MBA Crystal Ball

I have 4+ years experience as a civil engineer in a top Energy MNC. I am planning to apply to ISB this year. However my company has policy of promotions after 3-4 years. Thus after joining the company straight after college, I still do not have any promotion. Will this impact my application negatively?

Also since my job is not very stressful (i.e. 5 days 9 am to 6 pm). I found time to pursue my dreams and had a part time startup with my friends. Due to my partners backing out in midway, we had to shut down even before we could go full time.
However the experience and life skills learned were quite phenomenal.

The question is whether I should mention about this in the ISB application essay.

Your reply would be very helpful in making that decision.

intothewild wrote:I have 4+ years experience as a civil engineer in a top Energy MNC. I am planning to apply to ISB this year. However my company has policy of promotions after 3-4 years. Thus after joining the company straight after college, I still do not have any promotion. Will this impact my application negatively?

Also since my job is not very stressful (i.e. 5 days 9 am to 6 pm). I found time to pursue my dreams and had a part time startup with my friends. Due to my partners backing out in midway, we had to shut down even before we could go full time.
However the experience and life skills learned were quite phenomenal.

The question is whether I should mention about this in the ISB application essay.

Your reply would be very helpful in making that decision.

Promotions are not a deal breaker as long as you can show good achievements/contributions at the workplace and have these corroborated through recos. Though if you have 4+ years of experience, you are beyond the 3-4 year range you've mentioned isn't it?

Can't really provide essay specific suggestions on a forum - your entire profile has to be assessed to evaluate what goes in and what stays out. Dishing out an advice will be premature on my part.

All the best.

Cheers,

Hi Sameer,

I had written to you previously for a query on ISB admission.

While I have read about instances on your website of applicants with a score
of 610 getting into ISB, I wanted to understand how much weightage does ISB
gives to a GMAT score in final selection.

I am writing this because I am a little doubtful about my GMAT score (have
the exam on 28th of this month) despite a strong academic and work profile,
recommendation and essays.

Do you mind if I could share my finalized application (less GMAT score) for
just a preliminary view of the chances of making it to the interview even if
I do not score too well on GMAT?

Will be really grateful if you could provide a brief input as my overall
GMAT mock score have been quite demotivating.

Best,
Arpit

arpitb wrote:Hi Sameer,

I had written to you previously for a query on ISB admission.

While I have read about instances on your website of applicants with a score

<<snip>>

GMAT mock score have been quite demotivating.

Best,
Arpit

Aprit,

For reasons mentioned here, we do not speculate on your chances of selection. So just by looking at the application, we won't be able to help.

GMAT weightage varies from school to school and they rarely give out an exact number. But it is certainly not more than say 20-30%. So try your best at it and then ensure you present the right application in terms of essays and other aspects.

Cheers,

Hi Sameer,

Thank you for the continued advice and prompt answers. Really appreciate it.

I had a specific query about the GMAT score because a lot of experienced professionals and other MBA consultants have specifically told me that a GMAT score below 670 drastically reduces the chances of ISB acceptance unless one falls into an exceptional case. Though I clearly doubt this piece of information as if this was the case, then ideally why would ISB mention that they do not have a GMAT cut off.

This is the reason I wanted your opinion to clear all the doubts all together.

Regards,
Arpit

Hi,

I am Supriya Mishra. I am an in house counsel at Dish TV India Limited. I have two years work experience.
Was a practicing lawyer with a law firm for a year and then with Dish TV. I have a GMAT score of 570 (Q40 ; V28)

Need your advice should i apply for ISB Hyderabad. or should i retake the GMAT and apply in the second round.


Regards,
Supriya Mishra

arpitb wrote:Hi Sameer,

Thank you for the continued advice and prompt answers. Really appreciate it.

<<snip>>

This is the reason I wanted your opinion to clear all the doubts all together.

Regards,
Arpit

Arpit,

There is no 'magic' number or range really. It varies on a case by case basis. And btw, most schools do NOT have a set cut-off since they do not want that one factor to deter candidates from applying.

Cheers,

Supriya Mishra wrote:Hi,

I am Supriya Mishra. I am an in house counsel at Dish TV India Limited. I have two years work experience.
Was a practicing lawyer with a law firm for a year and then with Dish TV. I have a GMAT score of 570 (Q40 ; V28)

Need your advice should i apply for ISB Hyderabad. or should i retake the GMAT and apply in the second round.


Regards,
Supriya Mishra

Just on the basis for the limited data - definitely re-take. And also evaluate applying next year as two years might be a bit too low given the corporate exposure is only a year.

Cheers,

Dear MBA Crystal Ball Team,

I am targeting MBA (1 Year Full time Course) from ISB , Hyderabad.

Request you to evaluation my profile for MBA. It is as follows:

My Academics are

X: 90.1%
XII : 95.3 %
B Tech - 78.9% (JNTUA) - Mechanical Enggineering.

I have 3.3 Years of experience in Marketing for Air Conditioning Projects in Blue Star Limited, Hyderabad. (Indian Company Not an MNC, Hence no international client exposure).

Promotions will be on 4 year cycle in the company. Expecting it next year.

Extra Circulars:

Was Active in college Students Association.
Organised Tech Symposium .
Table Tennis Player at corporate level.


Took GMAT in October Score - 680 (Q 50, V 33 ).

Planning to take it in December 2015 as i am comfortable with idea of ISB Class 2018 .

But, since i have less extra circular activities and no international exposure, request you advice on how to improve my profile.

Thanks in advance.

ANSKK wrote:Dear MBA Crystal Ball Team,

I am targeting MBA (1 Year Full time Course) from ISB , Hyderabad.

Request you to evaluation my profile for MBA. It is as follows:

<<snip>>

Thanks in advance.

ANSKK,

The short answer to your query would be to explore our Profile Builder - there are several factors to consider and not one in isolation.

That said, I think you should definitely give it a shot this year itself. While the promotion will help, but your profile does sound pretty interesting at the face of it. If you'll be done with the GMAT by Dec, there will still be time to catch the R2 deadline. So think about it.

Cheers,