ISB Hyderabad (Indian School of Business) didn’t have good news for Riaz Mohammed and he wrote about it earlier on our blog with some advice for others who were in a similar situation.
We had hinted that his story was going to change for the better. Riaz is back with some good news to share.
News that includes feel-good terms like MBA scholarships, full tuition waiver, stipend, free ride. Music to the ears!
So I finally took a leap of faith and decided to attend University of Georgia’s Terry College of business in August ‘11 from the few options that I had. Five months hence, I can safely say that it has been one of the best decisions that I have made. First, I got more than a free-rider (full-tuition waiver plus stipend) from a ranked university, so I knew that ROI on the MBA degree is already taken care of without even having to worry about where will I end up after graduation.
Second, it is the opportunity to explore different cultures and make new friends and contacts. Finally, I was able to do the much needed ‘reset’ of my life; the transitory escape to college life and be able to do whatever I want (well, almost!).
For me, apart from the obvious world class education offered by Terry faculty, the facilities and resources, and the future, it was the prospect of being a student that appealed to me the most. Rewind 2 years, I was holding half a dozen plum job offers from some of India’s leading companies.
With salaries offered enough to make my peers envious, the easiest option was to just take one among them, enjoy the improvement in reporting hierarchy, and continue with life. However, continuity in education seemed to add more value than in employment. MBA seemed a perfect fit for my needs in continuity – both in education and work.
For someone like me who has lived in the same home/city/country for 27 years, I’d say that getting away from everything – even for a small time – would only make you stronger, more independent and more responsible. And that is the transformation I have undergone in the first five months of the Terry MBA program. As it would be in almost all the top programs, the courses are designed so that you are able to extract the maximum possible relevant information for your job and future even in courses like statistics and economics.
You are able to meet new people — some competitive, some cut-throat, some indifferent, but generally friendly – some types you might not have met so far. You are also able to experiment a few things, bounce ideas off your friends and professors, ideas that you had kept within yourself for a long time. I have personally seen a few of my peers getting on with their entrepreneurship ideas from their marketing plans. I believe all these things are possible because you are in a controlled environment with ample guidance from professors and industry experts. Or of course, you can just choose to live each day, one at a time.
I didn’t go to B-school with a target of getting a 4.0 GPA or that hallowed consulting job. I want to try, to quote Lou Bega, “a little bit of this and a little bit of that.” I have pulled all-nighters before exams right after attending a college football game. I went on a road trip covering four states before my midterms. Somehow, I managed a decent GPA to keep my head above the waters. It is an amazing feeling when all the little things in life work together. The only way to know is to do it. So still thinking why you want to do an MBA?
We’ve requested Riaz to come back again and continue sharing his story with us about his internship and career hunt experience.
Hi Riaz,
My name is Nitin Vig, and I am a 1st year MBA student at Kelley School of Business. Really liked the way you have articulated your MBA exp. so far. just wanted to know has the search for internships begun in your school, are there companies coming on-campus?
-nitin
Hey Nitin,
Sorry for the delayed reply. Nice to hear from you. Full fledged internship recruitment hasn’t started as yet at Terry, however, about half a dozen people have already got 1+ internship offers by the end of fall sem. Some companies (HP, Rocktenn, Coke etc) have already come to the campus and they have made internship/job offers.
Riaz
Hello Riaz
Your post says much on scholarship program. Interesting too. I’m planning to do a career change and really
interested in MBA. My UG is in bsc through distance education.
As your MBA program is of full scholarship I would like to know little more about it
I would be glad If you could clear me off these questions
1) minimum eligibility for enrollment?
2) which country you would suggest me ?
3) how to get enrolled in such Business schools offering full scholarship?
Thanks in advance.
I got to bookmark this page!
Hey Prakash, hope you are doing well. The scholarship or any other funding opportunities are a function of your admission packet at a specific university. So basically if you have a strong profile, or I should say, a program thinks that you have a strong profile for its class, the adcom would offer funding IF they offer you an admit. Please keep in mind that there is no hard and fast rule as to how to get funding. (or is there?!)
Reg country, well again, I think its more about a program and not about a country. You should probably start with self-evaluation of your profile to see where you started vis-a-vis your competition and choose the programs that fit your profile. I’m sure the admits & funding will follow.
Ciao!
hi riaz,
your story is inspiring and and hope everything goes well there.
i want to apply for MBA my age is 31+ and have a good academic record and experiences. i am mostly thinking about funding for mba. what it takes to get funding? is funding announcements are made before enrolling? [i mean before we start from here] kindly clarify. if it is ok, please mail me your id to [Edit: personal information taken out] thanks
Hi Riaz,
Feeling good to hear about You !
M thinking for MBA & I am BE mechanical with 3 + yrs experience.
Financial probs are that I need a college, which will offer me Stipend/ regular income.
So pl clear me few things
1) Do they offer scholarship + stipend
2) If, how much ?
3) How to apply for these clgs?
4) Any entrance exam for it?
if ok, pl give me ur mail id, which will not b disclosed.
Pls Reply
Thanks
Ketan
Hi Riaz,
I am very interested in Terry College of Business. I was wondering if you still had to pay $5500 a year for the curriculum fees or did your scholarship cover everything? Also, what was the job you had to do on campus for the graduate assistantship that gives you a stipend?
Thanks,
George
This is an old post and Riaz probably isn’t checking this for reader comments.
Hi sir..I will be completing my BCA along with value added courses soon. I wish to join for MBA in abroad..what are the procedures..can I know about all the related aspects through my mail?
Hi Riaz,
this is ebidhass
you are the inspiring for me
now i am studing b.com final year
can i get the MBA course in abroad without fee
if it is possible what is the procedure of terms and conditions