On May 15th after I had converted IIM B, I had to withdraw my admission from IIM C. Sounds so easy, but it isn’t.
It was downright awkward to inform an institute that I am not going to join your institute. An institute as legendary and iconic as IIM Calcutta with a history of almost half-a-century. I took about 10 minutes as to decide what to say. The moment I told the admissions-in-charge that I am not going to join. He told me okay. Huhhhh. Much ado about nothing. Probably they were expecting it. Or maybe they accepted my withdrawal rather gleefully as they can offer admission to one who is on-hold, thereby decreasing the erosion of their brand-value.
I asked I wanted my initial deposit of Rs 1 lakh refunded. He told me very casually “you will get it in end of June”. End of June…..Did I hear it right? Asked him to repeat. He said the same thing, this time rather rudely. Before I could ask him anything else, call went blank.
I had to send Rs 1.55 lakh to IIM B within June 1st. From where the hell, I am going to manage such a huge amount. Therein I realized the value of money. Money needs to be saved to meet such eventualities. Unfortunately, I was very ill-prepared to meet the situation.
One major concern was treats. Some I had already given and a couple were still due. It’s a caught-between-the-devil-and-the-sea situation. At one hand, you cannot refrain from giving the treats and at the other hand, you don’t have the money to give the treat. Pretty dicey, you know. Well, I decided treats will have to wait.
I requested IIM B to extend the deadline. IIM B asked me to fill up the fee-waiver form and then they will consider the request. But, the form had more to fill up than even my Tenth’s history exam and probably more confusing than map reading in the geography exam. I decided against it.
So, I had to sent them the money. In these moments of helplessness, I fell back upon the people closest to my heart. They helped me a lot financially. It really feels good to have such people around you, who can see you through all rough moments.
P.S – I will take a break from IIMs. You have got bored of it and so have I. So, my next blog will not be about IIM. It will be about something very close to my heart.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Picture Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Dost
Just when you know where you are heading, life throws a beamer at you. The beamer may give you some free runs or it may hurt you real bad.
While I had almost made up my mind to join IIM C, there was this something that I missed. I knew studying in IIM C is itself a dream to die for. The fact was that I had always dreamt of joining IIM A or IIM B.
But this yearning was a minute element of my thought at that time. I was so happy that I would study in IIM C. I was attending the TIME felicitation ceremony. While I was thinking I would say this and that in my speech, I didn’t get the opportunity to speak. Not that I was dying to speak, I nevertheless expected that I would be asked to speak. As it happened, the students who had got thru IIM A or IIM B were given more opportunities to speak. Felt sad at not getting the acclaim I had thought I deserved.
Cut-back to 2008, I was so frustrated that I could even kill someone to join MDI if I would have converted. And now in 2009, though I had got a GD/PI call from MDI, I didn’t even attend the GD/PI. Circumstances can change so dramatically. You can so easily change from a pauper to a king and vice-versa.
In the TIME meet, after the speeches, we went for a lunch. The food was good, so were the junta. I didn’t allow any disappointment or inferiority complex to creep in. I decided to be satisfied with what I had. Life’s bliss only if you believe it to be. Depends upon what you find bliss in. One of my friends who had got thru IIM A told us that IIM B is coming out with a 2nd Waitlist. Though he had already converted 5 IIMs, he wanted to convert IIM B so that “it would complete the picture”.
I remember a famous dialogue from the word “picture”, “Picture Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Dost” .
Strangely, the aforesaid dialogue applied for me. As if life had not taken enough ups and downs. I found my name in the waitlist on May 2nd.
When the results had been declared, a first waitlist of 50 people had been declared. I wasn’t there. In the second waitlist of 50, I was way down at 37.
I asked myself now what. Chances didn’t appear rosy. My admission into IIM B depended upon how many people from the waitlist didn’t accept the offer of admission. On May 2nd, 15 people of the 50 waitlisted guys were offered admission. Some hopes arose.
Subsequently, on May 9th, 15 more offered admission. My new waitlisted number was 7. So near yet so far. I used to check the pagalguy threads time and again waiting for updates. Felt like two strong forces were attracting me towards each other. I didn’t know whether to love IIM C or IIM B at this crucial juncture. At one end, I assure myself that IIM C is a great institute. But at the other end, unknowingly, I would start dreaming of IIM B. So, typically confused. I used to pick up the mobile to call IIM B and know about my chances and then used to keep it down, thinking they will call on their own.
I was really afraid of disappointment. Here I was dreaming of IIM B, what if I don’t get thru. I called up IIM B and asked them about the status on May 13th. The lady told me that the status can be only known on May 16th Saturday. I told ok. Back to square one. Had had enough.
It was on May 15th, that the unexpected happened. Got a call from IIM B. I had been offered admission. Took some moments to recollect and then accepted the admission.
But my admission let loose another tide of problems which I will capture in the next blog.
P.S – This blog was not as funny as the earlier one, "Why MBA". My apologies.
P.P.S – People are not leaving comments. I mean it’s nice to receive comments. Atleast, I can know someone is reading the shit I have written. I will be inspired to write more shit…..hehehe.
While I had almost made up my mind to join IIM C, there was this something that I missed. I knew studying in IIM C is itself a dream to die for. The fact was that I had always dreamt of joining IIM A or IIM B.
But this yearning was a minute element of my thought at that time. I was so happy that I would study in IIM C. I was attending the TIME felicitation ceremony. While I was thinking I would say this and that in my speech, I didn’t get the opportunity to speak. Not that I was dying to speak, I nevertheless expected that I would be asked to speak. As it happened, the students who had got thru IIM A or IIM B were given more opportunities to speak. Felt sad at not getting the acclaim I had thought I deserved.
Cut-back to 2008, I was so frustrated that I could even kill someone to join MDI if I would have converted. And now in 2009, though I had got a GD/PI call from MDI, I didn’t even attend the GD/PI. Circumstances can change so dramatically. You can so easily change from a pauper to a king and vice-versa.
In the TIME meet, after the speeches, we went for a lunch. The food was good, so were the junta. I didn’t allow any disappointment or inferiority complex to creep in. I decided to be satisfied with what I had. Life’s bliss only if you believe it to be. Depends upon what you find bliss in. One of my friends who had got thru IIM A told us that IIM B is coming out with a 2nd Waitlist. Though he had already converted 5 IIMs, he wanted to convert IIM B so that “it would complete the picture”.
I remember a famous dialogue from the word “picture”, “Picture Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Dost” .
Strangely, the aforesaid dialogue applied for me. As if life had not taken enough ups and downs. I found my name in the waitlist on May 2nd.
When the results had been declared, a first waitlist of 50 people had been declared. I wasn’t there. In the second waitlist of 50, I was way down at 37.
I asked myself now what. Chances didn’t appear rosy. My admission into IIM B depended upon how many people from the waitlist didn’t accept the offer of admission. On May 2nd, 15 people of the 50 waitlisted guys were offered admission. Some hopes arose.
Subsequently, on May 9th, 15 more offered admission. My new waitlisted number was 7. So near yet so far. I used to check the pagalguy threads time and again waiting for updates. Felt like two strong forces were attracting me towards each other. I didn’t know whether to love IIM C or IIM B at this crucial juncture. At one end, I assure myself that IIM C is a great institute. But at the other end, unknowingly, I would start dreaming of IIM B. So, typically confused. I used to pick up the mobile to call IIM B and know about my chances and then used to keep it down, thinking they will call on their own.
I was really afraid of disappointment. Here I was dreaming of IIM B, what if I don’t get thru. I called up IIM B and asked them about the status on May 13th. The lady told me that the status can be only known on May 16th Saturday. I told ok. Back to square one. Had had enough.
It was on May 15th, that the unexpected happened. Got a call from IIM B. I had been offered admission. Took some moments to recollect and then accepted the admission.
But my admission let loose another tide of problems which I will capture in the next blog.
P.S – This blog was not as funny as the earlier one, "Why MBA". My apologies.
P.P.S – People are not leaving comments. I mean it’s nice to receive comments. Atleast, I can know someone is reading the shit I have written. I will be inspired to write more shit…..hehehe.
"Why MBA"
I, for one, really don’t know why exactly I want to do an MBA. The “Why MBA” question used to give me nightmares during my preparation for the PI process of IIMs. I used to get virtually raped during the mock PIs. From an all-knowing Harry, I used to become a bloody Mary.
During my prep, if there was any question that made me nervous, it was this question. “Why MBA”.
This question is a torture for all aspirants. People cook up all sorts of stories to convince the interviewers. The interviewers are shrewd enough to understand that. Anyways, they get some inkling of the logical thought procedure I guess. It’s purely suicidal to get emotional and think by the heart, while answering the question. The best answer any aspirant has given to the question, “Why MBA” is “Why Not MBA!!!!!!!!!”. Pretty tongue-in-cheek. Not wise to try it out during an actual PI. Remember the warning on TV, "These actions are performed by professionals, please don't try it out at home". Replace professionals by fools and "home" by "PI".
Somehow, I had prepared an essay as to why I wanted to do an MBA. I had connected one of my tech projects and my social service initiatives and came up with a decent answer to the killer question, ”Why MBA”. Although, I was not entirely convinced, I had decided to project as if it’s my raison d'être, my sole goal of life. How inspiring!!!!!!!!!!
You have the best profile, you have the best percentile and you are the best orator, but the “Why MBA” can stump you by a long margin.
During the IIM PIs, whenever I was asked the “Why MBA”, I used to repeat the same answer again and again. Yes, like a parrot. LOL. I used to say it with such passion, that it looked very authentic.
However, All’s Well That Ends Well. Now, that I have cracked IIMs, I can make a mockery of the question, “Why MBA”. Else, it would have been the IIM’s way of asking “Why MBA, dude????? Don’t care to apply again”.
During my prep, if there was any question that made me nervous, it was this question. “Why MBA”.
This question is a torture for all aspirants. People cook up all sorts of stories to convince the interviewers. The interviewers are shrewd enough to understand that. Anyways, they get some inkling of the logical thought procedure I guess. It’s purely suicidal to get emotional and think by the heart, while answering the question. The best answer any aspirant has given to the question, “Why MBA” is “Why Not MBA!!!!!!!!!”. Pretty tongue-in-cheek. Not wise to try it out during an actual PI. Remember the warning on TV, "These actions are performed by professionals, please don't try it out at home". Replace professionals by fools and "home" by "PI".
Somehow, I had prepared an essay as to why I wanted to do an MBA. I had connected one of my tech projects and my social service initiatives and came up with a decent answer to the killer question, ”Why MBA”. Although, I was not entirely convinced, I had decided to project as if it’s my raison d'être, my sole goal of life. How inspiring!!!!!!!!!!
You have the best profile, you have the best percentile and you are the best orator, but the “Why MBA” can stump you by a long margin.
During the IIM PIs, whenever I was asked the “Why MBA”, I used to repeat the same answer again and again. Yes, like a parrot. LOL. I used to say it with such passion, that it looked very authentic.
However, All’s Well That Ends Well. Now, that I have cracked IIMs, I can make a mockery of the question, “Why MBA”. Else, it would have been the IIM’s way of asking “Why MBA, dude????? Don’t care to apply again”.
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