The big Indian dream: I will pursue an MBA after graduating from college.
Although some of you might beg to differ, but an MBA is a really great way to kick-start your career and give it a boost which would help you earn the big bucks.
However, while doing an MBA is a great decision career-wise, pursuing it from a good business school is also very important.
Before moving forward to how to get into an Indian B-school, it is crucial to know which ones to aim for depending upon your financial resources, the college’s brand name, and other things.
Now for a college student, it is kind of hard to test the waters already and know which business schools are good and which are not that good.
Being a B-school aspirant myself (which is what the MBA aspirants are fondly referred to as), I can tell you about what to look for in a good business school.
Which Business Schools To Aim For?
Now since you are going to invest a lot of money in your MBA, the most important criterion to judge a business school on is its rate of return: the money I am investing in the MBA course in that particular college and the money I would be earning after graduating from that college.
Other important things to consider obviously are: placement reports of that college, faculty, brand value and alumni base.
Going by these factors, the cream on top of the layer when it comes to A-grade business schools are: the IIMs starting from the Holy Trinity (as they are proudly known as) i.e. IIM Ahmadabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta.
Now, IIM is a tag, it’s a brand that gets recognized in the corporate world like anything and so is the brand of XLRI (Xavier’s Labour Relations Institute)-Xavier School of Management. Other colleges which come at par with these b-schools are: MDI Gurgaon, IIFT Delhi and Kolkata and FMS, Delhi University.
But this is just the cream. The whole layer is beneath them with some really good business schools providing quality education.
Also Read: How To Get Admission In A Good Law School
Next Step: How To Get Into These Business Schools?
Just like an engineering college is present in every nook and corner of India (not in a derogatory sense at all), business schools pop up on every street in this country.
As a b-school aspirant, you MUST steer clear of these money-making institutes who promise to offer you the most coveted degree but with little or no value at all.
Nothing in this world comes for free. Not even the admission to one of the prestigious business schools in this country.
Coming to the point, there is the one big exam which is held every year known as the CAT or Common Aptitude Test which you have to give if you want to make it to the IIMs and other business schools. Almost all good business schools accept CAT score.
However, there is another major MBA entrance exam known as the XAT or Xavier Aptitude Test which is held by XLRI. Some business schools accept XAT score only and some accept both XAT and CAT score. You have to check it with each college separately.
IIFT Delhi and Kolkata accept IIFT score only so there comes another exam which you should give. And if you want to make it to any business school under Symbiosis International University, then you have to give SNAP or Symbiosis National Aptitude Test.
Generally, all the MBA aptitude tests are held to test your aptitude (as the name suggests) and also your time management skills apart from quantitative, verbal and logical reasoning skills.
With good practice and determination, trust me cracking the CAT or XAT or other entrance exams is no biggie.
Now the million dollar question: is cracking the entrance exams enough?
Sadly, no. It’s just half the battle won.
After the entrance exams scores come the dreaded GDPI (Group Discussion-Personal Interview) round held by each business school separately.
The motive of the GDPI round is to assess your personality.
Okay, you’ve got the brains to crack the test which was just a way to filter candidates out. But have you got the drive, the determination, and personality to survive in a business school?
Group Discussion is a great way to understand how the candidate performs in a group as a team because managers have to work in teams after all. And the personal interview is there to simply get to know you.
To do wonders in this round, one must have sound General Knowledge and adequate communication skills at the least.
In the end, I know the entire process from thinking about getting into a business school to giving the Personal Interview is harrowing and cumbersome and may even sound very tough but the satisfaction you get after seeing your dreams fulfill and getting into the B-school of your dreams compensates for all of that.
May the force be with all the MBA aspirants!
Sources: Career Launcher, Business Insider, Business Today
Image Source: Google Images
Other Recommendations For You:
http://edtimes.in/indian-student-study-in-the-uk/
