Last updated on October 3, 2019
Quiver of arrows
Ram had multiple strengths. He was not only good at wielding a bow but multiple weapons. He was also adept at strategizing, policy making and managing people. Contrary to the common belief, GMAT score alone will not get you into your target school. You will need a quiver full of arrows to win over the admissions committee. Your educational background, professional accomplishments, extracurricular achievements and academic merits will all aid in making a well-rounded profile. Even after all this, you will need to ace your interview to get into a school.
Patience and perseverance
Ram did not hurry into battle with Raavan. He was expected to avenge his father and his people long before Sita’s abduction. But he was patient. He worked hard, honed his skills and prepared himself for the ultimate battle. He persevered and won against all odds. Your higher education journey is similar. You cannot wing it! There is a structure to taking the test (GMAT/GRE) and preparing a stellar application. Keep on practising and building your profile, brick-by-brick, to lay a strong foundation and reach the summit of your career.
Teamwork
Ram understood that taking Raavan and his army alone is a humongous task which could seldom be accomplished alone. He harnessed the strength of his team to beat his opponent. Much like what you’ll have to do when you embark on your journey of pursuing any higher education not just an MBA. Follow the footsteps of Ram and make a winning team of your friends, family, colleagues and admissions consultants. Leverage their individual strengths to win the battle of admissions.
Know your opponent
Ram researched about all the astras and shastras that Raavan possessed and prepared a good strategy to counter his weapons. His success was largely because he was well informed, well prepared and did not underestimate his opponent. Research is your strength. If you are solely relying on rankings to shortlist your schools, then it is like going into battle without a proper strategy. In this age of information technology, you have the tools to research about each school thoroughly before applying to them. Research about a school’s curriculum, career options, talk to its present and past students and make an informed decision.
Know yourself
The better you know about your motivations and reasons to pursue an MBA the clearer your goals, essays and interviews get. If you fill your head with lots of quintessential reasons you will write or answer in jargon which admissions committee members will clearly see through. Ram had personal reasons – his wife had been abducted and his father, Dasharath, had lost the battle to Raavan. Ram had the burden of avenging that. He had political and social reasons – Raavan’s ambition was a threat to nation’s security and people of the nation were not happy by Raavan’s atrocities. Knowing all his motivations gave Ram clear focus and strength to endure a victory.