Zeroing in on a B-school

Business degrees are among the most sought after degrees. With growing demands in the job market of many sectors, studying business would be an investment in your future. When you are prepared to pursue an undergraduate degree, selecting the right business school will play a significant role in getting the most out of your business education. There are various aspects to take into consideration while choosing the best business school for you.

Here are some suggestions that candidates should keep in mind, prior to applying:

Inspiring faculty
A credible business school will make sure to recruit the most competent and brilliant teachers and researchers from across the globe. Most of the top business schools have a high percentage of global teaching staff, wherein their vast experience will have the understanding and familiarity to successfully build aspiring business leaders.

The method of teaching will not only be theory-based. Enthusiastic faculty will lay emphasis on the practical view point by creating exercises for the application of theory to the real issues in the business world today. The knowledge and connections in the industry by faculty members will assist them in advising students and even linking them to internships and other career opportunities, because what better way to learn than through experience!  If you want to work in a particular field or industry, relations of the faculty and the school to that specific industry should be an important factor to be taken into consideration, as this could give you a headstart when you graduate.

Know yourself overall
Your Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) application is crucial as it gives you the opportunity to make your case with the admission committees of various schools to show that you are a perfect fit for their school. To do this, you are required to replicate on paper — who you are individually, resourcefully and academically. This speed in the business school application process is often unnoticed, but is one of the most fundamental steps for success.Since top business schools are swamped with applications each year, an important deciding factor for admissions committees are as follows:

n Why prospective students want a BBA.

n Do you want a BBA to break into a new career (that forms on your preceding experience)?

n Do you want to be an entrepreneur?

The more tangible details you can present, the more you convince the admissions officers.

Dedicated classmates
Most business degree programmes have a load of group assignments, hence you will be using a substantial amount of time working with, and even learning from your fellow students. This will help you learn to work as a part of a team and to develop leadership skills. A lot can be learnt from your fellow students, as there is a great possibility that they will be your colleagues, partners or constant contenders in the future. Business graduates frequently look for employment or mentorship with former students of their discipline. An excellent question to pose is — what type of scholar does this school attract? That can help you know the kind of alumnae you will be interacting with and whether or not you desire to be a part of it.

Get expert help
You are going to burn a good amount of money on your BBA course when you consider both tuition and living costs as well as the break costs of not working for two years. So, before applying, it’s better to spend a few thousand rupees to hire a consultant or proper BBA admissions professional, who can significantly boost your chances to being accepted to the school of your dream. Be cautious if a firm does not release school-by-school success rates, denies to present references, or has been in business for less than 5 years, they are all significant red flags. The most trustworthy advisers will give importance of working with you before you start outlining your essays.

Choice of subjects
Businesses have a number of areas to concentrate on. It is imperative for you to select a school that has the subjects and majors that will help you in delivering not only through the business degree program but for the future also. For instance, if you are looking to initiate a business of your own, you can look for a school that presents a concrete base of business courses and at the same time allows you to concentrate on entrepreneurship.

Flexibility
A course in a B-school will take up most of your day. Flexibility is significant for students who have other commitment and responsibilities at home or maybe a part-time job. If you are one of those candidates, then, you should consider business schools that present programmes with these flexibilities such as distance learning programmes, weekend classes etc. Working professionals should also look into things that whether the company you are working for will be willing to subsidise your studies.

International degrees
When applying to business school around the globe, it is natural to question the weightage of the degree in the country you hope to work in. Fortunately, top business corporations and companies across the world recognise a wide range of international degrees. In order to make sure your degree is acknowledged, take a look at the selected school’s website about what qualifications they accept. If still uncertain, contact the school directly.

In addition to all these, here are some factors that will benefit you if you apply early on:

n Application gets the required attention: Your request will get more time and deliberation if it arrives ahead of others.

n Shows eagerness: Applying early shows an eager interest in a programme and replicate your good development skills.

n Manage finances or draw financial aid: An early submission increases your probability of getting scholarships or financial aid.  Should they fail to fall through, you will have additional time to work on other financing options.

n Resolve problems at ease: Should any troubles happen, such as misplaced copies or reference, you will have time to put forward them in advance of deadlines.

(The author is with Institute of Management Studies, Noida)