ISB

Wow .. I have read almost every famous - and some not so famous - blogs about getting into the ISB, life @ ISB, placements @ ISB, partying at ISB and what not. I finally get to write about my ADMIT to the school of my dreams - But why ISB? WHY .. ISB? Why is it the school of dreams for so many of us? If you have read quite a few blogs about the journey to the ISB you will realise the passion with which an admit to the ISB is pursued. Years are spent introspecting and finding the right answer for "Why MBA" , "What after MBA" and so on. Some people have their AHA! moment during the interview and yet get rejected - who gets into the ISB ? Why does a person gets accepted ? I believe the answer to this is simple - How badly do you want to get into the ISB .
Think about it - do not create that negative to this theory saying "If this is what gets someone an admit then I would have got it last year". I am sure if you look at how much effort you put in regarding reading about ISB, improving your "profile" etc - you will realise that you wanted ISB and you worked towards it. And that is why you know this blog exists.
My journey -I was just sitting at the Browsing Center in RVCE and looking for arbit MBA crap. I first came across the ISB when I read Nitin Pulyani's blog :). I was like - "yeh kaun si college hai" ? Then I went on to their website and started exploring the school - they had those navigable images and I explored what I now know is the LRC. I read about the campus , saw the pictures - and fell in love. I went on to read about the admission requirements and fees. Two heartbreaks - 1 - 13 lac as fees. 2 - minimum 2 years of work ex preferred. (I graduated in 2006) Hmmm.. :( So I lay low for the first year at work - realising that 2 years of work ex is essential for any good B-school. I worked hard and got the Best New College Grad award. When I told Dad about this award this is what I said " Aaj Applied Materials ne mujhe ISB mein admission de diya". I had no college achievements - a meagre 71%. So this was my big ticket to ISB - and that is why this award meant so much. I have lost the trophy - but I have the certificate :).
Then I took the GMAT - 3rd October - 670 with a week's preparation. Nah not good enough and I knew it. 2nd attempt - 6th November--- 740!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh I am so going to the ISB!
But it was not to be - I grossly underestimated the quality of applications at ISB. Interview bhi nahi kiya :(
Then came June 1st 2008 - midnight. I opened the website in the middle of a bachelor party at my house and saw the application for 2009-10 was up. Well that was the end of all the drinking for that night :) By morning I had written the Zumba essay!! Life went on and I could only submit my APP on 14th September - waited and waited and waited.

I was sitting with my boss - yeah - and decided to F5 my Inbox on GPRS.
"ISB Admission Offer" -> BLURRRRR -> 7 long seconds to open the mail -- 3 reads of the admission offer -- -- a couple of calls trying to control my emotions -- and moving around for an hour like I had a hangar in my mouth later --- it started to sink in. I am going to the ISB. The place of dreams.


Oh yes about the shortcut to ISB!
Well once you get to the interview stage..
What do Menon and Hema and the alums look for? Is it destiny - nah. I believe that once a person is shortlisted they look for a) Achievements at work b) Opinions about world events and stuff in general c) Family background d) Ability to take heat
Obviously this is true for younger applicants.