Are you interested in a successful career in business and management?

Looking at the enrolment of Indian students in MBA programmes, you're not alone. The MBA has long been the most popular post-graduate degree, but where does one begin? Do you require work experience before studying? Which destinations best suit your situation and interests?

Karan Gupta, overseas education consultant and MBA expert, answered all MBA-related queries in a Get Ahead chat held on May 15, 2007. He also had some valuable tips for prospective students, and whether or not the course is right for you!

For those who missed the chat, here's Part 1 of the transcript.

• Need time off to study abroad?

Siva asked, Hi Karan, I am considering going for a MBA program online from Instituto de Empressa in Spain? What is u r opinion on the online programs and how difernet in terms fo career opportnunities compared to a regular mba??

Karan Gupta answers,  Instituto de Empresa or IE Business School has an excellent online program called the Global MBA. For students who have sufficient work experience (at least 2-3 years) and are keen on an MBA but cannot leave their existing jobs, this 18 month MBA program is an ideal option.

puneet jain asked, hi i am having 5 yrs exp in Software industry, wanna pursue MBA, constraints are money and knowledge about various univ are very limited how to go for funds and selection abt universityies

Karan Gupta answers, Top MBA schools require a minimum of 2-3 years full-time work experience. Visit www.report-ed.com for a list of B schools worldwide. Study the program and check the requirements for each university individually on the respective websites. Universities in the US or UK offer funding in various forms. International students are usually not eligible for financial aid. However funding in the form of graduate assistantships (GA), scholarship, tuition waivers or loans are available for most programmes. Students can also look for on-campus jobs.

sudhi asked, what kind of job might a mba graduate get

Karan Gupta answers, It depends on your specialisation. For example students who specialise in Finance can work with banks and investment firms, or even consulting.

rohit asked, hi i am 6 years experience in sales and marketing. what will suit me the best

Karan Gupta answers, With your kind of work experience, an MBA would suit you the best. An MBA is a general management practical oriented degree for students from all backgrounds, wherein one can gain knowledge about different subjects.

kg asked, hi , i already have a MBA from IIM ..so doing a second MBA from US is advisable?

Karan Gupta answers, It is best to evaluate your short term and long term career goals and then decide if you need another MBA at this point. If you have gained enough work experience and feel stagnated, and want to gain international exposure, then an international MBA may be the ideal choice. However, be aware that there will be a lot of repetition in the coursework (since you've already done an MBA). Also, you would not be eligible to apply in some universities.

rajendra asked, i am having a 2 yr. experience in a C.A. Firm as a Accountant. can i do a PART TIME M.B.A. please suggest me which institute will best. i am thinking for welenkar institute.

Karan Gupta answers, International students are not eligible to do a part-time MBA on a student visa. In oder to get a student visa you need to be enrolled in a full-time MBA program.

xxu asked, hi tell me the best mba instituteas abroad

Karan Gupta answers, Refer to www.report-ed.com for a list of B schools worldwide.

rajesh asked, hi karan i am considering doing ab mbs from NY stern business school. currently i have completed doing CFA all three level.Currently working in singapore doing business development for a head hunting firm. i am planning to change to asset management industry soon.i am keen be in investment bank .MY degree results are not very good but i have completed my cfa so what would be my chances to get into stern?

Karan Gupta answers, The admissions committee does not consider only one factor while reviewing your application. Various factors such as academics, entrance test scores, additional activities, quality and quantity of work experience, international exposure and so on are considered. Also, you must have a GMAT score of 680 and above.

raja tyagi asked, hello karan, i am having 6 years experience as an export manager. Now i want to do a Part time MBA. I request you to please suggest me some good institutes for the correspondance MBA.

Karan Gupta answers, For an online MBA, consider IE Business School, Imperial College and the University of Phoenix.

Manoj asked, Hi Karan ! This is Manoj, working for GE Energy. I have got an admission offer for the Rotman School of Management in Toronto this fall. Can you let me know how does this b-school line up in comparision to the B-schools in US or UK. Secondly what's the scope in the market if i do an MBA from Canada?

Karan Gupta answers, Rotman is a good school and it is among the top Canadian business schools. Immigration to Canada is relatively simpler, and after an MBA from Rotman you should have no problem settling in Canada.

yuva asked, good after noon karan , i did not have any work exp , i completed my graduation in 2006 in bTECH i did not have gmat scores yet, but i have gre and toefel scores , i appeared for cat i could get adimission , is there any universites who took freshers

Karan Gupta answers, You could consider universities such as RIT and NJIT, which may accept students without full-time work experience. However, after this MBA, you most likely will not get a job in the US and will have to come back to India. Also, you will need the GMAT scores and not the GRE for admission.

sgoyal asked, Hi Karan , I would like to know the prospects of doing MBA in retail management or strategic consulting from NUS or NTU (both in Singapore).

Karan Gupta answers, NUS is better than NTU -- it is easier to find jobs after studying at NUS. 

venkat asked, HI KG, M.Tech./6Yrs work ex./GAMT 580/Toefl 253. Can you please suggest me some good US universities for these credentials.

Karan Gupta answers, You can look at Baruch College, Drexel University, Northeastern University and Pace University.

Sally asked, Hi Karan, How do we know when is the right time to pursue an MBA and what should one possess in order to do MBA? Also is getting an MBA from top B School in US or UK greater advantage than Indian Bschool MBA?

Karan Gupta answers, Ideally you should have 2-3 years of full time work experience before you consider an MBA. If you get an international MBA from a top university abroad, you will most likely be able to get an international job as compared to a local job in India with a local MBA. However, it is best to compare individual universities rather than countries.

asha asked,  What are the benefits of MBA?

Karan Gupta answers, An MBA is a practical oriented degree which will help you become an effective manager. An MBA will help you expand your business and learn valuable management concepts. An MBA is also for people who wish to get into the management aspect of their job. For example, a doctor who wishes to set up many clinics and who would like to manage these clinics, would consider doing an MBA.

Sunder asked, What country is best for MBA? Does Mr. Gupta help students get MBA?

Karan Gupta answers, The USA is undoubtedly the best destination for an MBA. However, please compare universities rather than comparing countries.

sunkar asked, hi, i am 38 yrs old, self employed and now plan to do my mba from lancaster univ management school. how do you rate this school and job prospects ?

Karan Gupta answers, Lancaster is a good university. But chances of you getting a job after you graduate are very slim. Most people who graduate from Lancaster do not get jobs in the UK, but instead come back to India.

krish asked, Hi Karan, thou i declined a sales & marketing job in India, for another job in Germany (that gives me an opportunity for International Coordination)...i wud like to do an MBA with Marketing. What is the possibility to get into MBA- marketing and which universities arnd Europe & USA give options to major in both Markeitng & Finance. Thank u.

Karan Gupta answers, The top European universities are London Business School, Insead and IE Business School. The top US universities are Harvard, Stanford and UPenn.

canada asked, i am 26 year old MBA from punjab. can u pleaz tell me best business schools in canada.

Karan Gupta answers, University of Toronto, Mcgill University and University of Western Ontario are among the best universities in Canada.

raghav asked, hi i have just completed my b.com pass from bhagat singh college delhi university .pl suggest some universities for mba abroad may be in uk and usa

Karan Gupta answers, UK - London Business School, Manchester Business School, Warwick, Oxford, Imperial College USA - HBS, Stanford, UPenn.

NitinBhansali asked, Hi karan...Well i have decided to do my MBA from Cardiff University in UK. Can you tell me how is the university for freshers like me?

Karan Gupta answers, Cardiff is a below average university. You will not get a job in the UK after studying at Cardiff. If you plan to come back to India to join a family business, then it's ok to go to Cardiff.

atul asked, I am 42 now and working with reputed co. and earning around 50K p.m. I've already done MBA in 2001 under DLP. Whether 2nd MBA will help me. My exp. is around 20 Years. If Yes, which country and which University and how ?

Karan Gupta answers, You can always consider an Executive MBA. An Executive MBA will hone your skills and teach you the newer management concepts. You can consider Executive MBA programs in the US, UK and even in Europe.

shiva asked, Hi karan, I would like to know about scholarships for doing MBA'S abroad.

Karan Gupta answers, International students are usually not eligible for financial aid. However funding in the form of graduate assistantships (GA), scholarship, tuition waivers or loans are available for all programmes. Students can also look for on-campus jobs. Choose your university wisely.

surbhisoni asked, Hi Karan I have Post Graduate Diploma in Global Business Management from an average institute in India.I have a work ex of 1.5yrs.Should I opt for Ph.d from an Indian Unisversity say Punjab university or Should I opt for second MBA from India or abroad.

Karan Gupta answers, Consider a PhD if you wish to pursue research or work as an analyst. A second MBA with a different specialisation from your first, may be a better option. If you can afford it, a second MBA in the US would be a good bet for you.

ksk asked, GMAT:710 6.5 yrs exp looking for 1 year MBAs. I am thinking of applying to IIMA PGPX and ISB in India. What good B-Schools should I try abroad?

Karan Gupta answers, Look at IE Business School, INSEAD (may not be one year), City University London, Cambridge and Oxford.

Sridhar asked, Hi I'm Sridhar working as a project leader in MNC. I have 8 yrs exp i have done Bcom with distance mode. Is it possibule to do MBA in UK?

Karan Gupta answers, Yes, you are eligible for an MBA at UK universities. Please appear for the GMAT and the TOEFL / IELTS and apply to the universities as soon as possible.

rahul asked, hii Karan, how about MBA from Online Universities like U21Global or Educatis University Switzerland www.educatis.ch

Karan Gupta answers, I would not recommend either of these MBAs. Look for programs which have live classes and high professor-student interaction.

rohitarora asked, Hi Karan, My question is about the value of MBA course from ISB when compared with Nanyang or NUS in Singapore... Which of the three would you want me to prefer. I have 5 years of IT and Telecom experience, good extra curricular activities and a gmat score of 710. Thanks in advance

Karan Gupta answers, If you wish to work in India, then consider an MBA from ISB. If you want an international career in Singapore, then consider NUS.

UTD asked, Hi Karan - How good is University of Texas @ Dallas for MBA. its one of the affordable programs in the US and is ranked 25th among public schools. can you please give your frank opinion about UTD for MBA?

Karan Gupta answers, UTD is a very average university in the US. Most likely you will have problems finding a job when you graduate.

gurpreet asked, gurpreet,i have already been working for last 10 years. i want to do some management course from the US to enhance my stratagic skill. which course and university do u suggest

Karan Gupta answers, You can always consider an Executive MBA. An Executive MBA will hone your skills and teach you the newer management concepts. You can consider Executive MBA programs in the US, UK and even in Europe.

Raghu asked, Hi Karan ... I'm working in one of the big ITES companies. You will remain a software engineer for a minimum of 3 years. Is this acceptable for an MBA admit? What i mean to ask is, how can I show that I took upon different roles,etc? And also do joining social clubs like Rotaract,etc look good in your application ? Thanks :)

Karan Gupta answers, Yes, your work experience is adequate. However, you should clearly express your career goals, and how your work experience has shaped your career goals in your essays. And schools look for well-rounded applicants so even your Rotaract work will add value in your application.

Nevin asked, I have work ex. of approximately 5 years after my B.Com. I want to pursue MBA in MIS or E-Business? Any suggestions about these subjects and universitites in US or UK?

Karan Gupta answers, An MBA in MIS is a good option. MIS is a good field to be in. Look at the US for universities that give you an MBA in MIS.

shoker asked, hi karan, wot r the job prospects for indian students after graduating with MBA from Oxford-Said? also will my wife be allowed to work in the UK if i go there to study on a student's visa?

Karan Gupta answers, While studying, students and their spouses are generally allowed to work in the UK. Finding jobs in the UK in general is very difficult and even after an Oxford MBA, it might be difficult (not impossible) for you to get a job.

Tomorrow -- Part II

Karan Gupta is an education consultant and can be contacted at kgc@karangupta.com
For more information visit www.karangupta.com or www.report-ed.com