Targeting for a lofty 800 in GMAT in 4 month's time has never been a child's play, more-so at my age where people think of settling in mid age life with wife and a few toddlers at home, at best with a dog at house. But given the background that I do not think myself even a remotely successful guy, I ought to think new ways to get ahead in life. Better late than ever as the wise men would say. That number 800 is the max possible and as one would think if you want to aim, why not aim to stars, so what if you fall well short it will give you pleasure you aimed for the max and tried hard. Currently I do work in a very good role with a world reenowned organization from the support of two top 15 college degrees of B.Tech. & MBA from India. Unfortunately my career journey hasn't been anywhere close to other classmates from Engineering (with or without MBA) or MBA class, prompting me think ways to move which at least brings some level of respectability for me and hence this step.
Let me just put down the ground rules and achievement non-achievement targets here which we can sure calibrate at the end of this 4 months self planned program. Don't know whether it would really help future aspirants but if I get anywhere near that score of perfect 800, it could surely help them.
Ground Rules:
a) Anything above 720 is good, but anything short of 800 as target is not acceptable.
b) Any top 50 MBA colleges are good but an admission letter from hallowed galleries of Harvard and LBS and Columbia is great. Do not think of any other college for MBA or PhD to start with.
c) Any MBA is good but a scholarship is must.
d) PhD will over-ride MBA if no scholarship/financial assistance-ship received for MBA but I get financial assistance for PhD.
e) Neither PhD nor MBA is must do thing. Current MBA, B. Tech and Current Job is good enough to survive the economic scenario. Don't keep the pressure of performance.
f) Not undermine the importance of other priorities in life, the marriage, the work load and the usual friends-family expectations.
Here is my action plans for trying to ge anywhere close to that perfect score.
a) Take the First Full length Test and put the scores, establish the Starting Point.
b) Jan to Mid Feb 2012: Get back the level of English where I was before appearing Indian B-School tests, Work on Words and grammar more than quants skills
c) Feb Mid to Mar Mid 2012: Appear in twice a week Full length Tests, assess the score, if average scores >700 and Standard Deviation of 30 points for last ten test, then take the dates of April of 2012. Use as many of Manhattan scores as possible for calibrating with International students, anything else then repeat the process for another 2 months. Any-which-way appear for GMAT late most by June 2012.
d) Use Standardized material from Manhattan, Original Guide and a local GMAT support centre in Delhi for keeping an eye on latest trends
e) Materials to be used.
i) Manhattan guide + Tests
ii) Original Guide
iii) Local Tutorials
iv) Word Lists from Barrons + Kaplans
v) IMS Grammar Special
vi) Bi-Weekly reading of Fiction and non-fiction Novels (Read atleast 10 Full novels before the exams, 10*400 = 4000 pages of high quality english work
vii) Read magazines, especially 'The Frontline' and Business-world.
ix) Blog Writing on important Social, political and international trend (One article a week)
x) Join E-Group on GMAT preparatory for latest trends et al.
xi) Skipping the idiot box for next 4 months.
So you see it all boil downs to that one GMAT score which ensures I can put pedal to the metal and move in the next phase of my life. I will keep posting my scores and the experience over on this blog. Hope when it is in public eyes with few also watching the developments it keep the motivation going till I take the test.
On the reason why it is a secret dash is of course the reason which everyone understands. For a guy who seemingly is well settled in his job it can become easily unnerving if people friends or even family members know the inner broodings, uneasiness of a guy who seem unflustered on outset. It can further aggravate if colleagues start enquiring on a daily basis, company seniors think it has started affecting the work or the worst if people start expecting you to do really good but not good enough for 800. An unnecessary pressure only brings burden to shoulder and everyone knows heavy shoulder can only dorrp and not fly.
Will keep on posting the scores, the next post will be about the first Full length GMAT test and establishment of starting points. Hope it works.
Let me just put down the ground rules and achievement non-achievement targets here which we can sure calibrate at the end of this 4 months self planned program. Don't know whether it would really help future aspirants but if I get anywhere near that score of perfect 800, it could surely help them.
Ground Rules:
a) Anything above 720 is good, but anything short of 800 as target is not acceptable.
b) Any top 50 MBA colleges are good but an admission letter from hallowed galleries of Harvard and LBS and Columbia is great. Do not think of any other college for MBA or PhD to start with.
c) Any MBA is good but a scholarship is must.
d) PhD will over-ride MBA if no scholarship/financial assistance-ship received for MBA but I get financial assistance for PhD.
e) Neither PhD nor MBA is must do thing. Current MBA, B. Tech and Current Job is good enough to survive the economic scenario. Don't keep the pressure of performance.
f) Not undermine the importance of other priorities in life, the marriage, the work load and the usual friends-family expectations.
Here is my action plans for trying to ge anywhere close to that perfect score.
a) Take the First Full length Test and put the scores, establish the Starting Point.
b) Jan to Mid Feb 2012: Get back the level of English where I was before appearing Indian B-School tests, Work on Words and grammar more than quants skills
c) Feb Mid to Mar Mid 2012: Appear in twice a week Full length Tests, assess the score, if average scores >700 and Standard Deviation of 30 points for last ten test, then take the dates of April of 2012. Use as many of Manhattan scores as possible for calibrating with International students, anything else then repeat the process for another 2 months. Any-which-way appear for GMAT late most by June 2012.
d) Use Standardized material from Manhattan, Original Guide and a local GMAT support centre in Delhi for keeping an eye on latest trends
e) Materials to be used.
i) Manhattan guide + Tests
ii) Original Guide
iii) Local Tutorials
iv) Word Lists from Barrons + Kaplans
v) IMS Grammar Special
vi) Bi-Weekly reading of Fiction and non-fiction Novels (Read atleast 10 Full novels before the exams, 10*400 = 4000 pages of high quality english work
vii) Read magazines, especially 'The Frontline' and Business-world.
ix) Blog Writing on important Social, political and international trend (One article a week)
x) Join E-Group on GMAT preparatory for latest trends et al.
xi) Skipping the idiot box for next 4 months.
So you see it all boil downs to that one GMAT score which ensures I can put pedal to the metal and move in the next phase of my life. I will keep posting my scores and the experience over on this blog. Hope when it is in public eyes with few also watching the developments it keep the motivation going till I take the test.
On the reason why it is a secret dash is of course the reason which everyone understands. For a guy who seemingly is well settled in his job it can become easily unnerving if people friends or even family members know the inner broodings, uneasiness of a guy who seem unflustered on outset. It can further aggravate if colleagues start enquiring on a daily basis, company seniors think it has started affecting the work or the worst if people start expecting you to do really good but not good enough for 800. An unnecessary pressure only brings burden to shoulder and everyone knows heavy shoulder can only dorrp and not fly.
Will keep on posting the scores, the next post will be about the first Full length GMAT test and establishment of starting points. Hope it works.
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