How to improve your Critical Reasoning quickly
In CAT 2015, if the previous year patterns are anything to go by, Critical Reasoning is going to play a critical role. It is important that you understand it well and improve in it in the remaining time. Also, for reasons that I cannot understand, a lot of coaching institutes and books skip or do not pay adequate attention to critical reasoning as a topic while teaching. That makes it all the more important that you understand it from the basics. So, let’s begin. What does the term Critical Reasoning mean? The word critical has several meanings: Critical means precarious e.g. a patient’s critical condition Critical also means disapproving e.g. being critical of someone’s actions Critical also means dispassionately analytical e.g. critical analysis of a poem or a painting It is the third meaning that comes into effect in the term Critical Reasoning.’ To solve Critical Reasoning questions, the following steps are essential: Comprehend and use language with accuracy, clarity, and discernment Observe and apply relevant information from the facts of the case Recognise unstated assumptions and values Interpret data, to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments Recognise the existence (or non-existence) of logical relationships between propositions Draw warranted conclusions (Inferences), and generalisations Construction of an Argument: An argument consists of 2 essential components: Premise(s) the facts of the case Conclusion(s) the result reached through the facts An argument, however small, must have these two components. An argument may also be based on an Assumption(s), and may also lead to an Inference(s) What is an Assumption? An Assumption is a thought/idea taken to be true to arrive at the stated conclusion but has no supporting evidence in the premises. In other words, it is an implied premise, from which the conclusion is drawn For example: Premise – Jake’s fingerprints were found on the murder weapon Conclusion – Therefore he must be the killer Assumption – Nobody else touched the weapon before or after Jake did How to work out the Assumption? The Assumption is an implicit premise without which a conclusion cannot be reached Think of the argument as a simple sum: 2 (one premise) + 3 (another premise) + X (assumption) = 10 (conclusion) Be clear as to what the conclusion is Ask yourself what the writer of the question is trying to prove. As the conclusion changes, X must change For example: Premise – Jake’s fingerprints were found on the murder weapon Conclusion – Yet, he cannot be the killer Assumption – Some evidence of the involvement of another person exists What NOT TO DO when working out the Assumption: Premise – Philosophers play an important role in the intellectual development of society Conclusion – Therefore they influence people’s thinking Assumption 1 – Philosophers are crucial to the intellectual development of people (Incorrect – Rephrasing a premise does not make it an assumption) Assumption 2 – Society needs intellectual development (Incorrect – An irrelevant statement that does not support the conclusion is not an assumption Assumption 3 – Intellectual development of society may not happen at all (Incorrect – A statement that contradicts the premise cannot be the assumption) Assumption 4 – Society believes in what philosophers say (Correct – The assumption addresses and validates the conclusion) What is an Inference? An Inference is a statement logically derived from the premise, or the conclusion, or both together. In other words, it is an implied conclusion Let’s consider the first example that we saw: Premise – Jake’s fingerprints were found on the murder weapon Conclusion – Therefore he must be the killer Assumption – Nobody else touched the weapon before or after Jake did Inference – At some point Jake handled the weapon Another Sample Argument: It has been observed that due to poverty, many children from underprivileged families work in hazardous professions, such as manufacturing of fireworks Inference 1 – These children are deprived of education – (Incorrect – they may still be attending school) Inference 2 – Manufacturers of fireworks commonly employ child labour – (Correct) Inference 3 – Poverty forces poor families to take significant risks with their health – (Correct) The difference between an Assumption and an Inference: Assumptions have no supporting data in the facts of the case whereas inferences are fully supported by the facts of the case. Assumptions are needed to arrive at the conclusions if the premises are insufficient whereas inferences are not required to arrive at the conclusions; rather they may become evident as results of the conclusion. What NOT TO DO when working out the Inference: Premise – A recent survey established that obesity is rising among children Conclusion – Therefore, the principal of a leading school has decided to stop the sale of aerated drinks in the school café Inference 1 – Consumption of aerated drinks is a major cause of obesity among children (Incorrect – It is an assumption required to arrive at the conclusion) Inference 2 – The decision of the principal was based on the findings of the survey (Incorrect – Rephrasing a conclusion does not make it an inference) Inference 3 – The survey included only the children from affluent families (Incorrect – An irrelevant guess cannot be treated as an inference) Inference 4 – before this decision, aerated drinks were available in the school café (Correct – This inference can be logically concluded from the data provided) I hope you would have learnt something from this post about exam strategy for CAT Preparation. Do provide feedback about the same via the comments section on the blog. I look forward to your suggestions. Ravi Handa, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, has been teaching for CAT and various other competitive exams for around a decade. He started online courses on his website Handa Ka Funda in 2013 and 10000+ students have subscribed for them since then.
Now You Can Own A Piece Of FERRARI!
Everyone who is pursuing a PGPB or aspires to do one knows that no hours are going to be spent mugging up books one night before the exam, and rote can learn no concepts. However the MISB Bocconi PGPB, takes the application of theoretical topics to another level. While PGPB 3 student, AadilNaik was busy driving a Ferrari (I am serious, check out his post here – http://sdabocconiasiacenter.com/blog/campus/ferrari-458-italia-570-prancing-horses-let-loose-on-the-streets-of-maranello/)the PGPB 4 students were busy figuring out what drives the price of Ferrari shares in the financial markets. If you are clueless about what I am talking about, and often find yourself googling *some recent financial news* for dummies let me help you out. On 21st of October 2015, Ferrari made its public-market debut in New York as owner Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sold up to 10% stake. (What the Fiat right?) All Formula One enthusiasts, collectors and, of course, investors went into a frenzy as everyone wanted a piece of the prancing horse. Financial experts, brokers, and bloggers took over the Internet speculating the prices of the shares or the valuation of the 10% stake of the FCA. And the students of PGPB 4 were asked to do the same. Yes, you heard it right. During Financial Reporting and Analysis, Professor Antonio Marra challenged students to understand the Ferrari IPO in totality one day before it got listed on the NYSE. Why Ferrari? Well because it is Ferrari, and he is Italian. (Duh) But, on a more serious note it was one of the burning hot issues in the financial markets and working on a topic that is currently trending, makes it more exciting and challenging. Every minute a new article was updated on the Internet with a newer piece of information. There were millions of point of views, and a plethora of opinions and we were asked to resonate with one or formulate our own. Working on case studies does give you exposure to the real world situations but working on a live case study exposes you to a wider range of information sources like the news, newspapers, blogs, etc. that make it more thrilling. None of us expected a subject like Financial Reporting Analysis to be so dynamic! Professor Marra asked us to investigate the reasons behind Ferrari going public at this stage of its lifecycle and the basic framework of the IPO. However, the most interesting part of the assignment was when we were handed out Ferrari balance sheets to calculate the price at which Ferrari should float its shares. We discovered that the reasons behind the IPO were extremely enthralling. The IPO was only a part of the series of transactions intended to separate the Ferrari brand entirely from FCA. The separation of Ferrari from the larger Italian-US carmaker was done to preserve the cherished Italian heritage and unique position of the Ferrari business and allow FCA shareholders to continue to benefit from the substantial value inherent in this business. Other reasons were also to raise funds to repay the $10.8 billion debt that hung over FCA and also for the Investment Plan for Jeep, Maserati and Alfa Romeo – $48 billion over a distributed pattern in the future. The class was extremely divided in opinions when it came to pricing. Some felt that the share prices should be as high as $65 as it is Ferrari, the Hermes of cars. Whereas some felt it would manage all its finances and purposes with pricing it at $45. But the answer was as always the great Bocconian answer It depends. Professor Marra concluded by telling us that there is no wrong or right price, what floats is the price that the market is ready to accept. The next day we all were glued to the Internet to find out how close did we come with our speculations? Finally, Ferrari shares were valued at $52 valuing the luxury carmaker at $9.8 billion. The IPO raised a whopping $893 million by selling around 17.2 million shares. So all of you who think Accounting is too dry a subject study it the Bocconian way! The assignment was everything a Bocconian loves prestige, luxury and challenge! This post is written by Vibhuti Varma of PGPB4. You can write to her at pgpb04.44@sdabocconiasiacenter.com
Ferrari 458 Italia. 570 prancing horses let loose on the streets of Maranello
I still don’t see why Ferraris cost so much, but today I realized why people are willing to pay that much for a car. On this Tuesday, the 20th of October 2015, at 2.30pm, I, Aadil Naik, drove around the hills of Maranello in a Ferrari 458 Italia. You don’t have to be a supercar fan for a Ferrari drive to be on your bucket list. You don’t even have to like cars. That’s how unanimous this dream is for the world, and I got to check it off! Maranello, in case you live under a rock, is the home and birthplace of Ferrari. And to commemorate that, the locals have pretty much turned this into a Ferrari Town. There are Ferrari Museums, Ferrari Restaurants, Ferrari Stores, and exclusive parking spots for Ferraris! But the highlight is the amount of Ferrari Test Drive centers. I’d estimate there are easily about 15-20 of them, with each having a fleet of at least 10-15 Ferraris. All of them offer, what they call “test drives,†which is code for “joy rides.†How it works is simple, and insanely brilliant. You rent a Ferrari for 10/20/30/60/90min depending on your budget; an instructor gets in the passenger seat with you, and then guides you. While you may think that’s a party killer, having a company man sit with you to make sure you don’t belt it around, then think again, because they are more co-conspirators than instructors. My instructor was a man who had been doing this for the last 15yrs. After a “photo shoot†with the yellow 458 Italia, he helped me in and assisted me in getting the right driving posture and adjusting the seat and steering rack. Then he got in next to me and said the magic words, “push the start button.†A high pitched roar greeted me as the beast came alive and cleared its throat. A shiver ran down my spine as my mental self was stuck on repeat “I’m in a Ferrari. I’m in a Ferrari. I’m in a Ferrariâ€. This was real, this was happening, and we were off… Chris guided me through the town toward the highway that would take us to the hills around Maranello. I was itching to floor the pedal and let that V8 behind my head loose, I wanted to unleash the beast, but that’s why they sent Chris right? To prevent me crashing a car that cost more than my home. To quote Thorin Oakenshield, “I have never been so wrong in all my lifeâ€. Turns out Chris wasn’t there to ensure I go slow, he was there to make sure I break every speed limit and go as fast as my courage would allow. The first thing he says in his sing-song Italian accent as we reach the highway was “Ok now GO!â€. And for the first time in my life, I floored the pedal on a 570bhp Ferrari 458 Italia. Oh. My. God. It took off like nothing you have experienced. It went from 70kmph to 170kmph in a couple of seconds, and with the noise every car dream is made of! You think you know music, but wait till you hear a Ferrari V8 howl at 8000RPM. I was yelling like a child. Chris was laughing. These were public roads, and I was hooning a Ferrari on them. With great power comes great responsibility though (that’s Uncle Ben), so Ferrari has put some humongous brakes on their cars, and I stabbed them on Chris’ orders. Suddenly I was shaving speed faster than I thought possible, with the seatbelt preventing me from being catapulted out the windshield. That’s when I realized I was witnessing another magical moment; a Ferrari decelerating and downshifting with pops and snarls. I was swearing and laughing again, and this time I got a high five from Chris. He says, “you can never tire of hearing that†and I couldn’t agree more. Through the course of the next 30min, Chris barked orders like a WRC co-driver making sure I unleashed all the car could throw at me “Brake! You clear on the left, wait for it, wait for it; Ok Go!†and “Turn right, ok floor it! Shift! Shift again!â€. And we did. Again, and again, and again. Floor the pedal, hear the engine howl to the rev limit as the car gets skittish with the traction control working overtime, shift and floor it again! Come way too close to the car in front before stabbing the brakes and downshifting! Pop pop on the overrun, HUGE smile, and then again! Overtaking doesn’t require planning, it just happens. It’s like I was jumping time. And never do you feel the car roll; forever rock solid, just pulling cleanly, obeying every little input. So much confidence all the time! The feedback you get of the road below is unreal! You feel what is happening just by handling the steering wheel and the seat under you, it’s that good! I wish I had access to a racetrack! I wish Chris would teach me all day! I wish I had a bunch of friends who could race with me…. Suddenly 30min is over before you know it, I’m jolted out of my wishful thoughts, and we were pulling into the parking lot. I wondered if they accepted payment in human souls, because I was broke monetarily. Nope, they didn’t. Another high five later, and I was walking away. It was done; the sun had set on this. Sigh. I don’t know if I’ll ever see so many Ferraris again, and I’m pretty sure I’ll never get to drive one. But for now, I still have a stupid grin plastered on my face, and the realization that I went from having a bedroom poster, to watching TopGear, to finally driving one! Supercars cost an obscene amount to own. I don’t know why they cost so much to make, but the people who buy them, do it for the experience.
What Constitutes A Strong PGPB Application?
At MISB Bocconi, we’re always on the lookout for future business leaders. And contrary to popular misunderstanding, there’s no cut-and-dry formula used to determine which students we invite to become part of our community. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: With diversity the increasing imperative in the contemporary business landscape, we consider a number of dynamic factors when evaluating applications. Still, a few things do stand out to us when evaluating applications. Let’s take a look at three things that rise above the rest. Academic Consistency Your academic background is a significant indicator of how you’ll perform — both in the PGPB and in the business world. But while a solid foundation, top grades and terrific test scores are ways to demonstrate your potential as a candidate, they’re not the only ways. Have you taken on leadership roles throughout your academic career and/or received rave reviews from faculty? These strengthen your application by pointing toward your leadership potential. Also, keep in mind that a weakness in one area doesn’t mean certain rejection. Because our profile-based admissions process looks at the big picture, weak test scores or a poor grade in one class can be offset by a strong record in other areas. Well-Prepared Essay Questions While essay questions test your writing skills, they tell us far more than whether you have a solid grasp on basic things like sentence structure, grammar, essay form, and proofreading. The essay is a chance for you to transform an average application into an extraordinary one. How? By taking the time to show us what makes you stand out from the crowd. We encourage you to be original, authentic, and thoughtful when preparing your essay responses. They’re much more than a formality; they’re a meaningful factor in the admissions process. An Excellent Interview Getting an interview is a great news — it means you’ve made it past the initial cut. However, your work isn’t quite done yet. The interview is yet another way to make an impression on us. During interviews, we’re particularly looking for candidates who exhibit a combination of academic background, personality, relational skills, and verbal communication abilities. The interview also offers you the opportunity to share with us any relevant information that didn’t make it into your application, such as compelling extracurricular and/or co-curricular activities. Again, keep in mind that we’re looking for well-rounded candidates who have something unique to offer our community. Because our PGPB class sizes are small, finding the right people is a critical part of our admissions mission. The above three criteria help us look beneath the surface to assemble a class comprising far more than the next group of PGPB students, but rather the next generation of global business innovators. Are you among them?
What to do in the last few weeks before CAT 2015
Last few weeks before CAT, or for that matter, any competitive exam is often filled with stress for students. It is often a culmination of the effort that they have put in over the last few months and sometimes even a year. However, if used wisely – these last few weeks can make a lot of difference in the result. In this post, I will try to discuss three key steps that you can take to make the most of these last few weeks. Step 1 – Mock Tests A lot of students believe, wrongly I might add, that the only thing that they should be doing in the last month is to attempt mock tests. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you are taking a mock test daily, you are deluding yourself. It might look and feel like you are putting in a lot of effort, but most of that effort is going to waste. Writing a mock daily will probably benefit only those students who are in the 99+ category. If you are not in that range, probably you need to use the mocks better. You should take two mock tests every week from now till the exam. Also, once you are done with the stipulated 3-hour time limit – sit down and solve all the 100 questions. Figure out the tough questions you attempted unnecessarily. Figure out the easy questions you missed out. Ensure that you are moving in the right direction. Step 2 – Figure out your weak area Take a hard look at the data you have from your previous mocks. You can also go by a gut feeling. All you need to do is to figure out a weak area and allocate a couple of days to it. You might not be able to master the topic in a couple of days, but you should improve your skills to such a level that if a straightforward question comes from that topic, you can solve it. The weak area should not be Quant / LR / DI but a level deeper – like Geometry, Algebra, Critical Reasoning, etc. One good way to work on that weak area would be to go through the basic concepts. For example, as a part of my online coaching course for CAT, I have a set of basic concept videos for all CAT related topics. If you are a student of that course, you can quickly revise the basics using those videos. If not, you can just search for similar videos on YouTube. If you know what you want to study, YouTube will have a teacher waiting for you. Step 3 – Train your body for 3-hour sessions I am often surprised as to how and why such a large number of students miss out on this very fundamental fact that their body is not a machine, and it will require some training as well. Taking mocks is one way of training your body to get accustomed with a 3-hour session but that is not the only way. From today till the exam – ensure that you have regular 3-hour study sessions. Every week, you should have at least five sessions in which you sit and study for 3 hours without any breaks. A lot of CAT aspirants neglect this aspect, and their CAT percentile suffers because of it. The remaining time is more than enough to train your body and your mind. Put the time to good use. Let me add, this is a bigger problem for people who have been working for 2-3 years, unlike college students who are used to writing exams on a regular basis. I hope you would have learnt something from this post about exam strategy for CAT Preparation. Do provide feedback about the same via the comments section on the blog. I look forward to your suggestions. Ravi Handa, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, has been teaching for CAT and various other competitive exams for around a decade. He started online courses on his website Handa Ka Funda in 2013 and 10000+ students have subscribed to them since then.
Introducing The PGPB Class of 2017
What do you get when you put IIT graduates, an optometrist, freshers and ex-professionals from companies like Nielsen, IBM, TCS, Fidelity, Aon Hewitt and Tech Mahindra (to name a few) in a classroom? It is my pleasure to introduce you to the PGPB class of 2017 at MISB Bocconi. Represented by 13 states, the diverse class, comprises a bunch of high potentials, academic and extra-curricular oriented students willing to put in all they have got over the next 22 months. An average day in the life of a Bocconian: 9:00 am- Grab breakfast & chai from the cafeteria 9.30 am – Class I begins 12.30 – 2:00 pm – Lunch & tennis/foosball if you have completed your assignments 2:00 -“ Class II – begins 5:00 pm – Guest sessions on most days And then, you gear up with your team to tackle course assignments. The night is always young for a Bocconian! The students have had a colourful first quarter. They have started or joined clubs based on their interests; take your pick from student bodies overseeing Sports, Consulting, Culture, Social, Marketing, Finance and Luxury. Most of them have already gone on to secure Summer Internship Opportunities with huge companies. Daydreamers, geeks, analytics experts, number crunchers, this class, has got it all. And of course, the sky is the limit for us. So connect with us and know all that you need to! Sunil Jay Email: pgpb04.42@sdabocconiasiacenter.com Shradha Varma Email: pgpb04.36@sdabocconiasiacenter.com || Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shradha-varma-9ab33830 Vibhuti Varma Email: pgpb04.44@sdabocconiasiacenter.com || Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vibhuti-varma-86223441 Saroj Javeri Email: pgpb04.36@sdabocconiasiacenter.com || Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saroj-javeri-33b13534 Saurabh Agarwal Email: pgpb04.32@sdabocconiasiacenter.com || Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saurabh.agu?fref=ts This post is written by Saroj Javeri of PGPB4. Note: Get in touch with our current students to know about their Overall Experience, Curriculum and Life at MISB
MISB Bocconi students compete with top schools in MBA Impact Investing Network & Training competition(MIINT)
34 students from Bocconi, 22 from MISB Bocconi PGPB and 12 from SDA Bocconi MBA, participate in the international program MIINT and compete with all the top business schools worldwide MISB Bocconi has joined the MIINT, the MBA Impact Investing Network & Training, the international competition organized by the impact investing fund Bridges Venture and Wharton Social Impact. Alongside MISB and SDA Bocconi, other 23 top international business schools participate in the 2015/2016 edition of the MIINT: Wharton, Harvard, MIT Sloan, Michigan Ross, Kellogg, Haas Berkeley, Columbia, Columbia School of International Public Affairs, Chicago Booth, Darden, David Eccles, Tuck, Tepper, UCLA Anderson, McDonough, London School of Economics and Political Science, Said Oxford, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Fletcher, London Business School, IESE, Schulich and Yale. The students have the opportunity to actively source, diligence and present early-stage impact investment ideas to an expert judging committee. At the end of the program, in Spring 2016, the teams from all the business schools will take part in the final event in Philadelphia and winners will be awarded a potential investment of up to $50,000 to be reinvested in their impact investing project. The MIINT is designed to give graduates a hands-on education in impact investing and create a vibrant network of students and practitioners active in the impact investing field. According to Veronica Vecchi, Our Director of Executive Education at MISB Bocconi and Director of the SDA Bocconi Impact Investing Lab , Impact Investing has gained momentum since its birth in 2007 but is still the field of few. Many international institutions and governments, such as the G8 and the European Investment Fund, have launched dedicated initiatives to foster the availability of impact investing capitals worldwide. There is a need to bring social innovation and impact investing closer to our students and train the next generation of impact entrepreneurs, professionals and investors if we want to sustain a concrete development of this field.
Alumni Spotlight: Meet Smiti Mohan, Class of 2014
By now you may be wondering what MISB can do for you. While there’s no way to know exactly how the PGPB can change your life, there are plenty of people who can tell you how it changed theirs. We’re talking about our growing body of illustrious alumni. We’re pleased to be debuting a new series here at the MISB blog: the Alumni Spotlight series, in which we invite alumni to share their thoughts on what MISB means to them. We’re kicking things off by talking with Smiti Mohan, a member of our inaugural graduating class and currently a consultant with Hector & Streak Consulting Private Limited. The Route to the PGPB Smiti became a part of the MISB community in 2011 after considering MBA programs in Europe, Dubai and India. Initially drawn by SDA Bocconi’s repute and high rankings, she was further intrigued by the launch of its first international campus. She explains, It offered the best of both worlds: I got to learn about the global best practices while applying it in the ever dynamic and vibrant Indian context. When asked what prospective MBA students should look for when choosing a program, Smiti puts four things above all else: the school pedigree internationally, quality of alumni network, exposure to international corporates, and faculty profiles. She found each of these and more during her PGPB days. Finding a Home at MISB Looking back on her PGPB days Smiti says, MISB is home to me. The marketeer in me always associates the best brands to feelings, and home is the feeling I have when I hear the name MISB. Why? Because even though it’s been a year since I walked out of those gates a graduate, MISB welcomes me with open arms every single time I go back, like my family would. Smiti also values the strong friendships made during the program — friends, she says, who continue to support each other in extraordinary ways, both personally and professionally. Embracing a Bright Future After multiple offers through MISB’s campus placements, Smiti chose to pursue a career in HR consulting, where she has committed herself to learning everything she can about the business, its clients, and the industry at large. She credits MISB with significantly altering her work process — particularly the extensive soft skills learned, practiced and honed at the international level. Smiti also cites keener insights into the client’s business environment through understanding of key business performance variables and improved conflict management skills as big takeaways from the PGPB experience. She says, I think MISB taught me not only to wear but also walk around in the manager’s shoes comfortably. Today, Smiti takes great pride in being part of the PGPB-1 legacy. When I look back, she concludes, I know I will never be the same individual I was when I first walked through those gates. This is what MISB does to you. It makes you stand with your head held high; proud of your accomplishments, sure of what you’ve learnt, ready to take on whatever life throws at you because of all these people who have your back. If you have any queries or questions about PGPB and Life at MISB Bocconi, please write to Smiti Mohan at smiti.mohan@sdabocconiasiacenter.com
Student Diaries: Aadil Naik’s Three Days in Rome.
Did you know that the Colosseum had a capacity of 75,000 people? Back in 80 AD, they made a stadium that could hold more spectators than most Soccer Stadiums today. 75,000 people watching man battle man or beast. 1900yrs later, I stand silently in what is left of the mighty arena. It is in ruins. But unlike most ruins, this retains its grandness, and more importantly, its ability to intimidate. And that’s what Rome and its ruins do; it intimidates. I’ve been fortunate enough to see most of India’s historical sights, and most of the world too, and while they exude unbelievable amounts of skill, none come close to the grandeur and scale that the Roman ruins hold. Roman history is something most of us are moderately acquainted with. It had a lot of dramas, a lot of wars, and just made for nice movie and game scripts. You know those movies, where they keep showing you flashbacks of the same area? That’s what it felt like when I entered the Roman Forum on Palantine Hill, historically the hill where Rome was born; and later the center of the city and its affairs. You can picture senators marching along in their robes, commoners selling bread in what was the marketplace, and the priests on the stairs of the Temple of Apollo. It got intense when I saw the place where Caesar was murdered. And on to the pulpit where Octavius gave his legendary speech (thank you Shakespeare). Trust me, you will get lost in the history. Over the course of 3 days, I saw pretty much all there is to do in Rome with a couple of friends. We stayed in a lovely and quaint little hostel and walked everywhere. We didn’t use a single bus/tram at all and walked close to 15km a day, which might seem a lot but there was always something to visit in short enough distances, so it was ok. I would refrain from calling Rome a tourist destination. Yes, it makes for great pictures, and not a lot of things can get you the response that a Facebook check-in at the Colosseum can get (I got over 100 likes. That’s a lot when you are a male); but for most people, every ruin looks exactly like the previous one, and that gets annoying. What Rome is, though, is a history buff’s paradise. If you like your history, and seeing a broken column where a Temple stood makes you tingle; then you should sell your left kidney to make a trip here. The walls (what’s left of them) are alive with it. Yes, there is skill in their construction, but it is the stories and the legends behind every brick that got me going. Three days later I understood what The Glory of the Roman Empire meant. You think you feel small standing in front of a 100 storey building? Wait till you stand in front of that Colosseum. Now imagine that same feeling back in 80 A.D. And they made that for entertainment! Whew. In conclusion, this place is steeped in legends. It is one of the few places where you can see not just the important structures, but the not so important ones that communicate culture. I’m not going to list out the places I saw individually; you have Google for that. What I can do is tell you this, If you enjoyed Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, you should love this. If you didn’t, you are wasting your time. Aadil Naik is a PGPB3 student and is currently in Milan, Italy for his 4-month specialization Semester at University Bocconi.
2 Friends, IIT Roorkee and 99 Percentile in CAT
Every business school aspirant dreams of getting 99 percentile in CAT, one of the most coveted management exams in India. However, only a handful of people realizes this dream. What drives these people? What motivates them? What does it take to be in the top 1 percent of India? Meet Nagendra Rawat and Yogesh Mehra, who would unveil these answers for you, and more! Nagendra and Yogesh are best friends from their engineering days at IIT Roorkee. Post their graduation, Nagendra started working for an infrastructure design firm followed by a political consultancy, and Yogesh for a civil consultancy. They both were extremely motivated about bagging a degree in business, but their approaches to that goal were poles apart. Presently they are pursuing their Post Graduation from MISB Bocconi Bocconi India, and love each moment there! When did you start your preparation for CAT? Yogesh: I always knew I wanted to do an MBA, so after a few years of working I decided, it is the right time to start with my preparation. As I was working simultaneously, I had limited time for preparation, so I made it a point to start early. Nagendra: Just like Yogesh, even I always wanted to do an MBA. Hence, I took CAT in 2013 and got a 98.98 percentile. However, I did not want to settle with that score, so I started studying right after the CAT result in January 2014. What was your strategy while studying? Yogesh: Systematic and structured scheduling was my strategy. I spent most of my time doing exercises rather than studying the concepts in these two areas. I devoted ample time to the verbal ability section to achieve the same degree of proficiency I had in the other sections. I finished my syllabus in September and invested the remaining months in taking mock tests, as that is an essential part of one’s preparation. Nagendra: My strategy did not have a strategy. I did not plan on what to study or have a schedule. I studied what I fancied that day, changed subjects when I thought I was getting saturated with one. I practiced only by the medium of mock tests, as that improved my accuracy as well as speed. Any cheat sheets that you could give to our aspirants? Nagendra: This is a trick that both Yogi and I followed, we made a special notebook in which we noted down each question that we felt was difficult, or applied a concept in a different way. Right, before we gave any mock tests we would go through this notebook. This was an excellent way to learn from your mistakes or keep a tab on all aspects of a concept. What were your mistakes while studying for CAT? Yogesh: I can speak on behalf of both of us about this. Being from one of the best institutes in India, you have a set standard in your head for your self. So while giving the mock tests we were very hard on ourselves, we developed ego issues with questions. We used to make a big deal out of missing out a single question in a test! Nagendra: (Laughing) I would just like to clarify, we both still attempted all questions in CAT hence we do not have bruised egos! Did you ever expect to get a 99 percentile? Yogesh: At the risk of sounding pompous, I knew I was getting a 99 percentile on the tenth question I attempted in the test. I would attribute this confidence only to my level of preparation and hard work and nothing else. Nagendra: By now you would know that I am not a thinker, hence I did not expect anything. Though, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw my score. What calls did you get? Yogesh: MISB Bocconi, New IIMs, FMS, MDI, JBIMS Nagendra: MISB Bocconi, XLRI, New IIMs, FMS, MDI, JBIMS What is your advice to the future aspirants? Yogesh: I would like to tell everybody to assess himself or herself. Do not follow anyone else’s strategy blindly. Each person is different and has different strengths and weaknesses. Make your own strategy. Nagendra has got the same score as I have, however if I had followed his strategy I wouldn’t have been where I am. Nagendra: Absolutely! Study hard and study smart. You can’t be accurate or fast, you need to be both! Why did you choose to join MISB Bocconi? Yogesh: MISB Bocconi is the only offshore presence of University Bocconi Milan which is one of the oldest and the most prestigious European University. MISB Bocconi’s Faculty comes from SDA, professors like Robert Grant the management guru of strategy, and guest lecturers from around the world visit the campus ! Further the exchange semester at Bocconi, Milano is an opportunity I did not want to miss out. MISB Bocconi believes in granting tuition waiver to all those who get an impressive score and have a strong profile. I received a very good tuition waiver. Hence, MISB Bocconi is a perfect choice for me. Nagendra: I agree with all the points put forward by Yogi. Besides those, I would like to add that the teaching methodology is in line with any international business school. The studies focus more on the application, teaching through case studies, lectures by guest faculty, etc. Also, lecturers from all prestigious business schools in India come to teach us different courses. It is like we have the best of both the worlds! Being situated in Mumbai, we get exposure to a lot of opportunities and do live projects, intern or work in the industry. DOWNLOAD BROCHURE This Post first appeared on InsideIIM