Sarthak's Triumph from Startups to Business School

Sarthak, hailing from New Delhi, pursued his academic path, graduating with a B.Tech in IT from Delhi Technological University. While his academic interest lay in Computer Science, the constraints of college offerings led him to embrace Information Technology.

In college, Sarthak’s hardwork landed him a coveted Associate position at Bain Capability Network through campus placement. This stint, spanning two and a half years, made him deal with the challenges of diverse multinational corporations. During the initial COVID-19 wave, Sarthak saw that the companies became more receptive to his recommendations. This was something he paid close attention to.

With an interest in the Indian market and an eagerness to learn more about the dynamics of Indian startups, Sarthak applied for impactful job roles. He says he chose to join Urban Company, an online home services platform because unlike most other startups that were disrupting existing markets, UC was creating a brand new business vertical. Though Sarthak can’t say when he decided that he was definitely going to get an MBA, the idea was always at the back of his mind and played into this career move.

Being immersed in Urban Company’s growth, Sarthak deferred his MBA plans for a year. 2022 marked the turning point and Sarthak began his quest to find a good MBA consultancy. Amongst various consultants, Admissions Gateway, under Rajdeep Chimni’s mentorship, stood out for their confidence in his profile.

Sarthak says he knew very little about how MBA applications worked, even though he had spoken with friends who had gone to business school.

“I was completely blank about the entire process.”

Attending Rajdeep’s informative webinars gave Sarthak the in-depth background for each college he was applying to.

Sarthak’s resume underwent a transformation, guided by his counselor’s expertise. Though challenging to embrace at first, Sarthak’s trust in his counselor’s insight motivated him to adopt the change.

Sarthak confesses that MBA applications were a bumpy ride and he kept getting shot down by colleges but Rajdeep supported him when he was at his lowest.

“He would call me, buck me up and help me focus on the next school rather than crying over a rejection.”

Sarthak says his biggest learning from the application process is that even with a counselor’s support, personal research remains paramount. Sarthak underscores the value of aligning with the right institution through meticulous investigation.

Networking emerged as a crucial part of Sarthak’s strategy. Early engagement with alumni and current students yielded invaluable perspectives and guidance.

Sarthak leaves aspiring candidates with a nugget of wisdom –not to get frustrated at how slow progress can be at times.

“You have to remember that MBA applications are a marathon not a sprint.”