*Disclaimer: This blog shares the author’s experience of his One-year Full Time MBA of the EPGP Program at IIM Bangalore. This shall by no means be construed as a review or critic of the program.
While signing up for the MBA, I believed that this would be a great learning opportunity not only from academic resources but also from the community. However, the cumulative experience cannot be truly summed up in those two phrases. Also, in terms of offering there is way too much and it boils down to how much can you absorb.
If you’re merely bothered about ROI then you can skip reading rest of the blog as One-year MBA at IIMs offer great ROI. Given the intangible part of experiential learning, I consider ROI a short sighted approach to career decisions having long term impact. Moreover, the ability to generate ROI depends on the candidate as placement salaries have huge ranges, equivalent to the cost of mid-size luxury sedans.
The euphoria begins at the moment you receive the acceptance e-mail, especially if it’s Ivy League, M7, or IIMs. You will now be able to truly apprehend the emotions of Harry Potter receiving the Hogwarts letter. And the excitement persists till you arrive at the campus and get to know the campus and your peers. And during the first month while getting to know people, you will always be in a state of ‘awww’ with so many smart people around you. After all, you’re amidst the cream of your country’s top quartile talent. You might even start questioning whether you belong here, but believe in yourself the intake process is bulletproof apart from rare type-1 errors.
*Note: Bell curve, Game Theory, Law of Averages, and Type-1-type-2 Errors are the most handy concepts to make your way through MBA.
This is where things start taking a turn. Since you’ve made it to a top institute, the feeling of pride and know-it-all starts growing. You may be a deserving candidate but do NOT become entitled and kill your listening skills. After all you are here to learn, so you’ve to be patient enough to listen rather than trying to answer or speak-up. Be more responsible with your Class Participation by contributing your logic and perspective, rather than to showcasing your knowledge.
Another challenge that you will encounter is ‘reading’, reading way too much in too little time. Although it may not sound challenging to avid readers, it gets challenging not only as the readings are dense but also because they may be from subjects that you’re completely clueless about. Though there are workarounds, listening to the professor, going through the notes and slides; it kills the greater learning opportunity as reads capture a lot of nuances and details.
And there will always be a few people who disregard to their lack of depth will manage to score highest grades. Eventually, others will crack the code to scoring good grades, whereas some will give up. And by the end of first term, everyone would have settled in their place in the Gaussian Bell curve. However, grades do matter, and scoring grades while making the most from MBA is a balancing-act that requires a lot of energy and will.
MBA is touted as a networking opportunity, but most settle in their comfort groups while only occasionally reaching out to peers for alliances of convenience. Although I agree that you cannot foster deep connections with many, it is possible to develop good rapport with more and build a personal brand that conveys your impression to the rest. And this depends on the kind of visibility you gain, whether as a secretary of club, committee member, information broker, or party chief. So ensure that your visibility aligns with your character impression that you want to convey.
Once the first two terms are over, the placements will be at the corner. Although the third term is more interesting as you get to pick elective subjects of your interest, you will face a trade-off between academics and placement prep, with the decision depending upon your priority. This is also when you get to build network and establish rapport with peers outside of your class, so be mindful of this opportunity; as this is also when everyone begins with MBA interview case-prep. This being a group activity, you need to form alliances of convenience.
However, there are caveats, given the job role that you are aiming; how important is case-prep? What kind of cases do you need to solve? And what else do you need to prep! The last part being the most important as well as the most ignored. Also keep in mind that more cases are better only when you solve them with different peers with varying perspectives and approaches. Otherwise law of marginal utility kicks in pretty quick. As far as the ‘what else’ part is concerned, it includes resume and interview preparation.
After the third term and placements, you might get a breather with a workshop, summer-winter school, or foreign immersion, subject to the curriculum of your program. If you have already been placed, based on the expected income theory, you will have the time of your life or learn how to balance life with work anxiety.
Finally as you enter the last term, the weird feeling sets in. As you may start to feel unsettled as you’re about to move onto the next phase of your life and career but you still need to clear exams. Something that you last felt during your notice period. As this is accompanied with a wave of social events and celebrations, nostalgia starts surfacing as you re-cap the amazing year. So start tying loose ends by resolving any scuffles, catching up for that coffee, bidding farewell to faculties, thanking the administration, and parting ways on a good note.
You never know when you see someone for the last time..
Feature Image Photo – shot at IIM Bangalore, the iconic campus listed amongst top architecture sites designed by the renowned architect Late Shri BV Doshi.
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