I don’t think it's wise to decide to drop out from IIM Lucknow when you already worked hard and cracked the entrance. You even succeeded in the interview and yet here you want to give it all up. Every year the level of difficulty of entrance exams like the CAT and XAT keeps changing. Students who might have scored 90+ percentile one year might score 40-60 percentile next year. It all depends on preparation and mindset. Meanwhile, you have already succeeded and gotten into an IIM so why take it for granted?
Yet if you are adamant about not continuing, I would suggest you just focus on your job and gain a lot of experience. Chances are that you might climb the ladder without an MBA or IIM. Many CEOs and CFOs don’t need an MBA to make them what they are.
Despite it all, if you are appearing again for CAT, then make sure you have a valid explanation of dropping out during your interview.
Comparing the new IIMs with the IIM ABC is rather ridiculous and not justified. Considering factors like infrastructure, faculty, and alumni base, the top IIMs are way ahead of the new ones. Even if the new IIMs tackle the infrastructure and faculty issue they can never match the extraordinarily strong alumni base of the older IIMs. The IIMs A, B, and C have given birth to many geniuses that have contributed largely to Indian society in various fields like arts, literature, sports, etc. They have even made impressions globally.
No matter how fast the new IIMs climb up the ladder and excel, they will never be able to match the alumni base and worth of older IIMs.
One cannot really compare the enriched experience and worth of old IIMs to the newer ones. No matter how high grades you score in the older IIMs, they can never be at par even with the average marks of an old IIM student. Their skills, knowledge, and confidence are at another level. Older IIMs help you achieve bigger goals and earn much more. So it’s better if you are an average student at an old IIM than a topper at a new IIM.
People often pose the question that despite the high fees, why do some people still prefer IIMs over FMS? Well, I think I can answer it with confidence since my father is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad. He told me that he was able to transform into a new person all because of IIM Ahmedabad. He was able to achieve many impossible things just because he chose IIM Ahmedabad. I have mentioned a few points that will help you understand what I mean
So IIM Ahmedabad is still preferred over FMS. It has its own brand value which will continue to shine over the years.
The choice of B Schools depends on your interests and priorities. The school you choose depends on
Some people consider placement statistics for making their decision but personally I find that a bit misleading. One other good way is to talk to the alumni of the schools and make a list of pros and cons. This will help you analyze the worth of each college and thereby make a sound decision.
Every B School has a specialization. You need to identify that and match it with your own goals and aspirations. For example,
IIM Ahmedabad is known for its strategy, IIM Bangalore is known for its marketing, IIM Calcutta is known for its finance, and FMS is known for its high ROI and location (Delhi).
So make a choice that suits your inclinations and don’t adopt the sheep mentality.
IIM Ahmedabad - AGMP and IIM Bangalore - EGMP are both excellent programs, better than IIM Calcutta - EPBM. Both classes are held twice a week. Classes were held online during the pandemic. If you are currently employed, both programs will help you advance in your current position.
The one-year AGMP program at IIM Ahmedabad is specifically designed to provide working professionals with general management skills in a global business environment. Jaro Education's classes are delivered using the synchronous Learning Technology platform.
The EGMP at IIM Bangalore brings together participants with a wide range of backgrounds, skills, and experiences, allowing for peer learning. The curriculum is overseen by the IIMB's distinguished faculty. Participants actively participate in case studies and discussions, role-playing, games, and so on.
IIM Calcutta - EPBM prepares participants to adapt to today's fast-paced technological and organizational challenges, while also evolving and adapting themselves. Once a week, the sessions are delivered via an online platform (Sunday from 3:30 - 6:30 PM). There are two 5-day campus visits. Campus visits are subject to the evolving pandemic situation and are dependent on government and institute pandemic regulations, advisories, and guidelines.
After receiving an MBA from FMS Delhi, life became quite simple owing to the following reason
Placements
Excellent placement, and a variety of offers from different fields made it easier for the students. FMS Delhi maintains a stable placement record over years. Students receive lucrative salary packages every year. This year too was no different. The highest salary stood at INR 58 LPA. Students received an average salary of INR 34.2 LPA which increased by 30.5% (approximately) as compared to the previous year. There was an increase of 37% in the top 100 average salaries, 24% in the freshers' average salary.
My uncle is an alumnus of IIM Calcutta and also an ex-employee of ISB. So I asked him about the same. He told me that the faculty of IIM Calcutta focuses on the overall development of students and not just academics. They prepare you for the life ahead and not just for exams or placement. ISB on the other hand due to its short duration course is unable to cope with this aspect. Also, the fees of ISB are much more than that of IIMs. The only merit is that it saves you a year as the flagship program at IIMs is two years.
So ISB is a good choice for you only if
Both the institutes are world-class and therefore not much comparison can be drawn from them.
The two most important factors considered by recruiters during Placements at IIM ABC/FMS/XLRI are
MBA scores are of much importance during Final Placements but are Not available during summer placement.
If you have passed the above criteria, you are most likely to land any job. Still, I have segregated the roles that require work experience and the roles that do not.
Roles that require work experience
Roles that do not require work experience
So most of the jobs do not require work experience. Even if they do only non-engineering work experience is of value unless you want to go into Operations/Supply chain/product management.
Let’s consider the effect of graduation scores in summer and final placements separately.
Summer Placements:
During these placements, the recruiters don’t have your MBA profile to judge you. So they have to take your graduation score, past academics, and other criteria into consideration. The summer placements are largely based on what the candidate has achieved till the time he joined his/her MBA program. This is exactly why placement committees request that students utilize the time before joining the institute to improve their resumes. You can upscale yourself with work experience, your education, your extra-curricular activities, etc.
Final Placements:
During these placements, the students are almost about to complete their MBA. This means their profile has improved through various on and off-campus opportunities. These opportunities include research projects, work on industry projects, and summer internships. So now your CGPA in your MBA program and performance in these activities carry more importance than your undergraduate CGPA.
So we can say graduation scores matter in summer placements but not much in final placements.