning about your career goals after MBA, character, vision, principles, and how you want to impact an industry or community.

CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF YOUR LONG TERM GOALS AFTER MBA :

1) The time frame of your career goals after MBA: 10 years and beyond

2) After MBA, the final long term goal is what you want to be "when you grow up.”

3) More focused on the impact of your long term goals after MBA.

4) Aspirational and inspiring

5) You are depicting a representation of your values in your long term goals after MBA.

6) Communicate the purpose behind your short term goals after MBA.

7) Recognize that there may be more than one way to achieve your career goals after MBA (plan A, B, C...)


As an example of long term goals after MBA:

1. I want to transform Europe's healthcare system by discovering creative methods to reduce the cost of diagnostics so that funds can be spent on better treatments and facilities.

2. I am looking for an executive-level position with a renewable energy organization, such as a wind farm or solar farm, to help me reach my ultimate goal of reducing the world’s carbon footprint as the CEO of a worldwide renewable farms organization.

The narrative you present in your post MBA goals essay must demonstrate your aim and long term goals after MBA in a logical way that is consistent with your current professional path and how the school may put you.

A successful application can tell a unified and convincing tale about the applicant's career goals after MBA and his prior successes, extracurricular activities, and personal highlights in their post MBA goals essay.

To everybody out there hesitating in applying to their dream business schools because of their gaps, we would like to say, everyone has one or the other gaps in their profile! What matters is your clarity of going into a business school and how you present this clarity of purpose to adcoms. Yes, your story and its logic do play a very important role in compensating for any of your gaps. So, do not sell short, go and apply to your dream schools!

We are with you!

Cheers!

MBA and Beyond

HOW TO WRITE YOUR POST MBA GOALS ESSAY?

Here we will give you a direction to write your post MBA goals essay and not provide a step-by-step guide!

1) You have already listed out your achievements and all the tedious elements in your resume. Here, your post MBA goals essay should be short, crisp, and enjoyable to read. Go to point A to B without blabbing and with a passion for achieving those goals and vision.

2) You don’t need to be an ideal candidate or distinguish yourself through your post MBA goals. You don’t need to think out-of-the-box. Yes, if you have different post MBA goals than the pool of applicants you belong to, it’s always a plus for your post MBA goals essays. But if you want to go into consulting like 900 other applicants- so be it! But that career goals after MBA should come from a strong motivation and passion and should connect to a more robust vision.

3) Connect your long term goals after MBA to the values your target school respects. Do good research on your target schools and know how the MBA community will help you achieve your short term goals after MBA and shape your personality for long term goals after MBA.

You can read this goals and achievements essay and take critical insights into framing your post MBA goals essays..

Remember, take insights from post MBA goals essay samples. Do not try to copy or imitate the structure or story of others' post MBA goals essays- it will do you no good!

Our sole purpose of a unique consulting process is to help applicants find clarity in not only their post MBA goals but also in life- one we always needed! Many applicants call the first segment of our process “therapy.” We are here to help you establish the proper set of professional goals and develop an overall powerful story by truly knowing who you are. You are not only leading your way to your dream schools but finally being able to reach where you are destined for!

So if you get stuck along the way while defining your career goals after MBA, feel free to connect. We'll be happy to curate the path to your success in your MBA journey because the world needs intellectuals like you!


Cheers!

MBA and Beyond

Hey everyone!

This post may be useful for those who are preparing for fall deadlines.

Round 1 submission deadlines in September may seem very far off. There is a LOT that you should be doing NOW to prepare to submit the strongest possible applications in the fall. Time invested now will allow you to do more introspection, networking and find & work on your weaknesses so that you can maximize your chances in Round 1 applications and put your best foot forward!

In this session, I will be walking you through snippets of a few good profiles we have converted to top business schools. I will read out some essays of successful applicants too.

I will be sharing what business Schools want to see in an application and will be sharing tips on how you can stand out even if you belong to an overrepresented pool.

Agenda:

Explain your plan: Rather than how flashy a plan is, we need to prove it is feasible and achievable

Leadership/Achievements: How to showcase your leadership & achievements to align them with the values of your target school

Contribution to the community: Communicate your contribution and impact on the lives of people around you even when you don't have NGO/community experiences

Why a specific School

Q & A to follow!

You may know more about the session here.

Cheers!

Shantanu Sharma

MBA and Beyond

How competitive is the MBA application 2021-2022 cycle expected to be?

A question about MBA application 2021 that has become a constant struggle for students to understand- Is 2021 a good year for MBA?

Are MBA admissions harder this year?

With the closure of US embassies, it became more difficult for admitted overseas students to get student visas to study in the US for MBA application 2021 intake (last year). This resulted in a drop in international students’ previous season, implying that MBA spring 2022 intake this year may be more competitive than the MBA enrollment trends 2021 last year.

Because a higher-than-usual percentage of accepted students postponed admission until 2021, more seats will be allocated for these students for MBA spring 2022, resulting in a double whammy of fewer seats available and a high amount of MBA applications 2021 vying for those seats amid a worldwide pandemic.

Furthermore, Chinese students who were unable to take the GMAT due to GMAT Test centers' closure will retake the exam this year, resulting in a lower acceptance rate by business schools as per the MBA enrollment trends 2021. The same goes for any overseas students who may reapply this year for MBA deadlines 2022 intake.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE UPCOMING SEASON OF MBA APPLICATION 2021-22 CYCLE?

The pandemic's influence on specific industries can affect the career aspirations of people forced to change employment. Even though most industries suffered losses in 2020, one significant winner was the technology business.

Many candidates who were thinking about getting an MBA to help with a career move will undoubtedly take advantage of this chance and try to enter the IT industry in MBA spring 2022 intake, significantly increasing competition for this sector as observed in the MBA enrollment trends 2021.

What are the expectations for the 2021-2022 admission cycle?

The admissions season for MBA applications 2021-22 will be just as competitive as 2020-21. In particular, as observed in MBA enrollment trends 2021, both decreased the number of available seats (due to fewer seats being accepted by deferred candidates) and increased applicant demand for MBA application 2021.

Here is a snapshot of the whole article:

1. Positive & negative impact of Coronavirus outbreak on MBA application 2021.
2. What to expect in the upcoming season of MBA application 2021-22 cycle?
3. What do Consultants and experts think about MBA deadlines 2022?
4. If you’re applying for MBA applications 2021, who are you competing with?
5. How to have an edge in the MBA application 2021-22 cycle despite the higher competition?
6. Final-Takeaway for your application for MBA spring 2022.
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Read the full article here.


Cheers!

MBA and Beyond

Hello GMAT club members!

The Ask MBA and Beyond thread is specifically created for the applicants who want honest evaluation about their profile and chances to get into the top b-schools.

So, if you have any specific concerns about your profile and feel you lack somewhere, our expert team is here to help you out.

You can put your profile and concerns here, and we will give you a comprehensive evaluation of your profile and try to address each and all of your concerns

To get the comprehensive evaluation, make sure you include the following aspects in your profile:

1. Demographics (Nationality and gender)
2. Undergraduation details

University
GPA

3. GMAT/GRE
4. Work experience

No. of years (present and matriculation)
Leadership roles & Impact
Achievements at work
Promotion

5. International work experience (If any)

Duration
Roles and responsibilities
Achievements

6. Extracurricular Activities

Something you are passionate about (For example, dancing, traveling, sports, etc., it can be anything)
Any community involvement

7. Social impact (if any)
8. Schools targeting
9. Post-MBA goals
10. Anything you want to highlight
11. Any specific concern

The aspects mentioned above are not compulsory, but yes, it will help us give a better assessment.

Looking forward to knowing some brilliant people out there!