Calling all Applicants: INSEAD January 2025 Intake

Not to worry, they can take a few days to get back. Having said that, your AO should’ve sent you their mobile numbers as well - I’d suggest you drop a follow up on email in a day and then WhatsApp them. If still no response, you can reach out to your AO, they might have to change your interviewer.

WA*

Thank you! This is super helpful!

Does anyone please have the link to the WA group for admits?

Applied last day of R3 and got interview request on July 6. Scheduled interviews for this week. My GRE score was really low (311) so i thought it was a no shot, but lets see. Canadian citizen orginally from south asia (not Indian) with 7 years experience as engineering manager for government. My essays and video essays were good as I'm confident in my ability to sell myself. I also have a lot of professional D&I experience and lead D&I programs at my org, which I didn't directly mention in my essays but will bring up during interviews

Does anyone know if candidates are waitlisted before or after an interview invite? Or can it be both? I received my interview invite early July, and I've chosen to have it towards the end of the interview deadline (due to personal reasons). I'm just hoping it doesn't affect my chances and gets me on the waitlist.

For me similar concern, not very easy to schedule due to interviewers’ availability. If I were to interview towards near deadline will that impact my chance?

Posted from my mobile device

­You have nothing to worry about. The date of your interviews doesn't impact the final decision. Sometimes, for conflicts in schedule, interviews are conducted even past the deadline, and this has no negative consequences either. Just make sure to keep your AO updated.

And to your first question, applicants are waitlisted after interview. Before interview, what can happen is that INSEAD puts your application on hold because they want you to retake a test and increase your score, e.g. GMAT, GRE, TOEFL... But these cases are not considered waitlists per se. Again, in order to be waitlisted, one needs to have been interviewed first.

I hope this helps.

Warm regards
Alex­

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Thanks for clearing that up, Alex!

The second part really make me nervous since the waitlisted candidates are all ones that were greenlit by the adcom. I'm guessing the interview performance AND the initial application play a part in the final decision (i.e. not just the essays to get the interview invite and then the interview performance for the final acceptance)? As an INSEAD interviewer, any tips to ace the interview?

­Hi cameleon,

you're welcome.

Your guess is correct. The interviews alone are not what decides who gets accepted, rejected, or waitlisted. After INSEAD receives all interview reports, the AdCom reviews again all applications holistically and the interviews are just one more data point, a very important one in some cases, but not the only one.

Keep in mind that interviewers share a recommendation, but it's completely up to the AdCom whether to follow it or not.

The INSEAD application is very complete and most of the typical MBA interview questions are already answered in the essays. So, I always say that, if I could give just one piece of advice, it would be to simply read your application several times and don't deviate from what you've written in it during the interviews. That would certainly raise flags.

Other than that, though cliché, just relax, be yourself, smile and try to have a good time. Don't look at your interviewers as the goalkeepers.

And of course, you could also practice doing mock interviews.

You can find more info on the interviews under the Useful Docs section on our website. Feel free to check it out.

Good luck.

Warm regards
Alex­

Had my first of 2 interviews today. I had done mock interviews and had reviewed my answers with MBA's in consulting and other professionals (Harvard lawyer, etc) and they all agreed my answers were very strong.

I thought the interview went well, except for that fact it was moving fairly quick, we got to the question period within 25 mins. I asked him what he thought of my profile now after we've had some discussion and one of the questions he asked was about how I can contribute to INSEAD and he said my answer for that could be stronger and I should work on it prior to my next interview. He gave me the chance to add to my answer, which I did.

After the interview I went through my answer again with my advisors and they agreed the answer was very strong but could have been framed better. They said 1. List out the reasons first as to why you are unqiue 2. then go into high level detail for each reason and include clubs and groups at INSEAD in which this would be useful


I think my answer was very strong but I failed to tie it to INSEAD. I think the interview didnt go over great because of that has he mentioned he thinks that is the most important question. I'm hoping the 2nd interview I can make these changes and nail.

Anyone received update on scholarships? Assuming I should lose hope if I haven't heard back anything..

I read from somewhere that interview doesnt really carry weight as it is being done by alumni instead of ao. Is this true? Do you receive decision faster if you submit earlier for interview? I am finishing my interview by this week.

Posted from my mobile device

­Hi jp26042604,

the answer to your first question is no, it's not true. The two alumni interviewers submit detailed interview reports to INSEAD alongside a recommendation as to whether accept or reject the applicant. Then, the AdCom reviews your application again considering this new input. Whether the AdCom follows the interviewers' recommendation is completely up to them. This is true. But, in my experience, if I have been able to support well why I'm recommending what I'm recommending, many times the AdCom has ended up following my recommendation.

The answer to your second question is not necessarily. You could have both interviews early and still hear back on the very last day of the notification deadline. Likewise, you could have both interviews late and be among the first ones to hear back from INSEAD on the final decision. So, generally speaking, the timing of your interviews is not correlated to when you'll be notified of the final decision.

I hope this helps.

Warm regards
Alex­

thank u alex

has anyone who completed both interviews for R3 asked for early decision?

a bit nervouse and regret that i asked for early decision now don’t know how school will interpret this.