It has been quite a while now, since I have been surfing [ for the lack of a better word :) ] the websites of some of the top B-schools in the world - each one unique in its own way & each presenting itself in the best possible light.
It was somewhere down the course of this endeavour that I realized something really basic & important - which I guess any prospective B-School aspirant should, before starting his dream-school surf ( oops!! I mean RESEARCH :) ]
This is to have a broad idea of his/her IDEAL B-School.
At first look, this seems like a trivial exercise, a sheer waste of time - but in hindsight I realize that this exercise greatly reduces my effort of schools-research. I am sure everyone would be going through the same phase of going through the school websites - trying to figure out as to whether this one fits the bill....Having a broad idea of your ideal B-School makes us figure out things more quickly and efficiently.
I reflected on my life so far , and my likes/dislikes and tried to figure out a perfect school for me. So here it goes..........a ready reckoner for the dummies :)
I have figured out a way to map my ideal B-School with my personality traits - so as to find the perfect fit.
DISCLAIMER :This list is a personal choice and in no way a universal rule. Please use it at your own risk :) . However I would like to specify that the THOUGHT PROCESS going behind it is more important than the points listed below.
An IDEALISTIC REALIST:
I am an idealistic realist - surprised!!! yeah there is this kind. I want to go to a school - which is high on the ethical values & moral standards , whose mission goes beyond getting its graduates plum jobs, which has a culture for giving, which contributes to the individuals, organizations & society at large.
Yet at the same time, it is not caught up in the idealistic façades & moralistic rigidness. The school should be able to find a way in this imperfect world to get the job done - because the greater good is the most important thing.
Hence a School Mission and Culture is the most important thing.
RESEARCH DRIVEN & RIGOROUS CURRICULUM + FLEXIBILITY
As a career switcher with very less know-how of the 'management' sciences , I would want to go to a school - which has a very strong core curriculum. This will not only help me build my core competencies - critical reasoning & thinking skills , decision-making under uncertainity, team-building skills , communication & leadership - but will also give me a base for my second year electives.
Now it is difficult to differentiate between schools - as all claim to have strong core curriculum. In a way their claims are true - as most top B-School have really strong core curriculum. However some of the key differentiators would be:
- Contemporary Curriculum : A B-School curriculum should reflect the times of the era it is in. It would be sheer waste of effort to teach students a curriculum - which is not relevant in today's times. Hence once should watch out the for the updates on the curriculum.
- Exceptional faculty : Most top B-Schools have really exceptional faculty - outstanding scholars, experts in their fields. But the key differentiator is - whether a B-School student gets to take the classes of these famous professors or they are only reserved for the Phd or the Doctorate students.
- Research in Curriculum: One should also find out about the kind of research being done in the school. Nobody wants to go to a school which are simply graduates-producing industries. Recent awards & distinctions are good indicators in this field. Also , one needs to find out how much of this research is amalgamated in the B-School curriculum. In a cutting edge field as management - one needs to be updated with the recent innovations and developments - and what is a better way to learn about them than to do it in the classroom.
- Flexible Curriculum: This is a non-issue as most B-Schools provide a lot of flexibility in terms of course curriculum. However it would be nice to find out the various electives on offer at your school. For people like me- who are unsure about their electives - a nice way to do this to find the Electives(you are interested in) at some of the Top B-Schools & then set them as a benchmark. After that one just needs to compare the electives of any school with that benchmark.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING:
The ultimate challenge of the management education is to determine " whether this would work in the real world". Hence only classroom theory and learning would do us no good. One needs to learn to put this knowledge in use in the real-world problems. This would give us the best-possible realistic simulation of the professional life after school. Hence one needs about the experiential learning opportunities in the school - internships , professional clubs , Real-life workshops, international opportunities etc. etc. The list is endless....
The crux is to determine the industry-led opportunites in the school. The school's website is the best place for this....
Hence 3rd most important thing - Experiential Learning opportunities.
SUPERIOR CAREER SERVICES & INTERNATIONAL LOANS(pref without co-signer)
A MBA education is a life-transforming educational experience. However, at the same time it can be a costly affair as well. Hence planning in advance does make that ride a little easier.
One needs to find about the International Loan programs in the top-schools. Some of the top-10 US schools have full-tuition loans available. However, one needs to aware of this fact - that scholarships, if any in a B-School are few and very competitive to grab. Hence finances need to be planned well in advance.
At the same time, one needs to find about the employment statistics at the school. It always helps to have a superior career services - which can help in your professional development, erasing out the lines in your personality, resume preparation, networking skills & placements.
After all, everyone needs to pay those big loans :)
LOCATION & LIFE outside Classroom:
If you exclude the top 10 Schools , location of the school has a big bearing on your future employment. For internationals, it is always safer to opt for a school in a big city than in a remote village. Compounded by the fact, that I am a city-boy , a B-School in a big city is the obvious choice for me.
Moreover, one should also look out for the life outside the classroom. Professional Clubs & Extra-curricular activities are indicators in this direction. Apart from the providing us the right networking opportunities with present students, faculty & alumni, it also provides with a life-long friendships : something which is really important for me.
So this is what my ideal B-School must look like. I hope I do end up in one of my dream B-School.
Till then....
Bon Voyage......
