How to Answer the “Why ISB” Question in Your MBA Application and Interview

If you’re on this blog post, I assume that you’re either starting on your MBA applications for the first time, or you’re tired of the generic answers flung across the internet by admissions consultants and even the ISB Advantage page itself!

The MBA admissions panel doesn’t need to know that ISB has world-class branding, and a diverse cohort. They’re the ones running the place!

What you’re looking for is a unique answer to the question that actually adds to the impact of your application and convinces the reader that you’ve given some actual thought to why ISB helps your personal life and your career.

Understand What You Need From an MBA

The obvious, and lazy, answer is job, money and status. Though that’s the truth, the MBA admissions panel wants you to dig deeper into the what, how much and how of this.

• What job?
• How much money?
• What does status mean to you?
• Where do you want to live?
• What kind of experiences do you want to . . .ummm. . .experience?
• Whom do you want to meet?
• What do the people in your life want from the MBA?
• What does your job looks like?

Write a short paragraph using these answers. I call this the “demands” paragraph.

I don't want to pay for an expensive college in the US where jobs are not guaranteed because colleges don't have placements. I need an internship because I have zero analytics experience. I have no idea what I actually want to do after the MBA, so I'll try for consulting. The job market is unpredictable and I want to finish my MBA fast. I like studying, and I didn't have the chance to explore a bunch of different subjects during engineering. So I want the freedom to choose random electives and try them out. 

Here’s what this might look like for a senior banker with 6 years of experience.

I've stagnated in my career at the bank. It pays me well, it's stable, and I get a hike every year on schedule. But lately, the promotions have halted. They're hiring laterally. The people they hire are MBAs or have a huge network which they can lean on to get things done. I need a way to gain contacts and get a gatepass into the big leagues. I want to shore up my knowledge of finance because it's been a minute and a half since I started banking. I focused so much on the organizational and sales aspects that I've fallen behind on regulation and policy. I have a 3-year-old son and a wife who works from home. I don't want to be separated from them for a whole year. On-campus accommodation would help a lot.

Researching MBAs That Can Meet Your Demands

Now that you known what your demands are, go through online resources that might tell you how the ISB MBA meets your demands, wholly or partially. Let’s take myself and the demands I laid out for myself.

1. ISB is based out of India; I get to study out of Hyderabad or Mohali if I get in.
2. Placements are almost guaranteed. The 2023 placement report shows that 99.4% of students graduated with a job.
3. Almost a quarter of the batch gets placed in consulting so the campus places a focus on consulting recruiters. A further 20% gets placed in general management, strategy and sales roles. I don’t mind getting placed in the latter if the former doesn’t materialize. GM roles will be different from consulting but I can always try to get in as a lateral hire in a consulting company after working in GM for some time.
4. 301 out of 873 students have less than 3 years of experience. It’s perfect since I won’t feel like a kid among adults, or feel like I’m studying exclusively with people who are as clueless as me.
5. ISB has a business analytics and consulting club. I can ask for (maybe even help organize) workshops that get me up to speed on the important tools and skills in analytics.
6. ISB has lots of companies providing ELPs and case study competitions. I can put these on my LinkedIn profile and resume, maybe even get a pre-placement offer if someone notices me.
7. ISB has a “strategy” specialization which doesn’t need me to pursue all subjects in the same domain. I can freely take up electives that interest me instead of being stuck with subjects I don’t like.

Answering the Question Using Your Research

Simply put together what you’ve demanded with what you’ve researched in a “Demand – Answer” format. Here’s an example of what that looks like.

ISB offers a unique combination of structure, opportunity, and flexibility that aligns closely with both my short-term and long-term goals.

Firstly, ISB’s strong placement record is reassuring—99.4% of the Class of 2023 graduated with job offers, reflecting the school's deep industry connections and strong recruiter relationships. I’m particularly drawn to ISB’s emphasis on consulting and general management roles: nearly a quarter of the batch gets placed in consulting, and another 20% moves into strategy, sales, or general management positions. I see this as a win-win. While I hope to break into consulting post-MBA, I’m equally open to starting in a GM role and pivoting into consulting later through lateral hiring.

The class profile is also ideal for someone like me. With 301 out of 873 students having under three years of experience, I feel confident that I’ll be surrounded by a diverse group of peers—some with slightly more experience, some with slightly less—but none so far ahead that I feel left behind, or so new that the learning suffers.

ISB’s student-run Business Analytics and Consulting Club is another draw. I’m keen on not just attending but actively contributing to workshops that strengthen analytics fundamentals—tools like Excel, SQL, Power BI, and more advanced techniques. I’d also love to take part in the Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) and case competitions, which will give me real-world exposure and a chance to differentiate myself in the eyes of potential recruiters.

Finally, ISB’s flexible curriculum allows me to tailor my learning through the Strategy specialization, which doesn’t lock me into a rigid set of electives. I can explore courses across domains and build a toolkit that’s relevant to both consulting and strategic management, without being confined to one track.

In short, ISB is not just a great fit—it’s the right platform for me to build the skills, network, and career foundation I need.

Parting Thoughts as an Admissions Consultant and Alum of ISB

Be original. Be human.

This is all I ask of the candidates whose essays pop up on my screen during admissions interviews.

The world is getting more and more specialized. There’s a huge need to be specific about your goals and your ideas in every networking interaction and business meeting.

I don’t need or want you to give me a generic answer ripped off internet search results or ChatGPT.

I want you to give me a logical and GENUINE reason why you want to get into ISB.

Even if that reason is as simple as “ISB is the only place I can bring my family into a home-like environment, rather than a hostel. IIM’s are great, but I won’t have peace of mind without my family for one year. And that will destroy my focus.”