..ISBConnect..

Dear puys, A while ago I started an initiative called ‘ISBConnect’ to help all you prospect students with two issues: *1. Clear any queries and doubts that you may have with regards to applying to the Indian School of Business * I…

Dear puys,

A while ago I started an initiative called 'ISBConnect' to help all you prospect students with two issues:

1. Clear any queries and doubts that you may have with regards to applying to the Indian School of Business

I had created a common word document to help answer individual queries. I will be positing all the questions and answers below for the benefit of everyone. This Q&A; process can continue on this thread. Puys can post their questions and current students and alums can answer the questions. I request current students/alums to post which class of ISB they belong to legitimize the answer. I would also request prospectives students or anyone else to refrain from providing any expert advice

2. Connect with a current student and alum from a background similar to yours to get a better perspective of academic life on campus.


To help prospective students connect with a current student/alum, I have created an Google Excel sheet where everyone can put in their contact details and industry. You can find the link to this excel sheet here . So I request all of you who are interested in connecting with current students/alums to please fill out your names on the excel sheet.
Finding the right connection could take some time so expecting to be connected to some in 2 days would just not be possible. After all I do have a huge workload myself

I am proud to say that the 'ISBConnect' initiative has now been backed by ISB and through this thread we aim to bring in a bigger number of current students and alumnus together to help answer your queries.

All the very best for the upcoming application season! We look forward to your queries.

Best,

Roshan

ps: For those of you still wondering, I am a current student in the Class of 2011 and I will be looking for people who would like to take this initiative forward from next years batch. Do keep this in mind if you get accepted to ISB.

Q&A;'s for prospective students (Batch of 2012)
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely mine and not that of the Indian School of Business. I advise all question posters to clarify answers that you are still not clear about directly with the institution.
1. Does it affect my application if I apply in Round 2 and not Round 1? The extra three months will help me in consolidating my application as I have 2 years of experience till date.

Ans: PLunia - Deciding which Round to apply in is purely a personal choice. You should submit your application when you feel that you have done justice to all your hard work. The round you apply to will not put you at an advantage or disadvantage. If you have a great application the adcom will see that irrespective of which round you apply.

2.Does a managerial profile wherein you are managing a team add weight to your profile?

Ans: Managerial experience most certainly adds weight to ones profile. The average work experience of the batch is approximately 5 years. Most of the people who come on campus have have led teams and are comfortable working in a group environment. It is crucial, as many assignments are done in teams.

3.The class at ISB usually has very less representation from power sector professionals. most of the energy-professionals are from Oil&Gas; industry Please comment on this trend. what are the opportunities for power sector people from ISB. (in terms of placements, learning etc.)?

Ans: Hi I'm not sure whether you have reached out to the ISB community yet. If you have you will be surprised at the the number of people representing the power sector in the student body (non-Oil&Gas;). While I agree that this is a smaller percentage of the population, I am certain it will grow over time. If you are looking to connect with a few people I can put you in touch with them. I am not qualified to make comments on placements, however I should say this - when you go to business school, go with a mindset of finding your own job and chartering your own career path instead of relying on an institution to facilitate one for you. If you are good enough to get into ISB, then you are good enough to find a great job post ISB. In terms, of learning there are several avenues available on campus.

4. Does being a CA with decent work experience satisfies the diversity quotient, which ISB looks for? Can that be a distinguishing factor? How many CAs are there in the current batch at ISB?

Ans: Being a CA definitely adds to the diversity of the batch. The current batch has a quite a few number of CA's. In my section alone I count around 7-8 CA's. That being said, the majority of the batch are still engineering graduates. The mix, however, is being consciously changed every year. So while an individual may be an engineer he/she is probably a management consultant or has a diverse set of experiences. CFA's (Level 1/2/3) are also well looked upon here.

5. Hi buddy!!! Thanks for your efforts. I am a chartered accountant and a company secretary from Delhi. I have been looking for a CA/CS alumni from ISB or even a current student would do. Can you please arrange to get me in touch with a person who is ready to assist in my application process.

Ans: Hi while I would be glad to put you in touch with my fellow batchmates/alums I must make it clear that they may not have the time and/or be qualified to tell you what your application should look like. However if there are any specific questions you have about the program and its offerings I would be more than happy to put those questions across to them. If you go through the PG forums you will find lots of information. Alternatively, we can take this discussion offline.

6. Ya sure would love to talk you. Infact i have some queries regarding my applications. I have been through some very tough times (other than career) in my life that have left a significant impact on me. Would love to discuss (their implications on essays) those as doing same over here does not seems right. My mail ID is Please send me a PM and any time suitable to you.

Ans: I have opened an excel sheet called ISBConnect. Request you to please fill in your details there.

7. Hey Dude, Got to thank you for your help that you are extending for your next batch. We truly appreciate it.
I am from a manufacturing background and have been working in US from the last 2 years. Can you please put me in touch with anyone from a manufacturing background.
What kind of roles do people from a mfg background get post ISB?


Ans: Hi I can definitely put you in touch with people from the manufacturing background. Being in the manufacturing sector I would presume that you have been involved with a lot of statistics and quality improvement initiatives. This will definitely help you during your term I. Most of the individuals with manufacturing experience tend to have worked with big names like ITC etc. Most of the them ideally look to transition to a role in Management Consulting.

8. Truly appreciate your efforts to help the applicants. Would you please provide any contacts of people who have a civil engineering background. Thanks.

Ans: I have opened an excel sheet called ISBConnect. Request you to please fill in your details there.

9.Hi, How does ISB consider the reapplicants? Will I be considered with the first time applicants or I will be seen in a little negative light? Any idea how many are reapplicants each year? And how many get get admit? I am sure you will not have the exact number but an informed guess would suffice. Also can any reapplicant give us some advice as to how we need to proceed?

Ans: Reapplicants are most certainly not seen in a negative light. If anything, they are viewed positively because they signal a stronger passion to join an institution. I do know that one's previous application is looked at to understand how much they have improved and whether or not they have been able to convert the negatives in their application/profile. So if in your last application you wrote you plan to pursue management consulting post MBA and this time you write you plan to join a green start-up then you may be sending mixed signals. I would strongly advise you to sit down and evaluate your short term and long term goals by joining the dots of your past experiences.
Unfortunately I have no numbers with regards to re-applicants. It wouldn't help for me to even guesstimate here. I will have to ask around and will post an answer up should I get any figures. That being said, do not let statistics determine your chances. Let your application speak for itself. If you have a strong application you will be invited for an interview.

10.ISB did not publish the details of this years placement. Why? Also is there a way to know what is the median salaries offered? I am not too sure if you would know this. But great work. Thanks.

Ans: Hi - the details should be published soon. The Career Advancement Services (CAS) team is in the process of analyzing all the data. I am not too sure when they plan to announce the information. You can check the following link Career Advancement Services (CAS), Educational Programme Curriculum, Team-based learning. If you don't want to wait for too long then I would encourage you to mail the CAS office (details of which are mentioned towards the end of the page at the above link)

11.When ISB ask for short term and long term goals (courtesy 2ns essay), How do we go about it? I mean short term can be immediate after the MBA that is pretty simple to describe (Unless you have no idea), Long term would be how long? And are we supposed to have a very clear Idea as to how we are going to go about it, I mean are we expected to have a master plan?

Ans: This is a common question that many applicants face. When I was applying to BSchool I had asked a partner in my firm the same questions. He mentioned this to me "When I was your age short-term meant 7-8 years and long-term anything after that. However with such rapid changes happening every year globally it would not make sense to plan for longer periods of time". He made exact sense. From an application perspective Short-term means "What do you plan to do 2-3 years after your MBA". The long term bit of it really means where do you see yourself in 15-20 years. Where are you headed? Do you have a vision for your career? To make this clear for you look at the hypothetical situation:
X currently works in the risk management department in the car manufacturing industry. She loves analytics and while she wants to continue down this path in the future, she wants to expand her knowledge outside the purview of manufacturing. Her short-term goals post MBA is to join a Management Consulting firm where she can hone her skills (gained through her past experience and MBA). In the long term she plans to start her own risk consulting firm for the car manufacturing industry to address particular difficulties firms experience in-house.

I hope this gives you an idea of what you should be thinking about.

12.How significant are extra curricular? I mean are we supposed to be associated with some registered organization and have all kinds of proof that we worked for them even if its just out of interest? I mean not everybody can be associated with an NGO and some can be interested and take out time every week to teach a soccer team of a nearby school or probably teach mathematics over the weekend. Does it add any value to the profile?

Ans: Extra-curricular involvement is a very important aspect of one's candidature. ISB looks for students who are not just academically and professionally brilliant, but also for individuals who are actively engaged in environments outside their professional environments. These activities could be anything and need not necessarily be working with an NGO. If you are interested in singing, writing poetry etc. then talk about it in your essays. However, make sure you have accomplished something in these particular hobbies. For e.g. if you have won a national singing competition then talk about it. ISB will also look to see whether you have been involved in a particular activity for a long period of time. So if you start working for an NGO 3 months before the application date of submission then there isn't going to be too much of a value add. However, if you have been involved in an activity since your under-graduate days then they know that you have been committed.
13.For the Short Term and Long Term Goals essay, does the goals have to be only from the professional front? Can we also include goals briefly from the personal front apart from work related? Will it be appreciated? Or considered negative?

Ans: The short and long term goals essays is usually meant for your professional goals. Given that you have a restrictive word limit I don't think it would be a good idea to have personal goals in the essay.

14.Elaborating more on Question number 13: For Personal Goals I meant, suppose ;

Ans: If you plan to take up a role in an NGO post MBA then this would classify as a professional goal. My recommendation is that you stick with your professional goals and introduce your NGO focus through another essay. That being said, this is just my view. There is no hard and fast rule about what one should and should not write in the goals essay. My perspective is that of a general opinion that essay evaluators share. One thing I must point out here is that most applicants have a long list of great accomplishments/goals/plans that they would like convey through the essays. The trick is really to filter through all these various plans and accomplishments to select the ones that represent you the best.

15.How important is it to attempt the optional essay in the application? If one doesn't attempt it is he/she at disadvantage compared to other applicants? What areas should a person try to cover in the optional essay?

Ans: If I am not mistaken, the optional essay this time round is for students looking for scholarships. Attempt the essay only if you are seriously looking for a scholarship. You will not be at a disadvantage if you don't attempt the essay considering it is purely focused on scholarships. Can you post the optional essay question?? I may be wrong about it being a scholarship essay.

16. Hi, first of many many thanks for such an initiative. My query has two parts. First one, how should I refer my NGO experience. I have been working in NGo for last 1 year. I started in 2k9 and still continuing, will this be viewed as very admission centric? In my NGO I am currently leading a team which works for a noble cause, can I project it so that my short term association with NGO is overshadowed?

My second query is: I am from an IT pool with 2 years work-ex as on July 7,2010. Will this short work ex means that I have to project other things more visibly to stand for a chance. Also I am yet to give my GMAT, so again in your opinion is it still possible to apply in R1 of ISB as dates are really near.

Thanks in Advance for your help.

Ans: The answer to your first query lies in your question itself. When discussing extra curricular an adcom member would'nt really be interested if they read how you were involved in an organization. Rather what they would be interested in reading are theme's like leadership, teamwork, innovation, conflict resolution etc etc. You would need to bring out these theme's by way of examples. Your NGO involvement could be one example that you could use to bring out the theme. In addition to the theme you must focus on results and impact. Just saying that you led a team will not be a value add. Remember that every sentence you write must help you differentiate yourself from the crowd. A useful format that I used when I was writing my essays is the STAR (Situation, Task. Action, Result) format. This format is usually used when preparing for interviews but I found it useful while writing my essays. Google and read up on it. It will help bring structure to your thought process.

With regards to your second query - If I am not mistaken ISB has a policy with regards to when they receive the GMAT scores. As long as you adhere to this deadline you should be fine. The details should be mentioned on the application form. If not I would suggest you mail adcom and check. The average work-ex here is around 5 years. That being said, there are several students with 2-3 yrs of work ex and below. You need to really be very clear why you want to do your MBA and why you want to do it now. Also you really need to bring out impact you have created in those two years and show how much you have grown. If you have really solid clear cut answers to these questions and if you have had tremendous growth and made lasting impact to your organization then I would encourage you to apply.

17.Hi, my 1st question is: does ISB needs us to be very clear on our goals. Questions like why MBA and why now are the primary questions which forms the crux of our application. Considering the fact that I am not that much clear on my long term goal, I know what I wish to do, but not how to go about it. I want to put learning as one of the key reasons for MBA to achieve long term goal. But will this reason suffice in my essays on which I can elaborate, or is it required for having multiple reasons on one's decision. And what can be the opinion for why now question as no time is wrong according to me, once you are ready you can enroll. Please share your opinion on the above two facts as these form important percentage of application.

The short answer to your question is - Yes you need to be very clear about both your long-term and short-term goals. You must understand that most admitted students are extremely focused and clear about where they want to go, what they want to do and what impact they are looking to have. It is this focus that allows them to learn better and contribute more while at school. Learning and skill up-gradation are obvious reasons why one would want to go to business school. If learning was your long-term objective my question for you would be why spend 20 Lakhs and lose an entire year when you can achieve that learning by reading a book on your own or may-be by even joining a part-time MBA. Through a goals essay a school determines whether the candidate is well informed and whether or not he/she has an idea about which direction they would like to take their careers. Being a one year MBA program, the goals essays will be scrutinized. Long story short re-visit the drawing board and think long and hard about your career to date and the goals you have set for yourself. Think about your interests and strengths and figure out where you want to go. That is what the adcom would like to precisely know. The adcom also understands that you may not eventually end up fulfilling your long-term goals but they would like to see that you have at least put thought into your goals and career.

There is a time and place for everything. MBA's are expensive programs and there is an opportunity cost associated with ill-timing your decision. Again you have answered your question through your statement 'Once you are ready'. This should give you a fair idea of why the question is important.

2nd question: For recommendations can I have reco's from one of my college professor as I would like to have diversity in my application and getting both from work place may sound rhetorical. Please share your opinion.

This depends on how long you have been working. If you have just started working (
18. Hi, Is it mandatory to upload your last salary slip or income tax statement. I have turned into entrepreneurship for the last 10 months, prior to which I have been an employee for 3 years. Through this time, I havn't really made any serious cash, can you please suggest how should I go about it?

Ans: Hi, I advise you to shoot out an email to the Admission Committee and they would be able to clear this specific doubt.

19. I have worked with a manufacturing industry for two years and have joined a start-up this Apr. Where do I take my recomendations from?

Ans: It is critical that you select a recommender who knows you well. You will need to select a person who has worked with you for a while, one who knows you inside-out professionally. Since you have just joined the start-up, it wouldn't make sense to ask someone to recommend you. Doing so may hurt not only you job prospects with the organization but could also lead to a tarnished recommendation.

21. How many corporate communication companies visit ISB for recruitment if you could shed some light?

Ans: I am not too sure of the specific numbers. Given that there aren't as many large corporate communication companies as there are Banks or IT companies, my guess would be very few. I suggest you send in a mail to Adcom if you are looking for specific numbers. If I get the numbers before hand, I will update this post.

22. I need one help with my last year (2009) 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.


Ans: Hi, before I answer your question in depth I would need to understand what your scores have been from 12th onwards. On average when people retake the GMAT they improve/worsen their scores by +/- 30. If you have a had a very strong academic record till date from the 12th grade onwards then I don't think investing in writing the GMAT again would make sense. This needs to also be seen in light of your background and the pool you are up against. Since you are software engineer, you will be competing with a pool of students with 700+ GMAT scores. I can take this discussion offline with you. Send me a note on private message on the PG Forum.

23.I am taking GMAT on 5th Aug, and I want to apply in R1. I think the time I am left for essays is very less. Is there any professional whose help I can take in writing the essays for ISB?

Ans: If you do not have time for your essays, I would recommend pushing your application to Round 2 (If you are extremely serious about ISB). There are several admission consultants around and you will probably find several names on the PG Forum. However, I strongly advise you to first do the work yourself before approaching any consultant. At the end of the day, no consultant is going to write your essays for you. All they would do is give you a nudge in a positive direction. Any particular reason you are pushing for Round 1?

In continuation to the above question... This is my last attempt for MBA entrance. I prefer ISB to IIM's because of more experienced crowd. However, I can not be solely dependent on ISB and have to perform in CAT as well. After applying in R1, I will be in a state to concentrate better on CAT for the months of Sept-Oct.

This is a tough call and purely personal one. Given that this is you last chance, I think it may boil down to prioritizing your goals and put more focus on where you really want to end up. Either way this would not change the fact about essay editing firms. They will not write your essay but just help give direction. So you would need to spend the same time. if not more, if you do decide to go with an admission consultant.

24. Did ISB admit any individual with less than 2 years or no work experience this year? Also, can you share how one can leverage the several student clubs. Do they help in recruitment?

Ans: Hi I don't think anyone has been admitted with less than 2 years of work experience. With regards to the student clubs - once the clubs core teams are formed they have a position in the core team called Placement Head/Coordinator. This person would help take care of bringing in companies related to that particular club. For e.g the placement head in real estate and infrastructure club would look at building relationships with infra companies. Ultimate recruitment is centralized and handled by a department called CAS (Career Services).

Hi,
I was wondering If someone could you share their experiences till now on your various club activities at ISB. I am particularly interested in the Operations club and the Aikya program.
Also if you can throw some light on the various other networking opportunities at ISB ?

Appreciate your effort Roshan.. they are a great help. Have just filled out form requesting to connect with people from construction/ real estate background.

I finished my bachelors in civil engineering in 2002 followed by Masters degree in Construction Engineering & Management from Virginia Tech, USA. After working for 2 yrs in USA, I returned to India to pursue family business (with my father) of real estate and construction. With +7 yrs experience behind me, I am contemplating a PGP or Ex-MBA programme which will put me in good footing to take up consulting positions with emphasis on infrastructure development and real estate sector/ companies.

(1) It would be helpful to get introduced to ISB alums having similar background as mine (civil engg. + construction exp.) I will appreciate if contact info of such people can be provided.

(2) What sort of positions have been offered by companies such as : Lodha Group, Mantri Developers Pvt Ltd, Landmark Group, Oberoi Constructions, Feedback Ventures Pvt Ltd, Shapoorji Pallonji Group - all of which feature in list of companies that participated in placeements in 2010.

I have prepared my first draft of essays but I do not have anyone to review the same. Could you please provide me a suitable contact of ISB who could review the same and provide me suitable guidance.

Regards
Surabhi

Hi friends,

I gave my GMAT today... I don't know if this is the right place for profile evaluation. Anyways here is my brief profile (I am a little skeptical about my less than average work experience):

GMAT: 720 (Q49, V39)
Work Ex:
GE Consumer & Industrial (US) - Advanced Manufacturing Engineer - Jan 2010 - present
GE Consumer & Industrial (US) - Advanced Manufacturing Engineer Coop - May 2009 - December 2009

Academics:
MS Industrial & Systems Engineering - Virginia Tech GPA 3.90/4.00 Graduation: Dec 2009
B.Tech Mechanical Engineering - NIT, Trichy GPA 8.78/10.00 Graduation: April 2008
12th Board 2004 (CBSE) - 92.2% 10th Board 2002 (CBSE) - 95.6%

By the time I apply, I will have 1.5 yrs of work exp (0.5 years as coop). I am planning on applying in R2 for the academic year of 2011. I would like to know my realistic chances of making it through. Do you think an international Masters degree and 1.5 yrr US work exp would make up for an overall below-average work exp? Further, if I can justify my case on the essays, do you think that should be good enough to get me an admit? Kindly advise...

Thanks in advance...

Hey,

Just needed some help in evaluating my profile for ISB. Here's a brief background.

GMAT: 760 (Q51, V42)

Education

My undergrad degree is in Journalism. University is Delhi University. I topped the University for several courses and also for a semester.

Work Experience

Internships with WWF, India Post News Service and the United Nations (all in Delhi).

2 years with Google: I've worked as an "automation and scalable support specialist", "account planner", "project manager", and "product feature advisor".

last 10 months with Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee: Hahaha. Nah...not made any under the table money! But I feel this is going to be little controversial (given that it's turning out to be the biggest scam ever in India). Anyway, I started working here as the Risk Team Lead. Followed into the Risk Manager position. Subsequently, took on the role of the Venue Operations Manager for the Hockey World Cup, and will be the Venue Operations Manager for the Commonwealth Games as well (leading a team of about 50 so far, going to grow manifold).

ECA

Play the tabla. Love adventure sports (paratriking, parasailing, rock climbing). Played hockey at school. Horse riding. Played a number of sports at various levels (football, basketball, table tennis, lawn bowls, etc).

Please give me an unbiased opinion. I've been told that my diverse background is my strength. However, I have a feeling that it's too diverse to be logical and maybe this is where I lack. Please advise.

Hi,
I was wondering If someone could you share their experiences till now on your various club activities at ISB. I am particularly interested in the Operations club and the Aikya program.
Also if you can throw some light on the various other networking opportunities at ISB ?

Hi Caprion,

Thanks for your questions.

Clubs at ISB are split into Professional and Non-Professional clubs. You can visit this link to see all the clubs listed Student Clubs, Full Time Post Graduate Programme in Management - Indian School of Business (ISB)

In general, each club has an elected President who then in turn elects his core team to run the club over the year. I, for example, am part of the core team of the Entrepreneur and Venture Capital (EVC) club and I head the Alumni Relations. Over the year the core team along with the President lay out the course of actions and events that the club will pursue. These activities are usually open for the entire student body and is not restricted to the EVC members alone.

With regards to your specific questions here is a short description on each:

1. Energy, Manufacturing and Operations (EMO) Club

Comprises of both students who have worked in these fields or who are looking to enter such sectors post ISB. Being a professional club it is extremely active on campus and activities of the club include speaker sessions, panel discussions, company visits to name a few. Get in touch with me through ISB connect and I can put you in touch with the relevant people and core team of the club

2. Aikya Program

The Aikya program is an innovative program in the sense that every year big business families in Hyd host current students as part of their families. While this in itself is a great networking opportunity, it allows for current students to build lasting relationships with experienced families who have experienced both success and failure in the world of business. It is an exciting opportunity for students to learn. The entire program kicks of with a launch where students are introduced to their assigned families. Post the initial introduction it is up to the family and current students to decide when they meet etc. This is also a great opportunity for students to get some great Hyderabadi home cooked food :)

Hope the above has answered your questions.

Best,

Roshan
I finished my bachelors in civil engineering in 2002 followed by Masters degree in Construction Engineering & Management from Virginia Tech, USA. After working for 2 yrs in USA, I returned to India to pursue family business (with my father) of real estate and construction. With +7 yrs experience behind me, I am contemplating a PGP or Ex-MBA programme which will put me in good footing to take up consulting positions with emphasis on infrastructure development and real estate sector/ companies.

(1) It would be helpful to get introduced to ISB alums having similar background as mine (civil engg. + construction exp.) I will appreciate if contact info of such people can be provided.

(2) What sort of positions have been offered by companies such as : Lodha Group, Mantri Developers Pvt Ltd, Landmark Group, Oberoi Constructions, Feedback Ventures Pvt Ltd, Shapoorji Pallonji Group - all of which feature in list of companies that participated in placeements in 2010.

Hi Euros,

We have a great number of real estate and infra firms that recruit from campus. I can connect you with the head of the real estate club who is a good friend of mine. Please enter your details in the excel sheet provided in my first post and I will make sure you can direct your queries to the right individual.

Roshan
I have prepared my first draft of essays but I do not have anyone to review the same. Could you please provide me a suitable contact of ISB who could review the same and provide me suitable guidance.

Regards
Surabhi

Surbhi,

I can have a quick look at your essays - however the disclaimer is "if time permits." Get in touch with me through PM.

Alternatively, I recommend you share your essays with a group of friends who know you well and who write well and ask for their feedback. If they read your essays and feel that they get a good sense of who you are from the essays - then you are on the right track.

Roshan
Hi friends,

I gave my GMAT today... I don't know if this is the right place for profile evaluation. Anyways here is my brief profile (I am a little skeptical about my less than average work experience):

GMAT: 720 (Q49, V39)
Work Ex:
GE Consumer & Industrial (US) - Advanced Manufacturing Engineer - Jan 2010 - present
GE Consumer & Industrial (US) - Advanced Manufacturing Engineer Coop - May 2009 - December 2009

Academics:
MS Industrial & Systems Engineering - Virginia Tech GPA 3.90/4.00 Graduation: Dec 2009
B.Tech Mechanical Engineering - NIT, Trichy GPA 8.78/10.00 Graduation: April 2008
12th Board 2004 (CBSE) - 92.2% 10th Board 2002 (CBSE) - 95.6%

By the time I apply, I will have 1.5 yrs of work exp (0.5 years as coop). I am planning on applying in R2 for the academic year of 2011. I would like to know my realistic chances of making it through. Do you think an international Masters degree and 1.5 yrr US work exp would make up for an overall below-average work exp? Further, if I can justify my case on the essays, do you think that should be good enough to get me an admit? Kindly advise...

Thanks in advance...

Hi Aks,

The short answer to your question is this: ISB requires a minimum of 2 years of work experience. So if you have a total of 2 yrs of work ex at the time of application then go ahead by all means.

The more important question you need to be asking yourself however is whether this is the right time for you to do an MBA. One of the few questions I would ask you is this "You have recently completed your Master's degree - why an MBA almost immediately?" Have you taken management courses while you were in the US?

The quicker you answer these questions, the better, you will be able to communicate your goals on your application. Hope this helps.

Rosh
Hey,

Just needed some help in evaluating my profile for ISB. Here's a brief background.

GMAT: 760 (Q51, V42)

Education

My undergrad degree is in Journalism. University is Delhi University. I topped the University for several courses and also for a semester.

Work Experience

Internships with WWF, India Post News Service and the United Nations (all in Delhi).

2 years with Google: I've worked as an "automation and scalable support specialist", "account planner", "project manager", and "product feature advisor".

last 10 months with Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee: Hahaha. Nah...not made any under the table money! But I feel this is going to be little controversial (given that it's turning out to be the biggest scam ever in India). Anyway, I started working here as the Risk Team Lead. Followed into the Risk Manager position. Subsequently, took on the role of the Venue Operations Manager for the Hockey World Cup, and will be the Venue Operations Manager for the Commonwealth Games as well (leading a team of about 50 so far, going to grow manifold).

ECA

Play the tabla. Love adventure sports (paratriking, parasailing, rock climbing). Played hockey at school. Horse riding. Played a number of sports at various levels (football, basketball, table tennis, lawn bowls, etc).

Please give me an unbiased opinion. I've been told that my diverse background is my strength. However, I have a feeling that it's too diverse to be logical and maybe this is where I lack. Please advise.

Hi Sidhanth,

Unfortunately I am not a big fan of profile evaluations. The reason being, why would you want someone else to tell you if you are good enough or not? Through my admissions journey I never once had my so called profile evaluated 😃 For this reason I usually do not tend to evaluate people's profiles. That being said, there is no standard best fit profile to get you into Business School. The admission decision is usually based on a holistic view of the candidates past experiences which include both successes, failures and demonstrated leadership among other criteria.

Since you have asked me to give you a critique I will say this: Your profile is definitely interesting. You have had a wide range of experience and you have scored well on your GMAT. I would definitely encourage you to apply. There is one point, however, you should focus on, which is, why such a vast variety of experience? Why so many jumps in your career? If you can logically link these career decisions I am sure you stand a good chance of at least an interview call.

That being said this is probably the closest I will ever get to a profile evaluation. :)

Hope this helps.

Roshan
Hey,

Just needed some help in evaluating my profile for ISB. Here's a brief background.

GMAT: 760 (Q51, V42)

Education

My undergrad degree is in Journalism. University is Delhi University. I topped the University for several courses and also for a semester.

Work Experience

Internships with WWF, India Post News Service and the United Nations (all in Delhi).

2 years with Google: I've worked as an "automation and scalable support specialist", "account planner", "project manager", and "product feature advisor".

last 10 months with Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee: Hahaha. Nah...not made any under the table money! But I feel this is going to be little controversial (given that it's turning out to be the biggest scam ever in India). Anyway, I started working here as the Risk Team Lead. Followed into the Risk Manager position. Subsequently, took on the role of the Venue Operations Manager for the Hockey World Cup, and will be the Venue Operations Manager for the Commonwealth Games as well (leading a team of about 50 so far, going to grow manifold).

ECA

Play the tabla. Love adventure sports (paratriking, parasailing, rock climbing). Played hockey at school. Horse riding. Played a number of sports at various levels (football, basketball, table tennis, lawn bowls, etc).

Please give me an unbiased opinion. I've been told that my diverse background is my strength. However, I have a feeling that it's too diverse to be logical and maybe this is where I lack. Please advise.

Hi Sidhanth,

Unfortunately I am not a big fan of profile evaluations. The reason being, why would you want someone else to tell you if you are good enough or not? Through my admissions journey I never once had my so called profile evaluated 😃 For this reason I usually do not tend to evaluate people's profiles. That being said, there is no standard best fit profile to get you into Business School. The admission decision is usually based on a holistic view of the candidates past experiences which include both successes, failures and demonstrated leadership among other criteria.

Since you have asked me to give you a critique I will say this: Your profile is definitely interesting. You have had a wide range of experience and you have scored well on your GMAT. I would definitely encourage you to apply. There is one point, however, you should focus on, which is, why such a vast variety of experience? Why so many jumps in your career? If you can logically link these career decisions I am sure you stand a good chance of at least an interview call.

That being said this is probably the closest I will ever get to a profile evaluation. :)

Hope this helps.

Roshan
Hey,

Just needed some help in evaluating my profile for ISB. Here's a brief background.

GMAT: 760 (Q51, V42)

Education

My undergrad degree is in Journalism. University is Delhi University. I topped the University for several courses and also for a semester.

Work Experience

Internships with WWF, India Post News Service and the United Nations (all in Delhi).

2 years with Google: I've worked as an "automation and scalable support specialist", "account planner", "project manager", and "product feature advisor".

last 10 months with Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee: Hahaha. Nah...not made any under the table money! But I feel this is going to be little controversial (given that it's turning out to be the biggest scam ever in India). Anyway, I started working here as the Risk Team Lead. Followed into the Risk Manager position. Subsequently, took on the role of the Venue Operations Manager for the Hockey World Cup, and will be the Venue Operations Manager for the Commonwealth Games as well (leading a team of about 50 so far, going to grow manifold).

ECA

Play the tabla. Love adventure sports (paratriking, parasailing, rock climbing). Played hockey at school. Horse riding. Played a number of sports at various levels (football, basketball, table tennis, lawn bowls, etc).

Please give me an unbiased opinion. I've been told that my diverse background is my strength. However, I have a feeling that it's too diverse to be logical and maybe this is where I lack. Please advise.


Here are my two cents...
Great profile backed by outstanding GMAT score. The only things that you will need to work on is a clear goal behind doing MBA. Based on your exp, you should be able to zero down on one industry/ sector or function that you want to get into after MBA. Or you could play the 'entrepreneurial venture' storyline

Thanks for your replies and appreciation.

Roshan: Not too many jumps. The internships were toward undergrad degree. There's only one jump. That's from Google to the Commonwealth Games. I've decided to pursue online marketing and advertising. The move to the Games was a result of a desire for managerial work added to a want for helping my country with the Games. I've been an avid sportsman all my life and the Games did never seem to be coming to India again. CWG is the second largest sporting venture in the world and my team and I created and managed risk libraries for 36 functional areas. It was akin to getting to know every aspect of how a project is managed. From the planning phase to the execution side. From finance to logistics, to operations and accommodation, to sport management and competition management. Moreover, I learnt from the best international consultants and from the stalwarts of the Indian sporting arena. At Google, I learnt what I must do to succeed and at CWG, I learnt what I must never do in order to succeed. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work with a corporate giant and then to work with a government giant. It was an honor. I just hope that the government rises and punishes those who've played with our money and I hope that we host the best Games ever. It's a showcase event for us and from my research of other games hosts (Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia 98, Manchester - UK 02, and Melbourne - Australia 06), I've found that successful games lead to international investments and leave a legacy the country cherishes for years. I guess I've gone a bit off track here. But! :)

Euros: Well, I've actually always wanted to start my own thing. I have a business idea and will someday start working on it (I see 10 years down the line after gaining experience with a social networking company like Facebook). However, I don't want to go for my MBA in entrepreneurship. I'd rather go for general management or consulting as my idea is related to online advertising consulting. I feel entrepreneurship is very subjective to one's own dreams. Plus, a lot of entrepreneurial habits will change by the time I get on with my own firm. I need something that I will put to use immediately after school. Something that will make me stronger in my weakest areas. However, I would like to take a few entrepreneurship electives offered at ISB such as Negotiation Analysis and Capital Raising Strategies in Cos.

Do let me know what you guys think about this. I value your suggestions. Thanks so much! By the way, been to ISB twice. Love the place. It's beautiful and so free.

Hi,

I tried a lot to make an entrepreneurial venture work. But it failed because of lack of funds. When i talked with someone @ ISB regarding this, he suggested that a reason like money for the failure of a venture wouldn't go well by the Adcom.

Please suggest.

Thanks.

Sidhant - it looks like you've got things figured out and you are clear about what you want and how you plan to achieve it! All the best for your applications!

Roshan