It was recently brought to my attention that people are getting errors when posting a comment. I am not sure why that is happening, but if you get an error try posting it again and it usually works. I am not sure why this is so. I guess its a blogspot thing.
please let me know if you guys are still getting errors.
thanks and sorry for the inconvenience.
Anshul
USA vs Canada vs UK vs Australia vs Others for MBA
Today Indians have many options when it comes to MBA abroad. Choosing which country to go and study can be very very confusing. Here is my take on the main ones:
1. USA: US is still the most popular destinations for Indian MBAs. Even after all the crisis, US has a LOT of opportunities. There are many schools to choose from and the top schools of the world are in the US. However, immigration issues are scaring away many international students. So here is the deal, if you want to go back home right after the MBA, US is still a very good choice for your MBA. If you are thinking of working for a couple of years after your graduation, I would still suggest looking at other countries before finalizing US.
2. Canada - I think Canada is a great option for people looking to settle outside India. If you can get into the top schools, the education will pretty much be as good as the US counterpart schools plus you have a better chance of getting permanent residence in Canada. If you have entrepreneurial plans, Canada might not be the best place as there aren't as many opportunities as in other countries.
Others to follow soon....
1. USA: US is still the most popular destinations for Indian MBAs. Even after all the crisis, US has a LOT of opportunities. There are many schools to choose from and the top schools of the world are in the US. However, immigration issues are scaring away many international students. So here is the deal, if you want to go back home right after the MBA, US is still a very good choice for your MBA. If you are thinking of working for a couple of years after your graduation, I would still suggest looking at other countries before finalizing US.
2. Canada - I think Canada is a great option for people looking to settle outside India. If you can get into the top schools, the education will pretty much be as good as the US counterpart schools plus you have a better chance of getting permanent residence in Canada. If you have entrepreneurial plans, Canada might not be the best place as there aren't as many opportunities as in other countries.
Others to follow soon....
Do Employment Statistics Tell The Full Story?
One of the things that every person looks at is the employment statistics of business schools. How good are these numbers? Do they truly reflect the hiring scene at that school? Are they "adjusted" so that they look better? What do these numbers tell about the Career Services? Should they be getting the credit/blame for the numbers?
These are important questions that come to my mind now. The sad thing is that when I was looking at these numbers while applying to business schools, I never thought twice of questioning them. The bad news is that these numbers offer little value. They are not at all close to the reality.
Lets take an example. The internship placement rate of XYZ school is 99%. Now this might look amazing right? Although the number is impressive it does not reflect the reality. How many of these students are happy with their internships? Did they want the internship they have or did they got stuck with this internship because there was no other option?
More importantly, what does this number tell about the Career Services of the school? We have no information on how students got these internships. What % of these jobs were a result of career services?
These are important questions you should ask. The only way to find this answer is to talk to a lot of students. Talk to at least 3-4 students so you get to hear different experiences and then make up your mind.
These are important questions that come to my mind now. The sad thing is that when I was looking at these numbers while applying to business schools, I never thought twice of questioning them. The bad news is that these numbers offer little value. They are not at all close to the reality.
Lets take an example. The internship placement rate of XYZ school is 99%. Now this might look amazing right? Although the number is impressive it does not reflect the reality. How many of these students are happy with their internships? Did they want the internship they have or did they got stuck with this internship because there was no other option?
More importantly, what does this number tell about the Career Services of the school? We have no information on how students got these internships. What % of these jobs were a result of career services?
These are important questions you should ask. The only way to find this answer is to talk to a lot of students. Talk to at least 3-4 students so you get to hear different experiences and then make up your mind.
Should Indians Consider US for their MBA?
Many Indian students come to USA with their MBA dreams every year. Some are lucky enough to get great jobs and without much trouble, but most of the students have to work twice as hard and live a very stressful life until that job offer is in their hand. Why does this happen? These students are just as smart as their American counterparts, they work just as hard in fact harder than them. Then what is it that makes life so stressful for Indians?
The answer is H1-B and the Green Card. If you are amongst the ones who just want to get experience and go back home, then you should not be that worried because once you have a job and H1b you are more or less fine. Others who plan to settle in the US are pretty much screwed. The wait times for a green card are ridiculous. EB-3 category has a wait time for 7 years. You cant leave your employer or get promoted in this time. EB -2 category (for jobs that require a masters) has a wait time of 4-5 years. The catch here is that masters is required, and many jobs just "prefer" an MBA dont require it. Which means that you will have to apply in the EB 3 category. Yes there are workarounds where you can get promoted but the point is that your life will be very very very stressful until get that card in your hand. I have seen people waiting for their green card, and it makes me so sad to see their situation. Employer will harass them just because we cant really do much, they will see others move ahead, and their personal life gets screwed because there is a lot of uncertainty.
So what is the solution to this? Unfortunately there isnt one, unless you go to immigrant friendly countries like Canada. I myself am in Montreal at the moment to check out the country. So far I really like the country, but then its not USA. I know this doesnt help, but this is the reality. Here is my take, if you have never been to the US or are not very keen on living in the US, do consider Canada. Great country, super cool people, and enough opportunities.
If you are in my situation and have spent a lot of time in the US and have a good network there, it makes sense to give EB 2 a shot and apply for immigration in Canada as a backup. I have about 3-4 months left in Canada, and trust me I really want to like this place sooo much that I am certain that I can leave the US and settle here. Life would be so much easier. I dont want to spend the sleepless night trying to get a job, then trying to persuade the employer to sponsor a green card, and finally being able to get a green card. Thats about 5-7 years down the drain. Is it worth it? Only time will tell.
The answer is H1-B and the Green Card. If you are amongst the ones who just want to get experience and go back home, then you should not be that worried because once you have a job and H1b you are more or less fine. Others who plan to settle in the US are pretty much screwed. The wait times for a green card are ridiculous. EB-3 category has a wait time for 7 years. You cant leave your employer or get promoted in this time. EB -2 category (for jobs that require a masters) has a wait time of 4-5 years. The catch here is that masters is required, and many jobs just "prefer" an MBA dont require it. Which means that you will have to apply in the EB 3 category. Yes there are workarounds where you can get promoted but the point is that your life will be very very very stressful until get that card in your hand. I have seen people waiting for their green card, and it makes me so sad to see their situation. Employer will harass them just because we cant really do much, they will see others move ahead, and their personal life gets screwed because there is a lot of uncertainty.
So what is the solution to this? Unfortunately there isnt one, unless you go to immigrant friendly countries like Canada. I myself am in Montreal at the moment to check out the country. So far I really like the country, but then its not USA. I know this doesnt help, but this is the reality. Here is my take, if you have never been to the US or are not very keen on living in the US, do consider Canada. Great country, super cool people, and enough opportunities.
If you are in my situation and have spent a lot of time in the US and have a good network there, it makes sense to give EB 2 a shot and apply for immigration in Canada as a backup. I have about 3-4 months left in Canada, and trust me I really want to like this place sooo much that I am certain that I can leave the US and settle here. Life would be so much easier. I dont want to spend the sleepless night trying to get a job, then trying to persuade the employer to sponsor a green card, and finally being able to get a green card. Thats about 5-7 years down the drain. Is it worth it? Only time will tell.
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A Must Do Before Deciding Where To Apply
Deciding which bschools to apply is one of the most confusing decisions I made in the entire process. I looked at the rankings, class profiles, and other info to see where I will get accepted and took it from there. Although this strategy is the most common one, it has a serious shortcoming. If we are using this strategy, we are only asking one question - am i right for this school? We are not asking the most important question - is this school right for me? Believe it or not, asking this question is more important that the other question most people ask.
The answer to this question will really help you decide where to apply. All schools offer a very different experience, and its only natural that you will like some better than the others. If you only want to focus on top 10 schools or top 20, thats fine, but getting to know a little about the experience the schools offer will help you choose which of those top 20 to apply to.
It is also important to keep in mind that schools look for students who have done their research on what the school has to offer and that the student's personality will fit the school's culture.
So, here is how you can find out about what the school has to offer culturally. Read student blogs on business week and other sources. A simple google search will give you a list of blogs from students in a particular school. And read multiple blogs to avoid getting reviews of a very frustrated student or a very very happy student. Both wont do you a lot of good.
Call a current student and ask what he/she likes and does not like. Speak to Indian students if possible because they understand our needs the best. They were in your shoes a year or so ago, and know what mistakes they made and can better advice you on how to tackle problems.
So again, read student blogs and talk to current students (Indians if possible) to see what their experience at school has been, and then decide where to apply.
The answer to this question will really help you decide where to apply. All schools offer a very different experience, and its only natural that you will like some better than the others. If you only want to focus on top 10 schools or top 20, thats fine, but getting to know a little about the experience the schools offer will help you choose which of those top 20 to apply to.
It is also important to keep in mind that schools look for students who have done their research on what the school has to offer and that the student's personality will fit the school's culture.
So, here is how you can find out about what the school has to offer culturally. Read student blogs on business week and other sources. A simple google search will give you a list of blogs from students in a particular school. And read multiple blogs to avoid getting reviews of a very frustrated student or a very very happy student. Both wont do you a lot of good.
Call a current student and ask what he/she likes and does not like. Speak to Indian students if possible because they understand our needs the best. They were in your shoes a year or so ago, and know what mistakes they made and can better advice you on how to tackle problems.
So again, read student blogs and talk to current students (Indians if possible) to see what their experience at school has been, and then decide where to apply.
Confidence Is The Most Important Criterion For B-School Admission
Recently, I read a very good article on business week. It said that schools are looking for confidence in students, and that is the most important thing they look at. Think about it, it makes sense too. With the economy still in shambles, schools want students who can get jobs and it is students with confidence who have a better shot at getting jobs.
This was also confirmed when I spoke to an admissions director of a school. He said that confidence is what they really look for in students. The next thing is enthusiasm. I wish I knew that when I was applying. I knew that confidence in interviews is always important, but I did not know how big a role it played in my application process.
So, all you MBA aspirants should keep this in mind when they are preparing for their interviews. In fact, one of our professors at UNC who teaches a US Language and Culture class to internationals said that in the US, Confidence is better than correct. I have spend about 5-6 years in the US now, and I will say that I totally agree with it.
Think about it.
This was also confirmed when I spoke to an admissions director of a school. He said that confidence is what they really look for in students. The next thing is enthusiasm. I wish I knew that when I was applying. I knew that confidence in interviews is always important, but I did not know how big a role it played in my application process.
So, all you MBA aspirants should keep this in mind when they are preparing for their interviews. In fact, one of our professors at UNC who teaches a US Language and Culture class to internationals said that in the US, Confidence is better than correct. I have spend about 5-6 years in the US now, and I will say that I totally agree with it.
Think about it.
Get Your Resume Reviewed
Hi All,
Upload your resume as a word doc on google docs and post a link here. Share your doc with anshul.agrawal12@gmail.com.
Or
You can just email your resume to the above mentioned email and post here that you have emailed it to me. I will check that email only if I see a post here.
Or
You can just email your resume to the above mentioned email and post here that you have emailed it to me. I will check that email only if I see a post here.
I hope this helps.
Anshul
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