Being a fresher we always view the world as a place full of opportunities. I was not any different from that. While preparing for CAT the thought of joining a new IIM never even crossed my mind. After the results, I had calls from IIM Indore and the Common Admission Process (CAP). It was quite probable for me that I'd go for IIM Indore if I converted it, else I'd go for workex and take CAT again. But the predictability of CAT is always an issue when one is considering for aiming for it, it's not just the test which would make you succeed. A whole list of factors come attached to the probability of you getting into an IIM of your choice apart from just the test. Although I had planned to go for workex a thought popped into my mind about the new IIMs which led me to do my research for them.
There are several factors which led me to join a new IIM for which I did a thorough study. The following factors listed are the ones which changed my perspective towards the new IIMs:
1. Pedagogy: The new IIMs are equally competent to provide knowledge to its students as any old IIM, one's evaluation for considering it for admission should not be any different from the ones for the old IIMs.
2. Competition Opportunities: The students at the new IIMs have outperformed every other IIM when it comes to competitions be it corporate or hosted by other premier B-schools.
3. Return on Investment: The new IIMs, although do not hold exploding numbers in their placement reports but they do possess the advantage of a great return on your investment.
4. The IIM Culture: The new IIMs were established under the mentorship of the old IIMs and this has led to the development of a similar IIM in them. One faces the same challenges here as they would in any old IIMs.
5. Industry relations: The new IIMs work with all their capacities to establish their relations with the corporates and industries to enrich the learning of the students. Every new IIM has its own industry and corporate summit where they call speakers from various backgrounds to interact with the students.
Evaluation as a fresher: As a fresher, we often think that having a prior workex would help me get to an older IIM and bag me an advantage during placements. Well, nothing is more precious than time, not even bigger placements. The time you would spare for getting a work experience, you can spare that in raising your experience in the corporate world. Even if you land a below average placement in the end, you can use the time you thought of sparing in work to reach a higher valuation in the long run. The money is not always the end goal. If you keep up a learners perspective, gain all the knowledge you can and perform with all the capacities you hold no one can stop you from achieving great heights.
Also as a fresher, you can hold an advantage at acads as you are used to the college experience. Apart from that being a fresher in a pool of individuals having workex of two to four years creates an endless source of knowledge from various backgrounds. You might as well use that to develop some insight about various working cultures.
To end with my story I'd say that being at a new IIM has made me proud of the decision not choosing it. I can see the world of expanding opportunities for me which I can pursue.