India Abroad - June 2009

Iamalwaysamusedbyarti- cles that attempt to demonstrate the devalua- tion of an MBA degree, especially in tough eco-
nomic times. The number of
applicants to MBA programs
actually increases significantly
when the economy takes a tum-
ble and jobs are harder to come
by. Is it partially because people
want a two-year respite from the
professional world to regroup
and ride out the economy?
Maybe. But it is also that people
see an opportunity in getting
more education and learning
how to still thrive.
When I applied to business
school in 2002, applications had
soared at many campuses as the
tech industry saw its bubble
burst. Unlike many of my peers, I
only applied to three carefully
researched programs — all were
top 10 schools and had equally
strong graduate schools of edu-
cation affiliated with the larger
university. I knew that I would
not attend a lower tier school so
did not even bother to apply. Was
I that confident that I would get
into one of my three chosen
schools? Of course not! But I
realized the value that comes
with attending a top
school, especially for
an MBA program. If I
was not accepted, I
would have worked
harder and reapplied
the following year. I chose
Stanford for many reasons: Its
fostering of the entrepreneurial
spirit, its residential program, its
smaller size, and its focus on public
management, global leadership,
and leadership. I was one of the few
Indian students who did not have a
background in technology, even
though I was raised in the Silicon
Valley. I was also really excited to be
on a campus that had nearly one-
third international students. Many
of these classmates went back to
their home countries after gradua-
tion and are accomplishing amaz-
ing feats. Other classmates traveled
to new countries to set up shop and
try their hand at a new venture. It is
PURVI MODY
BUSINESS SCHOOL
TAUGHT ME HOW TO
SEARCH OUT THE
RIGHT RESOURCES
AND TO THINK ABOUT
BUSINESS PRACTICES
DIFFERENTLY
always so inspiring to hear from
classmates about their new
adventures and their great
business ideas that are literally
changing the way that many
people live their lives.