I got thru ISB-PGP. Now what?

Congratulations on your admit to ISB!

ISB admits are fully aware that ISB is going to be an intensely academically competitive environment. This is especially true for the core terms (approximately first 6 months of ISB-PGP academic year). What makes matters even more challenging is that each term in ISB is just bout 5-weeks long and so, one just does not have sufficient time to warm up to a subject and start building competency from scratch.

Generally the results for PGP-R2 candidates come by mid-February. Since ISB’s PGP academic session typically starts in mid-April, R2-admits get typically around 2 month of time before the starting of the session at ISB; R1-admits get a longer time. ISB Admits are looking to best utilize this time before the formal ISB academic rigor commences.

Consequently, as the euphoria of ISB-PGP admit subsides, a question that ISB admits often have, is: in the days and weeks before the start of the session at ISB, can I do some pre-preparation, so that I am better prepared to go through the academic rigor of ISB?

This is the question that this blog post answers. We would address this question based upon the specific academic competency that you have, prior to ISB. In order to not make it exceedingly complex, we divide the ISB Admits into two broad buckets:

  • Candidates from science background and
  • Candidates from non-science background

Candidates from science backgrounds would typically be candidates from pure Sciences, Engineering, and Medical backgrounds. On the other hand, candidates from non-science background would typically include people from Commerce, Arts, Marketing, and Finance.

Candidates from Science background

For candidates from science background, ISB’s first term often presents significant academic challenges, due to this one subject: Financial Accounting. When they join ISB, most students from Science background are not even aware of the difference between a “Cash flow statement”, an “Income statement”, and a “Balance sheet”. However, when these student join ISB, they have to compete with fellow-students, many of whom are from Commerce background (including Chartered Accountants), who have been living and breathing Financial statements for at least past 5-6 years of their lives! Unfair advantage.

Suggestion for candidates from Science background

We suggest that once you do get an admit to ISB, the best way to utilize the time that you have before joining ISB, would be to take some serious academic coursework in Accounts. This coursework should specifically address GAAP (Generally accepted Accounting Practices), Financial statements (including cash-flow statement, balance-sheet and income statement), how entries flow from one financial statement to another, and how reconciliation happens. Now a days, numerous online resources and platforms are available, to help build your knowledge from scratch in this subject.

Candidates from non-Science background

For people who are from non-science background but are at least well-aware of financial statements, the best way to utilize their time before joining ISB would be to pick up concepts in Statistics. Statistics is the one of the four subjects in the first term at ISB. Students who have not had any serious acquaintance with Mathematics after class 12 or students who last studied Mathematics In class 10, typically struggle with Statistics. Do note that in PGP, Statistics is not just limited to concepts like Standard Deviation, Mean, Median, and Mode. Statistics in a MBA program would cover topics such as Regression Analysis, Confidence intervals, T-distribution, and normal distributions.

Suggestion for candidates from non-Science background

So, we would advise that you take up a course in Statistics that would address these advance topics in Statistics. This would ensure that you do not get overwhelmed, when formal Academics at ISB commence.

All the best and congratulations again on your admit to ISB. You have a one-year transformational experience awaiting you.

The all new GMAT Focus Edition

ISB aspirants applying to PGP, require a valid GMAT or GRE score. In March 2023, GMAC, the organization that conducts GMAT, announced sweeping changes to the existing structure of GMAT. These are the most prolific changes that GMAC has implemented, in the 70+ years of GMAT’s history. GMAC calls this new GMAT, the GMAT Focus Edition.

At a total of 135 minutes, this will be a version that will be considerably shorter (almost 1 hour shorter) than the older version of GMAT.

Structure of the new GMAT Focus Edition

Following would be the structure of GMAT, going forward:

What has changed

  • Three 45-minute sections, no essay (AWA) and no Sentence Correction
  • Geometry no longer appears as a topic in Quant
  • Question Review & Edit, Select Section Order, and improved score sending options
  • Detailed performance insights through Official Score Report
  • Ability to send GMAT scores to 5 schools for free, after you know your score (and not before) !

What has not changed

  • GMAT continues to be question adaptive
  • Students can appear in the exam either at the center or online (at home)
  • The contents that students are tested on, largely continue to be similar to the old GMAT (except for Sentence Correction and Analytical writing assessment)

Scoring on the GMAT Focus Edition

Each of the 3 sections on the GMAT Focus Edition is scored on a scale of 60-90 in 1-point increments, and the final GMAT Score is on a scale of 205-805, in 10-point increments. Note that in the older format, GMAT score was on a scale of 200-800, in 10-point increments.

Young Leaders Program (YLP)

About YLP

The Young Leaders Program (YLP) is a flagship program offered by the Indian School of Business (ISB) that is designed for undergraduate students in their pre-final or final year of study. The program aims to identify and nurture young talent and prepare them for leadership roles in the business world.

Eligibility criterion

1) A current college student
2) In the pre-final or final year
3) Have no full-time work experience

Program in detail

The YLP program is a three-stage program that spans over five years. The first stage of the program involves the selection process, which includes an online application, an aptitude test, and a personal interview. The selected candidates are then offered a provisional admission to the ISB’s flagship Post Graduate Program in Management (PGP) upon completion of their undergraduate degree.

Source: www.ISB.edu

The second stage of the program involves the pre-PGP phase, which is a one-year program that includes a summer school at the ISB campus, a leadership assessment center, and a mentorship program. The pre-PGP phase aims to provide students with exposure to business concepts, leadership skills, and real-world business challenges.

The third stage of the program involves the PGP phase, which is a one-year, full-time program at the ISB campus. The PGP curriculum is designed to provide students with a broad-based education in all areas of business, including finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and leadership, among others. The program also includes electives that students can choose based on their interests and career goals.

One of the unique features of the YLP program is the mentorship program, where students are assigned a mentor from the ISB’s alumni network. The mentorship program provides students with guidance and support throughout the program and helps them develop their leadership skills.

The faculty for the YLP program comprises experienced practitioners and academics who bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience into the classroom. The program also offers personalized career services to help students enhance their career prospects.

Overall, the YLP program at ISB is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who are looking to enhance their management knowledge and skills and take their career to the next level. The program’s three-stage structure, mentorship program, and personalized career services make it an attractive option for young talent from around the world.

Post Graduate Programme (PGP)

About PGP

The Post Graduate Program in Management (PGP) is the flagship program of the Indian School of Business (ISB). It is a one-year, full-time program designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the business world.

Eligibility criterion

1) Bachelors or equivalent degree
2) Valid GMAT / GRE score
3) Min 24 months of full-time work experience

Program in detail

The PGP program is structured as a modular format, with classes held on campus for four weeks every quarter, allowing students to immerse themselves in the learning experience while also providing them with time to engage in extracurricular activities and network with their peers.

The curriculum of the PGP program is designed to provide students with a broad-based education in all areas of business, including finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and leadership, among others. The program also includes electives that students can choose based on their interests and career goals.

One of the unique features of the PGP program is the international immersion module, where students get an opportunity to study at a partner business school abroad for one term. This provides students with a global perspective on business and an opportunity to network with international students.

The faculty for the PGP program comprises experienced practitioners and academics who bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience into the classroom. The program also offers personalized career services to help students enhance their career prospects.

Overall, the PGP program at ISB is an excellent choice for students who are looking to enhance their management knowledge and skills and take their career to the next level. The program’s flexible schedule, international immersion module, and personalized career services make it an attractive option for students from around the world.

PGP MFAB

About MFAB

The Indian School of Business (ISB) offers a unique program called the Master of Family Business Administration (MFAB), which is designed for family business owners and next-generation leaders who want to manage their family businesses effectively.

Eligibility criterion

Following are recommended:

1) Bachelors’ degree or an equivalent qualification (like CA, etc.) Applicants should have completed the bachelor’s degree at the time of submitting the application.
2) No mandatory work experience is required for admission. However, the ISB strongly feels that experience of 2-3 years will add a lot of value
3) Should be a member of family business intending to carry it forward.

Program in detail

The MFAB program is a one-year, full-time program that covers a wide range of topics, including finance, marketing, strategy, and family business governance. The curriculum is designed to provide participants with a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that come with managing family businesses.

The program is structured as a modular format, with classes held on campus for two weeks every quarter, allowing participants to balance their work and personal commitments while pursuing the program. The program also includes several industry engagement sessions, where participants get to interact with industry leaders and experts to gain insights into emerging trends and best practices.

One of the unique features of the MFAB program is the family business immersion module, where participants get an opportunity to work on live consulting projects with family businesses in India. This provides participants with hands-on experience and helps them understand the practical challenges of managing family businesses.

The faculty for the MFAB program comprises experienced practitioners and academics who bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience into the classroom. The program also offers personalized career services to help participants enhance their career prospects.

Overall, the MFAB program at ISB is an excellent choice for family business owners and next-generation leaders who are looking to enhance their management knowledge and skills and take their family businesses to the next level. The program’s unique curriculum, family business immersion module, and personalized career services make it an attractive option for family business leaders from around the world.

PGPpro

About PGPpro

The Post Graduate Program in Management for Working Professionals (PGPpro) is a part-time Executive MBA program offered by the Indian School of Business (ISB). It is designed specifically for experienced working professionals who have a minimum of five years of work experience.

Eligibility criterion

Working professionals and Entrepreneurs with 5+ yrs work experience

Program in detail

PGPpro is a Weekend Executive MBA equivalent programme delivered at four locations: Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru. The program is structured as a modular format, with classes held on campus for four days every month, allowing participants to balance their work and personal commitments while pursuing the program. The duration of the program is 16 months, with the first 12 months dedicated to core courses, and the final four months dedicated to a capstone project.

The curriculum of the PGPpro program is designed to equip participants with advanced management knowledge and skills needed to navigate the challenges of the business world. The program covers a wide range of topics, including finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and leadership, among others. The program also includes electives that participants can choose based on their interests and career goals.

One of the unique features of the PGPpro program is the experiential learning component, where participants get an opportunity to work on live consulting projects with industry partners. Additionally, the program also includes several industry engagement sessions, where participants get to interact with industry leaders and experts to gain insights into emerging trends and best practices.

The faculty for the PGPpro program comprises experienced practitioners and academics who bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience into the classroom. The program also offers personalized career services to help participants enhance their career prospects.

Overall, the PGPpro program at ISB is an excellent choice for working professionals who are looking to enhance their management knowledge and skills and take their career to the next level. The program’s flexible schedule, experiential learning component, and personalized career services make it an attractive option for working professionals from around the world.

PGPMAX

About PGPMAX

The Post Graduate Programme in Management for Senior Executives (PGPMAX) is a part-time Executive MBA program offered by the Indian School of Business (ISB) specifically designed for senior executives with over 10 years of work experience.

Eligibility criterion

Senior Executives with 10 – 25 years of experience

Program in detail

The program is structured as a modular format, with classes held on campus for four weeks every quarter, allowing participants to balance their work and personal commitments while pursuing the program. The duration of the program is 15 months, with the first 12 months dedicated to core courses, and the final three months dedicated to a capstone project.

The curriculum of the PGPmax program is designed to equip senior executives with advanced management knowledge and skills needed to lead complex organizations in a rapidly changing business environment. The program covers a wide range of topics, including finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and leadership, among others.

One of the unique features of the PGPmax program is the global immersion module, where participants get an opportunity to study at a partner business school abroad for one week. Additionally, the program also includes several industry engagement sessions, where participants get to interact with industry leaders and experts to gain insights into emerging trends and best practices.

The faculty for the PGPmax program comprises experienced practitioners and academics who bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience into the classroom. The program also offers personalized career services to help participants enhance their career prospects.

Overall, the PGPmax program at ISB is an excellent choice for senior executives who are looking to enhance their management knowledge and skills and take their career to the next level. The program’s flexible schedule, global immersion module, and personalized career services make it an attractive option for senior executives from around the world.

Indian School of Business (ISB)

About ISB

The Indian School of Business (ISB) is a premier business school located in Hyderabad, India. It was established in 2001 with the vision of creating a world-class business school in India. Since its inception, the school has become one of the top business schools in Asia and has consistently been ranked among the top 30 business schools globally by the Financial Times.

Programs offered at ISB

ISB offers several postgraduate programs in management, including a one-year full-time Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP), a one-year Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP), and a part-time Post Graduate Programme in Management for Senior Executives (PGPMAX). The school also offers a weekend Executive Education programme for working professionals.

School, in detail

One of the unique features of ISB is its curriculum, which is designed to be rigorous and relevant to the business world. The faculty comprises experienced practitioners and academics who bring real-world insights into the classroom. Additionally, ISB has a strong focus on research and has established several research centers that focus on topics such as entrepreneurship, public policy, and healthcare management.

ISB has a diverse student community, with students from over 30 countries studying at the school. The school has also developed strong ties with top business schools globally, including the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and London Business School.

Overall, ISB is an excellent choice for students who want to pursue a career in business management in India or globally. Its strong academic programs, experienced faculty, and diverse student community make it an attractive option for students from around the world.