[2014-15] Ask ISB Hyderabad Admissions Director: The Official thread for PGP Admissions

@ISB.Admissions Respected Sir, ISB is definitely one of my dream colleges & I hope to set foot in the campus one day. Now my profile is as follows-->

Class X- 92
Class XII- 91.25
Grad - 8.29
Work-ex- 20 months in December
GMAT- 720 (will be appearing again for a 750+ score)

1) Now with this profile, do I have a realistic chance of converting ISB (for the Early Entry Option)?

2) Since the average work-ex at ISB is close to 6yrs, won't I be at a serious disadvantage during placements? 😲 Won't the top notch companies prefer an experienced guy anyday over a fresh guy like me? 😲

3) Since the fee of ISB is massive, what are the provisions made/available for a middle class guy who cannot afford such a mammoth fee? I heard that the scholarships are far & few, is it true? 😲

Plz reply to my query in detail & help me make up my mind.

@Sandy13

@ISB.Admissions Can we have a rough estimate of how many applications does ISB receive on an average for each of the rounds?



I am afraid we are not able to share this information. If you are a prospective applicant to an MBA program, please do not worry about probabilistic analysis. You need but one seat in your chosen program. If you focus on your complete application and spend time reflecting on your strengths as a candidate, there is no reason not to be able to convince the admissions committee of the program you are targeting.

All the best.

@gbps

Sir,



my profile is as:



X :78%



XII :55.8%



B.Tech: 71%



8 years work ex. in a psu in technical field



does i have a fair chance to prosper in admissions, studies and placements if i get a good GMAT score





It is not possible to talk about chances unless a complete application is filed. While you bring a good numbers of years of workex and have a good academics background, it is very important to use your essays to convey your leadership potential, clarity of purpose and other personal attributes that make you a strong MBA candidate. GMAT scores tell us about your academic capabilities and not about any of the personal qualities I have just listed. Please feel free to call our admissions counselors to discuss how to make a strong application.

@next_big_thing

@ISB.Admissions Respected Sir, ISB is definitely one of my dream colleges & I hope to set foot in the campus one day. Now my profile is as follows-->Class X- 92Class XII- 91.25Grad - 8.29 Work-ex- 20 months in DecemberGMAT- 720 (will be appearing again for a 750+ score)1) Now with this profile, do I have a realistic chance of converting ISB (for the Early Entry Option)?2) Since the average work-ex at ISB is close to 6yrs, won't I be at a serious disadvantage during placements? Won't the top notch companies prefer an experienced guy anyday over a fresh guy like me? 3) Since the fee of ISB is massive, what are the provisions made/available for a middle class guy who cannot afford such a mammoth fee? I heard that the scholarships are far & few, is it true? Plz reply to my query in detail & help me make up my mind.



Your GMAT is already quite strong. I would recommend you not ignore your essays and prepare for your interviews in case selected. The essays are critical in understanding your thinking process, your leadership potential and other personal attributes that are important to for an MBA candidate.

If a role for which a company is hiring requires a candidate with 6 yrs workex, then it is unlikely that will consider applications from those with 2 yrs wkex. And vice versa πŸ˜ƒ Each year good numbers of candidates with 2 years of wkex graduate from ISB and find meaningful (content & compensation) roles in industry. So you would not be the first candidate with 2 years workex to graduate from ISB.

Each year 15% of students receive merit or need based scholarships. You can find more information on this at following link:

Scholarship | Corporate | Sponsored | PGP | Indian School of Business (ISB)

In addition we also have multiple loan programs which are used by majority of students.

Please note that an MBA is a professional qualification and we are looking for mature candidates who understand that doing an MBA is a serious undertaking not just in terms of money but also in terms of their time, efforts and whether it aligns with their professional and life goals. Everyone need not do an MBA. Compared to similar overseas programs, ISB's PGP costs much less.

Hi @ISB.Admissions
I am currently employed in a IT industry but I want to switch to finance. Hence I cleared my FRM (Financial Risk Management) exam. But I am still awaiting for a finance job as jobs for BE+FRM are very few. My query is :
1) If I apply for ISB without any experience in finance then will this "career switch" have negative impact on my profile ??
2) Will the FRM certification (without exp in finance) make my profile stronger ??

Waiting for your replyπŸ˜ƒ

@9thwonder

Hi @ISB.Admissions I am currently employed in a IT industry but I want to switch to finance. Hence I cleared my FRM (Financial Risk Management) exam. But I am still awaiting for a finance job as jobs for BE+FRM are very few. My query is :1) If I apply for ISB without any experience in finance then will this "



One of the key reasons students look for an MBA is that learning in a top MBA program enables such career switches. Yes, such switches are possible and they do not necessarily mean that there is a negative impact in any way. An employer hiring on campus typically understands that being able step up to the demands of a role is more important that multiple years in a function or industry.

From an admissions perspective we look to understand whether your goals are sufficiently ambitious and whether the applicant knows why they want to switch to a particular industry or a different kind of role. We are interested in understanding how much homework you have done to understand what areas you need to work on and whether you are willing to learn and be coached to reach your goals. So, short answer - it is a positive if you know what you want to be even if this is very different from what you have done in the past. As regards your certification, it does not hurt. However, you should be prepared to talk convincingly about why you felt the need to take the certification and how it makes you a stronger candidate. Lots of degrees do not necessarily make a stronger candidate - it is always about the 'so what' & how it is relevant to your MBA application πŸ˜ƒ

@ISB.Admissions

I am afraid we are not able to share this information. If you are a prospective applicant to an MBA program, please do not worry about probabilistic analysis. You need but one seat in your chosen program. If you focus on your complete application and spend time reflecting on your strengths as a candidate, there is no reason not to be able to convince the admissions committee of the program you are targeting.





All the best.



Thank you very much for the reply and the insightful guidance. I will surely focus on the points mentioned above.

@ISB.Admissions None of my recommenders have received the link for online recommendation even though I have received the confirmation email from ISB that the links have been sent. What can I do in this regard?

Hi.

I'm Aravind from Chennai working in Amazon.com. Come June, I'll be finishing an year.
Is this the good time to apply for Early Entry option ? This is my only chance I guess. Before the applications open next year, I would completed 2 years.
ISB is one of my dream b-schools. My ambition in life is to become an entrepreneur after my 35+ age gaining as much experience as possible.
Profile : Xth - 93, XII - 97, B.E - 78. GMAT - Yet to take. (When is the good time ? )
Will my working company brand(Amazon.com) be an asset during admissions? Also, I'm into the technical side, will that be a hindrance? Also, kindly advice on the Early Entry option.
Thanks !

Hi,

First of all thank you for patiently responding to all queries in complete details, great initiative

I am ISB MBA aspirant for 2014-15 batch, here is my brief about my profile:

SW engineer with 8 years of strong experience in Telecom domain with International work exposure of 15 months in USA and UK.

From academics point of view, xth(72.8%) Xiith(71.2%), Bachelors in Electronics(80.9%) and MAsters in IT(7.97).

Planning for MBA to further my chances to get into Telecom and IT strategic management. Now here are some of my queries:

1. your views and probability on my profile suitability for ISB admission.

2. How much weightage is given to extra curricular activities?

3. by when should I appear for GMAT and till when the scores to be submitted?

4. do ISB have any specialization in Telecom management as well?

many thanks

I have just completed my B.Tech in May 2013. I have no work experience. I want to apply for ISB. plz provide me more information about program for freshers. and procedure for apply to this program.

@ISB.Admissions

Dear Sir

I can definitely announce in this public forum that there can be no better reply to my questions. Now, I am more inclined to a part of this institution.

At present I am preparing for GMAT and shall apply by August end. Also, I am in the process of initiating a major change of approach in my company that shall create a drastic impact in performance and results of the Projects and if I succeed , I believe I can be called for assessment in this year's admission. "Too Optimistic, although"

Will keep on asking and posting !!

Regards



@ISB.Admissions

Good questions!





More years of wkex does not necessarily equal a stronger candidate. We shall compare you to your peers with similar years of wkex and our focus always is on your takeaways from your professional & life experiences. Candidates with more years of wkex and not at any particular advantage. Your wkex is taken into account until 31 March 2014 i,e., until the date you join class. We like having a range of workex in terms of years as this creates for diverse perspectives within the classroom and is essential for everyone's learning.





We welcome candidates from smaller towns and cities and would love to have a class that is extremely diversified in this regard. It just happens that more candidates are working in several of the economic clusters that are located near some of the metros. I tend not to agree with your observations regarding candidates from small towns We have good numbers of candidates from smaller towns & remote regions of India who are extremely strong in their own way and do not have to think or act like anyone else from another city etc . Your individuality and confidence in who you are matters to us greatly.





Our ELP (Experiential Learning Programme) provides an option similar to internships. The ELP is designed to maximize the quality of your takeaways & learnings from working on a real corporate project. Typically ELP students will deal with important decision-making mandates for companies and interact with more senior decision-makers than in an internship. This is important as ISB graduates already have work experience and they are expected to step into more senior roles. Please review the link below for more information:



Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) | Students Projects | Indian School of Business (ISB)



ISB follows a 'One School - Two Campuses' approach. i.e., the two campuses, although they are in different locations, share an integrated approach in learning, placements, interaction and all students are considered as part of the same batch. Campuses are assigned as starting campuses only and students can participate in an inter-campus exchange if this meets their learning needs.





I have cleared Stage 1 of YLP, ISB hyderabad and round 2 requires GMAT score. How much score is good enough for clearing stage 2 of YLP??

Young Leaders Programme | Undergraduate Students | Management Studies | YLP | Indian School of Business (ISB)


  • 710-750
  • 680-710
  • 750-780
0 voters

@Apurv

Dear all,



This shall be the Official thread for the PGP 2014-15 admissions at ISB Hyderabad/Mohali.



ISB's PGP Admissions Director - Admissions & Financial Aid, Mr AM Kannan is back on PaGaLGuY to answer all your questions about ISB PGP admissions, scholarships, placements, faculty, infrastructure, culture and student life with a view of admissions for the PGP batch 2014-15.



Mr Kannan says to all the thread participants, "Dear aspirants, We will shortly announce the opening of the admissions process for the Post Graduate Programme 2014- 2015 at ISB. Through this forum, my team and I from the Admissions and Financial Aid at the ISB, will respond to your queries on the school, admission process, placements, student life on campus and any others related to the PGP that you might have. Good luck with your preparations.”



Mr Kannan shall respond using the school's official PaGaLGuY ID @ISB.Admissions .



ATB to all ISB hopefuls :).



Apurv



@Apurv

Dear all,



This shall be the Official thread for the PGP 2014-15 admissions at ISB Hyderabad/Mohali.



ISB's PGP Admissions Director - Admissions & Financial Aid, Mr AM Kannan is back on PaGaLGuY to answer all your questions about ISB PGP admissions, scholarships, placements, faculty, infrastructure, culture and student life with a view of admissions for the PGP batch 2014-15.



Mr Kannan says to all the thread participants, "Dear aspirants, We will shortly announce the opening of the admissions process for the Post Graduate Programme 2014- 2015 at ISB. Through this forum, my team and I from the Admissions and Financial Aid at the ISB, will respond to your queries on the school, admission process, placements, student life on campus and any others related to the PGP that you might have. Good luck with your preparations.”



Mr Kannan shall respond using the school's official PaGaLGuY ID @ISB.Admissions .



ATB to all ISB hopefuls :).



Apurv



Dear Mr. Kannan,

I have 2 queries:

1. Does ISB have a provision in which interested applicants can visit the campus, attend a class , meet current students?

2. I will have 2yrs 9 months work-ex by March 2014 (in Electrical mnufacturing company)-while I know the 'quality' is what you are looking at vs. quantity...can you suggest a few ways in which a person with low work-ex can differentiate herself from other applicants?

@abhi.leo1980

@ISB.Admissions None of my recommenders have received the link for online recommendation even though I have received the confirmation email from ISB that the links have been sent. What can I do in this regard?



Please write to our app help team at app help @ isb . edu (NO SPACES) or call them at 040-2318-7472

@aravind154

Hi.

I'm Aravind from Chennai working in Amazon.com. Come June, I'll be finishing an year.



Is this the good time to apply for Early Entry option ? This is my only chance I guess. Before the applications open next year, I would completed 2 years.



ISB is one of my dream b-schools. My ambition in life is to become an entrepreneur after my 35+ age gaining as much experience as possible.



Profile : Xth - 93, XII - 97, B.E - 78. GMAT - Yet to take. (When is the good time ? )



Will my working company brand(Amazon.com) be an asset during admissions? Also, I'm into the technical side, will that be a hindrance? Also, kindly advice on the Early Entry option.



Thanks !



We tally your workex until 31 March 2014. So you would be quite close to 2 yrs. You are eligible to apply for Early Entry.

We look at your workex from the point of view of your takeaways. So being on the technical side is neither a positive nor a negative. Please focus on telling us what you have learnt from your workex about working in teams, making sure you deliver on the objectives set by your company & team leader, what have you learnt about yourself as a person and how your work related perceptions are developing, etc. If you have worked on a project where you have made a difference even if in a small way - feel free to tell us through your essays.

If your ambition is entrepreneurship, you may want to tell us the business idea you have in mind and how much homework you have done to plan your idea out.

@panks82

Hi,



First of all thank you for patiently responding to all queries in complete details, great initiative



I am ISB MBA aspirant for 2014-15 batch, here is my brief about my profile:



SW engineer with 8 years of strong experience in Telecom domain with International work exposure of 15 months in USA and UK.



From academics point of view, xth(72.8%) Xiith(71.2%), Bachelors in Electronics(80.9%) and MAsters in IT(7.97).



Planning for MBA to further my chances to get into Telecom and IT strategic management. Now here are some of my queries:



1. your views and probability on my profile suitability for ISB admission.



2. How much weightage is given to extra curricular activities?



3. by when should I appear for GMAT and till when the scores to be submitted?



4. do ISB have any specialization in Telecom management as well?



many thanks



Not possible to talk about probabilities until we review your completed application.

Ours is an holistic evaluation process. There is no weightage to any section or aspect. Use the entire application to convey your key strengths using the examples that best illustrate these strengths. Our admissions philosophy is based on the fact that people succeed because of their strengths and not due to lack of any weaknesses. If you know your strengths - this demonstrates self-awareness which is a key leadership attribute. In addition your claimed strengths shall be verified through your application, evaluations and during the interview in terms of your depth & passion in these areas.

Extra-curriculars are important as they tell us about what else do you do besides working hard & studying hard. It is important for a leader to have a balanced perspective and healthy interest in areas not connected to their professional pursuits. We seek to understand whether you have any special interests that are important to you and to understand why you like to follow or be part of some other activities beyond your work.

Please take the GMAT before the deadline date and upload the unofficial score. So long as you have asked GMAC to send us the scores, you do not have to worry about when they will reach us.

We do not have a specialization in Telecom. You should be able to pursue this interest either through the IT specialization or depending on your specific area of interest within Telecom by also looking at marketing or other relevant areas. You also have the option of doing an independent course of study supervised by a faculty member if your interest cannot be addressed by an elective course. Treat the learning as a buffet from which you have to figure out how best to address your learning needs. We have several faculty from around the world who have experience both in research & consulting with major Telcos/MSOs around the world and can provide very valuable input to shape your thinking for your telecom interests.

@KeyuL

I have just completed my B.Tech in May 2013. I have no work experience. I want to apply for ISB. plz provide me more information about program for freshers. and procedure for apply to this program.



Please review our Early Entry option. Under this program you can apply if you are graduating soon but will join our PGP once you have completed the mandatory 2 yrs wkex.

Early Entry Option | PGP | Indian School of Business (ISB)

@LordVarun

Dear Mr. Kannan,

I am applying for PGP 2014. Have started working on the online application.



What I would like to know is whether I would need to do the GMAT again to score better, if my current work ex is reasonably good (growth wise).



Thanking you and awaiting your response.



650 is a good score. Please make sure your workex takeaways, clarity of purpose et come across clearly through your essays. For candidates with high-quality workex we also expect to see depth, appreciation & maturity in terms of managerial takeaways - managing your team, clients, peers, seniors etc.

Feel free to call our counseling team to discuss your specific situation and to get any addl thoughts on how to create a strong application.

All the best.

@srish_31

I have cleared Stage 1 of YLP, ISB hyderabad and round 2 requires GMAT score. How much score is good enough for clearing stage 2 of YLP??

Young Leaders Programme | Undergraduate Students | Management Studies | YLP | Indian School of Business (ISB)



1) 680-710



2) 710-750



3) 750-780 Skip



Γ—

We do not have a cut off for YLP's stages. Your overall application needs to stand out in its entirety - this includes the essays and evaluations in addition to your GMAT score and other credentials you have submitted earlier. Please do not neglect the essays as they allow us to understand you as a person much more than a GMAT score can πŸ˜ƒ