Busting the Top 5 Myths of Indian MBA Applicants

MBA is one of the most wanted degrees for Indians. It is competitive in nature, and every year hundreds of thousands of candidates appear for the examination to get into the best business schools in the country. With such a competition between the students, it is important to understand that it comes along with various myths as well. But do not worry! We are here to bust all of the myths of Indian MBA applicants that can hold them back in succeeding. It will help you to know the reality and apply to your dream college with facts in your hand! So let us get started.

Myth 1: Extra-curricular activities are not more important than other experience

It is vital that the Indian MBA applicants know the importance of the extra-curricular activities. Students have been thinking that doing NGO work is all that pushes a college to accept the application of the student. But that is not it. Sure, it has its place, a very important place while applying to a college, but there are tons of other things as well that are taken in consideration. Be it dramatics, music, dance, art, calligraphy, or any other interest or hobby that you are great at- it is worth it to list it in your application. While leadership and volunteering experience has its own place and potential, it is by no means better or comparable to other spheres.

The entirety of any application is taken into consideration by the MBA schools while selecting the candidate for their MBA program. Every experience counts, and thus they end up making a class of diversity and different stories of success. 

Must Read: MBA specializations to enter the business world

Myth 2: US does not consider 3-year graduate programs

In India, there are the traditional bachelor’s degrees, that do not include medical degrees or engineering, and are usually of 3 year duration. On the other hand, in the US, the Bachelor’s degree is for 4 years. At first, there was a myth that universities in the US do not consider the three-year graduation. But that is not the case. Nowadays, almost all the universities do consider the three- years degree programs, given the fact that 3-year degrees are common in Europe as well, and Europe considers the three- year degree for an MBA.

Yes, it is right that some schools in the US still do not consider the three-year degree programs, like Stanford, Kelley, McCombs, and Berkeley. But many notable colleges and degree programs like Harvard 2+2, UCLA Anderson and Yale SOM now accept three-year bachelor degrees. Indian applicants should not be scared of applying to the programs and should consider applying to the top 30 MBA programs in the USA that consider the three-year degree.

Also Read: Indian MBA Vs Foreign MBA: Which one is Better?

Myth 3: Converting transcripts to US GPA is tough for Indian Applicants

Indian universities have different ways to grade students. Be it the 10-point CGPA system or percentage, there are universities that have their own 5 point grading systems as well. Since there are so many systems, Indian applicants get confused and stressed because of the same. There are many ways to tackle this. Firstly, there are many MBA schools that ask the candidates to submit their transcripts as they contain marks of students without changing the grades into a 4.0 grading system. And if the college asks for the converted grades, there are many certified and authorized institutions that can easily convert your grades as per the US way. 

Also Read: Best FREE Online MBA Courses in India and Abroad

Myth 4: Having International experience is necessary

Not having international experience seems like a big disadvantage to the Indian applicants, but it is not right! There are many MBA schools that help you to gain work experience before joining the college for the program. International professional experience is not needed at all. There are plenty of candidates that are selected despite that. Yes, it certainly gives a good exposure and looks great on the resume, but it is not compulsory for the application.

Also Read: How to craft a perfect MBA fresher resume?

Myth 5: Average GMAT scores help to determine the competitiveness of Indian MBA applicants

Many Indian applicants choose colleges on the basis of the average GMAT scores of that business school. This is not considered to be the right way. Since there is a lot of competition, if you have scored more than the average and have decided to apply for that college, it will not lessen the competition you have for that seat. It is important to add around 20 more points to the average GMAT scores of a college while opting for one, since there are a lot of people who would be applying to the top B schools. 

Also Read: 100+ Top B-Schools in India Accepting GMAT Scores

FAQs

That’s all about the myths of Indian MBA applicants. While there are a lot of Indian MBA aspirants who want to apply to the top universities, make sure that your application is truthful with your SOPs, letters of recommendation and your experience as a student and a worker. The pool of applicants is large and competitive, but you can do well to become a top MBA applicant. Your work is to make yourself look worthy to be in your dream college.

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