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

MBA
625

sir,
i'll be glad if you could clarify the following...if offered admission and i'm not in a position to join this year can my admission be deferred to the next year..thank you

626

Dear Sir,

ISB is an amazing school and I have been trying to get into it for last two years. I was wait-listed last year before finally getting the 'rejection' letter.

What in your opinion, are the decisive factors that make a re-applicant successful in getting the final admission in ISB? What will you be looking at in the re-applicant essay to come out?

Will you be looking at quantified measures of 'success', such as - promotions, hikes etc? This does not happen every year! Or will you be looking for the overall thought process and drive of the applicant?

Any inputs will be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks Again,
figure_out

627

Good Morning Sir, you mentioned that the average GMAT for the IT pool is 730. Can you also please give us the average GMAT for the non-IT or specifically for Finance work ex pool?

628
Dear Applicant,

Convert your INR salary to dollars and mention the consolidated (Indian & USA salary) figure in the application. You will also have to upload the proof for both salary portions.
Admissions Team

Hi,

I apologize that I have slightly misrepresented the situation in my last post
I wish to apply to ISB in R1.
However, I am scheduled to go to USA on Sep 20.
Hence I wouldn't be able to upload any income proofs for my US stint, at least not by Sep 15 (the R1 deadline)
So in this case what would you suggest ?
Can I apply in R1 and upload/email my US income proof later in Oct?

Regards,
Applicant
629


Dear Sir,
I have a 690 gmat score but a very good profile in terms of academic background (9.7/10), work experience (3yr now) and impact made at my work place (one of the top performers). Should I retake the gmat and apply in the second round or apply early now. I work for an IT MNC but have been on the management track at my company for more than 1.5 years now.
Will a low gmat score have a negetive effect on my application and what are the minimum verbal and quant percentiles to make the cut?
630

Sir,

My question is regarding the gross salary figure asked in application.

I am a trader in an investment bank and my bonus is biggest part of my total compensation.

i) Should I include bonus earned in FY 2007 in gross salary? I have tax reciets and pay slips as proofs. Or should I mention just the base salary and describe the situation in optional essay? I would like to state my total compensation because my base salary is just a fraction of my total compensation.

A part of my salary goes towards paying my apartment rent. The pay slip I get and taxes levied on me are based on compensation I recieve after deducting the rent.

ii) Should I state my gross salary including the rent paid on my apartment or the figure stated in pay slip after deducting the rent?

Thanks for guiding me.

Regards,
Vineet

631
Sir,
I have done certificate courses from the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Research and Epidemiology and also done a certificate course for Statistical Analysis of Data from the same institute. I have the certificates with me. Where should i mention this additional course.

Thanks


Docmaulik,

In the Education Details page there is a link Additional Education. Please mention your certificate courses there.

Admissions Team
632
sir,
i'll be glad if you could clarify the following...if offered admission and i'm not in a position to join this year can my admission be deferred to the next year..thank you


Buntybabydhruv,

This decision will be made by the Admission Committee once you have been offered the admission. Although we have had such cases in the past, but only a few admissions were deferred.

Admissions Team
633
Hi,

I apologize that I have slightly misrepresented the situation in my last post
I wish to apply to ISB in R1.
However, I am scheduled to go to USA on Sep 20.
Hence I wouldn't be able to upload any income proofs for my US stint, at least not by Sep 15 (the R1 deadline)
So in this case what would you suggest ?
Can I apply in R1 and upload/email my US income proof later in Oct?

Regards,
Applicant


Applicant,

If you are working in India currently, then we do not need your US income proof at all.

Admissions Team
634
Sir,

My question is regarding the gross salary figure asked in application.

I am a trader in an investment bank and my bonus is biggest part of my total compensation.

i) Should I include bonus earned in FY 2007 in gross salary? I have tax reciets and pay slips as proofs. Or should I mention just the base salary and describe the situation in optional essay? I would like to state my total compensation because my base salary is just a fraction of my total compensation.

A part of my salary goes towards paying my apartment rent. The pay slip I get and taxes levied on me are based on compensation I recieve after deducting the rent.

ii) Should I state my gross salary including the rent paid on my apartment or the figure stated in pay slip after deducting the rent?

Thanks for guiding me.

Regards,
Vineet


Vineet,

Please mention your gross salary figure and explain the break up in the optional essay. Also, upload your IT return along with the salary slip.

Admissions Team
635
Dear Mr. Menon,


Thank you so much for your prompt replies.
  1. In admissions committe's opinion, what makes a good essay?
  2. While writing the essay on student body presidential election's speech, I am getting prompted to include an informal tone, since the speech is to be addressed to ISB students - my colleagues. And I assume that they wouldnt like to vote for someone sounding very formal and boring. But, this essay is part of application to ISB, therefore should the tone be necessarily formal?
Thanks and regards,
Poonam


Poonam,

We consider the following parameters while evaluating your essays:

  1. Clarity of thought
  2. Maturity
  3. Communication skills
  4. Ability to express,etc
The tone of the essay need not be formal.

Admissions Team
636
Dear Sir,

ISB is an amazing school and I have been trying to get into it for last two years. I was wait-listed last year before finally getting the 'rejection' letter.

What in your opinion, are the decisive factors that make a re-applicant successful in getting the final admission in ISB? What will you be looking at in the re-applicant essay to come out?

Will you be looking at quantified measures of 'success', such as - promotions, hikes etc? This does not happen every year! Or will you be looking for the overall thought process and drive of the applicant?

Any inputs will be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks Again,
figure_out


Figure_out,

As a re-applicant, we expect you to ask for a feedback on your previous application and show significant improvement in the weakness areas mentioned there. We will focus at the additions that you made to your profile in the last one year and why ISB should shortlist you this year.
We will consider both the quantified measures of 'success' as well as overall thought process and drive of the applicant.


Admissions Team
637

Hi,
This question is about one of the Essay topics given in the ISB application. The topic is this:

CASE : You have been appointed to head the team to build a dam across the River Zumba. Success in this project is critical for your company and would earn you a promotion. Failure would mean that your company would be bankrupt and will take along with it, its investors and its employees. Building a dam across the river would result in deforestation of a portion of the rainforests and would mean relocation of the tribals and destabilization of wild life at Zumba. There is resistance from environmental groups against your project. You are meeting the head of the resistance movement in one hour wherein you would have to explain your decision. Describe what you would do and why? (You will be evaluated on the creativity and practicality of your solution).

Now it says describe what you would do and why. I am not clear what this means. Does the Essay require me to write down what I would be telling the head of the resistance movt? i.e the content of my justification of the project. OR does the essay what me to describe what I would be doing in the one hour I have before the head of the resistance movt arrives?
I am not at all clear on this. It would help a lot if you can throw light on this.
Thanks

638

Thank you, Sir.

Now that I have decided to retake the test in third week of November, I have couple of questions about pros & cons of applying in R2 vis-a-vis R1, as follows:

Some B-Schools stipulate that candidates who wish to avail scholarship, tuition waiver, or accomodation should apply in first round - Does ISB also have this policy?

I understand that if the profile is strong it will get selected in R2 and if the profile is weak it will get rejected in R1. However, what about borderline cases ? Is it possible that a borderline case who would otherwise be selected in R1 gets rejected in R2 just because there are fewer seats left?

to summarize:

1] admission prospects - is R1 better than R2?
2] scholarship/waiver prospects - is R1 better than R2?
3] accomodation prospects - is R1 better than R2?


Thanks,
Applicant

639

Hi Sir,

I have a query regarding recommendation.
I have worked in a project for 2 years and I want to take my recommendations from my seniors of that project. But around 5 months back my project got changed and though I can take recommendation from my immidiate supervisor I feel my earlier project seniors will be able to tell more about me in their recommendations than the immidiate supervisor can. But if I wont take a recommendation from my immidiate senior will that be a disadvantage in my application? Can you suggest whom I should take recommendations from?
Thanks.

640

Sir,

In my company big chunk of our compensation (~40%) is paid to us like a bonus on the "anniversary" day of our joining the company. This amount is declared to us a year in advance. However, only my Feb 2009 salary stub will have this amount. Could you advise me what I should do.

Thanks,
Dev

641

Respected Admissions Committee,
I have an undergraduate degree from the US.
First year of my school, I attended university A, and then transferred to university B, where I completed my bachelor's degree.
After gaining a few year of experience, I enrolled in a graduate program at University C (Out of interest for the field, and also to build an alternative transcript as my grades from University B were sub par; The reasons for the blemished performance in school 'B' will be addressed in the optional essay).

I am not sure how to represent this in my educational details.
I have only one degree (from 'B'), which I can mention as my undergraduate degree. The credits at 'A' were transferred to 'B', but not counted towards the GPA (transfer policy for any school in the US), which makes my GPA lesser than the cumulative GPA of A and B taken together. How do I add details about school 'A'. I want the AdCom to take GPAs from both schools into consideration. Is it ok if I mention the cumulative GPA from both A and B schools under Undergraduate degree section, while reporting only school 'B' as the undergraduate school, and provide the transcripts individually?

At school 'C', I did some graduate level coursework, for which I did not and do not intend to receive a degree. I assume I can use the 'Graduate College' section for this, and mention the 'Degree/Certificate received' as 'None'. Please clarify.

I have passed CFA levels I and II, and want to use the 'Additional Education' section to report this.

642
Hi,
This question is about one of the Essay topics given in the ISB application. The topic is this:

CASE : You have been appointed to head the team to build a dam across the River Zumba. Success in this project is critical for your company and would earn you a promotion. Failure would mean that your company would be bankrupt and will take along with it, its investors and its employees. Building a dam across the river would result in deforestation of a portion of the rainforests and would mean relocation of the tribals and destabilization of wild life at Zumba. There is resistance from environmental groups against your project. You are meeting the head of the resistance movement in one hour wherein you would have to explain your decision. Describe what you would do and why? (You will be evaluated on the creativity and practicality of your solution).

Now it says describe what you would do and why. I am not clear what this means. Does the Essay require me to write down what I would be telling the head of the resistance movt? i.e the content of my justification of the project. OR does the essay what me to describe what I would be doing in the one hour I have before the head of the resistance movt arrives?
I am not at all clear on this. It would help a lot if you can throw light on this.
Thanks


Dear Applicant,

Please use your own judgment. Clarifying this would defeat some purpose of the essay.

Admissions Team
643
Hi Sir,

I have a query regarding recommendation.
I have worked in a project for 2 years and I want to take my recommendations from my seniors of that project. But around 5 months back my project got changed and though I can take recommendation from my immidiate supervisor I feel my earlier project seniors will be able to tell more about me in their recommendations than the immidiate supervisor can. But if I wont take a recommendation from my immidiate senior will that be a disadvantage in my application? Can you suggest whom I should take recommendations from?
Thanks.


Aki23,

If you feel that your current supervisor is unable to do full justice to your professional capabilities then we recommend that you opt for your ex supervisor.

Admissions Team
644
Thank you, Sir.

Now that I have decided to retake the test in third week of November, I have couple of questions about pros & cons of applying in R2 vis-a-vis R1, as follows:

Some B-Schools stipulate that candidates who wish to avail scholarship, tuition waiver, or accomodation should apply in first round - Does ISB also have this policy?

I understand that if the profile is strong it will get selected in R2 and if the profile is weak it will get rejected in R1. However, what about borderline cases ? Is it possible that a borderline case who would otherwise be selected in R1 gets rejected in R2 just because there are fewer seats left?

to summarize:

1] admission prospects - is R1 better than R2?
2] scholarship/waiver prospects - is R1 better than R2?
3] accomodation prospects - is R1 better than R2?


Thanks,
Applicant


Applicant,


1] admission prospects - is R1 better than R2?
Round 2 is definitely more competitive than R1. If you are a borderline case, there are high chances that you will be short listed for an interview and then it all depends on how you tackle that round. However, please keep in mind that a lot depend upon the quality of applications we receive in that particular cycle.

2] scholarship/waiver prospects - is R1 better than R2? No.
3] accomodation prospects - is R1 better than R2? No

Admissions Team