Remember that the quality of education should be consistent across all institutions. Keep in mind that the MBA program emphasizes teamwork and a unique approach to learning that may differ from traditional education. Consider the financial aspect of pursuing an MBA, as the return on investment (ROI) is crucial. If you plan to take out a loan to finance your education, keep in mind that a significant portion of your salary may go toward paying off your debt. Additionally, the average salary package may include variable pay, meaning you may receive less money than expected. Think about the turnaround time for completing your degree. Some institutions, such as GLIM, offer a one-year PGPM course, which means you can start earning and paying bills sooner than those who opt for a longer program. This can also give you a head start in terms of gaining work experience and building your bank balance. Consider the brand value of the institution you choose to attend. While brand value is important, particularly when seeking employment, it may not hold as much weight in the long term. Ultimately, your achievements and experience will be more important than where you earned your degree. In the end, it's up to you to determine the best approach for your career. Keep in mind that the right balance of ROI, turnaround time, and brand value will depend on your personal circumstances. For example, if you have the financial means, ROI may not be a priority, while if you're just starting out, turnaround time may be more important than brand value.

The Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM) offered by the Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM), Gurgaon is an excellent program and lives up to the reputation that Great Lakes has built over the years. GLIM provides a great course curriculum with top-notch professors to learn from which are similar in both the Chennai and Gurgaon campuses. Some of the advantages of the Gurgaon campus are as follows. The location of Delhi-NCR gives an excellent opportunity for industry interactions and networking. The course curriculum includes mandatory live project opportunities with corporates which is easier to find in this region. The college also focuses on emerging areas such as E-commerce, Business Analytics, etc. which are taught by top industry practitioners. Apart from that, you can take a look at the placement statistics for the year 2020-21 here. Average CTC INR 12.15 lakhs per annum Highest domestic CTC INR 18.83 lakhs per annum Average increase in salary 168% Sector wise placements Consulting (32%), Sales and Marketing (21%), Analytics (17%), Product management (15%), General Management (8%), Operations (4%) and Finance (3%) So, you should definitely choose GLIM Gurgaon campus for PGPM with its unique advantages.

One of my friends from school is an alumnus of Great Lakes. According to him, the institute has a very good 1-year PGPM program. There is not much difference between the faculty of Great Lakes and that of institutes like XLRI, IIMs, ISB, etc. Teachers from other countries also visit the campus. In addition to these, the methods of teaching are always being updated and enjoy high acceptance in the industry. The following table gives a brief overview of the institutes: Institute Great Lakes K J Somaiya Mumbai Fees 16,95,2000 INR 8,17,290 INR Average Package 13 LPA 10 LPA Top Recruiters ADP, Cognizant, Happay, Hexaware, Manipal Business Solutions, Newgen Software, etc Amazon , Citi, GEP, Infosys, Cognizant, ICICI, Capgemini, Infosys, JP Morgan Duration of course 1 year 15 months You can make decisions based on your preference of location, convenience, budget, etc. Thorough research goes a long way.

Other than a few minor shortcomings, there is nothing worth mentioning. Despite being newly established Great Lakes Institute of Management Gurgaon has improved a lot. It has moved to its permanent campus which is well equipped and has good infrastructure. Great Lakes Gurgaon placements in 2022 ended with an average CTC of INR 15.6 LPA. Companies such as Accenture, Deloitte, KPMG, Nielsen, etc. took part in the placement drive. 

There is hardly any difference between Great Lakes Gurgaon and Chennai campus in terms of education and placements. Key faculty is shared for the campuses. Placement is combined. Facilities, resources, and exposure are also similar on both campuses.  The Great Lakes Gurgaon campus also has some additional benefits as it is located near the corporate hub of Delhi NCR. Students get good exposure to diverse industries such as E-Commerce, Analytics, Internet Business, etc. They also get the chance to do live projects with corporates in NCR. 

If you're considering Great Lakes Institute of Management (Chennai/Gurgaon) for MBA, you should be aware that it may not be a good option. There are numerous students with bad experiences during their interviews and found that the companies that come for placement are not very good. The placement process for the PGDM and PGPM batches of Great Lakes Chennai in 2023 has come to an end. The highest package offered was INR 46 LPA, while the average salary for the PGDM batch was INR 14.5 LPA and for the PGPM batch, it was INR 18.10 LPA. Additionally, the campus is small and lacks open spaces or grounds. So if you're thinking about joining Great Lakes, you should be cautious. It's not a good idea to join just for the sake of doing an MBA. You should choose a business school that will help you build a successful career, not ruin it.

Analytics is the science of extracting insights from sets of raw data using statistics and Business Analytics used by committed organizations to the data-fueled decision-making process. You will explore data to find new patterns and relationships between different variables with the help of statistical excavation and structuring by quantitative analysis. Then you will predict the results by predictive modeling and predictive analytics. PGPBA is a course for executives hence it is scheduled on weekends. It doesn't offer any placement assistance either. But if you're truly inclined, it'll be more like an added skill on your resume. Your excellence with this degree will depend on your work experience and your chosen domain in analytics. The Business Analytics program is much better than the executive course and if you go for a full-time one, then it'll be even better for your career prospects. Also, Great Lakes does have a good national reputation and the faculty and the syllabus would be the same at all the centers. This one year Pune PGPBA is a full-time course and part of SCMHRD. You will get a lot of hands-on experience on various processes linked with Marketing, Operations, Risk, Human Resources, Finance, Digital Marketing, and Hadoop.

One of my close friends attended Great Lakes at Gurgaon and here are some tips based on her experience. You will be evaluated based on their GMAT/ CAT/ XAT/ CMAT scores, previous academic performance, essays, work experience (if any), and performance in the personal interview. The selection process is built in a criterion that facilitates evaluating academic abilities, standardized test scores, rank, integrity and ethical values, and diversity of background. At Great Lakes, there are no fixed cut-offs, you will be evaluated in a multidisciplinary way. Profiles are considered completely although the test scores are important, the selection is more emphasized on well-rounded candidates with an overall strong track record. In 2020, the required CMAT cutoff at the institute was 85%. So, you are eligible for the institute but try to make your profile better as the CMAT score alone is not enough to get selected for admission.

I have a friend who is also an MBA Finance enthusiast. He was shortlisted for Great Lakes, Gurgaon- specifically for Finance. My answer would be more conversational and definitely does not intend to be any sort of advice as eventually, it is your call. For studies, Great Lakes is a good choice to opt for. But here, what happens to be even more prioritized is the job profile of working under Finance. The industry of Finance specifically has a range of 10% of jobs to offer along with 50% reserved for marketing and for operations, which is 30%. Last year, 21% of the recruiters were from BFSI out of only a small range of 10% were provided a job in Finance. Others are compelled to opt for sales. Many students end up opting for it as MBA Finance leaves them indebted and they are in dire need of a job to pay off the loan. If you have enough confidence, do go for it. But then, if you consider yourself to be and stay your average self, there is something you need to work on.

You should opt for Great Lakes Gurgaon, it is a better option. It offers better placements and brand value. Great Lakes placement 2022 had a 100% placement rate. The average CTC received by the students was INR 16 LPA. Big brands such as Accenture, Deloitte, Wells Fargo, etc. visit the campus placement of Great Lakes Gurgaon. The ROI offered by the institute is pretty good as well.