How to get into London Business School

Engineering graduate Aditi Olemann from Guwahati, who is currently pursuing a masters in management from the London Business School tells us what it takes to make it to the top ranked institute.

Aditi Olemann's academic credentials are the stuff of dreams.

An electronics and telecommunications graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Olemann is currently pursuing a Masters in Management from London Business School, UK.

During her graduation, Olemann was part of the IIT Guwahati Zero Illiteracy Zone, an initiative to eradicate illiteracy around the IIT Guwahati campus.

She has a GMAT score of 770. 

We spoke to the young achiever to take us through her career journey and tell us how she cracked her way into a prestigious b-school. Read on...

Tell us a bit about your education background and internship experience.

I graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati  in 2013.

During my four years at IIT, I strove to explore different domains of industry and academia as an undergraduate.

I have worked with Schlumberger, KPMG and Deloitte as an intern.

On the academic domain, I have worked on bio-med and published two international papers.

I have also worked as a visiting researcher in KAIST, South Korea.

I worked with a team of four students to win the GE Edison Award 2012 for product innovation when I was in my fourth year.

Although I had a job offer from Schlumberger, post my graduation, I decided to pursue my Masters.

I got offers from LBS, HEC Paris and ISB but decided to join LBS. And I am here now, living the London dream.

Why did you decide to join LBS MiM?

I decided to join LBS because it is the best international b-school and I wanted an exposure at a truly international scale.

My class of 162 had students from 40 nationalities and my learnings there have been invaluable.

For me, the best part about LBS is the incredible student and alumni support.

If I need any kind of help at any point, I know I can seek advice from the very close-knit LBS community all over the globe.

How did you prepare for GMAT? What are your suggestions for those who are currently preparing for it?

While preparing for the GMAT, I was a little short on time. So, I focussed on the verbal more than the math.

I found the Manhattan series very good for verbal.

I believe that the key is practice.

The GMAT is a very stressful exam and the best way to overcome it is by simulating as many test conditions as you can before the actual day.

How should one approach the Master in Management application essays and what are some key things to consider while writing them?

I think one should look at the essays as a sales pitch to the school.

The essays are the way you convince the school that you are the perfect candidate for the school to take in, groom and include as a part of its international community.

While writing the essays, applicants should follow the 'inverted pyramid' approach.

That basically means that you prioritise and structure all the information you want to provide. You can simply google it to learn more.

Please describe the MiM interview process -- what was the toughest question you encountered?

The interview was a great learning experience.

An important point I learnt from the process is that I need to be more concise and objective while answering questions, a quality that many of us generally lack.

The toughest question was definitely the one where I had to talk about my career path post the MiM since I was quite indecisive about what domain I would like to be in.

I believe that although they don't expect us to have our whole career chalked out in front of us, they definitely want to see strong passion and ambition in their students.

What is the process for getting a scholarship or loan for pursuing MiM?

The school has a few scholarships that are available for students.

The students have to write a compelling essay talking about why they are deserving of the scholarship.

For loans, most Indian banks provide student loans up to 20 lakhs with considerably lower interest rates.

The interested applicants can also directly contact LBS for assistance regarding loans and scholarships.

We have a very helpful programme office here at LBS.

What are the job prospects after the programme and what do MiM grads usually prefer after graduation?

One year at LBS truly opens the doors to a wide range of opportunities, even in domains such as private equity and hedge funds.

It basically depends on the student how s/he utilises the global network of LBS to reach out to the industry of their choice.

A lot of MiMs choose to go into consulting and finance.

However, there are others who venture into industry roles and take up jobs with top companies in various sectors such as technology, fashion or agriculture.

The school also provides strong support and incubation for budding entrepreneurs who want to start their own venture post the MiM.

Apart from LBS, what are the other renowned MiM programmes one can consider applying to?

I personally applied to HEC Paris and the ISB Young Leaders Program.

HEC Paris is quite renowned for its MSc in management programme in the Europe as well as internationally.

The ISB YLP is poised to become the top programme for undergraduate students looking for a management degree early on in their career.

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