MBA Abroad: Know the weightage of degree in India; 5 Key facts

The dream of pursuing MBA from abroad is not without riders nor would you like to simply go to any B school in a foreign country without knowing about the acceptability and recognition of its MBA degree in the outside business world.  Many MBA aspirants conceive, nurture and try to bring into shape their dream of doing MBA from abroad.  After analyzing the facts and putting in the concerted research on seeking the opportunity of doing MBA from abroad, Team MBAUniverse.com emphasizes shares key facts to assess the weightage of MBA degree from abroad and suggests what an MBA aspirant should look for while moving forward to pursue MBA from abroad.

Indian Corporate: In search of International MBAs

In this era of globalization, companies in India want to expand their business and are in search of candidates who have passed out of a reputed international institute. The reason behind the search is your ability that you have learnt the ways & means of international standard of conducting business.

The brand value of a top school like Harvard or London Business School is very high. Study methods, case studies, global trips are features of an MBA from B-school abroad. They offer flexible program structures and specializations which are not so prominent in Indian B-schools. You gain more practical exposure when studying abroad. It is not only the charm of doing MBA from Abroad but the great learning experience associated to it also drives you to seek admission in a reputed B school abroad.

Analyze all aspects carefully

MBA abroad certainly makes your CV stand out. An MBA degree from a reputed university abroad is of great significance in India. The word ‘reputed’ should be kept in mind as your post MBA graph will depend from which university you have completed your MBA from. There has always been a fag for foreign universities and MBA degrees from abroad means a lot in India.

Admissions to top B-schools are difficult and expensive. Especially students from middle income groups are left to choose lesser known less-expensive schools. Some of them are genuine while most of them are not.

Companies have a list of qualified universities, if a particular university is not on that list the company is least likely to hire you. Remember that ranking and reputation is important and matters to employers.

Low ranked foreign universities are wooing Indian students promising bright futures but not all is true. Many universities which are not well-recognized do not provide placement opportunities. Do not fall into the advertising traps rather do your research.

While choosing your B-school verify the following points:  Is the B-school properly recognized? How is the local demand of the B-school? Who are the prominent alumni? What are the placement records? How good is the career service?

Some of the above information is present on the web while some may not be. Under such cases, connect to the past and present students. Social networking sites such as Facebook etc can be used for searching alumni and school contacts.

Choose the best: analyze the ROI

Until and unless you get an MBA from a reputed institute, your degree will have lesser value in India and may not be accepted in the market. This is the age of competition and employers will prefer candidates who have a competitive edge. Do not just hop into any B-school just for the sake of getting a foreign degree.

For example, there is no doubt that  admission to MBA at Harvard is difficult and highly expensive with around Rs.80 lakhs needed for the course in comparison to top rated IIMs in India who ask for Rs. 20 lakhs for the full course fee. Not only this, the eligibility requirements of 700 to 750 GMAT score, excellent academic profile, excellent transcript, quality work experience are also difficult to achieve. But, looking at the Return on Investment (ROI) could also be an eye opener and may convey why more and more candidates strive for MBA degree from Harvard.  The MBA degree from Harvard carries a very high weightage in research and academic profile; corporate placement. On an average an MBA from Harvard can get an average placement package of US$ 1.25 lakhs (Rs. 75 lakhs appx)  than a top IIM student whose average placement package is around 17-20 lakhs only.

The ROI in both the cases is not much different as you recover your expenses in first year of employment itself. But in the next few years, the difference will begin to be felt as one from HBS will be earning Rs.75 lakhs and  the other from IIM is earning Rs. 20 lakhs. The difference is self explanatory, why the candidates prefer the Harvard. 

The following table will give more clarity.

Asian B schools: Growing MBA weightage

Getting into Stanford or Wharton is not everyone’s piece of cake. If you do not make it to the likes of Harvard or London Business School, look for alternate feasible options including B-schools in Hong Kong, Singapore and China. MBA in these countries are shorter and cheaper. These destinations have some globally renowned school like NUS, HKUST, NTU, SMU, CEIBS etc. which are as prestigious as the US or UK counterparts.

Although the alumni base may not be as prominent as from top US B-schools and opportunities, you will acquire skills to grow in Asia and be able to contribute to the local market.

India: Growing Market for MBAs from Abroad

Indian economy is growing with high annual rates of GDP growth and job opportunities are growing for business graduates. Therefore, if you receive your MBA from a reputed B-school abroad you will have an edge over others. Global uncertainty has been affecting placement pattern and students should wisely choose the institutions. The right MBA degree from the right B-school abroad will place you in any organization in the world.

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