ISB Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

Hi Ankur,
Your international work experience adds value to your profile. Your GMAT score, however is on the lower side and since you belong to the most common applicant pool it will be great if you can improve it. You can also share with us a more detailed profile to enable a better evaluation. As you are aware ISB puts a lot of emphasis on diversity and leadership skills and a well structure application which highlights these key skills can appeal to the adcom. You can connect with us at beyondthegmat@gmail.com for a detailed evaluation. Best of luck!

Hi Priya!

Unfortunately there is no spark in your profile to get ISB excited enough to invite you for the interview. High workex, QA profile, 660 GMAT - it doesn't add up so well. A 730+ GMAT and a well-drafted set of essays demonstrating rich industry exposure and strong leadership potential will be extremely important to match the competition. We would strongly recommend that you take your time and give your best to the GMAT as well as the application - even if that means applying in Round-2.

All the Best!
'ISBmantra'

Hi Manek!

You are well placed to apply to ISB with a BDS and an MHA degree. Your experience at Max can be leveraged well to present strong leadership potential. While the number of BDS candidates applying to ISB has increased in the last few years, most of them are not able to present a strong story because of limited management experience. Even with a 670, we would fancy pretty high chances of you being invited for the interview.

All the Best!
ISBmantra

Hello

I'm from India and am interested in applying for the Young Leaders Program at ISB. I'm currently working while pursuing a 1-year diploma course. My profile is as follows:

Bachelors Course: BBA
University GPA: 78%
12th Boards: 84%
10th Boards: 87%
GMAT: 730 (Q49,V40)
Work Experience: 12 months (Manufacturing sector in the Finance dept.) (Excluding 2.5 months internship)
Selected for a semester abroad through college and attended a summer school at one of the best universities in the US

Extra Curricular activities:
Black Belt Karate (several state awards and a national and an international award too)
Drum Kit Trinity Guildhall Grade 5 (also started a band for a short period)
Photography and Film Making (hobby)

Short Term Career Goal: (3-5 years)
Learn and get as much work experience to get a taste of the real-life scenario of how a business is run

Long Term Career Goal: (>5 years)
Start my own business

Please let me know what my chances would be for the YLP at ISB.

Thank you

Hi AAhuja


You have a good profile with a balanced mix of work experience, academics, and extracurriculars.

The next step for you is to work on your goals and build a great application. Try and explore the healthcare story for your goals, it will bring continuity to your work experience. 2.5 years is not something to worry about, esp when you have a couple of awards to showcase. We hope your association with astronomy/NGO continues into the present time, as school/college may seem a little outdated.

Overall, you have a good shot at ISB, with the right essays.

P.S. We especially liked your modesty.

Feel free to reach out for a discussion, esp on your goals.

Hi Acube, if this is what you are aiming for, you need to resolve at least one of the following:
i) Have you had any Entrepreneurship endeavors (either failed or successful) in the past?
ii) How do you plan to use the next 3-5 years towards enabling your goal of Entrepreneurship?

Basically you can't just come cold and one fine day, start your own business. The conviction for Entrepreneurship needs to show in how you articulate the essays.

Needless to say, you have a big tick on other check-boxes such as GMAT score and extra curricular.

Hi! If you completed your BBA already, and if you have 12 months of experience, you are eligible to apply through the EEO and not the YLP. What's the diploma your are pursuing?

Overall, you have done well to score a 730 and your profile looks good to target the EEO. Entrepreneurship can be a tricky career goal to present. You may focus on presenting career plans (at least in the short term) that relate well to your current role. Feel free to contact us for a more detailed discussion.

All the Best!
ISBmantra

Hi Acube,

Great GMAT, Good acads, and extracurriculars. The YLP is for students pursuing Bachelors or Masters degree. You will need to check with the ISB ad-com if your diploma course qualifies within their recognized list of Master degrees to confirm if you can apply as a YLP.

The other option would be to use your previous work experience and apply for the EEO (Early Entry Option). A good story for future goals would be in line with a) either your previous work experience b) or your current Diploma.

Feel free to reach out for a detailed discussion.

Hi Varsha,

What Is your motivation to get into marketing? You will have to present a solid case in your application for why marketing makes sense for you considering your background in software development so far. Adcoms don't like whimsical career goals, but if you are able to present a clear career goal that links in some way to your past experience, then it should be okay.

Hi Dr. Manek,

We have earlier helped an applicant (career switcher from IT to Healthcare) with a GMAT score of 660 apply successfully to ISB. However, in your case I would be more comfortable bringing the score up to a 700. While a round 1 application may not work for you as you mentioned you can not take GMAT now, but you could probably take it before December 15th, which is ISB's round 2.
Much as many applicants believe, R2 applications don't face any disadvantages. For you as an applicant, its best to submit when your candidature is at its strongest, hence this advice.

Hi,
I need your help in evaluating my profile for ISB round 1.

10th - 84%, 12 - 84%, Grad (Integrated Dual Degree in Atmospheric Chemistry from one of the top research colleges in India) - 6.7 CPI. I cleared IIT-JEE and got admission there through my rank.
For extracurricular, I have 2 research publications and 4 articles as co-author in international journals. My articles were selected in 2 international conferences and I had presented my work in one of those conferences.
However, after graduation I didnt want to continue in the same field as I couldnt see myself working in the same area in the longer run. So, I started by working as a faculty in a coaching institute where I taught Aptitude for 1 year while figuring out what to do next . Then I joined a public sector bank as an Assistant Manager, as I was inclined towards Finance, and have been working there for last 3 years. During this stint I have worked in various departments right from working with a team of 8 as second line in-charge, thereby managing the team and improving the business of a branch, to NPA management in another office, where I helped recover a few Non performing assets of the bank. After this I was shifted to another office where I am presently sanctioning, processing, and supervising loans and advances of 60 different branches spread across an area of more than 80 kms. My work also includes direct implementation of Government schemes for helping the under-privileged and people belonging to Economically Weaker Sections of society.
I want to do MBA in Finance.
My hobbies are playing Guitar and Table Tennis.

What score in GMAT would bag me a call from ISB?

Hello Delorad

Yours is an interesting story.
While there is no magical number than anyone can suggest you, it will help to score above the average of the class to stand out.
That said even a lower score could potentially get you and admission (or a higher score could get a ding). The admission would depend on the overall strength of your profile and admission factors mentioned here.
Coming to acads, you have decent past scores and your IIT background can help a bit. To maintain consistency and since you wish to make a career in finance you should target a 720+.
At the same time it will be essential to showcase how you made a transition into your current role (which can potentially make for a good story) and what are your key achievements at work- which I feel are strong based on the info given.
Since you are in finance without a formal finance education, an MBA can make sense. However, be more specific as to what sort of roles you are interested in that will establish the need of an MBA even more. You could add to your research by reading here.
Lastly, talk a little more about your extracurricular to portray a full-bodied personality.
You have a decent shot if you get a good GMAT and execute your written application well.
Should you have further questions, feel free to write back.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
Free Profile Review
MBAkarma.com
GMAT Score Predictor
info@mbakarma.com

Hi Delorad!

With the range of things you have been involved in, it will be important to draw good transferable skills from each of your stints and present how you have benefited overall. You have had interesting experience in the last 3 years, which can be leveraged to present coherent career plans going forward. You may want to target at least 700+ on the GMAT given your undergrad score.

All the Best!
'ISBmantra'

Hello. Thanks for the reply. Obviously I have a range of things I have learned from all the departments I have worked at. I also have a need of a professional degree in finance and since ISB is my first preference, I believe I would present myself well.

Problem is I am not able to score above 700 in mocks. I just scored a 720 in veritas mock 2 but before that I wrote 2-3 Manhattan mocks and scored in the range of 650-680 as I am particularly struggling in verbal section.

Suppose I get around 680 on GMAT..would I get a call considering my diverse experience and good Extracurriculars?


Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum mobile app

Thank you for the feedback and the confidence. Really appreciated

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using GMAT Club Forum mobile app

Will depend on the context of your papers published and the quality of your experience - if it comes across in an exceptional way, but with a 680, even if you get an interview call, you will have to do really really well in the interview to get an admit. We are still 2 months away from the deadline. If you are scoring 650+ already, 700 shouldn't be so difficult if you give yourself some more time. You may want to start working on your essays in the mean time.

All the Best!
ISBmantra

Hi,
My profile is as below:

GMAT - 710
Class X -90%
Class XII - 88%
Mechanical Engineering from NIT, Warangal (2011 batch) - 8.00 CGPA

Work Experience:
Research Assistant at JNCASR, Bangalore - After graduating from NIT, Warangal, I wanted to do masters/phd in computational Fluid Dynamics. But I wanted to explore the field first, hence joined JNCASR (did not join the job I was placed through campus - NTPC). Worked here for 1.5 years. Realized that research was not my interest and I was more inclined towards industry than academia.

Piping Engineer at a large EPC firm (almost 6 years) - Working as a Senior engineer. We are engineering consultants in the oil and gas industry. Work I am involved in is very technical and has included the following:

Layout - Prepare the layout of the offshore plant taking into account the requirements of the client. Liaison with other departments internally to confirm all requirements are met. Issue drawings for fabrication and assist the fabrication, installation and commissioning team till the end of the project

MTO - Material take off - Basically make a list of all items required to be purchased. This is a big task and directly affects the cost of the project.

Specification - This is basically technical procurement assistance. Involved in the preparation of RFQ, technical bid analysis, technical queries (between vendor and us), vendor document review and approval.

I have received good ratings throughout my career at this company.
I do not have achievements in any extra curricular activities. Not worked for an NGO or any volunteering services. Did try my hand at gaming.
MBA goals - short term - work in an energy consulting firm (oil and gas preferred due to my experience)
Long term - Be a business leader in the energy industry and help companies / governments take better decisions in this sector.
Why MBA - The consulting firms in the oil and gas / energy industry look into years of experience as a major factor to establish credibility. I also lack knowledge required to take business decisions. An MBA will give me both.

Kindly evaluate my profile. Also please provide your analysis of my career goals, reasons for MBA and weather this profile is strong in terms of contributing to the diversity in ISB
Thanks