From India to Rutgers: An international student’s MBA experience in the U.S.

By Badri Venkatanathan

So, here’s the thing, I was never supposed to be the “Indian guy moving to the U.S. for an MBA” cliché.

I’d sworn it off after engineering, watching friends take off to the U.S. like it was the only path after an engineering undergraduate degree. I was fine right where I was, working at a startup, diving headfirst into chaos, and tackling the daily grind that keeps one sharp. My life was a mix of long drives, late-night motorcycle rides, and managing clients with a blend of banter and charm. And, honestly, I loved it.

But fast forward six years, and life had other ideas. My job kept shifting -- I was no longer just writing copy or managing accounts. I was handling international clients and doing business development. Suddenly, I was the chief of staff running operations. It was as if every few months, I’d get a new title and a whole new set of responsibilities. And somewhere in that daily grind of putting out fires and charming clients, the thought crept in: “Could I do this in a whole different environment? What would it be like to leave my comfort zone completely?”

Just like that, I joined the “MBA in the U.S.” bandwagon. 

The application process was far from simple. So many rounds of essays, endless revisions, and wondering if my story would make sense to an admissions committee on the other side of the world. By the time I got my admit from Rutgers Business School, complete with a scholarship, I felt more relieved than thrilled. I’d made it in, but was I ready to go? 

Nearly six months later, there I was, at the airport, hugging my teary-eyed parents goodbye, half-laughing at how little I felt. I’d traveled before, so I brushed it off as just another trip. Until I landed at JFK. That’s when it hit me – this wasn’t a quick business trip or a week-long vacation. As I made my way through immigration, staring at what felt like a thousand strangers in line, it dawned on me: I was actually here, in a whole new country, starting from scratch. I went through what I guess every international student feels: doubts about the program, questions about the job market, the daunting H1B visa process, the green card, and the uncertain long-term plans.

And then came Newark. I wondered if I’d been too confident. How was I going to keep my upbeat, independent self in a place that felt so foreign? But I was here, and there was no going back. 

This is where my story truly begins.

Suited up, I started my week-long orientation organized by the Rutgers MBA program. In retrospect, this was an ideal start. The orientation program was designed to immerse us right into the environment, making it easy to find friends who were just as eager and nervous. By the end of the week, I found myself at a party in Manhattan with new friends – proof that things were already looking up.

One month into the program, I interviewed for an internship with Dell Technologies. Landing an internship offer with a Fortune 100 company so early in the program quelled any doubts I had about my decisions and the program. In addition, the constant validation provided by professors like Weiwei Chen and David Dreyfus, among others, as well as mentors and peers, helped me find my footing.

Rutgers Business School celebrates each win, from small achievements to bigger milestones, and they make you feel like your success matters to them. When a team of Rutgers MBAs, including myself, won first place at the ISM World Conference Global Case Competition in May 2024, our victory was celebrated across Rutgers. We were even invited to a meeting to receive personal congratulations from the Rutgers Business School Board of Advisors. The school has always made me feel like I belonged here and that my hustle would take me places. 

The diverse student body at Rutgers has enriched my MBA experience as an international student. Case-based learning alongside a cohort of highly opinionated and diverse people is an exercise in critical thinking every day. Having the opportunity to compete in events like the Rice CleanTech Innovation Competition and the TCU Graduate Supply Chain Case Competition months into the MBA program reaffirmed my decision to be here. All of these experiences prove profoundly beneficial in Corporate America and even in everyday interactions in a new country. If there’s one thing I’d wish for, it would be more in-person classes. The energy in those rooms whether it’s with my cohort or with students from different graduate programs is unmatched. That experience of learning face-to-face, and discussing ideas on the fly, is hard to replicate, and I know future students will benefit from more of it.

I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the people and experiences that have shaped my time here. The doubts I had initially have quieted, replaced by a steady belief in the opportunities ahead. Of course, there are still uncertainties looming ahead of me, the H1B visa process, the job market, and the shifting economy are beyond my control. But I’m optimistic. Rutgers has given me a community that I know I can rely on, and now, I’m paying it forward, sharing my experiences with prospective international students who are as nervous as I once was in the hopes that they get to experience this rollercoaster ride as well.