ISB Score to target

Question

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for advice on what GMAT score would make me a competitive candidate for the ISB PGP.
My journey has been a little unconventional. I completed my BHMCT (Bachelor of Hotel Management and Catering Technology) and later pursued an MBA in Marketing from PUMBA, a Tier-2 business. school. At the age of 17, I founded a small event management firm, which gave me my first exposure to entrepreneurship, client management, and business operations.
After my MBA, I started my corporate career at Tech Mahindra in business development and alliances before transitioning into Product Management. Today, I work as an AI Product Manager at Bajaj Finance, where I build AI-powered lending products and digital customer journeys. My role involves product strategy, user research, roadmap planning, AI feature development, cross-functional stakeholder management, and data-driven decision-making to improve customer and business outcomes.
Academically, I scored 75.68% in Class 12, graduated with a CGPA of 9.66 in BHMCT, and completed my MBA with a CGPA of 8.95. Beyond my professional role, I have continued building my product management skills through hands-on AI and fintech projects and product management fellowships.
While my MBA gave me a strong foundation, I now want to pursue ISB's PGP to gain exposure to a world-class peer group, a stronger alumni network, global learning opportunities, and access to leadership roles that can accelerate my transition into senior product leadership.
Considering my entrepreneurial experience, product management journey, AI product experience, academic background, and reason for pursuing a second management degree, what GMAT score would make me a competitive applicant for ISB PGP?
I would really appreciate honest feedback from ISB alumni, current students, and admissions experts on both my overall profile and the GMAT score I should target.
Thank you!

theyear2026 · Answer

You have a genuinely differentiated profile, which is a plus for ISB. The combination of entrepreneurship at a young age, hotel management, an MBA, business development, and then AI Product Management in fintech is far less common than the typical engineer or IT applicant. That diversity helps because ISB values classroom diversity, not just high test scores.

That said, GMAT is still an important part of the application. Over the past few years, the middle 80% of ISB's GMAT Focus scores has roughly been in the 605 to 715 range, with the average around 675. A higher score won't guarantee admission, but it does make the admissions committee more comfortable with your academic readiness.

For your profile, I would recommend targeting at least 655+ to be on the safer side. A 675+ would put you in an even stronger position, especially since you're pursuing a second management degree and will need to clearly justify why ISB adds value beyond your existing MBA. If your essays tell that story convincingly, your work experience and career progression should carry significant weight.

Also remember that ISB admissions are holistic. A 695 with average essays can lose out to a 655 with exceptional essays, strong leadership stories, impact at work, and compelling recommendations. Your entrepreneurial journey, transition into AI Product Management, and clear post MBA goals are likely to matter as much as the score itself.

My advice would be:

- Target 655+ as the minimum.
- If you're already around that level, spend equal effort on essays and recommendations instead of chasing every additional 10 points.
- Ensure your "Why ISB after an MBA?" narrative is crystal clear and ties directly to your long term product leadership aspirations.

Overall, I think you have a competitive profile. If you can combine a 655+ GMAT with well-crafted essays and recommendations, you'll give yourself a realistic shot at an interview.

GradOcean · Answer

Hi,

You have a well-differentiated profile with a blend of entrepreneurship, product management, and AI experience, which can stand out in the ISB applicant pool. Your strong undergraduate and MBA academics are positives, and your progression into AI Product Management at Bajaj Finance adds relevance in today's market. Since you're applying with a second management degree, your essays will need to clearly justify why ISB is the right next step and how it differs from your previous MBA. I would recommend targeting a GMAT Focus score of 675+ to maximise your chances. Also, ensure your application highlights measurable leadership impact, product outcomes, and long-term career goals. If executed well, you should be a competitive candidate for ISB and other leading one-year MBA programs.

Happy to connect if you’d like to discuss your profile in more detail.
 
 Phone: +91-9892714308 
 Website: Gradocean.in

quasipsum · Answer

Total Work Experience:  ~5+ years (Oct 2019 – Present) 
  Education:  
 
  Bachelor of Science — MGKVP, Varanasi  
  Intermediate — MPVM, Prayagraj  
  Matriculation — DPS, Prayagraj
   
  Work Experience (reverse chronological):  
 
   Auxo Entertainment  — Founder's Office (Full-time)
Jan 2023 – Present | Delhi, India
BeYourBestOfficial – content brand), scaleed a youtube channel from 100k subs to 900k subs
Launched 2 Content IP's that went viral in India

Launched a clothing brand and looked after everything and i mean everything
Worked directly with the Founder/CEO across Auxo Entertainment's portfolio (Urban Needs – clothing brand)  
   Skill-Lync  — Business Development Manager (Full-time)
Apr 2022 – May 2023 | Hyderabad, India
Led a team of 8; owned end-to-end sales process from lead qualification to closure; coordinated with marketing and operations stakeholders.  
   90+ My Tuition App  — Business Development Manager (Full-time)
Oct 2021 – Feb 2022 | Uttar Pradesh, India
Led a team of 8; executed market expansion strategy and institutional partnerships.  
   BYJU'S  — Business Development Associate (Full-time)
Sep 2020 – Oct 2021 | Uttar Pradesh, India
Consistently met/exceeded weekly and monthly performance targets.  
   Consectus Limited  — Quality Assurance Analyst (Full-time)
Oct 2019 – Feb 2020 | Mumbai, India
Analyzed specifications for business/client requirement alignment and quality compliance.

ApplicantX · Answer

I think this profile has a lot more depth than it looks at first glance. The biggest highlight is definitely your time at Auxo, scaling a YouTube channel from 100k to 900k subscribers, launching viral content IPs, and building a clothing brand from scratch is far more interesting than a typical sales profile.

For ISB, the biggest question will be your GMAT score. I'd aim for 685+.

Also, don't undersell the Founder's Office experience. Your application shouldn't read like "I worked in content." It should show that you've built businesses, driven growth, and worked across strategy, marketing, operations, and execution. If you tell that story well, I think you'll have a compelling ISB application.

GradOcean · Answer

Hi,

Your experience at Auxo Entertainment is the strongest part of your profile, especially your exposure to the Founder's Office, scaling a YouTube channel from 100K to 900K subscribers, launching viral content IPs, and building a clothing brand from the ground up. Make sure your application clearly quantifies the business impact of these initiatives through metrics such as revenue, customer acquisition, growth, or profitability. The frequent job changes earlier in your career may invite questions, so be prepared with a clear and consistent narrative explaining your career progression.

Since you haven't shared your academic scores, it's difficult to assess that aspect of your profile. I'd recommend targeting a GMAT Focus score of 675+ to strengthen your application. Your essays should highlight your entrepreneurial mindset, leadership, and ability to execute across strategy, operations, marketing, and business growth. With a well-crafted application, you should be a competitive applicant for ISB and several top global MBA programs.

Happy to connect if you’d like to discuss your profile in more detail.
 
 Phone: +91-9892714308 
 Website: Gradocean.in

ds2112 · Answer

Hi i think a good score target is 685-715 given how competitive it is, however, they do have a holistic process. all the best!

LakshyaAdmit · Answer

Hi  quasipsum ,

Target a score of 675+ on GMAT FE. Your experience across start-ups in BD and Founder office role work to your advantage. I hope you have also thought about your post MBA goals and have started working on your story arc.

All the best with your journey!

Regards,

Lakshya-Admit

Book - 30 minutes Call

WA - +91 9108985089

GyanOne · Answer

Hi  anknown123 
Thanks for posting. Here is what we have concluded for your query.
The most consequential decision in front of you over the next few weeks is probably not what score to target, but how to build the case for a second management degree before you sit the exam at all.

- ISB reads second MBA applications with a specific filter: the committee needs to understand why the first degree was structurally insufficient for what you're trying to do next, not just that ISB is better. A PUMBA MBA in Marketing, followed by a pivot to AI product management at Bajaj Finance, actually supports a credible answer here, because the skills gap is real and demonstrable. The essay has to make that explicit.
- A 9.66 CGPA in BHMCT and 8.95 from PUMBA are genuinely strong numbers, and they matter more in your file than they might in a typical applicant's, because they offset the tier-two school concern before a reader even raises it.
- On the score itself: ISB's pool is competitive, and for a profile that carries the second-MBA flag, a score at roughly the 95th percentile or above gives the committee one less reason to pause on the current GMAT scale, that sits around 685, which maps approximately to a 730 to 740 classic equivalent. Below that, the academic strength helps, but the case has to work harder in the essays.
- The AI product management work at Bajaj Finance, building lending products at scale, is the single most differentiated part of this file. If the essays treat it as a list of responsibilities rather than showing scope, business impact, and decisions made under uncertainty, that differentiation disappears into a pool of PM applicants who can write similar bullet points.

The lever that moves this case most is the goals essay, specifically whether it draws a direct, concrete line from hotel management roots through the PUMBA MBA to AI product work, and then shows why ISB's peer network and curriculum are structurally necessary for the next step, not merely attractive.

Hope this helps. Feel free to come back with more queries as needed.  Contact us directly - submit a query here .

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