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Which is better, ISB Hyderabad or IIM Ahmedabad for 1 year executive MBA?
ISB Hyderabad is certainly a better choice than IIM Ahmedabad for a 1 year MBA executive. It has better faculty, an international student profile, an amazing campus, and more than 800 students in a single batch. The admission process is also simpler than IIM Ahmedabad. ISB Hyderabad has a much more diverse crowd than IIM Ahmedabad which usually comprises CS-related people.
PGP-X at IIMA is its flagship program whereas the one-year program in ISB is their main program so it carries more value and more focus is given to that program.
IIM Ahmedabad too has its own perks one of them being its rich legacy of 50+ years and an excellent alumni enterprise spread across the globe. Also, since the batch is smaller the competition is less so the placement opportunities are more. Recruiters coming to hire PGP students also roll out lateral offers for PGP-X students.
Ultimately, choose the one that aligns with your personal preferences and future goals.
How was your experience at ISB Mohali in general? Did you ever feel like you should've been in Hyderabad instead?
My cousin belonged to the Mohali campus of ISB and during her exchange term, she observed and compared the pros and cons of both campuses. I have listed the major pros of both colleges.
ISB Hyderabad
- Huge batch size ensures peers from a variety of backgrounds.
- The location is helpful for the students to maintain a good social life
- ISB Hyderabad has a wider range of student-driven clubs and committed
- The placement presentations take place at the Hyderabad campus and Mohali students get to join through a video call only
ISB Mohali
- ISB Mohali has very few resident faculty as it has been recently established. As a result, the institute calls in the best faculty from colleges like Wharton, UNC, and Kellogg to teach. Their pedagogy is unique and ISB Hyderabad lacks in this aspect.
- The campus is new so the accommodation facilities are better and made to suit all the necessary requirements. These hostels have better furnishing, space, and housekeeping facilities in comparison to the hostels of ISB Hyderabad.
- The small batch size ensures the quality over quantity belief
- The choice of electives is done through online bidding at ISB. Hyderabad campus with its huge batch size makes it impossible for all the students to get their choice of electives. Mohali students, in turn, face no such problem because of the small batch size
ISB maintains a strict balance between both campuses and the placement statistics are a testament to that as no major differences can be observed.
Overall my cousin never regretted choosing Mohali over Hyderabad and recommends the same to everyone.
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.
What is the percentile required to get into ISB Hyderabad?
In case you are enquiring about the CAT percentile let me clarify that ISB Hyderabad does not take into consideration CAT scores. It accepts GMAT/GRE scores only. Most importantly, the ISB Shortlisting process is profile-based. This means even with a lower percentile you can manage to get shortlisted provided you have an excellent profile.
There is no fixed cutoff for GMAT. However, a 700+ GMAT score isn't a must-have for ISB if your application is strong in other areas. According to an ISB spokesperson, candidates were admitted to the 2021 cohort with scores as low as 580, and as high as 780. So the GMAT score range for ISB is 580-780.
Does ISB have a brand value better than that of XLRI, FMS, or IIM L?
I think I am the right person to answer this question as I have worked with graduates from the aforementioned top B Schools in India and my brother was a student at ISB. With the combined experience and knowledge I have, I dare to comment that ISB is an overhyped B school in India. What makes it stand is its amazing infrastructure, founding members, and the whole Western-style education. However, if you look at its academic style, I don’t find it very appealing. It fails to prepare students well and does not meet the standards of the 4 IIMs (ABCL) and XLRI.
Placements-wise one can comment that ISB is a notch better than XLRI and FMS but it is on the same level as IIM Lucknow.
Ultimately, the brand value of a business school is a matter of personal opinion and is subjective.
Will a 760 score in the GMAT help me get into ISB Hyderabad?
A GMAT score of 760 is considered very high and is in the top 1% of all aspirants. However, ISB Hyderabad is a highly selective institution, and your GMAT score alone is not enough to determine your eligibility to the institute. The institute has a reputation for accepting only the best and takes multiple factors into consideration while filtering the candidates. Some of these are work experience, academic profile, essays, interviews, and LORs also play a role in the admissions decision.
A 760 GMAT score will certainly be a strong asset in your application and increase your chances of admission but not the sole criterion.
Let me share my brother's experience that will make you understand better. He had the opportunity to attend ISB’s admission conference where he learned that the highest GMAT score was 760–780. He asked one of the faculty members the exact score that would guarantee a seat at ISB Hyderabad. He said that a score equal to their highest would guarantee it.
Surprisingly enough, my brother was able to score 760 and was called for an interview but failed to get admission. He went through the profiles of accepted candidates and realized the panelists preferred students with international experience.
So, it can be concluded that ISB never evaluates its candidates on the basis of just one parameter but a mix of them. You are expected to have a strong overall profile, a good academic record, relevant work experience, and a compelling story to tell in your essays and interviews.
Why should I do an MBA from ISB?
The simple answer to your question as to why you should do an MBA from ISB is because it is one of the top Indian B Schools that has made its place in globally-acknowledged QS Rankings. It achieved this rank for its 1 year MBA program and surpassed top B Schools like IIM Calcutta.
ISB Hyderabad MBA program has its own benefits and helps in uplifting your career tremendously. Given below are some major perks of pursuing an MBA from ISB
- It helps you progress better than your peers and acquire the topmost position at your firm
- It helps broaden your professional network as you interact with professionals from IITs, NITs, and lawyers.
- The rigorous schedule and campus life offer a plethora of challenges and prepare you for the toughest situations
- The hostels are not only well-built but have a relaxed ambiance. There is a level of freedom that is often lacking in the case of IIT and other institutes
- You get to associate yourself with widely famous industry experts who were once students in the same college
- The Real Capstone Projects’ at ISB facilitates industry-oriented learning and help you learn the basic know-how
- If you have less time on hand and want to achieve maximum results in a short period of time this 1 year MBA program is perfect for you.
ISB Hyderabad is literally an alternative to Stanford University and a very good choice for someone who wants great results within a year.
What is the ideal GMAT score that I should aim for to get into ISB Hyderabad?
As per the 2021 admission trends, ISB Hyderabad GMAT cutoff was in the range of 580-780. Last few years’ selection trends indicate that having a GMAT score of around 710 should get you an interview call from ISB. However, having a score above 730 increases your chance of getting an admission letter remarkably.
How is ISB Hyderabad?
ISB Hyderabad is one leading B Schools in the country and It was ranked number one in India and 44 globally in the top 100 Financial Times (FT) Executive MBA 2022 ranking.
The PGP program is the only full-time program at ISB Hyderabad and requires a work experience of a minimum of 2 years. ISB has 2 campuses namely Hyderabad and Mohali. You aren’t allotted any specific campus but get to experience campus life at both in a balanced manner. Even the placements are neutral and are held in one place only.
A major highlight of ISB is its Career Advancement Services Department which aims at attracting the best roles on campus. It brings in top firms like
- MS
- FB
- MBB
- ATK-Deloitte-PWC-E
- Amazon
- Accenture
Another major highlight is the visiting faculty that comes from world-class universities like Wharton, Kellogg, and Duke. These comprise 50% of the total faculty on campus and raise the standard of education at ISB through excellent pedagogy. Almost every faculty member is a Ph.D. holder and is required to publish a given number in international journals, regularly.
Compare these areas with other B Schools and then make your decision.
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.
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