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Aakritisaini
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Hi all, kindly need your recommendation, if my ielts score is only 7 but i have 695 GMAT focus score, should i retake my ielts to aim 7.5 band?? or actually 7 is enough since it is included on C1 level. thank you
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Hi Aakritisaini,

MBA Recommendations should come from professionals, who have closely supervised you in some capacity.

You might find the following video relevant and helpful.



All the best!
Aakritisaini
Hey, wanted to ask if we need LORs from college professors or just from employers for MBA? Thanks in advance!
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Hi fadly99,

As INSEAD specifies a band, it is better if you retake the test and aim to meet/exceed the band.

All the best!
fadly99
Hi all, kindly need your recommendation, if my ielts score is only 7 but i have 695 GMAT focus score, should i retake my ielts to aim 7.5 band?? or actually 7 is enough since it is included on C1 level. thank you
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Hi everyone,

I am 29F Indian. I’d appreciate some advice as I prepare my INSEAD MBA application. I have a strong profile across work experience, leadership, and impact-but I’m concerned about my academic stats.

I’ve scored a 615 on the GMAT Focus Edition after multiple attempts, and my undergraduate GPA is 69% (B.Sc. Statistics from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi). I know these are below the median for top schools, and I’m unsure how to best address or offset them. I’ve already put in considerable effort on the GMAT, and I’m not confident I can significantly improve the score in time.

Some quick context:

6+ years of experience with strong upward mobility-promoted from Analyst to Manager at a global firm

Worked as a Fellow at Teach for India (2017-2019) and continue to mentor my students guiding them through personal, academic and professional guidance and led social impact at my current organization for the Gurugram office from 2021-2022
Post-MBA goal: Pivot from India to a global hub (Singapore, Dubai, or London/ Amsterdam) and work in strategy/ops at a legacy F100 company

Would love your thoughts on:

How to best position my profile given these academic metrics
Whether I should explain or contextualize the GMAT/GPA in the optional essay
If it’s worth one final GMAT attempt-or if I’m better off focusing on the rest of my application

Thank you in advance!
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GD2026
Hi everyone,

I am 29F Indian. I’d appreciate some advice as I prepare my INSEAD MBA application. I have a strong profile across work experience, leadership, and impact-but I’m concerned about my academic stats.

I’ve scored a 615 on the GMAT Focus Edition after multiple attempts, and my undergraduate GPA is 69% (B.Sc. Statistics from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi). I know these are below the median for top schools, and I’m unsure how to best address or offset them. I’ve already put in considerable effort on the GMAT, and I’m not confident I can significantly improve the score in time.

Some quick context:

6+ years of experience with strong upward mobility-promoted from Analyst to Manager at a global firm

Worked as a Fellow at Teach for India (2017-2019) and continue to mentor my students guiding them through personal, academic and professional guidance and led social impact at my current organization for the Gurugram office from 2021-2022
Post-MBA goal: Pivot from India to a global hub (Singapore, Dubai, or London/ Amsterdam) and work in strategy/ops at a legacy F100 company

Would love your thoughts on:

How to best position my profile given these academic metrics
Whether I should explain or contextualize the GMAT/GPA in the optional essay
If it’s worth one final GMAT attempt-or if I’m better off focusing on the rest of my application

Thank you in advance!
High GMAT is usually targetted to counter low UG scores. Your case is a double whammy and 615 is way too low. You may try to contexualize these scores by answering the Optional Essay but do you have any significant reason in the first place?

Work experience looks quite good but there is not enough clarity of you had international exposure; INSEAD values that significantly.

I have two suggestions: 1. Some candidates seem to take better to GRE than GMAT. Since you have attempted the latter multiple times, perhaps give GRE a shot and see if you can get a bigger score jump there.

2. If a retake (whether GRE or GMAT) still doesn’t push your score beyond 645 at the least, consider adding more schools to your list and be pragmatic about school shortlisting.

Hope this helps. More queries? I am available on 9619551984!

fadly99
Hi all, kindly need your recommendation, if my ielts score is only 7 but i have 695 GMAT focus score, should i retake my ielts to aim 7.5 band?? or actually 7 is enough since it is included on C1 level. thank you
Check the schools you are applying to individually. In case anyone has specified a certain minimum band higher than your score, you might need to a retake. If this is not the case and you meet the minimum criteria, I wouldn’t bother about this. 695 is good, way to go!
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Quote:

*GD2026 writes:*
Hi everyone,

I am 29F Indian. I’d appreciate some advice as I prepare my INSEAD MBA application. I have a strong profile across work experience, leadership, and impact-but I’m concerned about my academic stats.

I’ve scored a 615 on the GMAT Focus Edition after multiple attempts, and my undergraduate GPA is 69% (B.Sc. Statistics from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi). I know these are below the median for top schools, and I’m unsure how to best address or offset them. I’ve already put in considerable effort on the GMAT, and I’m not confident I can significantly improve the score in time.

Some quick context:

6+ years of experience with strong upward mobility-promoted from Analyst to Manager at a global firm

Worked as a Fellow at Teach for India (2017-2019) and continue to mentor my students guiding them through personal, academic and professional guidance and led social impact at my current organization for the Gurugram office from 2021-2022
Post-MBA goal: Pivot from India to a global hub (Singapore, Dubai, or London/ Amsterdam) and work in strategy/ops at a legacy F100 company

Would love your thoughts on:

How to best position my profile given these academic metrics
Whether I should explain or contextualize the GMAT/GPA in the optional essay
If it’s worth one final GMAT attempt-or if I’m better off focusing on the rest of my application

Thank you in advance!
Kindly check INSEAD website they have strict policy for GRE GMAT scores



Applications are live 😍🤝
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Request for evaluation of my profile for Insead:

Here is my linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simply-shekhar

GMAT Focus: 685.

Here is my blog: sauravshekhar.blog.
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Hi, need clarification

INSEAD website showing min. Sectional criteria for GMAT is as follow:

Verbal - 60th percentile (80)
Quant & DI - 67th percentile (quant - 80; DI - 77)

My score is as below;

Verbal - 67th percentile (81)
Quant - 100th percentile (90)
DI - 63rd percentile (77)

As per percentile in DI, i am not eligible but looking score wise i am eligible.

Confuse that am I eligible or not??

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deceptrix
Request for evaluation of my profile for Insead:

Here is my linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simply-shekhar

GMAT Focus: 685.

X/XII - 95%

Btech (IIT BHU) - 8.35

Here is my blog: sauravshekhar.blog.
Hi, we would love to do a profile consultation, we came across your profile and wanted to share a quick insight.

Given that you studied at IIT and have had full-time, progressive work experience since 2017, you have an excellent chance of being considered at INSEAD. It also appears that you’ve worked on international projects, which is a big plus for INSEAD, as they specifically value international experience or cross-cultural exposure. INSEAD would likely be a strong fit for your profile. For a more detailed analysis, please feel free to write to at Think BlueBox Consulting Website.

GD2026
Hi everyone,

I am 29F Indian. I’d appreciate some advice as I prepare my INSEAD MBA application. I have a strong profile across work experience, leadership, and impact-but I’m concerned about my academic stats.

I’ve scored a 615 on the GMAT Focus Edition after multiple attempts, and my undergraduate GPA is 69% (B.Sc. Statistics from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi). I know these are below the median for top schools, and I’m unsure how to best address or offset them. I’ve already put in considerable effort on the GMAT, and I’m not confident I can significantly improve the score in time.

Some quick context:

6+ years of experience with strong upward mobility-promoted from Analyst to Manager at a global firm

Worked as a Fellow at Teach for India (2017-2019) and continue to mentor my students guiding them through personal, academic and professional guidance and led social impact at my current organization for the Gurugram office from 2021-2022
Post-MBA goal: Pivot from India to a global hub (Singapore, Dubai, or London/ Amsterdam) and work in strategy/ops at a legacy F100 company

Would love your thoughts on:

How to best position my profile given these academic metrics
Whether I should explain or contextualize the GMAT/GPA in the optional essay
If it’s worth one final GMAT attempt-or if I’m better off focusing on the rest of my application

Thank you in advance!
Hi, to begin with, your academic profile shows a low GPA as well as a fairly low GMAT score. This combination may make you less competitive for top schools, INSEAD, in particular, may not find your academic credentials strong enough.

In terms of work experience, you’ve been working as a fellow and in the social impact space for the past six years. Transitioning from that into strategy or operations, which are not directly aligned with social impact, might be quite challenging.

Reach out to us for a personalized profile review and next steps tailored to your goals at Think BlueBox Consulting Website.
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This post came through our private GMAT Club WhatsApp Group.
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This post came through our private GMAT Club WhatsApp Group.
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WA@lyo2230
Hi everyone, Need profile evaluation

Indian-30M.
GMAT-635
Undergrad -B.tech SRM University -8.96CGPA
Work experience:Worked as Product development engineer in TCS for Nissan for 8.5Years (6 years in Japan at client location)
Had decent extracurricular in colleges (teams , NCC )and during employment time(CSR initiatives in india and japan)

Post MBA goal - Product manager
Six years of experience in Japan for Nissan via TCS is a big plus for international exposure which most schools value.

The goal is clear and logical while employment with one company consistently shows maturity and domain expertise. That said, 635 is low for top MBAs and you will need to select schools pragmatically.

You have dated extracurriculars - can we talk about something ongoing? Flipside to the long TCS tenure is that you will need to show standout and consistent impact without any stagnation at some points.

With 8.5 years work experience, European schools are a better bet. Can consider Foster GEMBA.

Try to retake GMAT, build current extracurriculars, focus on strong essays. Should you have more questions, feel free to ping 9619551984.
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Hi everyone, request for a profile evaluation
Indian - 25M.
GMAT FE -745
Undergrad - B.tech from a private university (mechanical) - 8.80CGPA (top 1% of class)
Work experience: Worked as Project manager (Execution and planning) at a mutlibillion Steel company for 3 Years on a large scale brown field project (almost 4 years at the time of matriculation). Mostly including leadership and team management roles and saving time and hundreds of millions in dollars through swift execution.
Have decent extracurriculars in college (founded a Social Impact club, led a few tech clubs) and during employment time( some CSR and esg initiatives).
Have worked with clients from UK, US and China for extended periods on different projects and tech innovation towards Sustainability, including working with their teams on our site for months.
But personal international experience is limited to leisure travels.

Post MBA goal - Sustainability consulting and esg leadership
Planning for august 2026 intake
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Text me similar profile
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Hi am from India with 5.5 years of work experience as a fashion designer.
I have done bachelor in design (fashion) from NIFT. My gpa was 6.9.
Last 5 years I have been working with export house, retails and e-commerce brands. I have designed seasonal collections from uk & us based brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch, Ralph Lauren, Wrangler etc.
I have also worked with licensee brands such as disney, warner brothers to create graphic heavy collections for indian brands such as Max india and Tokyo talkies.
At my last job I have also redesigned the indian size chart for indian women to make create more body positive styles.
My post mba goal is to work with international luxury brands for brand management or marketing.
I am planning for 2026 sept intake for my mba.
I am planning to write my gmat by sept mid.
Please let me now given this profile what are my chances at INSEAD?
Thanks & Regards
Ayantika
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Ayantikasen
Hi am from India with 5.5 years of work experience as a fashion designer.
I have done bachelor in design (fashion) from NIFT. My gpa was 6.9.
Last 5 years I have been working with export house, retails and e-commerce brands. I have designed seasonal collections from uk & us based brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch, Ralph Lauren, Wrangler etc.
I have also worked with licensee brands such as disney, warner brothers to create graphic heavy collections for indian brands such as Max india and Tokyo talkies.
At my last job I have also redesigned the indian size chart for indian women to make create more body positive styles.
My post mba goal is to work with international luxury brands for brand management or marketing.
I am planning for 2026 sept intake for my mba.
I am planning to write my gmat by sept mid.
Please let me now given this profile what are my chances at INSEAD?
Thanks & Regards
Ayantika
Hi Ayantikasen!

Target for a GMAT FE score in the range of 665–685. If targeting R1 deadline Sept 16, 2025(maximizes scholarship chances), taking the exam earlier would be better. Do you have a mock score?

With a design background and GPA below 7, demonstrating quant readiness is key and important. You must highlight your creative-to-strategic pivot story: from designing collections to influencing brand strategy and sizing innovation. Emphasize your global brand exposure and customer empathy in your post-MBA goals. Quantify your contributions wherever possible (like number of SKUs launched, increased conversion/sales due to size chart revamp, or customer feedback impact, etc). Mention any experience managing interns, junior designers, or leading campaigns. INSEAD loves an international outlook + multicultural sensitivity. You can frame your export house and licensing work as cross-cultural brand collaboration.

Also, if you're INSEAD-focused but open to global options, you can explore ESADE, IE, SDA Bocconi, LBS, and NYU Stern.

Start prepping essays, LORs, & resumes as soon as possible because the application is lengthy.

Questions to reflect & answer (for Essays/Interviews):
1. What is the strategic insight you’ve developed from your design experience that can help global brands?
2. How have you influenced business decisions beyond design (like go-to-market, pricing, inventory)?
3. How would an MBA help you move from “maker” to “manager”?
4. What does inclusive fashion mean to you, and how would you scale that impact?

All the best for your exam. Happy to learn more about your story! Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.
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Aakritisaini - INSEAD requires 2 mandatory LoRs.

When picking your recommenders, the 3 key criteria to prioritize are:
(1) Proximity: how closely have they worked with you
(2) Longevity: how long have they worked with you
(3) Depth: can they share specific examples of your projects and impact

Ideal recommenders would be current/ former manager, client, or senior colleague.

For INSEAD, you may also submit an optional third LoR if it adds value.

Ultimately, remember it's not about who you know on the organizational chart. It's about how well they know you.

Regards,
Arvind
Aakritisaini
Hey, wanted to ask if we need LORs from college professors or just from employers for MBA? Thanks in advance!
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