crossroads...hoping for some honest advice.

Question

Before I go into the main topic, a little background
I am Indian/male/NON IT.
I am working for Siemens Ltd for the last one year
Got into Siemens right after graduation
My college GPA is average and college extra-curricular is pretty great(have been the cultural secretary and placement coordinator)
I am about to take my gmat in september. Currently I am at 710-720 level. Hoping to aim at 760 and thereby apply for fall 2014(will be completing 3 years of work ex by then)
Short term Goals(5 years after bschool): Get into general management/Marketing mostly in consumer electronics. This is majorly to repay the loan and gain some corporate experience from a bird's eye view
Long Term Goal: I am incredibly amused the quality of education that is being taught at almost all states of India. I have figured that more than teaching the poor, i am interested in excellent education and personality development, and thereby I want to open my own institute.

With the long term goal in mind I have applied for Teach For India fellowship program. This will make me quit my high pay job at siemens and go outside my state and rely on a low income for 2 years. Also, this will defer my bschool admission for a year.
But considering my long term goal I think I ll enjoy this work more than what I do now, and this would help me in the long run.

I see tons of people in gmatclub with altruistic wisdom. Please help me out and tell me whether I am doing the right thing. Post 2 years, I have to get into a bschool, considering siemens wont take me back and applying to engg companies after teaching for 2 years does not make much sense.

Any advice will be much appreciated.
Thanks

mohater · Answer

The key with a plan is it needs to be fluid. You can make all the preparations in the world, but plans don't always pan out the way you want them to.

Three years experience post undergrad is on the lower end for most programs. If you expect to get in with that (even with Siemens and Teach for India), you need a very strong selling point on your application. Also, seeing how you're in an overrepresented demographic (Indian Male), this will make it more difficult.

souvik101990 · Answer

Hey Mohater,
Thanks for your response
Actually its more like 1.8 years of work ex in siemens and 2 years in teach for india.
I am just afraid adcoms would think of my decision to join teach for india as something stupid.
I think I can make a good application relating my post MBA goals with whatever I did after college.
Lets hope for the best.

But are

AbhiJ · Answer

First seal the GMAT score and get it out of your way. Then focus on other things.

bb · Answer

Have you researched any other organizations that area already doing what you are trying to accomplish? I am sure there is at least one or two NGO's that may use your skills in the management/org area as opposed to on the front line (nothing wrong with that but I would be concerned about burning out - 2 years is a long time in a village with no friends or support network - I would not dismiss that part). I would more think of it as a management rotation. You could do 6 months perhaps or 3 in a job of a line-person but longer seems to be a waste unless it really takes 2 years for you to get the point (I would guess even a month may be enough).

Perhaps you have not addressed, it but do you need a business school as a part of your professional "portfolio" to reach your goal?
A PhD in education or something like that would seem more appropriate if you want to open your own institute. The only area where your MBA would work is if you were planning to make a BSchool.

Just some thoughts....

Perhaps you have not addressed, it but do you need a business school as a part of your professional "portfolio" to reach your goal?
A PhD in education or something like that would seem more appropriate if you want to open your own institute. The only area where your MBA would work is if you were planning to make a BSchool.

Just some thoughts....

souvik101990 · Answer

@bb
firstly thanks a ton for replying. You hardly get to see the forum admin participating in almost every thread.
Secondly, I would like to bring this to your attention that I will not be in a village. Its currently working in all the metros right now. And the concentration is on public schools in metro cities which needs a lot of attention.
I guess its mostly because Teach for India is just starting out, and there are political hindrances to be a part of village schools. Not very sure.
Thirdly, a B School is my focus because I would like to run the management of my institute, and I am very interested in marketing. So I would like to take up roles in marketing for 5-6 year basis post b school to gain a considerable experience that would add value to my future initiative.
Right now whatever I am doing has no alignment with what I want to do.
So now that I have provided my insights, are you really as skeptical?
Also, I would just like to add the institution that I have thought of wont be just restricted to education. It would be an overall personality development program. TFI has a lot of leadership built in its program for young professionals and graduates fresh out of college. I think it will be an overall boost. 
And I would like to disagree on doing anything part time. That just becomes profile enhancers. Doesnt fit in the bigger picture.

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crossroads...hoping for some honest advice.

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