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(4.5) |
As from my colleague statement, the school is best for your overall personality improvement as well as team building skills. In addition to this, the college also provide better career opportunities. However, college is most suited for the students whom experience is less than 5 years because college is fill with younger generation. so it is difficult for college also to bring companies which requirement is more than 8 to 9 years.
Overall experience is good and the alumnae are stratified with exposer got from college.
Thanx for the opportunity for review. I hope it will be useful. for further information and clarification
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Let's address the looming question up front: "Is an online MBA worth it?"
I have been asked this question a zillion times in the last 3-4 months. Here's my attempt at answering this:
1. World-class Faculties: This was my top reason for joining a premier B-school. Though the medium has changed, the experience of learning from the eminent professors has not changed a bit. If anything, we are now able to get even more visiting professors than before. Attending live classes from Victor Cheng and Aswath Damodaran was a sheer delight and it probably wouldn't have happened if not for online.
2. Alum connect: Thanks to the online meetings, we now get to hear from our distinguished alums across the globe. Many of them were not able to travel frequently due to various commitments, but that obstacle has been removed in the new normal.
3. Campus Life: Now that we have started our campus life, we are getting to know our batchmates better. Within the bounds of restrictions, we are able to forge a bond that can only be formed by going through challenging times together. Our batch is unique and so is our camaraderie.
4. Placements: The placement team at ISB is unmatched. Ever since the session started, they've been actively working with the industry leaders to stay on top of things. We are seeing amazing responses from the firms thus far.
I hope I have addressed some of your queries. Feel free to DM for any help!
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The experience has been a roller-coaster ride. Something that an applicant should really ask himself/herself is whether one is ready to let go of everything else and focus on the course for a good 75% of the course duration - the speed is just maddening. The compression of 2 years material into 1 year means that one learns of entirely new paradigms on a fortnightly basis by some of the best professors of the World. Another thing that is noteworthy is that the school does everything for career services - something that is unique to ISB but the onus is also on you if you belong to fringe classes (>10 years of experience in fields which are extremely niche) - to network with the alumni base and chart an alternate path out. The alumni base is massive and incredibly helpful - something that forever helps you when you start moving ahead in your career.
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I gained breadth of knowledge across domains and polished my personality. The class consists of true rockstars and any radical idea like a business or cultural event can be materialized within few days. I learnt and performed stand-up comedy throughout the year and it helped me improve my public speaking skills. The alumni network is strong and ISB has reputation across major companies. The environment gets competitive during the initial half of the course because of relative grading. ISB had amazing business and government leaders speak regularly at various events. Campus exchange and international exchange augmented the exposure for me.
Being a one year course, academics may not have depth for all courses.
Analytics is a trending pre-requisite for numerous companies.
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When I thought of taking GMAT and applying to top Business schools 2 years ago after giving CAT twice in a row and not getting into a top IIM, I was always suggested ISB by my friends (who were alumni of the college) and colleagues.
Though I really wanted to go abroad and study in a top 20 B-school, the situations in UK and US last year worsened my dilemma. I applied to ISB and got in the R2. Though I was sceptical at first about the global exposure and culture that I would not get at an Indian B-School but boy was I proved wrong.
ISB's faculty is from Wharton, UCL, Kellogg, Kenan-Flagler, NYU stern and the likes. I really like the structured curriculum the school conducts. It's a mix of the most important subjects that the future managers should know and it provides you the best resources to learn those.
The Harvard case-based approach is the main pedagogy at this school and it sure makes the learning worthwhile. Though I must say that this being a one- year program, the first 3 terms are really rigorous and will stretch you to the core. The placement service that ISB provides is impeccable since it's ranking is in top 30 schools of the world, the school more than the students is desperate to get the top companies come and hire from the school's diverse student body.
The alumni network is extensive and no other business school in India is that supportive when it comes to switching your jobs years later after graduating (My friends were in IIMA, IIMB and XLRI so I know).
Entrepreneurship is gaining pace at this school with many incubators (including school's) offering support to the budding student entrepreneurs after they graduate. But those who are interested in pure finance/IB should not apply because many companies who hire at IIMA and IIMC don't even come here. For consulting and tech roles, ISB is the best I can think of !!
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During my first couple of months at ISB, I was overwhelmed by the pace at which things were moving around me - Club activities, Student Body elections, Events, Workshops etc. It was like a proper buffet and I tried to bite more than I can chew. And I faltered spectacularly. My Grades went for a toss, put in insane amount of effort on things/activities that yielding paltry output. That is when, I realized the importance of focus. With the support of my wonderful study group mates and professors, I started paying attention to doing only those things that I can only find in a B-school. Brainstormed crazy ideas, Participated in umpteen B-plan competitions, Took up challenging term-end projects - all under the guidance of some of the brilliant professors on this planet. The learning from all these interactions made that 1 year the most memorable year of my life. The experience surpassed all the lofty expectations I have had at the start of the program.
Advice to future applicants - Experiment as much as you can during your time at ISB. The feedback you get at ISB on the success/failure of these experiments is priceless.
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hi saicharantej99 Thanks for your ISB review. As a Nigerian, It will be helpful to know more the impact on your Post-MBA career and how the ISB brand is received outside India.
ISB has had a huge impact on my career. I was able to make the transition from a Product Support Engineer role to a Product Management role owing to my stint at ISB. The courses I have taken and the Student projects I was involved with, played a huge role in this transition. This experience and the network I forged have been immensely helpful during my career as a Product Manager.
Outside India, ISB is slowly building its reputation. We have a strong alumni network spread across several countries including Nigeria. Also, there are ample opportunities for International exposure during the 1-yr program with B-plan competitions, Exchange Programs, Study trips etc.
Please let me know if you need any more information. All the very best in your endeavors!
Hi Saicharntje99
First off let me congratulate you for completing your MBA and more importantly enjoying your MBA.
I have a 8 year work ex in operations and all of it has been in my family business which is a 60 year old business. During my 8 years handling operations I have had the experience of expanding our production line to double of its existing capacity, dealing with govt agencies, stingy customers, finicky customers and more experienced employees always on the lookout for an opportunity to challenge your authority.
But now I want to move into a corporate job, Do you think ISB can help me make that transition?
An excellent one year program power packed with learning, multi-tasking, networking, sleepless nights yet completely worth it, as you develop long term bonds with a diverse peer group that last a lifetime. The biggest takeaway would be to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses through out the year during the course of assignments, study group and professional club meetings, discussions with world class professors from the top b-schools of the world and networking with alumni over coffee/Skype/mock interviews or simply over a call. Not to forget the campus parties and opportunities to take up leadership positions in events that occur all through the year.
I would suggest future applicants to at least come with a broad idea about what they wish to take away in terms of their career goals during the course of the 1-year program as there will be tremendous opportunities to test one's strengths and weaknesses throughout the year. Having a concrete idea about one's post ISB goal and working towards that from Day 1 will give him/her a sense of purpose amidst the 51 week roller coaster ride which is a transformational experience in itself.
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ISB offers the perfect one year program in India with world-class professors (some of them authorities in their areas teaching at the best B-schools of the world) and a very diverse and collaborative student community. The courses have been designed keeping in mind the tools and thinking process that you'd need to succeed in industry. You have the concentration and industry specialization tracks to help you choose courses that would be most relevant to your intended future industry.
Being a one year program, it's very rigorous and testing. If that's not your thing, probably you should consider something else. But, if that's something that excites you, no better place than this.
Most of the top recruiting firms (esp. consulting, GM and tech) recruit from ISB
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Finance
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Broadly, for an IIM (err...Indian IT Male) the realization point for the need of a higher education normally kicks in after entering the plateau phase of career i.e around 5-8 years of work-ex. Those who plan their career path well in advance, pardon my generalization.
The most sought after option at that point is an "MBA". But the dilemma is to choose the right program. Talking to peers, aspirants following are few of the common questions I've come across:
1. Opportunity cost: have a car loan, housing loan, recently married (or getting there soon) etc etc..which program offers a lower opportunity cost to cover for there?
2. Am I too Old: How would I feel like when I get into a program where all my classmates are at least 5-6 yrs younger than me? Will I have the necessary peer-learning benefits?
3. Post-MBA Location: I am looking for a brighter career in India Or I want to get back to a India after my stint abroad. Which program offers the best opportunities for the same?
4. Alumni network: I want a thriving Alumni community which I can bank on for my career moves (apart from seeking matrimonial help or selling my cat).
5.ROI: How fast can I recover every penny I am going to put into the program? How lucrative are the placement options?
6. Learning: How good is the pedagogy and how relevant is it to the current economy. Will I learn more real world stuff and about cutting edge research done around the world?
Indian School of Business scores a perfect 10 in all of the above questions. It offers a 1 yr Full time program which means lower opportunity cost and faster post-MBA earning prospects. While many prestigious B-schools in India have started offering 1Yr MBAs off late, ISB has been running this flagship program for over a decade now. The mix of resident faculty and visiting professors provide you an unparalleled learning experience with strong technical foundation as well as deep research insights.
The class also offers a highly competitive atmosphere due to the bright minds sitting next to you. So if you are someone who flourishes under stress, you will be in the right mix.
Every admitted class is a diverse mix of students from various experience ranges. On one hand around 20% of the class is below 3Yrs of work experience and on the other early 10% of class is having more than 8 years of work experience. This makes your study groups, class rooms and project teams diverse from an experience perspective. The school needs to improve a lot in terms of attracting students of other nationalities though. However it’s the same problem with rest of the MBA programs run in India.
With the ever rising Rupee-Dollar gap the fee structure of ISB is at the sweet spot offering you an international quality MBA at half the cost. Nevertheless about a quarter of the class can choose to go on an international exchange to any of the 40 odd partner schools around the world.
The placement avenues at the school are one of the best in India. ISB is the most preferred recruitment hub alongside the top IIMs for corporates in India. At times the focus on placement takes a toll on the focus on learning - something which can be managed by the student herself.
Tie ups with local government and technical institutes have opened up startup opportunities for those with an entrepreneurial mindset.
The curriculum is pretty intensive and you need to hit the ground running from day 1.
ISB provides option to choose from a wide list of electives through a bidding system and competition is stiff when it comes to most sought after courses and professors.
It is better to brush up basics as the school suggests in its admission kit. This would save you a lot of teething problem during transition from corporate to college life.
Most of the professors are amazing and you can extract more from them by engaging with them to learn about their research areas.
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Thanks for sharing this detailed review. It touches most of the concerns and provides great insights for those aspiring to join ISB.
The biggest Highlight of the school is the amazing faculty and its facilities. The one year curriculum is ideally suited for a person not looking to spend too much time out of industry for management studies. Having said that there is absolutely nothing the school lacks in terms of course design vis-a-vis other prestigious two year programs. No doubts all these traits make it an unparalleled institution in India.
The school is ideally suited for people with 3-5 years of work- ex and those looking to work further in India. I Joined the school with a 6+ years of experience with goal to make a lateral progression within finance domain and was able to achieve it.
Avg GMAT score for intake is 710. Decent GMAT and good professional background see one through the selection process.
The school ensures that there is no dearth of quality faculty by inviting world class professors from across the globe to both the campuses. The curriculum is also quite up to date with frequent revisions. Amazingly, student body has a big say in setting up the course structure and a democratic structure ensure that suggestions are heard and acted upon. Both the campuses enjoy equally vibrant student community with similar facilities and same course structure.
The school has a lot to offer in terms of course and career choices. You should be fully aware of the career path you want to pursue post the course and work accordingly. The biggest recruiters are consulting, tech and marketing but Finance, esp I-banking & Capital Markets is challenge.
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can you please post more about your experience before MBA and what you are planning to do after MBA. How do you think ISB is helping in that regard ?