Stock Betas and Throughput

After a long time, a lazy weekend. Yesterday evening, we went to Ohri's. Dont even know where it is. Somewhere in Banjara Hills. Good Ambience, but okay food. Came bac quite late and spent a few sometime with friends in the masquerade party that was happening in the Rec Centre. Today has been yet another jobless day.

But, there is something we can talk about today. A point that my friend Venkat had raised in the isb-pgp yahoogroups. We get a number of emails asking us opinions about the profile of candidates and as the dates are getting close the number of such emails is exponentially rising.

Flashback: When I applied, I didnt even know that such a yahoogroups existed!!! In fact, even after getting admissions, I didnt know. Only a month after coming here, did I know that students and prospects had a yahoogroups running for quite a long time.

So, in effect, I applied to ISB without consulting anyone in ISB. Did not attend an admissions session or talk to people applying with me. I just looked at the website, the course structure, people and decided why not!!! Ok, a lot of people from my college had studied in ISB and were applying evey year. That could be counted as a main reason.

But, I dont understand why people are bothered so much about the opinion they will get from an existing student, about their profile.

If I told you that your profile sucks, will you just stop applying?

Each applicant must be confident about him/herself, the skills each has and what they can contribute to the ISB community. Just by saying "your profile is good and whatever shit that comes along with that" - how does it help. Ultimately, its someone else who screens your application. What if he thinks your application isnt worth it. Would you say "An existing ISB student told me that my profile is excellent".

In fact, for a while, I responded to a number of such emails. But then, this has never stopped.

Its an individual's choice to come to ISB. If someone else influenced your decision to apply for a MBA, there goes your future for a big toss.

And whats stock beta and throughput got to do with all this - well, beta was part of the corporate finance exam I wrote on Saturday. Throughput was in Operations Management. As the journey in ISB goes through the usual winding and testing fast lanes, I decided that such subject lines will help me remember those golden words that any MBA grad can generously use to throw his weight.