MBA Application

Essay Question #1

Some students pursue an MBA to make a career change; others pursue an MBA to accelerate their current career path. (500 words or less) a) If your goal is to change careers, describe your plan to achieve your goals before, during and after your MBA. b) If you intend to follow your current career path, describe how the MBA will add value to achieve your goals.

A Project Manager- Construction at present, I wish to now gain expertise in Supply Chain Management and make a lateral shift towards the operation of facilitating the right materials in the right amount at the right time and progress to a position of Strategic Management within the Energy Sector. Working with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, a fortune 500 company, I have had limitless opportunities to enhance my technical understanding as well as to develop into an effective team player and a leader. The numerous situations and opportunities have been instrumental in the holistic growth in terms of assessing the conditions and utilizing the available resources in the best manner possible. These experiences have laid the foundations for my aspirations, preparing me to understand the basic requirements that would facilitate the shift.

My project management experience and relevant engineering education helped me understand the close relation between operation and supply chain management which form the backbone of any corporation I have acquired a good grasp of technology, infrastructure and regulatory roles behind production, transportation and distribution of petroleum products. I have not only learned about the supply-chain of an oil company but also tackled numerous businesses, environmental and political challenges involved in the energy sector. I enjoy working in such intellectually stimulating business environment and hence, have decided to pursue a career in this sector in the long run.

With the needed experience in technology, planning and execution in place, at this stage, I intend to understand the finance, strategy and interaction aspects of the businesses. Though on-job learning experiences might usher me in the desired direction, I strongly believe that only structured education coupled with practical experience can fill the knowledge gaps and equip us with proper decision-making tools. There are specialized opportunities surfacing in this sector today and the outlook for supply-chain management is in a phase of transformation.

An MBA from W.P. Carey will help me understand the fundamentals of management and the specialization in Supply Chain Management would effectively groom me for my future career choice. This would be further substantiated by the global curriculum, the intellectual indulgent peer network and a faculty that would guide me towards the best ways of harnessing my skill set and abilities.

Immediately after leaving W. P. Carey, I wish to join a global firm’s Supply Chain Department as a supply chain analyst and Consultant to further substantiate my knowledge of real-time market complexities and interactions. As a supply chain manager I will identify new markets and opportunities for my company.

Helped by the skill sets acquired at W.P.Carey, I will strategize cost effective solutions, methods to increase sales and thus achieve high turn around. Growing within the organization, I would master the art of comprehensive business development and gain valuable insights into innovative strategies to counter supply chain worries. This growth in turn would ensure that I move steadily, marking my own career path and growing into the position of a Strategic Leader within the Operations and Supply Chain Division.

Essay Question #2

There are many important factors to consider as you choose an MBA program. What matters most to you for your MBA experience and why? How will the W. P. Carey MBA provide you that experience? (500 words or less)

As a Project Manager I have learnt the art of planning, managing teams, assessing the changing environment and taking actions in time. As a thoroughbred professional, I have managed to guide multi-lingual and multi-dimensional teams.

My experiences, coupled with my engineering degree, have helped me to grow both personally as well as professionally, but more than six years of managerial experience in oil & gas have limited my exposure to one aspect of the energy industry, and I believe a well-balanced MBA curriculum would significantly improve my knowledge base of different functional areas and provide me with essential operation management skills which will be helpful to promote my career ahead and propel me towards my long term aspirations of being a Leader and an Innovator in the field of Logistics and Supply Chain.

At this juncture, I seek an MBA that would help me understand the fundamentals of management, guide me surely towards understanding the various tools required in decision making and provide me with a competitive global experience. After weighing many MBA options, I find an MBA at W. P. Carey School of Business the most suitable program to pursue my goals. My choice for W. P. Carey School is based on careful analysis of three primary parameters – alignment of my long-term ambition, focus on my all-round development and unparalleled networking opportunities.

Starting with the basic core functions of management, the MBA Program would help me to gain a complete perspective about business in general. Learning about current trend in business administration would augment my understanding of business interactions and enhance my focus on market assessment tools. The global curriculum and the eminent faculty would ensure that I am able to implement my learning in the best manner possible. The case-study method would bring to the fore the key elements of historic cases and help me learn to develop cause-and-effect aptitude and strategic planning concepts.

Adding to these advantages is the Summer Internship at W.P. Carey that would help me implement my learning in the real world. I also look forward to the Global Connection Study Tours to further enlighten my mind. Academic advantages aside, what would fuel my long term dreams is a right mix of personality and network. On the basis of my needs and aspirations, I knew that it had to be a school that would give me the right amount of training as well as the benefit of a peer group that I would be able to relate to and evolve with.

Meeting with entrepreneurs and strategy-experts during my curriculum, I would get the opportunity to observe the current trends in the global market, learn about the challenges the industry faces and gain from their valuable practical experience. Further, I believe that Diversity at W. P. Carey will add a new dimension to my thinking. Diverse alumni would offer unparalleled networking opportunities and help me become a part of the global W.P. Carey community, in effect making my dreams come to life.

Essay Question #3

If you had five tweets to describe the most significant moments in your life, what would you tweet? (140 characters for each tweet)

Tweet 1: Dedication and hard work have sweet returns… B. Tech class of 2004… my success story begins.

Tweet2: It wasn’t easy but perseverance and intellect helped me fight… overcoming all hurdles I finally found my place in Bharat Petroleum in 2006.

Tweet3: You have helped me, comforted me and brought success to my life… my darling beautiful wife.

Tweet 4: I thought I would never see anyone as pretty as my wife, till my angel came into my life. She brought fortune and success… all smiles are next!

Tweet 5: New role, new responsibilities. Assistant Manager – Engineering & Projects for BPCL. The road ahead of 2010 is uphill!