A lot has been written about dos and don’ts before joining a B-school, how you should utilise your first few months etc. One thing which all the articles highlighted is the importance of academics and it is highly justified. Most of us (read all) join a b-school for good placements and academics do play a vital role there. The converts list of all top b-schools is either out or in the offing and the energy level in candidates shoots up during this time. Everybody is preparing himself/herself for the 2-years ahead and is looking for ways which will give him/her an edge over others. A significant percentage being freshers just doesn’t know what to do. Focus on channelizing this energy into the right direction and you would make most out of your MBA. Here are few things to keep you busy for next one month:

1. Go to www.khanacademy.com and finish two courses – Statistics and Economics. Statistics is very important irrespective of the domain you wish to choose and Economics for some becomes tough.

2. Many enter a b-school having no clue about their interest area. Saying “I would explore all the subjects in the first year and then go ahead with whatever I like in the second year” sounds good only till interviews. Trust me you don’t want yourself to end up in a situation where you are clueless about your interest area. It is beneficial to discover that as early as possible.

3. Certifications are like icing on the cake. There are sufficient certifications for every domain. There is CFA, FRM, FLIP, NCFM, NISM, CAIA etc. for finance, Google Adwords, SMStudy, Hubspot Marketing and Sales Certification etc. for marketing, PMP, Six Sigma etc. for operations. I found this post on Quora very useful. Of course, you can’t do it all now, but just the knowledge of these certifications may help later in choosing the right one. (Quick tip: Certifications help during internship placements)

4. The presence of corporate competition enhances the weight of your resume. MBA will throw a big bunch of such competitions which is difficult to handle. Do not think of excelling in all of them. Research about the competitions which are open to your target B-school and choose 3-4 which go along with your profile and interest. Try to learn as much as possible about those 3-4 competitions. (Winners often end up getting reputed internships, PPOs and PPIs)

5. We all know about advantages of getting into a club/committee. A bit of research on the clubs/committees of your interest of your target b-school will help during the selection process. Most of the clubs/committees have a Facebook/LinkedIn page. (Now you know where to go)

6. All b-schools have either a closed Facebook group or a Whatsapp group. Make good use of such forums. Network well with your to-be batchmates and seniors. Have meaningful conversations and don’t be afraid to ask doubts (No matter how stupid they sound).

7. Many of us use MBA to choose our life partners as well, but let me take this opportunity and tell you that competition even there is damn high (only for boys). Preparation is the key here too. One month is good enough to get in shape or for a makeover. (Quick tip: You have to be real quick in these matters as all divas/dudes get booked within a month)

Congratulations and good luck.

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About the Author:

I am currently pursuing PGDM program at IIM Ranchi. I am a finance enthusiast. I read, travel and am a leisure writer.

P.S: With inputs from Pooja Yadav and Sonali Chavan.

Ravi Kumar Gupta

How To Start Your MBA From A Vantage Point