What to Expect from an MBA? | Udita from XIMB Bhubaneswar

Every B-School aspirant has oodles of expectations from the MBA program. The program that is considered transformative in a plethora of ways has strongly etched its vitality in the minds of the aspirants. Whether it is an educational benefit or monetary perk after completing the course, you can expect everything from an MBA. Undoubtedly, the curriculum of the course is designed in a manner that inculcates all round development of an individual. This is what makes the course so popular and in demand.

This year more than 2 Lakh candidates appeared for the much coveted Common Admission Test (CAT) with the dream of holding an MBA degree. The number is increasing with every passing year. The global statistics also suggests that there is a rise in the count of MBA aspirants all over the world. There is an exodus of students leaving their home country in the pursuit of a course which provides them a tremendous amount of inter-cultural learning as they aim to become global leaders in upcoming years. Let's dive in to illustrate significant points that are important to what you should expect from an MBA.

Why is MBA different?

What do these dreamy eyes see in this program? Curious enough, right? Let’s have a look at five major things that make an MBA program so enticing among the youth.

• Career pivot becomes easy: If you are an aspiring manager and looking for an early career pivot, an MBA degree can make your path easier. It helps you in acquiring the needed skill set.
• Variety of options: Most B-Schools have developed a diverse range of  MBA programs which enable the aspirants to explore different avenues (Business Management, Finance, Marketing, Strategic Management etc.) of the business world.
• Connect with right people: MBA programs provide the students an excellent platform for networking. In B-Schools you have the opportunity to interact with people from diverse backgrounds in the form of students, faculty, who are people with great business perspectives. You can expand the horizon of your knowledge by connecting with the right minds.
• Attractive remuneration: An MBA degree equips you with a desirable skill set that aids in getting better payslips at the end of every month. Who doesn’t want to be paid higher, anyways?
• Be an entrepreneur: If you are inclined towards doing something of your own then MBA provides you numerous opportunities by learning from the scratch.

MBA programs are flexible in nature too. You can either opt for a 2 year course or a one year executive program. You can join as a fresher or pursue it after gaining some industry exposure. You can study in your home country or go global. You can choose a classroom program or pick online courses from some reputed institutes. You can learn something new or unlearn the bygones.

Actual Learning vs Perceived Learning

In recent years there has been a surge in the number of people going for an MBA program. This upward movement can be associated with the expected higher wages and better job roles. There is nothing wrong to expect such things from MBA but looking at it as the means to only achieve can result in flawed learning. An MBA degree should result in a leader who believes in sustainable businesses and is certain to imbibe all those business ethics learning in day to day activities. A leader who is willing to wait a bit longer rather than choosing shortcuts in the greed of higher profit margins. All this can happen when quality will be chosen over quantity…when the classroom learning can be extended to lifetime learning…when a degree will be a criteria and not a sure shot way to secure better jobs.

One thing that is quite evident in all the reputed B-Schools is that major emphasis is given on the learning beyond the classrooms. Some of them are jotted down below:

• Solving real-time problems: The students will be challenged to apply the concepts taught in classrooms on the actual business scenarios. This can happen via live projects, case study competition or internal research projects.
• Understanding the importance of team-work: The whole idea of having group projects and committees is to inculcate a sense of involvement among the students. This part of MBA will make you realize the importance of working in a collaborative manner.
• Accepting failures with an ease: The MBA life is a roller-coaster ride which will make you experience a good share of failures and successes. Sometimes it will be too much to get off the bed and the other times you will be readily jumping out of your comfort space with utmost vigour. The key here is to accept your shortcomings and work on them relentlessly.
• Learning time-management: Once you enter the MBA life, you will be bombarded with so many activities that you will end up learning a valuable thing for the lifetime i.e. managing your time in an efficient manner. The key here is to prioritize your to-do list and get started.
• Networking and its perks: You will meet many great minds from different spheres of life. Some of them will leave a deep impact on you to be better. They will help you grow and vice versa. The whole process will result in some priceless bonds which you will cherish forever.

A student with an MBA from a reputed B-School can expect to possess great calibre, which is adored with high respect. Undoubtedly, the whole process of landing a seat in a reputed B-School is highly taxing. If you are able to crack it, you are worthy of several accolades. But what if you couldn’t? Don’t worry you can still make these MBA graduates work for you if not work with you. I am sure you must have heard about Dhirubhai Ambani (Reliance Industries Ltd.), Ken Chenault (American Express), Michael Eisner (Disney), Ted Turner (CNN and TBS) etc. All these notable leaders have become invincible in their fields without the aid of an MBA degree.

More than a degree, MBA is a way of life where the major focus is on continuous learning. The sooner you realize this fact the better you will shape yourself.

This article was submitted as an entry to Become an Author 2.0 with Dare2Compete.