Hope this new thread is a resource that can be used as a guide by ISB 2008 applicants. All contributions welcome.
Will start with the first ISB essay.
ESSAY 1: The ISB culture stresses on a diverse mix of students; life at the ISB is a unique experience for the students. How will your candidature contribute to this culture at the ISB? (300 words max)
Every leading Business School looks for the factors that make you different, that make you unique, that make you distinct. In fact the primary purpose of the MBA essays is exactly that - to uncover your USP (Unique Selling Proposition, but most B Schools call it “diversity”!
) and understand what makes you different.
The question that is asked here is - why should Indian School of Business Hyderabad bother talking to you when there are a hundred other applicants with a comparable GMAT score or work experience or academics or whatever? Your task in the ISB Essay 1 is to answer this question.
Attempt in this essay to “bring in an authentic differentiation, present a genuine face” and then give the admissions committee some solid reasons for wishing to see you.
Give short (300 words cannot support long stories) example if possible.
To get info for the essay you should not mind knocking at many doors. Your friends, colleagues and family are excellent sources for giving you obvious answers which you might have easily overlooked. But the person who knows most is always going to be yourself; so think about you at work, play and studies, especially team situations, and uncover the salient points that set you apart. Your achievements, your hobbies, your academics, your personality traits, your passions, your work experiences, your life experiences, your language, your attitudes – sell whatever you feel can sell well.
This essay tells the admissions committee how desirable a candidate you are for ISB. The differentiation and the value to ISB both require you to have some knowledge of ISB and the average ISB student profile (get into research mode!
). Perhaps your extensive research on Indian School of Business before your decision to apply (if you did not, why ever not??
), will come in really handy now. If you do not know enough already, building some knowledge about ISB would be in order. Enough information is available on the web for you to start off with a good idea of both aspects. Alumni and several threads here also excellent sources of information.
As usual keep in mind that this essay is part of a bigger package and write accordingly. While you are trying to convincingly portray a picture of a person who can add definite value to ISB do not overdo it because we are only at our first essay. Make sure that you leave enough room for the points mentioned in this essay to be buttressed by the other essays – most specifically Essay 3 which requires another portrait of your self.
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