The B-School Dilemma - Finding Closure!

"Find your closure. Pick your battles wisely. Remember, the battle may be lost, but the war is always left to be won!"

The above line was told to me by a certain someone who had converted a college from the holy trinity and happened to be an inspiration to many CAT aspirants who were active on the PaGaLGuY community last year. As I come across posts on LinkedIn where people share their admission to the top b-schools across the country and the success stories behind it, and quite a few who share their rejections as well, I was once again reminded of a situation I was in last year - confused, disappointed and trying to find my closure! But first and foremost, a hearty congratulations to all of you who have made it to the dream b-school of your choice - you deserve it. But what is this dilemma that I am talking about?

While there is the kind of people who always knew that they wanted to pursue an MBA at a very early stage (during their UG maybe) and had worked towards it consistently, I did not belong to that group. Having never given a competitive exam seriously and taking the tried and tested path of doing your state board exams well - getting admission to an engineering college - getting a job through campus placements, I realized that I had to do an MBA while on the job. Many, including myself, have always made the mistake of assuming CAT to be the final shot at redemption. If you have not cleared your UG entrance exams, if you haven't made it to the dream company on campus, if you are looking for accelerated career growth - you end up assuming CAT to be that one key that unlocks the doors to some magical land. And hence, it hurts all the more if you haven't got a decent percentile or have been rejected from your dream b-school. So what next?

It is a particularly tricky situation if you have scored a percentile in the range of 93 - 97. On the one hand, you are happy that you have converted a very good b-school, while on the other, you still have this nagging thought that you could have done better. Now you get this dilemma - should I repeat CAT or settle for the b-school I have now? What if I repeated CAT and did not get a better percentile next year? And so many other what-ifs! That's the thing about the rat race - it is never-ending. And if your metric for success is reaching the very top of the pyramid, then my friend, you are making the same mistake I made - you've got those metrics wrong. Always remember that competition is never-ending. So, how did I find my closure?

Three mistakes you should certainly avoid when trying to find closure:

1. Normalizing the efforts & achievements of those who have made it to the dream b-schools - By belittling their achievement, you are gaining nothing but a false sense of closure. Appreciate efforts; appreciate their achievement for having made it. Not all lives are the same, and hence, you'll never know the struggles and sacrifices they had to go through to reach that stage.
2. 'Chalta Hai' Attitude - Settling for a b-school doesn't mean you become complacent. Complacency has no room even in the very best of the b-schools. Every time you let your guard down, you are losing out. From academics, clubs & committees to case competitions and placements - 'Fight Maaro!', there is no alternative. Becoming complacent and being a free-rider may sound cool but is that what you settled for?
3. Not knowing what to do next - If you decide on a b-school without knowing what to do next, you are making a grave mistake. Finding closure doesn't mean you are blind-sighted and take things as and when they come. Know your career aspirations, plan how you can make the best use of your two years at your b-school, and stay motivated.
4. Do not give up, not yet! - I vividly remember talking to a senior before joining my b-school about how I am finding it difficult to move on from the fact that I couldn't make it to my dream b-school. What he replied was - "You either sulk over it while the two years of your b-school life flies by or you take cognizance of the fact that you have two years filled with a plethora of opportunities to redeem yourself - you decide. " Life at a b-school isn't remotely close to how it was in your engineering college. You need to be mentally strong to keep at pace with the academic rigor and several other activities that are going on around you. And the last thing you'd want is to still be brooding over an opportunity that has gone by. Staying motivated and having the never-say-die attitude is crucial to maximizing the outputs you gain from your b-school.

My thought process to overcome this dilemma was based on many factors. Some of them were:

• The circumstances - In MBA, while solving a case, we analyze the internal and external environment to arrive at a feasible solution. While I was internally motivated and had the zeal to give a 2nd attempt at CAT, several other factors which were dependent on my decision did not favor another attempt. It was a decision of whether to channelize all my energy and motivation towards another attempt at CAT or in maximizing the value I gain from the b-school I have now - and I chose the latter.
• Knowing my career aspirations - While on the job, I drew inspiration from the various engagements I was involved in. I was also inspired by my parents, whose career has largely been sales. After due diligence, I decided to pursue sales & marketing. Studying the various options I had, I felt that pursuing an MBA from the college I had converted would definitely lay down a pathway that can eventually guide me in achieving my career aspirations - not denying that I'll have to put in that extra bit of effort!
• Network to get perspectives - Talking to a countless number of people who were either studying in a b-school or completed their MBA and were working for an organization gave me multiple perspectives based on which I could make an informed decision. Remember that they have already gone through the phase you are in right now and hence, will be the best people to help you out.

Having seen my peers and batchmates who have been doing excellent in academics, have won corporate case competitions, and are doing exceptionally well in their summer internships, the one thing I noticed in common was that their metrics for success was different - Continous learning, continuous improvement and zero room for complacency drove them. Irrespective of the result, they were ready to give a tough fight. And that by itself is successful! As long as you keep the fire inside you burning, focus on improving yourself and learning new stuff each day, and motivated enough to put in that extra bit of effort, the opportunities you get, right from the two years at your b-school and in the future, is plenty and you will go places. During the phase of confusion & dilemma, I realized that I might have been fighting a battle not meant for me. But the war was still left to be won. And that's how I found my closure!

Note: All I have done in this article is to share my personal experience. While I am still learning and finding my way, do feel free to reach out to me if you feel I can help you out in any way - I would gladly do so!

Wishing the incoming MBA batch a hearty congratulations, you will rock it!