Applying for an MBA in India? Know What Your Dream College is Looking for...

We live in an age where getting an MBA is no less than a rage amongst youngsters. With so many reasons to get this postgraduate degree, there is ample reason for so many colleges imparting an education in management springing up everywhere.

But, there are only a handful of colleges that are on everyone’s wishlist. The top business schools of the country have, now you understand, have a really tough job to do. They have to make a choice between too many aspirants, which essentially means, too many candidates passionate for this line of study for various reasons. The ‘rat race’ is no doubt, difficult on every single MB aspirant - but it’s also difficult on the admission committees of MBA colleges. Knowing that its impossible to give an admission to every single person who wants to, every college ha a set of filters that they make students go through,

And while every college does set these filters up individually, there are glaring similarities among all the colleges’ set criteria. These criteria are looked upon during the group discussion (GD) and personal interview sessions.

So, let’s see what five of these criteria are:

1. Leadership: Being a good manager is first and foremost about being a leader - and there’s no good or bad leader - you can’t be leader, and be bad at it, and still call yourself a leader. And while a management school does get you ready by imparting one of the most important lessons in management - nurturing one’s leadership skills, but one would need to demonstrate their own skill set through their work experience, or any other activities - skill set that the b-school would then move ahead to nurture.

2. Quantitative competency: The importance of numbers isn’t something that can be described in a few words. The analytical and logical ability required for one to prepare for a management entrance test, then while studying management, and finally after passing out of the college - it all zeroes down to being great at Mathematics.

3. Communication skills: Managing a team of people requires the person to be a great listener. Listening being an important part of effective communication, it’s an art in itself that one must develop and showcase accordingly.   

4. Knowledge: Knowledge, not just on the verbal and quantitative abilities that you prepared for your entrance exam, but also knowledge about the work you might have done, as well as general knowledge about the world around. Having a well-thought opinion is definitely a prerequisite to get into an MBA college of your choice.

5. What After an MBA?: One of the most common questions that one faces during any interview has to be, “where they see themselves after 5 years, or 10 years, or in this case - 2 years?” While uncertainty is expected of the answer to this question, but there must be some certainty about the direction you want your career to take. And that level of certainty and the reason behind it makes a very good argument for why the admissions committee of a top b-school should consider your admission.

So despite where your dream college is located in the country - it could be an MBA college in Ahmedabad, in Pune, or in Delhi, or wherever it might be - the need to churn out the best amongst the best is really high amongst each of them.

So go ahead and get yourself battle ready to finally get that dream college accept you!