DON'T JOIN IIM-(xyz) !! YOUR LIFE WILL BE WASTED!! (Warning - Long Read)
I'm writing this post in light of all the increase in "Don't Join this IIM", "Don't join that IIM" posts in this sub.
As a regular visitor to this sub, I'm troubled by the alarming toxicity created on a daily basis, especially by this "BLACKI or nothing" mindset.
First of all - There are almost three lakh candidates competing every year to convert close to 5000 seats. Not everyone makes it. Making it doesn't equate to winning in life. Not making it doesn't equate to losing. Your percentile doesn't dictate your worth.
Although it is good to be a little serious about an entrance exam (CAT or OMETS), the problem starts with putting it on a pedestal and glorifying these mere tests as a one-trick solution to a dream life. The pressure this creates is beyond justification. Part of the blame also goes to Coaching institutes and YouTube influencers for marketing and prorogating this delusion. Even if you do convert a B School, reputed or not, the grind still goes on. This is just one step in your career, and an even tinier step in your life.
- The real annoying problem - disinformation
Search up any institute (in fact, try it right now in a new tab) - IIMs or not, in this sub and you would be bombarded with rants, hate posts, "AMA", "campus reality", "fake placements", sexual discrimination, surveillance culture, tax fraud, psychological torture, weapons mongering, nuclear warfare allegations, and all sorts of ludicrously extreme content that play to your emotions and make it hard to take an informed decision.
While I am aware that there indeed some institutes which have been publicly accused (by reputed sources like national newspapers) of foul play, grievance, harm, hurt, immorality and policy violations, my worry is the rise of unvalidated posts posted by throwaway accounts. Whether the intent is to reduce candidates from the waitlist, or if it actually some pure Samaritan soul who wants to save others from taking up their same fate, is a conversation for a different day.
I implore everyone to do their due diligence instead of trusting inaccurate reddit lore. Ask Alumni, discuss with current students, look up your professor's history on public platforms, check the career progressions of recent graduates. There are reliable ways to gather info, trusting a random redditor with 9000 comment karma is not.
- Hate against some cat3gories as a coping mechanism
I'm going to get a lot of hate for this - but it needs to be said. It is common knowledge that the G3neral Engineer Male (oxymoronically sweet-named as "GEM") cat3gory needs unfathomably high percentiles to even get an interview call, while the other- less represented cat3gories have a bit of leeway. This is a terrible, tough situation, and I being a gen3ral candidate myself, I sympathize for them. But, it is absolutely, and absolutely not an excuse to start lashing out on the underrepresented cat3gories.
Every other day there are rants, vents and memes how you're not even considered worthy of XYZ school if you posses a particular set of genitals, how PQR school prefers 'weird' categories, and how life would be easier if you chopped off your arm to get some PWD qu0ta. These look harmless on the surface but deep down there is a seething insecurity and unholy amount of negative coping mechanisms hiding under the guise of humorous rants.
This issue is as old as CAT and since r3s3rvation was implemented. It's okay to let off a little steam and cry how life is tough, everyone does it. But please, please be sure to get back on track and start focusing on the next best step instead of throwing away valuable time propagating hate against females, non-engineers, non-gen cast3s or any other label that B-Schools might create in the future.
TLDR: Prepare for CAT, write your best, land the college that you love and proceed with life without batting an eye about what anyone on this subreddit thinks you should have done.
Thank you for reading. And sorry for the sarcastic clickbait title.
Regards,
Another MBA aspirant like you.