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Calling all ISB PGP Applicants: 2026 Intake Class of 2027

1 ... 673 674 675 676

WA@rge4049

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12 May 2026, 03:02

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NidhiYad

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Concentration: Technology, Leadership

Schools: ISB '27 LBS '27 INSEAD Jan '27

GPA: 8.6

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12 May 2026, 04:24

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Hello, Can anybody help me with profile evaluation?

I am a Female Engineer, I work at Salesforce as a Senior Technical Consultant (technical team lead, managing a team of 5). 6 years of work ex. 7 by the time I apply for colleges. I have done BE from tier 3 college.
10th - 8.8 CGPA
12th - 75%
Grad - LNCT, Bhopal - 8.6 CGPA

Work ex is as follows:
Persistent Systems - 2 years
Deloitte USI - 3 years
Salesforce - 1 year

I am currently working on Agentic AI implementation for a global hospitality enterprise. I have worked on some public sector projects for non-profilts. Worked in Client facing roles for a year in Deloitte.

I have received multiple awards and recognitions:
FY26 Top Performer Award -Salesforce Inc - May 2026
ProServe Culture Club Award - Salesforce Inc. - January 2026
Outstanding Performance Award - Deloitte Consulting USI - March 2024
Applause Award - Deloitte Consulting USI - June 2023
Spot Award - Deloitte Consulting USI - August 2022
High Five Team Award - Persistent Systems - December 2021
High Five Individual Award - Persistent Systems - September 2021

I guess this is a pretty basic profile, something every other engineer has. There are no major extra curriculars as such, I have been a part of the culture clubs at work and organized some events with a team. Here are my questions:
How would you review/ rate this?
What should be my target score for ISB?
What can I do to improve my profile?

CareerSimplified

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12 May 2026, 05:39

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Quote:

*NidhiYad writes:*
Hello, Can anybody help me with profile evaluation?

I am a Female Engineer, I work at Salesforce as a Senior Technical Consultant (technical team lead, managing a team of 5). 6 years of work ex. 7 by the time I apply for colleges. I have done BE from tier 3 college.
10th - 8.8 CGPA
12th - 75%
Grad - LNCT, Bhopal - 8.6 CGPA

Work ex is as follows:
Persistent Systems - 2 years
Deloitte USI - 3 years
Salesforce - 1 year

I am currently working on Agentic AI implementation for a global hospitality enterprise. I have worked on some public sector projects for non-profilts. Worked in Client facing roles for a year in Deloitte.

I have received multiple awards and recognitions:
FY26 Top Performer Award -Salesforce Inc - May 2026
ProServe Culture Club Award - Salesforce Inc. - January 2026
Outstanding Performance Award - Deloitte Consulting USI - March 2024
Applause Award - Deloitte Consulting USI - June 2023
Spot Award - Deloitte Consulting USI - August 2022
High Five Team Award - Persistent Systems - December 2021
High Five Individual Award - Persistent Systems - September 2021

I guess this is a pretty basic profile, something every other engineer has. There are no major extra curriculars as such, I have been a part of the culture clubs at work and organized some events with a team. Here are my questions:
How would you review/ rate this?
What should be my target score for ISB?
What can I do to improve my profile?

No, every other engineer doesn't have such consistent results/awards.

12th % is low and you can counter that with good GMAT score. 675+

Also not on this forum but I would like to understand your current CTC, post MBa goals before you even consider joining ISB.

NidhiYad

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Schools: ISB '27 LBS '27 INSEAD Jan '27

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12 May 2026, 11:00

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CareerSimplified

No, every other engineer doesn’t have such consistent results/awards.

12th % is low and you can counter that with good GMAT score. 675+

Also not on this forum but I would like to understand your current CTC, post MBa goals before you even consider joining ISB.

Thank you so much for the review! Here is why I’m considering MBA: 1. I want to move beyond the technical silo to understand the ’bigger picture’—how a company creates value, manages risk, and competes globally.
2. Leadership Scalability. Having mastered the individual contributor and team-lead roles, I am ready to scale my impact as a manager. I need the formal training in organizational behavior and operations that an MBA provides.
3. Future-Proofing. As AI commoditizes technical implementation, the premium will shift toward those who can orchestrate AI strategy. I view an MBA as the catalyst to pivot into these high-stakes, future-oriented roles.

I am optimizing for my 10-year career ceiling, not my next year’s salary floor.

theyear2026

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12 May 2026, 11:03

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Quote:

*NidhiYad writes:*
> No, every other engineer doesn’t have such consistent results/awards.
> 12th % is low and you can counter that with good GMAT score. 675+
> Also not on this forum but I would like to understand your current CTC, post MBa goals before you even consider joining ISB.
Thank you so much for the review! Here is why I’m considering MBA: 1. I want to move beyond the technical silo to understand the ’bigger picture’—how a company creates value, manages risk, and competes globally.
2. Leadership Scalability. Having mastered the individual contributor and team-lead roles, I am ready to scale my impact as a manager. I need the formal training in organizational behavior and operations that an MBA provides.
3. Future-Proofing. As AI commoditizes technical implementation, the premium will shift toward those who can orchestrate AI strategy. I view an MBA as the catalyst to pivot into these high-stakes, future-oriented roles.

I am optimizing for my 10-year career ceiling, not my next year’s salary floor.

That's like too much AI, in a single message 😭

WA@den81

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12 May 2026, 11:05

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bikramjit1423

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12 May 2026, 11:08

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You should see certain essays if this is too much for you 😃

you got any sample?

MBAGuide

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13 May 2026, 02:28

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Hi NidhiYad

Nothing in the profile here yet signals an unusually strong spike, rarity, or intellectual differentiation, but that does not mean you will not have it in your application. The awards are nice, but most are internal performance recognitions, which many high-performing applicants from these firms also have. You will have to connect the performance awards with an underlying theme around what keeps you motivated to work hard. Working on AI implementation by itself is becoming increasingly common language in MBA applications now. The adcom will want to understand, “What makes you different from the other 200 technology consultants saying similar things?”
So please note that this is the core challenge of your application. Before you get to the essays, think about what business problems you genuinely care about, what leadership philosophy you have developed, what unique perspective emerged from your projects, and why an MBA becomes necessary beyond career progression.
The absence of meaningful extracurricular depth is not fatal at all for Indian B-schools. You will find things to talk about if you think deeply. Schools become more forgiving about extracurriculars as work experience increases. But in that case, your professional stories need to carry much more emotional depth, commercial maturity, and self-awareness. Feel free to reach out if you would like to discuss the profile more deeply.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

NidhiYad

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13 May 2026, 02:39

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Hi Sailorkaushal

Pretty decent chance to make it with the right approach to applications. I recently mentored both merchant navy and Indian Navy applicants, so happy to share some tips. The usual trend that B-schools see is that navy officers transition out of offshore roles after a relatively longer period. So you can expect to be at a relatively lower experience level within this peer group. There are both pros and cons (perceived) to this, so be careful in how you build your case. The advantage is that because you are applying early, you are at a much more impressionable age and will pick up corporate skills much faster during and after an MBA. The slight con is that those transitioning at a relatively later stage will have much more leadership experience, more promotions/career progression to show, and deeper subject knowledge in certain domains, which will make them appear more unique in applications.
Your goals are pretty generic at this point, so another similar profile with more clarity around goals, strategy, long-term vision, and motivation to contribute to certain areas will likely have better odds of getting accepted. When you are eligible, surely consider applying to IIM A as well as the recruitment pipeline into leadership and consulting roles is also very well established. Try to aim high on the GMAT to remain competitive. Feel free to reach out should you want to discuss your case.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

Sailorkaushal

I would like to have a profile evaluation for ISB PGP.

Note : No GMAT score yet.

Academic Background :
10th : 95.45%
12th : 78.9% (Science)

Graduation :
B.Sc Nautical Science from Indian Maritime University, Chennai
CGPA : 8.4

Work Experience :
3 years of experience as a Navigation Officer in the Merchant Navy. My role involves navigation planning, ship operations, safety management, leadership during watchkeeping, coordination with multicultural crews, and handling responsibilities in high-pressure environments.

International Exposure :
As part of my profession, I have travelled to more than 18 countries and experienced diverse global work environments, cultures, and operational practices.

Leadership & Responsibilities :

- Managing operational responsibilities onboard ships
- Working in teams with multinational crew members
- Handling critical decision-making situations during navigation and operations
- Organizing multiple college events during graduation

Extracurricular Achievements :

- National level science model making participant
- State level football player
- Active participation in college events and extracurricular activities

Career Goals :
I aim to transition from the Merchant Navy into management through an MBA and build a career in leadership and global business management.

Please evaluate my profile realistically for ISB PGP and guide me on:

- My chances of getting into ISB
- Ideal GMAT score target
- Strengths and weaknesses in my profile
- How ISB views Merchant Navy applicants
- What areas I should improve before applying

CareerSimplified

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13 May 2026, 02:40

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If you zoom out of the fluff, at core of MBA applications, you or any other candidate needs to understand what they are signing up for and why .

Why do you think MBA will teach you orchestration of AI strategy .

This is the kind of gap that will be a fatal blow.

Not knowing the why part and how MBA adds value to you.

GradOcean

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13 May 2026, 04:39

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Hi NidhiYad,

Your profile has strong potential. Your academics are solid, and your work experience is likely to provide several compelling examples and leadership stories that can be effectively highlighted in your essays and interviews.

One important area to focus on is clearly defining your post-MBA goals, as that will play a critical role in your applications.

From a test score perspective, a GMAT Focus score around 675 is generally competitive for ISB, while for the top IIM one-year MBA programs, scores around 645 tend to be closer to the average range. That should give you a reasonable benchmark to target.

All the Best!

Happy to connect if you’d like to discuss your profile in more detail.

[color=#000000]Website: Gradocean.in
Email: [color=#006597][email protected][/color]
Phone: +91-9892714308[/color]

NidhiYad

Amalgum23

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13 May 2026, 09:41

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Hello, Can anybody help me with profile evaluation?

I am
10th - 91.3% ICSE
12th - C Grade (A Level’s Cambridge University)
Grad - BBA Finance CGPA 3.12 from NMIMS

Work ex is as follows:
Persistent Systems - 2 years
Deloitte USI - 3 years
Salesforce - 1 year

I am currently working on Agentic AI implementation for a global hospitality enterprise. I have worked on some public sector projects for non-profilts. Worked in Client facing roles for a year in Deloitte.

axeofflane

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Location: India

Schools: Tuck '27 INSEAD Aug '27 Kellogg '27

GMAT Focus 1: 655 Q82 V84 DI82 Verified score

GPA: 9.28

Schools: Tuck '27 INSEAD Aug '27 Kellogg '27

GMAT Focus 1: 655 Q82 V84 DI82 Verified score

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13 May 2026, 20:56

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Hi, I would like some feedback for my profile for ISB

Background:
Indian male
Age at matriculation: 25

Education:
BMS Undergrad (Commerce/Finance/Management) from a reputed Indian college
GPA: 9.28 (9/9/9)
GMAT Focus: 655 (Q82, V84, DI82)

WE:
3 years at Healthcare consulting (think LEK/ZS/Trinity), one promotion
Work primarily includes analytical thought partner/strategic decision making for Pharma giants based in Europe. Client facing role with significant accountability in decisions made, often traveling onsite to European offices.

Post MBA goals: Strategic leadership positions in Global Pharma (or perhaps consulting in MBB to strengthen strategic positioning and thinking with an eventual pivot into global pharma)

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13 May 2026, 21:54

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axeofflane

axeofflane, I hope "leadership" position in Global Pharma is your long-term goal, since I doubt you will get such leadership positions with just three years of experience.

GMAT is decent, but if you can, you might want to bump it up by 20-30 points.
--
Ashish

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13 May 2026, 21:55

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Amalgum23

A holistic profile evaluation becomes challenging in the absence of even an expected GMAT score.

See if you can target a 675+ on the GMAT.
--
Ashish

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13 May 2026, 22:32

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Hi axeofflane,

Your academic profile is definitely a strength. One area to work on further is refining your post-MBA goals with greater clarity — healthcare consulting does appear to be a very natural progression for your background.

Your GMAT score is decent and keeps you in the conversation, but if you believe you can realistically improve it by another 20–30 points, a retake could strengthen your overall profile further.

All the Best!

Happy to connect if you’d like to discuss your profile in more detail.

[color=#000000]Website: Gradocean.in
Email: [color=#006597][email protected][/color]
Phone: +91-9892714308[/color]

axeofflane

Rishab2409

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13 May 2026, 23:18

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Hi, I would like some feedback for my profile for ISB.

Academics:

10th - 86.5
12th - 87.6
Graduation - Around 5 CGPA
Qualified Chartered Accountant

Work Experince:

Pre- Qualification I have experience of 3 years from Salarpuria Jajodia (top 20 CA firms in Kolkata) in Statutory Audit, Tax Audit and GST Audit of companies listed in BSE and NSE, also for privately held companies.

Post Qualification as CA I have experience of 1 year and 9 months with EY (Mumbai) in the Direct Tax Domain were in i have assisted companies in the Financial Services sector (Funds, Insurance Companies, Bank) with day to day compliances along with tax litigation and advisories regarding their business. Have also assisted them in setting up of branches in the GIFT IFSC.

Extra Curricular:

Active member or EY Ripples were in we participate to clean beaches and help the needy with the right education and also help educate them.

Also a life time of Leadership Traning Service.

Questions-
1. What should be my ideal score?
2. Any suggestion to make my profile better?
3. What are the chances of me getting in ISB if I have a score around 650?

GMATinsight

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13 May 2026, 23:26

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Quote:

Even if you find it basic, your profile has good strength. You just need to focus on GMAT score and get it over 655 .

You have pretty decent chances if you build a good application and perform equally well in Interview. 🙂

Bhoopendra Singh
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http://www.AdmitSure.com

MBAGuide

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13 May 2026, 23:29

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Amalgum23 Not sure what help you are seeking with just mentioning the company names. This is still a fairly crowded tech/tech consulting bucket for MBA/PGP admissions. Many applicants today will present a combination of enterprise technology, AI implementation, consulting experience, and client-facing work. What exactly is differentiated about your thinking, leadership or business exposure within that ecosystem? Also, working on AI implementation by itself is rapidly becoming generic MBA application language. The stronger applications will explain what commercial or operational complexity they handled while implementing those systems and what decisions they influenced. Feel free to speak for guidance.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

Amalgum23

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13 May 2026, 23:37

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axeofflane Looks like we are getting many queries from pharma consultants on this thread. I often mentor candidates from this space and have a pretty good idea about the roles and functions. You did not specify what your core focus is in pharma consulting. Is it market research for improving patient outcomes or something else like designing sales incentives, etc.? The market research profiles / healthcare service design / clinical program design functions within the pharma and healthcare sector tend to have a lot of potential for narrative shaping, and some of my past mentees with this kind of top-tier experience have gone into M7 schools. Depending on your functional expertise and long-term goals, you will have to find connecting underlying themes and project learnings that help strengthen your goals strategy. I would suggest aiming for a high GMAT score so you can ace all the sections of the application.

axeofflane