Cracking ISB with a low GMAT score of 660

With 4 years of work experience and an engineering background, Daksh otherwise great profile seemed average as the MBA applicant pool had similar qualifications. In addition to that, his GMAT score of 660 was low in comparison to the average GMAT 709 score of ISB, his dream school.

But he was able to create an amazing result with us.

Daksh cracked ISB, one of India’s top business schools, with just a 660 GMAT score!

Daksh goals story

Daksh short-term goal was consulting. The problem was the “why MBA?” and “why this business school?” part of his goals story.

To connect his short-term goal to the school he was targeting, Daksh needed to mention the various skills that the MBA program and school culture could help him gain or hone, and how they would help him achieve his goal when combined with his existing skillset.

However, the skill-set that Daksh had mentioned was very narrow. This made the answer seem superficial and generic. Thus, we began by providing him an in-depth critical analysis of his goals story and the consulting encyclopedia, for research on the subject as a post-MBA function.

That helped him a lot as he was able to make a smooth transition in his goals story, from his past professional background into an MBA which would help him achieve his short-term goal and then eventually his long-term goal.

Daksh essay analysis

Applicants often get confused while providing details of incidents in their application essays. Every essay question requires a different approach to providing details. Some essays will ask you for a specific incident from your personal or professional life, while others might ask you about your general progression. Daksh had the same problem, and fortunately, it was fixed easily.

The main factor that Daksh needed to focus on was the things he had learned through the pre-MBA networking exercise. Things like, what electives, extra-curricular activities, projects, and programs at his target business schools would help him achieve his goals.

Daksh needed to write about how his target business school would turn him into an amazing consultant and how he would be an asset to his school and the workforce post-MBA.

You must remember the lesson that there is no I in Team. We’ve been brought up thinking that this humble approach of not taking all the credit and working as a team is the right way. however, while writing leadership essays, you need to take some credit. There is a thin line between sharing a leadership experience and being arrogant and Daksh was on the right side of that line. The problem was he was too far on the right side and kept talking about the teamwork that lead to success.

Now to navigate whether you’re positively taking due credit or being arrogant is not that difficult. Simply take credit for things that wouldn’t have been possible had you not been part of the equation.

Daksh created great essays post receiving such detailed feedback.

The proof is in the fact that even after having a somewhat low GMAT score of 660, Daksh received an admit to ISB, India’s top business school.