Through the looking glass

Updated on: Wednesday, August 19, 2009

After completing my undergraduate degree in electronics and communication engineering, in 2005, I joined Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as a

software engineer. Although software engineering was rewarding, I always felt that I needed to equip myself with more skills and a broader knowledge base. So, after two years at TCS, I decided to pursue an MBA.

I was focussing only on US B-schools and was lucky to get selected in all the five universities I’d applied to. I should add here that being involved in extra-curricular activities throughout my undergraduate and professional life helped a lot. I eventually chose Texas A&M University (TAMU), which was my first preference. There is a famous saying at TAMU that goes like ‘from the outside, looking in, you cannot understand it; from the inside, looking out, you cannot explain it.’ I now understand why.

Besides its state-of-the-art campus, the biggest draw for me was the faculty — like being taught services marketing by professor Leonard Berry. In fact, all the professors here are highly acclaimed in their respective fields. They know their stuff and are always willing to extend a helping hand. After all, an MBA is essentially a partnership between students and professors. One year into the MBA programme, I am glad to have made the right choice.
An MBA is an investment for a lifetime and, I believe, it is the best investment one can make. But an MBA can be hard on your pocket. Factoring in the opportunity costs such as quitting your existing job adds to the ‘real expenses.’ Besides, I was leaving for the US when the economic downturn was becoming a reality. Leaving the security of my job in a semi-plush office where I was doing well was challenging to say the least.

But, with the help and support of my parents, I am happy to have eventually made the right decision. Further, I found that almost all top B-schools offer scholarship programmes. I, for example, qualified for an instate tuition with a scholarship. The remaining amount was partly taken care of by a student loan, my parents’ savings and some of my own.
As for my experience so far, it has been life-changing. I share a classroom with students from across the globe. I have learnt from the experiences of my peers and, perhaps more importantly, I have learnt to question what is taught to me.

Times of india

Through the looking glass

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