CAT- Check,
Score Results- Out,
Calls- In progress,
Interviews- About to commence
It was the interview season and my first one was for SPJIMR. Anxious faces greeted me as I arrived on campus for my interview process. I opened my folder for the nth time to check if I had all my documents in place. Shortly thereafter, my name was called and I was lead to the verification room by student representatives who formed the Admissions committee.
The next 3 hours was a smooth process from WAT and Psychometric test to the two Group interviews, where we were time and again guided by the committee members, who ensured that we had a comfortable experience. The unique interview process fuelled my interest in the institute. This was my first interaction with the committee and it sure made me think about the number of colleges where a responsibility such as admission lies on first-year students.
Today, as part of the Admissions committee (a.k.a. Adcom) I can vouch that it is every bit the learning and the fun that it is associated with. Living a virtual life through a handle name (second identity), having endless discussions and committee jokes, travelling with faculty to various locations for the interview, managing the process, Adcom promises great enjoyment. At the same time, it brings with it the huge responsibility of representing the college and everything that we stand for the potential students. Work needs to be done round the year, as we build an online rapport with aspirants and solve their queries, introduce or continue multiple initiatives, set and meet targets, plan the logistics, manage the interview process and ensure everything is within the budget. At times it is akin to living in a simulation world, where we get to learn various aspects of management and administration through experimentation. This, together with the inter-committee interactions, where each committee has to maintain its target as well as agree on a decision, often reminds me of my time at my workplace.
There are two aspects of Adcom that I particularly like. Each time a new batch comes on campus and a new committee is formed, they strive to meet up to the standards set by their predecessors. It becomes a tacit competition where there is immense enthusiasm to start something new and leave behind a legacy that can be followed by future committees. This is something truly distinctive to SPJIMR, where students make suggestions to bring about a change in the process and they are carefully and openly considered by the institute. Having been aspirants less than a year ago helps in revising the process for the better and ensuring that by being a link between the institute and the aspirants, both parties are contented.
The second aspect is the bond that the committee members share. Blame it on the quantum of work, or the amount of time spent together or the list of treats we have to fulfill, Adcom is one closely knit unit. This is something we have seen in our senior committees as well where they keep coming back, reminiscing and discussing the long hours they spent, the enriching and fun-filled experiences they had.
Six months on and I am certain that the legacy, the fun, and the bond is sure to continue for batches to come.
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About the Author:
Sweta Jayasankar, a PGP1 student of SPJIMR.