Average faculty, average placements, and an average brand tag can’t justify the heavy fees or lost years of the student. We often pursue an MBA hoping to switch careers and earn better. But the truth is, many non-MBA friends end up earning similar numbers without the debt and disillusionment.

Tier 2 and Tier 3 colleges often focus more on grades than on real-world skills. There’s little emphasis on cracking interviews or training for case competitions just rote learning and internal marks. Even toppers, despite their academic scores, struggle to get placed.

So, unless you’re clear about why you’re doing an MBA and how you’ll leverage it, joining a lower-tier college might not be worth the risk. Either aim for a Tier 1 B-school or gain experience and explore options abroad but don’t do an MBA just for the sake of it.