Anyone there who has used MBA Admission guidance books ?

MBA
1

I am looking for some recommendations for books with B-School Admissions guidance. I have heard of Montauk and MBA Game Plan but don’t have any first hand feedback to compare. Anyone in Delhi who would like to share or lend MBA admission book…

2

I am looking for some recommendations for books with B-School Admissions guidance. I have heard of Montauk and MBA Game Plan but don't have any first hand feedback to compare.

Anyone in Delhi who would like to share or lend MBA admission books. I am also curious, if one has to buy these books where do we get them locally. I checked out Teksons in GKI M-Block but they didn't have any such books. Any ideas where could I get them in Delhi ( or Maybe, India ). Also, would you suggest any more /other books ?

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Try online stores like amazon.com and from India - firstandsecond.com (I've had loads of bad exp. with these guys tho`) . If you are serious about a good app, Montauk def. needs to be read atleast once to get a sense of how your app should shape up :)




I am looking for some recommendations for books with B-School Admissions guidance. I have heard of Montauk and MBA Game Plan but don't have any first hand feedback to compare.

Anyone in Delhi who would like to share or lend MBA admission books. I am also curious, if one has to buy these books where do we get them locally. I checked out Teksons in GKI M-Block but they didn't have any such books. Any ideas where could I get them in Delhi ( or Maybe, India ). Also, would you suggest any more /other books ?
4

I was hoping to circumvent the online ordering route but I guess thats the only way out :). Do you have any experience of their shipping timelines and delivery procedures as I wouldn't like to miss R1 ?

I have heard nice things about Montauk as well, so thats on the top of the list. Thanks!

5

I got mine in the 3rd week or so. I used amazon last year. You can easily apply to the R1s as they are staggered based on instt. all the way from mid Oct to end of Nov.

6

~$17 book and $12.00 for normal shipping..baap re..itne paise kaha se laoon ? 😃 I am going to pray that one of my friend goes to US and buys it for me and then gets it to Delhi or someone would sell it to me within India :huh:

7

Apping to H/S/W/MIT/Chicago/CBS

225$ each. GMAT - 225$.

Montauk for 30$ - Priceless.

There are some things that money can't buy . Judgement is one of them

Vipin_Singh Says
~$17 book and $12.00 for normal shipping..baap re..itne paise kaha se laoon ? 😃 I am going to pray that one of my friend goes to US and buys it for me and then gets it to Delhi or someone would sell it to me within India :huh:
8

I just don't know if buying it right now would be the best decision as it takes only 3 weeks to ship. 😃 I didn't mean that the book is overpriced as compared to the value it offers. All I am hoping to do is keep my overheads in control (if possible) but I would dive into my shallow pockets when I am left with no choice.

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Hi Vipin and PG

Montauk's book is highly recommended. I am in the process of procuring the same. The shipping charges are horrendous.

Some other books that you may consider:

1. ABC of Getting the MBA Admissions Edge
By Alan Mendonca and Matt Symonds
Publisher: MBA Site, Ltd.
ISBN: 0971482217

2. Your MBA Game Plan: Proven Strategies for Getting into the Top Business Schools
By Omari Bouknight, Scott Shrum

I was searching for these books last month, and was very disappointed by the search as none of the bookstores in Delhi had them.

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Hi obelixous,

Where are you based ? There is an idea in my mind if you are in Delhi. Do you think we could tie up and distribute the shipping cost ? If we order more books in one order our shipping cost would still remain the same. Also, if you like I could buy the other books and then we could exchange the books. I don't think we would need the books after we get admitted so we wouldn't need a personal copy, right ?

I wonder if this idea makes sense to anyone in Delhi, lemme know. Also, I read on a blog that someone in Ross happened to chance upon Montauk in a bookstore in Delhi and thats how his MBA dream was initiated.

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Hi Vipin

I am based in Delhi. Your idea is great, however I have already placed the order around 10 days back. Maybe we can work together in the future. I am not sure regarding exchanging books, I believe Montauk's book is more of a Bible and is a must have and keep.

Another thing, if you place an order for two books the shipping charge does not remain same it goes up by around $2-3.

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If there is anyone else who would like to pick up on this idea please let me know ! I would ideally like to have a look at Montauk, MBA Game Plan and ABC of .....( recommended by Mvkinsey and Goldman Sachs)

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Hey, even I ordered the same books!! Here's my list -

How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs
By: J.D., Richard Montauk

ABC of Getting the MBA Admissions Edge (US) : (officially supported by McKinsey Co. and Goldman Sachs)
By: Matt Symonds

65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays : With Analysis by the Staff of the Harbus, The Harvard Business School Newspaper
By: Dan Erck, Pavel Swiatek

I am paying 22 bucks just for shipping... that too the estimated delivery dates are September 12, 2005 - September 23, 2005... order won't even ship until I-day :-(

There are so many book shops in Mumbai but not a single one has these available. Even my regular bookshop which claims to specialise in import of books failed me in this case.

- S

ps. Anyone from North West Mumbai who has Fall '06 plans for US Top 25 and would like to share ideas and stuff like these books, pm me.

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Your shipping cost of $22 for 3 books is better than $12 for one book. This is the reason I was hoping to find out people who would be willing to combine their order and we could save some fulfillment cost.

I don't know how far would Chembur be from where you are but PG Mumbai chapter is pretty active in that area, esp. with with the NASEOH community service initiative. Have you shortlisted your B-Schools yet ?

I am planning to go to Nai Sarak in Old Delhi one of these weekends, as it is supposed to be one of the largest book sourcing/supply hubs for India. Let me see if I can order and get it imported through any of the shops there.

Anyone else there who has information on the guidance books ?

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u can go na dcheck ' how to prepare for cat' by MUHAMMAD MUNEER by TMH publications.
thats pretty fine

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Vipin_Singh Says
Have you shortlisted your B-Schools yet ?


Yup... sort of

Here it is:

  1. Chicago GSB
  2. Columbia
  3. Michigan Ross
  4. UTAustin McCombs
  5. USC Marshall
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Yup... sort of



Here it is:

  1. Chicago GSB
  2. Columbia
  3. Michigan Ross
  4. UTAustin McCombs
  5. USC Marshall




Hmmmm.... When Michigan is there, why not Duke??? Just kidding!!! 😃 I think I used the 2 books -

How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs
By: J.D., Richard Montauk

ABC of Getting the MBA Admissions Edge (US) : (officially supported by McKinsey Co. and Goldman Sachs)
By: Matt Symonds


Simba
18
Simba| Says
Hmmmm.... When Michigan is there, why not Duke??? Just kidding!!! 😃


Hmmm .... Duke's on my list but I won't be sending the GMAT scores to Duke on the day of my GMAT... for that matter other than the five I listed, I am also considering UPenn Wharton, Stanford GSB, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, Yale SOM, Dartmouth Tuck and Duke Fuqua and as a last resort OSU Fisher.

Any comments?? Simba, your $0.02 would be really welcome. :tellme:


|Simba Says
I think I used the 2 books -


Yup, I know.... I ordered them after reading your blog post 😃

Cheers

-S
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I know some one who applied to 12 colleges last year and is currently at NYU so you have company 😃 If I were you I would sort the list and be more selective, just like the B-Schools

Your raw List : UPenn Wharton, Stanford GSB, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, Yale SOM, Dartmouth Tuck and Duke Fuqua and as a last resort OSU Fisher, Chicago, Columbia, Michigan Ross, McCombs, USC Marshall.

I would break down your raw list like this;

Best Reputation : Stanford/Wharton.
Strong schools on the west coast: Stanford/USC Marshall
Strong schools on the east coast: Columbia/NYU/MIT
Other strong schools : Chicago/Tuck/Duke/Michigan

Largest Universities(which helps the alumni base and thus your network) : Wharton, Columbia,MIT Sloan, McCombs,Chicago
Small School feel (known for their emphasis on teamwork) : Tuck,Fuqua

Strong Finance B-Schools : Wharton, Chicago, Columbia, NYU
Strong GM B-Schools : Stanford,Wharton,Tuck,Duke,Michigan Ross ( You don't have Darden on your list:))
B-Schools active in the non profit area : Wharton/Yale/Michigan Ross

Schools with guaranteed loans : Wharton/Stanford/MIT/Fuqua/Chicago/Michigan( I am not too sure of NYU Stern/USC Marshall)
Schools with other funding opportunities( but not necessarily Guaranteed loans) : Columbia/Tuck/Yale SOM

Some of the schools fall in more than one of these categories but I have tried to classify them on the basis of their strongest traits. I guess you might also want to check out the electives offered at these B-Schools as unlike India US education system allows the B-Schools to define the curriculum and they have an option to have/not have electives so be careful if you want to get into Investment Management but don't have the relevant electives. Also, career services are different at different B-Schools and some are more proactive at offering information than others. Not to forget the selectivity : I came to know that Haas is more selective than Wharton/Harvard/Kellogg etc. and lots of west coast students get wait listed at Haas but get admitted at Harvard just coz Berkeley gets too many west coast applications. In terms of pedagogy most of the schools have started using Case based approach with a lecture system as compared to a few years ago when there were schools which used to stay away from cases or lecture depending on their preferences.

So take a pick from the list and more depending on your choices and career goals..all the best !

20

Should we start a new thread for this discussion? Mods pls. comment as this discussion is going off-topic (my fault!) - I suggest we start a thread "Fall '06 - US B-Schools - My Schools List". I am sure there will be many who would have the same questions as I have/had and are aiming for Fall '06.

Vipin_Singh: I started my search here. I was looking at all US schools, with average GMAT 650+, with average work experience btw 4-6 yrs and concentrations from Finance, Portfolio Management, Consulting, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (with my relative importance in that order).

I am from the typical shark pool - Indian Engineer working in IT for ~5 years :smile:
CAT 04 - 97.22%ile, XAT 05 - 98.76%ile and no calls

I want to major in Finance (and all I have got to show as my prior experience for that choice is my Investments Portfolio that is returning ~25% annualised for last 1 1/2 years )

Thus the choice of Chicago, Columbia, Ross, McCombs and Marshall. Togather these five take in ~4400 students each year.