Calling all ISB PGP Applicants: 2024 Intake Class of 2025

Valm1994 Having international experience is in very high demand at Indian B-Schools. Adcoms work hard to maintain diversity in the cohort, including the industry, distribution of work experience, geography, and diverse perspectives. You would be a great addition to any business school you apply to.

Your academic arc falls short of being impressive. Attaining a solid GMAT score would certainly help corroborate your quest for excellence in all spheres.

Your goals strategy would also benefit from deeper research. Why pursue consulting (beyond its cool factor and widespread appeal)? The idea behind the goals essays is to gauge how deeply you have considered your career aspirations. MBA adcoms at top B-Schools value seeing your passion and your readiness to seize transformative opportunities or tackle problems you've observed. Your answer must showcase your enthusiasm through the chosen career path.

Think along these lines: What excites you in the long term? What substantial impact do you aim for in the world, your community, or an industry? How do you plan to orchestrate these changes? What propels your vision forward?

And yes, not everyone needs to be a world savior. Your enthusiasm could also center on a business opportunity you're interested in for the long term. Reflect on how personal experiences with challenges or opportunities have shaped your career aspirations. What immediate actions are necessary to manifest your overarching vision (perhaps consulting)?

Your long-term goals should be something you genuinely look forward to achieving, whatever they may be (and your short-term career plan should be a step in that direction).

Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need help navigating your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

Basically I am a consultant at an IT firm - which basically involves - business analyst + project management roles depending on the project/program I am involved in. It does not require any IT expertise as such. I have a deep learning curve at the current job itself as I have to deal with different client and the projects keeps changing. I have been a transformation manager for one of the top Retailer company - where I was involved with the Australia and New Zealand team. The company is well established US MNC (1997, headquarters in New York) ((You’d know the name of the company as well)). I love the consulting role I am currently at and I do see myself working as a consultant even in future. Can you help me in understanding further what exactly is that my profile is lacking - since I missed a few things previously.

Hi SignUp

your profile looks good on the surface, from within the PSU/govt sector applicant pool.

Many applicants have a negative view of government or public sector jobs because they often lack autonomy, diverse responsibilities, and opportunities for rapid growth. Admissions committees may also hold this view (who can tell!). However, it is your responsibility to break through these stereotypes and demonstrate your unique qualities. It is not possible to give a complete answer by simply reading your profile description. Instead, show what makes you special and how you go above and beyond the expected. Emphasize your initiative, adaptability, and exceptional results. Highlight your eagerness to learn and grow by continuing your education, acquiring new skills, and tackling challenging projects. Remember that adcoms can only fully understand your profile by reviewing your application materials, such as resume, essays, and letters of recommendation. Make the most of these documents.

I can tell you that this bias is not unique to PSU folks. I, too, worked in R&D for a private company for five years straight, and the first question I was asked in my MBA interview at a Top global school was, "You may have worked in many countries, but your responsibilities have remained the same. How would you say you have evolved in your career? To be honest, I did not expect this question at the time and I felt underprepared. But now, with my experience, I can tell you that this should be the first question you need to prepare for, regardless of your background (government or private). For you this s even more important as your work experience is about 10 years in the same domain.

Oxbridge is not off limits, but you must do everything possible in your capacity to leave a great impression on the adcom. Network and get internal referrals if possible. The same is true for the US schools. Age is no bar if an MBA makes sense to your professional journey. I have had applicants above 35 years of age who got admits from US Top 20 schools, so age should not be a limiting factor. Every applicant is different.

Some of the programs that you could look into (based on your industry focus)- Specialized masters in the US (Product, supply chain or operations), USC Marshal IBEAR, McCombs (MBA), Rice (MBA), Kenan Flagler (MBA), Ross (MBA or masters)

Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need help navigating your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

ravigupta000 - thanks for the update, I agree that opportunities within the fashion/ luxury and e-commerce space can be interesting.

A good GMAT score (ISB's average is 710) can further help strengthen your case. For experienced candidates such as yourself, having strong responses to why MBA, why now, why "our school" is important, and aim to have strong anecdotes showcasing the challenges you faced in your roles, achievements, key learnings and transferable skills. Speaking with the AdCom to establish a connection can be helpful.

Your profile can also be interesting for some of the 1-year and Leadership-focused MBA programs (in US/ UK) in addition to ISB and IIM A/ C here. Based on your geo preference and short/ long term goals, I would suggest applying to these accordingly.

Feel free to reach out for a deeper chat.

Regards,
Arvind
HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer
W:https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

shivangijaiswal this really helps to understand your profile better than your first post. See how nudging applicants in the right direction can uncover more of their potential. If you'd like to delve deeper into your case with a comprehensive discussion, please feel free to connect for a one-on-one conversation.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

SignUp - some points from an initial review:

1. Acads (GPA missing though) and GMAT are fine. Based on the strength of your professional experience (point 2), clarity of post MBA goals (point 3), your case can be strong. While I don't recommend schools based on an initial review and limited context, broadly speaking targeting T15-25 programs with a focus on consulting and your domain(s) of interest would be ideal.

2. The professional arc is interesting and your impact on the role(s) is tangible. Lack of promotion(s) can be a concern, however, if you have strong answers to the the following questions, it could be alleviated: why MBA, why now, why "our school", why you (i.e. compared to other PSU candidates, as that would be your close competitive pool). The optional essay can also be used to justify the lack of promotions.

3. If consulting is your goal, highlighting the transferable skills from your past to the future role would be key. Consulting firms typically hire MBA grads for generalist and specialist roles. For generalist roles, (relatively) younger candidates with some prior work-ex are preferred as they can be rotated across sectors and cases. For specialist roles however, expertise in a specific sector is highly valued. Such roles are for practice areas that serve clients in specific domain(s). This applies to MBB's, big-4s, tier-2, boutique firms. In your case, looking at a specialist role, one most aligned to your past experience can be interesting. Internal consulting roles can be interesting too. Within Europe, consulting roles can require knowledge of local-language, so targeting English friendly countries e.g. Netherlands, UK, Scandinavian countries, some parts of Germany, etc. would be ideal.

4. ECs doesn't necessarily have to be "non-profit" or something formal. It can be any area of interest or passion where you have shown consistent activity. The important part is what you have learned from these activities and how these can be applied in/ post the MBA program.

Hope this helps a bit. Feel free to reach out for a deeper chat.

Regards,
Arvind
HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer
W:https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

Valm1994 - Some quick q's: What is your work experience like i.e. company (sector/ size if name can't be disclosed), roles, any promotions? And why strategy consulting at this juncture?

Regards,
Arvind
HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer
W:https://admitstreet.com| E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

Hi Arvind,

In a nutshell:-

1. Sector :- semiconductor

2. Company size:- 150k employees

3. Promotion:- once in same company, got senior roles by switching company

4 current role:- product quality and operations.

4. Why consulting:-

1. Developed interest after working in global operation strategy team.

2. Have experience of different industries as working in Tier 2 firm.

3. Would love to work on business problems.


Not sure about other positions.

Hi All, does SDE-1 and SDE-2 count as two separate job titles for ISB’s application?

Hey,

Kindly evaluate my profile -

1. Class 10 - 89%

how to show promotions in the same role, which change of grades/level?

If the responsibilities change, then add another job role. If they remain the same and it’s just a rank change, just mention in achievements/initiatives

Okay thanks, additional responsibilities were given, so I guess it can be added in a new role?

Kindly evaluate my profile -

1. Class 10 - 89%
2. Class 12 - 80%
3. B.Tech - 3.34/4 (83%)
4. MBA in Construction Management - 7.7/10
5. Total experience - 5 years
a. Account Manager at an marketing agency - 8 months
b. CEO/Co-founder of a Creative and Martech agency - 4 years
c. Lead Content Strategy at a research company- 2 month (current)
d. Consultant to NTPC School of Business - 3 months (contractual)

Held various positions of leadership during college.
Led a team of 6 members in my venture.
Manage a team of 4 now.

I am a re-applicant. Thinking of pursuing a second masters because the first MBA was done with 0 years of experience was a techno-managerial degree.

Yes

Valm1994 - thanks for the update. Having worked in strategy consulting in the ME post my MBA, happy to share some thoughts/ feedback.

1. International experience is a plus when applying to ISB, specifically highlighting your key learnings/ skills and how your global perspective can add value to the cohort. Working in a sector of criticality/ importance, along with the promotions, make the profile interesting. Aim to highlight the achievements in your role(s), key learnings, and also transferable skills (to your post MBA role) to have a strong narrative in the application.

2. Consulting firms typically hire MBA grads for generalist and specialist roles. Given your experience, looking at a specialist role (in MBB/ Tier-2/ Big-4), one most aligned to your domain areas (e.g. semiconductor/ tech) can be interesting. Internal consulting roles can be interesting too, or roles at boutique firms. It would be a bit tricky to get into a generalist role (younger candidates are typically preferred), although not impossible. Speaking to (ex or current) consultants can help you understand the landscape, how recruitment works, niche practice areas in their firms, etc.

3. You haven't mentioned the GMAT score. ISB's average is ~710, so targeting close to that would be ideal.

Hope this helps a bit. Reach out for a deeper chat.

Regards,
Arvind
HEC Paris MBA alum, Admissions interviewer
W:https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

Hello everyone
Need a small help regarding the option to select 5 schools to send scores for free

I will be applying to ISB and other deferred programs that have April and beyond as deadlines.

1. Should I choose few of my target schools and use the option ??

2. Is there any downside of choosing this option?