When a CAT aspirant has more than one final B-school covert, a dilemma occurs in some cases when the B-schools are at similar rankings. Making a final decision for B-school selection now becomes of utmost importance since it will have a direct impact on the aspirant’s career for the next 3-4 years. Post the initial years out of an MBA college, the candidate’s work speaks for themselves rather than the brand value of the B-school.
A strategic choice has to be made while selecting a B-school. Firstly, if you find yourself in this position, spoilt for choices, congratulations! Many aspirants dream to be in your shoes. Now, most of you must be aware of the common tips to look while ranking or choosing an MBA college namely – the national rankings, international rankings, curriculum, cohort, placements, companies visiting the campus, fees, specialization, etc. The following tips could serve as some lesser-known potential parameters to select the best B-school among your offers –
a. Check if your B-school is eligible for the top case competitions in India
Most top case competitions in India are only open to a select few premier institutions. Checking for your preferred B-school’s eligibility in maximum of these competitions can be an indirect measure of the school’s legacy and brand value.
There are multi-faceted pros to getting a chance to participate in these case competitions, namely –
I. Case competitions offer insights into the real-world corporate projects.
II. The national case study competitions offer students an alternate gateway for an attempt at bagging PPIs and PPOs if they are unable to get a shortlist in the top companies via campus placements.
III. The case competitions provide handsome cash prizes to the national finalists, semi-finalists, campus winners, etc.
IV. Emerging as the national winner, semi-finalist, campus winner act as remarkable CV points for the students.
b. Alumni network
A strong, well-placed alumni network could help the current students or even the graduated students get placed at prominent organizations or locations. Suppose a candidate is an alumnus of a reputed college and moves abroad for higher studies or personal reasons. The candidate finds themselves in an alien territory and it becomes tough for them to search or navigate for a job. Hence, if they can leverage or reach out to their alumni network in that city, the initial process of getting their foot in a company gets much easier.
c. Opportunities in your preferred field/specialization
Students should always have their short-term and long-term goals in mind before selecting a B-school. If they already have chosen their desired stream or specialization, they should look for the college which provide them with ample opportunities in that very field. Students should be able to hone their skills in their preferred specialization which could be mostly facilitated by their institution.
d. Don’t get blindsided by short-term challenges like ROI
Let's face it, MBA is an expensive degree. Most of the top colleges charge huge amount of fees, barring a select few. But don’t let that deter your goal of pursuing an MBA. Opting for an education loan is preferred. In fact, most of the students in the batch opt for education loans due to financial constraints or later tax benefits. If you have secured admission to a top B-school, you will be eligible for the education loan category, meant for meritorious students, with significantly lower interest rate. Each bank has a separate category name and list of these premier institutions which are separate from the normal education loan. For instance – SBI Scholar Loan, PNB Pratibha, etc. Your return on investment or ROI should not be measured on the basis of just 1 year out of college. So, avoid comparing your initial CTC to your fees. An MBA degree from a premier institution will provide you with a lifetime of growth and corporate success to recover your initial investment by leaps!
Overall, focus on choosing a college which would help you flourish in your academic and professional career in the long run!
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