When I got admission into VGSoM IIT Kharagpur -By Subham Paul from VGSoM IIT Kharagpur

0 min read

One day, the sun was shining at its best. On 14th February, Mumbai reflected a special look, especially Bandra. I was strolling with my friends down the footpath near Bandstand when the mercury skyrocketed momentarily within me. After weeks of waiting, the email finally arrived. Finally, it was time for the WAT-PI round in the Vinod Gupta School of Management, IIT Kharagpur. In short, it was the virtual ticket to my MBA dream. Here is my journey when I got admission into VGSoM.

MBA interviews and the preparation phase

Preparing for MBA interviews was never easy for me, especially when one is working on weekends and appearing for processes on weekdays. My case was no different, except for the fact that VGSoM was a B-School that I really looked up to.  I had less time to prepare for it. Days passed by chalking out the perfect plans. All of a sudden the time came when I had 12 hours to do justice to the 2-year struggle. Keeping the baggage limit in mind, one needs to pack bags carefully. While sticking to this policy, I surfed through the admission video and the brochure of VGSoM thoroughly, followed by a brief revision of the current affairs, a sumptuous dinner, and a fulfilling sleep. 

I reached the venue along with two colleagues. After noticing other applicants perspiring with nervousness, I heaved a sigh of relief as I was, after all, not the only one to be in that state. However, initially, I was as calm as a clear blue sky. My documents were verified and I patiently waited for my Written Ability Test (WAT). 

Security check and essay writing 

I sat in the waiting room, pondering on the essay I wrote a few minutes back. The WAT was invigilated by two professors from VGSoM and the topic was unusual yet interesting. I wrote my heart out in a short span of time. I was the first person to submit the essay, which gave me a sense of comfort. To me, writing has always been my passion and I geared up for the Personal Interview (PI). After 15 minutes, I heard someone calling my name. Millions of thoughts hovered around my head like butterflies. It included thoughts related to my introduction, strengths, weaknesses and all other conventional questions. In an attempt to avoid the mental block, I tried to stay away from these thoughts. With that, I gently knocked on the door and stepped towards the final check. 

Why do you want to get admission into VGSoM? 

I faced three panelists who asked me some generic questions. The first few questions revolved around my technical knowledge. The fun began when I faced the million-dollar question, “Why do you want to join VGSoM?”. It was that divine light dawned upon me and I felt the most unusual gush of positive feelings inside me. I openly discussed the B-School, its facilities, curriculum, student life and all things that I could recall from my homework. It consisted of questions based on current affairs. It felt like a dream. They asked me one question about my hobbies. The panelists were smiling at the end of the interview.  

WAT-PI process and the offer letter 

A month had passed after my WAT-PI process. I anticipated a positive result but I was aware of the fact that I had something good waiting for me. Silently, I had prayed for a decent waitlist number. I was in the same state of mind when I explained a software module to a colleague at my office on 2nd May 2018. The notification read, “Offer Letter from IIT Kharagpur”. Nobody could imagine how I felt at that instant. The wait was over.

When I stood in front of VGSoM

As I got admission into Vinod Gupta School of Management on the 13th of July, 2019, I felt like a winner. Well, it was not tough to feel the same moment again. And reliving this journey was bliss.

This article was submitted as a part of Become an Author conducted by Dare2Compete.