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Calling all INSEAD MBA Applicants: (January 2018 Intake) Class of 2018

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MBAPrepCoach

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Farrell Nelson: MBA

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[13]

Updated on: 30 Jun 2017, 07:36

Originally posted by MBAPrepCoach on 14 Dec 2016, 03:19.
Last edited by Narenn on 30 Jun 2017, 07:36, edited 5 times in total.

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Deadlines

Round 1
Application Deadline: March 15, 2017
Interview Decision: April 21, 2017
Final Decision Notification: May 26, 2017

Round 2
Application Deadline: May 3, 2017
Interview Decision: June 2, 2017
Final Decision Notification: July 7, 2017

Round 3
Application Deadline: June 14, 2017
Interview Decision: July 13, 2017
Final Decision Notification: September 8, 2017

Round 4
Application Deadline: July 26, 2017
Interview Decision: August 25, 2017
Final Decision Notification: September 29, 2017

Here

Invited to Interviews? :

Apply to up to 5 Scholarships Now!

aproop

Joined: 18 Oct 2016

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Location: Singapore

Concentration: General Management, Sustainability

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S)

GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V41 Verified score

GMAT 2: 750 Q50 V41 Verified score

GPA: 2.75

WE:Project Management (Energy)

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S)

GMAT 2: 750 Q50 V41 Verified score

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01 Jun 2017, 09:31

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beefcakeharsh

Just received ding email from IR.

Indian with 9 year exp in Oil and Gas exploration. Currently unemployed. Prior to getting laid off, was working in Angola for 3.5 years . GMAT 710.

Good luck everyone.

Sorry to hear man. Got dinged too, AO was LL.

6 years in oil/gas project management and site deployments in 5 countries across SEA. 750 on the GMAT.

Good luck to everyone else!

Sent from my Pixel using GMAT Club Forum mobile app

asceticmusings

Joined: 01 Jun 2017

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01 Jun 2017, 16:20

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Thank you everyone for all the insight I was able to get over the past few weeks here.

Got the interview invite overnight. AO was LL.

Indian. Based in Singapore. Finance 7+ years. 720.

Will try to be a more active participant here in the future. Thanks.

dont_give_up

Joined: 17 Oct 2016

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Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A)

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01 Jun 2017, 17:14

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Per the stats here R2 has fewer applicants than R1. I realize this is just GMAT Club stats - but can we broadly say that the INSEAD R2 round has fewer applicants than R1 for the J-term?

Also is it safe to say 1/3 of the seats are gone now? I think I read there are some 170+ students on MBA connect with 530 odd total seats.

Just thinking of the odds

aksgmat800

Joined: 06 Jul 2016

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Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S)

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Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S)

GMAT 1: 700 Q47 V39 Verified score

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01 Jun 2017, 18:23

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Singapore folks
Are you coming for campus event tonight ?
If you are then do give a shout and we can all meet up.

Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum

anirudhshastry

Joined: 02 May 2017

Last visit: 05 Jun 2017

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Location: India

Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S) HEC April'18

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

WE:Research (Manufacturing)

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S) HEC April'18

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

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02 Jun 2017, 00:44

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aproop

beefcakeharsh

Got my rejection last night. Indian with 5+ years in Nuclear materials research. Masters and research done in France, in French. Currently work with technical experts in France and Russia for technology transfer. GMAT 750.

I rather suspect my undergrad GPa that was the weak link. But who knows.

Best of luck to everyone.

sankrityayan

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02 Jun 2017, 01:09

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Dinged. Indian. 740 GMAT with 4 years of experience of project execution and business development in mining industry. Lived and worked in 5+ countries. Extra-curriculars include theater, racing, and mountaineering. Years of work ex and maybe undergrad GPA could've been a deal-breaker. Going to Kenan-Flagler now. I'm amazed to see the kind of people I was up against and was awed, and knew it was going to be tough.

Congratulations to all those who make into interview rounds and best of luck after that too. With the kind of talent out here I'm pretty sure everyone, selected or not, will do well in future. Cheers guys.

mihir0710

Current Student

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02 Jun 2017, 01:24

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The kind of rejection that I am seeing is scaring me off to apply to INSEAD...
Will need atleast a 760 on GMAT to have any chance ....

Hard luck guys ...

latinoinasuit

Joined: 28 Feb 2017

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02 Jun 2017, 01:32

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While I feel sad to hear about the dings, I am also amazed at the positive attitude that you guys are showing. You are absolutely right, you are talented and have great potential, so this should not keep you down or stop you from being successful.

Hats off to all of you, I wish you the best!

dont_give_up

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02 Jun 2017, 09:00

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Yah great attitude guys! I am sure something will work out.

However, for the Indian candidates getting dinged just remember we are all in a super cutthroat pool. Unfortunately there are only about 50 odd seats for Indian candidates and about 22 are already filled up in R1.

Some seats will go to female Indian candidate. So we are just fighting over a increasingly small number of seats as male Indian candidates. Basically at that point even if you have tremendous credentials as an Indian candidate your stats get diluted because everyone else also probably is bringing a lot to the table.

Thats the cold hard truth I've come to realize. If we were of any other nationality with the same stats our odds would improve dramatically. In any case keep your head up and do whatever is in your power to boost your profile.

-dont_give_up

jendenyes

Joined: 14 Jan 2017

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Location: Switzerland

Concentration: Strategy, Leadership

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S)

GMAT 1: 640 Q35 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3.8

WE:Consulting (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S)

GMAT 1: 640 Q35 V42 Verified score

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06 Jun 2017, 11:21

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Hi Guys,

Sorry to hear about all the rejections, I was certainly biting my teeth through the last week of May. I got a rejection from LBS and HEC Paris and was feeling like I didn't even need to wait for INSEAD.

They emailed me on May 30th, and while it wasn't an interview invitation... it was a request to improve my math score on the GMAT which would then be followed (most likely), by a swift invitation to interview. I spoke with my admissions councillor and apparently I would just have to send my new score by July 14th and still be interviewing for the January intake.

In my books, this counts as a positive. I only had a 640 on the GMAT, I will admit, my math score on the GMAT sucked (35% NO JOKE), but I aced the verbal and essay (96%) so I guess they saw that as potential. I wanted to see what they thought about the rest of my profile before I dedicated anymore weekends and evenings to the GMAT, as a triathlete it was tough giving up a race season! I have a PhD from the Swiss Federal Technical institute, two first author papers, a textbook chapter and a patent. I have been working in strategic communications consulting for two years now.

Cross your fingers for me, I write again on July 12th, and have just negotiated the two weeks before this date off!

revelation21

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06 Jun 2017, 11:23

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jendenyes

Fingers crossed! I wish you all the best.

revelation21

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06 Jun 2017, 11:32

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I have my first interview tomorrow. Took the first half of the day off work as the interview location is about an hour away (small city but lots of traffic). I managed to schedule the second interview for coming Sunday. The interviewer called me last Saturday (after being unreachable throughout the week) and wanted to interview same day. I wasn't ready so I had to quickly come up with an excuse!

I'll let you guys know how it goes and what questions were asked. For now, it's back to my notes!

.

May the force be with you all!

jendenyes

Joined: 14 Jan 2017

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Location: Switzerland

Concentration: Strategy, Leadership

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S)

GMAT 1: 640 Q35 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3.8

WE:Consulting (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (S)

GMAT 1: 640 Q35 V42 Verified score

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06 Jun 2017, 11:45

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I was told to improve my GMAT score and then I would be interviewed

Application Submitted on: 2017/05/02
Location: Switzerland
GMAT: 640, Q35, V42
GPA: 3.8
WE: 60 months
Industry: Pharmaceuticals and Biotech
Submited on: 2017/05/02

kenshinx77

Joined: 12 Sep 2016

Last visit: 09 Sep 2017

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Location: Australia

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (I)

GMAT 1: 680 Q47 V35 Verified score

GMAT 2: 720 Q47 V41 Verified score

GPA: 3.2

Schools: INSEAD Jan'18 (I)

GMAT 2: 720 Q47 V41 Verified score

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06 Jun 2017, 16:19

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revelation21

.

May the force be with you all!

Good luck Revelation- I have confident that you'll do well

! I have also got the names of my interviewers yesterday and, sent them an email a few hours after!

Just holding my breath and waiting for their reply! Fingers crossed!

noemizito

Joined: 07 Jun 2017

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07 Jun 2017, 04:18

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Hi guys!
I am from Italy and I applied to Round 2! I am going to have my first interview on Friday!
Do you have any suggestions on questions to prepare??

Anyone in Italy/Europe who already had interviews in Round 1 and can give some suggestions?
I am a bit worried! :roll:

Thank you very much!!!
Noemi

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07 Jun 2017, 04:26

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noemizito

Hi guys!
I am from Italy and I applied to Round 2! I am going to have my first interview on Friday!
Do you have any suggestions on questions to prepare??

Anyone in Italy/Europe who already had interviews in Round 1 and can give some suggestions?
I am a bit worried! :roll:

Thank you very much!!!
Noemi

Ciao Noemi -- davvero non preoccupare -- hai gia fatto il lavoro piu' difficile -- ecco il mio consiglio da un post passato:

Hey everyone! Congrats to those who have already received an interview invite! This is a great accomplishment. As someone who went through the process about 6 months ago, I would say, don't waste your money on any guide. The INSEAD interview is all about 3 things:

1. Making sure you are in person who you seem to be on your paper application
2. Confirming your FIT with the INSEAD culture
3. Getting information on any areas where the admissions committee may have doubts

You'll be paired with alumni who are either similar to you in personal background (both of mine were American) or who are in the role you specified as your post-MBA goal.

I've heard frequent reports of the interviews being simply a chat over coffee but just in case, the following is how I would prepare:

1. Read your application to ensure you remember what you wrote and stay consistent with this information when you are in the interview
2. Think of any weak areas in your application and come prepared with a rationale for why that should not block you from admittance
3. Come up with 2-3 examples that demonstrate your fit on each of the four application elements of INSEAD ( Ability to contribute, academic capacity, international motivation and leadership potential)
4. Do at minimum a LinkedIn search on your interviewer
5. Relax, the interview is meant to be more conversational than not

All the best of luck to everyone!
LP

latinoinasuit

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07 Jun 2017, 04:57

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Va bene, lpetroski!

:lol:

lpetroski

noemizito

Hi guys!
I am from Italy and I applied to Round 2! I am going to have my first interview on Friday!
Do you have any suggestions on questions to prepare??

Anyone in Italy/Europe who already had interviews in Round 1 and can give some suggestions?
I am a bit worried! :roll:

Thank you very much!!!
Noemi

lpetroski

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07 Jun 2017, 05:07

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Gotta practice those other languages where you can! Ammiright latinoinasuit?!

Posted from my mobile device

noemizito

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07 Jun 2017, 14:47

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Thank you very much for your suggestions @Ipetroski!

Very good Italian BTW! Bravo!

Fingers crossed!

MBAPrepCoach

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Farrell Nelson: MBA

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07 Jun 2017, 22:46

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I am of a different opinion on the guide question. While I fully agree with the 5 suggestions Petroski mentioned, I have found that using the questions pulled from the Sample Accounts page on the Clear Admit guide provides a good framework for building your answers.

My most successful clients have taken this process as seriously as the essay preparation process. Content is content. As an MBA Admissions Consultant and former corporate interview coach, I have found that the best way to sound natural is to PREPARE enough to where the answer feels natural - you can speak on it without having to sweat, squeak and concentrate.

This gives you the ability to focus your attention on eye contact and building rapport. Some of the essays lend themselves well to the interview process, however there are still a lot of questions in the interview process that you might not yet have considered. At the very least, I recommend that you think about what you might say in response to the most common questions you will find across the various interview accounts.

Also, I would recommend that you think through your goals and make sure you can talk about them with the interviewer in detail. Particularly those with an entrepreneurship interest. Not all of them ask about it, but some do, and you don't want to be embarrassed.