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How do I get into ISB Hyderabad? I have 3 years of experience in TCS. Apart from a great GMAT score, what else can I do to prepare myself for ISB?
When applying to ISB, the main components of your profile that the admissions committee will consider include your academics, GMAT score, work experience, extracurricular activities, essays, recommendations, and performance in the interview. A strong score in the first six areas will likely result in an interview call, and your overall performance across all areas will determine whether or not you are admitted to the program.
To improve your chances of being admitted, it's important to understand the specific criteria that ISB uses to evaluate each component of your profile. For example, your academics will be used as an indication of your ability to handle rigorous coursework and compete with other applicants, and your GMAT score will be used to gauge your analytic and communication skills. Additionally, ISB will be looking for quality work experience that demonstrates your career progression and ability to achieve results and extracurricular activities that reflect your passions and interests.
Another key component of your application is your essays, which should highlight your unique qualities and work experience in an effective and compelling way. It's important to be clear about what qualities you want to highlight in your essays and to seek feedback from others to ensure that your essays are effective. Additionally, you should select your recommenders carefully and give them plenty of notice to complete your recommendations.
Finally, it's important to be well-prepared for your interview, by being clear on your reasons for pursuing an MBA and why you want to attend ISB specifically. Practicing with a mock interview and being ready to answer any questions related to your profile will increase your chances of success. Remember, ISB selects from a pool of applicants, so it's important to put your best foot forward in all areas of your application. Sometimes, a particular criterion is given more weight based on the students applying that year.
I have been placed with Deloitte US, India. Does Deloitte sponsor foreign MBAs or say an MBA from ISB Hyderabad?
Yes, Deloitte US India has a program called Graduate School Assistance Program (GSAP). People opting for this program are rehired with promotion after they complete their MBA, and Deloitte pays the MBA fees. You can do your MBA from ISB Hyderabad through this program. There are other options available too such as IIMs, XLRI, MDI, SPJIMR, JBIMS, IIFT, NMIMS, IIT DoMS, and a few tier 2 and 3 schools.
If you are selected in GSAP, Deloitte will give you an initial sum of around INR 75k. You will have to resign and join MBA. At the time of placement Deloitte will make a full-time offer and hire you back at the next higher level from which position you resigned. If you join, Deloitte will pay your MBA fees in two installments.
To be eligible for the program, you need to have completed three years of service at the firm. You should have had high performance in the last 2 years' ends assessment cycles of the firm. You need to be at the Associate Analyst, Analyst, or Consultant level while applying.
If you fulfill the above criteria, you can apply for GSAP. The application is usually made available in December-January. You need to fill out a detailed form and get it approved by your counselor. Then you will have to decide the service line that you want to join back after completing your MBA and justify it. There will be a couple of interviews with Managing Directors or Senior Managers. Through these interviews, they will try to understand your future goals in life, your experience in Deloitte, and why you want to do an MBA.
Can an average student score good in GMAT for applying to ISB Hyderabad?
In my opinion, in order to prepare for the GMAT, you should study the official guide thoroughly- even the answers that you got right. You must be aware that GMAT has two main sections: Quantitative and Verbal.
Here are some tips to study both sections:
Verbal:
- This is usually the trickier section, especially if English is not your first language. You can practice this section using the Manhattan English guide. This will test your grammar as well as sentence structure and meaning.
- It is suggested to buy the official verbal guide by GMAC. You should read a lot too. Papers like New Yorker and New York Times should help.
Quantitative:
- The topics covered in Quantitative for GMAT are quite easy compared to CBSE standards. However, you must not let your guards down.
- Complete the guide and if you’re average with Mathematics that should suffice. You can practice the manhattan books additionally if you would like.
Getting into ISB:
- This is no cakewalk – even if you get a really decent GMAT score. You must focus on work experience. It can include any internships or start-ups you may have worked with.
- Did you do any extra-curricular activities? Or did you have a personal struggle? All this would help and be a conversation starter and show that you have something to offer in the program.
As far as essays are concerned, this is one place you can definitely impress the admissions committee. You may have an average profile but through your essay, you can show that you can definitely fit well into the program and you have something unique to contribute. Show that you are committed to your reasons for doing an MBA.
Lastly, it is quite difficult to answer as to what profile the school is looking for. You cannot control the demands that the market has. If the demand for marketing consultants is high, then chances are that someone with a good marketing background could get in.
Just make sure that you have done enough to make up for your scores if you consider them to be weak. Other than this, ensure you do well on your GMAT.
Is ISB Hyderabad better than IIM?
Instead of institutes, you should compare programs. Assuming that you are comparing the ISB full-time program (PGP) with the IIM one-year full-time program, IIMA PGPX, here are some of the things that you should consider.
- PGP is the flagship program for ISB. While PGPX isn’t the flagship program of IIMA.
- Scope of peer learning at IIMs is limited. Since the average work experience for students are around 8-9 years and there are few students from new-age start-ups. ISB student crowd have participants with 2-years to 20-years of work experience. So, you will have better exposure and industry contacts.
- The learn batch size of ISB (800+) helps get more recruiters for placements. ISB Hyderabad placement drive has more recruiting companies (200+).
- The kind of international tie-ups IBS has and therefore the quality of international faculty ISB gets is unparalleled in the country.
- As ISB PGP is older it has a better alumni base.
IIMA PGPX has its own advantages, but ISB PGP stands out due to the above reasons.
Which is better Harvard business school or ISB Hyderabad?
There is definitely no comparison between the two. Harvard Business School is definitely better than ISB. When it comes to Global MBA rankings, ISB ranks 98th in the world, and HBS ranks 2nd. You should not really compare B schools as each one of them has something unique to offer and have transitions in their programs.
You will notice that both colleges are quite different on the basis of their campus, program quality as well as syllabus, culture, faculty, employment rate, and fee structure. While Harvard will top everything in this regard, ISB is known to have a good reputation as the top B school in India.
But, if you are planning on getting a job somewhere, my suggestion would be to go to the same college as the job location. Harvard definitely will get you the brand name, but if you are looking at settling in India, you will be well off getting your education from ISB.
Some of my friends have studied at both colleges and the institute has provided some of the finest MBA graduates in the world. They have gone on to perform really well in big organizations and have showcased amazing leadership qualities.
Additionally, you should know that you will have to provide a GMAT or GRE score for admission to either of these places. It is advisable not to give CAT and focus on GMAT instead. Especially if you end up applying to big firms or fortune 500 companies, they will definitely ask you for a GMAT score that will have to be a part of your resume.
Harvard also has a better placement package as compared to ISB. But, the fee structure is quite expensive so you will have to decide if that works for you. You can refer to the college website for more information if you would like. Look at your post-MBA goals and then make a choice.
Masters' Union or ISB: Which is better for PGP?
Masters’ Union School of Business PGP is a new and distinct program but it lives up to the hype. The program offered good learning resources and can be compared to ISB PGP. Here is a brief comparison of the two PGP programs.
| Institute | Masters’ Union | ISB |
| Entrance test | GMAT/GRE score | GMAT/GRE score |
| Fees | INR 20 Lakhs | INR 36.30 Lakhs |
| Student intake | 120 | 900 (approx) |
| Average CTC | INR 29 LPA | INR 27 LPA |
Masters’ Union PGP course work is demanding due to its highly practical nature. You often have to go beyond the mandate for most courses. The peer group includes students from diverse backgrounds such as law, consulting, commerce, etc.
The institute offers students a C-suite mentor during the early stages of the program. The mentor makes sure that you are staying updated with the coursework.
Master’ Union placements for the first PGP course were excellent. Students received an average CTC of INR 3.75 LPA. Companies like EY, McKinsey, ITC, visited the campus drive.
The institute offers fundraising assistance, legal help, and mentorships to budding entrepreneurs. The founding cohort had three start-ups. They received equity-free grants to start.
Who are some of the famous alumni of ISB Hyderabad?
A few famous ISB Hydrabad alumni are mentioned below.
- Ankur Warikoo (MBA Class of 2006) - Founder of nearby, Former CEO of Groupon India
- Neeraj Arora (MBA Class of 2006) - Former Chief Business Officer of Whatsapp
- Shvetha Jaishankar (MBA Class of 2004) - Entrepreneur, Author, and Model
- Mayank Kumar (MBA Class of 2009) - Co-founder of upGrad
- Akash Choudhury (MBA Class of 2004) - Managing Director & Co-Promoter at Akash Educational Services Limited (AESL)
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