Why did I choose a 1 year MBA

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 1-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐁𝐀𝐬. 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐨.

When I joined XLRI GM, I thought: “1 year = faster career switch”

Reality?

It’s more like: “1 year = chaos with very small error margins”

Now that I’ve finished the program, here’s what I wish I knew earlier 👇

1️⃣ You don’t have time to “figure things out”

In a 2-year MBA, you can explore different activities and choose later. Here, you can’t. If you’re planning a pivot to a different industry / domain:

You need proof of work early

And building that in 12 months is hard (not impossible, but brutal)

2️⃣ Coursework is NOT easier

Same foundation as 2-year program.

Just… compressed.

Which means you need to choose and prioritize between coursework, activities and sports

3️⃣ Your CV matters more than you think

A technical CV ≠ MBA CV.

This one is really crucial and a lot of my peers would agree that it costs shortlists and interviews by a lot.

Start early. Get it reviewed. Iterate.

4️⃣ Domain > Grades (for most roles)

You’re not a fresher. You already have 3 years of work experience so recruiters expect basic conversational capabilities. Domain knowledge would trump grades in most cases.

5️⃣ Your network is your survival system

You don’t “make friends over time” here.

You build your support system fast.

Because later you’ll need:

1. CV reviews

2. Mock interviews

3. Sanity

𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞:

A 1-year MBA is not a shortcut. It's an asymmetric bet. It's a left turn from your traditional 2-year MBA. So, being prepared → massive upside

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