Hi Sir,
Thanx a ton for taking time to reply to our questions..This is Tony..
Its my dream to get into ISB.. i graduated last year,2007...majored in engg (EEE)...my profile thus far.. is
10th-83%
12th-85%
B.E - 73%

i always wanted to get into MBA finance..and since i knew getting into schools like ISB and gud b-schools abroad i would require a minimum of 2 yrs of work exp..i decided not to take CAT and to work for 2 yrs..got placed in the first company that came for campus placements...Wipro Technologies..as a project engineer..at chennai..lived my life here..
after 6 months..in november,i was asked to go to gurgaon..i was not interested to go to gurgaon and searched for alternate jobs..thats when i got a call from Intelenet Global Services...its a BPO company bought by Barclays Bank(UK) and since it dealt with banking and finance...and for a reason that bschools require 2 yrs of full time experience and ISB mentioned on its website as relevant work experience..i was of the opinion this would only help me in my endeavour to pursue MBA in finance..! and hence i joined..!

am now working thr and have quite an idea on the basics of banking and finance and was awarded a few certificates for topping and bein the best performer in my project..!

Sir,my question is...
is BPO experience counted on an equal level to experience on other streams?!
and secondly is my case of joining Intelenet cuz it would help me out in my future endeavour justified?
are my scores at school and graduate level decent enough?! and with a gmat score of 700+ and 3 yrs of wrk exp whr i am at this point..do i have a gud chance of getting into ISB?

i have a strong view of what am doin right now..instead of jus moving places widout any plans..i have taken the lane which would keep me on a better position than what i would have been when wid wipro technologies..am i right to think this way sir?!

thk u for ur time..

Hello Sir,
You have mentioned in one of the previous threads that a career switch is difficult if the years of experience are more. I am working as an SAP Consultant in PricewaterhouseCoopers for the last 2 and half years. By the time I join ISB(provided I get an admission), I will complete around 3 and half years.So, if I want to shift from SAP Consultancy to finance, say investment banking or asset management, will it be very difficult? This is one of the main reasons why I want to pursue an MBA from an internationally acclaimed school like ISB. Please advise.
Thanking you,
Regards,
Sumedha

Hello Sir,
It would be great if you could allay my fears.
Waiting for a reply, positive hopefully.
Regards,
Sumedha

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?

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hello Mr Menon,

First of all Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to get our queries answered
directly from you. Indeed its a great help.

Sir,
My question is, can a student who is pursuing or finished his/her correspondence MBA apply for ISB regular MBA programe?

Currently I am perusing correspondence MBA from Symbiosis Institute-pune, so wanted to know if I can apply for regular MBA from ISB ?

Thanks & Regards

Rozina Jiwani

Dear Rozina,

Yes, you can apply to ISB but you will have to explain why you feel the need for another MBA so soon. Please keep in mind that it is mandatory to have minimum 2 years work experience (after graduation) to apply to ISB.
Menon

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your reply to my earlier post, just to continue here...

Would you be willing to make a suggestion to candidates about interview location who would be facing a delima regarding their location at the time of interview? also would ISB consider work related travel on immediate purposes as a valid case for consideration. I would like to say that my scope is not just limited to Someone travelling from India to abroad (hence having to change interview to international from India city) i would also like to ask about requesting a change from international --telephonic to india city personal interview.

Best Regards,
Nishant Khanna

Dear Nishant,

Work related travel will be considered a valid case. A change from International telephonic interview to India city personal interview is possible provided we have time slots available during that period.
Menon

My query is on two fronts:

(1) Is CAT score eligible for one to get an admission into ISB

(2) if the answer for the above question is yes , then : is there any validity period for CAT score ( like 5 yrs for GMAT)

Dear Sir,
I have two questions:
1] I'm a re-applicant. I understand from ISB website that re-applicants are allowed, but can you give a percenatge of re-applicants in the last year's batch.
2]I received a mail from ISB mentioning that I was not qualified last year due to my low GMAT score(640). Will substantial improvement in my GMAT score alone provide a chance for interview this time, if substantial improvement in professional career is doubful. (I have an experience of 4.5yrs in manufacturing and 4.0 yrs in services industry).

Thanks
Rakesh KK

Respected Sir,

Thank you for being with us.Your clarification regarding the institutes firm stand in eligiblity criteria ("2 yrs of work experience-a pre requiste") was informative.Query of mine a pretty similar to those already answered, However a bit strange.What would be the institutes admission policy against a candidate of poor(infact worst) UG track record & break of 2 years during UG with no valid reasons.Is it possible to meet out ISB's eligiblity norms for shortlisting through a good GMAT Score & 2-3 yrs of work experience inspite of such pathetic UG performance.Plz enlighten me...

Thank You

Moderator: A Question on second MBA has already been asked.

Hi,
I have a couple of questions.

1. Is the rolling admission policy ,only for International applicants or does it apply to Indian Applicants as well?.

2. Secondly,
I work for a US ERP major in bangalore as a CRM software developer. In the short term, post my MBA, I would want to get into Product Management in High Tech or IT,coming back to ERP, if posisbly ,to the same Company.Is ISB , the right place to be looking for? I checked out the ISB web site,to figure out a couple of courses namely,"New Product Development" and"systems management" but am still worried about placements in this domain. Do students pass out from ISB and get placed as Product Managers or Product Consultants.

Sriram

Hello Sir,
You have mentioned in one of the previous threads that a career switch is difficult if the years of experience are more. I am working as an SAP Consultant in PricewaterhouseCoopers for the last 2 and half years. By the time I join ISB(provided I get an admission), I will complete around 3 and half years.So, if I want to shift from SAP Consultancy to finance, say investment banking or asset management, will it be very difficult? This is one of the main reasons why I want to pursue an MBA from an internationally acclaimed school like ISB. Please advise.
Thanking you,
Regards,
Sumedha

Two quick ones, if I may:

1. The salary segment in the application does not include a line item for bonus - my salary structure works like this CTC = base + atleast 10% bonus. Should I mention the base component only, or include the bonus as well ?

2. Is salary/% increase in salary evaluative ? Why I ask is because my experience is 2 years below the averge ISB experience, but my salary is greater than the average incoming salary, and is almost 100% more than when I started, i.e. 2 years ago.

Thanks

Regards,
Convo

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 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

Hello Mr Menon,

First of all Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to get our queries answered
directly from you. Indeed its a great help.

Sir,
My question is, can a student who is pursuing or finished his/her correspondence MBA apply for ISB regular MBA programe?

Currently I am perusing correspondence MBA from Symbiosis Institute-pune, so wanted to know if I can apply for regular MBA from ISB ?

Thanks & Regards

Rozina Jiwani

When Should I Apply?
Due to the high volume of applications we receive each cycle, the Admissions Committee strongly encourages applicants to apply in the first cycle as space in the class may be limited by the second cycle.
I found it hard to digest that applicants in the two cycles do not have same chances of getting in. I wanted to confirm the same with you.

Could you confirm whether this is actually the case?

Thanks
Pawan Jain

Moderator - Question canceled for the reasons below...

1. If the website says so, obviously they mean it.

2. It is basic knowledge that across the world R1 is the best chance to apply. Please complete your research before you ask questions and avoid asking basic questions.

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

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

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

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?

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 Sir,

Thank you for your reply to my earlier post, just to continue here...

Would you be willing to make a suggestion to candidates about interview location who would be facing a delima regarding their location at the time of interview? also would ISB consider work related travel on immediate purposes as a valid case for consideration. I would like to say that my scope is not just limited to Someone travelling from India to abroad (hence having to change interview to international from India city) i would also like to ask about requesting a change from international --telephonic to india city personal interview.

Best Regards,
Nishant Khanna

Respected Menon Sir,
Before anything I would like to thank you for devoting your valuable time for us, ISB aspirants.
A brief synopsis of my profile : Computer Engineer with 4 years of experience in the IT industry. Currently working with Lehman Bros, NYC.
My questions is not driven by ignorance but the fact that since the GMAT score is not the sole criteria for scrutinizing the application, can it be submitted post the deadline?Assuming the application is complete in every other aspect.
In the last years query thread I found that Mr. Ranga Rao answered a candidate saying that he could submit his application with only the Test Center Score. However the institute will inquire about the Official GMAT score later from GMAC later.
I am interested in appying in cycle 1 and have already taken a GMAT appointment for 20th September since prior to this I was not aware the we can submit test center scores and found it too early to appear for the test in 2 months with the work schedule. The deadline however is 15th September.
In a nutshell can I submit my application on/before 15th Sept without GMAT scores, and then report Test center scores on 20th September ?
The other option is rescheduling which is the last since I would need to disrupt the schedule for the leave from work and other commitments.

Would really appreciate your help.

thanks & regards,
Abhi

Dear Abhi,

No, you cannot submit your application without a GMAT score. I would suggest that if you want to apply in Round 1, then you request for a change of date for your GMAT test date to meet the cycle 1 deadline. If you are unable to do so, then apply in Round 2 only.
Menon

Hi,
The query I want to ask concerns about the eligibility criterion.
I am a student of Masters in Business Administration at University Business School, Panjab University, which has been imparting quality management education since 1968 and is consistently rated among top B-schools in India.
But because of lack of global exposure available at our institute accompanied with my keen interest in exploring avenues abroad, has made me ex cogitate of doing an MBA from a B-School which should be of global repute and which can provide me the right platform to catapult my career in challenging arenas of the corporate.
That is why I want to sit for GMAT as early as possible and start with the application process.But before that I wanted to know if having an MBA degree would be a deterrent in getting me admission to a prestigious institute like yours.Would it be seen positively or would it make me stand ineligible to apply for the MBA course?
To mention here I had a percentile of 99.37 in CAT (Common Admission Test) conducted by IIMs, a work experience of One Year and my background is Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College,Chandigarh (considered among Top-10 Engineering Institutes in India).
In hope of a positive and wise reply from your side.
Regards.

Dear Maxter,

Your MBA degree will not act as a deterrent in the admission process but you will have to explain as to why you feel the need for another MBA. Also, you will need minimum 2 years of work experience (as on the date of start of the programme) and a GMAT score to apply to ISB.

Menon

Dear Nishant,

1. You assumption is right. If you submit your application on/before 15 September, you will qualify for Round 1. Any application submitted after this date but up to 1 December, 2008 will qualify for Round 2.
   
2. Yes, rescheduling of interview is possible, only if you have a valid case and we have available time slots to allow for a change. We do hold telephonic interviews for applicants based out of India.
   
3. ISB does not make any distinction between applicants who opt for Telephonic or Personal interview. As a result, we have never felt any need to keep a record of the number of applicants who opted for Telephonic Interview, and then got the final offer.
   Menon
   
   

Dear Sir,

I have a few of questions regarding the ISB admission procedure.

a) While going through the ISB admissions account, i could not find anywhere being asked to specify whether i am interested in Round1 or Round 2, i would request you to explain how can i choose between round1 and round 2? I am assuming that if one submits one's application after the due date for R1, it is automatically qualified for R2 provided the date is behind the cut off date for R2.

b) Does ISB allow changing Interview scheduling from a India city based personal interview to a Telephonic interview at an international site. My issue is that there is a good chance that i will be out of the country for 6 to 8 months starting july. I may just be able to make it back by the Round 2 interview dates, but i am not sure.

c) Personal interview vs telephonic interview----I am assuming that ISB does not make any disctinction whatsoever between these two, are there any stats that can reflect telephonic interview people have as much of a chance as personal interview people. Personally speaking i am always a Personal interview person, but if circumstances do not permit, then i will have no choice but to opt for a telephonic interview (Provided i am shortlisted in the first place) and hence i would like to give New Delhi as my preferred location, but as i mentioned in the point 'b' it could have to be changed later to international.

Look foward to your responses.

Best Regards
Nishant Khanna

Dear VS,

There is no system of having a separate acceptable score for GMAT based on any domain categorization. Each application is evaluated in totality. Of course, the selection is relative and so applications which are better than the rest, in our opinion based on the holistic assessment, will be shortlisted. It is not futile to apply with 10+ years of work experience as you can see from the statistics of admitted applicants. Candidates with higher work experience need to demonstrate learning & maturity commensurate with the length of work experience.
Menon

Hello
1. Does the ISB admissions committee sort applications based on DOMAIN: meaning IT, Medico, Engineer, Army, Govt?
2. Is there a domain-wise minimum competitive GMAT? Not a cutoff, but an acceptable level used for judging readiness for academic rigour?
3. Is it hopeless to apply with 10+ years work-ex? What differentiating factors would you look for in a candidate with higher work-ex?
VS

Hello sir...first of all thanks a lot for devoting your personal time in answering our queries..

I am a bit confused as regarding my profile...
I cleared iit-jee entrance examination..but due to a lower rank i got into IT-BHU , B.pharma . And then after 4 years of graduation when ther was as such no good offer in pharmacy sector joined infosys , then after 6 months got into a sogtware firm and then after 1 year as i am very much intrested in Finance got into a trading firm , but was not much successful there so with a determination to get an MBA in Finance and then return back to Trading i joined my previous software firm , gave GMAT scored 710 .....

now the confusion is that whether this

B.Pharma ---Software ---Finance ---Software thing goes against me in the application process..and if i want to return back to Finance after a MBA degree in finance then what would you suggest :

1) MBA and switch career to fin
2) Switch to fin firm ...work for sometime and then go for MBA in fin .
3) It is better to stay in software and do MBA and then get into some related field like IT Finance , Consulting etc .

My work ex till now is 3 yrs and if i apply this year it will be arnd 4 yr by the time of admissions .

Frankly , i believe that as i have arnd 35-40 yrs of job life remaining , i don't think the previous 3 yrs should matter very much while switiching career . As i believe that i should try to do what i really like .

Respected Menon Sir,
Before anything I would like to thank you for devoting your valuable time for us, ISB aspirants.
A brief synopsis of my profile : Computer Engineer with 4 years of experience in the IT industry. Currently working with Lehman Bros, NYC.
My questions is not driven by ignorance but the fact that since the GMAT score is not the sole criteria for scrutinizing the application, can it be submitted post the deadline?Assuming the application is complete in every other aspect.
In the last years query thread I found that Mr. Ranga Rao answered a candidate saying that he could submit his application with only the Test Center Score. However the institute will inquire about the Official GMAT score later from GMAC later.
I am interested in appying in cycle 1 and have already taken a GMAT appointment for 20th September since prior to this I was not aware the we can submit test center scores and found it too early to appear for the test in 2 months with the work schedule. The deadline however is 15th September.
In a nutshell can I submit my application on/before 15th Sept without GMAT scores, and then report Test center scores on 20th September ?
The other option is rescheduling which is the last since I would need to disrupt the schedule for the leave from work and other commitments.

Would really appreciate your help.

thanks & regards,
Abhi

Dear Sir,

I have a few of questions regarding the ISB admission procedure.

a) While going through the ISB admissions account, i could not find anywhere being asked to specify whether i am interested in Round1 or Round 2, i would request you to explain how can i choose between round1 and round 2? I am assuming that if one submits one's application after the due date for R1, it is automatically qualified for R2 provided the date is behind the cut off date for R2.

b) Does ISB allow changing Interview scheduling from a India city based personal interview to a Telephonic interview at an international site. My issue is that there is a good chance that i will be out of the country for 6 to 8 months starting july. I may just be able to make it back by the Round 2 interview dates, but i am not sure.

c) Personal interview vs telephonic interview----I am assuming that ISB does not make any disctinction whatsoever between these two, are there any stats that can reflect telephonic interview people have as much of a chance as personal interview people. Personally speaking i am always a Personal interview person, but if circumstances do not permit, then i will have no choice but to opt for a telephonic interview (Provided i am shortlisted in the first place) and hence i would like to give New Delhi as my preferred location, but as i mentioned in the point 'b' it could have to be changed later to international.

Look foward to your responses.

Best Regards
Nishant Khanna

Hello
1. Does the ISB admissions committee sort applications based on DOMAIN: meaning IT, Medico, Engineer, Army, Govt?
2. Is there a domain-wise minimum competitive GMAT? Not a cutoff, but an acceptable level used for judging readiness for academic rigour?
3. Is it hopeless to apply with 10+ years work-ex? What differentiating factors would you look for in a candidate with higher work-ex?
VS

Moderator note - please be more specific and focused in your questions. Avoid general questions whose answers can be found by doing basic research on the Internet.

ISB - Online Application Portal

Dear Bosvin,


Your queries have been answered pointwise below:

1. To major in Finance, you need to complete minimum 6 modules under Analytical Finance and the maximum number of modules you can choose is 16. So, it completely depends on you which area you want to focus on, in finance. We offer more than 15 modules in Finance. To see all the modules, please visit the following link:
   http://www.isb.edu/PGP/ElectiveCourses.Shtml
   
2. The bidding system allows a student to get the course of his/her choice. There is a slight probability that one may not get a course of his/her choice but that usually happens if you do not have the right strategy for the bidding this is a part of the learning process as well because you have to use scarce resources, bidding points in this case, to make the most optimal decision. Each student is given a set of bidding points which is like virtual currency. You place a bid for the courses you wish to opt for. If others bid higher they get the course and if your bid is higher you get the course. I suggest take your steps one at a time. First step is to send in a good application. Once you get the admission offer you can start exploring these things in detail.
   
   
3. ISB does not offer any internship. However, we offer something better the Experiential Learning Programme, which is a live consulting project you do for an organization. For more details please visit http://www.isb.edu/pgp/ExperientialLearningProgramme.Shtml?menuid=106
   
   
4. As a policy, from this year we have decided not to disclose the highest and lowest salary figures. We only disclose averages. For further details on placement statistics, please visit this link http://www.isb.edu/pgp/Placement_Highlights.Shtml?menuid=108
   
   
5. Apart from the Rs. 19.13 lakh listed on the website, you will have to make provision for documentation (Xerox/printing of notes), laundry, travel expenses, outings, etc. which differ from person to person depending on your personal lifestyle. You can estimate a ballpark figure of RS. 20 lakhs. Exchange Programme costs, should you decide to participate in one, will be additional and can range from Rs. 2 lakhs to Rs. 5 lakhs.
   I should also highlight here that ISB has a tie-up with banks which offer completely collateral free loan to ISB students for your expenses here which can be repaid over 10 years. Therefore lack of sufficient savings should not be the criteria of not applying to ISB.
   
   

Admissions Team

dear Mr. Menon,

Firstly thanks a ton for taking time out to reply to our queries. WE all appreciate it. I too have some questions and I think you are probably well placed to answer them.

My Profile :

12th - 76%
BCom - 76%

Workex :

12 months - associate in international BPO ( client - American Express )
15 months - lecturer in internationally recognized college
17 months - asst to music director ( music and sound engineering )

I am one of those guys who wanted to make a shift to finance and so I took up a job as an associate in investment servicing. Will complete 13 months in that role by Apr 2009.

Well I wont ask for a profile check here. I know you might be quite fed up of it by now. But here are my queries

1. Does ISB cover good modules for someone wanting to major in finance. At the website they say "Analytical Finance" as a specialization. I presume its good enough for a career in finance. But they dont give a further break up of the topics that will be covered in that specialization. For someone like me what are the modules available in finance that I can opt for?

2. Could you explain the system of bidding for subjects. How does this system work. I've read that some students did not get the subjects of their choice because of this bidding system. Why is it so? I dont want to spend so much money and in the end not get the subjects of my choice.

3. Is there at all any chance of doing an internship. after the 12 month period. Will we miss out on placements if we opt to do so.

4. Pls pls pls try to get this one. What is the lowest domestic and international package offered. Its something not on the website but this information will help to put the placements statistics in perspective.

5. How much will a person end up spending for this course. I am looking at an all inclusive figure. Including your laundries and weekend outings maybe. ISB website puts the figure at around 19 lakhs. Can we manage within that or are there other program related expenses we must make provision for.

Looking forward to your reply,

thanks,

Jose.
:-P

Please refer to page 3 for answer to your query.

Admissions Team

Hello Sir,

Thanks for your support to our endeavors at PG. Sir i have a simple question although the admission page states that however i still wish to gain absolute clarity over the same.

Is 2 years of experience an essential pre-requisite for admission consideration at ISB, irrespective of the candidate's profile and background.

Dear Pawan,

2 years of work exp. is an essential pre-requisite for admission. This is counted as on start of the programme and not on date of application. For applicants who are close to this experience and have an exceptional profile we may grant deferred admission for the next year. These cases, however, are few in number.

Menon

Hi Sir

I have a very basic question regarding the "work experience requirement" mentioned as a part of the eligibility criteria. Does that mean 2 years work experience is required at the time of applying, or 2 years work experience by the time I join ISB?
I joined my first job (Lehman Brothers Mumbai) in July 2007. If I apply this year, it will be only 14 months experience, but if I get selected, I will have almost 2 years (22 months) of work experience by the time I join.

Please clarify.

Regards
Pawan Jain

Dear
It is a bit of a challenge to switch careers if you have a high work experience and you wish to change both your industry and function. Change of one of these is relatively easier. Since, you have been in the IT industry only for 2 years; it makes things much easier for you. With strong academics, high GMAT score and low work experience, shifts should not be a problem. This year around 81% of the students made good career shifts. A lot of students don't want to forego the leverage they get from their prior work experience and choose better careers in their own fields. For more figures on career switch, please visit the following link
http://www.isb.edu/pgp/Placement_Highlights.Shtml?menuid=108

Admissions Team

Hi,
I went to the ISB information session at Bangalore on the 22nd of this month. And while interacting with one of the alumni present, I was given to understand that it is very difficult to manage a career switch after ISB. Now this is very important to me so it would be very useful at least to me if I can get your view on this.
Basically I am a IIT --> GMAT 770 --> 2 yrs of IT work ex guy who wants to get into Investment Banking post MBA. Can ISB help me achieve this? It would also be very useful if you could tell how many people on an average manage to switch from non Finance backgrounds into Investment Banking kind of profiles every yr.
The alumnus made it sound as if this kind of switch was more or less a Herculean task and he said that most IT guys would get placed in IT companies. He even went to the extent of saying that if you absolutely want to get into IBanking why dont you pursue Financial Engineering MS from some USA Univ or some other 2 yr MBA where you will get the chance to intern. So basically I am pretty dispirited now.
Would be glad if you can comment.
Thanks

Dear Srini,

We offer a Post Graduate Programme in Business Management. That is how it should appear on your CV. As far as a MBA degree is concerned that you can get from any college, but the point is whether it is worth flashing or not. I believe it is the quality of education that matters the most and not the degree/certificate. Our excellent placement records and a top 20 global rank validate the quality of our programme.
Menon

Dear Mr.Menon,
I would like to know what is the right way of stating the qualification on one's CV after successfully completing the 1yr full time programme at ISB: MBA (Indian School of Business) or
Postgraduate certificate in business management (ISB)
I am concerned about how much difference it would make to my career progression in the future: of flashing a MBA degree versus a PGPcertificate.
I thank you in advance for your response to this query and truly appreciate it.

GoGreen Srini

Dear Movi,

Not at all. It will not go against you. A smart applicant will use this to his/her advantage.
Menon

Hello Sir,

I am an Indian national but all my work experience(of 3 years) has been in US and none of it in India. Will that go against me?

Thanks,

Dear Vamsi,

Yes, we will be holding an information session at Visakhapatnam on 28 June, 2008. The session will be conducted through Video conferencing at Reliance web world outlets at Agra, Gwalior, Ranchi, Allahabad, Patna & Visakhapatnam. The info-session will include a presentation by the Admission staff and a Q&A; round. To register yourself, please follow the link http://www.isb.edu/pgp/IndiaLocations.Shtml

Menon

Dear Sir,
I am currently working in Visakhapatnam. I want to attend an information session and talk to your team in person. Are you coming to Visakhapatnam this year? It will be great if you can provide me with the registration link so that I can register and attend the event. What is this Reliance Web world session in Visakhapatnam (there are other cities as well in the list) all about?
Thank you
Vamsi

Dear Forbidden Apple,



I will answer your queries pointwise:

1. HOD can mean both Head of Department in an organization or in an educational institution. Usually we use it to for the organization since we prefer recommendations from your work place rather than your school/college.
   
2. Its your personal choice. If you think he knows you well, then there should be no problem. 6 months should be good enough for him to know you. Please also note that the most appropriate person to get the recommendation from is your immediate supervisor. If you do not work very closely with your HOD then do not go for a recommendation from him/her just because of their designation.
   
3. Usually people get some certificates for awards and not for activities. If you do not have certificates, please explain in the optional essay.
   
   
4. Brilliant work is not an award; it is a letter appreciating your work. You can mention this in your application to signal how your organization values you.
   
   
5. This is an activity. Again list the letter of appreciation somewhere in your application to highlight your qualities.
   
   

Hope your queries are answered.
Menon

Hi Mr Menon,

I had a few questions related to very specifically to the application process. I would be very glad if you could answer it for me -

1) Recos - There is an option called HOD in the relation - is that good enough for describing my boss' boss or is it only for college HODs?

2) Also, I know my HOD for 6 months (January, that is when he took over), is it good enough for him to recommend me?

3) Coming to Awards and Activities - For awards it is mentioned that "You may submit certificates to corroborate these significant awards mentioned by you, at the time of interview, if short-listed". What if I do not have any certificates to prove this? How are these certificates verified?

4) In the awards can I list Professional awards and letters to my parents stating my "brilliant" work? If so, The Area of Award should be "Others"?

5) In the case of Activities, I helped a social club in charity and collection of money and have a letter of appreciation from them. Should it go as an activity or as an Award? Also, do I require to have a proof for Activities section?

Sorry if some questions sound repetitive

Regards,

Hello Sir,

I am an Indian national but all my work experience(of 3 years) has been in US and none of it in India. Will that go against me?

Thanks,

Dear Mr.Menon,
I would like to know what is the right way of stating the qualification on one's CV after successfully completing the 1yr full time programme at ISB: MBA (Indian School of Business) or
Postgraduate certificate in business management (ISB)
I am concerned about how much difference it would make to my career progression in the future: of flashing a MBA degree versus a PGPcertificate.
I thank you in advance for your response to this query and truly appreciate it.

GoGreen Srini

Dear Sir,
I am currently working in Visakhapatnam. I want to attend an information session and talk to your team in person. Are you coming to Visakhapatnam this year? It will be great if you can provide me with the registration link so that I can register and attend the event. What is this Reliance Web world session in Visakhapatnam (there are other cities as well in the list) all about?
Thank you
Vamsi

Greetings sir, could you please answer my query which I have posted on page 1 ...thanks.

because the question is too general.

Moderator note - please be more specific and focused in your questions. Avoid general questions whose answers can be found by doing basic research on the Internet.

Hello Sir,

Could you please let us know if there is a minimum GMAT score for applicants. Also, if a person has given GMAT twice, then how do you evaluate his score? Do you take the average of both the GMAT tests or just consider the latest test score.

Please advise..

Thanks,
Nataraj

Dear Nataraj,

We have no minimum GMAT score requirement. However a very low score becomes uncompetitive because each applicant is vying for limited number of seats at ISB. Try and give GMAT your best shot.

If one has taken the GMAT more than once we consider the highest valid score even if it is not the latest score.

Menon

Hello Sir,

I would like to know the relevance of the Graduate level academic scores in the admission process at ISB and whether the quantity or quality of my work exp. would be able to compensate for an average academic record (60-70%)?

Regards
Abhishek

Dear Abhishek,

Definitely. Since we do a holistic evaluation of your application, an average performance can be compensated by a spectacular performance in another arena. In your case you should aim for a very good GMAT score and provide instances of accomplishments in your job which signal the quality of your work experience.

Menon

Hello Sir,

Thanks for your support to our endeavors at PG. Sir i have a simple question although the admission page states that however i still wish to gain absolute clarity over the same.

Is 2 years of experience an essential pre-requisite for admission consideration at ISB, irrespective of the candidate's profile and background.

Dear all :),

We are back with an all-new Query thread featuring the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad Admission Director for the 2008 admission season!

This thread is where ISB's Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Dr VK Menon answers all your questions about admissions, scholarships, placements, faculty, infrastructure, culture and student life.

Now since a large number of people are going to be using this thread, there is likely to be chaos and redundancy. We will thus have to lay down a few ground rules for all those who wish to ask their questions here.

The Do's

1. Go through the thread pages first, most probably your question has already been asked by somebody else and asking it again will be a redundant activity. By reading through the thread, you will also learn a lot of interesting facts about ISB through other users' questions.
   
2. If your question or a similar question has NOT been asked before, you can post your questions about ISB Hyderabad or MBA careers here by hitting the 'Post Reply' button on top or by clicking here.
   
   NOTE - Those asking repeat questions without going through the thread first will be BANNED from asking questions here for the entire year.
   
   
3. Dr Menon and his team, who will watch this thread will answer all your queries on a regular basis.
   
4. So once you post your question, you can come back to this thread in a couple of days to find your answer or even better, Subscribe to this thread by clicking on the 'Thread tools' link on the top-right side at the top of the thread.
   

The Don'ts

1. NO PROFILE CHECK questions allowed - 'The following are my marks and my work experience so What are my chances at ISB?' - such type questions are not allowed and will simply be deleted. This thread is not meant to be a dipstick test to measure your admission feasibility. Those who are looking to find answers to such questions - please read last year's ISB Admission Director thread. Every permutation and combination of 'What are my chances' questions have been answered there.
   
2. No asking redundant questions. First read through the thread. If you don't find your question already asked, only then ask.
   

ISB's eligibility criteria



To be eligible to apply to ISB Hyderabad, you need:

1. A Bachelors degree
   
2. A valid GMAT Score
   
3. 2 years full-time work experience after graduation
   
4. TOEFL or IELTS score only if language of instruction during undergraduate education was not English
   

Dr Menon's PG User ID is Admissions@ISB.

Good luck to everyone!

Cheers

Our thanks to the PG team for facilitating this discussion thread. It will be my pleaure to respond to your queries. My colleagues in the admissions team will help me in responding to these queries as well.

Menon

Hi Sir

I have a very basic question regarding the "work experience requirement" mentioned as a part of the eligibility criteria. Does that mean 2 years work experience is required at the time of applying, or 2 years work experience by the time I join ISB?
I joined my first job (Lehman Brothers Mumbai) in July 2007. If I apply this year, it will be only 14 months experience, but if I get selected, I will have almost 2 years (22 months) of work experience by the time I join.

Please clarify.

Regards
Pawan Jain

Hi,
I went to the ISB information session at Bangalore on the 22nd of this month. And while interacting with one of the alumni present, I was given to understand that it is very difficult to manage a career switch after ISB. Now this is very important to me so it would be very useful at least to me if I can get your view on this.
Basically I am a IIT --> GMAT 770 --> 2 yrs of IT work ex guy who wants to get into Investment Banking post MBA. Can ISB help me achieve this? It would also be very useful if you could tell how many people on an average manage to switch from non Finance backgrounds into Investment Banking kind of profiles every yr.
The alumnus made it sound as if this kind of switch was more or less a Herculean task and he said that most IT guys would get placed in IT companies. He even went to the extent of saying that if you absolutely want to get into IBanking why dont you pursue Financial Engineering MS from some USA Univ or some other 2 yr MBA where you will get the chance to intern. So basically I am pretty dispirited now.
Would be glad if you can comment.
Thanks

Hi Mr Menon,

I had a few questions related to very specifically to the application process. I would be very glad if you could answer it for me -

1) Recos - There is an option called HOD in the relation - is that good enough for describing my boss' boss or is it only for college HODs?

2) Also, I know my HOD for 6 months (January, that is when he took over), is it good enough for him to recommend me?

3) Coming to Awards and Activities - For awards it is mentioned that "You may submit certificates to corroborate these significant awards mentioned by you, at the time of interview, if short-listed". What if I do not have any certificates to prove this? How are these certificates verified?

4) In the awards can I list Professional awards and letters to my parents stating my "brilliant" work? If so, The Area of Award should be "Others"?

5) In the case of Activities, I helped a social club in charity and collection of money and have a letter of appreciation from them. Should it go as an activity or as an Award? Also, do I require to have a proof for Activities section?

Sorry if some questions sound repetitive

Regards,

dear Mr. Menon,

Firstly thanks a ton for taking time out to reply to our queries. WE all appreciate it. I too have some questions and I think you are probably well placed to answer them.

My Profile :

12th - 76%
BCom - 76%

Workex :

12 months - associate in international BPO ( client - American Express )
15 months - lecturer in internationally recognized college
17 months - asst to music director ( music and sound engineering )

I am one of those guys who wanted to make a shift to finance and so I took up a job as an associate in investment servicing. Will complete 13 months in that role by Apr 2009.

Well I wont ask for a profile check here. I know you might be quite fed up of it by now. But here are my queries

1. Does ISB cover good modules for someone wanting to major in finance. At the website they say "Analytical Finance" as a specialization. I presume its good enough for a career in finance. But they dont give a further break up of the topics that will be covered in that specialization. For someone like me what are the modules available in finance that I can opt for?

2. Could you explain the system of bidding for subjects. How does this system work. I've read that some students did not get the subjects of their choice because of this bidding system. Why is it so? I dont want to spend so much money and in the end not get the subjects of my choice.

3. Is there at all any chance of doing an internship. after the 12 month period. Will we miss out on placements if we opt to do so.

4. Pls pls pls try to get this one. What is the lowest domestic and international package offered. Its something not on the website but this information will help to put the placements statistics in perspective.

5. How much will a person end up spending for this course. I am looking at an all inclusive figure. Including your laundries and weekend outings maybe. ISB website puts the figure at around 19 lakhs. Can we manage within that or are there other program related expenses we must make provision for.

Looking forward to your reply,

thanks,

Jose.
:-P

Hello Sir,

Could you please let us know if there is a minimum GMAT score for applicants. Also, if a person has given GMAT twice, then how do you evaluate his score? Do you take the average of both the GMAT tests or just consider the latest test score.

Please advise..

Thanks,
Nataraj