Name of the Program(s) you got intoI was admitted to the MSc Finance at LSE, Master in Finance at ESSEC and the MSc Risk Management and Financial Engineering, but I chose to go to LSE.
A Little bit about your educational and professional background & post-MS goalsWhen I applied, I was in the process of finishing my BSc with a major in finance. I went straight from high school to undergraduate studies and then hopped right on the MSc bus without taking time off to work, other than doing some accounting during the summers. After the MSc, I'd like to work in investment banking.
Experience of GMAT/GREFor this, see my GMAT debrief
here.
Experience of interviewI was not interviewed for any of the programs I got into. If it counts, I was interviewed for the MSc in Financial Economics at Oxford Saïd (which I later got waitlisted for). It was reasonably laid back. The interviewer was pretty clear that he was not there to just ask me a ton of difficult questions. The questions were the usual "why do you want to study at Oxford?", "what do you want to do when you graduate?", "how will the program help you?" and "how will you contribute to the class?" type questions.
could you share your profile in detail?
Factors that played key role in your successSince I don't have much work experience, I think my biggest success factors were my test scores and GPA. I think my 760 GMAT, 118 TOEFL and good undergraduate track record made me quite competitive.
Advice to future applicantsBefore applying to a program, make sure you've actually got a reasonable means of funding it. Tuition fees can vary widely, and scholarships are not always available. You don't want to get admitted to a program only to later realize you cannot afford it. Also, before applying to a program, take a look at the curriculum for each course to see whether it sounds like something that would actually suit you. Also, try not to stretch your GMAT studies out more than necessary. Burnout is not fun.
Anything else?Best of luck to all of you in the process of studying for the GMAT or applying to MSc or MBA programs.