ISB Mantra for Aspirants

Hai friends,

This is a small tip for ISB aspirants. There are many candidates who have been denied admission even though their GMAT score is beyond 700+ and simultaneously, there are many otehrs who have been admitted inspite of their GMAT being less than 650. So, there is no unique formula in ISB admission. I have been reading the messages of various aspirants in Yahoo ISB PGP group. Some members, after giving their profile, asking others regarding the chances of their admission. In this regard, I want to clarify as follows.

There is no standard and clear cut formula in ISB admission process which is the same in any other international B-School. Otherwise, ISB could have used a computer and there was no need for such elaborate application and admission process

The ISB sees mainly the following things while selecting a candidate

1. How you can contribute to the diversity of the Class.
2. How your experience can help others in the Class to make it more lively and interactive.
3. Whether ISB can give you what you want to achieve in your life as depicetd in your application and essays thereon.
4. Whether the applicant in its interview depicted exactly what is stated in his or her application or essays therein.
5. Whether the applicant is sure of what ISB can contribute in achieving his or her goal as appears from the application.
6. Last but not the least, whether ISB can place you properly after completion of your course at ISB.

Overall, it is the principle of mutuality that matters i.e. how you can contribute to take ISB to its next level each year including the jump in your pay at ISB and how ISB can contribute in achieving your stated objective as per your application. I hope this would help all those ISB aspirants in a small way.

All the Best

ISB Interview Tips-1

This is based on a post by R-1 admit and I reframed it for your convenience.

1. Read Interview experiences - Browse through the several interview experiences that have been written over the last few months . It will give you a general idea of what questions to expect .

2. Go through your resume thoroughly and see any gaps in your education or career and be ready for a probable question on that.

3. Read your essays really well - Focus on the weak parts .

4. Be Specific with your answers - Be very very VERY specific with your answers . Selling yourself is standing out . Make the mediocre look good.

5. Dream Job - Please read up about the company and its operations . You have to tell clearly to the adcom whether your dream job is real or hypothetical.

6. Confidence - Be confident during your interview . Not Pompous . Confident . There is no mantra for this . Just feeling from within that on your day you are the best candidate around. Or one of the best . Feel that way .

7. Mirror Talk - Sit in front of the mirror and ask questions . U will be surprised that your facial expressions are so got damn easy to read and interpret . Plus it gives you a great insight into body language .

8. Case questions - Dont worry about the case questions part . All they test is a logical approach . There is no right answer . So relax . And remember there is a large domain from which the case questions can come . and you cant prepare for all of them .

9. Smile - It helps . Enter with a smile and leave with a smile . Smiling and even a slight sense of humour goes a long way in relaxing your nerves and easing anxiety .

10. Be yourself - There are only a few basic questions that you can prepare for Why ISB ? , Why MBA ? What after MBA ? Any questions for us ? 5 year and 10 year plan ? Why this dream job . Rest of it ....be impromptu please . Say what you feel is in your heart .

11 . Read about ISB - The last question will be "Any questions for us " . Please base your questions on the info on the site. By your questions, they want gauge your seriousness about doing an MBA from ISB and how much you know about the school or its curriculum

After saying all this, I would like to give the following eight criteria based on which they admit you and there is no fixed percentage for each criteria (according to my opinion).

1. GMAT - For your analytical skills

2. Undergraduate Degree - For acads and academic rigour

3. Work Experience - Whether the length and nature of service are suitable for ISB

4. Application Essays - It reflects your personality.

5. Extracurricular Activities - Advantageous for applicants with less number of years of experience and in fact, in one of the interviews given by the Adcom to the media, it was mentioned that absence of extracurricular activities may not be disavantageous in the backdrop of our up bringing , our education system, which is unlike the system of US where community service is part of the students' curriculum.

6. Placement - Whether they can place you well after completing the course at ISB and

7. Suitability - Wether you are suitable for a shift in your career.

8. Interview - I underplay the significance of the interview because it tests only whether you are the same person as depicted by you in your application and essays.

All the best for the R2 Applicants