Studying in B- schools will give you complete business environment strategy and skills for new generation. Are you preparaing for CAT exam after scoring beware of choosing the right B- school.
20 years ago management courses in India were synonymous with IIMs. Though IIMs continue to be the best B-schools in imparting business education in India, with time several good B-Schools have emerged to cater to the growing population of MBA aspirants. These institutes offer innovative courses to satisfy the needs of all sections of students.
Hence, it is very important to understand your needs and select the right institute. Since you will be spending a lot in your MBA, it is important you select the right institute. How do we differentiate between these colleges? Here are some tips that you can follow-:
1) Reputation: Some B-schools already have a very good brand value and are very well recognised in the industry. Students of these well-reputed B-schools are sought-after by employers across industry. The brand value of the college adds value to the student`s CV. If it is a new or upcoming college, then it is advisable to consult with somebody in the industry to understand the industry perception of the college.
2) Rankings: Every year, reputed newspapers, magazines and websites release B-school rankings. Although these rankings are not very reliable, they give some idea about the relative merit of the college.
3) Accreditation: Does the college have the requisite approvals? Is it AICTE- approved? What other collaborations does the college have? It is very important to know what all accreditations your colleges have. If your degrees are not recognized, they won`t hold much value especially if you`re seeking jobs in the public sector.
4) Placements: One of the primary reasons why many students opt for MBAs is to get a well-paid job. It is for this reason that most students carefully study the official placement report of the college. When looking at the placement statistics, try and find out the job profiles offered. Also check out which companies hire from these institutes.
5) Alumni: Talk to the alumni, find out about the college and where they are placed. Try and get your doubts cleared about the quality of education offered and the facilities available.
6) Faculty and Staff: Find about how many permanent and temporary faculty members are there. Find out about their qualifications. A healthy mix of people with some industry exposure is preferred. This brings in insights from the industry and academics to the classroom.
7) Students: Data such as the average CAT/GMAT scores, average age, average work experience and male-female ratio gives you a fair idea of the student mix of the college.
Journey to B-school: Tips to excel in GD, PI rounds:
For all MBA aspirants, it is time to sharpen your communication and presentation skills. For it is time to gear up for GD and PI round. With the shortlists for GD-PI declared by IIFT recently the MBA aspirants have now woken up to the other realities on their journey to MBA and that is they have to make a mark in GD, Essay writing and personal interview round.
In an attempt to help you ace these rounds and help you make the correct impression in front of the panel of interviewers, Learnhub gives you tips to ace these rounds. One must remember the institute is checking your attitude, how well you structure to your thoughts, your problem solving skills and "how he/she approaches any question or problem.
For Group Discussions, reading a lot helps. You should be assertive but not imposing. You should be able to contribute to the discussion but at the same time let others speak. It will show how you conduct yourself in a board room. You can get hold of a book which covers the Do`s and Don`ts of case GDs along with a few practice cases. Each and every coaching institute have these GD books. Another interesting idea is that you can try and form a group with like-minded friends and discuss these practice cases.
For Interview round make sure you`re dressed formally and have a clean look. You should go with an open mind, positive mindset and self confidence. You can be asked anything under the sun and no one expects you to know all the answers but it is important is how you approach the answer. Please remember you should model your interview in such a manner that it meets the expectations of the particular institute. Do not appear nervous. For practice, you can organise mock interviews with family/ friends.
There are always a few typical questions like "Why MBA?" "What are your long-term and short-term career goals? How MBA will help you achieve these goals?" "Which specialisation you would like to opt for and why?" You might be asked questions about any drop in education or a sharp fall in marks at any stage - you should be prepared with the answers beforehand.
The key to success in these rounds is reading, practicing and talking to lot of successful people who have graduated from top B-schools.