Summary of "ISB PGP Essay Analysis 2025 26"

Summary of "ISB PGP Essay Analysis 2025-26"

This video provides a detailed analysis and guidance on how to approach the three essay prompts for the Indian School of Business (ISB) Post Graduate Programme (PGP) application for the 2025-26 admission cycle (Class of 2027). The speaker emphasizes the importance of authenticity and individuality in Essay Writing, discouraging rigid templates.

Main Ideas and Guidance for Each Essay

General Advice:

Each candidate’s story is unique; avoid forcing your narrative into a fixed template.
Essays should reflect your personal experiences and genuine perspectives.
Focus on introspection and storytelling rather than generic or impersonal answers.

Essay 1: Leadership and Unique Experiences (400 words)

Prompt: What unique experiences have shaped who you are? What have these experiences taught you about Leadership and the kind of leader you aspire to be?

Key Suggestions:

Begin by introducing yourself to “break the ice” with the evaluator.
Narrate significant life influences shaping your personality (e.g., frequent relocations, business family background, boarding school, military/NCC experience, eldest sibling responsibilities).
Leadership experiences can be:
- Personal Leadership: Informal or formal Leadership roles (leading a college project, sports team captaincy, organizing events).
- Observed Leadership: Instances where you witnessed inspiring Leadership (a compassionate teacher, an enthusiastic friend, an empathetic supervisor).
Leadership is not just formal authority but the ability to influence others.
Avoid naming famous leaders like Bill Gates or Steve Jobs as your Leadership role models, as this may seem impersonal.

Essay 2: Intellectual Experiences and Motivation for MBA (400 words)

Prompt: What intellectual experiences have influenced your approach to learning and led you to pursue an MBA? Use personal anecdotes.

Key Suggestions:

Address the essay as a motivation statement covering three parts:
- Past: Your academic and professional background.
- Future: Your career aspirations and goals.
- Present: How an MBA fits into your journey and helps overcome current barriers.
Explain why MBA is essential for achieving your goals.
Use anecdotes to illustrate your learning approach and intellectual growth.

Essay 3: Contribution to Peer Learning (Optional, 250 words)

Prompt: Share any intellectual pursuits, unique perspectives, or experiences that shaped your worldview, your growth, and how they could contribute to the ISB learning community.

Key Suggestions:

Although optional, treat this essay as mandatory due to ISB’s emphasis on Peer Learning.
Highlight how your personal, academic, and professional experiences will enrich Peer Learning at ISB.
Examples of contributions:
- Bringing real-life insights from your domain (marketing, finance, operations, etc.) to classroom discussions.
- Taking Leadership roles in student clubs or initiatives.
- Sharing unique personal backgrounds, extracurriculars, or hobbies that add to the vibrant ISB community.
Emphasize the importance of learning beyond academics through peer interactions.

Summary of Methodology for Essay Writing

Be authentic: Reflect your unique story and avoid generic templates.
Introspect: Identify personal experiences that shaped your personality and Leadership style.
Use anecdotes: Concrete examples make your essays vivid and credible.
Focus on impact: Show how your experiences influenced your Leadership and learning.
Connect past, present, and future: Especially for the motivation essay, clearly link your journey and how MBA fits.
Highlight contribution: Demonstrate how you will add value to the ISB community through Peer Learning.