I've been a part of this forum for quite a while now and it has really helped me in my GMAT prep. I sent the preliminary application to the ISB YLP program in March 2015. And after 3 rounds of selection, I was eventually offered a seat in November. I've learned a lot in those six months. This was my first Business School application. For anybody who hasn't heard of the YLP program - it is similar to the Harvard 2+2 program. You're given an admit before you graduate from college (Final Year) and mentored over the course of 2 years through weekend workshops. After this period, you join the normal PGP class of ISB.
A little background about me...I am an undergraduate student at the Indian Institute Of Science with a below Average CGPA.
GMAT 720 Q48 V40
The YLP selection process has 3 rounds
Round 1 - Essays and Resume
Round 2 - GMAT score, few more essays and your recommendation later
Round 3 - Interview.
Round 1I think this round is only to screen out the serious applicants from the non-serious applicants. But that is exactly why you need to take this round seriously.
Essays are very important in business school applications, and you have to put in a lot of effort to convince them that you have what it takes.
I think internships are very important too, because it shows the business school that you have some kind of work experience and that you did something to work on what you are passionate about. If you claim in your essays that becoming an investment banker is your true passion, you need to show them that you have actually done something about that. You cant just say that you expect the B-school to make that lateral shift for you.... Well, you could. But it would not be as impressive. I had a few internships from companies in varying industries and I think it did help me a lot. It will also help you write better essays. If you're lucky, it might also help you with your recommendations.
A few things like the Business school's culture, work opportunities after graduating, companies that come to recruit, unique courses offered and the overall life in the Business school will not only help you write better essays, but will also help you make an educated choice among various schools. I had no clue what an investment banker actually does, what a consultant does or what the life in the business world is actually like. Had I applied, without knowing anything, I would have definitely not been accepted. But after the internships, my understanding was far better.
Forums like wsj and mim compass will really help you understand things better. I also talked to a lot of students from various MiM programs and the ISB PGP program. I requested the schools to put me in touch with one of their students.
Business schools always ask very specific questions. When I first started, I did not know what I exactly wanted to do. B-Schools understand that it's impossible to plan every minute detail. But they still want you to have a very specific plan. You could always change it, depending on your experiences. But you still need to have a plan. A specific one.
So you just need to understand your strengths and weaknesses and make a calculated decision about what you want to do pre-mba and post-mba. GMAC actually has a software for this
That should help you make a very compelling story!
Round 2Here's my GMAT debrief -
from-650-to-720-q48-v40-in-a-month-212186.htmlRecommendation : I got my recommendation from the CEO of a huge company I interned for. I think that helped me a lot! For the ISB YLP application, you just need 1 recommendation. So try to work hard and network with as many influential people as you can. If a very influential person can vouch for you, it's going to make a huge difference.
Round 3A lot of people assume the job's done when they get to the interview round. But a considerable proportion get rejected in the interview stage. So work just as hard as you would for your essays/GMAT. Talk to the alumni and students. Go through the website comprehensively and be personal in your answers.
My interview was very friendly! It was mostly based around my essays and resume. It was very casual. I've been working on my oration since childhood. So that probably helped too!
I'm retaking my GMAT and applying for MiM programs abroad now. But it feels great to have an admit already.