If you want to pursue an MBA abroad, you will need to have a good GMAT score.
Administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the Graduate Management Admission Test is a multiple-choice test that is held throughout the year.
In an online chat with readers on December 6, Naveenan Ramachandran and Abhishek Bhide, experts, 4GMAT addressed reader queries on how to prepare for the GMAT and offered advice on choosing a good university.
For those who missed the live chat, here's the unedited transcript:
Abhishek Bhide says, Hello everyone, We look forward to answering your queries about B-schools, applications processes and MBA.
Naveenan says, Hi All! Welcome to the Chat session on Admissions / Applications / GMAT / Essays ... All things to do with an MBA. We will try our best to provide clarifications.
mba asked, should i do an mba in india or abroad. I am confused. pls help
Naveenan answers, at 2012-12-06 15:53:52Hi - Depends on various factors - Number of years of experience you already have, international exposure that your job / education might have already given you, the country / peninsula where you want to work, budget (very important criteria), availability of collateral to take an educational loan if you want to avail one, GMAT score and academic record in school. These are some of the parameters to be considered before taking this all-important decision.
mba asked, my budget is 5 to 6 lakhs
Naveenan answers, Well - IF everything goes well at a US b-school and you get a full tuition waiver and you get some assistant-ship, then it might just fit in this budget. An Indian school fits well in this budget - even that is dependent on an additional education loan of equal amount.
manmohansing asked, what score should i look for insead? do i really need excellent par's?will my work experience help?
Abhishek Bhide answers, INSEAD is a very well known B-school and you should look for the highest possible score you can get! The average of their entire batch is about 660. Their focus in terms of work experience is on international work ex. Don't get your Question about 'par's'?
student asked, hi, can u tell me how good is an exec mba programme at iim-kozhikode? should i do distance learning
Abhishek Bhide answers, An Exec-MBA is not able to match a full-time MBA in terms of the immersive learning environment and the change in overall perspective. Having said that, an IIM exec-MBA if done with focus should give you a good understanding of business concepts. Do check other exec-mba programs as well though...
Naveenan answers, I am assuming you are talking about the programme which provides a generalist diploma in the 1st year, the option to continue the 2nd year and gives a specialization diploma in the 2nd year. It is a good programme if you have decided to go in for a distance learning programme. A program like PGPMAX (ISB's) which involves at least some on-campus sessions would be better in terms of exposure.
harvard asked, i want to study at harvard. what should i do
Abhishek Bhide answers, What is your background? Work ex? Budget etc?
vvv asked, Would doing a Long Term Certificate program with IIM B , be of any help? they are charging around 6L for one year program
Naveenan answers, Hi - If at all you are investing 1 year with IIM B, you are better off with an E-PGP programme. As Abhishek was mentioning, a full time programme is anyday better than a part time programme or a certification. A certification program may not help you gain a huge jump in your career. Hope this helps. Thanks.
Vikas asked, In the present scenario (economic) in US, would it be a good choice for a second MBA there (of couse, Ivy is the reference)
Abhishek Bhide answers, Vikas, the economic scenario will affect your job chances however an MBA from an IVY league is really much more than that! The quality of education and the networking as well as the understanding of global business- are the differentiators
nik asked, Hi I've got an offer for Full Time MBA from Cass business school , London. How's this college in terms of ROI and job prospects? Shall I try for Cambridge or Oxford as well?
Naveenan answers, The RoI will be good IF (a big IF) you are able to secure a job in UK. The issue is with the current job scenario and political/economic/visa situation in that country. If you have contacts in UK / a UK based client that you are already working with / if your firm has a division in UK that would be willing to absorb you there, then it makes a good case. Hope this helps. All the best! If you have the option, do try for Cambridge and Oxford.
roughage asked, Hi I've got an offer for Full Time MBA from Cass business school , London. How's this college in terms of ROI and job prospects? Shall I try for Cambridge or Oxford as well?
Naveenan answers, The RoI will be good IF (a big IF) you are able to secure a job in UK. The issue is with the current job scenario and political/economic/visa situation in that country. If you have contacts in UK / a UK based client that you are already working with / if your firm has a division in UK that would be willing to absorb you there, then it makes a good case. Hope this helps. All the best! If you have the option, do try for Cambridge and Oxford.
p asked, I am sorry and should not be asking this question on this forum, but I would like to know good universities for Exec MBA or how can i find the value of certification on completion of the course. I am commerce grad with 9 years exp.
Abhishek Bhide answers, P, try looking at rankings for Exec-MBAs that some organizations have done. The 'value' of such certifications is very different from individual to individual. Unlike a regular MBA, an exec program is probably more for a better grasp of concepts or an additional bullet point. May not really help in changing streams.
Do you have a question related to pursuing an MBA abroad?
You can reach our experts Naveenan Ramachandran and Abhishek Bhide on naveenan@4gmat.com and abhishek264@gmail.com.
Meanwhile, you can also tell us about your study abroad experience and how it shaped your career.
To share your queries, suggestions and advice, write in to us at studyingabroad@rediffmail.com (Subject Line: 'My Study Abroad Experience') and we will publish the best responses on rediff.com.
'An MBA from a pedigreed b-schools definitely pays off'
kickass asked, I have 70% in 10th and 12th, 60% and 55% in 2 graduation degrees and 70% in masters, a lot of certificates in language and finance, have been associated with ngo but m working as a backend executive in a local company...... do you think with this kind of profile, i can make it in an Ivy league college.... Also, does qualifications like CA, ICWA matters in admissions thru gmat.....
Naveenan answers, A lot will depend on the GMAT score. A good job needs to be done there as it will be a much-needed-signal to the school that you are academically ready for the rigor. NGO work will be appreciated and you should expect a lot of questions on that. Yes - CA, ICWA makes a lot of difference when it comes to the admissions. All the best!
VKS asked, Is state(e.g., massachusetts) in US an important consideration before opting for education from jobs perspective
Abhishek Bhide answers, Yes, the location of the college- proximity to big cities does influence the number of companies visiting it. In fact a lot of schools are specialized around those businesses that are located nearby as even inflow of applicants is affected!
Subhash asked, Is doing MBA in Australia a better option that doing in US or Europe as there seem to be more jobs in Australia? Of-course, I am talking about comparably ranked universities.
Naveenan answers, Quite true - As an economy, right now, Australia is also inviting more people to come / work in their country and will be more open to giving work permits. The fees are actually comparable and not much to gain on that front. All the best!
VKS asked, Is one year mba fine from career switch perspective?
Abhishek Bhide answers, Good question! A one-year MBA does not have an internship and hence its more difficult to shift careers. However adjacencies in terms of sectors or roles can be done even in a 1 year program
rajvatti asked, Should I pursue MBA in UK? Will I get employment post my MBA? I have an admit from the university from the unversity of Bath..I have work ex of 2 years in the auto industry, solid recommendations. However is on the lower side (600)
Abhishek Bhide answers, UK (and europe) job market is extremely sluggish so even with good work experience a job maybe very difficult. Probably networks with companies in UK might help but you should not rely on them.
p asked, Thank you for the feedback Sir I was planning to get it done from ITM but then not sure about how it is placed in market though they claim to be in top 20 for distance education
Abhishek Bhide answers, Haven't heard much about ITM's distance learning program. Best way to check is to get in touch with ppl who have done the same program from ITM.
kickass asked, What is the ideal budget for mba abroad, eg. in US or UK...
Naveenan answers, Hi ... You should have at least 50 Lakhs in mind. If you are able to get a tuition waiver or some form of an assistant-ship, that will always be welcome. However, most colleges offer this AFTER the course starts. Which means that at the point of making the decision, you should be able to shoulder the entire burden. The visa official will also be interested in knowing your ability to shoulder it on your own.
Anu asked, what are the placement chances especially in this market where we are seeing slowdown ? Also please let me know 5 advantages of doing MBA from outside.
Abhishek Bhide answers, Job market in general has been sluggish everywhere. An MBA does offer you an advantage of course over non-MBA in this scenario. In terms of international MBA, the advantages would be the international exposure, quality of faculty, networking and an opportunity for an international career.
ketan asked, I have done m.pharmacy, so is thr MBA for pharmacy students and in which subject
Abhishek Bhide answers, MBA subject i.e. major is something that you need to decide on. As a graduate you can apply to B-schools. Your major would be determined by your previous experience and interests.
Wannabe asked, hi, I was looking at IMD in Switzerland. I have about 6 years of Inv banking experience, already done an MBA and am im my early 30s. How good or bad is this an idea, both in terms of ROI and pedigree?
Abhishek Bhide answers, In terms of pedigree IMD is amazing! However the ROI is something that will depend on your own career so far and how you can leverage this MBA. I believe that an MBA from a pedigreed MBA B-schools definitely pays off in the medium to long term irrespective of the job market.
shsihir asked, hi, i wanted to know which colleges in india accept gmat score for full time score? also is doing mba from abroad worth considering the costly fees? And also what is your opinion on National university of Singapore? do they accept GMAT score?
Naveenan answers, Hi ... check out this page: This provides the names of all colleges accepting GMAT around the world. Many people go abroad for the international exposure, better chance at shifting to a new country and of course, to go to a better ranked college. For eg., if somebody wants to go to the top 10 colleges in the world, then there is barely an option in India (at least according to the most popular ranking agencies). NUS is a good school which gives a good exposure to Asia-Pac economies / job opportunities. Yes they accept. I think the avg GMAT score of their last batch is 658. All the best.
jain asked, Does executive MBA from IIM Lucknow holds any weightage while looking for job, I am having 9 years experience?
Naveenan answers, Yes - the executive MBA offered by IIM-L is quite respected in the job circles. With 9 years of experience, it could definitely help you break the glass ceiling at organizations. All the best!
ketan asked, I have an exp of 2 years in pharmaceutical company(QA) and interested to do MBA in in my experience related subject
Abhishek Bhide answers, Experience in what role? your MBA should preferably be related to that role or something you aspire to do very strongly
VKS asked, what are the good banks in india which provide education loan at reasonable interest rate?
Abhishek Bhide answers, Most nationalised banks provide education loans however only a few banks provide such loans to students rather than to parents esp. for MBA and higher studies. Credila is one example.
riya asked, i have mba in finance from mumbai university and want to try for institutes in US and UK. Can you please help me with the budget.IF you could please tell me is it possible to raise loan from a foreign bank to fund the education?
Naveenan answers, Hi ... You should start with a budget of Rs50Lakhs. Any tuition waiver or assistant-ship is a bonus. That will depend on your GMAT score, work experience that you already have and academic track record. A foreign bank (based in the country of your study) will not have your credit record. You are better off arranging for the finance in India before venturing abroad. I hope that helps. Thanks.
Wannabe asked, Thanks a lot Abhishek. The reason I was asking about IMD is also because of my age. Was reading on their website that they look for people with 4-9 years of experience, where I fit in too.
Abhishek Bhide answers, Yes, a 2nd MBA is great especially if your 1st was as a fresher. This MBA will help you gain a different perspective esp. if its from a school like IMD. However it is a very competitive pool of applicants. Let me know if you would like to work with us for the application counselling.
ketan asked, Exp in quality assurance department
Abhishek Bhide answers, So probably you can look at operations as a major for your MBA.
Wannabe asked, Will do. Thanks a lot. I already have your email and cell. Will get in touch shortly. If say I aim to apply to select bschools in the US & IMD next year, I should ideally take the GMAT by mid-next year right?
Abhishek Bhide answers, BY Aug of next year would be great. Best of luck.
PR asked, Hi I have 5 yrs of IT experience but I want to switch stream. Would exec MBA from IIM or ISB help?? Also what is a good score for ISB???
Naveenan answers, Hi - If you want to switch stream, a two year programme would be better. Main reason is the internship opportunity that a two year programme gives. IT experience - 5 years - An ISB will require at least 700 considering the number of IT applicants.
ketan asked, OPERATIONS MEANS
Abhishek Bhide answers, Ketan you should be able to get a good sense of each of these majors by visiting websites of B-schools or organisations which conduct rankings studies for them.
shsihir asked, thanks for the reply naveenan!!! Also i was just checking mba courses offered abroad nd actually came across none who offers mba in IT. As am a IT pro with 6 years of work exp i guess i cant switch onto other fields like finance or banking or hr. so is my scope restricted to india as far as my work exp is concerned??
Naveenan answers, You could look at operations as a specialisation abroad as IT project management would be a subset of "operations". Well - entirely depends on your interest level - It is not impossible to switch if you do want to. If you are keen on only pursuing opportunities in IT, then you could also look at MS courses offered abroad. Some of them consider GMAT. Also - most of the programmes abroad are 'generalist' programmes and hence you get to understand a piece of everything. All the best!
PR asked, Thanks for the info!!! Is it difficult for people with IT background(5 yr Exp) and a normal educational background to get into Ivy colleges? What score does one need with such background??
Naveenan answers, Hi PR - In general, the more time you have spent in a field, it gets more difficult to shift. However, within IT - you could shift to sales or business development. Shifting to Finance or Marketing at an FMCG firm is NOT impossible. However, you will have to start at the very beginning in terms of the hierarchy - are you ready for that? Thanks to the biggest applicant pool being IT engineers, you will need the school average GMAT + 30 or 40 points to make a good case. I hope this helps. Thanks.
Abhishek Bhide says, Thank you everyone and we hope we were able to help you with your questions.
Naveenan says, Thank you everyone and we hope we were able to help you with your questions. For further queries and help with applications to B-schools please get in touch with us at: Abhishek- abhishek264@gmail.com; 98704 33888 Naveenan- naveenan@4gmat.com; 80970 48484
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