If INSEAD is your dream school, you have come to the right place! we would like to welcome all the Jan 2024 applicants! Hope we can all have meaningful and helpful discussions here. We are open to any suggestions or ideas that you may have. Any news or updates that can be useful for our community here are welcome. Look forward to hearing from all of you and keeping this thread active. Join this INSEAD Jan 2025 intake chat Useful Links: GMAT CLUB Youtube videos for INSEAD INSEAD Admissions Page INSEAD Profile Evaluation INSEAD MBA Recommendation Questions January vs Sept Intake: Key Differences Admission Trends at INSEAD: Analysis of GMATClub Applicant Data INSEAD Sept 2021 Essay Prompts

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Calling all Applicants: INSEAD January 2025 Intake

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prakashb2497

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14 Feb 2024, 21:01

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Karan0912

Hey, I got a dinged email for Jan’25 class. I finished my application in January itself...way before the deadline of March for R1. I am surprised why would they dinge even before receiving all the applications. Has anything like this ever happened? Posted from my mobile device

What’s your profile like?

MBAspirant05

Joined: 02 May 2023

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Location: India

Schools: INSEAD Jan'25 intake (I)

GMAT 1: 690 Q48 V37 Verified score

GPA: 3.0

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14 Feb 2024, 21:25

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Karan0912

Hey,
I got a dinged email for Jan'25 class. I finished my application in January itself...way before the deadline of March for R1. I am surprised why would they dinge even before receiving all the applications.
Has anything like this ever happened?

Posted from my mobile device

Wow didn't know could apply early and get a shortlist repsonse early as well. I would imagine that they have some minimum thresholds for all the categories of applicants such as Indian male engineers etc. So I would image their process is not about eliminating by comparison but rather trying to select the profiles they are looking for. Maybe if you could share your profile in depth it would be much clearer as to the reason behind it.

Karan0912

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14 Feb 2024, 23:33

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GMAT 700 (Q49 V37)...Management consulting with EY & accenture..8 years work ex... additional professional qualification of CA and CFA and good extracurriculars as well.

AnubhavC97

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15 Feb 2024, 00:08

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I had a same profile n score. Got dinged in r3

Karan0912

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15 Feb 2024, 00:12

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but i applied in R1 of Jan’25

lasthopeins

Joined: 31 Aug 2017

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Location: India

Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship

Schools: LBS '26 (D) Oxford Said'25 (D) ISB '25 (WA)

GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V35 Verified score

GPA: 3.33

WE:Engineering (Finance)

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15 Feb 2024, 02:09

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Karan0912

this is surprising! when did you submit your application? the original deadline is march 12th 2024 right?

MBAGuide

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15 Feb 2024, 03:10

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shanks2020

does knowing French while applying give a boost to the application?

If you are asking about French as a second or a third language, no there is no preference for one language over another at the time of application. However, if you have a very high level of proficiency, such as a C1 or C2, and you pitch an eagerness to work in France post-MBA (for example), the adcom will surely take note of that as a positive thing.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

Karan0912

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15 Feb 2024, 06:29

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lasthopeins

Karan0912

this is surprising! when did you submit your application? the original deadline is march 12th 2024 right?

January 10th.

MBAspirant05

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17 Feb 2024, 08:02

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Hey Guys! Any re-applicant here?

adityabala

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19 Feb 2024, 13:16

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Hi can my profile be evaluated : I have 3 + years of work experience in startups in Business Development , I don’t have international experience but I have onboarded few clients from Africa and the Philippines but most of my work was based in expanding regions in India. I have graduated from VIT with a 8.34 CGPA and have a 720 GMAT score.

admitStreet

Joined: 14 Mar 2023

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Location: India

Concentration: Strategy, Finance

Schools: HEC Jan 2018 Intake (A$) ISB '19 (A)

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Schools: HEC Jan 2018 Intake (A$) ISB '19 (A)

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19 Feb 2024, 22:12

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adityabala

adityabala - Would like to understand your work-ex better (e.g. the impact you've had in your roles, promotions, etc.) to assess the strength.

Broadly though, given that the # of years of work-ex isn't high, and the international exposure is low, I would suggest a higher GMAT score (ideally 740+ or GFE equivalent) to increase your odds.

Another way to differentiate your profile is through ExtraCurriculars (based on your involvement) and aligning to some key themes that INSEAD values (e.g. sustainability).

Regards,
Arvind
Founder, admitStreet
W: https://admitstreet.com | LinkedIn | E: [email protected]

MBAGuide

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19 Feb 2024, 22:35

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adityabala

adityabala
First of all, your experience is on the lower side of average. To be honest, it may not be the best time for you to apply to INSEAD. But since you are still relatively young for INSEAD, you could take another 1-2 years to sharpen your profile in that direction. I suggest taking opportunities that promise a steep career upswing. For example, take on an international assignment or a challenging role in a geography you are not familiar with. Alternatively, look for opportunities in strategy and execution at a well-known startup that is going through a steep growth phase and work hard for 1-2 years to gain deserving recognition from the founders. Look for positions where you have the opportunity to work very closely with the founders and CXOs. There is also a lot of room for improvement on the GMAT front. You can speak with me directly to better assess your chances.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alumna, former INSEAD admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

Lawana911

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Schools: INSEAD Jan'25 intake (S) LBS '26 (D) HEC '26 (A)

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19 Feb 2024, 23:49

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MBAspirant05

Hey Guys! Any re-applicant here?

Me!

Piscine15

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20 Feb 2024, 02:10

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Hey.
Can my profile be evaluated?

31, Indian, Male. Currently working as CFO in my firm, which deals in retail trade. Before working as CFO, i spent more than 6.5 yrs in finance sector working with a public sector bank. Before that for more than a year, I worked as a tutor and worked with coaching institute and in various educational platforms.
Volunteer work in 2-3 NGOs for more than a year. Scored 715 in GMAT FE.

MBADecoder

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Updated on: 20 Feb 2024, 05:37

Originally posted by MBADecoder on 20 Feb 2024, 05:36.
Last edited by MBADecoder on 20 Feb 2024, 05:37, edited 1 time in total.

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MBADecoder

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20 Feb 2024, 05:37

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Piscine15

Hi Piscine15,

One of INSEAD 's qualiyfying factors is international experience/ exposure (that means you regulary work on international teams). It will be important to understand your international exposure as you have mainly worked in deomstic markets (retail trade and PSU bank).

Secondly, elaborate on your current work experience. How large is your company? what kind of business do you do/ how much business per year? Moreover, given your work expeience what is the need for an MBA and that from INSEAD?

You will have to convince the adcoms on these above accounts to have a fair chance. My recommedation would be to apply to other MBA programs as well where the international focus criteria is not as much. Oxford and HEC Paris come immediately to mind.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]

shanks2020

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21 Feb 2024, 23:20

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AnubhavC97

I had a same profile n score. Got dinged in r3

Did u get interview invite?

Akshita712

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22 Feb 2024, 19:24

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Hi I would like an evaluation of my profile
I have 4.2 years of work experience. I have an MBA from IIM Kozhikode and Btech from DTU. Worked with Siemens for 2 years and 2.5 yrs with EY as a strategy consultant- client facing role. All my clients at EY were international clients - Qatar, Vietnam (deployed for 2 months at Vietnam), Bangladesh and even Singapore(short stint). I have 730 in GMAT.

MBAGuide

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22 Feb 2024, 20:02

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Akshita712

Hi Akshita712 hope this finds you well,
I would say better chances than many with multiple assignments in client offices (international focus). GMAT and the academic arc is decent. That gives me a good feeling. You already have an MBA, how you justify another one, not too long after the first, will be a critical point in the application. Showcase a steep learning curve and career progression. What are your goals? Show good insight into your goals strategy. Research. Avoid generic MBB goals without making a clear connection to what you will do at MBB. Just a personal observation- outside of the former MBB pool, at INSEAD MBBs prefer recruiting people from industry over Big 4 consultants. Those who come to INSEAD with non consulting backgrounds come with rich industry experience/focus and prior experience in execution. MBBs love to interview these profiles. Professionally, show a focus area in your application and build your motivation around it.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alumna, former INSEAD admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

admitStreet

Joined: 14 Mar 2023

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Location: India

Concentration: Strategy, Finance

Schools: HEC Jan 2018 Intake (A$) ISB '19 (A)

WE:Management Consulting (Consulting)

Schools: HEC Jan 2018 Intake (A$) ISB '19 (A)

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22 Feb 2024, 22:26

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Akshita712

Akshita712 - interesting profile. Some thoughts and clarifications:

1. What motivates you for a second MBA: is it merely geographic shift, or any other reason(s)? And what are your career goals post MBA?

2. The strategy/ consulting role and international deployments are good angles. Assuming the EY role was after Siemens, having a strong narrative indicating your career arc, motivations to switch (e.g. were your projects on similar domains but with more/ wider clients), and career goals would be crucial, to bring out your differentiating factors and highlight the need for a second MBA.

3. INSEAD values involvement in ExtraCurriculars. Make sure to highlight your involvement in such activities, and how they helped you evolve.

Hope this helps a bit. Feel free to reach out for a deeper chat.

Regards,
Arvind
Founder, admitStreet
W: https://admitstreet.com | LinkedIn | E: [email protected]