How much to dream??

Hey all,

Thanx everyone for your supporting thoughts onToefl. Actually, you guys and the other nett communities had me pretty convinced that TOEFL is waay too easy. So, I didn't study at all. Only gave TOEFL two of my nights to give sample tests and cruised through them. On the real test day however, I was caught off guards by the reading section with long GMAT type essays to read but very foolish questions to be asked on it. Got thru them anyways........

Now a week has passed and Ive been checking my Inbox like 8 times a day only to find spam in there. Looks like it's the trailer of the Ultimate Waiting game that'll be played after the submission deadlines....... lol..... Shall keep you updated as and when my scores come out......

Pls. let me thank Josh Hohman for a nice interviewing spree he has gone on for applicants like us. He has interviewed mnay current students in his complation, mostly from Stanford, which makes sense since, he is a current student there. But the book also has HBS and Columbia students' interviews. Though I was a bit dissapointed due to the fact that HBS students' inteviews were very less in number (only like 4 or 5). The book claims that it has "insider knowledge" on applications. I am very skeptic about such "insider news", and the book did not say much new stuff than you can fid on the net (but mind you, it would take a lot of time and surfing to get close to the truth). The book does a good job of putting various different perspectives on admissions at one place. The book is very good if you are considering Stanford, and, especially helpful for international students like me who cant visit the school to see how its like there. Do try the sample copy FREE of cost. www.ExpertCollective.com
DISCLAIMER: I may sound like I've been paid a seat in Stanford by Mr. Hohman to praise his book. But HELL NO........... lol........ :)

On the essays front, I've started to think about my essays for HBS. I've started with the career vision essay and made an outline of it. Actually it was quite easy to make an outline of the goals first of all. Not to brag, but I do have a very good feel of what my aim is, and how an MBA fits in it all. Actually, it comes naturally after you have to convince everyone you meet about your decisions' sanity; when people question the validity, the benefits and the apparent crazyness of starting a business and leaving it just to go for an MBA abroad. After some time, it starts running in your blood and you get a deeper understanding of why you want to tread this path.

Anyways, I think I am quite happy with my career vision essay outline. But since, it is about the "vision", in my outline, I have dreamt a lot. I dont know if that is good enough, since I've heard at countless places that the adcom looks for depth and not general dreams of what-you-ought-to-do. Since my dream is specific to the ompany I've started, it may not essentially be the same as the crowd, but, then again, are we required to plot out our expected real trajectory, or the trajectory we would like to attain?? I mean, I am confused about the extent to which we have to be grounded in reality in this essay. So, if it's the uber-dreams that are OK to state, then I like the outline I've made. And also, if we have to be firmly grounded in practicality, why use the word "vision" and why not use "long term goals" or something like that. But then again, the ulatimate dreams of most people are similar, if not the same: satisfaction, happyness, positive impact on others' lives, blah, blah and blah again.

The dilemma rages everyday and every alteranate hour I am switching sides......... :). I think leaving the outline alone for a day or two and just not thinking about it will spark a moment-of-realization.

Shall have to put a rest to this and start working on the accomplishments essay, which is the heart of the HBS essays..........

Shall keep you guys posted........
Peace......

Resume done!! TOEFL's next... bring 'em on!!!!!

Hey ppl,

Thanks to your support, I've finalized my resume. I think that the resume will be the only thing constant between all applications. But I am unsure even on this...... I mean, won't it be great if I can tailor my resume to every specific program. But then again, a resume is a collection of bullet-facts which can't be "tailored" per se....... In conclusion, I don't know what to do next on the resume front. But for now, I'm satisfied with the shape it has taken. Detailed yet specific yet comfy-spaced, I like it. Also, the facts I jotted down for my resume but couldn't fit in due to space constraints would now form a part of my essay fodder for thought...... lol.....

The TOEFL exam is on coming Saturday and I dont know what's gonna happen. Yes, people tend to think less of the TOEFL but when you have a minimum 109 to achieve, you tend to get a bit jittery since it's your dream school (read:HBS) hanging by that magical number. And recognizing the fact that i get stone tongued in the speaking section, I am especially worried. In more ways than one this is a strange revelation. I have absolutely no problem talking to a real person either on phone or face to face in english, but when you have to stare at the screen and look at the 45 second timer run out while speaking sense and not blabbering, it tends to be a bit difficult. Leaving speaking aside, I am confident about other parts of the test.

But knowing that your speaking section practice is waaay lagging behind and still not studying even till a week before a standardised test is the mark of a first-class-procastinator. While we all procrastinate a bit, I am sure that few people can even think of reaching the high standards of procrastinating that I set and better each day :D .

On the essay front, shall start work on the HBS essays after Saturday (another way to procrastinate, since we all know that I'm not really gonna study for TOEFL properly...... but still, can make an excuse on the HBS essays due to this event...... :D).

Can anyone share any last week pointers on the speaking section?? Shall be helpful-aplenty.
Peace......