Category Archives: Uncategorized

Pagalguy is down

…Can’t believe it.
Pagalguy is India’s most influencial (most popular and biggest) MBA related website. Though it’s more concentrated to Indian MBA entrance test (CAT) it has very popular section for GMAT test too!

Pagalguy.com Portal and its forums’ been down since more than couple of days! (?)
I am not sure about this as I personally didn’t check the website since many days. As I think I have reduced my forum participation and ^posting activities^.

My friend called me up and asked whether Pagalguy Forums is actually down; so I today checked it out myself and result is the same.

I know it takes a great load-n-traffic during this period of the year when CAT results are ’round the corner. And I have seen on some occasions site being down for some time. Mostly it goes down for some modification in code etc. But this time it’s the biggest downtime I have ever noticed. I dont know the reason why its down but I am sure its a big loss for the Pagalguy. for such heavy traffic site every seconds counts! right 😉

Hope it’ll up soon!

GMAT forum, ScoreTop banned by GMAC (?)

Well that was about to happen!

Though the news came bit late (than expected) and eventually it came when I was away from the GMAT world. (I mean, you can guess I was away as I was not blogging about GMAT and preparation stuff.) And therefore I couldn’t post an article about it. I think I dont have a valid source now to back this article. Anyways lets hope that the question mark in the title of the post will keep me safe. 😀

ScoreTop is GMAT preparation company which owns a forum ( I have mentioned about the forums on my blog on several occasions). ScoreTop give (used to give) question bank, known as GMAT sets to its ^VIP members^. The “GMAT sets” arguably used to contain contemporary questions that would most likely to come in real GMAT test.
They had high hit rate and perhaps thats why they are still famous in GMAT preparation industry eventhough they are no longer being published.

Some things better keep unsaid…. anyways but it was suspecious. and eventually it happened. At least thats what I heard from some other GMAT strategy forum.

Applying to IIFT (Indian Institute of Foreign Trade) New Delhi

As you know already, that I am thinking of applying to IIFT this year. So, I have to hurry and get the application form filled as deadline is nearing. I checked the official site of IIFT
which of course I liked. haahaa not because I am applying there… honestly I am more used to homepage of US MBA programs & it’s very different from them. Simple-Light and Plain!
No flashy pictures and no fluff. Yeah I agree that those flashy homepages look cool and sleek.
This however is much coarse.
I read all instructions and I realised that I HAVE to make a demand draft first and then check with rest of the application.
A demand draft of Rs. 1330 for general candidates and Rs. 700. for minorities/ and if you are a foreign candidate or NRI(non residential Indian)/ NRI-child you’d have to pay $75 for applying.
Couple of days back I went to town to the Bank for DD. But as usual seeing jammed packed (crowded with people ) bank was real turn off. The bank is going through major transformation and so is very troublesome lately. It was obvious that it’d take me at least four hours in queue standing 😯 to get the DD. So I chucked the whole plan and came back empty hand.
…Actually this was a wise decision as we have sub-branch of it in our village which hardly has any transaction. I submitted my DD form to the sub-branch & I got the DD next day!
Cool isn’t it! I didn’t have to wait for it standing for four hours.
I was not in hurry so I could afford this.
Now that I had my DD in my hand ready. I again checked IIFT site to apply online…
applying was easy but it said that you should have a printer ready to take out the print of your application which then to be sent to IIFT.
haahhaa & my printer is in my home town so right now I have just copied it for printing it from a stationery store or cyber cafe tomorrow.
Once I take the print out of the application form, I’ll have to send it to IIFT along with the Demand Draft.
I got to keep a close eye to all deadlines:
One thing I like about the website is as soon as I applied online they gave me access to my page through which I could track important informations like deadlines
so here’s a sneak peek’
:

1. Last Date for Sale of Prospectus by post: 20th August 2007
2. Last date for Sale of Prospectus across the counter at IIFT: 3rd September 2007
3.Last Date for Receipt of completed Applications: 3rd September 2007
4.Written Test: 25th November 2007
(10 am–12 noon)

hmm interesting! they haven’t mentioned about he Group discussions and Personal Interview dates… I think that should be around January-February 2008.
And for my own record: I am writing the test pattern that is mentioned on the college website verbatim

The admission test is a multiple choice objective type written test (in English). Duration of the test is two
hours. It will cover English Comprehension, General Knowledge & Awareness, Logical Reasoning and
and Quantitative Analysis.
THERE WILL BE NEGATIVE MARKING FOR WRONG ANSWERS.

I used to be good in General knowledge once… haahaa ages back.. guess I’ll have to again start reading pink papers .

Thinking of Indian MBA…

Dont look around, you are right. It’s me. Yes! aim-wsc is thinking of applying to some Indian MBA programmes this year!
surprised? yeah! even I am as surprised as you’re!
I think I must clear this haze around aim-wsc a bit…(OK may be I’ll write an introductory post soon.)
…that’s not the purpose of posting this article… today however, I’ll just talk about my voyage to various Indian MBA programs.
Now you might ask which programs am I thinking of: IIFT. IIFT & IIFT. Right now it’s the only one college I am thinking of applying but soon I’ll reach to some concrete decision.
FMS New Delhi, SP Jain, IIT SOM Mumbai are some of the other colleges I am thinking…
Now the obvious question arises: Why IIMs is not in the list… well for some odd reasons I don’t want to apply there… (not like sour grapes 😉 Yeah I know it’s not in my stretch and even if it would’ve I wouldn’t apply there…)
I’ll check it up with PaGaLGuy Forums but surprisingly I get more hits @ CoolAvenues when I searched about any MBA program in India on google… seems they are doing better with SEO and the stuff.
So I’ll check CoolAvenues site too…yeah I should not forget that this site is commercialised even before PaGaLGuY forums/ portal started. Anyway all I need is some information about these institutes which I would use to make a decision whether to apply to their programmes or not.
Well most probably ( according to my instinct) I wont be apply to any of other Indian or international MBA program this year. So it’s gonna be IIFT only.
But I’ll surely come up with some good reasons for the decision that I would make.

In search of GMAT blogs

Hello people as I mentioned in my earlier article in my blog, I am compiling the list of GMAT bloggers.
If you have a blog and you write something about GMAT in your blog then just let me know. I’ll add your url weblink in this article. All you have to do is send me a note. You can post a comment or just put a note on the chat box, which is available on the right hand side of the blog.

You must have seen a new item “Great GMAT links” in the right column.

Yes, I know what now you are thinking… something similar to League of MBA bloggers or Dave’s MBA list… NO.

For “Great GMAT links
No. I wont just add the link of your GMAT blog. I’ll check your blog and will see whether you are regular into blogging, whether you write more about GMAT. If I find it really worth you will be listed in the “Great GMAT links”

I hope a good response from GMAT enthusiasts :

The list of GMAT bloggers (so far)
UPDATE:Apologies I updated the links today on Aug 2008. I must say some of the links mentioned below are worth reading entirely!!

Keep them coming guys.

& I found a Blogs Directory which keeps database of all blogs available.

I am back!

some changes in the blog.
I think My blog has come to the (st)age where I should provide a search option.
so I am removing bussiness week online search to my blog search.
this would help you finding archives and many other key words you look for.
Also I upgrade my blog to beta(?) (is it still beta?)… blogger from google.
I was afraid that I’ ll have to do all html work once again so i bit-of postponing this unavoidable upgrade.
now I could safely upgrade it.
Just wanna make sure that rss feed code is the same or changed….
I ll use the new beta-features in this blog
the labels i can think of right now are:
My reaserch den
refernece posts
Editors choice
…..
& many more i wont reveal… yes
there’s lots of interesting stuff coming your way in coming months so stay tuned.
Now about some GMAT>>
I think I wont take a break from studying…. will finish with my GMAT once & for all.
right now I have not planned anything specific….
I might start solving 1000SC problems and publish the solutions here
at http://thousandsc.blogspot.com/
by the way there’s one more blogger , also started solving 1000SC. He has published a new blog now
so you guys can have a look.
OK.
time to go & check more resource.
bbye.

Aftermath: the chewing gum story.

Note: You should read this story before you start reading this one, click here
Now
what you gonna do with that phenomenal chewing gum?
I wont recommend you to simply throw it away; after all it was the record time that you kept anything in your mouth.
so it should be well treated…if not stick on your green bill-board you at least send off it in a proper manner.
so
any suggestions are welcome.
People, please feel free to suggest our friend how to dispose that fucking chewing gum off.
My puts first:
how about sticking that chewing gum in the keyhole of your irritating neighbour?
Just imagine that fat aunty trying to get rid of that gum; or that abusive uncle or worse that ten years old idiot crying and calling his momma?….

chew the *ucking gum

You are at the railway station.
Train has not arrived yet. &
you have a lot of time to eat. So, you go to shop and buy a b88mer bubblegum. You take out your Johnny Cage -RayBan’s goggle from your denim shirt’s pocket and place it on.
Now look at this: Macho dude’s arrived.
cigerette aint make statement anymore. People hate smokers these days.
This chewing gum is ON, man!

You wear dark black goggle and think you look like a dude.
Train comes. You get into the train, chewing the gum. You, of course remove that goggle. You still have that chewing gum in your mouth.
Journey is long and chewing gum is a great ‘timepass’.
You dont realise how arrogant you look chewing that fucking gum. You cant hear peoples voices. You have your ipod plugged in the ears too. So you dont bother & you dont care.
But still its people whom you want to impress. You start experimenting with your gum.
You blow a nice big bubble.
Yeah! now we are talking.
People are looking at you, some wtih just a plain stare, some with disgust. You blow it once again. You become unignorable now. You dont realise that the smell of that mint is all over the compartment. Now people actually are looking at you.
thats it man this is all i wanted.
i wish i could wear my gocxy too but i dont want to be look like a blind.
YOU SUCH AN IDIOT! sigh!
Within five minutes, all mint is lost.
By ten minutes, you lose all interest in chewing it. it’s 15 minutes and you feel like vomiting.
You just want to throw away the fucking gum now.
And now for the first time you realise that you dont have enough space to move in the train, let alone go an spit through the nearby window.
Had it been some rapper of some chocolate i could have asked this guy to throw it for me. But NO.
…cant just hand it over to somebody.
It’s a chewing gum dammit! You cant keep it in your own hand too; as, ermm, well, you know why.
You are stuck. you are trapped.
You have no other option but to chew the gum for all the time you have in the train.
People are no longer looking at you. You also dont feel like impressing people anymore; nor you have any interest left in attracting other fellos in the compartment. Never especially if you are chewing a dirty cheap bubble gum, for last forty minutes.
Now you determined with ‘dont-quit’ attitude. & to make things interesting you make a bubble. A BEEEEEEG one.
wow! that was never been such a big.
In fact you never had such a big bubble.
How much is it?
2inch? 3inch?
i cant say man it’s nose that comes in between.
wh0a! its such a big… i cant take it anymore.
You want to blow it off. But it doesnt. You want it to get punctured. But it simply doesnt. In fact it goes on and on. You taking it in; breathing in.
Oh! thats a strat; take the inside air of bubble in your mouth.
Ok. Bubble is shrinking. But you just cant take it in. There’s no oxygen, you sucker. People are looking at you with disgust. & now you know what is choking.
You know now theres only one the ultimate solution to this.
Just blow it off. Blow it till it goes off. I know its the worst option, especially in public. i know its awlful but it works. It’s the ultimate solution.
i am out of breath …have to take breath from nose and blow the fucking gum. i know it sometimes sticks to your chin, your nose as it breaks; its risky but i have to do it.
You let it blow as big as you could till it blasts. and finally it busted.
Huuuushh thangodd?? ohmygawd!!

What the hell just happened? You took a big breath in order to blow it off. And bubble sticks to your nose (yes, even before it broke). You blew it off and worse is yet to come. As the bubble sticks to your nose, you go out of breath. (again?). Desperately you want to take your gum in hand now. Your desired station is far away. You dont want to take that sticky chewing gum in your hand; because you know why!
You manage to take your bubble gum back in your mouth but not all, some part of it sticked on to your chin and some to your nostrils. You had to remove that sticky gum on your nose by your own hands obviously. and  yes people witness whole episode.
You are perplexed. You dont know what to do. The little part of gum is in your hand. You cannot throw is away since window is far out of your reach. You cannot take it in because of obvious reasons. So you just keep it in your hand, safely hiding. You have lil bit of chewing gum in one hand and i-pod in other. You take every precaution to not to touch your hands to each other.
You dont get in a more mess by sticking the gum to your i-pod!
You still have that chewing gum in your mouth. But you dont care it much, since your all attention now has shifted to the small part of gum that is in your hand. Incidentally you learned that people know that it’s in your hand. so you stop rubbing it.
wow! how it turned dark grey?
After some time luckily you get the seat to sit. But window is still far away. Away from your reach.
OK. Now all I want is some good nap for an hour or so.
Yes, I deserve it!
You remove the headphone put your i-pod in the bag. You do everything with just one hand. You need to get rid of that gum in your hand so as to sleep peacefully.
NO.
I never place it on coach. I am not that nasty afterall. and not in front of public at least. I wont.
But you have to get rid out of it.
You cleverly bend down to sort your shoe laces. you have already removed shoes and socks but you still do some lace work. You slyly put that gum in between the first two fingers of your foot.
YOUR HANDS ARE FREE NOW.
phew!
You do some hair work with smile on your face. You place your hands folded cross on your laps and put head on it for sleeeeeeep
Peace for you; peace for passengers too!!
When you got up from your sleep, some station has just been passing. You afraid whether it was your station. After some peeping through window you realise that you got up right on time. The next station is yours.
After hundred minutes of healthy sleep you wish to wash your face, your head. But your have no time. You are in hurry. You have no time even to socksup or lace up. You get your bag; ensure that i-pod is still in the bag. You have to rush; you ask your neighbours to make way. You hurriedly wear shoes and put your laces inside it too.
dont have time, man!
The gum is still in your mouth. NO. DONT ASSUME the THINGS! (?)
And fortunately (or unfortunately), you are not dumb enough to ignore or forget the other part of that gum, which you secretly-yet-smartly placed in your foot fingers. So you DID check your fingers and you were pleased to see that grey gum is not there…
lost in those dreamy hundred minutes.
HAPPY.
You put your foot, along with your socks and laces in the shoes and head for the door. You come out of train like a winner. You just thank god that you woke up just in time.
After all I find myself quite lucky.
The moment you thought that, you realise that chewing gum hs sticked in your teeth!!
It cant be. Its just impossible. I have done PhD in fucking chewing gum and I know chewing gum never sticks in your own mouth…
Unless you are not chewing it for like 100 minutes and still keeping it in month? Unless you are out of stimulating wet tounge; you are out of saliva; you have arid glands. And by the way, you never had a bubble gum in your mouth more than two hours! Ever! So whatever you observe now, it’s totally new for you.
OK. you are quite angry and nervous and that made your heartbeats high; you work out your ^stimulation^ and manage to chew that rubber under control.
You are coming back to home-in your alley-walking down the street-wearing the ‘ray ban’ gocxy-a bag in one hand, keychain in other, plugged in ear ‘ipod’
what else do you need to make a statement?
or lets rephrase it:
what else do you need for that attitude?
the fucking chewing gum.
Yes. And you still have that in mouth. So why bother to throw it now. it served you well.
Although its not worth posting on my green walled bill-board. I’ll not just throw it away. It got to be cherished.
What do you say?

no posts added

I have so much to write.
but i am facing some technical difficulties.
My PC is down.

Meanwhile lots of interesting stuff happened. on GMAT-MBA front as well as on my personal front.

phew.
will post once my PC is recovered.

till then lets beat the GMAT
and happy blogging!!!

God of all links

God ^:)^
OK heres the show stopper.
The real god of all links.
If I post this link & I promise I wont post any other link from now. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE LINK.
YOU CANT BEAT THIS LINK.
DAVEÂ’S GMAT STRATEGY. (sorry folks it appears that the link is no more active apparently, Dave stopped blogging.)

i have been reading his blogs and these days doing some research/ PhD on his blog.:lol
i realised that people have cut his posts and published it on many places since i think read his one of those….anyway it doesnt matter as long as poeple show courtesy to the author.
OK
you can find this link @ his blog
Mr. Dave is the simply amazing. This guyÂ’s amazon.com of GMAT & MBA business I would say. ^:)^