Business degrees are among the most popular studies offered by colleges and universities, and with growth projected in the job market of many business sectors, many would argue that studying business would be an investment in your future.

Whether you are ready to pursue an undergraduate degree or looking to acquire an MBA, choosing the right business school will play an important role in making the most out of your business education. There are many things to consider in choosing a good business school, but here are what we think are the top factors which should govern your decision:

1. Course Curriculum

The most obvious reason to choose a Master of Business Administration program has to be the program’s curriculum. What you learn in the years that you will spend there, are the things that you will use in the future, in order to build your career.

Core courses are the basic courses that you will find in every MBA program. They cover all the subjects that you need to be familiar with, in order to run a business successfully. They contain courses on accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, operations, microeconomics, leadership, ethics etc.

But the differentiation is whether the B-school is aligning its Course Curriculum in accordance to the industrial demands?

With businesses rapidly embracing Digital technologies to gain global competitiveness and efficiency, their very core, their foundations, are changing. New age businesses are building themselves around new age guiding principles, all new business practices and yes, people, with a new age mind-set and orientation to run them.

Today, 21st-century managers are not only focusing on becoming experienced in strategic thinking and cutting-edge management techniques and tools, they are also looking to become deeply familiar with Digital Transformation technologies that are reshaping organizations. You need to ensure that the B-school you are planning to join is giving you enough opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills that will make you suitable for futuristic careers.

So B-Schools offering just the traditional mix of theoretical and experiential training, that have helped shape generations of business captains till now, will not work out anymore!

Today, you need to choose a B-School which advocates a multi-disciplinary course, aiming to holistically develop students by offering them a specialization in cutting-edge areas like Marketing and Marketing Analytics; Entrepreneurship; Finance, Banking and Fintech; Business Analytics; Communication and Media Studies; and Digital and Social Media Marketing. The program should have an industry-linked curriculum which can be customized by students through specializations, electives and projects. Also, during the course, the students need to be guided by industry experts from the corporate world through a Mentorship Program.

A B-School like IPS BUSINESS SCHOOL has been following a similar pedagogy even before the impact of COVID and therefore, it can be rightly said that IPS has taken a lead in helping its students to understand and learn about new-age management roles in the Digital Economy and prepare them for what lies ahead in the realm of business.

And the icing on the cake at IPS is its master-class stroke of a unique pedagogy which ensures that every student is exposed to the industrial and practical processes right from I Semester through regular On-Job-Training opportunities.

2. Inspiring Faculty

Like any industry, a good business school is also an intricate setup, where there are hundreds of professionals working vigorously to keep the institution running which may include the director, advisers, counsellors, accountants, administrators, librarians and many more professionals who work for the betterment of the institution.  The faculty is no exception. Faculty help keeps the institution running not only by teaching the students, but also by acting as policy-makers and innovators, contributing to various workloads like approving new curriculum, developing new programs, managing student grievances, and ensuring the excellent educational experience for every student.

A good business school will attract the most qualified and talented teachers and researchers. This top talent will have the knowledge, experience and the right ‘corporate flavour’ to effectively teach aspiring business leaders.

Aside from teaching from a theoretical standpoint, an inspiring faculty will give emphasis on the application of theory to real issues in the business world today. The experience and connections in the industry possessed by these faculty members will enable them in advising students and even connecting them to internships or other career opportunities.

If you are interested in working in a specific field, sector or industry, you should consider the connections of the faculty and the school to that particular area, as this will give you a head start after graduation.

The Academic Capital of IPS BUSINESS SCHOOL are dynamic contributors both inside and outside the classroom.  They are editing academic journals, organizing regional, national, or international seminars and conferences, serving as mentors to other scholars or PhD students, editing and authoring textbook which students use in their courses every day.  The IPS professors also have research partnerships with professors around the country, while some partner with corporates or government bodies for consulting projects. Therefore, the IPS faculty members are able to guide the students in case study discussions and live projects with a twist of practical challenges that instigates, and motivates the students. Under proficient faculty guidance, classrooms become cauldrons for leadership where students test their pragmatism, explore difficult ideas, reflect on their leadership abilities, and embrace new means for successful business management.

3. Great students

Most business degree programs have heavy loads when it comes to group projects, and you will be spending a significant amount of time interacting with your fellow students.

Aside from learning how to work as part of a team and developing team leadership skills, your experience in business school should also allow you to learn from your fellow students, as there is a chance that they will be your colleagues, partners or even competitors in the future.

In a way, a big part of your studies and career can depend on networking with your fellow students and those who have already graduated. Business graduates often seek employment with or mentorship by the alumni of their school.

A good question to ask is, “What type of students does this school attract?” From there, you will be able to think about the profile of the student and alumni community you will be interacting with and whether or not you want to be a part of it.

IPS BUSINESS SCHOOL with 14 years of legacy in imparting quality and value-based management education, is one among very few B-Schools functioning in the country where more than 150 students placed their trust even during the uncertainties of COVID pandemic. Yes! Our MBA Batch of 2020-22 has more than 150 students and 83% of them are engaged in regular On-Job-Training, in both the modes – WFH as well as working from offices – speaks volumes about the quality of students at IPS BUSINESS SCHOOL!

4. Leadership

Another critical thing to look for in a business school is its leadership or administration. Leaders of a top business schools needs to project a balance of business and academic knowledge. This helps them to run and set a vision for their school as part of the business community.

A good business school’s leaders should have a collective vision that supports and balances the interests of students, faculty and alumni.

The leadership at IPS BUSINESS SCHOOL is involved from ensuring world-class infrastructure, establishing the campus, making the institute AICTE & UGC compliant, getting affiliated to University of Rajasthan, getting visiting and Guest Faculty, building internal norms for smooth and seamless operation, setting up the beyond Educational activities like Workshops, Industry Assignments & Internships, Co-curricular and non-academic programs, Placement Assistance for graduating  students, getting aligned  with International Universities & Colleges by way of study-abroad, study-India, student exchange, faculty development, Research & Twinning Programs, aligning with national Colleges and Universities for various competitions and Student Exchange Programs, Promoting distance education  beyond academic hours for engagement of remote renowned faculty and e-platform for assessment and evaluation.

What you need to understand is that - the Leadership at IPS BUSINESS SCHOOL plays their vital role whole heatedly. In addition to being celebrated academicians, with top-notch corporate and business experience the Leadership at IPS are great administrators who understands the integration of Academics & Technology.

5. Student support

A good business school will assist you from when you first consider applying for a program right through to after you graduate. It can be support in the form of something as simple as getting the right information to something a bit more complex such as looking for a job. It’s not about being spoon-fed but having the right resources to help you along the way of becoming a business professional. Some solid indicators of student support are a strong alumni network and a well-connected career service mechanism.

MBA is a phase when your career assumptions will be challenged—you’re exposed to vast amounts of new knowledge, ideas, and networking opportunities that can affect your career decision making process. This process can be complex, taking into account an array of factors ranging from the personal (what city do I want to live in?), to the financial (does this job pay me enough?), to the realities of the hiring market (are there opportunities for growth in the job function I’m interested in?).

IPS BUSINESS SCHOOL’s career services office is your best resource for developing your career plans, testing your assumptions, and understanding what to expect. Engaging with the experienced staff at our career services office early and often during your MBA can yield major benefits for you—and not just when you’re actively looking for a job.

Here are five key career services features that IPS provides, which can be your bench-mark before joining any B-School.

1. Finding an OJT/Internship Opportunity– IPS has established relationships with companies that routinely offer internships to graduate business school students, and internships are an excellent way to land a full-time job offer. According to this year’s survey, conducted by the Career Services Department of IPS 89 percent of participating employers plan to offer Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) to our interns.
2. Skill building workshops– IPS organizes sessions and workshops throughout the year on resume writing, soft skills development, business etiquette and language, negotiating job offers, and other critical career development skills. This is implemented right from the I Semester onwards so that students can take advantage early on—skill development takes time, and you’ll want to be ready when your job search is in full swing.
3. Understanding the market and focusing your job search– IPS career services office offer resources and one-on-one coaching to help individual students approach their job search, strategically. Experienced staff know what techniques work best by region, industry, job function, and more. Every student can take advantage of these insights to gain a critical edge in a competitive, ever-changing job market.
4. Recruiting events– Coordinated through career services offices, corporate recruiters attend on-campus job fairs to recruit new talent and interview for full-time positions. Corporate recruiters have always maintained their view; that on-campus interviews are their most effective recruiting method.
5. Connecting with Alumni–At IPS, our strong alumni make themselves available to current students through the career services office. Alums help the ongoing batch explore career opportunities, answer questions, and put the students in touch with other alums to expand their network. In fact, almost 9 out of 10 alumni say they would recruit a graduate from their Alma-mater to work in their company.
6. Return-On-Investment

In a challenging economy of the present days, it will take a very long time for a student who has invested around Rupees 6-25 lakh in all to complete a B-school’s two-year course to earn that money back. Also keep the Study Loan EMIs in perspective. If Rupees 30 thousand plus goes towards repayment of the loan, how much should a student earn in order to survive?

A very serious question.

Since the fees of most PGDM programmes in India can vary from 6 lakhs to 25 lakhs per programme, it is very important that you pick the colleges smartly. Before joining any college offering PGDM programs and taking an education loan, you must check the expected ROI of the college. 

Take these six things into consideration when you look for the best business school for you among the thousands that you can choose from. Remember that the school should be able to address your academic and professional needs and goals and that in the end, it’ll only be you who can say which one is the right fit for you.