An MBA degree from a college in Mumbai can be your ticket to a lucrative and stable career – but only if you pick the right management college! With the demand for MBA degrees shooting through the roof, lots of not-so-great colleges have mushroomed all over Mumbai. They each claim inflated placement figures and getting stuck in one will not only cost you a pretty penny but will also waste years of your life!

So here are some things you must keep in mind while shortlisting colleges for management in Mumbai-           

In Mumbai where land is worth more than gold, a good infrastructure denotes quality. It means the college has some heavyweight backers who will pull out all stops to ensure it does well. So do keep an eye on the location, buildings and other infrastructure of the college.

Who teaches you matters more than the actual syllabus! Make sure you check out the college website to find some information on the credentials of the faculty members. In a field like management, it’s good to know that your teachers have real-world work experience too – so check their LinkedIn profiles. An experienced faculty could help by giving you an actual idea of how to implement bookish knowledge in the corporate environment, AND they could also help by facilitating placements or internships.

In the digital world, there are no secrets. You might not get outright, objective reviews but it’s possible to find information indirectly. Check for clues on social media channels or student forums about the actual performance of the college.

A personal visit is a great way to get a real feel of the place. Even if you don’t live in Mumbai, we recommend that you travel down for a visit before committing yourself. While at the college meet the faculty and ask your admission counselor for details on placements. Your first job is critical, and it is important to know what the college placement record is and how far they are willing to go to help you find a job.

The alumni network of a management college speaks volumes for the quality of its teaching. As most B-school graduates will mention their alma mater on forums like LinkedIn, it’s easy to find them and get a sense of how they are doing in their careers after graduation. You can even engage with some of them online to get their unvarnished feedback about the MBA course you are considering.

While in India, there is no well-known and final authority on MBA college rankings, there are, however, several informal online portals that routinely guide students with comparisons. While we recommend you study these, take them with a pinch of salt.There are some very well-known management colleges in Mumbai hence the top 5 list usually remains the same, but the city also boasts of some lesser known but equally good private MBA colleges. With so much competition it makes sense not to restrict your self to the same top 5 list!

MBA degrees in Mumbai are expensive, and you should know if the one you are picking is worth it. Don’t decide in a hurry - the time and effort you spend making your choice will be well spent if you make the right choice!