ESSAYLEVER
Indian School of Business (ISB)
2006 Application Essays - Tips and Suggestions
Click here for tips and suggestions for this year's essays
1. Evaluate your application and provide a critical assessment of it. Outline factors that might differentiate you from others from a similar background. (500 words)
First part of the question would require you to first understand the important criteria for admission. Everything that admissions committees assess fall into these three categories:
- Academic ability which is assessed through your past academic background and GMAT score.
- Clarity of career goals and how an MBA will help you achieve them
- Demonstrated effectiveness in management roles: factors like leadership, teamwork, interpersonal and communication skills; ability to take initiative and make a difference.
An ideal response to first part of the essay would provide an assessment on the three categories mentioned above. You need to address your academic grades and GMAT score only if you believe that they do not project your academic ability appropriately. You would need to address your career goals, if you believe that your past professional background does not project your suitability to take on your future career roles. You would also need to address specific skills and abilities which you feel have not been addressed well through other essays. Since there are specific essay questions on leadership and teamwork, you may not need to address these skills in this essay. You may however address other skills which you consider to be important in pursuit of your career goals.
To build a good response to part 2 of the essay, you must first understand that ISB like all other business schools prefers to build a class of students with diverse backgrounds so that students can learn from the backgrounds and special abilities of each other during the one year that they spend together. To address part 2 of the question, you must write about your special skills, abilities and experiences, which you believe other applicants with backgrounds similar to yours are not likely to possess. Compare yourself with your colleagues at work. In what ways do you believe you are different from them? You may have graduated from IIT and worked in the IT industry for four years. There would be several others like you applying to ISB. Say, the school has 10 other similar applications and they plan to select only two, why should they select you?
This essay is the place to project your skills and attitudes. The initiatives you have taken, your values and special abilities like interpersonal skills and presentation skills. Write about your attributes that you haven't been able to write about in the other essays. Let this be the last essay you write.
This is also the place to project your out-of-work involvements in which you have contributed significantly. About your special interests on which you spend a considerable amount of time, hobbies you are exceptionally good at and have gained a lot from.
This essay is the place to show that you have a life outside of work, can balance work and personal interests without letting work pressures bog you down.
Click here for tips and suggestions for this year's essays
Writing suggestions for other 2006 ISB Essays1, 2a, 3a, others.
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