To make a choice from any of the colleges, you must judge practically by calculating the net benefit for each school. This is because all the intangible aspects like brand value, networking opportunity, learning, etc will definitely manifest in the expected earning potential after the completion of your MBA.
Firstly, calculate your present earning potential by adding your ‘Current salary’ and expected increase and what is the maximum you can earn in this field (also, how many years it will take?) - Say you can reach up to X in 10 years and then it’s more or less constant.
Now, Calculate the investment for each college -
Cost / Investment = Fees + Stay + exchange program + opportunity cost (current salary * number of months)
ROI after MBA= Expected Salary ranges in the industry you want to work in. What is the maximum earning potential you can reach?
It should be more than X or if it's X in fewer years than your current state, which shows that your investment in that college will be worth it in the future. This way will definitely help you invest in the right place.
Once you graduate from an institute, affiliations won’t matter. So, it would be wise to compare IIM A and ISB based on different parameters. Some of which are mentioned below.
Deciding Factors:
Given below is a brief comparison of the institutes.
Parameters |
IIM Ahmedabad |
ISB Hyderabad |
Placement Rate |
100% |
100% |
Average Tuition Fee (INR) |
21 |
35.98 |
Average Salary (INR) |
22-25 LPA |
21 LPA |
Highest Salary (INR) |
55 LPA |
48 LPA |
Do your own research and compare the two institutes based on the parameters given. This way, you can get a decent evaluation of the institutes.
The syllabus at ISB Hyderabad for the PGP program is designed in such a way that it inculcates a wide variety of courses such as micro economics, macro-economic, financial accounting, statistics, operations management, competitive strategy, corporate finance, managerial accounting to name a few.
Term 4 is a crossover term- a nice blend of the core courses and elective courses chosen by the student. You can also check the entire list of elective courses on their website which is regularly updated. Term 5 to 8 will have the elective courses selected before the term commenced.
As you move to other electives, you can choose subjects like consumer behavior, transactional analysis and modeling, digital strategies, entrepreneurship, and also a few fun subjects such as filmmaking, happiness and creativity and leadership.
There are a total of 32 programs which are included in this module of ISB Hyderabad for PGP program. This is a 100% research oriented curriculum taken care of by all the top eminent faculty from across the globe. The list of subjects slightly keep changing from one year to the next and for more details, do visit their official website.
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
ISB Hyderabad is literally an alternative to Stanford University and a very good choice for someone who wants great results within a year.
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
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.
People with bachelor's degrees or equivalent qualifications can apply for ISB Hyderabad. You will also need a valid GMAT/GRE score. ISB Hyderabad cutoff for GMAT is 600, and for GRE is 311.
You don’t need work experience to be eligible for the course. But having relevant experience of 2 years will certainly help your application.
One of my friends is an alumnus of ISB Hyderabad from the class of 2010. Before MBA, he had four years of experience in a law firm and credit rating agency. Academically he had pursued LLB after being a B.Com graduate. His GMAT score was 740.
He was called for an interview at the Taj Land's End Mumbai. There were two interviewers in the panel among whom one was an alumnus of the institute.
Here are few questions asked to him during his admission interview:
Overall, the experience was amazing. It was a cordial discussion with a relaxed atmosphere. He was put at ease throughout unlike what people generally expect.
The straight answer is no, you can’t. Also, there is no cutoff system, it all depends on which field you belong to. For example, average GMAT scores may be higher for Indian IT Male because of the competition but relatively less for say artists (Since the number of artists applying is lower).
However, you can check the proper admission procedure for various courses in ISB Hyderabad here.
For PGP:
Selection criteria- GRE/GMAT (TOEFL / IELTS / PTE score required only if the language of instruction at the undergraduate study level was not English)
Eligibility-
For PGPPro:
Selection Criteria- Application-based
Eligibility-
For PGPMAX:
Selection Criteria- Application-based
Eligibility-
For FPM:
Selection Criteria- GMAT / GRE / CAT / GATE / JRF ( TOEFL score report, for applicants whose language of instruction at the undergraduate level is not English )
Eligibility-
For EFPM:
Selection Criteria- Application-based
Eligibility-
For MFAB:
Selection Criteria-Business Aptitude Test (BAT)
Eligibility-
Although your scores and performance matter the most, ISB also judges you on the basis of Leadership potential, Diversity, and Academic Credentials.
If you are above the age of 30 and applying for a job or a graduate program, it is expected that you have a certain level of experience. To be successful in the interview process, it is important to demonstrate maturity and communicate effectively, highlighting the unique value that your experience brings to the table. Recruiters often look for candidates with experience and may be more likely to overlook younger applicants with less experience.
In the case of ISB, many companies that recruit on campus are looking for candidates with 5+ years of work experience. Therefore, if you are a 24-year-old with 2 years of work experience, you may face more competition for certain positions. It is important to research the types of companies and positions that you are interested in and to consider whether your experience aligns with the needs of those companies. This is known as "school research" and it is important to do it before applying.
In summary, when applying for a job or graduate program, it is important to have a clear understanding of the expectations of recruiters and the types of positions you are interested in. By doing research and understanding the needs of the companies and positions you are applying for, you can tailor your application and interview to align with those needs and increase your chances of success. Think logically and don't have expectations without a clear trail of thoughts.
I have no information about your profile and cannot define your exact chances of getting into ISB Hyderabad. The selection process includes aspects like
Since you have no work experience, aim for a higher GMAT score and add extracurricular skills to your profile to increase your chances of admission.