Most discussions around colleges involve placements, averages, and rankings, which is understandable as they are quantifiable metrics. However, I always wonder about factors beyond that, which are often not openly discussed, yet define the two years the most
I am referring to the peer group, faculty, and alumni network. While talking about factors affecting the quality of education, people most often mean the academic curriculum. But the actual learning curve is steeper when one has the right mix of people around them. For instance, one’s peer group determines who they will form study groups with, who they will room with, who they will partner with for case competitions, their first job referrals, co-founders, future colleagues, etc. A strong and well-rounded peer group can motivate one to put in extra effort to perform better and expose them to areas of interest they may not have thought about. A very competitive or skewed peer group, on the other hand, might end up being extremely taxing. How much did your batch influence your learning trajectory and career path? Did the diversity in terms of background and professional experience matter as much as people say it does?
Speaking of faculty, the teaching methodology and credibility of faculty members differ across colleges, which is hard to judge from the outside. Some people have mentioned that the best teachers were those who had industry experience and could better relate to the nuances of frameworks and case studies
While others found that the faculty’s true impact was visible outside the regular syllabus, such as through project mentorship, office hours, and extra-curricular activities. How easy/difficult was it to connect with the faculty at your college? Did you feel like you could approach them authentically, or did you always feel like you were in the presence of someone who had earned their stature through years of effort?
The alumni network is the third pillar I feel is critical to one’s journey in an MBA/PGDM. While most colleges will boast about their networks during the recruitment process, it is hard to quantify someone’s actual experience. For example, when reaching out to alumni for informational interviews, how responsive were they? Did the connections help one get actual referrals, jobs, and career guidance, or was it just a LinkedIn ‘connection’ that never bore fruit? I feel this varies from college to college, city to city, and is often dependent on how active the alumni association is.
Aside from the factors mentioned above, what other intangible aspects affect one’s experience in an MBA/PGDM programme? The workload, stress around placements, extracurriculars, the value of clubs and committees, internships leading to full-time employment, and the importance of location are some factors that need consideration.
In your experience, while studying for an MBA/PGDM, have you felt that any specific aspect was underrated before enrolling and turned out to be critical? If someone were to re-do their research about to enrol in a B-School, what aspects would you advise them to pay more attention to? Peer group, faculty, alumni, or something else?
I am considering between different management program, among them Vedica Scholars Programme and more traditional B-schools, and have trouble making a choice between them. Apart from the obvious differences, such as reputation, cost, and placement statistics, I am unable to assess which of them will provide me with more value in the long term, for example, practical knowledge, industry connections, mentorship, networking opportunities, career advancement, etc.
What would you, someone who has already gone through the selection process, advise me to pay attention to while considering different programs?
What was it that helped you get the most out of your chosen B-school or management program? Does anything specific stand out in retrospect?