My 2 Cents
From the month of September, B-schools around the country will open their application window, for admission process of 2012-14 batches. Students will be in a dilemma, about which b-schools to apply to, or which b-school will be right for me .. . After the watching the admission process over a period of 2-3 years, I have learnt a thing or too, which may help aspirants to choose the right b-schools to apply to.
1.
Permanent Faculty Base: Many times we hear about b-schools claiming quality visiting faculties from the IIMs or XLRI or FMS etc, although visiting faculty are an important part of any b-school, but a permanent full time faculty base is mandatory, as unlike other degrees which are based on teaching concept, MBA is based on learning, where lot of learning is achieved outside the class, for example while working in live projects or case studies, so a continuous guidance is mandatory.. The typical ratio of faculty to student should be 1:3 So next time any college claims about visiting faculty quality , try gauge the ground realities as it might be the opposite of what is claimed..
2.
Process of learning: The process of learning or teaching in b-schools is more interactive , case study methodology based , rather based on taking lectures and making notes , the assignments or project work is based on developing skills to work in a team or lead a team , or getting industrial exposure . So it's a request to do some research , about the curriculum , about way of learning or the pedagogy of the b-school , typically PGDM programs are more dynamic , ever changing , and apt in meeting corporate needs rather than university based MBA programs
3.
Location of B-School: The B-schools situated in metros or cosmopolitans cities have lots of advantages in terms of industrial interface, as most of the industries are situated in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. So from Industrial Visits or Corporate interactions in various b-school events , the location plays a key role
4.
Placements: Placements is a huge matter of concern for many students while applying to a b-school, while many b-schools mention about average CTCs and Highest CTCs etc, many don't mention about job profiles being offered. So it's a warning that don't get tempted by the names of biggies in the recruiters list, the same names may hire from IIMs but they hire at IIMs for totally different roles and at different scale of pay packages in lower grade b-schools. It has been said many times that don't judge the book by its cover , many companies provide awesome profiles at what seems like a lower pay package ,
5.
Batch Size : Batch Size also plays an important role , higher the batch size means higher the pressure on infrastructure , faculties , placements , which seriously questions the sustainability of the college in the long term , except for the top few colleges in India like IIMs , Nitie ,MDI etc , batch size proves a huge deterrent
6.
International Academic Collaboration: The international linkages via corporate interface and in the form of academic collaboration , indicates the strength of the college , a linkage with better International renowned university always provides better growth opportunities for learning and growth
7.
Return of investment (ROI): Many students consider ROI as an important parameter for choosing a b-school; they define ROI as the "Average package or median package of a b-school, to the amount of fees paid in two years". But do you think ROI of b-school is quantifiable or so easy to calculate. Brand Name, Learning that lasts a life time, and Most importantly Networking which means that a good b-school provides accessibility to people (in form of Alumni or Visiting Faculties from the corporate world) who are well established in the industry, and can not only provide intellectual guidance but also many opportunities which one may leverage to build a successful career.
All the best guys , make the best decisions for yourself :)
PS: Dont get into a ranking or comparison based discussion on this thread weigh your parameters and choose your dream b-schools
