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08 Jul 2026, 11:04
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Bookmarks
Hi everyone,
Applying to ISB PGP Round 1 for Class of 2028. Deadline is September 20, 2026. Need clarity on a few timeline questions from anyone who has been through this recently (2024-25 or 2025-26 cycle preferably).
My situation:
Thanks in advance. Happy to answer any counter-questions if it helps others in similar situation.
Applying to ISB PGP Round 1 for Class of 2028. Deadline is September 20, 2026. Need clarity on a few timeline questions from anyone who has been through this recently (2024-25 or 2025-26 cycle preferably).
My situation:
- Targeting GMAT Focus Edition exam in late August 2026 (Aug 25 or Aug 27)
- Current mock score around 665, targeting 705+
- Working professional, based in Pune
- This will be my first GMAT attempt
- Official score reporting timeline:
- After the GMAT Focus exam, how long does it actually take for the official score to reach the school portal? ISB says "approximately 2 weeks" but I've heard varying experiences.
- Does selecting the school as one of the 5 free score recipients on exam day genuinely speed things up? Or does it not make much difference?
- Has anyone had score verification delays beyond 2 weeks with GMAT Focus recently?
- Aug 25/27 exam → Sept 20 R1 deadline — is this timing safe?
- I'm calculating about 10-day buffer between score arrival and R1 deadline. Is this realistic or am I cutting it too close?
- Anyone here who took the exam in late August and applied to ISB R1 — did the score reach in time?
- What's the latest exam date you'd recommend for a safe R1 submission?
- R1 vs R2 — real-world chances for GEM/IT profile:
- I'm a General Engineer Male, 5+ years work exp in SAP consulting (Cognizant → Capgemini → Accenture), marquee clients (Mars, BP, Coca-Cola).
- Some say R1 is significantly better for scholarships and interview slots. Others say a polished R2 app is fine.
- Given the GEM/IT bucket is oversubscribed, is R1 realistically much better, or is the difference marginal?
- Any GEM/IT applicants here who got in through R2 with strong essays?
- Score cancellation and retake:
- GMAT Focus lets you cancel score right after seeing it. If Aug 25 score is disappointing (say 685), and I cancel — can I retake by Sept 10 to try for R1?
- Or is it safer to keep whatever comes and use it for R2 with a retake in October?
- Slot availability in Pune:
- Anyone recently booked GATS Pune or Pearson Kharadi for August exam?
- How far in advance did you book? Are August morning slots still open now (early July) or do they fill fast?
Thanks in advance. Happy to answer any counter-questions if it helps others in similar situation.
MBAGuide
Joined: 24 Jul 2019
Last visit: 04 Sep 2026
Posts: 2,545
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 29
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)
09 Jul 2026, 17:51
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bhavya1999
I specifically want to comment on the safety net with respect to the timing and your profile stats. You should keep a good buffer between the exam date and the application deadline. And a 685 will not be disappointing by any means if your application is in solid shape. Having a higher GMAT score close to the deadline but poor execution on the application will be far more detrimental than the opposite.
Yes, the GEM/IT pool is crowded, so that is all the more reason to consider applying early because, from a practical standpoint, how many applicants from an SAP consulting background would ISB really want to admit? And then there is the need to differentiate yourself from within this pool.
Maximising your odds of receiving a scholarship at ISB as a GEM/IT applicant is a bit of an overexpectation, honestly. I say this from experience, having seen many of my mentees receive scholarships and even full rides. But it just does not come easily to the generic IT applicant, although it could for someone who comes with, say, an IT + defence background, for example.
Your focus should remain on maximising your chances of getting the admit with a highly compelling storyline, whether that is with a 685 or a 705, whatever you may end up with.
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]
I specifically want to comment on the safety net with respect to the timing and your profile stats. You should keep a good buffer between the exam date and the application deadline. And a 685 will not be disappointing by any means if your application is in solid shape. Having a higher GMAT score close to the deadline but poor execution on the application will be far more detrimental than the opposite.
Yes, the GEM/IT pool is crowded, so that is all the more reason to consider applying early because, from a practical standpoint, how many applicants from an SAP consulting background would ISB really want to admit? And then there is the need to differentiate yourself from within this pool.
Maximising your odds of receiving a scholarship at ISB as a GEM/IT applicant is a bit of an overexpectation, honestly. I say this from experience, having seen many of my mentees receive scholarships and even full rides. But it just does not come easily to the generic IT applicant, although it could for someone who comes with, say, an IT + defence background, for example.
Your focus should remain on maximising your chances of getting the admit with a highly compelling storyline, whether that is with a 685 or a 705, whatever you may end up with.
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]
bhavya1999
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