ISB Essays and Admissions Process 2020 – 2021



ISB essays play a very important role in the overall MBA application process to the Indian school of Business (ISB Hyderabad). Whether you are targetting the new ISB Mohali campus, the admissions process is the same. Admissions committee members from ISB use these essays to evaluate who you are and what you can bring to the class that’ll graduate in 2020.

However, before you start working on your ISB essays, take a step back to create a basic game-plan. Start off with a helicopter view and then drill down into specifics.

Give the Admissions Committee the assurance that you’ve done your homework before writing the essays, and you’ve got a headstart in making a good impression.

For starters, pick up a copy of Beyond the MBA Hype. It’s not about ISB, but it’ll give you a solid grounding on what (not) to expect from a MBA in India and abroad and get your expectations in check.

Once you’ve got an idea of how GMAT based MBA programs work, then move on to the ISB MBA admissions process.



ISB MBA blog posts

We’ve shared several ISB articles in the section below. Start off by reading them to learn more about what happens at ISB that doesn’t get discussed much – including applications, life at ISB (in the classroom and outside) and placements.

All about ISB Hyderabad MBA

How the ISB admission process works

ISB MBA admission with full scholarship

Life at ISB Mohali Campus: Orientation and Studies

ISB Mohali Campus Placements: The story before employment reports are published

How the consulting recruitment cycle works on campus at ISB

ISB Admissions Round 1 vs Round 2 deadlines (Tips from the official ISB Admissions Committee)

ISB Admission with scholarship in third attempt

ISB Hyderabad admission with low GMAT score of 610

International MBA program vs Indian MBA (read ISB Hyderabad)

ISB Hyderabad Placements: MBA jobs at the Indian School of Business

From GMAT score for ISB Hyderabad to interview: Bodhi’s success story

ISB Hyderabad Blues: Indian School of Business MBA admissions

Indian School of Business (ISB) – MBA Application Success Stories

ISB YLP Young Leaders Program

ISB Video Tips: Life to me is… | Unusual MBA Essays (Dropped this year)

ISB Hyderabad Reapplicant’s strategy



Get a free profile evaluation for ISB and free admissions advice on our ISB Hyderabad forum



ISB MBA deadlines and dates

The official site has a calendar that lists the details of ISB MBA deadlines and dates for Round 1 / Round 2. These typically fall in mid-October and mid-Jan.

Applying in the first round makes you eligible to win a full scholarships. If you miss it, don’t worry, you still have the chance to get merit and need based (partial) scholarships in Round 2 as well.

The admissions calendar is broken down into the last date to submit the ISB application, date by which the admissions team will announce the results and by when you are expected to accept the offer.

The page also explains the process if you do not hold an Indian passport.

Click here to see the admissions calendar: ISB site.



Tips to write ISB Essays

Irrespective of the number of essays and their wording that may change from year to year, ISB essay topics generally revolve around:

What you’ve done before the MBA (and why it’s important)

What you want to do after the MBA (and how ISB can help you get to your career goals)

Or to simply things even further:

Why should we select you when there are so many strong candidates falling over backwards to get into ISB?

Important: These aren’t real questions. For the precise topics in any year that you plan to apply in, check the ISB website rather than relying on external sites which often contain dated information.

While a lot of websites list ISB essays and tips to crack them, it’s best that you visit the official site to look at the overall application first.

How to write ISB essays

We’ll cover the general tips that would be helpful not just for ISB essays, but for other MBA applications as well (since the basic principles don’t change).

Don’t look at ISB essays in isolation and (incorrectly) assume that the tips and sample ISB essays shared on other sites will help you write your own application. For example, here’s an old one written by a software engineer in Bangalore that you can check out Too many applicants have fallen in the trap of using ISB essay templates downloaded as PDF or Word Documents from across the web and making minor tweaks to them. The admission officers at ISB are experts in reviewing applications and sniffing out the good original ones from those who’ve tried to take shortcuts. Spend time to understand ISB, not just from a procedural standpoint, but also from a cultural angle. This will convince you whether ISB fits well with your personality and aspirations (and vice versa). The ISB blogs we shared earlier should help you do that to some extent. Talk to current students and alumni, if you can. They’ll have a lot of information that we can’t possibly be compressed into small articles. Be honest in your approach. Think about your overall positioning strategy first. And then start writing your ISB essays keeping in mind that your storyline has to extend beyond essays to the other application pieces i.e. resume, recommendation and interviews.





Our ISB MBA Success Stories

You can surely manage the process independently, if you have stellar credentials (topnotch undergrad degree like IIT, solid GMAT of 750+, solid differentiation strategy, crystal clear goals after MBA) and are confident about the way forward.

However, for a crucial application like this, many take professional help from ISB application consultants in order to increase their chances of getting into elite MBA colleges like ISB.

We’ve helped tons of folks just like you get into ISB. Here’s what some had to say:

(take it with a pinch of salt though, since successful candidates have a tendency to go overboard with their praise):

“I’d like to thank you for the help and the guidance you have offered me through out the application process. I must tell you that the moment I read the essays after final editing I was so confident about the quality that an interview call, I thought, was guaranteed. I was genuinely pleased with the application I submitted and MBA Crystal Ball did play a big part in it. I think the essays also helped a lot in securing the final admit from ISB.”

“I found the services to be prompt and reliable. I exchanged more than 100 emails with MCB and each time he responded within 2 days. MCB is an expert at finding loopholes in the essays and have excellent suggestions to bring out the best in the essays. I could see a considerable difference between the first drafts and the final application. The team provides good insights about fine-tuning career goals and developing well rounded essays showcasing a holistic profile. Also, they will always keep you on your toes and send reminders if you happen to slack off. Not to mention that MCB maintains a totally ethical approach to admission consulting. They will not write your essays but they will make you work very hard on them and force you to do a lot of research. This approach is very helpful for interviews as I felt very confident because I had done my due diligence. Thanks a lot MCB for my ISB admit!.”

“I got my ISB admission offer yesterday and wanted to thank you guys for all the help during the application process. You are the true master of the ISB application, you not only helped make my essays crisp and effective but also helped me sail through the interview process. I would recommend you guys without any reservations to anyone.”

Read more testimonials on the MBA Crystal Ball reviews page.



How MBA Crystal Ball can help you get into the ISB MBA

The articles and ISB essay tips on this page should give you a head-start as far as the application strategy is concerned. The devil lies in the detail and the implementation. So the crucial part is to execute it well.

We’re considered among the top application consultants for ISB admissions

Check out our MBA MAP and MBA Essay Editing packages.

Take the first step in the right direction. Drop us an email: info [at] mbacrystalball [dot] com