Q&A with a Member of the ISB MBA Class of 2020
May, 21, 2020
Categories: Admissions Consulting | ISB | Q&A with Students, Alumni, Faculty and Admissions Officers
The Indian School of Business is a program that I first really became aware of in 2008 when looking at FT’s ranking data and realized that ISB offered incredibly high ROI for its graduates. Soon thereafter I did a Q&A with ISB’s Hima Bindu, who has since become Senior Director of Admissions. While I am primarily focused on helping clients with top US and European MBA programs, I have worked with a small number of applicants on ISB and advocated for it to other clients and potential clients. I think the outcomes that are possible with ISB make it a highly attractive alternative. In recent years, the two clients who I worked with who attended ISB both secured the kind of offers that they would have gotten by attending top schools in the US or Europe at a significantly lower cost.
In the Q&A below, ISB2020, a highly international Indian provides a candid perspective.
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ISB2020 Self Introduction:
Raised outside of India as a NRI (Non-Resident Indian), I studied Accounting and Finance at university in the UK and then joined my family business in the Infrastructure Industry for 3 years. After having worked in Africa, the Middle East and India, I decided to pursue an MBA at the Indian School of Business. I have been placed into a global leadership program at a major multinational corporation where I will be working in Europe and India.
Why did you decide to attend ISB?
After my undergrad, I worked in the family business for close to two and half years. At that point, I realised that I require exposure to a quality batch of ambitions students who were going into the business world and wanted to join the corporate world for a few years. The options mere between ISB in India, LBS in the UK and HBS / Columbia in the US. Ultimately, I only got a final offer from ISB and I was happy with the option. My family was also been for me to do an education in India, as that’s where I would most likely be working in the future. I also spoke to many alumni from the school and really connected with them, and had a strong gut feeling that this was my calling. The companies that recruited from ISB were also decent and the school was renowned for its placements. ISB also fit the criteria as a competitive program with a lot packed into 1-year which made sense for me (though the competitive angle could also have been there in HBS and Columbia). All in all, in hindsight, it was the best decision for me.
What parts of the ISB program have you liked the most? The least?
Liked Most
- Competition
- Academics (foreign Professors from around the globe and local Professors)
- Leadership activity (great opportunities)
- Network (mainly in India but also abroad)
- Placements (great jobs come to Campus)
- People (genuine and diverse backgrounds)
Liked Least
- Most students are Indian
- Hiring mostly for the Indian Job market (can only foray out in a year or 2).
- Some average Indian professors (but not too many)
- Not well known as a finance school because of the 1-year program (no internship).
What most surprised you about the program?
The opportunities to lead activities at ISB is immense and the connection they have with industry is very high. I was to quite surprised at how they manage to conduct placements.
How would you describe ISB’s culture?
Competitive students who work hard to get what they want. Very helpful and genuine by nature.
Are there any common characteristics amongst your classmates?
Helpful if you reach out and ambitious about achieving in life. Bright students in general.
As some one with extensive international experience, was ISB international enough for you?
In terms of the professors yes, but in terms of the students no. There were only a bunch of international students on exchange from Europe and the USA, aside from the few at ISB. However, could have been more international. Some work however is being done on this front by the Dean.
Why should someone consider attending ISB instead of a top school outside of India?
Great US – Like MBA education at a much lower cost, and great if you are looking to get a job in India. Would only perhaps leave this for an HBS, Standard or Columbia. Your network in India would be extremely strong, as well as a decent network in the UK and US.
Tell me about what classes most impressed you?
Marketing by Professor Arunachalam (fantastic), strategy by Prashant Kale, decision models and optimisation by Milind Sohoni, operations by Sarang Deo and Digital Innovation Strategies by Nicholas Berente. There are several others who are also good. I did not manage to see all of the best professors because some taught in Mohali while others taught in Hyderabad. Good classes for me depended on good professors. They were taught mostly using the case based method and took our depth of understanding of the subject much deeper(than something we could have just read anywhere).
What activities outside of class did you participate in?
I had senior leadership positions in the Alumni Affairs Council and the 1500 people Alumni event Solstice, and participated in Finance Club, Consulting Club, Stand-up Comedy Club, Infrastructure Club, Sports Club. Those are the activities I was personally part of. There are a host of other clubs and activities throughout the year.
What do you think of ISB’S career services?
Great. Did a fantastic job of placing around 870 out of the 900 students before COVID hit. Helpful and can be relied upon. They attract all the top-notch companies to Campus for placements and have cells throughout the country to interact with industry. This was all in midst of a recession. The only area where you may have to do a little job hunting of your own is in investment banking/pure finance roles.
What advice do you have for anyone considering application to ISB?
- Get a GMAT of 710 or above to be competitive (its mostly against other Indians after all)
- Try to show as much international experience as possible.
- Speak to as many alums from ISB as possible to see If you get along with them and like the culture of the school.
- Be prepared to be competitive in leadership, academics and placements (though people are helpful in terms of preparing for interviews)
Are there any specific websites or blogs that you would recommend that applicants look at to learn more about ISB?
- ISB Website
- Adam has an interview with an ISB admin member that is up as a blog.
- ISB’s YouTube channel for an idea of the school. Google searches in general, however a lot is not online.
- Speak to alumni to get their yearbook so that you can see all the activity that happens throughout the year at ISB. Those in leadership positions who were heavily involved often have a good idea about the culture
ISB students and alumni are always happy to talk with you, so learn about the program from them. Best of luck!
I want to thank ISB2020 for taking the time to answer my questions.