The most frequently asked essay question at ISB (and all other major B schools) is why you should be selected for the programme. Here, the admissions committee is looking to know you better. This is your chance to showcase who you are and what you bring to the class at ISB. Hence, make the most of this opportunity and keep in mind the following points:
- Focus more on the “How” than the “What”: While its important to mention your achievements (as mentioned in our previous article here), you must also ensure that you focus on how you went about achieving what you set out for.
- Bring out personality traits: ISB loves diversity and aims to have a diverse class each year. That diversity really goes a long way in maximizing your ISB experience as you share the classroom with doctors, CAs, army professionals, journalists, engineers as well as commerce graduates. However, more importantly, ISB is looking for YOU, the “real” YOU. They are looking to uncover the professional and find the personality lying beneath, who will really make the ISB experience worthwhile for not only herself but also for fellow classmates. Hence, make sure you mention about your leadership abilities, your entrepreneurial spirit, your determination, perseverance, passions etc. This will really help the ISB admissions committee understand you as a person which is very important to get that admission.
- Link it to the experience of the class: Merely mentioning about yourself will not present the complete picture to the admissions committee. To showcase the value you will add to the class, ensure that you link your personality traits / other unique points with the experience at ISB. Make sure you do your research, understand what the one year at ISB comprises and then relate various facets of life at ISB with your unique traits.
Overall, the ISB application is your ticket to the interview and can make or break the deal. As the most commonly asked question, the “why you” is a really important essay and deserves a lot of introspection and time. Ensure you give it its due and come up with a story that uncovers the “real” YOU.
