Happy Ending

Just to mark a logical end to the blog I held so close to my heart once. Though the GMAT journey didn't go well for me, my CAT journey did get me to my dream school in India. I am joining IIM Calcutta this year.

Dinged is what Darden says

Self Explanatory... So this kinda ends the season for me...

All the best to all the applicants

Darden Interview

Happy new year (the wish was long overdue)

Here goes my Darden Interview process experience.

13th December
I got a mail about status change of my Darden Application. It was an Alum Interview call.

22nd December
I was contacted by Office manager at Darden Admission Office about the busy state of Alum and possibility of Telephonic interview. Disappointment it was as I wanted to have a face to face interview. When I asked a current student, he also told me that I should try my best for Alum interview.

9th January
Another mail from office manager stating alum shud be contacting me anyday and if he doesn't contact by friday, we'll have the telephonic interview scheduled.

12th January
Alumnus called me. He told me how busy he was and didn't have any plans to come down to bangalore. I said I was open to travel to mumbai. He said we could have it on saturday the 19th and he'll confirm by monday/tuesday.

Tuesday
I called him up and he said yes lets have it on saturday but he'll confirm me time by thursday.

Thursday
I called and we fixed the interview for saturday at his place in mumbai.

I have posted these details as I found lots of people cribbing on the internet questioning Darden's responsiveness. I would say I was kept pretty much informed about all that was going to happen. Alums are usually very busy and we must understand it.

Anyways, I had this interview on Saturday 19th Jan at Alum's apartment in mumbai. I booked my tickets on thursday for friday evening flight and returned to bangalore on monday morning (My brother stays in Navi Mumbai).

So here's how the interview went:

I reached at 2:50pm (3:00pm was the time). I roamed around the corridor for 5 minutes looking at the sea from the 12th floor just to calm myself down and pressed the doorbell at 2:55pm

After greetings, where-have-you-put-up and when-are-you-flying-back talks he asked me if I was familiar with the process. He asked me what other schools I have applied to and have I been interviewed somewhere else [:(].

Then he talked about himself, his native place, undergrad, job, darden and job after mba. Then started questions.

"Tell me about your job"
I answered which took form of a discussion and he gave his inputs and kept on acknowledging what I said.

"Why do you want to do mba now"
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"Why Darden"
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"What was the different thing you found in your undergraduate college"
discussions. he listened to me presented his views, i elaborated on my views and we agreed.

"How would your friends describe you"
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"Career Goals"
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Then it was my turn to ask questions. His answers also took shape of discussions and lasted till he had explained me everything.

After 45 mins we wrapped up.

Few words on face2face interview vis-a-vis telephonic interviews while I was preparing to leave. And I left by 3:50pm.

Next interview for me is IIM Lucknow. Yes I wrote CAT again this time and finally got calls from IIMs. More in next post.

Where've you been??

If someone follows my blog then this might be a question in his mind about me. Well, I've been very much here just that life has taken a topsy turvy road in last one month or rather last 3 months. Anyways, I do have updates from my side. A ding from Kellogg, a ding from ISB finally, no interview call from Tuck. Now I guess I have given enough reasons for my staying off the blog. But there's more to it. Checked my gmail at 8 am on thursday only to find no mails as usual. And then while at office, at 11:30 noticed that there was a mail in my mailbox about status change...

One more ding... This was the first thing that came into my mind. Logged into my profile reluctantly But hang on... its something else.

This was an interview call from Darden. Finally something for me.

any tips?

more in next post.

-Neeraj

Tuck Done!!

So with Tuck down, my next target is Emory which has rolling admissions. I won't delay much and will try to submit it by mid december after the Emory reception in India.

Tuck application was easier though I wasted 5-6 days in the begining of November doing nothing. Thanks to Chaos who brought back my focus and I could complete the application in time.

Next Target, MBA Tour in bangalore on 1st december. BTW Emory was allowing to schedule interview for this meet initially but now they changed it to invitation only. Goodness!!! there indeed are lots of applicants from India :(

Darden Submitted

I clicked a submit of darden app yesterday. Both my recommenders also submitted their recos yesterday itself. So it was again a last day affair if not the last minute one. Next in line is Tuck which happens to be my darling school.

Darden essays didn't take me long to finish. Either I have learnt the art of essay writing or my reviewers have got bored of asking me to change things in my essays. Whatever it be, after darden I think I won't take much time in writing for Tuck. More so because I have put the maximum number of my research hours on Tuck.

Life has been going topsy-turvy these days so I am not in a mood to write too much. Would sure attend the darden reception on Saturday though. After reading Dave for MBA's blog, I did get more inquisitive about darden MBA. It indeed makes a huge difference if you get to visit school. I ain't no lucky in that but atleast good people keep on blogging so that people like me get to know of things.

Plans for next few days, darden reception on saturday and then Tuck it is... Th elast school in R1 for me.

Good luck dreamer...!!!

Kellogg Interview Waiver and Application Submitted

Got an interview waiver mail from Kellogg. I assume that means a greater reliance on essays. I hope my essays are strong enough to back me.

Submitted the Part II of Kellogg Application and thus registered an entry in US MBA applications league.

By the way, I registered for the Darden Info session on 3rd Nov at Bangalore. I don't know whats the implication of getting to attend a session after submitting the application... Should I be ready for interview???

Any expert comments?