[mmxylorider]

Since GTO mentioned finance is not an issue, it is worth exploring outside of India. There are executive MBA programs in the USA (Emory in Atlanta is one that comes to mind) which are well reputed and can be done part time if required. A couple of ex-colleagues did that and are doing very well in their professional path. Some work-ex is required but worth exploring. Since this will take lesser time, one can get back into earning mode sooner too.

[JoshMachine]

Originally Posted by GTO

Please advise on the pros & cons of ISB vs IIM. Brilliant girl, has 3-years experience at a major FMCG firm, wants to get an MBA not just for career opportunities but also the value of education + skillset. Long term plans not clear. Might continue in corporate world, might get into entrepreneurship. No budget issues.
!

Given that she has just 3 years work-exp, IIMs might be better suited since they will provide a relatively gradient path for learning & education as compared to ISB, where it gets down to doing almost by the time you finish studying.
Brand equity wise, she will get good opportunities at both places if she is in top percentile.

To add for context, we have both IIM and ISB experiences running in the family.

[landcruiser123]

Wholeheartedly agree with androdev.

GTO,
As a 25-year-old who has an MS in Industrial Engineering and wants to do an MBA in the near future, I can tell you my PoV. (My father has an MBA from XLRI in the 90s.)

Since you say the budget is not a big constraint, if your relative/friend is realistically capable of getting into the top 3 B-Schools in the North American or European continent, I think she should select that over any IIM or ISB.

• If she chooses, she can work in the country. When (and if) she decides to return to India, she will still hold an MBA from a prestigious, recognized foreign university.
• If not the top 3 (or 5) colleges in North America/Europe, it may be more difficult to get recognition in the corporate world of India, and a high chance she'll be treated just like some of the non-IIM, non-ISB folk. (I don't encourage discrimination, but this is the sad reality and has happened to 2 friends who did their MBAs in Singapore and Australia)

Originally Posted by androdev

I have no experience with MBA side of things so feel free to ignore my ramblings. MBA is all about pedigree and network. Pay whatever you can afford to get into a better school.

By being academically brilliant in a lower ranked school, you may land a better job out of campus but in the very long run, you will kick yourself for settling for a lesser school. If you are bright and capable of getting an admission, don't hesitate to ask your parents to sell the house.

As someone who has done my Master's in Industrial Engineering and did some MBA coursework, research, and teaching in the management school, I can vouch for this. You can read from textbooks and learn what they teach at B-Schools. Along with learning, the more important takeaways from an MBA are the relationships you forge with your peers and the soft skills you develop (eg. team-work, negotiation, communication, etc. ). The program also gives you the ability to advance your career in your field, or change fields if you want.

About Pedigree - yes it is very important. The ability to go through the rigors of preparing for entrance exams, filling out applications, writing essays, attending interviews, and going through all courses/projects/internships during an MBA program is the real test in your life. If you do all these tasks well, companies and your alumni know that you've been through the pressure cooker and come out stronger i.e. you are smart, capable of working hard, and with your skillset, you will make huge contributions to their organizations. So, the pedigree of the school matters a LOT!

Unlike technical education, I feel Indian MBA is not that transferable across geographies (hence the emphasis on brand and network). If I have even a remote possibility of working/living abroad, I will not opt for Indian B-schools.

100% agreed. Corollary above- If you do an international MBA from a US/European school that is not in the top tier, people & companies in India might treat you just like you any other non-IIT/IIM folk.

Sorry if this post offends anybody, I'm just a random 25-year-old who is too ambitious (for his own good?) and worries too much about the future. I want to learn more from the views of all the BHPians.

[manu220194]

As someone who was in the same position 5 years back, I can share my thinking from then.

IIM A/B/C
- Strong alumni network
- Much much higher bar of acceptance, makes a difference during classroom peer discussions
- Lower number of seats means higher % of students have a shot at better offers
- Quality of education is superior given two years, excellent Indian faculty
- Almost 35% of the batch goes on exchange
- Almost 40% lesser fees vs ISB
- If you screw up your summer placement, always a backup of finals to recover

ISB
- Amazing infra; have stayed at both Hyderabad and Mohali, and old IIMs cannot compete; leads to better quality of life
- Great visiting faculty from colleges like INSEAD, Wharton etc
- ISB is about trade offs; in the first 3 months, you adapt/learn and form friends , in the next three, placement pressure begins, in next three it peaks, and in last three you chill; after first three months, you really have to choose what matters (acads vs friends vs extracurricular vs placements vs exchange). This is a derivative of the one year setup
- Advantage of one year is that you can recover back some of that upfront cost and get more experience


I chose to go to IIM-C since I wanted a better education experience, better overall batch quality, exchange experience and two chances at placement vs one!

[vikramvicky1984]

I would suggest her to first crack the admissions tests (CAT & GMAT) and interviews. Difficulty levels are different, but then luck also plays a big role.
Once she has the offers in hand, we can help her analyse and decide.

And, Androdev's POV is really useful. Let her think through on that. I didn't have that kind of advice 13 years back.

On a lighter note- ISB is for people who got old trying to crack CAT and cannot afford phoren education. (bullet of sports bike lovers who got bad back by the time they could get a bike & cannot afford harleys :P)