{"id":35738,"date":"2017-01-30T13:43:19","date_gmt":"2017-01-30T20:43:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=35738"},"modified":"2017-03-09T13:55:54","modified_gmt":"2017-03-09T20:55:54","slug":"insead-mba-criterion-3-academic-capacity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/insead-mba-criterion-3-academic-capacity\/","title":{"rendered":"INSEAD MBA Criterion #3: Academic Capacity"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"insead-lookin-for-academic-capacity-1024x461\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This is the third post in a 4-part series<\/a> that examines INSEAD MBA\u2019s 4 admission criteria. <\/em><\/p>\n

The operative word in this criterion is capacity. This word conveys the adcom\u2019s perspective on the academic component of the application: it\u2019s dynamic, focusing on how you can grow and perform and achieve academically going forward. The only way for the adcom to determine this is to draw conclusions based on your existing academic record. (Professional accomplishment does not indicate academic capacity, sorry to say.)<\/p>\n

There are two core components of that academic record:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Undergraduate record,
\n\u2022 Standardized test.<\/p>\n

The adcom is quite specific about its preference for standardized test: the GMAT is required<\/a>; the GRE is not an option except in 2 specific cases (dual degree applicants and where the GMAT is not offered). Unlike many programs, INSEAD recommends minimums for test scores: GMAT verbal and quant 70-75% each. That\u2019s that.<\/p>\n

The case of the undergraduate record is a bit more nuanced. The adcom looks at both the performance (grades, GPA) and competitiveness of the school. So, a 3.5 isn\u2019t just a 3.5; it\u2019s 3.5 relative to the rigor of the undergrad school and program. There are additional considerations in evaluating your undergrad record that are relevant for academic capacity, including:<\/p>\n

\u2022 How did your GPA trend?<\/a> Even if it\u2019s great, if it drops a lot in the last year or semester, it\u2019s not a great signal for academic capacity \u2013 and vice versa, a rising trend over 4 years even if the overall GPA is so-so, is helpful.<\/p>\n

\u2022 How did you do in your quant courses? Those grades should be solid at least. There should be no doubt about academic capacity in quant.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Did you work during school? (If so, make sure the adcom knows it.) The ability to perform well (or even pretty well) while working indicates academic capacity.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Did you earn a graduate degree? The rigors of graduate work plus the tenacity graduate level study requires show academic capacity, even though a grad degree is not required.<\/p>\n

\u2022 How competitive and challenging was your undergrad program and school, and how does your GPA relate to that?<\/p>\n

With these factors in mind, evaluate your own academic capacity, trying to see it from the adcom\u2019s view.<\/p>\n

\u2022 First, evaluate the GMAT score and how it breaks down; what story or impression will the adcom see behind the numbers and percentiles?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Second, evaluate your undergrad record thoroughly; again, what will the adcom see behind the grades and the course names? Does it see broad or narrow interests? A global perspective? Growth? Curiosity? What\u2019s the story and the academic personality that emerge?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Third, combining the insights from these two evaluations, what\u2019s the holistic academic picture that develops and what does it tell the adcom about your academic capacity?<\/p>\n

This evaluation process may simply clarify that everything is fine on the academic front and you can focus your application efforts into other topics and considerations. Or, it may reveal that, while you are qualified for INSEAD academically, there is room to strengthen the impression of academic capacity<\/a>. In that case, look for opportunities in the essays, resume, and (fingers-crossed) interview to fill in that gap through the examples, anecdotes, and details you include.<\/p>\n

I am always thrilled when I get an \u201cI\u2019m in at INSEAD!\u201d email. I welcome the chance to help you show you belong at INSEAD<\/a> and receive such an email from you in the future.<\/p>\n

\"insead-webinar\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Cindy<\/a><\/em><\/em>Cindy Tokumitsu<\/a> has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted to INSEAD? Click here to get in touch!<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Get Into INSEAD, the International Business School<\/a>, podcast episode
\n\u2022 INSEAD September 2017 Intake MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines<\/a>
\n\u2022 How to Get Accepted to Top B-Schools with Low Stats<\/a>, webinar<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> originally appeared on\u00a0<\/em>blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.<\/p>\n

Contact us, and get matched up with the consultant who will help\u00a0you\u00a0<\/em>get accepted<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is the third post in a 4-part series that examines INSEAD MBA\u2019s 4 admission criteria. The operative word in this criterion is capacity. This word conveys the adcom\u2019s perspective…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,939,775,113,243],"tags":[69,1435,1434,1436],"class_list":["post-35738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","category-accepted","category-admission-consultants","category-applications","category-blog","tag-insead","tag-insead-admissions","tag-insead-mba","tag-the-insead-full-time-mba","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35738"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36286,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35738\/revisions\/36286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}