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23. Part-time Vs. Full-time MBA

A full-time residential MBA from one of the top B-schools in the country is usually recommended, as it truly gives you the complete "MBA Experience". One of the many factors contributing to your learning at the B-school is the profile of the peer group.
The mix of experience and educational backgrounds will enable you to learn from the experiences of other members of the batch.

Also, a full-time program allows you to dedicate yourself to the course-work and be able to participate in a wide range of learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Further, corporate recognition and placement services generally focus on full-time students. Also, the contacts made at a B-school can help you throughout your career.

It is comparatively difficult to develop the same kind of relationships with peers - or do the same kind of networking - that full-time students enjoy in a part-time MBA. The entire MBA program is so designed that the maximum benefit is gained from a full-time program. However, only if you have a personal constraint and cannot go in for a full-time program should you opt for a correspondence program like that offered by IGNOU.

24. What are the cut-off mark / sectional cut-off for CAT?

The overall cut-off mark for the CAT and for that of different sections is not fixed. We can neither predetermine the pattern nor the sectional cut-offs in CAT. Also, since CAT is a relative test, the cut-offs vary each year. The cut-offs at the IIMs depend on various factors, which vary with IIMs. The thumb rule is 75% attempts with 85% accuracy for sectional cut-offs.

CAT 2002 takers were issued a CAT scorecard. Barring a few cases, the scores showed that those securing above 98.5 percentile received calls from the IIMs and they also had more than 94 percentile individually in each of the sections. So we strongly suggest that to get a call, your aim should be to perform well in all sections.

Concluded.

* Contributed by -
Lionel Aronah,
Visiting Faculty, IIM Bangalore.
Published in The Observer of Management Education, Vol. 2 Issue 1 January 2007.