5 Ways to Prepare for the 1st Year of B-School

The first year of MBA is a very exciting, anxious and is always filled with anticipation of what might happen. Most students tend to get scared and intimidated when they realise they need to balance the huge amount of coursework while making time for entertainment. The best way per alumni is to know what you are getting into. Here are some ways to prepare yourself for 1st year of MBA:

• Attend and connect in meet-and-greet and orientation

It is essential for an MBA aspirant to make and have connections throughout the two years of study. One of the most effective and simplest ways to connect with people is to attend meet-ups and orientation programme conducted by your B-school. In such events, it is very often seen that alumnus from over the years, and faculty members who can help and guide better in the future. Attending these events also helps in familiarising the resources available on and off campus making an aspirant ready to have a head start.

• Maintain and build upon the existing network

Connecting and building new contacts may seem quite easy compared to maintaining and building upon them. Try to stay in touch with the networks you have built. This can be a plus point as the network can help you reach your goals in the future.

• Preparation for recruiting

Update your CV, LinkedIn profile, and whatever you feel is important for your recruitment into a firm right at the beginning. This way you can apply for various summer internships, part-time jobs, and even full-time jobs if need be. Make a list of companies where you would want to intern or work and apply to these, but do not expect to be called back as there is fierce competition from all the fields.

• Brush your quantitative skills and reading habits

It is seen that MBA graduates usually lack quantitative skills when they are being hired. Start from beginning of your MBA to build these skills by taking math classes or any other additional courses that can improve you in every way possible. Start reading in your free time. Get up to date on all the happenings of the world as this would help in enriching your knowledge while giving an extra edge to a graduate.

• When in doubt, ask

If you are doubtful about anything in the college premises or how the whole MBA matrix works then ask the counsellor or the coordinator. These people are kept in their jobs to help and facilitate to the best of their knowledge. First-year students will have questions that can be answered by authorised persons in college.

All these and more is what is provided in GIBS, one of the best MBA colleges in south India. We recognise and realise that first year is intimidating, so we give the incoming students a very warm welcome and try to make them feel comfortable so they can give their best to their education.