Full Time MBA at 30 - Does it make sense?

[kidrow]

Hi all,

Hoping for some honest, straight-forward advice here. What I'm seeking is a reality check. No matter if it's bitter. So I'll get right down to it.

Short Query: Does trying for a full time MBA at 30 make sense for a person who has had no experience in the corporate world (read as 'has only been engaged in business after finishing studies')?
1. Would a reputed institute take in a 30-31 year old, &
2. Would a 32-33 year old be accepted by a Co. as a fresher?

Long Query: I'm 30 now, & currently engaged in business in Mumbai [I'm a small store owner]. As regards academics, I've completed my BA (Economics) & LLB about 6 years back. Business isn't what it once was, & it's clear to me that I'm going to need to change my profession if I have to survive. Originally, I always wanted to get into fine arts but my parents had other ideas.

Signs that the business is waning have been apparent for some time now, & hence I started taking a keen interest in CG art/animation since it was closest to what I originally wanted to do. My hope was that eventually I'd be able to add to the income from the business with that from CG by freelancing. But now the situation has changed & there's no business income to talk of. Hence whatever I get into is going to be a full fledged lifelong commitment.

I'd already created a thread on TE for help with regard to CG/animation as a career, & got some very helpful responses there. What that did was help lend a lot of clarity. Without realizing it, a year has already passed since. & I have unfortunately not been able to dedicate much time to working on my CG skills due to complications at work. I want to get back to it, but I also want to explore what my other options are.

Which is where a full time MBA comes up. A couple of friends suggested this route, & I've been mulling over it.

It's clear that the degree/diploma will have to be from a reputed institute. Otherwise, there's no point in doing it. So lets say I get a score (be it CMAT, CAT, NMAT etc.) good enough to get into such a reputed institute. Would they take in a 30 year old? From what I gather, each of the institutes offer about 100-200 seats. Out of these, many are reserved for SC/ST, Home University etc. So all in all, there is great demand & enough supply.

Secondly, even if I do complete an MBA, would Cos. hire a 32 year old fresher, when there are other, much younger freshers?

All in all, does it make sense for a guy in my position to go back to school, spend 2 years only studying, & spending lakhs in fees rather than join some Co. & try & work my way up? Would an MBA be feasible? Would an MBA be beneficial?

Many thanks. Much obliged.

 

[greenhorn]

If you think a full time MBA will get you a job, It's going to be pretty hard, even if you did it from a top 10 institute. I'm sure some b school would take you in just because you would contribute to the diversity of their batch. The only way MBA would make sense for you is if you had some agressive business plans, and needed some finer tuning and connections to get them started. But if you are looking at MBA as something that would switch your career stream, its gonna be hard.

 

[agantuk]

The answer to many of your questions is a yes (feasible / whether companies would take in / eligible etc.), with conditions apply (like a possibly low pay / position). The question however is, do YOU think that an MBA will help you. You seem to have an interest in CG but are looking at MBA because you have been advised to. Not to take anything away from you, but remember that whatever line you go into, you are starting afresh later than many other. That kinda reduces the margin of error you are allowed - purely my take.

Get opinion from people in the CG field regarding your work. If you get encouraging inputs from neutral folks - not friends and family - I think you should take that up since you also say it is close to what you currently do.

On a slightly unrelated note, career counseling is a huge market, with unfortunately no worthy providers that I know of, at least in India.

 

[nRiTeCh]

Actually u arent yet late in terms of education. You can pursue mba but from a proper reputed brand known institute. You will surely get a guaranteed placement. Only things to worry is abut the specialization you tend to choose. and may be some questionnaires during campus interviews such as what took you so long to apply for mba and so on. So be precise with your answers.

Also, dont just pursue mba if somebody made you thing for it, but only if you are keen into it.
And since you have already been into economics, your chances to survive the mba course seems good as it majorly deals with economy of a country.

 

[sahib]

Had your query been regarding an MBA from US or other foreign university,the answer would've been a "definite go for it"!
Almost all US and European Universities have an average age of 28-29. But Indian universities,it seems dicey but not impossible. I think if you get good CAT or other exam score, all you need to do is justify your course of action to the interview panel.

 

[kidrow]

@greenhorn, @agantuk, @nRiTeCh, @sahib - Thanks for taking the time.

So at the end of the day, I gather I'd be taking a chance by going this route. It would have been more reassuring if someone had said that they actually know of people who have done something similar before. So while not impossible, it's a long shot. But given my position, just about everything seems a long shot & risky, lol.

It looks to me like I should first ensure that I have friends who can 'fit me in' 2-3 years down the line rather than rely solely on merit, if I do go in for the MBA. Make no mistake. I'm not trying to take any short-cuts here. I'll give it my all. But this is the general feeling I get.

Of course, all this thinking amounts to nought, if I don't get a good enough score. Which puts me in a catch 22 situation. Do I spend my time preparing for the entrance exams or working on my CG skills? I could still give the CMAT in Feb, to gauge where I stand. But would I be just wasting another one & a half month?

As for CG, the industry is a bit unorganized. That's a plus for me in terms of being hired despite my age. If I have a good enough portfolio, I can get in. The negative though seems to be that there's no saying where you'll get to, because it is unorganized. Also, the folks I've spoken to gave very varied opinions. While some were very positive about my chances, others suggested I take on something more conventional, given my educational qualifications.

I think the most sensible thing at this stage would be to simply work on my CG skills & getting a good portfolio. Try & get into the CG industry. But while I'm doing that, I should also set aside some time daily to work on the MBA entrance tests. So if I can't make it in the CG industry within this year, at least I'll be in a position to take a crack at it. If I then get a good score, I'll re-think this.

Again, thanks for your time & patience. Much appreciated.

 

[agantuk]

Of course, all this thinking amounts to nought, if I don't get a good enough score. Which puts me in a catch 22 situation. Do I spend my time preparing for the entrance exams or working on my CG skills? I could still give the CMAT in Feb, to gauge where I stand. But would I be just wasting another one & a half month?

You have answered this yourself. 1.5 months isn't a big deal when you are talking of the possible returns from a long term career

I think the most sensible thing at this stage would be to simply work on my CG skills & getting a good portfolio. Try & get into the CG industry. But while I'm doing that, I should also set aside some time daily to work on the MBA entrance tests. So if I can't make it in the CG industry within this year, at least I'll be in a position to take a crack at it. If I then get a good score, I'll re-think this.

 

[manoja2k]

You are in a similar situation that I was in 7/8 yrs back. I wanted to switch from h/w mfg (already 5yrs of exp.). to s/w development. I was 29 and this was a risky proposition. I took a plunge into MBA course full time (had to leave my full time job). Initially had problems during placement mainly because of my profile fitment issues with recruiting companies. But, by the grace of the God, I got into a good hard core s/w development on Day 2(they were ready to give 3yr credit to my 5yr experience). I have not repented my decision since. One advantage of being an "oldie" among the youngsters was that even if my grade was not higher, I was provided with matured responsibilities/assignments which later helped me to climb the ladder faster and somewhat makeup for the lost years.
Your case may be similar. Only thing that bothers me is that in your case, there is wider gap between the skills provided by MBA and your dream skill set. So placement could be tougher and may be that you will never get placed in a job that requires CG skillset.

 

[Praks]

Let me suggest a mid way.

Start learning on CG animations where your interest is... Arena & Some multimedia courses are famous.

Join Distance Education & online MBA, Well from reputed institute. There are few of the best UK colleges who offer online MBA (no need to go to London)
PM me if you need more details. IIM Kozikode has full Online PG course too.

Finish your MBA & start your empire firm into Graphic design.

Well Full time MBA, I have atleast 10 of my friends who have done MBA frm top colleges in Mumbai & Bangalore still looking for job after 2 years. Ready to work in call center now.

 

[greenhorn]

I'll try to walk you through what would potentially happen. First of all the culture shock
Frankie Says Relax : The Tragedy of being 25+ in an Indian BSchool
THIS. I was there, every damn thing came true. But for you it will be worse.
Issue 1: summers - you'll be the odd man out during summers, since freshers traditionally have the edge for summers and you dont have any sort of industry experience. Since you've had a shop, I suppose you can appear for all the mark jobs, but again the problem is that mark companies hire freshers who are young and foolish, and dont mind wasting the next few years of their life running around chasing targets. even if you do show that you are interested and have the aptitude, they will still think that you would have latent ego issues, marriage, settling down those sort of issues in store, and stick to the freshers.
And the worst part is that running around after every Summers process, you will not be able to attend most classes (assuming your institute does not have a dedicated summers week), and you'll have trouble focussing on your studies, and unless you find a bunch of similar outcasts, bearing a traditional first year B school load single handedly is pretty hard.
Recommendation: Have a plan B for your summers ready at all costs.
finals, again you'll face the same issues with marketing. You'll have trouble with fmcg and durable mark companies, but might get lucky with services and B2B (especially insurance and financial services cos) marketing roles, since they're not that sexy, and people don't apply. If it is pure sales (most mark profiles are sales profiles dressed up as mark, but some of them are unapologetically pure sales without any hint or prospect of marketing work). Then again you might have a shot if you are good at dealing with people, and talking them into doing stuff.
Finance: Here you have to be good with numbers, and VERY good. Mark vs Fin, you'll need to decide as early as possible, because for both you need to do a lot of groundwork. Finance books and certification material can fill an entire hostel room, and indeed some fin majors have literally no space to sleep. You will have to lead a solitary life of cramming if you are planning to go the fin route. And even then you may not get the best fin profiles. You have an economics background, so it gives you a slight edge. But if you are planning to go the MBA finance route, have you ever contemplated becoming a CA? (esp since you have a background in law too)? You might end up in financial operations - back offices for large financial institutions, managing people, and you have an edge here because of your age.

That leaves IT/Consulting - pretty much out of the deal unless you win some competitions OR you are in a top ten institute and the company in question is interested more in getting your institutes label than you as a person - very plausible. We have such a dude from a top 3 b school in our 'corporate strategy office' and his job is essentially as an Executive Assistant to our unit head , but again this is rare.

HR, again, if you are good with people, and have an HR summers, or display an extraordinarily good grasp of the Industrial disputes act, then you have a potential to go into an IR profile - but then you need to be in a b school with good HR placements.

Operations - core ops probably wont hire you, but KPO/BPO sort of cos might take you in as an operations manager.

There are a lot of if's and buts in there, because honestly it's an uphill battle for you. Again having a backup job is highly recommended since it gives you options. All this is from the perspective of being in a top 20~50 B school. If your CAT/CMAT scores are worse, its better not to bother. Take one of those time mock CAT's. have a look at your scores, in what ballpark you score, and then plan accordingly

 

[warri@r]

DON'T DO IT! MBA is not a vocational degree, and placements aren't guaranteed, even if you do it from one of the top 10 colleges. Even if you manage to get in one of them, the average fees this season is 12 lac apart from your living costs. Assuming you would start preparing now, and join next year, you would pass out in 2014, with a cost of 14 lac. If you take an educational loan, that alone would create ~ 25000 EMI for 7 years at current rates ie till you are about 40! While most of these colleges publicize an average CTC of 12 lac or above, A vast majority takes home only 60-70k a month. And if you get such a job in a metro, you would just about manage a hand to mouth existance. All that is assuming you would land a job easily. Now I am not saying you won't.But that would be more like an exception than a norm. People with relevant work experience doesnt get pickedup in campus placements because corporates dont think so much. In a placement season, if 50 companies visit your campus, you wouldn't even get shortlisted by the top 40, because its easier to filter an excel sheet, than sift thru 100s of resumes and shortlist. Your age will work against you here unless you are part of the Placecom.

I'd advise you against a full time MBA at this juncture. If you have to do no matter what, then please ensure that you get these two right:
1. Choose HR as specialization
2. Get into the Placecom

I hope you do your research very very well before taking a plunge. All the best bro!!

 

[alekhkhanna]

Sorry to hijack your thread @kidrow, but since we have quite a number of people pitching in, I too had a similar query. What are the options if one does MBA after MBBS ? I'm 28, finished my MBBS in 2009 and have been practicing since the better part of 2010 with MSF. But had to come back to hometown due to some reasons, got a better offer at a pharma company than what hospitals were offering and so joined it. Assuming I would like to continue in the corporate world, what benefits will I have after doing MBA ?

TIA. And sorry again @kidrow for hijacking your thread.

 

[greenhorn]

pharma/biotech marketing/sales (glenmark, DRL etc) Hospital Chain management (Manipal etc), Consultant for Life sciences in IT are your best bet.

 

[Praks]

Sorry to hijack your thread kidrow, but since we have quite a number of people pitching in, I too had a similar query. What are the options if one does MBA after MBBS ? I'm 28, finished my MBBS in 2009 and have been practicing since the better part of 2010 with MSF. But had to come back to hometown due to some reasons, got a better offer at a pharma company than what hospitals were offering and so joined it. Assuming I would like to continue in the corporate world, what benefits will I have after doing MBA ?

TIA. And sorry again kidrow for hijacking your thread.

@greenhorn, Awesome bro. Your advices are just too good.

@alekhanna, Pick up Biotech if you like. I can introduce to someone in Biocon at Bangalore. They are best in medical & biotech.
Check out Medical Transcription too. Very good field & I have seen docs earning more in this then in hospitals

 

[alekhkhanna]

@greenhorn, Awesome bro. Your advices are just too good.

@alekhanna, Pick up Biotech if you like. I can introduce to someone in Biocon at Bangalore. They are best in medical & biotech.
Check out Medical Transcription too. Very good field & I have seen docs earning more in this then in hospitals

Biocon eh ? I've heard some really upsetting horror stories on how most of the Indian pharma/biotech companies treat doctors, hence not really excited about them. Again not a first hand experience but been talking to different people in my company and that's a unanimous reply I get.
Medical transcription is still going strong ? I remember seeing ads some 4-5 years back (I was in my 2nd year or so) but then the ads vanished and so did the transcription jobs IIRC. Would appreciate if you can link me more on this.

 

[Nir-V-aNa]

@OP

I'm from the CG/VFX industry, I've worked in two top-tier studios for almost 3 years now and I'll tell you what I know from my short experience. If you get into a good studio, you'll get in as a rank fresher. And the pay will absolutely s*ck. The package will range from 1.2 lacs to 1.8 lacs (if you're lucky). At 30, most guys are either married or looking to get married and so sustaining a family on this kind of pay will be an issue (considering most of the studios are concentrated in Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad). Heck, it would be hard to sustain anywhere, let alone metros. Secondly, you can forget prepping for MBA simultaneously if you get into CG. Working hours range from super hectic to crazy to downright inhuman, depending on the studio. You will be asked to work on Sundays, national holidays, festivals etc. Independence Day, Christmas, Diwali, New Year's.... You tell me the holiday, I'll tell you the hours I've worked on them. None of the studios have any regard for the laws of the land regarding this. Third issue is job security. Studios depend on on a regular inflow of projects for sustenance. If the production house runs into financial trouble or the studio loses the project due to delivery issues, the senior/mid-level guys get the axe first. You would be safe at first due to the insignificant package but as your profile and salary grows, so would the insecurity. My current company hired around 60-70 artists for an upcoming project. The negotiations with the client broke down, the project didn't come through and all of them got laid off, just like that within a month. Another disturbing trend is companies hiring on contractual basis. They'll hire you for 3 months, 6 months or again if you're lucky, for a year. The contract might get extended or it might not but the job security monkey will seldom be off your back. And more often than not you'll end up looking for your next job.

I do not mean to discourage you by listing only the problems, a LOT of people have made great careers in this field and it's not your average boring desk job. You will never get bored unless you lose the passion for it. But since you asked for an honest opinion, I would like you to consider this issues keenly before you take the plunge because like you said, it would be a life long commitment.

 

[kidrow]

Firstly, many thanks many to everyone for taking the time & replying.

You have answered this yourself. 1.5 months isn't a big deal when you are talking of the possible returns from a long term career

Agreed. But I don't think 1.5 months is enough for me to be able to take a serious crack at it. So I don't know how indicative the score I get will be of my actual potential. So in a way, I feel like I would be better served by utilizing that time to work on my CG skills, if I eventually will not be going in for an MBA. I realize it might sound illogical, but I'm in such an emotionally volatile state right now that this seems right! Besides, I'm not sure which institutes will be accepting the Feb CMAT scores since this is the 2nd exam for the year. The 1st was already done with in Sep.

You are in a similar situation that I was in 7/8 yrs back. I wanted to switch from h/w mfg (already 5yrs of exp.). to s/w development. I was 29 and this was a risky proposition. I took a plunge into MBA course full time (had to leave my full time job). Initially had problems during placement mainly because of my profile fitment issues with recruiting companies. But, by the grace of the God, I got into a good hard core s/w development on Day 2(they were ready to give 3yr credit to my 5yr experience). I have not repented my decision since. One advantage of being an "oldie" among the youngsters was that even if my grade was not higher, I was provided with matured responsibilities/assignments which later helped me to climb the ladder faster and somewhat makeup for the lost years.
Your case may be similar. Only thing that bothers me is that in your case, there is wider gap between the skills provided by MBA and your dream skill set. So placement could be tougher and may be that you will never get placed in a job that requires CG skillset.

Your response does show that it's possible that this could turn out well. One of the major factors though is that there are a lot more MBA grads around now than 7-8 years back. So my mileage will definitely vary. But at least there's hope!

Well Full time MBA, I have atleast 10 of my friends who have done MBA frm top colleges in Mumbai & Bangalore still looking for job after 2 years. Ready to work in call center now.

Well that's a revelation. Could you please share which colleges they have done it from. If an MBA from a reputed college doesn't add value to a fresher's portfolio, what chance do I stand?

I'll try to walk you through what would potentially happen.................. There are a lot of if's and buts in there, because honestly it's an uphill battle for you. Again having a backup job is highly recommended since it gives you options. All this is from the perspective of being in a top 20~50 B school. If your CAT/CMAT scores are worse, its better not to bother. Take one of those time mock CAT's. have a look at your scores, in what ballpark you score, and then plan accordingly

Thanks for that detailed reply. You delved into specifics & that really helps. Some more food for thought!

DON'T DO IT! MBA is not a vocational degree, and placements aren't guaranteed, even if you do it from one of the top 10 colleges. Even if you manage to get in one of them, the average fees this season is 12 lac apart from your living costs. Assuming you would start preparing now, and join next year, you would pass out in 2014, with a cost of 14 lac. If you take an educational loan, that alone would create ~ 25000 EMI for 7 years at current rates ie till you are about 40! While most of these colleges publicize an average CTC of 12 lac or above, A vast majority takes home only 60-70k a month. And if you get such a job in a metro, you would just about manage a hand to mouth existance. All that is assuming you would land a job easily. Now I am not saying you won't.But that would be more like an exception than a norm. People with relevant work experience doesnt get pickedup in campus placements because corporates dont think so much. In a placement season, if 50 companies visit your campus, you wouldn't even get shortlisted by the top 40, because its easier to filter an excel sheet, than sift thru 100s of resumes and shortlist. Your age will work against you here unless you are part of the Placecom.

I'd advise you against a full time MBA at this juncture. If you have to do no matter what, then please ensure that you get these two right:
1. Choose HR as specialization
2. Get into the Placecom

I hope you do your research very very well before taking a plunge. All the best bro!!

Yep, that's what my main concern is. That irrespective of the merits, only my age & lack of corporate experience etc. will be looked at by Cos. when it comes to placements. Again, thanks for the detailed response.

I think it's safe to say that going in for an MBA at this age is a huge gamble. I think I'll probably be better off trying to get into the CG industry & see how things go. If that fails, I would have to look at what kind of CAT etc. scores I can manage. Even then, I'd have to have some kind of 'jack' who'll fit me in if I simply have the 'thappa', before considering the time & money I'll be putting in.

Overall, pursuing the LLB route (maybe an LPO to start with) may be a better option than an MBA. At least then I don't need to spend another 2 years studying. Maybe a separate thread exploring that is in order, .

Well, that's what I feel atm. This could very well change because I'm in such an emotionally volatile state.

@OP

I'm from the CG/VFX industry, I've worked in two top-tier studios for almost 3 years now and I'll tell you what I know from my short experience. If you get into a good studio, you'll get in as a rank fresher. And the pay will absolutely s*ck. The package will range from 1.2 lacs to 1.8 lacs (if you're lucky). At 30, most guys are either married or looking to get married and so sustaining a family on this kind of pay will be an issue (considering most of the studios are concentrated in Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad). Heck, it would be hard to sustain anywhere, let alone metros. Secondly, you can forget prepping for MBA simultaneously if you get into CG. Working hours range from super hectic to crazy to downright inhuman, depending on the studio. You will be asked to work on Sundays, national holidays, festivals etc. Independence Day, Christmas, Diwali, New Year's.... You tell me the holiday, I'll tell you the hours I've worked on them. None of the studios have any regard for the laws of the land regarding this. Third issue is job security. Studios depend on on a regular inflow of projects for sustenance. If the production house runs into financial trouble or the studio loses the project due to delivery issues, the senior/mid-level guys get the axe first. You would be safe at first due to the insignificant package but as your profile and salary grows, so would the insecurity. My current company hired around 60-70 artists for an upcoming project. The negotiations with the client broke down, the project didn't come through and all of them got laid off, just like that within a month. Another disturbing trend is companies hiring on contractual basis. They'll hire you for 3 months, 6 months or again if you're lucky, for a year. The contract might get extended or it might not but the job security monkey will seldom be off your back. And more often than not you'll end up looking for your next job.

I do not mean to discourage you by listing only the problems, a LOT of people have made great careers in this field and it's not your average boring desk job. You will never get bored unless you lose the passion for it. But since you asked for an honest opinion, I would like you to consider this issues keenly before you take the plunge because like you said, it would be a life long commitment.

Hey thanks for that. I realize that I'll struggle with poor pay in the 1st couple of years. For that period, I'm hoping we'll be able to survive on the business income (I'm making my poor, old dad go to work, ) coupled with my wife's income (Again, something I ain't proud of). But I'm hoping things will improve on that front after that. Regarding the work hours, I know there's no such thing. So I'm more or less prepared.

Being always on contract & facing job insecurity is quite a concern though & something I hadn't really thought of earlier. So thanks for the heads-up. What I'll probably need to see though is whether this aspect is dissimilar to anything else that I can take up at this stage. In other words, I'll probably have to run with it.

What I'd also like your opinion on though, is if you think that someone at 30 can still be hired if he has a good enough portfolio. People I've spoken to have said that age won't be a bar so long as you have a good portfolio & can cope with the work hours & pay. Is that about right?

Also, I'm planning on spending more time & working on a good portfolio, rather than just applying right away, so as to improve my chances at getting into a good studio. Do you think that is a good approach to have? Or should I get whatever job I can get & try & improve on the job?

I'd also appreciate if you could give me any kind of feedback on my work thus far which I've posted in this thread. If I suck & lack potential, just say so. I've approached it with an aim of trying to end up being a modeler & texture artist. & your take on my queries on this thread would be highly appreciated as well.

I realize I'm asking too much & can totally understand if you can't find the time to reply. Many thanks.

& again, many thanks to all those who've responded on this thread. Much obliged.

 

[W@rrier]

@kidrow
TBH, CMAT doesnt open the doors of many top tier MBA colleges .
But, As MH-CET was scrapped , All maharashtra colleges accepting MH-CET scores will accept FEB cmat scores .
JBIMS, KJSOM, Sydenham, Dalmia, Welingkar, PUMBA, are few colleges which are well recognized from the lot ;
The MMS degree offered at these colleges give excellent ROI ( Program fees is approx 60k-70k per year) but mind it, getting in the above mentioned colleges are extremely tricky ,with JBIMS being the most sought out college in the group .

CMAT, is an easy exam in comparison with the CAT . If you are good at Quants and English perhaps you can crack it with the time left . I would suggest you to take any of the free mock tests available on the net, it will give you a good idea of where you stand !

Pagalguy would help you to get a better idea of the colleges. and the exam

 

[harry_houdini]

I would like to add something here.

1. If you think just getting in a big college gets things done, its wrong.
I know of a person from a good college who is jobless and I also know of a person from a small unheard government college who is working in a nice position without reservation.

2. Dont do something in confusion or with half heart, this is not just a dialogue, its very relevant here. If you really want to do it, just do it. Get mad behind it, eat sleep live it. Then you will reach, if not where you want, but atleast some where respectable.
At the moment it seems you are doing it because you have no other option except your shop.

 

[kidrow]

kidrow
TBH, CMAT doesnt open the doors of many top tier MBA colleges .
But, As MH-CET was scrapped , All maharashtra colleges accepting MH-CET scores will accept FEB cmat scores .
JBIMS, KJSOM, Sydenham, Dalmia, Welingkar, PUMBA, are few colleges which are well recognized from the lot ;
The MMS degree offered at these colleges give excellent ROI ( Program fees is approx 60k-70k per year) but mind it, getting in the above mentioned colleges are extremely tricky ,with JBIMS being the most sought out college in the group .

CMAT, is an easy exam in comparison with the CAT . If you are good at Quants and English perhaps you can crack it with the time left . I would suggest you to take any of the free mock tests available on the net, it will give you a good idea of where you stand !

Pagalguy would help you to get a better idea of the colleges. and the exam

Hey, thanks for that. I do realize that I've got to get into the top tier colleges like the ones you've mentioned if I have to stand a chance. Which is also why I'm unsure that the time left is enough for a serious crack. Also, based on the responses so far it doesn't seem worth it even if I do manage that, simply because of my age. I mean if I'm generally going to be judged on age rather than merit during placements, there's no point in spending 2-3 years simply studying. So probably the more prudent thing here would be to try my hand at CG & see where that takes me.

I would like to add something here.

1. If you think just getting in a big college gets things done, its wrong.
I know of a person from a good college who is jobless and I also know of a person from a small unheard government college who is working in a nice position without reservation.

2. Dont do something in confusion or with half heart, this is not just a dialogue, its very relevant here. If you really want to do it, just do it. Get mad behind it, eat sleep live it. Then you will reach, if not where you want, but atleast some where respectable.
At the moment it seems you are doing it because you have no other option except your shop.

I hear you.

I know that just simply getting into a good college is not going to get me places. At my age & given my lack of corporate experience, I'm going to have to work doubly hard. I'm going to need to be the best.

I realize I'm seeming all confused & unsure. But that's because I really am! The two choices I'm exploring are poles apart. So if I go down one route, there's a very slim chance I can get back to the other. & time's running out. So you see, it's quite scary! & at the cost of sounding arrogant, I believe I have a decent enough potential for both. So it's tough for me to decide.

But once my mind's made up, I'll go the whole hog. I'm the sort of chap who doesn't do things halfheartedly. & I also tend to take a keen interest in whatever I do. Which is why I've done well in academics throughout, despite not needing to.

I've also seen people make cold, calculated career decisions without regard to their interests, & be happy & well settled in life. So for a person in my shoes, one tends to also think whether one is simply being stupid by just taking interests into account.

Again, I hear you. & I agree completely. But it's not easy. I just hope I make the correct decision, .