Free MBA Application Essays

8/6/2019 Free MBA Application Essays

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Mr. Rituparna Roy ChowdhuryFlat No. B-4, 1st floor,4/10, Bijoygarh,(Near Bijoygarh P.O.),Kolkata 700 032.

India.+91-94321-00756/ +91-98686-39414.

[email protected]@yahoo.co.in

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D.If you can spend one day as someone else, who would it be? Why? If I were to spend one day as someone else, I would love to donthe mantle of a financial analyst.

I am a very ambitious person, and always look for a brighterfuture. I am also a risk taker though not a gambler or a speculator. But I loveexploring the opportunities of tomorrow which may seem invisible today.

A days work as a financial analyst will not transform me into afinancial wizard. Neither is my ambition to become a financial wizard. I only wantto acquire the vision of a forecaster of the future. When investment decisions aretaken by financial consultants, they look at the micro and macroeconomic factorsof the economy, the fundamentals of the company, market sentiments andinvestor behavior and fancy towards certain shares.

Our biggest drawback is that we dont think much about thefuture. But we must realize that all that we do today is towards a future goal, andunless we look at the future, it is impossible for us to constructively plan our worktoday which directly impacts our path of progress.

For instance, I find very few people going for post-retirementfinancial planning. Since, we dont visualize how the economy would shape upafter two or three decades, or what would be the cost price indexes, we are notbothered about how to sustain ourselves in old age.

My long-term goal is to be a consultant and to be so, I need themindset of predicting the future. The way IT has revolutionized the work
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processes and has given rise to new products, product lines and product profileswith the convergence of technology, it has always been the first movers whohave made fortunes out of it. Whether it is the hotmail experience of Indiantechnocrat Sabeer Bhatia, or that of google, as a consultant too, I need to seethe opportunities before anybody can perceive and put it to practice.

The way technology has come up, no body can say in whosefavor the dices would turn. Even a decade ago, it was unbelievable that Indiasservice sector would get a huge boost because of a significant portion of theworlds back office operations and business process outsourcing shifting to India,and that it would cost the English speaking economies dear with risingunemployment in their countries.

The unpredictability of the systems can best be explainedthrough the trading of the stock markets. When one is selling a scrip, anotherperson is buying it at the same time. This in turn explains that while the seller

feels he has been able to sell the share at the highest saleable price, the buyertoo feels he has been able to acquire it at the lowest buying rate.

Yet amidst such uncertainties, the eyes that can see the rightpicture of future emerge as winners. My aspiration to be a financial analyst for aday is just for acquiring that winning vision.

2.1 Evaluate your application and provide a critical assessment of it.Outline factors that might differentiate you from others from a similarbackground. 500 words.

My application portrays the picture of an ideal MBA aspirant who

holds a sound academic record and is highly innovative in thoughts; and believescross functional approaches are the best mode of learning, a reflection of mybroad vision.

My bachelors in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute ofTechnology, one of the most prestigious scientific research centers of the worldhas provided me with a strong background of science. I am having a good GMATscore of 710 as well.

Again, my work experiences in sales, marketing, production andoperations for FMCG major HLL, has enriched me with ideas of managing abusiness enterprise. Moreover, my candidature clearly indicates my eagerness tolearn things from the grassroots levels rather than look at things academically.While being selected for the first job through campus interviews, I deliberatelychose a rural posting for training. I have been born and brought up in Siliguri, asmall town of eastern India, as well as stayed in New Delhi and Kolkata. Hence, Ihad the opportunities to see the urban markets and their consumer psyches. So,now I wanted to learn the rural markets.

I am a person who always looks for newer opportunities. The ruralmarkets had all along being treated with less importance by FMCG andconsumer durable companies. Of late, however, studies have revealed that rural


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India, which constitutes about 60% of the total population, is the emergingmarket. This is because of a saturation point that certain products are reaching inthe urban areas, and secondly owing to higher disposable income along with thespread of education, giving rise to consumerism among the rural populace.

Even at a top educational institute, when we were about to close

down our global online education system because of tremendous agitationagainst outsourcing, all of my colleagues feared retrenchment. But rather beingperturbed, I came up with the idea of offering the services at a retail level. It wasprimarily at my initiative that we started marketing it to individuals with freeclasses and were able to convert a large number of them as clients. And thisensured no lay-offs.

My long term goal of opening a 24 x 7 x 365 basis call centeroffering information related to global education needs is unique and explains myentrepreneurial ideas and my foresight in understanding the future, whenclassrooms would be replaced by cyber schools.

I definitely satisfy the leadership traits that all b-schools look at. I

get along with people very easily, from the ranks of shop floor workers to theranks of Directors. In fact, I enjoy working in a group, as it is the best medium togain through the exchange of knowledge and skills.

Overall, I am a candidate of huge merit, innovative, hard working,having fancied but realistic goals in life. Considering my personality traits,academic record and professional performance, I am an ideal candidate formanagement studies, and would be an asset to the class of ISB, if admitted.

Statement of PurposeI am a computer science and engineering graduate having seven years of

experience in IT sales, service and consultancy. I am highly ambitious and alwaysdream big. I passionately explore newer and unknown fields and love taking calculatedrisks. This has helped me grow tremendously, as a leader, as a team player and more

importantly, as a responsible human being.I take pride in myself as one who looks at every problem as a golden

opportunity and steps his foot forward at the most appropriate moment to provide asolution and leave the impressions of leadership through innovativeness.

My ultimate career goal is to open my own consultancy and emerge as abusiness leader in the field of emerging technologies and consulting. I strongly believe ininnovation and professional excellence, and my motto of work is to use my novelthoughts to add commercial value to all available technology.

I was born to a middle-class family with my father being a police officer.Thus, right from the beginning my father inspired me to get through the country'sprestigious Civil Services and bear the much coveted IAS or IPS bureaucratic tagattached to my name. However, as I was destined for a career in engineering, I cleared

the engineering entrance exams to become a technocrat today. I still would regretsomewhat that I could not fulfill my father's dream, and also something on which I toohad set my eyes on. However, the handsome salary that I draw as a result of being an ITprofessional negates much of that feeling.

This incident makes me accept failures with grace, and rejoice with what wehave won rather than moan for what we perhaps had lost. With only such optimism canone move ahead. Otherwise, we will perish under sorrows of anguish.

I have been climbing the professional ladder very fast. In this process, mymaturity into a business strategist is the most significant accomplishment I have made. I


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have acquired the knack of identifying newer and emerging business opportunities,which is so crucial for anyone venturing into any business.

When I joined FTD a Singapore based Regional MNC dedicated to EDAand embedded field in Oct 2002, I had little awareness about the Embedded Tools andits market. Immediately after joining I started learning the Embedded Technology as Iunderstood that learning the technology was more important than learning the specific

tools if I were to grow in this domain. Next, I started moving around the market and cameto know through sources that an In-circuit Emulator (ICE) was not working in CentralResearch Laboratory of Bharat Electronics Ltd (A premier Ministry Of Defence, IndiaUnit). As I was aware of their problem, in the first visit itself gave them a standby uniteven though I did not even know that they would be buying the product from us. Thisinitial help of ours was taken as a gesture of excellent client relationship and he got anorder from them for 10,000 USD for the quarter ending March 2003. At Mistral, we faced the problem of very few prospective clients whocould be approached for the Embedded line of products, which the Companyrepresented in India. One of the verticals, which was growing very fast, was that ofNetworking and the Consumer Devices and we had a specific product for that which hadbeen introduced in India shortly before that. I along with my team conducted various

seminars and user-conference across India to create awareness for this product andultimately we generated USD 1 Million in revenue for the company.

I have learnt a lot about commercial requirements from an operationalpoint of view through observations and experiences, but fully understand the value oftheoretical knowledge of technology management. For instance, once during a technicalpresentation on Reliability Analysis Tools in GE Industrial Systems, I was unable to givea detailed analysis of its utility from the cost perspective based accounting managementprinciples, although my presentation on the technical aspects were very well received.Hence, I aspire for MBA from a leading European b-school today.

My MBA study would enable me to see technology from a more businessoriented approach. It cant be an overnight affair, but I would gradually acquire thatmaturity, vision and far sight. Till now these approaches have been very simple and

were based on my previous experiences. I can then combine my informal knowledgewith formal business education and suitably aid in bringing out the hidden businesspotential of technology. It would also help corporates bring about greater efficiency intheir existing work structures and systems. In quest of this endeavor, my job in the immediate post-MBA phase wouldbe to identify potential change in the wind direction of technological progress, bothunilaterally and through convergence. My field of work involves dealing with TelecomValue Added Service Providers, Network Equipment Manufacturers, research anddevelopment labs. We provide solutions to client requirements and hence have tocontinuously customize according to their needs. This requires huge managerial abilitiesto think how to implement every technological upgradation in their existing systems.

Hence in the short term, I would like to work for a consulting firm and try to

narrow the difference between theory and practice of business processes through itsunderstanding. It would be an opportunity for visualizing how convergence can beutilized to the hilt in my area as I keep growing professionally and in vision.

The evolution of IT and the convergence of technology have transformedbusiness processes, theories and practices worldwide. In this backdrop, with mytechnical background and a desire to learn about todays business strategies, NyenrodeMBA would show me the direction of the wind and perfectly mould me. It would give methe ideal launching pad for sailing through to discover hidden treasures that the wave oftechnology is blowing with.


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I always believed in adopting a different approach. While my friends andcolleagues pursue MBA studies from the US, UK and Canada, I chose Nyenrode inNetherlands over the other popular destinations.

And even my perception of education and learning differs from others. Inmy understanding academic learning constitutes only a part of the entire exercise. Forwe learn much more through our observation and the circumstances we are in.

Academic theories enhance our knowledge, and therefore, is a must. But only a diverseset of experiences can enable us to think how our knowledge can best be converted toconstructive and beneficial assets.

Nyenrode International MBA is truly international in terms of the nationsinvolved. The way it has nurtured talent for 60 years is worth mentioning. It ideallyaddresses my concern of joining a school, which has a combination of theory andpractice, and always remain focused on the real world of management and themarketplace. It would be a truly learning environment for me and see the EuropeanUnion much more closely than just Europe.

Moreover, Netherlands is one of Europe's social, cultural, and financial hubs.It is home to commercial giants like Unilever, Philips, ABN AMRO and ING, and thenumber one destination for foreign investment, according to the Economist Intelligence

Unit. Even it is a country that had the world's first stock exchange, first central bank, firstmultinational (in the United East India Company), apart Europes biggest port, and oneof the world's busiest airports symbols of robust global trade.

But even a bigger learning opportunity would be to study how all the member

states of Europe unified under the banner of European Union and Euro. So the question

that arises is, did emerging technologies play its role to unify the continent? That wouldbring about deeper thoughts in me to study how technology can rotate and revolve the

earth in the days ahead.At the same time, I am also keen on learning a European language. This

opportunity would enable me to pick up Dutch.However, there would be some hurdles in my adventurous journey.

Initially, it would be difficult for me to adjust in public life in a non-English speakingcountry. The cost of living in Holland is also high and would affect my finances to acertain extent. Even adapting to the socio-cultural life in the new land would be a slightproblem, although not a hurdle. I can adapt to many a new situation and never hesitateto change myself wherever required and be part of the mainstream. I love crossinghurdles and enjoy the thrill of exploring newer zones. Such opportunities, in fact,rejuvenate me with huge sporting spirits. My contribution to the class of Nyenrode too would remain significant. Iwould bring in a lot of wealth for the entire fraternity to share and learn. My seven yearsof experience in sales and marketing of EDA/Embedded and Telecom domain of ITwould definitely enrich everybody from any domain whatsoever, of how in an IT-drivenworld, sea changes in communication and data are revolutionizing business processes,systems, structures and models.

These are key domains in IT being focused in the European region. Thiscould be used in the discussion in the class when they will talk about the paradigm shiftin the focus of leading European Telecom companies for the Indian market. On the EDAI can talk about how the semiconductor majors are running away from making India astheir fabrication house. Rather they just concentrate in India as a design house. And howthese design houses were the first example of outsourcing or BPO what we talk today.


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On the personal front too, I can bring in the much-needed breather throughmy instantaneous sense of humor, which we may need at times in the midst of seriousissues.

Why is Nyenrode the university you have selected for attaining your MBA?

Please discuss the primary advantages and disadvantages you perceive ofthe program

I always believed in adopting a different approach. While my friendsand colleagues pursue MBA studies from the US, UK and Canada, I choseNyenrode in Netherlands over the other popular destinations.

And even my perception of education and learning differs fromothers. In my understanding academic learning constitutes only a part of theentire exercise. For we learn much more through our observation and thecircumstances we are in. Academic theories enhance our knowledge, andtherefore, is a must. But only a diverse set of experiences can enable us to think

how our knowledge can best be converted to constructive and beneficial assets.Nyenrode International MBA is truly international in terms of the

nations involved. The way it has nurtured talent for 60 years is worth mentioning.It ideally addresses my concern of joining a school, which has a combination oftheory and practice, and always remain focused on the real world ofmanagement and the marketplace. It would be a truly learning environment forme and see the European Union much more closely than just Europe.

Moreover, Netherlands is one of Europe's social, cultural, andfinancial hubs. It is home to commercial giants like Unilever, Philips, ABN AMROand ING, and the number one destination for foreign investment, according to theEconomist Intelligence Unit. Even it is a country that had the world's first stock

exchange, first central bank, first multinational (in the United East IndiaCompany), apart Europes biggest port, and one of the world's busiest airports symbols of robust global trade.

At the same time, I am also keen on learning a Europeanlanguage. This opportunity would enable me to pick up Dutch.

However, there would be some hurdles in my adventurous journey.Initially, it would be difficult for me to adjust in public life in a non-Englishspeaking country. The cost of living in Holland is also high and would affect myfinances to a certain extent. Even adapting to the socio-cultural life in the newland would be a slight problem, although not a hurdle. I can adapt to many a newsituation and never hesitate to change myself wherever required and be part of

the mainstream. I love crossing hurdles and enjoy the thrill of exploring newerzones. Such opportunities, in fact, rejuvenate me with huge sporting spirits.

The Essentials Of Being A Writer

Writing is an art, and like any other form of artistic expression, it is aspontaneous outflow of ones feelings. It is a reflection of perceptions andopinions on specific issues or subjects that are very close to the writers heart. A


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good writing is overall judged by how articulately and with what degree ofcohesiveness and subtlety those thoughts have been portrayed for acomprehensive understanding of the communicative message. The ability to finda good subject is the most important issue here, as unless you have a suitabletopic, what would write on? Apart from the subject matter, it also has a strong

academic aspect from the point of view of grammar, text and vocabulary.

Thus, the first and foremost step in striving for success in writing is tosee through the core of things and perceive different phenomena in abstraction.On doing so, you reach the realm of oblivion; lose your identity as a writer and asa human machine. Thereafter, whatever you see, whether a scientific or a non-scientific phenomenon, you can transcend all your barriers of learning andknowledge and tread into a different universe altogether, undaunted by theunknown new domain you have landed in. For, now you are empowered with theforces of utter self-realization, to unveil the hidden virtues discreetly lyingdormant in you, enabling you with those extra-ordinary attributes to comprehend

myriad subjects, theories and occurrences with ease that may seem impossiblewith the naked eye. A new vision engulfs you, and you turn into a child ofimagination. Most importantly, it brings out the true thinker in you.

It is indeed, extremely difficult, to elevate your mental horizons tosuch levels all of a sudden. For that, you need to study and understand theconflicts of life, and annihilate yourself into the beauty that exists within the joy ofhappiness or the agony of pain in suffering as we crawl along the path oflivelihood. Whether it is the visage of a luxurious 5-star hotel or a road-sideshanty; or for that matter the flying supersonic jets and a crematorium, all theseare bright and dark portraits between the inter-mingling of dreams and reality of

mankind in their enduring struggle for existence. These unending confrontationsshould submerge you and be the fount of your communicating link between youand all that is beyond you.

While perceiving the theme is important for any form of writing, theability to pen down the thoughts with excellent written communication skills is ofequal importance. The secret to mastering this art is no overnight affair butrequires tremendous toiling which would include voracious reading andcontinuous writing habits. The more you read and whatever you read from anydiscipline of study enlarges your imagination from a wider spectrum. Thelanguage used; the varied styles and subtleties; different forms of expressions;words, idioms, phrases, adjectives all of these get registered in your sub-conscious mind. Here, you should assiduously note down all new words or theparaphernalia of language you come across, and this should be an unendingprocess there is no end to learning or refining or even redefining your verbalability to set new standards in writing.

Style is another important aspect of writing, and therefore, having afeel of how they differ depending on the type of writing is also important as you


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grow as a writer. For example, the approach of an advertisement copy woulddiffer from that of a journalistic copy, while the technique used in compilingsociological texts would invariably be contrasting with literary texts as well as withthose of science and engineering studies. Gradually, you can adapt yourself tothese formats and create your own style too!

Reading has to be supplemented by writing, and as you keep writing-you gradually start gaining control over the language, and it keeps maturing in aprogressive manner with the aging of the clock. If you turn back to whatever youhad written say even a year back, you would notice the distinct difference.

Another extremely helpful tool is to get your work read by anotherperson to find out the flaws and ways to improve on the same. Since an author isinclined in a particular direction, only somebody with an independent mindset cansuggest the best modifications for the piece.

Seasoning your writing is a must, as any piece of writing hasenormous scope for improvement. For writers of almost every genre, the mindsaturates at a specific level while writing, thereby affecting the overall creativestrength. Therefore, one needs to spread out the work over a period of time bycompletely forgetting what he has written on the first day and take it up only aftera few days. In this process, the writer gets the time to think consciously orunconsciously of what he had worked on, which in turn, brings new ideas thenext time he takes it up. This opportunity should also be used for embellishingthe article to make it look more colourful.

But writing is not merely for the sake of writing or for self-appreciation.

Seeing it in print is something that really enthrals any author, and more so if anyreputed or premier publication carries it. This would obviously instil confidence inyou, in your abilities and the potential you hold for success. Therefore, oneshould keep dispatching ones work regularly to different journals, even if onmost occasions they are not carried or returned with a euphemistic apology letterfrom the editor.

The picture may not be rosy for budding writers. Its a long drawnprocess and one has to face innumerable hurdles, which may make himextremely frustrated. Initially, when you start, you stand nowhere and oftenpeople may even demoralize you by stating that they are not up to the mark. But

you have to ignore all such remarks and have a steel-firm determination tostruggle and reach the heights of success which would happen only after aconsiderable time-frame.

After the long wait is over, your writing skills mature and you startreceiving the acclaims. Then you can proudly proclaim, I am the Writer.


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By :- Rituparna Roy Chowdhury

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