London Business School student Akansh Khurana

Accepted.com is continuing a blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application.

Here’s a talk with Akansh Khurana, a London Business School student from India who is taking in every aspect of his b-school experience – not just the educational element, but the wealth of opportunities that London as a city has to offer as well. Thank you Akansh for sharing your thoughts with us!

Accepted: First, can you tell us a little about yourself – where are you from? What and where did you study as an undergraduate and when did you graduate?

Akansh: I am from India and was born and brought up in the northern part of the country. After high school, I moved down south to do my B.Tech. in Computer Science from IIIT-Hyderabad. After completing my under-graduation in 2006, I worked at Bain & Company for over five years out of the Delhi (India) and Boston (US) offices.

Currently, I am in the first year at London Business School.

Accepted: Why did you decide to attend London Business School? Which other programs were you considering and what tipped the scales to favor London?

Akansh: Many of my colleagues at Bain went to global business schools. This gave me the opportunity to speak to them and develop deep insights about the programmes at their respective schools. Before starting my application process, I had shortlisted my top four schools, which included London Business School.

There were several reasons that helped London Business School standout for me. Firstly, I was looking at the MBA as a platform to build a “real” global network. London Business School’s unique student profile – with strong regional and professional diversity – is unmatched. Secondly, I wanted to be in a city that offers opportunities to learn, and grow outside the campus as well. Of all the leading global business schools, London Business School offers the best location – right in the center of London city. And finally, I was looking for a strong brand name. The school has earned its brand and respect in a much shorter time frame as compared to any other renowned business school.

HBS, Wharton and Stanford GSB were the other programs I applied to – but in the end, London Business School offered me the best balance across all the three parameters that were most important to me.

Accepted: How does the European location contribute to your post-MBA goals? Have your career goals changed since you’ve begun your studies?

Akansh: I had limited exposure to the European region before starting my MBA. The school offers me a variety of opportunities (through clubs, career services, lectures and social get-togethers) to help develop sound insights about the region, and learn the successes and failures of the organizations here. Given the current EU crisis, there’s a lot of action in the region and so much to learn and discover. In this globalized world, it is extremely important to understand global businesses, apply learning from across the world, and build international relationships.

I came with an objective to strengthen my career across three dimensions – consulting, private equity and technology. The school’s elective offerings, career services team and alumni have all helped me develop across these dimensions.

Accepted: Had you ever lived or traveled abroad before now? How are you adapting to life in a foreign country? Are there cultural differences that are hard to get used to?

Akansh: Before starting my MBA, I worked and stayed in the US outside my home country. I had experienced cultural differences then, but being a London Business School student is different. I had never seen such a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Obviously, it’s hard to align with every single personality and culture. But the best part is that the school puts in a lot of effort to help us learn the act and importance of working in multi-cultural teams.

As an example, the school organizes “Away Day” as a part of our orientation period. During this one day outing, multi-cultural teams collaborate and compete on several group activities. The day is designed to teach us important lessons about working in diverse teams. On similar lines, we’ve also attended sessions to have candid peer discussions on preferences, expectations and stereotypes across nationalities. Such initiatives help us become aware of and accept cultures and personalities that we would otherwise find difficult to relate to.

To ensure that every student does get an international experience and exposure, the school assigns us in groups of 6-7 students – we call these as study groups. Study groups are comprised of students from different nationalities and professional experience. All the group assignments in the first year are required to be done in our respective study groups.

Personally, attending social get-togethers, working on group assignments in study groups, and being open to experimenting new things (cuisines, places, and destinations) are key ways of adapting to life in London.

Accepted: Had you visited the campus before deciding to attend?

Akansh: I did not visit the campus before deciding to attend. But I attended school information sessions in India, and spoke to a large number of my colleagues and friends who are alumni of London Business School. I managed to answer most of my questions through these interactions.

Accepted: What are some of your favorite and least favorite things about living in London? Can you recommend a cozy place to study or hang out with friends near campus?

Akansh: The best part about living in London is the variety of things it has to offer – from theatre to symphony, from proximity to Edinburgh to easy access to France, the Alps and the whole of Europe, from sports to art, and from academic education to the world’s leading organizations. London is a complete world in itself.

But all of this comes with a price – London is an expensive city to stay in, and one has to budget accordingly. I’ve already started to exceed my monthly budget by 10% or so. In the long scheme of things, the experience I get in return of spending this money is completely worth it, and that is why I ensure I do not compromise on experimenting with new things.

My favorite place to hang out near campus is Regents Park during the sunny days, and Edgware Road – noted for its distinct Middle Eastern cuisine and late-night bars and shisha cafes – during evenings. I like studying on the sixth floor at Taunton – it is quiet and offers a great city view.

Accepted: What’s your favorite class so far?

Akansh: It is hard to choose any one class. The professors at London Business School use a variety of teaching methods – role plays, case studies, as well as lecture style, and I’ve enjoyed and understood the use of each of those methods. I’ve enjoyed learning Corporate Finance from Anna Pavlova, General Management from Brandon Lee, Operations Management from Kamalini Ramdas, and Economics from Joao Montez.

But my favorite lectures so far have been in Accounting – I absolutely loved the energy and expertise of Oktay Urcan during my Basic Accounting lecture, and the sense of humor, practical examples, and thoroughness of Shiva in Financial Statement Analysis. Oktay and Shiva are the only reason why I am interested in Accounting at the first place.

Accepted: Do you have a job or internship lined up for the summer? If so, what role did London Business School play in helping you secure that position?

Akansh: The internship process for my batch has just started, and I am working on my applications these days. The school is doing everything in its ability to offer students a platform to learn about and offer a plethora of roles and brands.

I know people who’ve already secured internship offers – particularly in finance – by proactively networking with the school alumni and attending the student-led treks to Asian countries. A large number of students are currently interviewing on campus with the leading consulting firms. Industry recruitment evenings are being held, networking events are being organized, one-to-one career coaching sessions are being offered, and mock interviews are being conducted to help the students learn the technical as well as the soft skills aspect of the interviews.

What I’ve found most helpful is the opportunity to work on part-time projects in London. A lot of students are looking to switch careers, and being in central London helps these students find relevant projects during the first and the second terms. Many people leverage this part-time experience and exposure to find full-time summer internships in areas and sectors of their interest.

Accepted: Do you have any advice for some of our applicants who will be applying to London Business School?

Akansh: Make sure you get a feel of the London Business School student community. Talk to as many people as you need. At the end of the day, the experience is all about those sitting next to you in class. So make sure you find out all about those people.

And most importantly, remember that you will not only be applying to a great school, but also to a great city – do not underestimate the opportunities, the exposure, and the interactions you could get in London.

Please visit our London Business School Zone for more London-specific advice. For complete, soup-to-nuts guidance on the MBA admissions process, please purchase Linda Abraham’s new book, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools – now available in paperback and Kindle editions!

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Linda Abraham: What is the difference between the MBA and the MiM?

Lisa Mortini: That is a very valid question, and a lot of students actually ask themselves that question. It is absolutely a good question to start thinking about when you start looking at furthering your education and also at your career path. There are very big differences, but I would start by talking about the things that are common between the two programs. What is common is that some of the topics that we cover in the MiM are very similar to the topics that are covered in the first year of the MBA because they are core courses on finance, macroeconomics, and leadership. And these things are the basis of management and they are topics that are covered on the MBA.

Another similar point is that if you do your MBA here at the school, you have access to the school community, the school network, and the clubs and events and activities…

The main difference really is that for students who apply to the MiM program, they do so at a very different level in their career. There will be students who just graduated from their undergraduate or are about to graduate from their undergraduate studies. And they are really looking to feel more confident, to find the right career path, to change a degree that maybe was a degree in liberal arts like history or philosophy and turn that into a business degree and do a conversion. So they come from different backgrounds, but what they have in common is that they are recent graduates that are looking for a course that is going to help them get in the door of businesses and get their foot in the door of these companies that they have an interest in. So they are much earlier on in their careers.

For most of the MBA students at our school, the average is actually about 5 ½ – 6 years of work experience…

All students are also in different situations in terms of where they see themselves going. A lot of our students will be very determined on a career path, and they know they want to do this course to get there and have the right connections. But a lot of them also won’t know exactly what they want to do, and so they think, which is quite right, that through doing this course they will get access to a lot of opportunities and they will learn about new careers that they haven’t thought about before. MBAs are already in their career; they are more aware of these things. What they are looking for is generally a change of career. They’d like to convert 4-5-6 years of work experience into a new career. So they are doing the programs for different reasons.

Prateik Pothuneedi: One of the major differences is that obviously the MBA program is much longer than the MiM program. It is a two-year program, and they could do an internship and they have a much longer exchange period. But I think at this point it is worthwhile to understand that there is a high level of interaction between the MiMs and the MBA students. In fact, in the clubs we see that the MiMs and the MBA students have pretty much equal standing, and there is a lot of interaction. And the MiM students do get to learn a lot from the MBA students who tend to be a little bit more experienced.

Lisa Mortini: Where the students go afterwards is also very different. Our students, once they graduate from the MiM, will be looking at entry level – graduate schemes, whereas MBA students will be at a slightly higher level in their career and looking for slightly different jobs.

Daniel Lay: Absolutely. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there. If we were to take an investment bank or a financial institution, the MiM students will be going in at the analyst level, whereas an MBA student would be going in at the associate level. Our MiM students will be competing still against undergraduate students. So they are going into those graduate programs with that same level of student. But what we hope is that the MiM does give them an added advantage when it comes to the application stage and the interview stage in the schools, with all that they developed through the course and through the Professional Development Program that they get as part of their MiM program. So the entry points are different for the MBA. Think along the lines of graduate level entry point, as opposed to associate program.

As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when applying to one of London’s programs. During this chat, we talked a lot about the difference between the MBA and MiM programs (view the full transcript or listen to the audio file here). But this top b-school offers another program as well that may be right for you – the Masters in Finance (MiF) program. For more information on this degree, please see past London Business School transcripts here and here.

To automatically receive notices about these MBA admissions chats and other MBA admissions events, please subscribe to our MBA event list. To listen to the Q&A recordings on-the-go, please subscribe to the Accepted Admissions Podcast.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you’ll want to tune in to Accepted’s upcoming Q&A during which Lisa Mortini, Recruitment and Admissions Manager, together with two Student Ambassadors at London’s Masters in Management program, will be available to address all your MiM concerns. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask your questions and hear more about London’s attractive pre-experience Masters in Management program! The live Q&A session will take place tomorrow, Monday, January 30, 2012 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/6:00 PM GMT.

Register now to reserve your spot for the London Business School MiM Admissions Q&A.

Register now to reserve your spot for London Business School’s MiM Q&A.

What time is that for me? Click on the link to find out the exact time for your location.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Here are a few posts, articles, and resources that proved particularly popular:

Top Ten Most Visited Accepted Admissions Blog Posts of 2011

1. Harvard Business School 2012 Essay Questions, Deadlines, Tips
2. INSEAD 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
3. London Business School 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
4. 2011 Rankings: BW’s Best Undergraduate Business Schools
5. NYU Stern 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
6. Kellogg 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
7. Columbia 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
8. 2012 Common Application Essay Tips
9. Stanford GSB 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
10. Chicago Booth 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips

5 Most Downloaded Special Reports of 2011

1. 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid
2. From Example to Exemplary
3. Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One
4. Leadership in Admissions
5. MBA Rankings: What You Need to Know

5 Most Popular Articles

1. Writing Your Grad School Personal Statement
2. Go for the Goals in Your Statement of Purpose
3. Tips for Writing Letters of Recommendation
4. MBA Admissions: Low GMAT or GPA
5. The Letters of Rec Too?!?

6 Most Viewed Webinars

1. AMCAS Essays for Acceptance
2. Law School Personal Statements with Pizzazz
3. Highlighting Your Strengths in the Common Application
4. MBA Reality Check: Evaluate Your Profile for Acceptance
5. 4 Essentials in an Executive MBA Application
6. The Art of a Gripping MBA Goals Essay

5 Most Visited Chats Pages:

1. Duke NUS Medical School Admissions Q&A
2. Consortium 2011 MBA Application Strategies (2012 version is here.)
3. 2011 London Business School MBA/MiF Admissions Chat (2012 version is here)
4. 2012 INSEAD MBA Admissions Q&A 
5. 2011 Columbia MBA Admissions Q&A

With the year drawing to a close, I have a request. We moved to a new blogging platform in September, and since then, you folks have really stopped asking us questions. On the old blog, we frequently received profile evaluation requests and “what are my chances?” questions on school tip posts. We welcome them! And miss them in our new abode.  Don’t be shy. If you have a question or would like your profile evaluated, just ask.

And what’s the mostest of the mostest at Accepted? The absolute best? YOU! Our readers, followers, circlers, fans, friends, participants, and most of all, our clients. Thanks for a wonderful 2011.

By Linda Abraham, founder and president of Accepted.com, co-author of MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

Applicants, learn the 5 fatal flaws to avoid in your application essay, statement of purpose, personal statement, or secondary essay with our FREE special report, 5 Fatal Flaws.

Register now to reserve your spot for our London Business School Admissions Q&A.

What time is that for me? Click on the link to find out the exact time for your location.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Look no further – the MBA book of all books is here, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools, written by Accepted.com founder, Linda Abraham, and editor Judy Gruen. And now, for a very limited time only (Monday, Dec. 5 – Tuesday, Dec. 6) you can purchase this must-have book for $10 OFF the cover price by using coupon code SMARTIES at checkout. That’s almost 2/3 off the list price!

In MBA Admission for Smarties you will learn how to:

• Determine “fit” with a program.
• Establish your post-MBA goals and present them in a compelling goals essay.
• Write dazzling, memorable application essays.
• Secure winning letters of recommendation.
• Optimize your MBA application resume.

…and much, much more!

So what are you waiting for?

Be smart. Buy MBA Admission for Smarties now!

(Non-U.S. residents should buy MBA Admission for Smarties from Amazon.com where international shipping is available. Sorry – no coupon available to ship outside the U.S.)

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

You have wildcard. A joker. Watch this video to learn how best to play that colorful card.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Have more questions about writing great MBA essays? Review MBA Essay 101!

Linda Abraham: Do you look for students who have a clear idea of where they want to go, both professionally and geographically?

Karen Benge: Geographically, not as much. I think what’s most important is that people are really reflective on their career to-date and they think about why they want to do an MBA, why they want to do one now, why they want to come to London for it, why they want to do a London Business School MBA, and how they can see that fitting into the career path that they envision for themselves.

Everybody knows you’ll be exposed to a lot of different career paths and different industries and job functions that you might not have even heard of before you joined, so we appreciate that people may change or adapt their plans, but it’s important that we see the applicants have reflected on the things I mentioned about where they want to be with their MBA when they come to apply.

As much as anything it’s about making sure that the student is therefore a good fit for the school, given what they want to do, and the school is a good fit for them as well, that the expectations are right, and someone can really achieve what they want to achieve by coming here.

For the entire conversation, please view the transcript or listen to the complete audio file on our website.

Want to read more about London Business School’s admissions practices? Check out our London Business School B-School Zone. Still not sure where you should apply? Download our special report, Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One, to help you assess your profile and determine your personal fit with top business schools.

To automatically receive notices about these MBA admissions chats and other MBA admissions events, please subscribe to our MBA event list.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Statement of Objectives: What are your immediate and ultimate professional objectives for attending the program. Specifically, please indicate how your objectives fit with the purposes of the MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership and indicate what you would contribute to the Sloan Fellows community. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Translation: What do you want to do immediately after attending the Sloan Fellows program and farther into the future that requires you to attend the Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership?

Clearly you will need to know about the Sloan Fellows Program’s goals and objectives. Realize that the long name is there for a reason. It reveals the program’s purpose. Do you need to know about “Innovation and Global Leadership”? You should be able to demonstrate that you need those skills to achieve your goals.

For further insight into the MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership, please see my 2010 interview with Stephen Sacca, Director of the MIT Sloan Fellows Program.

Essay 1: Discuss a defining experience in your development as a leader. How did this experience demonstrate your strengths and weaknesses? (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Choose your crowning leadership example and briefly provide some of the challenges you faced, how you handled them, and the impact of your leadership. Make sure you answer the last part of the question. Focus on the strengths, but please show the maturity and self-awareness to honestly reveal a weakness — one that the Sloan Fellows Program may actually help you address.

Essay 2: Discuss a time when you made an unpopular decision. What did you learn from the experience? (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Leadership and innovation frequently cause the person in charge to take an unpopular position. Advocating change (innovating) is frequently opposed. When have you faced such flack? What did you learn that will improve your ability to spearhead in the face of human headwinds?

Please answer only ONE of the next two essays.

First of wall which of these options should you choose? The one that allows you to write most easily and with the most enthusiasm; the one that will produce an essay that complements the other essays and information found in your application. You want your each essay to add value.

Essay 3: Please give an example of when you were part of a high or low performing team. Describe your position in the team and how you contributed to making it successful, or if low performing, what actions you did take (or, in retrospect, would have taken) to improve the performance. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

This question is about impact in a team setting.  Whether the team was performing well or poorly, describe the story of your team. What challenges did it face? How did you help it meet those challenges? Or, what should you have done?

OR

Essay 4: Please give an example of a significant innovation (product or process) that you developed for your organization. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

This is a pretty straightforward question and actually gives you a little room to go in a direction of your choosing, as long as you reveal how you innovated for your organization. You could start with the innovation or with the problem that propelled an innovative solution. Discuss some of the challenges you faced, how you resolved them, and ultimately the impact of your innovation.

MIT Sloan Fellows 2012 Deadlines

The application deadlines for the next MIT Sloan Fellows class are:

• November 15, for non-U.S. citizens and U.S. citizens currently residing outside of the United States.
• January 16, for U.S. citizens currently residing in the United States.

Admissions decisions will be announced before March 31, 2012.

If you would like help with your MIT Sloan Fellows application, please consider Accepted’s EMBA essay editing and EMBA admissions consulting or our MIT Sloan Fellows Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the MIT Sloan Fellows application.

By Linda Abraham, President and Founder of Accepted.com.

Check out more 2012 EMBA application tips!