MBACrystalBall wrote:Hi Naivethinker,
//...i agree to the fact that i am one of those that plans too much.
Planning early isn't wrong. Obsessing about it is. Don't sacrifice your present for something that may or may not happen 2-3 years from now.
agreed and disagreed. I always wanted to get into strategy consulting. In my school and few years in my ca everyone kind of believed that CA can and will get you into strategy consulting. The hard fact hit after i did my CA (4 years later). Therefore, this time around, i dont mind planning too much.. Year in advance maybe..
//But when i ask around for consultants, they are generally of the view that i am years ahead for b-school experience.
Most consultants would look at your full-time work-experience and get to that conclusion. And I think that's not an illogical viewpoint. But I also think how you present yourself is important.
More on this later in this response.
the thing being when i ask how much early i am, then the reply is "its you who decide when you are ready"
now maybe if i was so sure, i wouldnt be skirmishing the forums too much?
//Most foreign consultants say that this is not true, whereas most indian consultant stick to these parameters.
I think it's less about Indian vs foreign consultants, and more to do with the style of looking at profiles.
Those who go by the book, will feel the immediate urge to slot you in a particular category and apply all the regular preconceived notions about what any other general applicant from a similar pool might bring to the table.
So take forum evaluations (including this one) with a pinch of salt. Use it to evaluate the approach of the guy giving feedback.
I am open to criticism. And more than anything, if i asking to get a help from a consultant, its of course he is gonna criticize me for something, i do the same on my job as well, so i know.
The fact is it puts me in a fix, should i go to a foreign consultant, who actualy believes that low gpa people can get into top schools, or just go to an indian consultant who would just straightaway cast me into not selected for sure category.
//Whether my bad gpa ensures that i cant enter a good b-school
Some schools (specially the top ones) do have a clearly articulated minimum cut-off. Even if they don't the applicants they get would raise the bar high even without formal cut-offs.
I read loads of interview of adcoms heads, The Ross school does have this criteria but others dont state this. They specify that they look at complete picture, but they rarely give out an individual score card. They give out a mean GPA. If there exist only 1/100000 chance, i m ready to take it.
//3 and 1/2 year apprenticeship(CA)with a top 20 firm in india, was a team leader for 2 years in the firm during this period, unfortunately this wont be considered as i did a major part of this along with my bachelors.
I realise that an articleship can be more brutal than full-time work-ex mainly due to the pathetic work conditions and the almost complete lack of HR benefits for interns at many Chartered Accountancy firms.
But if you rely solely on that rationale, Adcoms may not be impressed.
For those who have unusual academic & work stories running in parallel, it's easier to give them additional brownie points for having gone beyond what they are supposed to do.
HR kinds of not exists in CA firms, except the one with international tie-ups. But that comes as an advantage where you have the possibility on playing lead roles. The issue that comes up, adcoms ask for growth in job, i cant show that as essentially i cannot be promoted on official terms. I can provide recommendations about the work done but nothing else.
i couldnt get the fact "relying on it solely". If my articleship can be treated as work-ex, then as of now i have 5 years of experience. In that regards, to cross that mean 4 years of experience, yeah i might rely on that. Otherwise, no.
//Extra-curricular...lot of digital art, photography and photo enhancement, but not a formal level, just as a hobby, does this count?
If it is 'a lot' (as you've described) and it the quality of output goes beyond amateur stuff, then sure, it would count. Figure out how you want to position it as an enhancer in your apps.
Numerous forum signature. evolved from photo-manip to photography, and as more responsibilities have come up, there number have fallen, or maybe i have become to perfectionist. I have an art-page at nitsthegame.deviantart.com
//If no, then what other things i should concentrate on in my next few years? If yes, then i think all the exercise is in vain?
Try to make the MBA redundant as much as possible.
Getting an MBA is not your career goal. Aim for something larger and more important.
Getting a MBA is not my goal, but the sector i wish to move into, i need a MBA.
I sincerely thanks you for your response and time