It's back! -[2008] Ask ISB-Hyderabad: Admission Director answers your queries!

[Admissions@ISB]

Originally Posted by anilsg

Dear Mr.Menon,
I'm currently in the process of filling in my application for the 2009-10 PGPM Program and have a query around the submission of GMAT scores. I had given the GMAT in June-2005 and the score was submitted at that time to ISB as well (although I did not proceed with a PGPM application that year). Could you please let me know if ISB maintains the record of previously submitted scores or is a resubmission of the scores/report expected?

Thanks,
Anil

Anil, please write to pgpadmissions@isb.edu with all your details. We will check our database and then guide you to the next step.

Menon

[Admissions@ISB]

Originally Posted by debashishsamal

Dear Sir,

Is it true that with higher work experience (7+), a bit lower than average GMAT score can still be considered competitive?

Thanks
Debashish

Dear Debashish,

The applicant pool of high experience people has increased and become very competitive over the last few years. Applicants with high GMAT score are on the rise. Please note that GMAT is just one of the criterions we look for while evaluating applications. The overall application would need to convince the Admissions Committee of your suitability.

Menon

[doitvittu]

Originally Posted by Admissions@ISB

Dear Debashish,

The applicant pool of high experience people has increased and become very competitive over the last few years. Applicants with high GMAT score are on the rise. Please note that GMAT is just one of the criterions we look for while evaluating applications. The overall application would need to convince the Admissions Committee of your suitability.

Menon

Dear Sir,

I have a work experience of 5 Years in Corporate Finance after my graduation.But what is stopping me to apply for ISB is my academic performance which is exactly 60%.I am confident that i can get through the other criterias for applying to ISB.Will my academic performance be a backlog for getting into ISB??Kindly advice.........

Thanks,
Vittal

[sam031]

Dear Mr. Menon,

My query is regarding ISB's experience with persons having around 15+ years of workex.

I am 42 years old with around 18+ years of experience. My experience include 1 year in sales, 9 years in banking, 1 year in media and 7 years in a well respected company in the financial sector. I am at a senior level in my company and am well respected for my hard-work, business acumen, integrity and network.

My qualifications include a B.Sc., CFA (from ICFAI in 1997) and a C.A.I.I.B (Certified associate of Indian Institute of Bankers).

I have had a good amount of exposure during my banking & media days as well as in my current organization. My interests are also wide ranging and I spend at least 4-5 hours a day, reading on a variety of subjects.

I now wish to do an MBA from a premier institute such as ISB, for the following reasons:-

a) Having spent many years in banking and finance, I am kind of stereo typed. Would like to break this mold and either move into strategy consulting or aim for the top CXO slots.

b) To hone my existing skills and to gain other skills necessary to manage a variety of organizations or to consult for the same

c) Widen my career prospects

d) Take a break from routine work get into academics for a short period, interact with a cross section of people and generate fresh ideas for future work / entrepreneurial ventures.

Request you to comment from your experience on whether ISB would be the right place for a person with my background to acheive my stated purpose and will be glad if you can offer examples of a few people with similar background and how they have fared post ISB?

Best Regards,
Sam 031

[Admissions@ISB]

Originally Posted by mask

Thanks for this wonderful opportunity to interact.

I have a very unusual query. How does ISB check employment history? I am asking this because I have a tricky situation.

I have been working in India in a US-based firm for about a year and a half. Its at a startup stage here. However, the company, faced with many bureaucratic issues, could not register in India for the first 1 year. A sister company (my employer is part of a big group) handled all HR and financial functions - and I was "officially" employed in that firm since someone had to manage my taxes and PF etc.. The firm only got registered a few months back. In such a case, how am I going to prove my employment?

I talked about this with the VP of the firm, and he promised that he would give a certificate in the firm's letterhead saying something like "the individual has been working with us since Apr 08. prior to that he was employed in a sister firm for 1 year, working on our behalf". Will that be sufficient? I am sure the VP would corroborate me if he were communicated via mail/phone. Is there anything else that I can do?

Dear Mask,

Please submit your work experience from the sister firm for the time you were associated with it (technically you were working for that company during that time Ex: 04/07 – 04/08. A second letter should come from your current firm (04/08- till date) along with your latest pay slip.
An explanation of the entire issue in the optional essay will help us have clarity about your work experience.


Menon

[Admissions@ISB]

Originally Posted by abhishek.205

**************************************************

Respected Admission@ISB,
Even i have the same query as my freind mask has..but just a little extension to it as i will be joining a new sister firm between i have got a gap for 2 months since MAY and im increasing it till NOV as want to give CAT..bt im giving CAT to brush up my quant and VA skillsbefore i give my GMAT best shot..and i have to give time to prepare basics so as to score high in GMAT..and with the new role Functional,new Firm all with previous employess..so will this GAP affect me alot..i have reasons to explain as ..i can expain my gap ..
so will this GAP affect me too much..can i offset it with a good GMAt score and 5+ workex Start UP in ERP Consulting with recos of CEO,PM ..

Thanking You,
ABhishek Sharma

**************************************************

Dear Abhishek,

We have quite a few applicants taking break from their job to prepare for GMAT. A small explanation either in your optional essay or during your interview (if short listed) should be sufficient.

Please submit your Recommendations only from the people who you are connected professionally on a daily basis (immediate supervisors or colleagues, clients etc.). A reco from the CEO of your company should be submitted only if you report to him directly.

Menon

[GyaanGuru]

Dear Sir,
I have 3 years and 7 months of work-ex in IT and Supply Chain Domain till February 2008. I left my job in March to prepare for GMAT/CAT.
Will my break in work go against me in the ISB selection process?
Though now I do part-time freelance consulting and professional blogging as I have this big aim to start my own small consultancy some day, will this experience count?
Thanks a lot.

[zingonline]

Dear Mr. Menon,

I have done my B.Tech (Computer Science) and then MBA-IT (from SYMBIOSIS). After my MBA, I have started on my own on Jan 1st, 2007 with some angel funding from US VCs. My company is an online advertising agency that specializes in affiliate marketing. Its based out of Bangalore.

We have achieved break even right in our first year of operations and going strong in our second year with more than 40 people. We are working with almost all the top Indian Internet Companies.

Now, I am looking at doing MBA from ISB so that the skills I acquire there can be used to take my company to the next level.

I have secured 640 in GMAT.

Can you please let me know whether my entrepreneurial achievements can help me in the admission process, especially with the kind of GMAT score I have secured.

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Regards,
Harsha

[nikhilrawat]

<snip>

Moderator - As already said in the first post, this thread is not meant to be a dipstick test to measure your admissionability. Question cancelled.

[mask]

Originally Posted by Admissions@ISB

Dear Mask,

Please submit your work experience from the sister firm for the time you were associated with it (technically you were working for that company during that time Ex: 04/07 – 04/08. A second letter should come from your current firm (04/08- till date) along with your latest pay slip.
An explanation of the entire issue in the optional essay will help us have clarity about your work experience.


Menon

Thank you. I was wondering, can the first to final payslip from the previous firm be valid, in lieu of a letter?

Also, I have another query. Can I submit a recommendation from academics? From the professor under whom I completed my Master's thesis?