Using brains on rankings

Jatin Bhandari

Indian applicants generally lack the sensitivity to perceive the marketplace. Not all of us really go deep into understanding the changing patterns of the various parameters. Rather, we look at the abstract "Ranking Digit". The Indian buyer is more cautious when buying an automobile than when deciding to buy a seat in a school. You are paying 6-8 times more money to make a lifetime decision - you ought to dive deeper into the analysis. 

Here are some of the factors that should strongly complement the school rankings:

1Absolute rank vs The cluster: One needs to assess the cluster in which a school falls rather than the absolute number.  So, remember that there, in fact, are seven-eight schools in the TOP 5; 13-15 schools in TOP 10; and 25+ schools in the TOP 20 ranks. This is same as buying an automobile. One does not look for the maximum economy. The leg space is as important as the miles per liter. 

2Three-five  year performance: How has the school faired in the last three to five years will make a strong case in the robustness of the programme. If a school jumps a cluster temporarily, that may not be representative of the intrinsic value that you are seeking in a programme.

3Architecture of the curriculum (most of the applicants ignore this): What is the flexibility that the school provides when it comes to picking courses. Am I signing up with a particular stream (marketing, finance, operations etc.) or will I be allowed to move around different courses? If I generate an interest in marketing companies, would I have made a wrong decision of picking up the finance orientation in the beginning? (and vice versa ): For example, in IIMA and Harvard Business School, everyone will follow the same curriculum for the first nine months, and people explore all types of employment opportunities. In some specialised programmes, you need to identify your preferences before the first day at school. 

4 One year vs two year programmes: Think about IMD vs. Tuck — Where as both are strong MBA programmes, IMD may not be meant for you if you are not certain of the career choice before your MBA as it is a compressed one year MBA. Tuck on the other hand will not punish you for conducting experiments in the first year, and picking up internships in the areas that may not be your soul mate. A lot of rankings put these two categories within the same bucket. I feel it is a strong injustice to the candidates who are oblivious to the differences between these two. I have seen many applicants heading to one year programmes just to save time (you will not save time). If you are not meant for a one- year programme, you will waste time and money: remember, you need an internship — once again — you need an internship. The sooner you realise, the better it is.

5 Nature of your employment vs location of employment: What is more important to you? A country or an employer? For example: Would you prefer to work with Goldman Sachs anywhere in the world, or would you prefer to work in Chicago with any boutique investment bank, consulting firm, e-commerce? What is more important to you? The firm or the city? When you dissect those rankings, you ought to find your target employers and cities/countries. ISB is a great school and so is Carnegie Mellon- however, they are meant for different applicants. While ISB is for someone keen on establishing a career in India, Tepper is a great school on the East coast of the US. ISB may not give everyone an instant access to a McKinsey recruiting in New York. Similarly, Tepper may not get the ROI if you are looking for a job in Mumbai. 

6 Immigration friendly countries: Some countries will have more relaxed rules than the others. You do not want to spend money in Euros and come back in INR. Some of you probably want to come back to family businesses and will understandably do so. However, many applicants apply to international schools with the hope of gaining strong international exposure and earning high salaries. Rotman in Canada has not faired very high in rankings. However, Canada has been more receptive to internationals as compared with UK. Even though UK has been a great place to study, statistically speaking, your chances of earning in Pounds is not as high as those of earning in Canadian Dollars. And it can be tough for an applicant to spend money in international currency, and come back and earn in rupees. 

7 Financial aid: Is your school generous enough to provide no-cosigner loans or scholarships. Affordability should be high up on the list. How much are you willing to pay for the school? 

• Are you looking for schools that will provide loans but no scholarships?
• Are you more keen on schools that will provide only scholarships and you will manage the remaining Rs 30 lakh from India?
• Are you keen on taking the education loans in dollars or rupees? Would you be rather exposed to the fluctuation of the rupee? 

These are some of the important factors that an international student should consider while assessing the ranks. Other factors such as the class size, teaching methodology, culture, renowned faculty, and the alumni presence are very important too. Carry out a comprehensive analysis while identifying the B-school perfect for you. 

— The writer is Founder & CEO PythaGURUS Education ( an admissions consultancy firm) and Interview Ninjas