B School?? Tools To Find Best For You

An MBA program is your opportunity to push outside of your comfort zone, to learn new skills, develop strong relationships, to grow into a leader.  You will grow the most in an environment that facilitates the way that you learn.  This is very personal, and cannot be captured in a number or ranking driven by statistics and weightings that have been deemed important to others as they may not be important - or as important - to you.   Do your own homework.  Start with yourself and what you hope to gain from an MBA program as well as what factors challenge you to push yourself.  Then gather as much information as you can - online, in person, in print, from the schools themselves, independent sources, alumni, and the like.  Develop your own criteria, and then make a point to visit the programs that rank highest on your list.  Experiencing first-hand the culture of a program through interactions with students, faculty, and staff will solidify to you where you will best "fit" and will challenge yourself to grow the most.

One of the major objectives of MBA Informer community is to spread the awareness among all the MBA aspirants about all the available options for them. Soon the results of MBA entrance tests will be declared and the hunt for B-School will begin as per your scores.

Now question is -

How to select the best program as well as institute for you. This article is to tell you about some of the factors that, as an MBA aspirant , you should consider for, while  searching for the B-School for you.

Additionally, we offer suggestions as to additional points to think about and steps to take when deciding upon which programs you will apply to.

Available Program Types

• Two-Year MBA

• One-Year MBA

• Executive MBA

{ Some Institutes offer Distance Learning MBA with PGDBM(AUTONOMOUS) at the name of Dual MBA, never go for it.}

Explore your MBA Options ( Other then IIMs and other Top MBA Institutes)

• Indian Colleges in North India

•Colleges in South India

• Specific Cities

The Rankings – understand what they are telling you

• Internet

• Business Week

• The Wall Street Journal

• The Education Times

But never go only with the words of these sources as there is a maximum probability of getting biased information.

Formal Channels

• The Internet

• Admissions Offices

• Literature

Informal Channels

• Alumni

• Corporate Recruiters

• Faculty

Research, Planning & Preparation are the Key Elements :-

A good Business schools, no doubt offers an unique learning experience, quality education  to the students that spans all management disciplines including the latest research, theories, practices—and, ultimately, a highly regarded degree recognized across the world. Likewise, business schools recognize the valuable dimension, depth and diversity that international students add to their MBA programs. In fact, the insights and perspectives international students bring to the classroom have become integral to the MBA experience. The result is a mutually beneficial experience that enhances all students’ perspectives of the global business community. And the key to realizing the quality education and door-opening opportunities of an MBA program lies in an intensive research, preparation, and planning process on the part of prospective international students.

Qualities and Goals:-

One of your initial steps in pursuing an MBA should be exploring business schools for program types that match your personal style, educational objectives and career goals. Fortunately, there’s a world of information right at your fingertips, courtesy of the Internet. You’ll want to examine the curriculum and various areas of specialization offered at different business schools, along with each school’s unique culture. Equally important is finding out what kinds of services are available specifically for international students. By exploring Web sites for business schools, you can get a good feel for curriculum and campus life. At the same time, you’ll find a wealth of resources specifically to assist international applicants, ranging from admissions requirements, visa information and immigration issues, to English language classes, support networks, scholarships and loan information. In addition, you’ll want to look at the schools’ event calendars for key dates including the admissions information sessions many business schools host around the world. Such sessions provide excellent opportunities to network and learn more about what the schools have to offer.

The Earlier You Start the Better the Result:-

Business school admission is extremely competitive and the earlier you start preparing the better. In addition to practicing your English language skills, you should also be thinking about your application—and interview—long before you actually apply. For starters, you’ll want to make sure your credentials, academic ability and achievement-oriented experiences align with the requirements of the MBA programs you’re considering.  Admissions directors will expect you to effectively position, differentiate and sell yourself in terms of your leadership potential, interpersonal skills and the overall value you will bring to the program.

Your Budget, Be Prepared for it:-

Also keep in mind all the expenses you need to make for your MBA. Its not less than any investment. So be concerned about it. Make a proper planning. If want to go for education loan, check all the available options as well as be careful about all the terms and conditions of banks. Also check all your available funds to make the payments at the time of admission.

You should plan to make contact with those business schools you’re interested in about one year before you intend to apply. This gives you plenty of time to find out each school’s requirements and ensure all required exams  (including TOEFL and the Graduate Management Admission Test [GMAT]) are completed well ahead of their deadlines. With that said, ample preparation for the GMAT is essential. While the GMAT addresses skills that have theoretically been developed over years of schooling and work experience, you can still sharpen your skills by strengthening your foundations and taking practice tests to highlight those areas requiring additional focus.

In the End

The payoff to your comprehensive research, program consideration and preparation, financial aid assessment, and application submission, however, is a comprehensive global experience that will embrace you in a collaborative community, challenge you to reach new heights, forever widen your scope of the world and provide insights that will guide you throughout your business career.

Geographical location and career goals, these are two important points to consider for  all the candidates looking towards MBAs.  Although, there are many programs which have a global focus,  regional knowledge may certainly be enhanced through the location of a Business School and will influence availability of opportunities including field trips, industry speakers, management projects and internships as well.   International exchange is one avenue students might look at to gain exposure to a new geographic region and to strengthen international networks.  While making decisions related to B-School for yourself, you should also assess fit between the School and your career goals.  Looking at diversity amongst the student body, on-campus recruiters and placement data can help candidates do this. You can use the opportunities of GD and personal Interviews to talk with other aspirants, current students and alumni about their experiences.  Lastly, exploring where future opportunities are likely to lie can be extremely important.

Source: {Research Work}