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siddharth1493
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Should I take Sabbatical for GMAT preparation. 13 Jul 2024, 08:21
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Hello All,

I need your help in understanding whether taking sabbatical (3-4 months) from work for GMAT preparation reflect poorly to AdCom?

A bit about me, I have almost 9 years of work experience in technology/IT and my current nature of work does leave enough time and mental capacity to focus on GMAT prep completely. I had started preparation couple of months back but it seems to be going nowhere.

I am targeting 1 year MBA programmes in India with intent to have a role change (along with pay scale 😊).

Would highly grateful for you advice and guidance.

Thanks

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MBAandBeyond
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Should I take Sabbatical for GMAT preparation. 13 Jul 2024, 08:28
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siddharth1493
Hello All,

I need your help in understanding whether taking sabbatical (3-4 months) from work for GMAT preparation reflect poorly to AdCom?

A bit about me, I have almost 9 years of work experience in technology/IT and my current nature of work does leave enough time and mental capacity to focus on GMAT prep completely. I had started preparation couple of months back but it seems to be going nowhere.

I am targeting 1 year MBA programmes in India with intent to have a role change (along with pay scale 😊).

Would highly grateful for you advice and guidance.

Thanks

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Hello, @siddharth1493
 
Taking a 3-4 month break from work to focus on GMAT preparation can be smart if your job makes it hard to study effectively. This time off shows how serious you are about boosting your GMAT score, which is crucial for applying to 1-year MBA programs in India. Explain how this break fits your career goals and desired job change, showing you're proactive about advancing your career through education. Plan financially and consider other study options if a full break isn't possible, making sure your preparation helps, not hinders, your career plans.

Good luck :D

If you have any further questions related to your profile or want to have a 1:1 discussion with our top profile experts, feel free to schedule a complimentary profile evaluations session with our experts . We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools.­
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Should I take Sabbatical for GMAT preparation. 14 Jul 2024, 22:49
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siddharth1493
Hello All,

I need your help in understanding whether taking sabbatical (3-4 months) from work for GMAT preparation reflect poorly to AdCom?

A bit about me, I have almost 9 years of work experience in technology/IT and my current nature of work does leave enough time and mental capacity to focus on GMAT prep completely. I had started preparation couple of months back but it seems to be going nowhere.

I am targeting 1 year MBA programmes in India with intent to have a role change (along with pay scale 😊).

Would highly grateful for you advice and guidance.

Thanks

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­Hi siddharth1493,

If you have any personal reason, a sabbatical can be well justified. However, your reason might not work well in your case. 

We recommend discussing this case in detail with you as that will help us gain clarity over your profile and guide you to make better decisions. You can schedule a free consultation with our MBA experts or connect directly via call at 91 7789769732
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CrackAdmission
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Should I take Sabbatical for GMAT preparation. 14 Jul 2024, 22:58
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Hello siddharth1493,

Taking a 3-4 month sabbatical for GMAT preparation can be seen both positively and negatively by the Admissions Committee (AdCom).

Positive Aspects:
• Commitment to Goals: A sabbatical demonstrates your dedication to achieving a high GMAT score, indicating serious intent and commitment to your MBA aspirations.
• Focused Preparation: It ensures that you can fully concentrate on your preparation, potentially leading to a stronger GMAT score, which is crucial for competitive programs.

Negative Aspects:
• Career Interruption: A sabbatical might raise questions about your ability to balance work and study, which is a skill valued in intense MBA programs.
• Perception of Capacity: It could be perceived as a lack of capacity to manage time effectively, especially since MBA programs are demanding and require balancing multiple priorities.

Recommendations:
• Contextual Explanation: Clearly explain the necessity of the sabbatical in your application, highlighting how it reflects your strategic decision-making and commitment to excellence. It can be because of the criticality and involvement you have in your team setup.
• Personal Development: It would be good if you can showcase that during the period of Sabbatical not only did you prepare for the GMAT but also focused on other personal things, ex. a past hobby, a bucket list item, health / lifestyle changes, quality time with family etc., which you had deprioritized because of the workload.
• Demonstrate Value: Ensure that your overall application showcases your ability to handle demanding situations and multitask, offsetting any potential concerns about the sabbatical.

P.S : Indian B Schools love (and I mean it) accepting applicants with high exam scores. So irrespective of everything else, if you firmly believe that dedicated prep time would take your score to 655+, go for it. Everything else can be justified via a compelling narrative while building your application content.

On a different front, Indian IT Male profile is an extremely competitive applicant pool – you must already be aware of this by now ! Hence, you will need to be razor clear on what value add you will bring to the table, and why is MBA a logical career progression (pay scale upgrade – while obvious should not be the focal point).

I am an ISB alum,CO15, and have been guiding applicants successfully navigate the admission cycles for 7+ years now. Feel free to reach out if you seek help.

Cheers and Best of luck !!­
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Should I take Sabbatical for GMAT preparation. 16 Jul 2024, 05:04
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siddharth1493
Hello All,

I need your help in understanding whether taking sabbatical (3-4 months) from work for GMAT preparation reflect poorly to AdCom?

A bit about me, I have almost 9 years of work experience in technology/IT and my current nature of work does leave enough time and mental capacity to focus on GMAT prep completely. I had started preparation couple of months back but it seems to be going nowhere.

I am targeting 1 year MBA programmes in India with intent to have a role change (along with pay scale 😊).

Would highly grateful for you advice and guidance.

Thanks

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Hello siddharth1493,

Taking a sabbatical to further your GMAT prep will not be well preceived by any Ad Com however difficult your job makes it for you.

So, this will really be about how much you can push yourself or how well you can negotiate things at work. 

If you absolutely have to go ahead with a sabbatical, then a strong narrative around the break will need to be put forth.

All the best!