You've just taken the CAT. Should you ponder the back-up options at this point in time? Sounds pretty illogical right? Logically, you should focus on the job at hand, the group discussion (GD) and personal interview (PI) stage at the top B-schools in this country. But let me try and give you a different perspective.

One of the aspects of doing well in a competitive scenario is your frame of mind. Exploring back-up options will in fact ease the pressure on you and may actually help you in doing well in the GD/PI round! Imagine, if you figured out that Wharton is a reality for you and you have a great chance of making it to the world's top B-school, your approach to the current GD & PI would be very positive.

• CAT 2007: Analysis and expected cut-offs

If you seem convinced with my logic read on -- else, just focus on the job at hand at this point in time.

Study abroad, as the back-up option

If you have work experience -- the world is your playground! Contrary to the general belief, global B-schools like Harvard, Wharton, LBS, INSEAD are a reality for many Indian students, especially for you. All I am saying is you should at least think about it.

What if Columbus never had the vision and courage to step out of his home country? What if Marco Polo decided to be a grocer instead of an adventurer? Would they have figured in our history books? Of course not. The moral of the story: A greater destiny awaits those with the courage to venture beyond familiar realms into the unknown.

Rather than getting 'herded' into one of India's top B-schools, shift your focus beyond Indian shores.

Why Global makes more sense than Local:
One prime reason is statistics. If you don't make it to the list of top B-schools here, don't get depressed. You don't lack on talent. The system lacks on seats. There are approx. 200,000 students battling it out for 1,400 seats. Now, while you have just 10 top B-schools in India to squeeze into, the global MBA arena offers you a huge choice of a hundred.

The second factor is global exposure. There's a huge difference in reading about Germany [Images] and actually experiencing it. It's the same with a Global MBA. With global faculty -- including Nobel prize [Images] winners, senior advisors at world bodies like the UN and heads of global giants, global projects and global classmates, you gain quality exposure to global cultures, business practices and market realities. Invaluable credentials on your resume in times when businesses are steadily crossing borders.

• Your post-CAT plan of action

The third factor is more career opportunities and higher remuneration. Global credentials will obviously lead you to the biggest global corporations. This translates into great career opportunities and rewards. Bigger than what you'll ever realise staying back home.

The fourth factor, Admission Procedure. It's different! A two-digit number controls your destiny or should we say your admission to a top B-school in India. Thankfully this is not the case with global B-schools. The admission committee would consider not just your GMAT score but also your academic record, work experience, professional achievements, aspirations, hobbies and maturity in judging your seat-worthiness. So if you score low in GMAT but rank high on personal and career-oriented dynamics, consider yourself in.