My Weird PGP YL Interview
I had my ISB PGP YL interview yesterday and I would appreciate some feedback, since I was of the view that ISB interviews are generally very chill and conversational and mine was nothing like that. It is my best call and I think I fucked up. Profile - 9/9/9 Fresher GNEM, GMAT 740
TMAY — Once I was done with that, they said they understand my passion and why I am here, but they still don't know who I actually am.
They asked for another TMAY, but more personal — where I talked about myself, my family, my schooling, where I grew up, what I love to do, and other things that inspire me.
Tell me the difference between ESG and Impact Investment (my goal) — I explained the difference between the approaches of each, how ESG is largely a fad, and all of that. They agreed with the ESG evaluation but pushed back on how something can be both socially impactful and generate returns.
I answered by quoting the works of Banerjee, Duflo, Kramer, and J-PAL to show that investing can give us a high IRR if we know empirically tested ways to target capital delivery.
They pushed back by saying that there are already funds doing that — so why not just join them? I replied by saying that the funds today generally give debt, often at exploitative rates, and Banerjee's research has shown that microcredit does not actually work for the people it wants to help. So my approach is fundamentally different.
They pushed back again saying they don't understand how I will generate returns. I explained more about my model and how it manages returns.
They pushed back again by asking why I don't just do a Master's in Social Work and help people directly. I replied by saying that I have been a research assistant in social studies and a long-time volunteer, and that without capital and network, you can never have the impact you want and you end up relying on funds and people who have an empirically flawed approach to investment, like many large philanthropies.
They pushed back and said they don't understand my idea yet and still think it doesn't fully work. They asked: if that is the case, is it worth spending 40lacs at ISB to figure it out? I replied by explaining how without ISB's academic environment, peer cohort, and network, developing this idea further is nearly impossible, and even if I somehow figure it out independently, without capital it is impossible to achieve anything anyway.
They pushed back and said (since I had mentioned I don't have the best financial situation at home) — shouldn't I just get a job and not risk this amount, and instead contribute to my family? I replied by helping them understand the long-term value an ISB MBA could have for me and for my family.
They then gave me a few general questions:
- What is my biggest failure and how did I cope with it?
- What is my biggest success and what did I do to succeed?
- How will I contribute to ISB?
I talked about my passion for philosophy and they asked how it will help me at ISB, and why I am trying to be a jack of all trades and if I am so diverse in my exposure and internships, why haven't I got a job offer yet. They ended it on a funny note and said that I should send them my resume and they will give me a job,
They then asked why I didn't get a PPO or a job yet. I explained I am not entirely sure, but I believe I have the right qualifications and bent. They pushed back by saying: if I am struggling to get a job, why should ISB take me? I replied by highlighting my academic and personal record and my ability to rise to the occasion and solid performance in academics and internships in global organizations.
They asked if I had any questions. I asked mine, but it somehow furthered the interview, since after answering my question, they again said they think my idea is still not developed enough and maybe I don't need an MBA.
I pushed back. At this point I'll be honest — I think I broke my composure slightly. I told them honestly that without ISB and a high-quality pedigree and network, I will never have any chance to realize and test my passion. And that rather than regretting every day that I didn't work on the things I care about, I would rather come to ISB, test myself, and even if I fail, I would be better equipped to help the people I care about.
That started another round of questions. They asked what company I want to work at after graduation. They pushed back on my answer since the company I mentioned is a large ESG investor I don't fully agree with ESG itself, so why would I work for them?
I pushed back and highlighted the need to make necessary moral trade-offs in order to gain the right network and pedigree to eventually build my own firm.
They again brought up that maybe I should work in an NGO first. After some back and forth, they finally said that I am young, my idea still needs more time to grow, and maybe they are the ones who are not understanding it at this stage — but it is what it is. They apologized for being too critical.
I thanked them and apologized if I had wasted their time or hadn't explained myself well.
I don't know what to take from this. If I'm being honest, I feel like I royally messed up. But at least I was honest, I guess.
Any thoughts on how this reads? Positive or negative signal? Would really appreciate perspectives.