{"id":54489,"date":"2022-03-28T03:45:25","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T10:45:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/how-to-get-into-insead-advice-for-common-mba-profiles\/"},"modified":"2022-03-28T03:45:25","modified_gmt":"2022-03-28T10:45:25","slug":"how-to-get-into-insead-advice-for-common-mba-profiles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/how-to-get-into-insead-advice-for-common-mba-profiles\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get into INSEAD: Advice for Common MBA Profiles"},"content":{"rendered":"

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During my seven years at INSEAD<\/a>, where I served as director of MBA admissions, marketing & financial aid, I oversaw all aspects of candidate evaluation and policy decisions for INSEAD MBA requirements. In what’s looking to be another competitive admissions season, here\u2019s my advice for positioning a stand-out application for six typical profiles to help you <\/b>learn<\/b> how to get into the INSEAD<\/b> MBA<\/b> program<\/b>.<\/h2>\n

6 TYPICAL PROFILES & TIPS TO POSITION YOUR UNIQUENESS<\/h2>\n

1. Career-changers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Most INSEAD students are making some significant changes in their career. The MBA program measures change across three dimensions: industry, function and country. In fact, typically about 80% of applicants make a change on one of these dimensions, and about 25% make a change on all three dimensions after they\u2019re <\/span>admitted<\/span>. If you are planning a pretty dramatic career change, you could be well advised to join the January intake, so that you can take an internship in July and August (the September entry doesn\u2019t have an internship option).<\/p>\n

Having said that, the stats quoted above do not vary much between the January or September entries, so if you are targeting a September start, you can still count on a big change being possible. And while many INSEAD students end up changing their minds about their future plans during the year, be warned that a 10-month program doesn\u2019t give you a lot of time for mulling over infinite options. You need to be ready to make decisions about your future direction fairly quickly, and you also need to be able to juggle an intensive academic schedule with an ongoing and regular investment of time in your job search.<\/p>\n

2. The \u2018Common\u2019 Profile<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are some profiles that pour into the INSEAD admissions office by the hundreds: for example, management consultants based in Europe, or Indian IT professionals. Whilst the program has no hard and fast quota, they also want to create a diverse class, so in reality, the competition can be tougher for some than for others,\u00a0which can impact your approach when figuring out <\/span>how to get into INSEAD<\/span>.<\/p>\n

If you have a common profile, then you need to be strong across all elements of the application, including your academic profile, your professional track record, your international experience, and your activities and achievements outside of work or study. Try to weave a memorable, open, and honest story into your application that will help you stand out in the mind of the file reader. It\u2019s not uncommon for file readers to review apps from candidates with similar profiles at the same time, so reflect on unique or distinctive elements that help make your INSEAD essays<\/a><\/strong> is a lively read.<\/p>\n

3. Non-Traditional Candidates<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Contrary to the notion that you\u2019re at a disadvantage without the typical MBA track record, an uncommon background helps you stand out more easily\u00a0and can increase your chances of <\/span>getting into INSEAD<\/span>. <\/span>Schools like INSEAD work hard to craft a diverse class \u2013 and diversity includes personal life and professional backgrounds. There are always several students with non-business backgrounds on the list, such as scientists, doctors, journalists, and military officers. There have even been performing artists, and a monk! As a non-traditional candidate, you need to demonstrate that you have a clear rationale for taking the MBA: a vision of what you want to achieve<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 and this has to be credible. The admissions team has to be convinced that you have the skills and drive to make a big career change work. And as with other candidates, you have to demonstrate that you are a high achiever in your work, whatever that may be.<\/p>\n

4. Limited Work Experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On average, INSEAD students have five to six years\u2019 work experience, however the range is about two years to 10 years. Remember also that the length of work experience is measured as how long you will have worked by the time you start the program, not how long you have worked by the time you begin the application <\/span>process<\/span>. If you would only have two to three years\u2019 experience by the time you start, you\u2019ll need to work hard in your application to demonstrate that you already have some significant professional accomplishments, that you have interesting experience and perspectives to share with team mates who may be further ahead in their careers than you, and that you have the maturity to fit in well with class-mates that on average are likely to be a bit older than you.<\/p>\n

5. Limited International Experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n

INSEAD takes great pride in the international diversity of its MBA program: both as regards the range of nationalities represented (94 in the class of 2018), and the international experience of the students. But not everyone at INSEAD has a lot of international experience. Typically, those who gain admission without much experience beyond their own borders are from emerging markets (they may not have had financial means to travel), but are still able to demonstrate that they have the ability to collaborate in an incredibly diverse environment (qualities such as openness, flexibility, curiosity about other cultures, interpersonal skills, maturity \u2013 all these elements help). They have also demonstrated that they need to join such an international community \u2013 that it will be highly relevant for their future career plans. If your focus, past, present and future is really on your domestic market, then think twice before applying.<\/p>\n

6. Lower GMAT Score<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The average INSEAD GMAT score is 706; <\/strong>the range is typically around 600 to 800. As a one-year program, the school needs assurance you have the academic ability to keep pace with your classmates. So if your GMAT score is borderline, consider shoring up your academic profile with a standard quant-based course such as accounting, statistics and finance. Online quant courses, such as those offered by Berkeley Extension, or HBxCore, offer an opportunity to build your skill set while demonstrating your ability to handle the academic rigor.<\/p>\n

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That said, it\u2019s not all about your GMAT score. Earlier this year, INSEAD decided to change the threshold of its GMAT requirements to welcome candidates with lower test scores<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cThere is a lot of myth about the ideal GMAT score at INSEAD and some well-rounded applicants tend to exclude themselves just because of a lower GMAT,\u201d said INSEAD Director of Admissions & Financial Aid Virginie Fougea in an exclusive interview with Fortuna Admissions. She emphasized: \u201cA lower GMAT needs to be paired with strong\u00a0academics for sure. However, we are welcoming applications from those with\u00a0lower scores because if everything else is of good quality, we can either interview these applicants\u00a0or ask them to retake a test.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a deep dive on how to get into INSEAD, view this hour long strategy session with Fortuna’s INSEAD experts:<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n

Want more insider advice on applying to INSEAD?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

View our MBA Admissions Masterclass above, or read our related articles on applying to INSEAD:<\/p>\n