When I started thinking of MBA in 2006, I wondered which school should I select. Is there really a big difference among the various top B-Schools of India? Are the Global B-schools really a class apart from the Indian schools, as is claimed by a section of the MBA fraternity?
I started searching for B-Schools through the trusted ‘google’ and found a number of rankings of the top B-schools of the world. It was really very difficult to narrow down the choices. Still I carried on, with perseverance, and found that its not that difficult as it appeared in the beginning. For making a choice regarding the school, remember that every B-school has its own particular character and you have to identify that characteristic on your own. Search the MBA sites, visit the websites of B-Schools, devote good enough time on their pages, make notes about various schools and consult the alumni from various schools.
Other important task is to list your priorities, your objectives and what you want from an MBA. Once you know your objectives and the various characteristics of the different schools, matching them should not be a big issue. Infact, the major issue usually is: what are our objectives. What we want to achieve in life. I myself was not clear about it; but this is very important as it will not only help you in selecting the right B- school but shall also help shaping your career. It will also help while writing admission essays and applications for the B – schools. I suggest one should read the book: ‘What color is your parachute’ by Richard N. Bolles and then decide on the priorities.
Other than your objectives, here are some important aspects which one may consider while choosing the school and the course:
Duration of the course: How much time are you ready to take a break from your professional career- 12 months, 16, 24? That’s for you to decide.
Which sector are you focusing on: Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain Management- there are different B-schools having different focus areas?
What are you targeting to achieve from MBA- wanna develop personal skills, or professional traits or simply you want to grow your network?
These are just examples to help you know on what lines you need to think while selecting a B-school.
Regarding the differences between Indian B-Schools and the global B-schools- the major difference (infact it’s the worst drawback of studying at Indian B-school) is that the students and the faculty are not diverse. Almost 99% of the students and the faculty in Indian B-schools is from India and that leaves almost no room for learning from diverse peers n teachers.
Global B-schools have faculty and students from a variety of backgrounds and from all over the world and you learn as much from your peers as from the MBA course.
There are many other theories available on internet that will guide you in your endeavor. For any help, one is most welcome to contact me at vkhanna10@gmail.com
13 July 2007
Crack the GMAT
So you are ready? Ready to go ahead with GMAT. Great.
Well the very first thing you should do, after having gone through the official web site of GMAC, is to buy the official guides for preparing for the GMAT. Believe me they are the best. Though people say that they are relatively easier than some other guides like Kaplan, Princeton etc., still they are the closest to the official format and the pattern of the questions, which you will actually find in the test. There are 3 volumes of official guides available: one which covers whole of the GMAT, second which covers only the verbal part and third which deals with the analytical section.
Go through one of the practice tests given in the beginning of the main Official guide- the first volume. It will help you know the severity of the questions asked in GMAT and the types of questions that you can expect. However, some bouncers are always there. When you sit for the real exam, you will face some totally new questions.
Now wait. After having done the practice test, close the official guide. Pick any other guide, like Kaplan, Princeton- any, which ever is easily available. Now go through whole of that guide first. After that come back to the official guides. Complete the main guide first. Again, take a break. By now you must have mastered the various types of questions that you can expect in GMAT.
Along with all these guides I recommend to join any one of good websites for preparing for GMAT. Here you can discuss your problems, doubts etc. with others and also you will come to know of the latest happenings in the MBA world. Search Google for such preparatory websites.
So you are done with one of the private GMAT guides as well as the official GMAT guide. This should not have taken more than 2 months considering you are working and are devoting 2-3 hours daily and few extra hours on the weekends. Considering your GMAT test date is nearby, start with the two supplement volumes of the Official GMAT Guide. Complete these and mind you- don’t read any other guide near to your GMAT. I have seen people burning mid night oil near to the test date and completing as many guides as possible. This is calling for the disaster. When you are approaching the test date, just concentrate on the official guides; because official guides are the one which are very near to the actual GMAT and that’s why I say- they are the best bets. Other guides, in their tendency to put difficult questions, just drift away from the pattern of questions that actually form the GMAT.
One more thing- that I have missed earlier. You need not prepare much for the essays- 2 small ones which constitute the first part of the GMAT. Just read some of the topics of the official guides on the last day. That’s enough; but do increase your reading. Try reading some national and international business papers. Read news articles as well as editorials. They will help you grasp the verbal part of the GMAT.
Rest luck should be on your side and you will be able to surpass that magical figure of 700, like yours truly did in September 2006 with the score of 740.
Well the very first thing you should do, after having gone through the official web site of GMAC, is to buy the official guides for preparing for the GMAT. Believe me they are the best. Though people say that they are relatively easier than some other guides like Kaplan, Princeton etc., still they are the closest to the official format and the pattern of the questions, which you will actually find in the test. There are 3 volumes of official guides available: one which covers whole of the GMAT, second which covers only the verbal part and third which deals with the analytical section.
Go through one of the practice tests given in the beginning of the main Official guide- the first volume. It will help you know the severity of the questions asked in GMAT and the types of questions that you can expect. However, some bouncers are always there. When you sit for the real exam, you will face some totally new questions.
Now wait. After having done the practice test, close the official guide. Pick any other guide, like Kaplan, Princeton- any, which ever is easily available. Now go through whole of that guide first. After that come back to the official guides. Complete the main guide first. Again, take a break. By now you must have mastered the various types of questions that you can expect in GMAT.
Along with all these guides I recommend to join any one of good websites for preparing for GMAT. Here you can discuss your problems, doubts etc. with others and also you will come to know of the latest happenings in the MBA world. Search Google for such preparatory websites.
So you are done with one of the private GMAT guides as well as the official GMAT guide. This should not have taken more than 2 months considering you are working and are devoting 2-3 hours daily and few extra hours on the weekends. Considering your GMAT test date is nearby, start with the two supplement volumes of the Official GMAT Guide. Complete these and mind you- don’t read any other guide near to your GMAT. I have seen people burning mid night oil near to the test date and completing as many guides as possible. This is calling for the disaster. When you are approaching the test date, just concentrate on the official guides; because official guides are the one which are very near to the actual GMAT and that’s why I say- they are the best bets. Other guides, in their tendency to put difficult questions, just drift away from the pattern of questions that actually form the GMAT.
One more thing- that I have missed earlier. You need not prepare much for the essays- 2 small ones which constitute the first part of the GMAT. Just read some of the topics of the official guides on the last day. That’s enough; but do increase your reading. Try reading some national and international business papers. Read news articles as well as editorials. They will help you grasp the verbal part of the GMAT.
Rest luck should be on your side and you will be able to surpass that magical figure of 700, like yours truly did in September 2006 with the score of 740.
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