Now that CAT results are declared, it's time to choose your B-School.

There are a number of B-schools in India, choosing the right one could be tedious as you will have to keep in mind a number of factors. All these factors will directly or indirectly impact your future. This decision will causes anxiety and apprehension.   

Step 1 -  Reputation of the B-School

The ranking of the B-school really matters when it comes to choosing your business school. How well the university is reputed and branded is what matters a lot. Why? Because the best students and the best employers tend to look first at schools with a credible brand name. And that is measures through the admission and placement statistics like percentage of students accepted, scores, percentage of students with good job placements, salary level etc. Another thing that contributes to the reputation of a B school is whether the school is recognized internationally as well or not.

Step 2 – Infrastructure

The infrastructure of a B-School will help you determine how good a B school really is.. By infrastructure, you should look at the essential and leisure facilities offered in the school, after all the two years that you spend there should be comfortable! So infrastructure will encompass essentials like Wi-Fi connectivity 24 hours, Video conferencing, library, well lit-up rooms, cafeteria, post office, provision store, hostel facilities, quality of food given etc, as well as leisure facilities like provision for games and sports, and other co-curricular activities.  Also look if the school offers healthy interaction with students in-house and other schools like inter college competition and fests.

Step 3 - Faculty

It is your right to know what you will be taught and by whom you will be taught. A good B-School will have a detailed description about their faculty.  A good faculty secures your future.They are the knowledge and experience capital and the insights that you pick up from a good faculty will stand you in the long run. Besides the in-house faculty, see who the external faculty is; they will vary from reputed colleges around the world to industry experts.  

The teaching method should be a major consideration while you’re looking at schools. Traditionally, business schools use two main teaching methods. One is the case method, in which students learn by studying and discussing specific business scenarios that usually involve real-world business problems. The other is the lecture method, in which the professor speaks and the students listen, take notes, and ask clarifying questions. Though one cannot exactly pin point which is the more effective of the lot (IIM-A uses the first method), it will be a good idea to look for a school that adopts a teaching style that suits you the best.

Step 4 - Curriculum / Syallabus

The syllabus of MBA is as per market trend and dynamics. By and large, the curriculum offered across various MBA degrees are standard depending on your specialization. However, what you need to check is whether education in a particular B school is the latest, with the most recent insights and data. Another thing that you need to keep in mind is how is it being imparted to you. See if visual and graphical mode of education is being imparted or not.

Step 5 - Area of Specialisation

The area of specialization should be kept in mind while choosing  your B-School , the university you choose may be ranked between 1-5 but it necessarily doesn’t mean that the subject you want to specialize in is best taught there. Why? Because an MBA degree does not just broaden your knowledge in various aspects of business, but deepens it too in specific areas. So if you are looking at a specialization in Finance, ensure that the school you have opted for is reputed for Finance as specialization. Same with HR, Marketing etc.

Step 6 - Placements & Salaries

It all comes down to two things – job and money. Placement is the driving factor of a B-School. Scan the history of placements of the B-school before you join it. Compare it with the rest of the B-schools. See if it covers an array of companies from the best to average ones, so that the placement track is 100%. Many B Schools claim that they have full placement. You should try and get in touch with the alumnus (through social forums) and get the inside news. Also check the average salary offered by that B school. The salary should do justice to the amount of money you have spent to study in it and provide you with a huge scope for success in future as well.

Related Articles: 

1) Top 10 B-Schools in India

2) A Quick Overview of the Top B-schools of India

3) Take a look at the Top Recruiters and the Famous Alumni of a few Top B-School  

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