The IIM MBA curriculum is so designed that no particular academic background has a sustained advantage over others - the only thing that can give you an edge is aptitude and attitude. So says Snigdha Singh, an Economics graduate from Presidency College, Calcutta.Snigdha is currently pursuing her MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.

A lot of people I know have convinced themselves of the sheer futility of taking CAT or doing an MBA because of their academic backgrounds. "I haven't studied math since class X"; "Can't tell a debit from a credit"; "How will I compete with professionally qualified people (read CAs and engineers)?" are commonly heard refrains from people belonging to this category. Such apprehensions are, to put it mildly, purely unnecessary.

The PGDM curriculum is designed in such a way that no one can claim to be distinctly advantaged, or, what's more common, crib to be fatally disadvantaged, purely on basis of what they have, or have not, studied in college. The so-called advantage that a CA has in accountancy courses can always be matched by an Economics graduate in EEP courses, or for that matter a Humanities student in organisational behaviour courses. These modules are, in fact, evenly spread across terms so that you can always opt for a term course in which you feel you can do well. Even in such a situation, the only advantage in having done a subject before, is in terms of an initial familiarity factor.

It's not as if you will be taught the same stuff all over again that you studied earlier. As any B school grad would vouch for, even if the content appears to be the same, the focus, the teaching pattern, the expectations will be different, and obviously, so will the grading pattern. So, if you have done the subject before, you have an extra mile to go in terms of unlearning something and starting from scratch (see? If you hadn't learnt it in the first place you wouldn't have to do that!!).

It's really no coincidence that Economics graduates hardly ever top economics courses, and even engineers struggle with quantitative analysis. However, to be fair, where engineers do seem to score over us plebeians (read non-engineering students) is not in the content of what they've learnt, but rather the process of adjusting to hostel life,staying away from home, study groups, analytical approach - it probably helps them settle in and get moving faster.

Of course, in some cases, familiarity does help. If you have some kind of background in a particular subject and understand its terminology, you might grasp the concepts of the course faster. But again, rest assured, this is just an initial factor, and a truly short-lived one, as with a little bit of effort, the uninitiated can pick up the basics. And really, that's all you need, as everything - honestly, everything - is taught assuming a near-zero base. Getting to that base requires just a little bit of effort, not a specialised degree. That's why you need the aptitude - to learn, to pick up fast and then just to keep apace.

Why attitude? Simple - it's the "negative frame of mind" trap again. To believe you are at a disadvantage is enough to put you at one. In fact, in a competitive environment, that's the only reason that will put you at one. There is no real difference except a perceived chasm. Hence, the antidote, again, is in the mind.

Basically, it's a level playing field. Given the right mindset and a managerial aptitude, there is no real reason why the course would be any easier or tougher for you, no matter what your academic background.

Courtesy:indiatimes.com