ISB MBA Essay Tips
The ISB MBA essays
this year are pretty generic. You do not have to build dams and
negotiate with environmental groups nor write a speech to convince
the student body of your candidature as the President of the ISB
student body. However, these generic essays do rob you of the
opportunity of thinking out of the box that last year's essays had
afforded.
Essay 1
Give 3 reasons as to why you should be selected to the class of
2011? These reasons should ideally differentiate you from the
applicant pool and should be backed with some data. (300 words
max)
Gurome Tips
:
Through this essay ISB is trying to find out what you will
contribute to the class of 2011.
This is a challenging essay because most of the candidates you will
be competing with will have a similar background and the key is to
differentiate your candidature from the rest of the applicants.
Consider this essay as your chance to sell yourself. Since the
essay asks for three reasons, you could focus on three different
aspects: you could write about something that you have done
in your career/life that is not 'run of the
mill' and that has made a positive impact in an
organization/someone's life. You could talk about a particular
hobby/interest that has helped widen your horizon. You could even
talk about an innovative business plan.
Essay 2
Describe a challenging assignment you have handled (at work or
outside) to date. What were the challenges and how did you handle
them? What were the personal learnings you derived from this
assignment? (300 words max)
Gurome Tips:
What the adcom wants to know through this essay is a) whether you
possess leadership potential b) whether you are a good learner c)
whether you can work under pressure d) what unique traits or skills
you possess that will make you a key contributor in your
class
It is important for you to relate an experience that is relatively
recent. Choose an example that a) has had a significant impact on
people/organization b) talks about your contribution. You could
touch upon a few of these key factors: initiative; drive;
determination; perseverance; ability to simplify a problem; ability
to try out something unconventional yet be able to work in a team;
ability to learn from challenges; etc.
You have to be careful not to brag about yourself in this essay.
The best way to avoid bragging yet selling yourself is to quantify
the measure of success and provide concrete examples that back up
your story.
Essay 3
Briefly assess your career progression till date along with an
assessment of your future career goals. Discuss how your career
goals will be met by the ISB's one year programme in management.
(300 words max)
Gurome Tips:
Almost all Business Schools have this essay in some form or the
other. What you have to do in this essay is track your career
progression - past, present, and future. It is important that there
is a consistent theme that comes out when you describe your career.
If there has been a major career change, then it is important to
explain that the career change was made with the MBA plans in mind.
You should very clearly put down your short term and long term
goals in this essay.
The second part of the essay is as important as the
first. This essay definitely calls for some
research on your part to know more about ISB and its reach. Try to
find out what ISB has to offer that matches your
interests.
Essay 4 (Optional)
Please provide additional information, if any, that will
significantly affect the consideration of your application to the
ISB. Please do not repeat information which has already been stated
elsewhere in the application. You may use this to clarify any
breaks in education/work, inform about any other item which you
think has not been covered elsewhere etc. (300 words
max)
Gurome Tips
:
There are two criteria under which you should attempt this
essay:
A) To explain breaks in your
academic/professional career or to address areas of
underperformance (GMAT score/GPA)
B) If you have something truly unique
and positive to say about yourself that has not been addressed in
any of the essays.
A topic for this essay can be, for
example, your family history of activism that informs
your approach to socioeconomic problems. We suggest that you eschew
this essay if there is even a slight chance of repeating
yourself.
Hope this information was useful to you. If you need
additional help or would like to work with us on your ISB
application, limited spots are available through August 15 for
Cycle 1 (
Sept 15, 2009
) and November 1 for Cycle 2 (
Dec 1, 2009
). To know more about our B-school specific services and for
a free 20-minute MBA admissions consultation, visit
www.gurome.com.
Subscribe to BlogPosted by
Arpita 
at Jul 15, 2009 10:25:16 PM