Hi all
I am a doctor and graduated from the university of Mauritius with an overall 59.8% score. will complete 2 years of work ex in Nov this year.
Appeared for the GMAT today and scored a 640 (Q44, V34). Scored a band 8.5 on the IELTS.
I know my GMAT score is very low, but I don't really think I can push it beyond 700 even if I try harder.
I consistently scored between 660 and 730 on my mock tests.
Till yesterday, I intended to apply to ISB, HBS, LBS and INSEAD this year. But with this disaster of a score, I doubt whether I will be considered, if at all..
Could the more experienced members please evaluate my profile and chances?

Thanks.

Sugam.

hey sugam, i am not adcom, but here's my 2 cents:

Ur pro's:
1. Non typical profile (doctor)

Ur cons:
1. Low GMAt
2. Low work ex
3. Not flashy accads

If I were you (given the schools u are aiming for- all top ones), I would take the exam again and score at least 680+. With this score, interesting story (why MBA and other essays) and a non traditional background, you could pull it off at one of the schools u are interested in.

I have to ask though, why are u in a hurry? Id suggest u spend one more year taking the GMAT and adding years to your profile and apply with a stringer profile. Remember, all these schools have ur profile on record for at least 2 years of your application- if you apply now and god forbid dont get into any of them this year, it will be that much tougher to re-apply and get in at a later point.

Hope this helps.

Venky

Hello Puys,

Here's my mba aspirant handshake:
GMAT:740 (Q:50,V:40)
BE:69%
XII : 92% (Merit Rank Holder)
X : 87%
CFA Level 2 Candidate
2 years work ex till date in an IB (IT Unit )

Happened to visit ISB , courtesy selection in a BPlan competition, and was simply blown away by their infrastructure and helpful faculty.

Dreaming ISB

Hi all
I am a doctor and graduated from the university of Mauritius with an overall 59.8% score. will complete 2 years of work ex in Nov this year.
Appeared for the GMAT today and scored a 640 (Q44, V34). Scored a band 8.5 on the IELTS.
I know my GMAT score is very low, but I don't really think I can push it beyond 700 even if I try harder.
I consistently scored between 660 and 730 on my mock tests.
Till yesterday, I intended to apply to ISB, HBS, LBS and INSEAD this year. But with this disaster of a score, I doubt whether I will be considered, if at all..
Could the more experienced members please evaluate my profile and chances?

Thanks.

Sugam.

Hi..

I want to apply to ISB next year. I will be taking GMAT on 30th Aug 2010. Following is my profile

10th:92.13%(20th Merit Maharashtra Board)
12th: 93%
B.Tech from NIT nagpur:9.1 gpa on a scale of 10(91%)
Currently completed 8 months at Oracle(consulting profile).
Good extra curriculars. Chief organiser of events like BIG Fight in college. Currently working with an NGO
By the time i apply next year in aug my total work ex will be 21 months. Am i even eligile to apply coz by the time i join ISB(if at all) my work ex will be more than 2 years.

thanks

hi prachi.. as far as eligibility is concerned, YES, you are eligible to apply.. even freshers are eligible to apply !! the 2 yrs thing is kind of an unwritten rule and there are exceptions for profiles that can really stand on their own and have something to offset for the lack of work experience.. though your acads are extremely strong, it is just one factor.. a lot will also depend on the quality and impact you have had at your workplace and if you have been a kind-of gamechanger in any sorts.. the NGO thing is like the icing but it cannot act as the main ingredient for the cake.. hope you understand.. cheers..

@ankitgarg20, MartianOnEarth, vjitende - thanks a lot guys for your thoughts on the same... i have a small viewpoint - i am a bit inclined towards the dance director for the second reco cuz of the same reason u guys pointed out, it could bring forward an altogether different aspect and can be one of the differentiating factors in such a humungous pool of IT applicants !! but, would it have the same impact if I presented the reco in third-person view in the optional 3rd essay and use the 2 recos from my managers? or would you suggest that a first person viewpoint would have more weightage..??

Hi puys... i am a 2012 aspirant too.. first of all, wish all the best of luck for applying to ISB... now to the point - my profile :
GMAT : 710/5.5
Work Ex : 2.8 yrs (3.5 yrs by march 2011) in the IT dept of an IB..
Edu : BE Comps Mumbai Univ
12 : 82%
Extra curriculars : Above average, dance instructor, university level football player, organizing committee member of college fest etc..

i just had a small doubt.. as we hv to submit 2 evaluations, i have decided that a very senior person (VP) in my organization will submit one of the evaluations.. for the other eval, i have two options - either get the director/owner of my dance academy ( its famous in Mumbai and has its reach only in Mumbai) to submit it or have the eval of my manager who's moved on to another organization and is now also a VP there.

can anyone submit their 2 cents on the same... thanks in advance!

If I were in your shoes, I would have picked the dance academy director, as long as he/she can write good stuff for me. It will bring into light a different side of you and help you stand out of the crowd. The uniqueness factor will play a major role in your selection.
However, make sure that if you take one reco from your dance academy director, you include enough references of your experiences and learnings there in your essays, to reflect your association with them as an important part of your life. If your association with the academy is only superficial and there is not much to write about your exp there, you may want to opt for your ex-boss/supervisor as your recommender.

Hi ajay,

id suggest you have ur ex manager submit the second reco if ur confident he is still going to elaborate and detail on all ur profile. else, i would suggest u get another person from your current org (who also knows u very well) do it.

reason im not a fan of ur dance director is that as opposed to a letter, ISB's reco is a set of essays that leans tonns towards ur career and professional side of things (I learnt this from someone's post @pagalguy). i am assuming ur dance director may not be able to do justice then.

either way, ud know better.

Venky

Here's another way to look at it.

In a regular b-school appln, the other components (Essays, CV, application form) tend to heavily focus on the professional and academic elements anyway. If you have an opportunity to demonstrate personal traits, it can nicely balance out the over-domination of the professional aspects.

@Ajay: Taking your example, the serious pursuit of Dance as an artform can bring out a whole lot of unique traits from your personal life - dedication, discipline and more importantly passion. These qualities are valued in the business world as well.

If you've demonstrated them in a personal capacity, it means that you truly have them in you. It wasn't just something thrown in for superficial reasons. If the owner of your dance academy is articulate and can present you in good light, it can be an unconventional and impactful weapon in your arsenal.

Food for thought?

Hi..

I want to apply to ISB next year. I will be taking GMAT on 30th Aug 2010. Following is my profile

10th:92.13%(20th Merit Maharashtra Board)
12th: 93%
B.Tech from NIT nagpur:9.1 gpa on a scale of 10(91%)
Currently completed 8 months at Oracle(consulting profile).
Good extra curriculars. Chief organiser of events like BIG Fight in college. Currently working with an NGO
By the time i apply next year in aug my total work ex will be 21 months. Am i even eligile to apply coz by the time i join ISB(if at all) my work ex will be more than 2 years.

thanks

Hi puys... i am a 2012 aspirant too.. first of all, wish all the best of luck for applying to ISB... now to the point - my profile :
GMAT : 710/5.5
Work Ex : 2.8 yrs (3.5 yrs by march 2011) in the IT dept of an IB..
Edu : BE Comps Mumbai Univ
12 : 82%
Extra curriculars : Above average, dance instructor, university level football player, organizing committee member of college fest etc..

i just had a small doubt.. as we hv to submit 2 evaluations, i have decided that a very senior person (VP) in my organization will submit one of the evaluations.. for the other eval, i have two options - either get the director/owner of my dance academy ( its famous in Mumbai and has its reach only in Mumbai) to submit it or have the eval of my manager who's moved on to another organization and is now also a VP there.

can anyone submit their 2 cents on the same... thanks in advance!

Hi ajay,

id suggest you have ur ex manager submit the second reco if ur confident he is still going to elaborate and detail on all ur profile. else, i would suggest u get another person from your current org (who also knows u very well) do it.

reason im not a fan of ur dance director is that as opposed to a letter, ISB's reco is a set of essays that leans tonns towards ur career and professional side of things (I learnt this from someone's post @pagalguy). i am assuming ur dance director may not be able to do justice then.

either way, ud know better.

Venky

Hi puys... i am a 2012 aspirant too.. first of all, wish all the best of luck for applying to ISB... now to the point - my profile :
GMAT : 710/5.5
Work Ex : 2.8 yrs (3.5 yrs by march 2011) in the IT dept of an IB..
Edu : BE Comps Mumbai Univ
12 : 82%
Extra curriculars : Above average, dance instructor, university level football player, organizing committee member of college fest etc..

i just had a small doubt.. as we hv to submit 2 evaluations, i have decided that a very senior person (VP) in my organization will submit one of the evaluations.. for the other eval, i have two options - either get the director/owner of my dance academy ( its famous in Mumbai and has its reach only in Mumbai) to submit it or have the eval of my manager who's moved on to another organization and is now also a VP there.

can anyone submit their 2 cents on the same... thanks in advance!

Please note that if ISB online system allows you to submit the essays without any error then be assured that no word will be missed.

Also, there is a word count box which will tell you the number of words in a particular essay.

However, the number of words can be different in MS word and ISB count box since ISB count box doesn't consider few words as a word while the same is counted in MS word.

Hope it clarifies the matter.

Hi All,

I am a reapplicant this year. I was not even called for interview last year which I believe is because two of my essays exceeded the limit by 2 words and were truncated while submitting. Result, last sentence in essays did not make any sense.

So the limit matters a lot.

Yes I did this blunder last year And the feedback that I received says "Less focus on essays".

I checked and counted the words in MS-word. There the essays were in limit (Just 1-2 words less than max limit). I, in over confidence, just copy pasted and did not verify if they fit in the ISB input boxes.

Be careful while meeting those max limits.

ca_sandeep Says

The application essay page at the ISB web site will not accept more than 300 words. As simple as that.....

Hi All,

I am a reapplicant this year. I was not even called for interview last year which I believe is because two of my essays exceeded the limit by 2 words and were truncated while submitting. Result, last sentence in essays did not make any sense.

So the limit matters a lot.

Yes I did this blunder last year And the feedback that I received says "Less focus on essays".

I checked and counted the words in MS-word. There the essays were in limit (Just 1-2 words less than max limit). I, in over confidence, just copy pasted and did not verify if they fit in the ISB input boxes.

Be careful while meeting those max limits.

hi,

wat is the minimum gmat score required to get a call
pls reply
thanx

how about an 800?

Neha, jokes apart, I can assure you there is no such thing as "minimum GMAT score to get a call at ISB". Thankfully, ISB's admission policy reflects the maturing of Indian MBA schooling (wherein the 360 profile of an applicant holds MUCH MORE RELEVANCE than his/ her score in an exam alone). The importance of such admission policy is clearly reflected so many other schools (that were score focussed only) that have now begun to adapt this policy in their admissions.

So in short, aim for a 800, then plan to project a "best case" 360 of urself and hope luck supports u as well to get a call and then the coveted Admission.

Venky

hi,

wat is the minimum gmat score required to get a call
pls reply
thanx

Hi..

I want to apply to ISB next year. I will be taking GMAT on 30th Aug 2010. Following is my profile

10th:92.13%(20th Merit Maharashtra Board)
12th: 93%
B.Tech from NIT nagpur:9.1 gpa on a scale of 10(91%)
Currently completed 8 months at Oracle(consulting profile).
Good extra curriculars. Chief organiser of events like BIG Fight in college. Currently working with an NGO
By the time i apply next year in aug my total work ex will be 21 months. Am i even eligile to apply coz by the time i join ISB(if at all) my work ex will be more than 2 years.

thanks

Hey,

Amazing I have almost the same background as you. I work for Godrej Properties and scored 750 in GMAT. I have also finished a one yr MDP at IIM Indore.

Well the bad news is that last year when i applied for round 2 ( I had 2 yrs work ex) and i was rejected. My feedback was that I lack experience and they have 'urged' me to reapply for next year.

Anyways the point is that they just donot consider 2 yrs work ex. I would suggest dont waste your time applying here. But yea if you want to try your luck go ahead, just dont get disappointed like I was :)

Mishti

Hello Mishti!
thanks for the reply! I have sent you a PM. Please reply

Vivek

Slightly below average GMAT. May want to improve on it if planning to apply again. A higher AWA will also be an advantage.
Is it absolutely necessary for me to take GMAT? Is it good for R2 interview reject candidate to apply in next year R1?

If they've taken the pains to specifically mention this as an area for improvement, then do take it seriously. If it means you've got to skip R1 due to time constraints, apply in R2 with the new GMAT score.

Unless your profile is dramatically different in other areas since you last applied, Adcom will not be dazzled by the incremental difference.

Persistence is a good quality, but a demonstrated improvement (based on the feedback you've got) is a better one.

Hello!
I am a class of 2012 aspirant. Took the GMAT today. scores are
quant = 49:banghead:, verbal = 42, total = 740

was a bit disappointed with my scores because I scored 780,760 & 750 in the last three manhattan tests that i took. I have been consistently scoring above 50 in quants in all the 12 mocks that i took, but quant did me on the test day.

Please advise me whether I should take the GMAT again to improve my scores.
My profile:
B Tech (mechanical engineering) from a NIT
work-ex: 2 years (will be 32 months by april 2011) as Asstt Manager - business Strategy & Business Development, at Reliance Infrastructure Limited (formerly reliance Energy).

Academics: 10th= 87% (CBSE), 12th = 67% (cbse):oops:, Grad: 8.34 CGPA

NSE certified market professional level-1 certification
Was the general secretary of college, convener of Technical fest........

I was targeting at a 750+ score to offset my low scores in 12th grade and low work-experience.

Will my chances of admission into ISB improve if I improve my GMAT score to 750 or 760?? is 740 gud enuff for <3yrs work-ex guys. please reply, as I have to chose between applying in R1 or preparing for GMAT.

Hey,

Amazing I have almost the same background as you. I work for Godrej Properties and scored 750 in GMAT. I have also finished a one yr MDP at IIM Indore.

Well the bad news is that last year when i applied for round 2 ( I had 2 yrs work ex) and i was rejected. My feedback was that I lack experience and they have 'urged' me to reapply for next year.

Anyways the point is that they just donot consider 2 yrs work ex. I would suggest dont waste your time applying here. But yea if you want to try your luck go ahead, just dont get disappointed like I was :)

Mishti

This might have been applied earlier.

But just wanted to confirm how strictly does ISB adhere to the 300 words limit for the essays? Does it mean that for a 310 word essay the last 10 words would not even be considered?

The first draft of my essays are almost done and sticking to the word limit in some of the essays is becoming quite difficult. Though trying to put my best foot forward and at the same time maintain brevity.

Thanks in advance.

The application essay page at the ISB web site will not accept more than 300 words. As simple as that.....

This might have been applied earlier.

But just wanted to confirm how strictly does ISB adhere to the 300 words limit for the essays? Does it mean that for a 310 word essay the last 10 words would not even be considered?

The first draft of my essays are almost done and sticking to the word limit in some of the essays is becoming quite difficult. Though trying to put my best foot forward and at the same time maintain brevity.

Thanks in advance.

Hello!
I am a class of 2012 aspirant. Took the GMAT today. scores are
quant = 49:banghead:, verbal = 42, total = 740

was a bit disappointed with my scores because I scored 780,760 & 750 in the last three manhattan tests that i took. I have been consistently scoring above 50 in quants in all the 12 mocks that i took, but quant did me on the test day.

Please advise me whether I should take the GMAT again to improve my scores.
My profile:
B Tech (mechanical engineering) from a NIT
work-ex: 2 years (will be 32 months by april 2011) as Asstt Manager - business Strategy & Business Development, at Reliance Infrastructure Limited (formerly reliance Energy).

Academics: 10th= 87% (CBSE), 12th = 67% (cbse):oops:, Grad: 8.34 CGPA

NSE certified market professional level-1 certification
Was the general secretary of college, convener of Technical fest........

I was targeting at a 750+ score to offset my low scores in 12th grade and low work-experience.

Will my chances of admission into ISB improve if I improve my GMAT score to 750 or 760?? is 740 gud enuff for <3yrs work-ex guys. please reply, as I have to chose between applying in R1 or preparing for GMAT.

You are giving too much importance to GMAT way too much, agreed gmat is important but its not everything. 740 is a very good score. and 49 isint that bad in Quant. My suggestion concetrate on your essays only 1.5months left.

Hello!
I am a class of 2012 aspirant. Took the GMAT today. scores are
quant = 49:banghead:, verbal = 42, total = 740

was a bit disappointed with my scores because I scored 780,760 & 750 in the last three manhattan tests that i took. I have been consistently scoring above 50 in quants in all the 12 mocks that i took, but quant did me on the test day.

Please advise me whether I should take the GMAT again to improve my scores.
My profile:
B Tech (mechanical engineering) from a NIT
work-ex: 2 years (will be 32 months by april 2011) as Asstt Manager - business Strategy & Business Development, at Reliance Infrastructure Limited (formerly reliance Energy).

Academics: 10th= 87% (CBSE), 12th = 67% (cbse):oops:, Grad: 8.34 CGPA

NSE certified market professional level-1 certification
Was the general secretary of college, convener of Technical fest........

I was targeting at a 750+ score to offset my low scores in 12th grade and low work-experience.

Will my chances of admission into ISB improve if I improve my GMAT score to 750 or 760?? is 740 gud enuff for <3yrs work-ex guys. please reply, as I have to chose between applying in R1 or preparing for GMAT.

Hey Vjitende,

Thanks for taking out the time and for the great insights. Really appreciate it :)

Need some advice from current/ex-students or re-applicants.
I need one help with my last year (2009 i.e CO 2011) application feedback. I am not able to understand it well. Feedback was: The committee has gone through your application and is of the following view:
Your overall interview rating was good.
Slightly below average GMAT. May want to improve on it if planning to apply again. A higher AWA will also be an advantage.
You basically lost out in view of the intensity of the competition.
Interview panel however made a special suggestion that we urge you to reapply.
Reapplication is strongly recommended.
I am planning to apply in R1 with same GMAT (690/5/6.5yrs/IT Male/Startup exp/No intl exp). Instead, I will put lots of thinking into the app. I am only worried about their advice on GMAT which I am not planning to follow. Is it absolutely necessary for me to take GMAT? Is it good for R2 interview reject candidate to apply in next year R1? If I go for R2 and I don't get a major jump in my GMAT score then again it'll not solve any purpose. Please give me some thoughtful advice.

Hi JON10

someone raised the same quesn to ISB adcom head and see what they have to say...

"

The improved GMAT advice is obviously because your 700 score would have been low in comparison with others with a similar background. Improving your score will certainly help. The work experience advice has been given probably because you have not been able to showcase your experience effectively in the interview. To that extent the cause of rejection has go to do with how you performed at the interview. If you have significantly improved your overall profile and as you say you have had a fantastic 7-8 months, you certainly can apply again showcasing these new achievements. When we see a reapplication we see the overall improvement and if there is a feedback given we also see if action has been taken on the feedback. However if we find the there has been genuine effort put in by the re-applicant to improve than we do give that effort adequate weight at the time we review the application.

Just as an after thought you must apply when you feel you are ready. If you feel you may not be ready by the first cycle due to work pressure etc apply in the second cycle. You must be ready in all respects when you apply and not rush in an application."

Hey sonali...somehow my PM part is giving some problem...can YOU PM me ur mail address?!

Poorva , ggn

Hi puys,

I am another of the Indian/IT/male profile ISB aspirant. Have decided to apply for ISB this year maybe in Round 2.

Had a query which I was hoping some experienced soul could sort out for me since I am still a newbie for the entire Bschool app process. How good is ISB for someone trying to move from the usual 'IT services domain' to the 'IT General Management' area ?
A short background about me : I have been working in one of the usual IT bigwigs in India but have been posted Onsite with the same Client for a couple of years. Though my work profile is meant to be usual pure technical sorts, but the team I have been a part of is reporting directly to the Client Business. As a result, the work involves a lot of Impact and Business scenario analysis etc. We are a part of the chain making decisions for actual issues in Production ...something that impacts the profits and reduces the Legal implications for the Clients.
Now, I want to move to a role in the IT management side with a Products Organisation. Natural career progression and changing jobs etc. could also probably help me achieve such a role, but would take a long time to come and not having an MBA might hinder the chances of getting a desired role. Although, I understand that doing an MBA doesn't guarantee that either but would definitely put me in a better position.

ISB being one of the most reputed and distinct schools in India is obviously on my radar, but really want to know the prospects ISB offers for someone aiming like me. Also, if someone would like to advise me for some Other schools I could look for I am still in my research phase for schools to apply and any advice in that direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks :)

Hey Gabriel, let me take a stab at answering ur query (based on my research for doing an MBA and the B school search).

First of all...yes, an MBA from ISB is probably the easiest way for you to get urself into IT General Management (or for that matter any business management career). In my opinion, ISB is the BEST choice in India for people with good levels of experience because of a bunch of reasons some of them being

1. ISB started the trend of European MBA education system in India (one year, for people with experience). I have worked in the industry for 5 years now and firmly believe that work experience clearly adds maturity to one's clarity on career, gives one time to think on what his/ her strengths/ interests are and hence decide whether an MBA is REQUIRED to proceed further in one's career. CLEARLY, this maturity is reflected in the ISB classroom and one definitely stands to gain a lot from this classroom (than from an MBA classroom filled with freshly graduated and brilliant engineers- but with little real-world experience). You as a future business manager/ leader will definitely gain a lot from your one year stint at ISB.

2. ISB is top ranked- not just in India, but globally. This means as a student you will have access to top firms and hence ur dream job right after school in one years time (as against a prolonged path).

...in short GUN FOR THIS SCHOOL AND UR CAREER AMBITIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SERVED.

Now for the 2nd part of your question (in short..Im a pure IT guy, how do i sell myself at ISB or any other Business School?)....BILLION DOLLAR QUESTION!

believe it or not, this question is very closely related to the points above.

When one is spending $40K at ISB for a one year program + paying close to 13% interest on a student loan for 20 years after graduation + giving up on a year's income, ONE HAS TO BE SURE THAT HE/ SHE indeed needs an MBA at this point in his/ her career. On this note,

1. One has to study the subjects-
+ WHAT IS IT THAT I PLAN TO DO IN MY LIFE?
+ WHY DO I WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I AM CURRENTLY DOING
+ WHAT ARE MY CURRENT SKILLS and WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED SKILLS for 1? WILL AN MBA FILL TH GAP?

for the questions above, i suggest deal with specifics. In your instance, answers to these questions should go far beyond the

"I WANT TO DO GENERAL IT MANAGEMENT" answer.

A more enriched answer could be

"I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE INTERNET DOMAIN AS A TECHIE, I AM FASCINATED BY THE BUSINESS SCOPE THAT THE INTERNET HAS TO OFFER AND SINCE I HAVE A FUNCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE TECH THAT IS SO CRUCIAL TO THIS BUSINESS + MY FASCINATION, I WILL BE A BETTER BUSINESS MANAGER AT GOOGLE/ MICROSOFT; BUT SINCE I NEED MORE SKILLS, AN MBA FROM ISB IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED AT THIS POINT."

....this approach has multiple benefits:

1. You are convinced from a far more critical perspective that an MBA is actually needed for you (more than whimsical reasons like MBA glory, huge pay raise, etc etc)

2. Such research is more likely to lead you to a MBA school that is best suited for your purpose (rather than going by someone else's opinion- remember someone else will never know ur case as best as u would)

3. Since u are the best critical judge of ur case and u (more than anyone else is absolutely convinced u need an MBA from ISB), it is going to be TONNS easier to convince the admissions committee at ISB to consider you for admission.

4. 1 + 2 + 3 == your value add for the ISB class (which will also convince ADCOM to get u in).

So I suggest,

1. You go all out for your GMAT and score as high as possible (remember the GMAT is probably the only thing u can really change at this point of your MBA application).

2. Think critically about the points above, and

3. If you are convinced, GUN FOR ISB IN ALL CONFIDENCE (if not anything else, u will have a far more convincing application then).

Also, on a side note, dont hold back thinking I AM A REGULAR IT GUY and doubt ur chances. Remember, IT hailed the pay check revolution in India, IT still pays far, far more than many careers (implying its significance) and it is my belief that IT (engineers in general) have amazing potential to be brilliant business managers.

Disclaimer- all of the above is my personal opinion (I have been planning on an MBA for 2 years now). All said, personal opinions may not always sell for everyone else and should be taken with a pinch of salt!

Hi
Request a brief evaluation of my profile and its relative strength.

I had taken GMAT a few days back and got 660(QA-49,VA-32) as my score.

I am working as an Area sales manager in a telecom MNC for the past 15 months.

I intend to apply to the likes of NUS,ISB etc for the session starting in 2011.Since I want to specialize in marketing, I am also interested in schools like Booth and others which are marketing-centric.

My profile:
I ve done Eco(H) from the University of Delhi and Master of Business Economics(specialization in marketing & quantitative techniques in business) from the same university.My academic scores are above average too.

Between my years at the University, I interned with the leading consumer goods company in India(a project on rural marketing to be specific) and was awarded a Pre placement interview.
I ve also received the top honour in the sales category in the organisation I am currently working at -in the first year of my job.

Being in sales, i ve led teams ,'ve experience in setting up sales infrastructure from scratch,ve launched 2 towns,generated revenues and customer acquisitions in the period I ve worked in.

Apart from that, I am a vocalist, a voice impersonation artist, play a musical instrument and am an avid quizzer with achievements at different levels. I ve also penned columns for an English daily (albeit infrequently).

My query is : How big a drawback will the average GMAT score and the low work ex of 2 years(by April 2011) be , in terms of my chances at securing an interview at the top schools(incl ISB)given good recos & essays)?
Am I correct in my understanding that being in sales and with a masters degree has its advantages when it comes to my profile being evaluated?

Can the fact that I ve written columns for an English daily compensate to an extent for the poor verbal score(blame an off day!)?I do plan to take the Toefl though.

Thank you.

Hi puys,

I am another of the Indian/IT/male profile ISB aspirant. Have decided to apply for ISB this year maybe in Round 2.

Had a query which I was hoping some experienced soul could sort out for me since I am still a newbie for the entire Bschool app process. How good is ISB for someone trying to move from the usual 'IT services domain' to the 'IT General Management' area ?
A short background about me : I have been working in one of the usual IT bigwigs in India but have been posted Onsite with the same Client for a couple of years. Though my work profile is meant to be usual pure technical sorts, but the team I have been a part of is reporting directly to the Client Business. As a result, the work involves a lot of Impact and Business scenario analysis etc. We are a part of the chain making decisions for actual issues in Production ...something that impacts the profits and reduces the Legal implications for the Clients.
Now, I want to move to a role in the IT management side with a Products Organisation. Natural career progression and changing jobs etc. could also probably help me achieve such a role, but would take a long time to come and not having an MBA might hinder the chances of getting a desired role. Although, I understand that doing an MBA doesn't guarantee that either but would definitely put me in a better position.

ISB being one of the most reputed and distinct schools in India is obviously on my radar, but really want to know the prospects ISB offers for someone aiming like me. Also, if someone would like to advise me for some Other schools I could look for I am still in my research phase for schools to apply and any advice in that direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

hi all

Am also targeting ISB 2012 batch.

My GMAT score is 700
Was with infosys Technologies Ltd for 2 years and 7 months
Decent acads.. (B. Tech from Govt. Engg. College Trichur)
Good EC..
Was the Vice President Personal Relation of the toastmaster club at infy mangalore.


Had converted ROTMAN School of management but dont think i will be able to join due to lack of funds :-(

Could u please guide me if my profile is suitable for ISB??

Hi guys,

A quick note for all the prospective students. Sometime ago I started a small project called ISBConnect to help bridge the gap between prospect applicants and current students/alumni. I am a current student at ISB (CO 2011).

I have created two documents one a Q&A; document to answer questions you may have and the other an excel sheet called ISB connect to help put you in touch with a current student having the same industry.

You can visit my post here to get the links to the documents

I have already received several queries and you may find it beneficial to go through the responses.

I wish you guys all the best for the applications.

Best,

Roshan

Interestingly, the difference in the way a lot of western schools project end result of a b-school degree and how Indian schools do the same has lot to do with the way the education system here is. While western schools talk abt students finding employment within 3 months of graduation/ shift in functions and industries the Indian ones focus on placement only. Now ISB is an Indian school going global so the balance between the two is a hard one to strike. Explains why information flow is the way it is.

We could go on debating but the value addition that ISB provides is for every individual to decide based on thier goals and background. So I guess we make do with as much info as we have. Besides the info pool is same for everyone and thats where the challenge is ;-)

Hmmm... All this brings one question to my mind, do we know how many students did not get placed? With of course a breakup between those who did not participate in placements and those who did not make the cut. Is this available somewhere?

Interestingly, the difference in the way a lot of western schools project end result of a b-school degree and how Indian schools do the same has lot to do with the way the education system here is. While western schools talk abt students finding employment within 3 months of graduation/ shift in functions and industries the Indian ones focus on placement only. Now ISB is an Indian school going global so the balance between the two is a hard one to strike. Explains why information flow is the way it is.

We could go on debating but the value addition that ISB provides is for every individual to decide based on thier goals and background. So I guess we make do with as much info as we have. Besides the info pool is same for everyone and thats where the challenge is ;-)

rossISB Says

yes true... giving designations will not be possible.. However median salary is possible.. and I think some of the schools do publish median salary and I dont think it will harm ISB at all. For one reason those who apply to ISB are intelligent enough to know that Salary does not come just like that/... and ISB is not a magic wand:nono:. But giving median values gives a clearer picture.

Hello friends.....i know it is little off track, but need some help at this point of time. I am going to take my GMAT on 3rd august and hoping to apply for isb-2011-12 class. I,m sure about ISb but i,m not sure about which other colleges i should send my score. I understand that it depends upon my profile and my preferences. But i have not done any research on this aspect and now i don't have much time also. so if some of you here would be able to spare some time and give me some kind of list. i will be very thankful to all of you.
I have 7 yrs of experience as a mechanical design engineer and i am getting 710-730 in different GMAT tests. Thank you.........

Going blindly by a list that someone gives you will not help, my friend. I can do that for you (like I've been doing on the 'Phoren B-school' thread on PG for many years) and you'll save some time. But that's about it.

The guy giving you the list will not be around later on when you have to fill in the 'Why MBA from this school?' part or during the interviews.

So do spend some time doing your own research. After that, you'll be able to better appreciate (or challenge) it when someone suggests some names to you.

Well I do agree that ISB (or IIMs) is a career enabler..and not a salary enhancer but salary is one of the important criteria for a business school whether people believe it or not.

But yes its absolutely stupid if an applicant is joining ISB (or IIMs for that matter) thinking that his/her salary will be 2 times what he/she is getting now. In reality there are "ALSO" chances that u might actually get a lesser salary what you were getting before.. ;)

In past students recieved mind blowing salaries for many reasons
1) They freaking deserved it
2) Market conditions were very positive
3) More demand less supply (Of talented folks) pushed up the value.
4) etc etc

Getting less salary does not mean they are less deserved.. just that they are other factors playing the ground too.

However I feel colleges should publish the detailed break up and most importantly MEDIAN salary.. and if possible designations (I dont know if this is possible) .. This will highlight many things among them
1) Market conditions in reality
2) Brand value of the college infront of the corporates
3) How many people opted out of placement,,, this is very important as it shows that aspiration for entrepreneurship is not just for essays
4) At what positions the students were placed.. based on their exp.
5) what are the students worth?

All this keeping in mind not all sectors pay the same.. what an IB will pay wil not be payed by IT... so this will fluctuate the average salary big time. Even the median would not give the clear idea.. but makes more sense than average.

In short placement (including salaries) highlights for a college is important and even for the aspirants (for any reason).

Totally agree sir. Though designations/break-up is a bit ambitious.
I dont see many schools globally also making such detailed information available. Guess this is where alum interaction makes sense.

yes true... giving designations will not be possible.. However median salary is possible.. and I think some of the schools do publish median salary and I dont think it will harm ISB at all. For one reason those who apply to ISB are intelligent enough to know that Salary does not come just like that/... and ISB is not a magic wand:nono:. But giving median values gives a clearer picture.

Totally agree sir. Though designations/break-up is a bit ambitious.
I dont see many schools globally also making such detailed information available. Guess this is where alum interaction makes sense.

Well I do agree that ISB (or IIMs) is a career enabler..and not a salary enhancer but salary is one of the important criteria for a business school whether people believe it or not.

But yes its absolutely stupid if an applicant is joining ISB (or IIMs for that matter) thinking that his/her salary will be 2 times what he/she is getting now. In reality there are "ALSO" chances that u might actually get a lesser salary what you were getting before.. ;)

In past students recieved mind blowing salaries for many reasons
1) They freaking deserved it
2) Market conditions were very positive
3) More demand less supply (Of talented folks) pushed up the value.
4) etc etc

Getting less salary does not mean they are less deserved.. just that they are other factors playing the ground too.

However I feel colleges should publish the detailed break up and most importantly MEDIAN salary.. and if possible designations (I dont know if this is possible) .. This will highlight many things among them
1) Market conditions in reality
2) Brand value of the college infront of the corporates
3) How many people opted out of placement,,, this is very important as it shows that aspiration for entrepreneurship is not just for essays
4) At what positions the students were placed.. based on their exp.
5) what are the students worth?

All this keeping in mind not all sectors pay the same.. what an IB will pay wil not be payed by IT... so this will fluctuate the average salary big time. Even the median would not give the clear idea.. but makes more sense than average.

In short placement (including salaries) highlights for a college is important and even for the aspirants (for any reason).

cs246 Says

While we are on it, just thought I'd pitch in. Representatives from ISB emphasised that the programme not be looked at as a salary enhancer but a career enabler. To that effect, they also demonstrated the ranges of salaries by different world ex. brackets. Like the slide on an 8 year old almost making as much as a 4 year old shown by the wide salary ranges. To prove that what you get from the course is purely a function of what you put in. So I assume this year any detailed analysis and report on salaries etc would not be easily forthcoming and understandably so.

Well I do agree that ISB (or IIMs) is a career enabler..and not a salary enhancer but salary is one of the important criteria for a business school whether people believe it or not.

But yes its absolutely stupid if an applicant is joining ISB (or IIMs for that matter) thinking that his/her salary will be 2 times what he/she is getting now. In reality there are "ALSO" chances that u might actually get a lesser salary what you were getting before.. ;)

In past students recieved mind blowing salaries for many reasons
1) They freaking deserved it
2) Market conditions were very positive
3) More demand less supply (Of talented folks) pushed up the value.
4) etc etc

Getting less salary does not mean they are less deserved.. just that they are other factors playing the ground too.

However I feel colleges should publish the detailed break up and most importantly MEDIAN salary.. and if possible designations (I dont know if this is possible) .. This will highlight many things among them
1) Market conditions in reality
2) Brand value of the college infront of the corporates
3) How many people opted out of placement,,, this is very important as it shows that aspiration for entrepreneurship is not just for essays
4) At what positions the students were placed.. based on their exp.
5) what are the students worth?

All this keeping in mind not all sectors pay the same.. what an IB will pay wil not be payed by IT... so this will fluctuate the average salary big time. Even the median would not give the clear idea.. but makes more sense than average.

In short placement (including salaries) highlights for a college is important and even for the aspirants (for any reason).

Hi Sandeep,
The best score to target for ISB is 800, but be satisfied with anything above 700. Although the general consensus is that ISB focuses a lot on GMAT, but a decent GMAT score of above 700 should be good enough to get you into reckoning. Rest is your complete profile and essays.

Hey..
Thanks a lot for your reply...

While we are on it, just thought I'd pitch in. Representatives from ISB emphasised that the programme not be looked at as a salary enhancer but a career enabler. To that effect, they also demonstrated the ranges of salaries by different world ex. brackets. Like the slide on an 8 year old almost making as much as a 4 year old shown by the wide salary ranges. To prove that what you get from the course is purely a function of what you put in. So I assume this year any detailed analysis and report on salaries etc would not be easily forthcoming and understandably so.

rossISB Says

I am already aware of this piece.. they have published it some time back and there on many of the news forums. What I wanted to know was did they publish the detailed analysis... the way its there on their WebSite for 2009 placement.. the entire split in salaries.. domains.. etc

Hello friends.....i know it is little off track, but need some help at this point of time. I am going to take my GMAT on 3rd august and hoping to apply for isb-2011-12 class. I,m sure about ISb but i,m not sure about which other colleges i should send my score. I understand that it depends upon my profile and my preferences. But i have not done any research on this aspect and now i don't have much time also. so if some of you here would be able to spare some time and give me some kind of list. i will be very thankful to all of you.
I have 7 yrs of experience as a mechanical design engineer and i am getting 710-730 in different GMAT tests. Thank you.........

The course commences simutaneously for both the cycles in the month of April.

Guys,
This query may sound stupid but this is best place where I can get my answers :).
Here I go:

I have gone through the ISB URL and found that there are two Cycles of the Admission for Indian Passport Holders.

So, could you please tell me that does the course commence simutaneously for both the cycles?

Guys,
This query may sound stupid but this is best place where I can get my answers :).
Here I go:

I have gone through the ISB URL and found that there are two Cycles of the Admission for Indian Passport Holders.

So, could you please tell me that does the course commence simutaneously for both the cycles?

Yes they did....

Salaries for ISBians (80% median) hovered between 11.5 lacs to 22 lacs bracket.....with average around 16.5lacs.

Number of Students : 586 (14 opted out for various reasons)
Range of experience: 2 to 20 years
Participating companies: 346 (66 internatonal)
Increase in number of offers over 2009: 33%
Increase in Salaries over 2009 (CTC): 11%

Hope this helps !!!


Sandeep

I am already aware of this piece.. they have published it some time back and there on many of the news forums. What I wanted to know was did they publish the detailed analysis... the way its there on their WebSite for 2009 placement.. the entire split in salaries.. domains.. etc

rossISB Says

puys who have attended the info session on the brochure did isb mention any 2010 placement highlights? on the website its not updated yet. last years brochure was a carbon copy of the website.. almost.

Yes they did....

Salaries for ISBians (80% median) hovered between 11.5 lacs to 22 lacs bracket.....with average around 16.5lacs.

Number of Students : 586 (14 opted out for various reasons)
Range of experience: 2 to 20 years
Participating companies: 346 (66 internatonal)
Increase in number of offers over 2009: 33%
Increase in Salaries over 2009 (CTC): 11%

Hope this helps !!!


Sandeep

puys who have attended the info session on the brochure did isb mention any 2010 placement highlights? on the website its not updated yet. last years brochure was a carbon copy of the website.. almost.

Are there any lawyers here ?

Is 700 is good enough for a lawyer, or should I go for a retake ?


Saurabh

I think (not any analysis, just a thought) that gmat baskets taken are like somethings like this.. 650-690, 700-740 and 750+

Then again gmat is only one criteria.. and there are other equally important criteria in the entire process... 700 is one mental barrier which u may want to cross.. which u already did.

YIPPI...........I m ready with first essay........(by the way it has taken me longer than preparing for GMAT)........

I thought Life is tough..but MBA preparation is competing well...!!!



Sandeep

Are there any lawyers here ?

Is 700 is good enough for a lawyer, or should I go for a retake ?


Saurabh

I am a company secretary and not exactly a lawyer....

I would say in simple words....

Retake if you can increase your score by 30 points or more....otherwise dnt bother...concentrate on applications and things would be fine...


Sandeep

Are there any lawyers here ?

Is 700 is good enough for a lawyer, or should I go for a retake ?


Saurabh

tripgaurav Says

In fact, I talked to one of the alumnus offline, and asked him to provide his frank opinion for such students... n he said that yes, a 1 year MBA is not for a person who is still exploring the options... n he agreed that there are several demerits too... but he stressed on the "only-1-year-away-from-job" aspect again and again, which suits me as well.

Thats an honest feedback by the alum, and i also agree it is kind of 1 yr vs more traditional MBA, and the strongest merit is only1 yr away from the job.

He had valid points, but the points provided to ans it( like various clubs etc) didnt ans it completely, as such clubs are there in all 2 yr programs also and there at least the student gets more time.
but overall, not much harm done by attending the session, got some decent pointers about the app though.

In fact, I talked to one of the alumnus offline, and asked him to provide his frank opinion for such students... n he said that yes, a 1 year MBA is not for a person who is still exploring the options... n he agreed that there are several demerits too... but he stressed on the "only-1-year-away-from-job" aspect again and again, which suits me as well.

Are they publishing the placement details for the last batch, in the road show? Or have they published it somewhere else?

Regards,
Subhra

Hi Puys,

Request all those who attended today's Info session in New Delhi to share the gist of the discussion.

TIA

Attended the 11 am session, though was left a bit unsatisfied with the information and the discussion later on. I quite agreed with a question put up by a fellow aspirant, that whether ISB is the right place for a person who is still shopping around to explore his various industry options, as ISB was a 1yr course and had no internship as well, and also the course is quite rigorous. He had valid points, but the points provided to ans it( like various clubs etc) didnt ans it completely, as such clubs are there in all 2 yr programs also and there at least the student gets more time.
but overall, not much harm done by attending the session, got some decent pointers about the app though.

Hello All,

I am Sandeep Garg.
B.Tech Mechanical Engg. from IIT Delhi: 2008
Worked as Engineering Manager for ICI Paints India Ltd. (at Paint Manufacturing plant in Mumbai) for 2 years (May'08-Apr'10)
Now, working in an IITB based start-up on profit-sharing basis.

I am targeting ISB and IIMs. My date for GMAT is 5th Aug'10. Also I m preparing for CAT'10. However, I am more inclined towards ISB because of my interest in Entrepreneurship.
I am more interested in networking with experienced people.

Please suggest me the score I shall target for ISB, keeping in mind my profile.

Regards
Sandeep

Hi Sandeep,
The best score to target for ISB is 800, but be satisfied with anything above 700. Although the general consensus is that ISB focuses a lot on GMAT, but a decent GMAT score of above 700 should be good enough to get you into reckoning. Rest is your complete profile and essays.

Diya_sharma Says

Hey Gaurav , I noticed that guy too,In fact when I was discussing something with Ms. Hima he started doing a similar act to that she said since I have already taken your qs u need to wait till I'm done with others :)

Hey Diya,

N he did a similar thing to me when I was talking to Mr. Mukherjee (sorry I have forgotten his name)... :))) n I just cudnt resist saying "dude, go ahead, u have already suffered a lot today"... sach mein I said that :))) n later on that alumnus gave him his cell# coz he wudnt let others ask any qn :)))

Sorry Puys for this post... but this incident was really hilarious...

-Gaurav

Hey Gaurav , I noticed that guy too,In fact when I was discussing something with Ms. Hima he started doing a similar act to that she said since I have already taken your qs u need to wait till I'm done with others

vivnitrel Says

attended the session from 11:00 to 1:00 nothing gr8 if u do not have any specific query /issue that u need to clarify....most of the information is already available on PG and ISb official website. there was a 15 min interaction session with alums which was helpful

I attended the 3pm session, and I agree that the presentation was not that great (as in, no extra info)... but after the session, we got a lot of time to interact with the alumni 1:1... at least, I could get their frank opinions on a couple of questions that I had in mind... I guess, we being the last batch for the day, were a bit more fortunate in this regard...

vivnitrel Says

there were a few idiots (among the aspirants)in the info-session (pardon me for the language).One of them was so arrogant that he told the admissions director "stop giving me vague answers, i want exact figures" .

fortunately no such people in our batch... but han there was one person who was kinda senti types... bechara did not get a chance to ask his question although he "had raised his hand before" a certain girl...

Hi Puys,

Request all those who attended today's Info session in New Delhi to share the gist of the discussion.

TIA

attended the session from 11:00 to 1:00 nothing gr8 if u do not have any specific query /issue that u need to clarify....most of the information is already available on PG and ISb official website. there was a 15 min interaction session with alums which was helpful

there were a few idiots (among the aspirants)in the info-session (pardon me for the language).One of them was so arrogant that he told the admissions director "stop giving me vague answers, i want exact figures" .

Hi Puys,

Request all those who attended today's Info session in New Delhi to share the gist of the discussion.

TIA

Hello All,

I am Sandeep Garg.
B.Tech Mechanical Engg. from IIT Delhi: 2008
Worked as Engineering Manager for ICI Paints India Ltd. (at Paint Manufacturing plant in Mumbai) for 2 years (May'08-Apr'10)
Now, working in an IITB based start-up on profit-sharing basis.

I am targeting ISB and IIMs. My date for GMAT is 5th Aug'10. Also I m preparing for CAT'10. However, I am more inclined towards ISB because of my interest in Entrepreneurship.
I am more interested in networking with experienced people.

Please suggest me the score I shall target for ISB, keeping in mind my profile.

Regards
Sandeep