The year 2012 began well for me – with my application to the Indian School of Business progressing into an interview invite. I had a week to prepare. I spent some days in diligently compiling, from internet forums, the kind of questions that other applicants were being asked in ISB interviews, and in preparing my own answers to those questions.
The trouble was I did not know if my answers were any good.
I personally knew only one ISB alum at this point – Shruti Parashar, who was the elder sister of a close friend. I reached out to her with the request for a phone call to vet some of my answers. She graciously offered to meet me in person instead. So, I went to the office that she and her husband, Vinayak Parashar, himself an IIM-Ahmedabad alumnus, shared, and they both generously gave their whole afternoon to me, offering not only candid feedback but also helpful pointers about how I could phrase my responses instead. I still remember that driving back home, I felt a quiet confidence that I was going to do all right in the interview. The interview did indeed go well, and a few weeks later came the dreamed-about admission offer from ISB.
So, in my life, Shruti has been one of those kindhearted and helpful people who do you a good turn just like that, for no reason.
A few years later, they started GOALisB, an admissions consultancy. Many recommendations that I have read on their website echo my own experience of being mentored by her: people often mention Shruti’s friendliness, approachability, integrity, gentle candor and insight into what works and what not.
The idea of this interview originated from the doubts related to the application process that one of my recent GRE students used to ask me. I could not help her much, because I am not an admissions consultant, but this led me to the thought that Shruti was the right person to answer such questions. I approached her with the idea of interviewing her and she gamely agreed.
I asked her the queries that my student had and the questions that I have seen other international applicants for MBA, MS and PhD programs grapple with. Like always, Shruti answered frankly, liberally sharing her considerable expertise for the benefit of all applicants.
Here is an index of the questions we covered. Hope you enjoy the interview!
Question 1
If I am an Indian graduate who is at present (early 2022) mulling over the idea of applying to North American or European universities for a masters or a doctoral program, how much time do I have to make up my mind? If I decide to apply, when should I start the process and how should I plan my time?
Shruti:
The timeline for the application process depends on the location (EU or US), the type of program (M.S. or MBA), and the number of applications one plans to submit.
The first step for someone considering a masters or a doctoral program in the US or EU should be to firm up the location. The application cycle for different schools across EU and US is quite different; accordingly, the timeline for firming up the plans is also different for the two geographies. For US applications, I would recommend that you should ideally be done with your GRE or GMAT by March of the year that you plan to apply in. For many EU applications, this milestone comes much sooner – your GRE or GMAT scores should be ready around January – because the admission deadlines of the EU universities tend to be in Feb-end or March, much earlier than a majority of the US universities. For example, the Round 1 deadline of INSEAD January 2023 intake is 1st March 2022. So, for a European program that gets in session in January, your application process should at least start in January for the application deadlines starting in March. On the other hand, for a program which starts in August the application deadlines would start in September.
To prepare a good application for one school, you need around 30 – 40 days to brainstorm deeply and rework till you are convinced that you have presented yourself well. If you plan to apply to multiple schools in a single round, you should expect to take longer than that.
- For MBA applications, don’t expect that the subsequent applications will take lesser time once you have put in the work for one application, because the MBA essays are different for each school; usually only the recommendations are reusable. If you want to put up strong applications, then readying four applications in a single round is a huge, tedious job. For thorough applications you should start with the applications at least three months before the deadlines.
- M.S. applications are easier to manage. A lot of the work, say around 60 – 70 percent, that you have done on a single M.S. application is reusable; the SOP etc. you can do once and then rephrase or adapt it to the requirements of various schools. So, if you regularly devote ten to fifteen hours per week to your applications, you can put up around four to five M.S. applications in a month-and-a-half or so.
The time input that I am suggesting here includes the time that you will spend in:
- researching the schools that you are applying to,
- connecting with their admission offices and alumni, and
- adapting your essays to the requirements of the school and the program.
Also keep in mind that if you diversify the degrees that you are applying to, your application prep time will increase proportionally. For example, a Masters in Computer Science is likely to be research oriented while a Masters in Information Science is business-school oriented. So, if you are applying to both these programs, you’ll probably need to redo your resume and your essays to align them with the different priorities of each program.
You may also plan to have some time buffer in your schedule, to account for unforeseen obstacles. Work exigencies and writer’s block are some common issues one will face.
Question 2
Does applying in Round 1 really give one better chances of admission?
Shruti:
For International applications, Round 1 does usually land better results provided the readiness quotient is above satisfaction. If one thinks that their application will become stronger if they retake the GMAT/GRE or fulfill certain work commitments or get some more time to brainstorm for the essays, then they should rather submit at a time that they are ready. However, going beyond Round 2 is still not recommended as it is a highly competitive process. So, in a nutshell: plan for R1 submission, go to R2 at max, but don’t submit in a rush.
Question 3
How should someone research and short-list the universities for applications?
Shruti:
The use of online search engines is, of course, an easy way to research universities. However, applicants must also connect with the schools directly and with alumni. These conversations will help the applicant to understand well a school, its culture, and its expectations. This understanding, in turn, will enable the applicant to decide if a school is a good fit for them and vice versa.
Some criteria that an applicant could use to shortlist universities are:
- Career goals: The value that you get from a Masters or an MBA is long-lasting; it will impact where you will be 5-7 years down the line. So, try to perceive the long-term transition that you hope to achieve through this degree – what kind of work you want to do and what kind of a network you want to be in. Then, look up people who are actually doing that kind of work and see what schools they went to. For example, McKinsey does not hire from every business school. If you aspire to work in a MBB firm post your MBA, then you should shortlist your schools accordingly.
- Published school rankings: This is a strategy that students commonly use is to look at top 10 schools and shortlist their dream schools and safe schools.
- Budget considerations: The cost of higher education varies across the world. Because the EU offers one year MBA programs, the final costs of studying there are lower than those for the two-year MBA programs in the US. The per annum tuition fees too is lower for EU than for US. Canada is the least expensive, then Europe and then the U.S.
If a student has budgetary constraints, then they may consider applying to a slightly lower level of schools than the level that they know they can get in, because their chance of getting a scholarship would be higher. If there is something the school wants you for – be it your attractive grades and GMAT/GRE score (better than the school average), the diversity of your profile, or the connections that you bring to the school – they’ll be happy to offer you a scholarship.
Question 4
One can easily search for the average or median GRE/GMAT scores for most universities and programs. But how does one know what score would be good for them personally?
Shruti:
I am an associate member of NAGAP and, therefore, am privy to a debate that has been going on, especially for the last 2 years because of Covid, in graduate admission committees about whether the GRE should be required for PhD programs. People are smart at getting test scores. They work hard and they get the test scores. This does not necessarily qualify them as suitable candidates for these programs. It has been found that applicants with unrelated experience, unsynchronized aspirations and academic caliber have received admits in the past to these courses due to a strong GRE score. Schools have found that the end result that they particularly want from their alumni – the alumni success – is not ensured by GRE scores.
This has been a reason why an increasing number of schools have shifted from requiring the GRE anymore for the admissions process for PhD and MS programs.
This however means that the strength of the application should be communicated equally well through every aspect of the application other than just the GRE score. The resume, work experience, past academics, recommendations all have an important role to play.
Also note that this trend of moving away from standardized test scores is picking up for MS and PhD programs, though more pronounced for PhD at present. The MBA programs do require the GMAT/GRE scores as one of the important steps of the application process.
To ascertain what the score that you apply with should be or whether you should retake the test, consider the following:
- What is the test policy of the school? Note that ‘test optional’, ‘test waiver’, ‘test not required’ are three different concepts.
- If a test is required by the application process and if you are an international applicant with an average profile, see if you can apply with a score that is at least slightly above the school average. If you are an international applicant with a rare profile – you have stellar work experience and international experience – then the score does take a backseat. Then, you may not need to bother with a retake.
Question 5
What is the difference between ‘test not required’, ‘test optional’ and ‘test waiver’ policies?
Shruti:
‘Test not required’ means that the schools will not even look at your score if you send it. So, even if, let’s say, you submit a perfect GRE score of Q170 and V170, it will make absolutely no difference in the decision of the school regarding your application. At present, there are hardly any good business schools that are saying that they do not require the GMAT or the GRE.
‘Test optional’ means that if you send your score, the school will consider it, but if you don’t, that’s fine too; not sending scores will not work against you. In this scenario, if your GRE or GMAT scores are better than the average scores for the school, then you should send them.
‘Test waiver’ is the most misunderstood term of the three. Many applicants tell me that they want to apply to a particular school because it is offering a waiver. They are probably not able to score as high in the GMAT/GRE as is needed for that school and think that the waiver is a way to avoid writing the test altogether. Now this desire itself questions their capability. Further, the waiver is an optional thing; it is up to the school’s discretion whether to allow you a waiver or not. Also, to apply for a waiver, you need to have something else in your profile that can showcase the skills that the GMAT/GRE test, For example, an M.S. applicant may cite a stellar record in quantitative skills or a proof of having studied multiple languages. Or may be, you have a consulting experience in international domain, and you are applying to a business school that actually values that. So, in your application for test waiver, you would spell out very clearly why they should give you a waiver and what is the value that you would add to the school. So, this kind of an evaluation the applicant should be able to do, or at least the consultant should do. Do not treat ‘waiver’ as a free pass that you won’t need to take or retake the test.
Question 6
To fully understand in what cases a GMAT/GRE retake is advised, let me present some scenarios:
Scenario 1: I am applying to an elite PhD program whose historical average for the GRE scores is Q167 and V162. This year, due to Covid, they are not requiring the GRE. I have a Q168 and V155. What should I do – apply without this score, apply with this score, or retake for a better score and then apply?
Shruti: If someone has Q168 and V155, they should leave the GRE altogether. If the school is saying that they don’t require the GRE at all, then trust them on it.
Scenario 2: If I am applying to a quant heavy program, and my quant score is above average for that school, but my verbal score is below the school average, would that still be okay, or should I retake?
Shruti: The verbal and the quant scores are valued individually. If there is a cut-off for quant, there is a cut-off for verbal also. There is an expectation on both the sections, and you need to make sure that you are fulfilling it.
But what that expectation is depends on the school. Schools do give out this information very clearly if you just connect with them. They’ll be able to tell you what quant and verbal scores would be good, and in case of research-based or PhD programs, your Analytical Writing scores matter too.
So, before investing months into a retake, take the time out to write to the schools with your question and then trust them on what they tell you.
Scenario 3: My test score is equal to or below the average of the schools that I am applying to, but most of them have a test optional policy. Should I go ahead with Round 1 applications or first better my score and then apply in Round 2?
Shruti: The answer depends on your profile. If your profile is average and the school policy is ‘test optional’, then you should first retake to improve your score. So, you need to take a realistic call of how your profile measures up with respect to the average student profile for a school, how heavy is your resume and how aligned it is to the requirements of the course.
Scenario 4: I have a bad undergrad CGPA (say 2.6/4) and my GMAT/GRE score at present too is below average for most schools that I want to apply to. Should I retake?
Shruti: If your undergrad academic record is below average, then a good GMAT/GRE score now is important to show your academic competence.
Question 7
For the LORs, who should the applicants with little or no work experience approach?
Shruti: If you have little or no work experience – an academic recommendation is most likely required and sufficient. You can also reach out to internship managers if the applicant thinks that it is in line with the course they are applying for.
Question 8
A no-scholarship admission offer from a top 5 university versus a 20% or 50% scholarship offer from a university ranked 12 – which to choose?
Shruti: The answer to this question is very subjective. It depends on where the applicant is coming from and what are the career goals. If someone is offered an admit from a top 5 school, then (s)he definitely has the caliber. Affordability is probably the only reason why one would not accept a top 5 admit.
Question 9
What are some mistakes that you would caution an applicant to avoid?
Shruti:
One common mistake that applicants make is keeping very less time for the essays. For example, someone spends months to prepare for GMAT and gets a 750 and thinks that the 10 days that remain before the deadline are enough to write the application.
A related mistake is referring to someone else’s essays to write their own. People think, “It’s just an essay, what’s the big deal about it? Take it from someone else or from a sample, get it done and send it.” This will probably not work for everybody. It might work in a few cases (flukes work sometimes), but do you really want to bank on sheer luck?
Another mistake is in selection of schools. You have to be very pragmatic when you are selecting schools. You must talk to alumni and to the schools directly. The schools abroad are very upfront. They will call a spade a spade and you be ready to listen to what they are saying. Read between the lines – if they are encouraging you to apply, if there is an if-, else-, but- along with that, then try to fulfill those requirements if you are seriously looking at the school.
You need to give ample time to put your stories together. Look at what the school wants. Don’t rush in with the same application everywhere. Every school on their website gives a clear mission statement. It is not just for marketing; they actually believe in it. You have to understand who goes to a particular school; why are they going to that school. For example, Emory Goizueta often say that they choose to be a small school. It’s not that they are just trying to cover up their being small; they actually operate in that manner; everything in the school is aligned to that choice about size.
So, if you can relate to those values and you can showcase those values in your application, that is going to add value to your candidature as an applicant. Put yourself in the shoes of the admissions committee of a school; if they see two candidates with similar credentials but one candidate is committing to the objectives and values of the school while the other has not spoken about them, then they will be more likely to choose the first one.
A mistake that I see many Indian applicants make is that they do not interact much with the schools they are applying to. Even when they have questions or doubts, they refrain from asking the school directly. And, if they do write and the school answers them, they do not always trust that answer. For example, take the question of whether a business school will disadvantage you for applying with a GRE score instead of a GMAT one. Trust them on what they tell you. Do not fear that despite telling you that they are test agnostic, they will secretly be biased against you due to the GRE. It is your bias – you are not able to comprehend what else they want in the profile, and you are just banking on the GMAT or the GRE score to get you there. You have to understand that every aspect of your application is important.
Schools do value the interactions that you have with them during the application process and the number of sessions that you are attending. For example, Virginia Darden has, over the last year, done so many workshops on the small essay questions, the long essay questions, the recommendations, the interview, everything. So, if you are serious about applying there, then you would be there at each of these events. That’s the best way to learn what the school wants. This is also how you will get to know the opportunities for scholarships, or you’ll get to know which alumni to connect to. If the school is recommending something, then you should take it up. Schools do spell these things out. Also, this demonstrated intent will make the school more favorably disposed towards you.
At GOALisB, we instruct all our international applicants to mandatorily attend all events of the schools that they are serious about and to keep connected with the school staff. You should budget this time when deciding your application timeline.
Question 10
How should one decide on an admissions consultant?
Shruti: First think about what kind of assistance you need: one-on-one, limited, hourly and strategy only are some options. Discuss your profile and aspirations in detail with who you want to work with. If things are on the same page – go ahead. Ideally pick someone who relates to your story, will work with you one your story and shows confidence in your story.
The interview is also published on LinkedIn.