Taking the decision: MBA abroad
Everything about how I took the decision to pursue my MBA abroad
I would address this to all the people like me out there who have the following traits:
Have a stable job, you somewhat like it but are not content
Have insecurities in your professional domain - let’s agree, a lot of us fall here
Have been thinking about “what next”
An Indian MBA would not give you the ROI, and
An MBA abroad has been on your radar
That’s a lot of conditions and naturally, a lot of entropy in your head to deal with. I went through the same and it took me close to 10 months to make a decision. In hindsight, I feel the process of making the decision was unoptimized (can’t help, have been a product manager), and that I could have accelerated the process if I had better insights, connections, and experience.
But everything comes in good time, and so does this wisdom. With a habit of writing things down to clear my mind, I felt this was a journal I could make public and could help a few folks out there to figure things out a tad bit quicker. Let’s do it the crude way, what I did and where I think I could have improved.
Before that, let me paint a picture of myself to give you an idea of my background: I am a B.Tech. 2020 graduate from IIT Roorkee. Have a decent CGPA — considered good for any higher studies application. Got into ITC via a PPO post college, worked there for an year only to realise that I don’t want to build a future in CPG. I feel the decision was somewhat influenced by the wild startup wave in India. Left ITC to join slice, a fintech startup, stayed there for ~3 years specialising in building payment products. Took the plunge, got a Wharton MBA admit.
Done vs Should’ve done
Getting into the journey recklessly
Done: Started preparing for CAT out of frustration in my first job, wasn’t clear about my goals, ROI, or expectations. MBA seemed an easy and popular way out in the CPG industry. I eventually ended up abandoning an Indian MBA because it did not give me the ROI or an experience I could cherish/benefit from.
Should’ve done: When I felt frustrated, I should have jotted down the reasons, talked to a few seniors/mentors who would’ve had this experience, and gotten their insights. Then I should’ve shortlisted the top ways to solve my problem with the worldly constraints and goals (money, lifestyle, geography). If an Indian MBA came out to be on top, I then would’ve been 100% convinced of doing it.
2. Started the MBA abroad journey only driven by fascination
Done: Post the entire Indian MBA debacle, I settled into my new job for some time but the MBA bug kept bugging me. When your peers are putting their minds and souls into optimizing for an MBA resume and you’re going around making decisions on whims, you have that complex. I again started spending time researching about it, talking to people about it without the clarity of why I wanted to do it. Spent good 10 months :)
Should’ve done: I should’ve researched profiles of some aspirational people, looked up their professional journeys, and tried to create a parallel in my life. It also helps in understanding that life and career are not unidirectional and that your experiences and exposure pave the path for you. I should’ve reached out and talked to these people, if possible, or people with similar profiles who are reachable. With this wisdom, I should’ve listed down what I want in life and what am I ready to risk for it.
3. Did a lot of back and forth with the decision
Done: Since I wasn’t 100% confident about why I wanted to do an abroad MBA, I went back to my motivations and doubted them a lot of times, called off the decision a lot of times, and ended up wasting time and mental peace/bandwidth.
Should’ve done: Had I been clear about my goals, I could’ve saved my energy and started early on my applications and GMAT preparation with full dedication, putting in 100% of the effort. I figured out my goals and motivation during the journey which eventually helped me make a final call but it also took a lot of mental space and induced a lot of doubt at multiple junctures in the 10 months I spent on the process.
4. Did not research the schools well before the applications
Done: This step is hard and you do not know what it means but learn to treat your MBA schools as your partners — their traits matter a lot and can impact your entire life. I did not research the schools with this perspective and went by the rankings. It’s a bet, you could end up getting lucky, which I think I was, or could land up in total disaster.
Should’ve done: Take control of your fate in your hands — at least the max you can. Think about your vibe and align it with schools. Of course, apply to the ones you dream of going to, but don’t forget to hedge your risks with some safety schools. Jot down your priorities and strategize accordingly — geography, opportunities in a specific field, scholarships, your partner, etc.
5. Did not keep track of my priorities during the applications
Done: Started the application process with my consultant and drafted “the MBA story”. Somehow went with the flow, took the consultant’s insights, and strategized according to that. Eventually, felt that I did not go back to my priorities often and did not account for them as much as I should’ve. Things possibly could’ve been better.
Should’ve done: Keep a close tab on your priorities, whenever posed to make a decision — which school to apply to, which round to apply — go back to them and evaluate, will it help me optimize for my priorities? If yes, go ahead, if no, think of the next best option. Of course, there can be constraints where you won’t have a full suit of options, but try your best.
If you synthesize the above things, it comes down to being sure of:
Your life goal, mine is freedom
Can an MBA help you to move toward your goal?
Do your personal/financial conditions favor you doing an MBA — you are ready to take any risks
What are your priorities in doing an MBA?
Answering them with 100% confidence is rare, and that’s why you’ll find maximum of the MBAs in a conundrum of what and why are they doing it. Even if you have 75% confidence in these things, you are already set apart. And ready to absorb everything that an MBA has to offer with maximum excitement and minimum regrets.
Connect with me 1:1 to get more insights and help on your decision abroad: https://topmate.io/shivani_singh98