MBA@UNC: The application process

Here is the application process for those of you that are interested in applying to the MBA@UNC:

0. Take the GMAT. UNC is a tough program to get into so, make sure you get a decent score (at least 680+). There are tons of online resources that will help you prepare. I used PagalGuy.com and Gmatclub.com a lot when I was studying for the GMAT.

Note: If you do not have a degree from an English speaking country such as the US/UK or, a degree from an Indian university, then you may be required to do TOEFL/IELTS as well to demonstrate English proficiency

1. Checkout the admissions criteria and program costs. Register yourself and start your online application here. Set yourself a goal as to when you will be done with the application. Remember to set aside a good chunk of your time for the essays.

Admissions calendar for 2013-14

2. Fill in your personal and professional details.

3. Get strong personal recommendations from people who know you well and who will be willing to take the time for you to fill out the forms. MBA@UNC requires 3 professional recommendations. It is usually prudent to get one from your immediate supervisor and 2 others from colleagues who know you well. Make sure that the people who fill out these forms know you well enough to be able to answer the questions on the recommendation form. If there is anything in particular you would like them to mention in your recommendation make sure you talk to them about it beforehand.

4. Complete your essays (take your time here). During this process really try to think about what the questions are asking you and address those questions with examples. For example - if you are asked about your strengths - provide meaningful examples of why a particular characteristic is a strength for you. Do ensure that you get others to proofread your essays. MBA@UNC requires 3 essays (1 optional).

5. Send your exam scores and university transcripts to the university. Contact the admissions department for the address to send these to. The transcripts should go directly from your university/college - so if you have received them from your university, make sure that they are in a sealed envelope with your universities seal on the envelope.

6. Submit the application. You have to submit a non-refundable application fee of US $145 along with the application. Make sure that you keep the admissions counselor abreast of what you have been doing throughout this entire process so that they can confirm receipt of the various components of the application.

7. Prepare for your interview - Although you may not be sure about getting invited to interview, make sure that you prepare thoroughly for it. If you do get an interview, you will be interviewed via video conference. Dress up for the interview as you would if you were to attend it in person. Go through the typical list of MBA interview questions and know you application well. Pagalguy and Gmatclub are good starting points for the kind of interview questions people get asked. Prepare an elevator pitch (~2-3 minutes) about yourself.

8. If you make it through the interview you will be offered a place @ Kenan-Flagler. Take a moment to congratulate yourself for a job well done! You will get an admissions packet from the admissions office. Acceptance is confirmed by digitally signing the acceptance form and mailing it back to the admissions counselor. You are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $1,500 to hold your place. This amount will be credited towards your first quarter's tuition.

If you are eligible for a fellowship you will automatically be enrolled for it. You may have to pay your non-refundable deposit before you get any information about receiving the fellowship.

Why did I want an MBA?

If you plan on doing an MBA - the first thing that you will be asked by pretty much everyone (friends, colleagues, the neighborhood watchman and, most importantly the school that you are trying to get an admit into) is, why you want to do the MBA.

So why did I want to do an MBA? Why did I want to go back to school when I am doing reasonably well in my career at the moment. I have a family depending on me and I am not exactly in my mid-twenties where I can bravely take any decisions without worrying about any of the resulting consequences. Although it's nice to say that one should not worry about money it's pretty difficult to dismiss it.

Moreover, I would need to spend at least 2 years of my life studying - not to mention take huge loans - with the hope of making a much better income than I would otherwise. Also did I really need an MBA to succeed in my career? Do I really slog for the next couple of years while I could perhaps show the same dedication to work and succeed? Could I afford a full time MBA since I already had a family - I mean not just in terms of money, but also in terms of having to relocate without my family (I would miss two years of my son's life)!

Even assuming I wanted an MBA I had no clue as to what kind of work would I need to do to get into a program of repute? I would need to study for my GMAT again - all Indian colleges of repute require you to have a score valid for two years and it had been three years since I had last done mine. Should I go for an Indian college which would be relatively cheaper (with limited international visibility) or try for an international university? Would I want to do a part time program where I could work and allay some of the costs of the program by working or a full time program where I could get a well recognized degree with the caveat of it being part time.

All these questions bogged me down for the better part of two years. Ultimately I decided that if I wanted to make any brave decisions regarding my career I had better make them in the next five years. The only way I was going to be able to do so was if I did something that could make me ready for any job - technical/non-technical. I believe that I already had the technical angle covered - however there was the whole management/business angle. Although I have reached the lower/mid management ladder without the aid of any business degree - it will take ages for me to grow quickly. The only way to prove yourself in a new role is if you are offered it - and of course nobody will unless you have something to show that you are capable of doing so. So I decided that I had to an MBA although I had no clue as to where I could apply.

So along came the MBA@UNC. My sister had heard about this course first. The MBA@UNC contacted her back in 2011 (when they started) and asked her if she would like to apply. Unfortunately as she did not have enough work experience she was unable to apply for it. However, the program seemed to be a perfect fit for me. The best part about this course is that it is the same (not like or similar to) as a full time on-campus MBA at the Kenan-Flagler Business School in Chapel Hill - one of the top business schools in the world. The only difference between the traditional two year course and this is that the content for this course is delivered online. Although I was skeptical I figured that not only would I be able to get an MBA, I could continue working as well. This meant that not only would I be able to offset some of the tuition costs, I would more importantly remain in the job market while I studied. I was also excited about the fact that I would be able to apply and use everything I learned in class at work immediately. The clincher though was the fact that I could continue to live with my family without having to uproot and move elsewhere.

Given this I figured I'd give the program a shot and started the application process.

To be continued....