My Dream B School

Are you considering your MBA option ? Want to know what all possibilities are there to think about ? Thinking about what really makes your ideal B school ? Then probably this post will help you unclutter the mess. Read on!!

In this post I will share my idea about the ideal MBA experience that I am looking forward to. Again this can be different for different individuals. Fit is a very important factor for me. I always believe on my gut instinct to choose what is right for me. I think I will know when a school is right for me :)

Sounds too filmy ? Ok here are some practical tips to choose the right B school for you !!
Though I have few schools in mind, I will take a route where I will put down my expectations from what I call an  "Ideal B school and the MBA experience"

I have some parameters which I will use to define my dream B School. Here it goes, in no particular order.

• Full time Vs Online Vs EMBA
  
  This is no difficult question for me. I am an early career applicant looking to have a transformational MBA experience. So Welcome Full time MBA and Adios EMBA  !!
  And online MBA was not even in consideration for me. I have added here for the sake of completeness. If you are reading this and considering an MBA, I have tried to cover various options available.
  
  So attribute no1 of my dream school : A full time, On campus MBA Program
  
  
• Duration of the MBA Course
  
  As I have mentioned many times before, what matters more for me is the journey rather than the destination itself.
  
  
  
  • I am looking forward to an intensive immersion experience during my MBA. This is the time for me to gain and hone those hard and soft skills, gain business knowledge and more importantly build relationship with my Alma Mater and students.
    
  
  
  
  
  • Also  being from Engineering and Non profits background, I have hardly any expertise in traditional business fields like economics. I would like to learn as much as possible about the essential elements which make up the so called Managament Science.
    
  
  
  
  
  • I am eagerly looking forward to gain some hands on experience in the industry by doing internships and hands on projects during my MBA.
  
  These reasons make me go for an 2 year full time MBA. I am sure it will be a experience of lifetime !! At this point I would like to quote Mr Paul Danos, dean of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He wonderfully captures the essence of a 2 year MBA. I loved it !!
  
  
  
  

  The "best" MBA model depends on a given student's circumstances. However, I believe that the full immersion and focus that comes with the two-year model, the personal connections, the opportunity to delve into topics with professors and the ability to gain business experience through internships and projects, all unite to give students the best realistic simulation of the life that they could face in business leadership.
  

  A full-time MBA stretches the individual, persuading him or her to reach new heights of aspiration. The shared spirit of preparing for responsibility creates a palpable increase in competence and confidence. There is clearly an arc of progress taking students to the launching point of significant careers. When delivered correctly, the programme's graduates are both ready and eager to take on the mantle of leadership.
  

   So attribute no 2 of my dream school : A 2 year program with internship/hands on project experience.
  
  
  
• Financial aid
  
  This makes or breaks my MBA plans.  Doing an MBA can be a financial burden if not planned correctly. Being a international student , I expect a international student loan program from my ideal B school. As I don't have any US citizen who can give guaranty for my loans, I must rely on no cosigner loans.
  
  So attribute no 3 of my dream school : A program offering a international student loan without a US Co-signor
   
• Location
  
  Not much idea about this aspect of Business schools because I have never visited any of the B schools in US. How much I wish I could have done the campus visits of atleast couple of schools. Anyways.
  
  I am kind of person who really enjoy the serene and quite locations than hip urban locations. After being in busy town of Bangalore and seeing all those traffic and sky scrappers I would love to go to a small town and live there for 2 years. This way I can rekindle my passion for cycling in the campus :) Oh I love cycling !!!
  
  So attribute no 4 of my dream school : Preferably a small university town with a vast plush campus.
  
  
• Class strength and Class culture
  
  I love the close knit feeling offered by a small sized classroom. I would love to know each of my classmates by his/her name than by mere numbers.
  Also I want to have a highly interactive classroom experience where each of us can put down our perspective which leaves us with a lot of viewpoints and content to mull about.
  My company is also small sized firm. It has led the way to a highly collaborative culture in the company. Its great to work in a company where the India Head knows the name of each of her colleagues and most of the time about their spouses too, isn't it !!
  
  So attribute no 5 of my dream school :  A small sized, close knit classroom experience & a collaborative culture
  
  
• Learning Approach & Study abroad option:
  
  Am looking for a well balanced approach of strong theoretical concepts with hands on learning. Coming from non business back ground, I really can't jump into real world projects. So initially I would like to get my fundamentals strong about various essentials of management. Here I think I am inclined towards case method. I feel it allows us to think about various aspects of real world case.
  
  After gaining this ground I can reinforce my skills by doing hands on projects and through experiential learning.
  
  I really want to broaden my knowledge by studying a semester abroad for one semester. This can be a great learning experience. Asia & Europe are my top choices.
  
  So attribute no 6 of my dream school :  A well balanced learning approach and preferably an option to study abroad for 1 semester
  
  
• Curriculum & Faculty
  
  My Post MBA goals are aligned with a short term goal in general management extending to a long term role of entrepreneur. I am definitely not looking at options like Investment banking or Private equity or other finance heavy careers. So my choice is a general management program which makes me ready to take up challenges in more than one business field.
  
  
  
  Am still trying to figure out what will be the best curriculum model (fixed vs flexible)for me. I would probably like to choose my own courses in the second year when I will have decent knowledge about the topics. In the 1st year, I don't know yet.. I need to figure this out.
  
  I have heard about the exceptional faculty present in top B schools. I just look forward to meet and interact and learn from them !!
  
  So attribute no 7 of my dream school :  A general management program with exceptional faculty
  
  
• Career Services
  I am still contemplating about my possible return to India post MBA and join the workforce
  here in India.
  
  Nevertheless I look forward to some challenging internship experience in my target industry. Being a career changer, I can expect a significant role by career services of B school in getting me ready for this career transition.
  
  So attribute no 8 of my dream school :  A helpful career center.

So at this point you must be thinking that I am thinking bit too much. But believe me self reflection is very  very important in the MBA path. Unless you are not sure about what do you want out of your MBA, you can never make justice to it. So make sure you contemplate on all these things before taking that important decision.

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