He got into an IIM. Studying there left him disillusioned: ‘Thinking of leaving…’

Most successful stories end with a student gaining admission to their dream school. However, one Reddit user recently revealed what happened after he landed an admission at an IIM - one of the dream business schools for Indians.

Sharing his story on the MBAIndia subreddit, the student described the emotional and academic struggles he faced soon after joining an IIM.

The student explained that he came from an arts academic background and had never been comfortable with mathematics or statistical analysis. After beginning classes at the business school, he found himself overwhelmed by the advanced quantitative subjects that formed a major part of the curriculum. The statistical concepts being taught seemed extremely difficult to understand, and he struggled to keep up with the pace of learning. The challenges were not limited to one subject alone, as he also found several other courses equally demanding.


As the academic pressure increased, so did his self-doubt. He admitted that his confidence had fallen sharply because he constantly felt unable to comprehend classroom lessons. His growing inability to absorb new concepts triggered severe anxiety, making him question whether he truly belonged at the institute.

Eventually, the student began considering leaving the programme altogether. He said he was thinking about applying instead for a Master's degree in Human Resource Management at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), since the course aligned more closely with his career aspirations and involved far less emphasis on quantitative subjects. Human resources had always been his preferred field, and he believed that programme would better suit his interests and abilities.

Despite having supportive parents who were willing to accept whatever decision he made, the student felt trapped by the fear of disappointing them. He was equally worried about facing relatives, neighbours and members of his community, who would inevitably question why he had walked away from such a prestigious institution shortly after gaining admission. He feared that his decision might affect his family's reputation and place his parents in an uncomfortable position. Adding to his concerns was the financial burden, as withdrawing from the programme would mean losing the tuition fees because refunds were no longer available.

His post attracted numerous responses from fellow Reddit users, many of whom encouraged him not to make a rushed decision.

One commenter pointed out that IIMs generally follow a relative grading system, where students are evaluated against the performance of their peers rather than through absolute marks. The user explained that every course typically includes multiple assessment components, reducing the pressure of relying on a single examination. Drawing from personal experience as a student from a non-engineering background, the commenter reassured him that adapting to the coursework was possible with persistence and advised him to continue instead of dropping out prematurely.

Another Reddit user suggested that anxiety was likely magnifying the student's fears. The commenter shared having struggled with anxiety for many years before recognizing it as a medical condition. Coming from a non-technical educational background while now working in credit risk modelling, the individual explained that mastering complex subjects takes patience rather than exceptional talent. By concentrating on one concept at a time and steadily building understanding, difficult topics eventually become manageable.

At the same time, the commenter acknowledged that the curriculum at leading management institutes is heavily influenced by the expectations of modern employers, who increasingly value strong quantitative and analytical skills. As a result, students from arts, humanities and even business backgrounds often find themselves at a disadvantage compared with those who have studied science, technology, engineering and mathematics. While institutes promote academic diversity during admissions, the coursework itself frequently remains better suited to students with stronger technical foundations. Nevertheless, the advice remained consistent: give yourself time to adjust before making a life-changing decision.