Life at SIBM Pune

After a year of grueling preparations, cracking the doorway examinations, and another three months of nervous anticipation, every incumbent batch enters the Hilltop campus at Lavale with an important heart and a bucketful of questions. For several of the scholars, it may be difficult staying far away from their hometown, while for others, it's yet one more adventure. “Seeing is believing” – they assert, before joining, one only imagines and speculates about what to expect, but experiencing it first hand may be a different ball game altogether. <center> Click here to get trained by IIMs, NMIMS, and SIBM Alumni! In SIBM, a typical day starts at 8 in the morning, when after grabbing a fast bite from the mess, we rush to the school rooms to attend our lectures. One gets to experience a varied opinion on the mess food from people on campus, so to satisfy the taste buds of the people with a penchant for pickiness in food, they need the posh of getting to Delhi Chat or Symbieats, to possess a meal of their liking. The lectures, on the opposite hand, are engaging yet tiring at an equivalent time. Post lectures, students re-energize themselves by pursuing their hobbies and interests. a number of us play sports like cricket, football, badminton, Ping-Pong, and basketball, while others may prefer spending their time singing and dancing. The Lavale hilltop heaven brings together as many as six different campuses under one umbrella, giving us the prospect to interact and ‘network’ with different people from diverse regions and cultures. Making lifelong friends along this exciting journey is what makes the MBA life in SIBM worthwhile. Apart from sports and other extracurricular activities, students also get an opportunity to participate in various b- school competitions. These competitions provide them with a chance to interact with industry professionals and alumni, preparing them for the company life ahead. B-school competitions are a drive-in for any top MBA college within the country, and SIBM being one among the absolute best allows its students the chance to participate within the topmost competitions. SIBM Pune also boasts of a student-driven culture, where they take hold to represent the school to the surface world. There are a complete 9 councils and 6 interest groups which give the scholars an opportunity to use their deciding and communication abilities in places where it matters the foremost. Juggling studies, competitions, and council work, then leaving a while for other recreation is what makes the scholars of SIBM corporate ready. It hones time management skills while teaching the importance of prioritizing the tasks at hand. It's this rigor through exposure that separates SIBM from most other b-schools within the country. Within the campus, another highlight for any student is the hostel life. Staying far away from home, but finding friends who you'll call family may be a truly remarkable experience. These are people that will laugh with you during your joyous days and share your burden during your tough times. you'll attend classes together, complete assignments, participate in competitions, play different sports, and even spend the occasional cold Pune night during a hostel room playing cards while taking note of some loud music. Talking about life at SIBM is incomplete without mentioning the weekend shenanigans. The weekends are when the campus is least populated because almost everyone goes bent exploring the town and eat something aside from mess food. There are multiple food joints within the city that magnetize students year-round. Albeit the 2 years travel by within the blink of an eye fixed, the memories we create will stay for a lifetime.

FORE School of Management PI Experiences

Note: This page will be updated regularly as and when we receive FORE PI Experiences directly from students and trusted sources

FORE PI Experience 1:

Profile: 87/93/58 CAT: 92.44 I don't have corporate work experience, but I've authored two books, am a TEDx Speaker, and Teach Life Skills at Bhoomaya Foundation. Have also been invited as a Speaker for Life Skills in various schools, colleges, and NGOs. 1. How was experience at Thapar University and why are your graduation marks so low? 2. Why do you want to do MBA? 3. What all did you do after graduating in 2018? 4. What all do you teach in Life Skills, with a follow up question. 5. Favourite subject in B.E...followed by one question on C programming. 6. Why not do online courses instead of spending so much money and time in MBA? CATKing GDPI Courses with SP Jain, NMIMS Alumni

Access our CET 2021 Course HERE Also Read: IMT WAT-PI Experiences Must Read: KJ Somaiya GD-PI Experiences

How to Write a Winning Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

Is grad school your next step? Have you chosen your dream-university? If the answer is yes, then congratulations, you’ve already made it halfway. The statement of purpose (SOP) is the heart of your application Now, all that’s left is for you to create a killer application that will guarantee you a place at your dream university. Most graduate universities perform a holistic review of an applicant. This means that apart from a test score cutoff to pass, there are a few more components. Other than standardized test scores like the GRE/GMAT, graduate schools ask for letters of recommendation, letters of intent, essays, and most often a statement of purpose. The statement of purpose is the heart of your application because it allows the admission committee to see who you really are and what your purpose behind applying to a program at their university is. While most students find this task overbearing and leave it for the end, it’s actually quite simple. You just have to break it down and start working on it, piece by piece. And we’re right here to help you figure out how to write a successful statement of purpose.

How to Write a Winning Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

SOPs are a test against word limits. Most universities require one with 500 to 1000 words. So, it might seem hard to answer all the things they ask and also describe your personality in such a short document. Try to be as concise, and clear as possible and highlight only the most important aspects of your life. Keep an eye on your grammar and sentence formation. A shabby SOP can give off the impression that you aren’t serious about your application. Also, make sure to format it well, check your margins, spacing and use a clear font to make it more readable. Now to the second part, what do you write for a winning SOP? These essays are a glimpse into your life for the admissions committee and a chance for you to directly speak to them. So, write your story like you’re talking to them in an interview. There are tons of sample statements of purposes for graduate schools online, and do you know what all of them have in common? The questions to be answered.

Tell me about yourself:

Universities are looking for promising individuals who will bring something other than just academic excellence to the table, and your job is to demonstrate that. Start with talking about yourself, your goals and why you want to go to that graduate school. Include their values and attributes that you resonate with.

Why did you choose this program:

In the next part, answer why you want to choose that particular program of study? Talk about your undergraduate degree, projects or work experience and justify their relevance to your chosen program. You can mention a professor whose work you found fascinating or a university project that relates to your work. Try to explain your interest in the field and if possible, describe how it all started. Stories are more interesting, but keep in mind the word limit.

How to Write a Winning Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

What do you intend to do with the degree:

The last and most important part is to show the committee that you did your research, by talking about the program you want to pursue. Tell them what you are expecting from their department and how it will be useful to you in your career. Remember, SOPs should talk more about the present and the future, and less about the past. Finally, end with a short summary that includes the most important points.

Pro Tips:

Use active voice and a positive tone throughout your SOP.
Use examples and experiences
Be selective with what you include in your SOP

Now, how do you write a statement of purpose for graduate school? There are three simple steps to this.

Content: The first step is to figure out what your most important points are, and what your statement of purpose format will be. Decide on a structure and stick to it. A well-followed format is to answer one of the personal questions discussed above in each part. You can also browse through some statement of purpose sample essays to get an idea of the structure that fits you.
First draft : Use the content you picked out and follow your chosen structure to create a long version of your statement of purpose. Call this your first draft, and it could be up to 1500 words. Write this in comfortable English and focus on putting across your content, you can polish it in the next step to sound more professional, so don’t worry about using fancy vocabulary or intricate sentences.
Edit and edit again: Now is the time to proofread and polish. Try to make your long first draft meet the word limit by shortening sentences and using appropriate vocabulary. You can scratch out any points that seem less important in your final draft. Also, do a thorough spelling and grammar check. And when you think you have the perfect SOP, read it again to find out what you missed. Or better yet, get someone else to read it and give you feedback.

At CATKing, we help you create the best SOPs according to your profile. Our experts provide unmatchable support in writing, editing and proofreading your statements so that you put your best work forward, and increase your chances of getting into your dream university. Check out the Article Below : Tips on Structured Statement of Purpose

International School of Business & Research (ISBR) GDPI Experiences

ISBR Business School (International School of Business & Research) is situated in Electronic City of Bangalore which is set up under the aegis of Bangalore Educational Trust in 1990. ISBR is listed among the Top Business Schools of the Country and approved by AICTE, Ministry of HRD Government of India. The primary motive of the institution is to prepare students for life and establishing them in a leader who is capable to influence the world with their passion and success. Students here are groomed for the Industry exposure with exceptional foundation and a wide variety of specialization in marketing, Finance, HR, IT, Systems, Banking, Insurance, Retail, Health Care Service, Telecom. The Alumni association at ISBR proves highly beneficial during final placements of Students. Below are some GDPI experiences from the existing Batch at ISBR

1. Jovita Devaraj (PGDM 2020-2022)

I was aspiring to pursue my PGDM, when I happen to come across ISBR Business School situated in Bangalore, which is one of the best B-Schools in the State. I was intrigued by their best courses offered by the Expert faculty and Industry Veterans, International Academic partnerships, focus on practical learning, Industry collaboration and exposure, and many other aspects. And I decided to try and be a part of this Institute. I applied for the admission process online and was guided by an admin staff on the various rounds and how to go about in the entire interview process. My interview was scheduled on the Campus itself. I had some prior GDPI experience, so I was not anxious, rather was relaxed for the entire process.

Also Read: Welingkar GDPI Experiences

I reached the Campus and I liked the Infrastructure, the great atmosphere, and also the smiling and welcoming faces of ISBR. This made me feel ready enough to face the Interview process with much confidence. All the students were seated in the Conference hall and we had a brief meeting with the Academic and Program Coordinators and were also introduced to all the courses that ISBR was offering. The staff was very kind and professional and the entire Induction was well coordinated. Post this, the Interview process began which had four rounds altogether, which were the Aptitude Test, Essay writing, Micro presentation, and PI. Since I had qualified for the first round with my CAT score, I was directly given an essay topic on “Is Technology a boon or a curse in the current era?” and I had to write about 500 words on it. And then when everyone was finished, we were sent for our presentation round one by one. It was a micro presentation that I had to present for about 10 minutes on the topic “Is Self-Confidence the key to Success?” My presentation went really well and the Professor too was impressed. After that, we had to wait till everyone else was finished. They moved on with the final PI round. I was sent to a different Conference room again where there was one panelist. I liked my PI experience since the Professor was friendly which helped me to ease into the situation. She spoke to me about me, how I channelize my strengths and weaknesses, my interests, hobbies, etc. I was able to confidently answer her and the constant smile on her face helped me to perform better. The overall experience was great and now waiting anxiously for the results was the hardest part. We were all seated in the Library when they started declaring the results to each of us in person. I was super thrilled and happy to know that I was selected when the Admission Coordinator declared my results. I was excited to embark upon a new journey with ISBR. Never did I regret once choosing this Institute for the next 2 years of my life and the journey has been nothing but amazing and fruitful so far. I am very glad to be here.

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2. Doel Bhattacharya (PGDM 2019-21)

I had a great experience while going through the GDPI process at ISBR. The best thing which I liked was warm welcome by the faculty heads and the process went on very smoothly. The process began with my general introduction which emphasized my objective, passion and zeal to pursue this course. The selection process was conducted in four rounds such as:

ISBR Internal Test comprises aptitude, verbal and logical reasoning
Essay writing
Micro presentation
PI

Also Read: ISME Mumbai GDPI Experiences

ISBR Internal test went on for an hour and I could score great in that test. Then 15 minutes were given to me for essay writing. The topic of essay writing was related to cryptocurrency. The micro presentation was conducted by one panelist who was very much impressed by my thoughts on the essay and asked me several questions on that domain. I gave two micro presentations for five minutes each on the impact of social media and the education system of our country. Overall the presentation went on great and I was appreciated by him. The last round was the PI round which comprises the following questions such as:

Tell me about yourself
Why ISBR?
Aligning personal goal with career objective
Why PGDM after being a successful software developer at TCS
Many questions were based on the change of domain
Career plan for the next five years
Differentiator pointers or USP

Finally, results were declared within an hour after completion of the selection process. It made me elated and now when I am on the verge of completion of my PGDM, I feel thankful and blessed to be part of the ISBR family. I have learned a lot in two years of this experience, I feel grateful for the constant support which I have received from my honorable Professors who were my guiding light. I would like to enlighten my achievements: Internationally Certified Competent Leader and Competent Communicator, Toastmasters International Best Manager Award, National Level Management Fest, CIMS Bengaluru Presented 6 successful research papers based on HR and Business Analytics at International and National Conferences. One research paper got published by a reputed journal and the other one got published at IIPM, Bengaluru e-journal Conference Proceedings. I did four successful internships from TCS iON, IIMB Incubation Cell, Olcademy and Createn.

HR Strategy Analyst Intern, TCS iON
Research Intern, IIMB Incubation NSRCEL
HR Lead Intern, Olcademy
HR Business Partner, Createn

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to ISBR Business School, Bengaluru for their constant support and motivation.

3. Binita Saha (PGDM 2020-2022)

I had my PGDM interview on January 18, 2020, which was held in Kolkata. I still remember the day when I first entered the room for my GDPI session. The selection process of ISBR was a 4 steps process, starting with an aptitude test followed by essay writing, Micro Presentation, and Personal Interview. There were almost 18-20 students and after verifying the hard copies of the documents, candidates were asked to sit for the aptitude test. I was not part of aptitude as I had a MAT score of 690 with me which made me eligible directly for the other three processes. After that each one of us were given different topics to write about within a time span of 15 minutes to check our writing skills. I got “Peer Pressure” as my topic.

CATKing GDPI Course

It was then followed by a Micro presentation on certain current affairs topics that were provided to us 48 hours prior to the interview. I choose the topic “Man-Made Disaster” for my presentation. The panelist gave me 8 minutes for presenting followed by 2 minutes of QnA. Later on, we were asked to wait for the Personal Interview. One by one, the members of the group were called in for the interview. Finally, it was my turn. For the PI, there was only one panelist. The panelist started by asking me to introduce myself and my area of interest in the future. The panelist was friendly and helped me to convert my nervousness into excitement and listened to my answers and asked certain clarifying questions from my response. The result was declared on the same day and I got the call later regarding my admission the next day. And that is how my journey begins with ISBR Business School, Bangalore. I would like to thank ISBR for boosting up my confidence and giving me a lifetime experience.

Must Read: How to Prepare for GDPI and WAT

4. Krishanu Mukherjee (PGDM 2020 - 2022)

I was very lucky enough to give the offline GDPI interview just before the imposition of nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic which was gripping under its arm all over the world. I was selected through Feb-19 MAT and then started preparing myself accordingly. As we were given the basic idea that what are processes that we have to go through during the day of selection. The GDPI interview held in one of the posh hotel of Park Street, Kolkata. The ambience was awesome and I was little nervous as well although I was fully prepared for the judgement day. My MAT score was fair enough, so I didn’t have to give the Aptitude round, so I have directly gone for the Essay writing round in which the topic name was, “How E-Learning is going to an impact in Indian Education System” which I reckoned have well duly written on my own. Then among the dozens of other candidates, I was the first one who goes for the PI round started with the micro presentation in which the topic was “Work-life Balance”. Then I have to explain each and every slides in a lucid manner and then afterwards there was Q&A session regarding the micro PPT. Then, our esteemed college faculty Prof. Kirron Bindu asked several questions ranging from the current affairs, basic finance terminologies, YES bank NPA fiasco etc. The overall process was about 45 minutes which was breath taking to be honest. Then, the result was announced by my admission councillor in which I was selected. I really wants to thanks my college ISBR, Bengaluru for this wonderful opportunity to pursue my PGDM dream. I hope that I can learn as much as I can within these two years without any fail. Thank You!

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5. Pallavi Mahalik (PGDM 2020-2022)

Like every other candidate after my BBA, I was aspiring for PGDM and ISBR BUSINESS SCHOOL was the last stop in my journey of B-school admission process as my brother suggest me to go for it. I had an online selection procedure due to pandemic situation. And all the process was replaced by two process in online that was extempore through video call and one final personal interview with my MAT score. I am glad that I got the opportunity in the interview process as the faculty who took my interview was very genuine. and the panelist who took my personal interview even was good enough and they make the environment friendly enough to take out that nervousness out of me. And am glad that I got selected in ISBR BUSINESS SCHOOL as the selection process was tough. In extempore they gave me the topic (COVID -19 pandemic and its impact on service sector) though it is a recent topic so I easily able to clear the round even my personal interview went well as they asked about HR topics. And about my personal interest. even they gave me some situational based question and was judging my perspective. I would like to say in this pandemic even this college has been instrumental in guiding us starting from orientation program, guest lectures, virtual industrial tour, certification courses, separate mentoring session and all our subject faculty who cooperate with us a lot which was unexpected for me and I am really grateful for it. This pandemic affects us mentally much more than physically but our faculty ensured our mental health not affect us much by constantly being there by our side, clearing all our subject doubts in online platform, giving samples papers for practice before our 1st trimester. My journey is totally like an adventure and my most favorite session till date is our orientation program where it’s going to bring 360-degree transformation in YOU. Lot of participation in our club events make us feel more confident as we compete with each other and gain more learnings from others, this all are possible for ISBR itself where it has turned online platform gradually into offline and we don’t feel like we are studying online lectures. I am happy to get such beautiful and peaceful ambience with good faculty. I am glad to be here in ISBR and looking forward for my transformation with real world and real learning.

ISME Mumbai GDPI Experiences

6. Prajwal Markandey (PGDM 2020-2022)

Due to covid-19 pandemic, the whole interview process was conducted online for me as well along with lots of others. Instead of group discussion, mini presentation was conducted to check presentation skills along with communication & researching skills of the students. The interview was conducted by a single panelist who was also one of the most senior faculty at ISBR & it was a one-to-one exchange. At first, I was explained & told everything about ISBR i.e., information about specializations they offer, life at ISBR, their signature mentorship sessions & doubts regarding placements, other facilities etc. were also cleared. After this, mini presentation took place topics for which were shared prior to this process. I was asked to explain on any of the given topics for 5 mins. Out of all the topic I chose was “Jack Ma”, as he is one of my ideals in the world of business & an inspiration to those who seek to lead from front. Later to this, Personal interview took place. The interviewer asked questions about my fields of interest, hobbies. Further, they asked which specialization I prefer & why, my long-term goals & what I seek if admitted in ISBR plus where do I see myself after 4 years. There were many other questions based on my UG studies plus some on personal life. Overall, the whole thing was an extensive process & it covered all aspects about my professional as well as personal life. It was a pretty great experience to be honest as I got an insight about what I should expect in coming years of the Master’s degree. Presently, I am in the 2nd trimester of PGDM program at ISBR & I am very happy to share that I made the right choice choosing ISBR for pursuing PGDM.

Must Read: How to Prepare for GDPI and WAT

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How To Write A Winning Statement Of Purpose For Graduate Schools (SOP)

How To Write A Winning SOP (Statement Of Purpose) For Graduate Schools/ B-schools.

When it comes to applying to Graduate schools. We often leave the SOPs for the end moment. This is one of the greatest mistakes we do. You see, such schools especially the ones outside India, give a higher weightage to the SOP of a candidate. Writing a winning SOP will not only increase your chance of the candidate being short-listed but will also help the interviewer know certain imperative things about you beforehand.

Thus it is of paramount importance to craft your SOP meticulously whilst studying abroad. While preparing it, one must take into account all the highlights of their lives in terms of achievements, academics, personal life, life-changing incidents, major projects. I know all of this might sound a little overwhelming at first but at the end of the blog, you shall have a clear idea of crafting an SOP and manifest your studying abroad plans into reality.

So for your convenience, I have broken the process into the following steps or segments. However, before proceeding, you must know that writing an SOP is not a 1-Day Process. It requires time, perseverance, and loads and loads of self-scrutiny. So, let’s begin the voyage.

How To Write A Winning Statement Of Purpose For Graduate Schools (SOP)

Prepare a clear list of things you wish to include in your SOP

Remember it is your SOP, and that only you decide what all you want to include and exclude in it. Make sure you show your best version in it, whilst staying true to yourself and the interviewer by giving a hint of things you might not be great at but are willing to learn.

For example, you can mention the fact that you are good at photography and aspire to learn photoshop as well and aren’t adept at it. This will show the interviewer your caliber as well as enthusiasm to learn new things. You may essentially include all the key highlights of your life. It can be a concoction of experiences that may have helped you tailor yourself, mold your personality, and make you who you are today. You may also consider including your short term as well as long term goals in life.

Go through some SOP samples:

It is not uncommon to find yourself in a space wherein you have no clue as to where to begin. In that case, you may just relax and simply view some sample SOPs. After going through a handful of them you shall get a clear picture and be ready to start your own SOP. Do not skip this step even if you are confident in yourself. It may help you ideate further on the content that you already have.

Picture the theme of your SOP

Now comes the most imperative section of your SOP. This will form the ground level of your SOP: the theme. The theme must revolve around an incident that kindled the passion for studying abroad in you. Something that made you dedicated to your goals.

Something that made you want to write the SOP in the first place. It can be a source of motivation, a book, a movie, a Tedtalk with an elder, witnessing an incident, going through a phase, a story. Your story.

Winnow, Winnow and Winnow

Now that you have already decided on your theme it is time to revisit your theme now and again and make the necessary changes. Edit edit and edit. You need to tailor it in such a way that your SOP is left impeccable. It has to be relevant to your subject. Aligned with your goals.

Conduct complete research on the university in question.

Once you have set the time and have started winnowing the most relevant details. It is time for you to conduct extensive research on the university you are aiming for or applying for. Remember this part is of paramount importance. Remember to know the faculties, view their LinkedIn Profiles, and know some of their projects.

Mentioning such meticulous things in your SOP will help you fetch more brownie points. For instance, you may display your enthusiasm for starting a research-based project with a renowned faculty member in the university who is responsible for such projects and has a demonstrated history of such projects.

How To Write A Winning Statement Of Purpose For Graduate Schools (SOP) (more…)

Real Humans of BSchool

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We bring to you the series where we present “The Real Superhumans” of B-Schools. People who have lived a life worth inspiring and have paved their ways through wax and wane finally landing up in their Dream College. Get inspired by the Stories of these Real Humans which can change lives. The Current MBA students and Alums walk you down the lane of the journey they took right from when they discovered their interest in this field to their application, to admissions and ultimately to the classroom. They share a hands-on insight and bring to life the story, many at the most just dream of having.

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