'Which are the best MBA schools in Noida?'

In an online chat with readers Harpreet Singh, president, JRE School of Management-Greater Noida offered advice on how to pick the right business school.

One of the greatest challenges facing an MBA aspirant is to decide the right business school.

Should you go for the one that has consistently been featured among the Top 10 or opt for the one that best matches your requirements -- the right specialisation combined with top notch faculty to begin with.

What are the mistakes people generally make while choosing a business school and how can you overcome them?

To help our readers make an informed choice, Rediff.com had organised a live chat with Harpreet Singh, president, JRE School of Management-Greater Noida on March 21.

For those who missed the live chat, here's the unedited transcript:

Hiya: Can I get direct admission in MBA without giving CAT Examination? I am pursuing BBA now.

Harpreet Singh: Not in a good b-school in India...at least you would have to do CMAT if not CAT.

romil: Which is better: MS from abroad, MTech from IIT/NIT's or MBA?

Harpreet Singh: Good Question ! As I am also an engineer one goes through this question. First if you love engineering then do Phd...MS/MTech should only be a milestone on the way. If I can afford MS then I should do that and then do PhD in Engg. If you have business bent of mind then do MBA as most successful MBA in India are Engg MBA from job point of view.

kavita bavekar: Does my international academic background meet the requirements for the Katz MBA?

Harpreet Singh: Please go through the University of Pittsburgh website for Katz MBA

vijay: How do you assess candidates for admission? What are the most important criteria? Is work experience required?

Harpreet Singh: Vijay, we look at Academic record, CAT/CMAT score, extra co-curricular activities, communication skills both written and spoken, spark of excellence. The student has to appear in Group Discussion & Personal Interview to get himself/herself selected. Experience is good but not mandatory.

rakesh: If I am accepted into the MBA programme, is it possible to defer admission to a future date?

Harpreet Singh: You can request the College & see its reaction...it depends on college policies.

kunika: Why to do MBA? What are the benefits? please explain

Harpreet Singh: MBA is very important as you start understanding -How an organisation is built? How the different functions like marketing, finance, HR, Operations etc work together and their importance. So I feel one needs to do MBA from good college to understand the dynamics of the organisation and to start a new company.

guddy: What is the minimum work experience required for executive MBA in India?

Harpreet Singh: Normally it is one to two years. IIMs run PGPX programme where minimum 5-year experience is needed.

sumeet salgaonkar: I'm in my final year of graduation. But I'm not able to decide whether I should apply for CAT or take the CET. Can you pls help me

Harpreet Singh: Go for CAT if you want to get into top management colleges in India.

Amit srivastav: Do rankings really matter while deciding a bschool?

Harpreet Singh: Don't go by rankings, visit the college, meet the dean and check with students about academics and placements. Do check on the management of the bschool too.

Dinkar Dosanjh: I haven't appeared for CMAT this year. Can I still apply to Symbiosis?

Harpreet Singh: No, Symbosis admits only on the basis of SNAP scores

Eknath Gangulee: I have scored 81 per cent in class 10, 73 in 12 and 69 per cent in BCom. Do you think this will matter in MBA admission?

Harpreet Singh: It does matter in a good B School. Give CAT if you aspire to get into a top management college.

Gambhir Harbir: I have scored 80 percentile in CAT and am planning to apply at Welingkar, SIES and NMIMS. Please let me know what are my chances...

Harpreet Singh: Most likely Welingkar....just check the streams as General PGDM is very good but rest are ok.

Pradeep Nair: What is the validity for MBA Finance from IGNOU?

Harpreet Singh: MBA FINANCE from IGNOU is recognised by State Govt jobs but not by many corporates

alex: How good is distance MBA? Name some good institutes in Mumbai and Delhi..

Harpreet Singh: Don't do distance MBA if it is not supported by strong corporate otherwise it is waste of time and money...you don't get great knowledge and the degree is also not recognised by many good corporate for jobs.

Jeswal: My budget is 10 lakhs. Which are the schools and courses that fit my budget?

Harpreet Singh: Always look for good colleges by visiting the college and meeting the Dean. Also meeting some students to find out about academics and placements. You can take loan if it does not fit into budget of Rs 10 lakhs. JRE SOM can be a good option in Rs 10 lakhs.

vaishali: What is the difference between executive MBA and regular MBA?

Harpreet Singh: Executive MBA is for working professional...normally for one year or part time too. Regular MBA is two-year full time course.

Jignesh Kaisth: Which are best MBA schools in Noida?

Harpreet Singh: One of the best MBA colleges both from the academics and placements' point of view is BIMTECH in Noida/Gnoida