Hello Atul,

I am really impressed by your posts in the group and your website. I really appreciate your efforts towards helping people.

I too wanted some guidance. I am a Hotel Management graduate with an additional degree in computer applications. I have a total of 4 years of work experience (1.5 in a reputed hotel and 2.5 years in IBM's BPO division). I am presently in a Quality Leader's position with IBM's BPO. I wish to enrich my career in the BPO/services industry and maybe open up my own enterprise in the long run. With time I have realised that studying MBA would help me perform better in my profession by adding more knowledge and skills and equip me to take up more responsibilities early in my career.

With this realisation in mind, I wanted to test myself for the MBA entrances this year and took CAT and GMAT for getting a feel without much preparations. I got 640 in gmat and have got calls for 3 year part time MBA from IIM-C and FMS and 2 year regular MBA from MDI-Gurgaon. I am encouraged to prepare better now for next year to improve my performance.

I would now like to take your opinion on the most suitable course for me, keeping my objectives into consideration, so that I can focus specifically for that in my next year's preparation.

The options which I see are :

1. 3 year part time from a good college - I can continue working in BPO with this and gain the degree and relevant experience too simultaneously. Dont have much idea about the learnings from it. Also it will save me another year of preparations if I convert my calls this year itself. No placement support though.

2. Take CAT and try to get into IIMs - This provides placement opportunities as against 3 years part time but lose out on 2 years work exp during the course period.

3. Take GMAT again and try for 700+ this time and aim for ISB - saves one year out of job period and provides the placement opportunity too. Quite expensive though.

Could you please share your thoughts and opinion? I will be very grateful.

Thanks a lot!

Sameer

Hey Sameer,

I must complement you for coming up with alternatives for yourself. Let me add that there is a specific part-time course structured towards IT industry professionals at IIM-Bangalore which you might want to explore.

With a part-time course in a city other than where you are based, chances are that you will not be able to retain your current job. I dont know how easy it will be for you to continue an 'odd' time job with an 'odd' time course. Clearly most part-time programs are designed for executives working during 'normal' hours. Apologize for using these words in quotes, but I hope you get the point.

As for the alternatives, you have listed, I will try and help with your analysis rather than provide answers.

With you level of experience and one more year to go, a full-time program at the IIMs will not be the best option. You will be senior to most students and may not get what you want. The recruitment opportunities will be great but if you have decided to continue within the BPO space then it may not be worth it. If you try and focus on financial services firms (during B-school recruitments)who have their own BPO set-up, you may not be the right candidate for them at MBA salary levels, necessarily. You will need to look for a lateral placement. As for the BPO firms, I would think that most of them do not recruit out of MBA schools.

In the Indian context, if you choose to go to a good school for a part-time program, the learning can be substantial. I equate it to being in an MBA program overseas because the entire emphasis here is on learning through sharing of experiences. Again, the key here is to go to a good MBA school. The placement support in this case often comes out of networking.

The ISB is the closest you can get to an international MBA experience based in India and is significantly lower than what you would spend at any of the top schools in the world. So, it can be good but yes the expense is high.

Let me reiterate that the key is to understand what your post-MBA plan is, and then decide. If you want to continue in the same industry, then you are seeking to fulfill a very different objective from freshly minted graduates who jump straight into your MBA.

Feel free to write in and let me know if you need more help.

All the best in your academic endeavours.

Atul Monga

Hey Atul,

Thanks a lot for taking pains in understanding my case and replying with such a detailed response.

Believe me, your analysis has played a major role for me in narrowing down on the best options. As per your analysis and as per the research done by me in the last couple of months, I see ISB as the best option to target for admission next year followed by a part time MBA course from FMS which happens to be in Delhi where I am based and employed as an alternative.

You may use my decision and case as an example to qoute to other MBA aspirants with similar background who seek your help.

Thanks again and do let me know if I can also assist you in helping others through this medium using my inputs.

Regards,

Sameer

Hi Sameer & Atul,

I am also in similar dilemma. I am a CA with 7 years exp. and heading regional finance of a reputed co. My aim is head business. To augment my ambitions, I am planning to for MBA- part time in Delhi. I have identified FMS, IIML-Noida Campus, FORE, IIFT & IMI as my target institutes.

In IIML, selection process is through an examination on the patterns of CAT followed by GD and Interview.

I would like to understand from you the examinations patterns of other institute esp. FMS also the timings of classes. Also since I haven’t appeared for CAT, please let me know the examination structure of CAT. Please help

Hi Atul, I am overwhelmed with your responses to this forum so actively. you seem to be an expert in guiding people as i read, people get a lot of benefit when they read your replies. Also, i want you to comment on my query too.

I am Vinamra, just passed out B.Tech. (Computer Science), am going to join Infosys within a month or so, but I want to pursue further studies as being a manager has always been my aim. I have always been an Excellent student throughout, both academically and extra curricular-wise so that can build up a decent profile as of now. At present I have ZERO work experience but by the time I will be taking GMAT and applying, I will be having few months of work experience in hand.

I plan to pursue MBA ONLY from a Top-Grade B-School in India/Abroad.
So am kind of confused that whether this is right time for me to take the GMAT or not ( I am planning to take it somewhere around Aug-Sep '07). If Not, How should I go about it.

Please suggest me what should I do?

Regards,
Vinamra

Hi Vinamra

Though GMAT score is valid for almost 4 years but it is not advisable to apply with a old score and for MBA abroad you must have 3-4 years of work ex. Hence I think as of now u can focus on CAT 2007 and can think of GMAT in 2009 or so.

Meanwhile what is your age?

Hi raman,

Thnks for ur prompt reply, i am 22 yrs old , jus passed out engineer, abt to join ma job soon (in Infosys). But I am very keen to get into a B School asap, i m nt inclined in studying in an indian b school (xcept few top notch ones, like the IIMs and the ISB kinds). Is Work Ex that Important? . I've gone through profiles of ppl in which they hv got into schools like ISB without much wrk ex. Hwz dat poss?
I am novice and cnfused. Please Help.

Regards,
Vinamra

Hi Vinamra

You can probably make to ISB but not to US Ivy league also. Since you are 22 year old only, i will suggest you to join infosys and start preparing for CAT ( this will help for GMAT as well)

Hi,

Please refer to my response to your query posted elsewhere on the forum. I would like to disagree with some of the responses here which insist that you cannot apply to US Ivy league schools.

BTW, some of the top-notch schools are not ivy league to start with. Secondly, cradle-snatching is not an unheard of practice these days at US business schools. If you are bright and can convince a school about the need to do an MBA early, they will consider you.

There are students in the 23 to 24 age group at some of the top schools. This is not to say that this is a common practice but to imply that it is entirely possible. The question is, what is the benefit you will get from a class that has several years of experience each and therefore can draw much more out of each other than yourself who is likely to be one-sided participant in class discussions with little or no work experience.

Hope this points you in the right direction.

Atul Monga

Hey guys,
Hi . I am Ankit.
currently in US ,doing MS in mechanical engg.
was just surfing over internet abt the options available to get in to iims .
I had a few queries which i guess you can solve viz.,

1. Is it possible to get in to IIMs (for full time 2 yr MBA prog), just by clearing GMAT with gud score , say 700+, ??
2. Is clearing GMAT enough or CAT also required ?
3. I have no work Exp. ! so still can i get in to IIM as people say you need to have a work ex ??

please respond !

thank you guys .

Ankit Kimtee

HI ALL,
Its really great to participate in such a vivid discussion about ones' career : after all that's why we all are here.Yes i am also confused as to what should I aim. Current i am working in SAP ERP as a technical consultant at one of the leading US MNC. Well I have just a year of experience in this company (to this date) and have done MCA from university of pune and passed last year(2007).I am 25 yrs old.
Surely I would like to pursue MBA and am thinking of taking CAT 2008 in Nov. However the full time course is 2yrs and again would take 2 yrs my experience. Should I wait to take 3+ yrs experience and then take GMAT for an MBA abroad? How much of my age would play a factor in taking CAT'08 or would I still be able to utilize a 2 year MBA course to the fullest to enter into a considerably senior level management ? Appreciate any suggestion.

Thank you

Sudidas

Hey Ankit and Sudidas,

I'll try and answer your questions is sequence:

--------
Ankit
--------
Is it possible to get in to IIMs (for full time 2 yr MBA prog), just by clearing GMAT with gud score , say 700+, ??

Yes, a good score on the GMAT will help, but the GMAT alone is not enough. A good application with a well-rounded background.

Is clearing GMAT enough or CAT also required ?
You do not need both, but you need to satisfy certain requirements, to be able to apply with a GMAT score rather than a CAT score.

I have no work Exp. ! so still can i get in to IIM as people say you need to have a work ex ??
The simplest solution is to check out the IIM websites. The requirements are pretty explicit.
---------
Sudidas
---------

If you would prefer an MBA from a top ranked school overseas, I'll advise you to focus on your career at the moment and consider preparing for it in 2-3 years' time. By then you will have 4-5 years of experience, already have 16 years of education in any case, and therefore be well-positioned to apply.

Not sure what your concern about the CAT is, with respect to your age. That said, an MBA from a good institution is an investment which will pay of huge rewards all your life. So, two years is a small price to pay for significant rewards later in life.

Finally, please be clear about what you mean by senior management. MBAs do not start in senior management roles. What matters most is that they get into the right roles in the best companies and that prepares then to take on senior management roles in future.

Hope this helps.

Atul Monga