Pick the right varsity, get funded too

Originally Published in The Hindustan Times Education Supplement

It is no big discovery to learn that undergraduate education abroad is expensive. As of August 2014, the annual cost of attending college in the US is approximately $50,000 to $60,000 or Rs. 30 to 36 Lakhs.  That is a whopping quarter million dollars over four years.  While this estimate does college fees, living expenses and insurance, additional costs will include travel to and from India. And, if a student elects to attend a summer term or do an extra year, expenses increase.

A good recommendation letter is the key to success

Originally Published in The Hindustan Times Supplement

Having great recommendations for global business school programs is a crucial piece of the application. However this does not simply mean that you must secure a letter from a manager at work which is full of superlatives about you.

The golden rule, when it comes to recommendations is NEVER write your own recommendation – there are many steps you can take to avoid this common trap where your boss tells you to write the letter and he/she will sign it. This is a bad approach because your recommendation letter will most likely sound exactly like your essays, with all the same grammatical mistakes and presentation style.

Taking the GMAT or SAT? Learn to multi-task

Originally Published in The Hindustan Times Education Supplement

As deadlines approach, some applicants still have not completed important components of their applications. The cause of delay often seems to be timing, scheduling and an inability to multi task. A common strategy for Indian applicants is to ‘take time off’ for GMAT or SAT preparation or to complete the essays. But the concept of time off is a luxury that will only hurt you in the long run.