Students who have just finished their final year or are about to enter their final year and are seriously considering pursuing an MBA fall under the category of “Fresher MBA.”
There will be a lot of people who claim that entry into an MBA is easier if you have prior experience or that you will hold more value if you have experience. Both of these notions are TRUE.
It is definitely easier for someone with 2 years of experience to get into a B-School than a fresher.
However, this is NOT a deal-breaker. If it is in your interest to crack CAT and get into a B-School, then write CAT straight out of college. Suppose your preparation flies and you get an admit from IIM – BLACKI or any decent B-School, you should take it.
Fresher MBA Vs. MBA with Experience
The level of discrimination in jobs Post-MBA based on your Pre-MBA experience is miniscule. For example, if you have three years of experience before your MBA and you get a job Post-MBA, the job will be more or less the same compared to the job that a fresher with no experience gets Post-MBA.
You will jumpstart your Post-MBA career if you join as a fresher. It will be a bit tougher for you to get in as a fresher, with the odds stacked against you in terms of value. It’s a great deal for you, if you get in. So jump at the chance if you get an admit.
So remove this block that getting in is incredibly tough for a fresher and that it will be less useful even if you do get in. A Fresher MBA is a huge advantage and provides numerous opportunities.
COVID-19
The pandemic has left us with uncertainty on various levels. Having said that, the privilege of having the time and means to peruse this article is one not known to many.
If you are in your final year during these incredibly testing times, and you find yourself worrying about the future, then take it from me, the best way to remove this stress is to start preparing for your dreams.
If you’re worried about the implications of the pandemic on your CAT Preparation, then consider reading this fabulous article.
CAT 2020 is just 120 days away. If you’re considering opting for CAT 2021, start preparing for it right away. Build your fundamentals and go berserk with all kinds of topics.
A Final Note:
Quite simply, your final year of whatever UG you have taken up is the BEST time to prepare. The amount of free time that falls into our hands during our final year is quite simply a golden opportunity. Your project or internship will have to be managed appropriately. Management is what your job will involve Post-MBA.
There is the odd, tough UG course out there but compare it to what you could get into in a job or during an MBA or a job Post-MBA and throw yourself into your preparation from your final year itself.
Quite simply, your preparation will involve these:
a) Prepare from basics
b) Practise aggressively
c) Take routine Mock Tests
d) Maintain some discipline in terms of preparation
Stay Safe and Best Wishes for your CAT Preparation!
Rajesh Balasubramanian takes the CAT every year and is a 4-time CAT 100 percentiler. He likes few things more than teaching Math and insists to this day that he is a better teacher than exam-taker.
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