Interviews for PGSEM 2006

Interviews for the PGSEM 2006 course were held on 14th and 15th April. Around 400 candidates (a guesstimate) were called, and interviewed for around 10-25 minutes by a panel (usually two professors). The topics covered ranged from Current affairs, the SOP details, current work roles, to anything that came to the mind :)

An observation : There is NO use bluffing in the interview (I didn't) - unless you are Ms Catherine Trammel (Basic Instinct) ;)

Now the wait for results begin ...

PGSEM Interview Shortlists

The PGSEM Admissions office has started intimating the candidates who have been shortlisted for PGSEM 2006 interviews, to be held on 14th and 15th April 2006.

I received one such email, and am waiting for exact details regarding the interview timings. It should also be put up at the IIMB Website in some time.

Is the MBA overrated?

Businessweek has this article titled "Is the MBA overrated?, which
provides a contrarian view to the widely held belief that an MBA makes
or breaks a career in top management.

From the article :

"... For those who do opt for the B-school route in the hope that it
will land them a top job, they shouldn't be surprised to learn that the
degree, whatever its merits, is optional. In fact, the road to
executive success that leads through B-school is, when it comes right
down to it, the road less traveled."

PGSEM Exam update

The PGSEM examination for admissions into the 2.5 year PG Diploma in Software Enterprise Management at IIM, Bangalore was held on March 19th (Sunday). This was for the 2006 batch starting around June 2006. This was just one of the ways of being considered for admission : other examinations whose score can be used include CAT 2005 and GMAT.

There was some interesting information regarding the number of applicants this year. For a total of around 140 seats, around 750 applied through the PGSEM Entrance examination, 140 through their CAT 2005 scores, and 40 through GMAT. Only 70-odd of the 750 PGSEM exam takers were from Chennai.

Official AWA Score : 5.5/87%ile

Got my Official score report online. The Verbal/Quant and Overall scores remain unchanged, and the AWA is 5.5 (87 %ile). Unfortunately, this score report does not provide a breakup of the scores for the 2 essays.

The AWA score is decent, considering the fact that I did not practice a single essay. I enjoyed writing both the essays, though - especially the Argument.

GMAT Score

Gave GMAT Yesterday. Got an average score .. 710 (Math 48, Verbal 40). That's more than what to expect after studying for just about over a week.

Will post a few debrief posts, requested by folks at gmattutor and gmat yahoo groups, later.

Correct and Incorrect Idioms

This post will be a repository of correct and incorrect idioms from a GMAT point of view. Some of these are gramatically correct in English verbiage, but if GMAC says "no!', no it is !

Feel free to add your own in the comments section !

Correct Idioms

• "so ... as to be ..." (Source : KV says this is often correct)
• "credited with" (Source : KV)
• "associate...with" (KV)
• "compare with" is the preferred form. Use "compare to" for abstract or figurative likeness only (Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?) (KV)
• "dispute over" - When "dispute" is a noun. (KV)
• "just as ... so too.."
• "in danger of"
• "linked to"
• "not ... but [rather, merely]
• "not so... as"
• "not so much..as"
• "perceive as"
• "prohibit from"
• "so...as to be"
• "so...that"
• "superior to"
• 
  

Incorrect Idioms

• "so as" : so as to promote (Source : KV)
• "consider to be" (KV) (AS in : I consider you a good friend)
  

Choosing between two commonly-used idioms

• Use "among" for more than two items, "between" for two items (KV)
• Use "like" to compare nouns, "as" to compare actions (When the following part is a clause) (KV)
• Use "both" to point similarities, "each" to point differences. "Each" is always singular
• Use "twice, thrice" for comparision; "double, triple" is used as a verb only.
• "each other" is for two things; "one another" for more than two.
• If v/s Whether : If there is a choice between the two, use "whether". On GMAT, "if" is primarily for if/then type sentences.
• like v/s such as : Use "such as" when possible. On GMAT. "like" is used when implying "similar to"
• "native to" for plants/animals. "native of" for people
  

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Abbreviations :

KV: Kaplan Verbal

Sentence Correction Notes

This is a continously updated list of rules/tips/tricks related to GMAT SC.

• "and also" is considered redundant in GMAT (Source KV), For eg : both for food and also for labour. Here, also can be removed. Correct phrase : both for food and for labour
• A list of standard noun forms are considered preferable to a list of gerunds in GMAT (Source KV). For eg : The creation..the establishment is preferred over Creating..establishing
• 
  

45 days left - Summary

• Started preparations seriously.
• Studied Verbal using Kaplan verbal.
• Spent time going through the strategies for all the verbal sections (except AWA).
• Did the practice section of SC (The one after the tips). Got 12/15, with 1 silly error.

Created a couple of blog entries which are to be added to. These will keep a list of

• Idioms
• SC Notes
  

Ready Set Go

Today is the day when I kickstarted the GMAT preparation in earnest. From now on, it is to be a regular affair, with a minimum of a couple of hours on weekdays and atleast 6 hours on weekends.

Between December and now, I have kept up with some basic reading, PS, and looking for material. I have given a few practice sections, but no full length test.

My GMAT is on Feb 20th, which leaves me with around 40 days. I am sure that it is going to be hectic, but enough to prepare for a great score.

I will be keeping a more detailed log of my preparation, with a summary of each day's efforts.

IIMB PGSEM Application Form

IIMB has released the details of the application process for PGSEM 2006. The details are available here

Applications can be made online as well as through mail. The deadline is 28th February 2006. You need to have the CAT or GMAT scores while submitting the application. Alternately, you can specify that you want to take the PGSEM Entrance Examination (to be held on March 19, 2006)

Educational Companion for ESL

Yesterday I posted about the great punctuation book "Eats, shoots and leaves". There is also an Educational Companion available on the web site. This guide (also available as a Word doc) has some exercises with answers, and also some explanatory notes.

Do download the guide, even if you do not plan to buy the book !

Great book on punctuation

Eats, shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss is a great book on common punctuation errors by even the most proficient english conversationists.


Copies can be ordered in India from Indiatimes Shopping or Sapna Online

My Date with GMAT

20th February, 2006. 09:00 Hrs

That is when I am going to take the GMAT for my PGSEM application. The folks at IIMB have clarified that while applying for the course (last date is 28th Feb) the only thing required is the printout that is provided just after the GMAT. The Official Score card is required only during the time of the Interview (April 2006).

Time to kick start the preparations in earnest ! Watch out for a lot more information here in the next couple of months :)

Verbal Reference : Common Errors in English Usage

Common Errors in English Usage is a great book which is available online too. Very useful for SC, Verbal, and AWA sections.

What Should I Do With My Life ?

A nice article, even if a bit long. Read it when you are free.

Information Overload

There is way too much GMAT material here on the internet. Every other preparation group or forum has tons of links available. Click happy people like me have a field day (week? month ? ) downloading all the stuff thinking it will all be useful.

This is one of the worst things to do while preparing for GMAT (or any other competitive exam). In fact, forget preparations, Information overload has invaded all aspects of our life..But I digress...

Coming back to GMAT... I have decided to stick to only the following material for now.

• GMAT Official Guide (Lovingly called OG) : This is the bible, and is out in its 11th Edition now. I have a print copy of the 10th Edition, which will be sufficient. Not much changes between the two, so I have heard.
• KAPLAN : Have read great things about its Verbal.

Only these two and I am done. I hope others reading this also realize the folly of downloading more stuff, and concentrate on quality, not quantity :)

MBA on your own

Personalmba.com is a great DIY mba idea. This originated as a reading list of a couple of dozen management and personality development books, which, if read properly, could provide most of the education that a full time mba strives to provide - minus the high cost and lost employment opportunity for a year or two.

Even if this goal seems lofty to some, the books are bestsellers in their respective domains, and reading them would surely be useful - even if you want to go ahead with a more formal mba program.

GMAT Ahoy !

PGSEM accepts scores from any of the following 3 examinations :

• CAT
• PGSEM Entrance Examination to be held on March 18th 2006
• GMAT

Since CAT has already gone out of the bag (no preparations, work), I will be concentrating on the GMAT examination. To add to the already difficult preparation schedule, GMAC (the guys who are in charge of GMAT) have decided to change the test administrators from ETS to Prometric starting from 1 Jan 2006.

While this in itself is not a major cause for concern, and people in the US who have taken the new test say that it is the same format, rumours abound of a change in scoring pattern and difficulty level.

Until these rumours are substantiated, its business as usual preparing for the GMAT. The OG (Official Guide, aka bible) 11th Edition was just out here in India, and seems, to a few, to have somewhat tougher tests.

However, the amazon.com reviews for the book mention little difference in the question level/pattern, and only some new questions

Obligatory First Post

Thanks for stumbling upon this blog. This place is a repository of information related to IIM, Bangalore's PGSEM MBA program. I will be placing references and information, right from preparation for the entrance exam (GMAT, which I will be taking) to the course itself (eventually - when I get in !)

Later ...