Sandeep Thalapaneni is an MBA candidate 2013 at Cornell University-Johnson School of Management and has a Dual degree BE (Hons) EEE and MSc (Hons) Chemistry from BITS, Pilani (2002-2007).

Q. Can you share something about your work experience – what has your career progression been like? What was the thought process behind each step?

A. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about B-School at BITS. But I realised very early that it is best to get solid work experience under my belt before I do an MBA and wait for the right moment. I interacted with lot of BITSian alums during this period and used my 5-1 for a thesis in management under the supervision of Prof. Anil Bhatt, which gave me a better perspective. I was careful not pick a career just for B-School and was lucky enough to mould my job opportunity into a successful career in Business Intelligence. I had the opportunity to be mentored and also be a mentor, which played a great role in my professional and personal development. 6 months into B-School, I realized I made the right decisions from the way I can contribute to class based on insights of my work experience. It also allowed me to build on what I learned in my career before MBA and prepares me better for the future.

Q. What’s the campus life like at your b-school? Can you draw some parallels from life at BITS, Pilani?

A. The first 6 months are intense with core courses and internship hunt. I managed to engage myself in many activities just like I did at BITS. I serve as an Editor-in-Chief of Cornell Business Journal, Vice-President of the High Tech Club and also as a business coach for a small business in Ithaca. I get to work in teams with people from different backgrounds on a wide variety of tasks, which I’ve enjoyed a lot. I made some great friends and received feedback that helped me improve on hard and soft skills.

Q. Does being a BITSian help you in your classroom?

A. Hell Yeah! I’ve seen the value of being a BITSian at work and also in B-School. Being able to apply what I’ve learned both inside and outside the class at BITS was a great plus.

Q. What do you think should definitely be on this year’s aspirant’s checklist?

A. I believe it is very important to represent all dimensions of your personality in your profile. It can range from what you do at work; outside work, what are your core values and what do you bring to the table. But it is important to remember not to just ‘build a profile’. Checking boxes won’t get you far. Engage yourself in activities that are meaningful to you, where you can learn and have fun. When you ask yourself the question ‘Why am I doing this?’ and the answer is ‘just for B-School’, it is perhaps a good signal not to.

Q. Any suggestions for aspirants who are yet to graduate.

A. Don’t pick a career for B-School. I understand the reaction to all the advice that is thrown at graduates to ‘do what you like’. It can take time to understand what you really want to do, but the key is to not stop looking. If you find that the jobs being offered to you after graduation aren’t the ones you enjoy, it is your responsibility to push hard for a career that you think would be rewarding in the long run. Business school serves a purpose that may or may not fit into your career plan depending on what you want. For now, make the most of your experience at BITS and DON’T IGNORE CGPA.

Q. Why do you think your current school is a right fit for you?

A. If you considering Johnson, it is very important to look beyond the Ivy League tag. The focus on performance learning attracted me the most to Johnson. The school provides ample opportunity to engage in live projects, where I can apply the skills I learn in class to create impact that I can see and measure. My immersion allows me to serve as a student consultant to Microsoft as part of my curriculum. Johnson also has a consulting firm, a venture fund and a micro-finance organisation – all run by students. The small college-town atmosphere reminds me a lot of my experience in BITS. For starters, Ithaca is to New York what Pilani is to New Delhi. If you loved your experience in Pilani, chances are you would love Cornell as well.

Q. Please share something about your interview (or the process) with any of the B-schools you applied that stands out from the usual.

A. There is a lot of literature out there (including this rant that you are reading) that talks about B-School application process. Pick what is relevant and ignore the rest.

Essays: My approach was to focus on answering the question being asked and have the initial drafts ready well before the deadline. This gives room for multiple reviews and revisions. I decided not to go through sample essays to avoid influence and retain my style. I stayed away from online forums till I finished my interviews.

Networking & Interviews: I realized the value of building relationships and also little details like small talk during the networking and interview process. This may not be something that comes naturally to everyone straight out of BITS. I cannot stress enough the value of the help I received from BITSian alumni at B-Schools in US. I would encourage applicants to reach out to alumni early, but only after doing your initial research on the school.

School Visit: Another important aspect of the process is to know the business school really well. I travelled to Ithaca before I received my admission offer. Not to say that a visit can guarantee an admission offer, but it will definitely help you understand the school better.

Q. Let’s end with a slightly off-beat question. If you could choose one celebrity to do an MBA with you in your class, who would it be and why?

A. Chris Anderson of TED. He is the curator of some of the most brilliant ideas that can change the way we live, think and operate. It would be great to get his perspective in class.