IIM A or B or C...Part 2

Part 2 of the series about whether to join IIM A or B or C. This was a reply sent to my immediate seniors by their senior.

Copied verbatim....
I joined in late and was just browsing through the group when I came across this. A lot has been said about the subject in the numerous mails before this. I really wonder why!

Is it that the multiple call getters want to act pricey and boast of having got through ABC when they already know where they will join? Now come on guys, we do not need managers to be so indecisive. Please do not compare IIM X with A. They are great institutions in their own right, but on par with A? Excuse me! Kindly wash your face and get a reality check. At the end of the day, person with 6 calls is equivalent to a person with an exclusive A call.

Or are these future leaders so immature that they want to relax for 2 years in a Bangalore pub or play on a Calcutta football ground? Come on guys, you gave CAT to do an MBA for god-damn-sake. If you are scared enough to think twice before joining A due to the academic rigour here (which I hope is not the case), then please go elsewhere. IIM Ahmedabad does not need chickens. We take a lot of pride in the premier status of our institute.

Anyways, since people asked for it, I thought I'd dole out my two pence.

Better late than never. For the record, I'm FoojZi - a PGP 3. I just thought I'd share my point of view on this ever raging debate that goes on in the mind of an ABC guy/girl. Let's take it case by case.

*Academic Rigour*

A popular joke among the IIMs is that the A in IIMA stands for Academics, not Ahmedabad. True, very true. We study the hardest, we come out the best. The first year in IIMA is said to be one of the toughest experiences one might have in an entire lifetime. It prepares you for all circumstances ahead. B and C are also tough, but no where close to A. Scared? Better be. It is true. Muggo Fachchon Muggo is not said for nothing! :-)

*Placements*

There is an old saying - Make hay while the sun shines! It is believed that there is little difference between the placements of A/B/C, except may be for 10 odd additional Day0s for A each year. Or is it?

The 3 were never really tested in the last few years when the recruiters came down for final placements. Leave aside C, they do not stand in the picture. The last 2 years had been bumper years for placements and hence little difference between A and B, though A maintained its lead quite clearly. However the scenario changed from this March when the situation normalised and the requirements were low. Some 'trusted' recruiters (names withheld for obvious reasons) took much lower numbers from B and did not even go to C. On the other side, at A, it was normal business as usual.

*Faculty*

A/B/C all three have quality faculty. Little difference there. Any place you go, you are sure that the best in the country would be teaching you. But then again, you have more than one teacher in a classroom. You actually have around 70 at a time.

*Students*

The students (YOU!) are the other 70 teachers in a classroom. Each year the best of the best come to IIMA. Almost everyone in IIMA also has a B/C call. On the other hand, there would be hardly 5-6 each in B/C who opted for those institutes over A.

*Courses*

All IIMs offer excellent courses. But where IIMA scores over others in the first year is with Written Analysis & Communication, Managerial Computing and Spoken Business Communication among others. These courses really help you in your summer internships and are a differentiating factor between an IIMA guy and an IIMX guy.

*Parties*

There are monthly Ramp parties in IIMA. The Cultural Committe takes care of that. B has it's own variant - LSquare and so does C. But no ways does A lag behind on this front. And contrary to popular perception, Gujarat might be dry but IIM Ahmedabad isn't. Ask me! ;-)

*Extra-Curricular Activities*

Leave aside academics, and we have an annual itenary of extra- currics. Yes the academic rigour might prevent some from participation, but then it's your choice. No one stops you from anything. T-Nites, Chaos, Diwali, Holi, etc etc etc. We have our own package here. B and C might score a tad above A in this regard. But there are plenty of student clubs at IIMA to take care of that.

*Sports*

Everyday you will see WIMWIans playing football/basketball /badminton/ cricket/other games on campus. IIMA defeated IIMB 7-4 in last year's sports meet called Sangharsh. The meet as held after nearly 20 years. See, we are not just better at business. :-)

*Business Meets*

Confluence is the name of the annual business summit of IIMA. Year after year the prize money, the number of participants (both domestic + international) , the moolah and the rest is much higher and much better at IIM Ahmedabad than any other institute on the continent. A participation certificate at Confluence is a big CV point for other institutes' students.
Confluence >> Vista (B)
Confluence >> Intaglio (C)
Also, there are other events like Amaethon, Insight, International Marketing Conferences, Venture Capitalist Conclaves, Avtaran and the likes happening around the year at A. You'll know more about them on campus.

*Business Networking*

Some say that networking with alumni is the one of the most important parts in an MBA. True to some extent. And understandably, the IIMA Alumni network is the best of the lot. IIMC comes close. IIMB lags behind at No 3 in this.

*Exchange Programme*

IIMA has, by far, the best exchange programme among all IIMs. It has the most number of exchange seats and the best diversity among all institutes with seats available in even South America apart from the regulars of North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. This year a dual degree programme with ESSEC has been initiated.

*Culture*

Each institute has its own. B and C are also fantastic at this. But the dorm culture at IIMA is like none other. Come to the fachcha meets and you will know the tempo shouts. Come to IIMA and you will be rechristened with a dorm name. Come to a dorm and you will celebrate your Birthday like never before. Unlike hostels of 200 students, we have smaller dorms of sizes 20- 40. This facilitates greater interaction and bonding at the dorm level. You make friends for life. And the student mix in a dorm has a great variety as well. So you not only learn in the class, but also outside as well.

*The Brand*

You all must have seen the B-School rankings. A ranks Numero Uno by a long margin!

In a lighter vein, just imagine this scenario -- Year 2010. It's been one year since your MBA and an old family friend comes and visits you after 5 years. Your father introduces you to him, "Mera beta MBA hai. Pichhle saal hi graduate kiya hai IIM se."

The visitor says, "Arre waah bete! Yeh to bahut achchhi baat hai. Kaun se IIM se MBA kiya tumne?"Very proudly you say, "IIM B/C se uncle". And casually he replies, "Bahut badiya bete, bahut badiya. Lekin kya hua tha, A nahi mila tha kya?"

Period.

My own personal story in May-June 2005. I was also faced with this decision then. C seemed to be the chillest of the lot and a lot of my college friends were there. B, my then girlfriend lived there and I loved the city. And A of course was A. But then I thought that this MBA I will do only once in my life. Why shall I look for small advantages now! I want to go to the best and be one of the best. For help, I called up my NSIT/DCE friends in B and C who had gone there before me. I asked them A/B/C. They plainly said to me, "Yaar, we came to B/C because we did not get the chance to go to A. If you were an outsider, we would have pitched and told you to join our institute. But since you are our friend, we will tell you the reality. Whatever the reasons may or may not be, GO TO A."

Right then, my choice was clear.

I ask all you incoming fachchas to travel back to November 2006. Think about the day you wrote CAT. Think about your dream institution then which you wanted to join. You will have your answer.

If anyone of you has any queries, feel free to mail me. I will be happy to help you out.