So you have given CAT/XAT and other exams. And you haven’t made it to the top Bschools. How do you evaluate Tier 2 BSchools?
Are Tier 2 Bschools worth joining?
Firstly this is not a yes or no question. The key is what are the alternatives? Continuing in your Job? Taking the exams next year. We covered some of those options in an earlier article.
India is a Two Trillion dollar market and growing at 7-8% annually. And almost every sector of the economy requires Managers. The number of managers required far exceeds the output of the top 10-15 Bschools. A number of good tier 2 Bschools have done well in terms of placement.
How do I analyze the placement of a tier 2 Bschool?
First, learn to look beyond average salary. Any good Bschool should give a detailed placement report, the way IIMs and top Bschools do.
Average & Median Salary
Most of the IIMs and top Bschools provide median salary as well as Average. The problem with an average salary figure is that it is easily distorted both by high and low figures. A median salary figure gives you a much better picture of the kind of salary an average mid ranking student can get.
Also look at how the Average and Median salary is increasing from year to year. Remember that you will actually pass out 2 years from now.
Sector and Profile Distribution
One of the biggest advantages of an MBA is that it gives you a chance to build a career in any sector of the economy. For example, sectors like eCommerce, Analytics etc are sectors, which are booming and provide a very good scope for learning and career growth.
At the same time, it is important that you get an opportunity to explore various job profiles. Some of the tier 2 Bschools have a tendency to offer primarily sales & marketing profiles. One reason for this is that Brand Mgt, HR, Finance etc job profiles are offered primarily at head office locations while sales profiles are largely offered at regional or zonal offices.
So first look for Bschools in cities which have a good corporate presence, like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Second and more important, study the placement report of the Bschool and look for the job distribution. A good Bschool will offer diversity in profile: Consulting, Analytics, Finance, HR along with Sales.
Income Distribution in Placement
An average placement hides a wide range. For example an average placement of Rs 5 lacs can range from a low of Rs 3.5 lacs to Rs 8 lacs. Look at details like Highest and Lowest salaries. Ideally a good placement report will also give details of number of people in each salary range (7-8 lacs, 6-7 lacs etc).
Other Factors
Some of the factors that you can look at are
Summer internship and number of PPOs: Good Bschools take summer internships seriously. A good summer internship is very important in helping a student understand the kind of role and specialization that he/she enjoys.
At the same time, students who perform well in summer internships get direct job offers like Pre placement offers.
Company Profiles: Study the company list. It should ideally include a range of companies from Well-established MNC’s to Good startups.
Last word
There really is no last word in this. It finally depends on the confidence one has in oneself to be able to make the most out of opportunities.
In the next article, we will take up three to four colleges in each of the top cities and analyse the placement stats and the Bschool worthiness for the benefit of all.
Read all previous stories in this series by Experts at Vistamind
here. Know more about Vistamind
here
Part II will be published soon. We have a live chat on this topic on Monday 4th May at 6.30 pm
here