Admission Journey: How Tarang got into Illinois Institute of Technology at Chicago?

Studyabroad.shiksha.com got in touch with one of the students – Tarang Vaidya and learned about his experiences in how he got into the Illinois Institute of Technology at Chicago for the course Masters in Industrial Technology & Operations.

Q. Tell us about the course you pursued at your university?

Tarang Vaidya: I pursued a Master’s in Industrial Technology & Operations with specializations in Supply Chain Management at Illinois Institute of Technology at Chicago (IIT Chicago). The course encompasses various aspects of the supply chain industry covering topics but not limited to Quality, Warehousing, Purchasing, Inventory Control, and Supply Chain Strategies to name a few. The courses covered at IIT Chicago were extremely beneficial for the fact that they take into consideration the different supply chain perspectives and make the students ready for the dynamic supply chain industry. 

Q. Please give details about your academic and professional profile.

TV: I completed my bachelor’s in production engineering from Shivajirao S Jondhale College of Engineering affiliated to Mumbai University. As a part of our curriculum, I had a chance to Intern with Siemens Limited at Kalwa factory where I was exposed to the industry set up for the very first time. I also completed my Post Graduate Program in Business Administration (PGPBA) from the Indo German Training Centre based out of Churchgate, Mumbai. This program encompassed some advanced learning concepts which included Finance, Human Resources, Statistical Quality Control, Sales and Marketing, etc. to name a few. As a part of the course, I interned with Mercedes Benz India Private Limited at Chakan, Pune where I experienced three critical processes of Production process namely: Quality Control, Supplier Analysis, and Production/Assembly Process.

After completing my bachelor’s, I started working with Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited as an Assistant Manager at Security Solutions Division. After completing my PGPBA, I was selected as a Market Research Analyst at GEP India Private Limited supporting strategic sourcing for Google. My job profile included drafting market intelligence reports as well as profiling suppliers across various industries in different regions. 

Q. How tough it is to get into this university? What does the university expect in a prospective student’s profile?

TV: Despite going through the normal procedure of applying through the University website process, I came across the OSPA (On Spot Admission) process where the University officials interviewed the prospective students, admissions were given on the spot to the students, and I am proud to say that I was one of them. I not only secured admission but also received a scholarship that prompted me to choose IIT Chicago to pursue my masters.

The University considers the background of the students as well as their interests in the respective field and at the same time, students should do a thorough research of the program that would shape their career.

Q. Why did you shortlist this university? What parameters did you take into account when making the final decision? Which other school admits did you receive?

TV: The course offerings of the University were almost similar to what I wanted to do. Apart from the academics, it was also important for me to be more actively involved in various extracurricular activities and IIT Chicago had various student organizations that helped me in shaping up my career. The proximity to downtown Chicago was another aspect since Chicago is also a transportation hub of the country. Seeing all these factors, I joined IIT Chicago also I did not receive admits from other schools.

Q. What all exams did you appear to get into this university? How did you prepare for these exams?

TV: I scored 309/340 in GRE and 97/120 in TOEFL exams. Since I was working at that time, it was a challenge to manage both work and studies, so I joined coaching to take care of my studies. I used to study and attend classes in the mornings, go to work in the afternoon and come back late in the night and study for some more time again before hitting the sack. I followed this routine for almost 3 months before giving my exams and I would like to thank my employer for their support.

Q. When and how did you apply to this university? How long did it take from application to admission?

TV: I started applying to the University after I joined the preparation classes. Since the majority of the deadlines are in March or April for the fall semester, it made sense to keep a check on the deadlines at all times. After I gave my exams, I came across IIT Chicago’s Mumbai office where they told me about the OSPA process. I attended the process and got the chance to study at such a prestigious institution.

Q. How much did the admission/application process cost? How did you arrange for funds? Did you get any loan or Scholarship? Does your university offer scholarships to overseas or Indian students?

TV: Getting high GRE and TOEFL scores helped and the university was generous enough to waive off my application fees. I secured admission through the OSPA process and secured a scholarship of $10,000 that helped me with finances.

Q. Did you use the services of any study abroad agent for admission related help – SOP/LOR/Essay/Visa, etc?

TV: Yes. I did avail the help of Imperial Educational Consultants based out of Thane and they helped me tremendously in all the admission related processes.

Q. How was your study abroad experience at the university? What are the top 3 things you like about the university and 3 things you wish were better?

TV: The experience has been truly amazing and the fact that the University recognized me as one of the featured students for graduation definitely makes a statement that I made use of all the opportunities that were presented to me. Apart from my personal growth, I believe that the University helped me improve professionally and make me market-ready.

Top 3 Things: Ample opportunities to be a part of various student organizations that helps the individual grow personally as well as professionally. Decent classroom strength across a variety of courses and proximity to downtown and various places in the neighborhood to explore.

3 Things that could improve: Encourage students to live on campus versus living off-campus, more on-campus opportunities for students, and better insurance plans.

Q. Your advice to study abroad aspirants wanting to get into this course/university? What worked for you?

TV: The University believes in having a practical approach to the courses that would be undertaken and if the student is keen on scoring only high grades over learnings that would help them shape their career, then IIT Chicago is not the right place for you. The University encourages practical learning approach and I understand that even though some courses are theoretically driven, there are various events and competitions that students can be a part of to apply the concepts that they learned during their course of study. Having an opportunity to apply what I learned during my summer internship here worked for me. The University also helped me step out of my comfort zone and presented me with various opportunities, the most important being, leadership qualities.

Studyabroad.shiksha.com wishes Tarang Vaidya a prosperous career.