Hello,

Your profile has an international edge with Hotelschool The Hague, PwC Middle East, and Dubai startup exposure. That mix is attractive to INSEAD and HEC.

However, without a GMAT/GRE, you’re non-competitive at all three of your targets.

Aim for 700+ GMAT equivalent to offset the Indian female overrepresentation.

Your switch from consulting into media/entertainment is not a common post-MBA path, so you must justify it with evidence of entrepreneurial or strategic exposure to that industry. With the right test score and refined narrative, INSEAD and HEC are within reach, while LBS is a balanced target.

Ameer Khatri, Admissions Consultant
Schedule 1-on-1 call
https://admitportal.ameerkhatri.com/pro ... n-calendar

Hi @Topokki ! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can register for our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @similiqueea! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target school more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

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Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @freshster! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target school more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can register for our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

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Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @etculpa! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target school more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can register for our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

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Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @adityasingp991 ! 720 GMAT falls under the median score as per Darden's latest class profile. We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target school more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can register for our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @sapientecumque ! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can also register for our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @nonvitae ! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can register for our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @Arruda! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target school more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

Join our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @Matt0415! Hope you are doing well! Your GMAT FE score is within the possible pool (NYU average GMAT score ~733 classic) if paired with standout leadership, energy-related impact, and compelling essays. If we take a look at NYU's Pre-MBA industry mix, ~1% are from energy, and 40% from consulting. Your sector focus is rare but might be potentially intriguing.

Differentiation potential: Dominating energy space could make your profile unique, especially if you tie it to energy consulting, renewable transitions, or corporate energy finance.

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target school more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can register for our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @savyabindal! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can join our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @omnisdistinctio! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

Join our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @quaeratat! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @autporro! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can join our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi @Shrimp_04! We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

We are hosting a Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!”, which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. Feel free to register for the session. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hello, congratulations on securing an admit to IESE. I had some questions, can we please connect? Thank you.

sure, do DM me.

Hey KD1999, Can I also connect with you? Have few queries. Pls drop me your email as well

What GMAT score do you have?

Hey AlexSgmat, Can we connect? Had few questions regarding the applications?

Hey Eden
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, it looks very competitive. Your strong academic foundation (dual degree from NTU with First Class Honors in both Economics and Mechanical Engineering, plus Dean’s List honors) and a stellar 745 GMAT Focus set you apart intellectually.

Your work at a Tier 1 CPG firm, leading cross-functional initiatives with $25M+ impact and digitization efforts that drastically reduced turnaround times, shows clear problem-solving, innovation, and operational leadership. While a promotion may not arrive in time for apps, the "promotion freeze" context is understandable and can be explained. What matters is demonstrating scope of responsibility, stakeholder influence, and measurable outcomes — which you’ve started doing well. Your international exposure and goal to pivot into consulting with a supply chain/ESG focus is distinctive and aligns well with your background. Plus, your long-term entrepreneurial ambition adds richness to your profile.

To strengthen your application further you should:
1. Quantify and highlight team leadership, change management, and cross-border coordination.
2. Use essays and recs to show influence beyond your role/title.
3. If possible, deepen or formalize your volunteering/community work for added credibility.

Also, can you share a recent example where you led a cross-functional decision despite not being the senior-most person in the room? It will also be crucial to get recommendations from managers who can directly attest to your leadership and impact.

I’d be happy to offer you a free profile review for top MBA programs to see where you stand and how to boost your chances— happy to help!
No pressure, no strings—just helpful insights on where you stand and how you can strengthen your chances.

Feel free to connect- Click here

📄 ARINGO is offering a free resume review to 5 lucky applicants.
Get expert feedback on how to highlight your impact, leadership, and global potential.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A FREE RESUME REVIEW

You can also email me at: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!

Hey EdenHazard22, thank you for sharing your profile.

Your dual first-class honors from NTU in Mech Eng and Econ, combined with GMAT Focus score, already put you in the top tier academically.

Add to that a high-impact role in a Tier 1 CPG firm with quantifiable outcomes ($25M+ incremental NOS, digitization efforts), and you’re well-positioned for M7 programs.

The lack of promotion isn’t a red flag, especially with consistent high ratings and contextual slowdown, but your application must proactively address it through your recommenders and optional essay.

Your cross-cultural upbringing and targeted post-MBA goals in ESG-focused supply chain consulting add distinctiveness. Leadership depth could be showcased further, consider drawing out leadership from your initiative launches or digital transformation work.

For ECs, your sports and cultural involvement help, though formal social impact could still elevate your narrative. Haas and INSEAD are clear fits given your goals; Stanford and Wharton remain within reach, but you’ll need a strong personal story and tight goals articulation.

Happy to get deeper into leadership stories and school positioning, feel free to book a session!

Ameer Khatri, Admissions Consultant
Schedule a free 1-on-1 call with me for detailed profile review
https://calendly.com/ameer-khatri/profi ... th=2025-06

Thank you for sharing your profile @EdenHazard22! You bring a compelling profile to the MBA admissions landscape. With a GMAT Focus score of 745, you’re already placing yourself in the top echelons of applicants at M7 schools and elite international programs. Academically, your double first-class honors in Mechanical Engineering and Economics from NTU Singapore, along with Dean’s List recognition, provide a strong foundation of intellectual rigor and versatility. These credentials, backed by your consistently high academic performance, eliminate any doubts about your ability to handle the academic intensity of top MBA programs.

Professionally, you offer a unique blend of supply chain operations leadership and digital innovation within a Tier 1 consumer goods company. Your quantifiable achievements, such as leading initiatives that contributed $ 25 M+ in incremental NOS and developing a tool that cut process time from days to hours, are outstanding. These show both strategic thinking and a proactive approach to solving real-world problems. While you rightly noted the lack of a formal promotion could be perceived as a gap, the reality is that many high-performing candidates face such hurdles due to market constraints. What matters most is how you frame this. If you’ve been consistently top-rated, led initiatives, influenced decisions across functions, and mentored junior teammates, these must be showcased as leadership without authority. Your recommenders will play a crucial role here, and they must vouch for your leadership readiness and upward trajectory. You can take a look at this blog on How to Exhibit Different Forms of Leadership

Your extracurriculars further add dimension to your story. Involvement in sports, work culture teams, and university clubs reflects a well-rounded personality. Although you’ve engaged in volunteering, it would strengthen your narrative to highlight one or two impactful stories or initiatives you contributed to, ideally those connected to your post-MBA focus on sustainability and equitable supply chains. This kind of mission-driven coherence between past actions and future aspirations is often a hallmark of successful applicants to schools like Stanford, Haas, and INSEAD.

Your short-term goal of transitioning into management consulting with a focus on supply chain strategy and ESG seems timely and realistic. The long-term ambition to build your venture serving SMEs in sustainable planning is ambitious yet credible, particularly considering your international background. Admissions committees appreciate applicants who combine technical acumen with social consciousness, and your story fits that mold well. Just make sure your “Why MBA, Why Now” narrative clearly identifies skill gaps (like commercial strategy, organizational leadership, ESG frameworks) that you aim to fill.

To strengthen your application further, consider these final tips: lean heavily on your cross-functional leadership stories in your resume and essays, frame your impact in terms of influence rather than title, and use the optional essays if allowed to address the promotion context. Also, if feasible, take up a short-term ESG-related project or volunteering role that adds recent credibility to your goals.

You’re clearly on the right track. Would you like to begin with brainstorming ideas for your resume, school-specific essay strategy, or perhaps your “Why MBA"? Please feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hey! If your education is not sponsored by the company or your company doesn't hire in the US on H1B, then the goal is unfeasible. Focus on the feasibility of the goal, aligned with your current work experience. If you are doing an MBA from the US and would mention that you want to get a job in another geography, then the question arises, why don't you do an MBA from that country? Why are you spending so much money in the US?

Honestly, to come up with a feasible short-term goal, we spend hours discussing. Advice: check out the employment report and see which job role and company align with what you are doing at the moment. In the current scenario, when the job market is extremely bad, refrain from changing domains/functions.

@Ticiana Figueiredo - your consulting exposure and MBB/ Big-4 brands are strong angles. What were your role(s) e.g. what kind of projects have you worked on? And have there been any promotions?

The GPA seems on the lower side - any reasons? Aim for a strong GMAT, ideally 10-20+ points above the published averages of your target programs, in order to increase your chances.

Regards,
Arvind Kumar (Founder, admitStreet)
Website: https://admitstreet.com/ | Book a free discovery call: https://admitstreet.com/#contact

Hi!! Thanks for the reply! No promotion by now, since I changed firms - I have been working with tech projects within financial services and CPG industries. And have developed 2 chatGPTs for clients. GPA is not the highest because I was leading and founding student organizations about entrepreneurship, leadership and social impact. Willing to explore it in the essays...

Hey
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, 8 years of experience, including MBB and Big 4 strategy consulting places you in the category of candidates with strong analytical, client-facing, and problem-solving skills. This background will be very attractive to adcoms at top MBA programs. Your goal of transitioning into big tech, specifically within AI practices, is a natural next step given your consulting foundation, but the key will be making your story distinct and credible.

Your GPA might be a concern for some highly competitive schools. To balance this, you will need to aim for a strong GMAT score to reassure Adcoms of your academic potential. You may also want to highlight any quantitative or technical coursework or certifications. You will also need to clearly show how an MBA at this stage is essential for your pivot and how you will contribute mature perspectives in the classroom.

You can strengthen your application by tying your consulting projects to AI and digital transformation work you have already done, to build a bridge between your past experience and your post-MBA goals. Showing leadership in these projects will also help demonstrate your readiness for a senior role in big tech post-MBA.

Outside of work, what activities or community involvement highlight your leadership, personal impact, or values, areas that adcoms at top schools look for.

I’d be happy to offer you a free profile review for your target MBA programs to see where you stand and how to boost your chances, happy to help!
No pressure, no strings - just helpful insights on where you stand and how you can strengthen your chances.

Feel free to connect- Click here
You can also email me at: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!

Hello Ticiana,

Your consulting pedigree at MBB and Big 4 strategy is strong, but your GPA 2.9 is a red flag across top U.S. and European schools. Without a GMAT or GRE, your application will not be competitive, you need a 700+ GMAT or equivalent to offset the academics.

Your work experience aligns with post-MBA goals in big tech and AI, but right now, your academics will drag you down at HBS, GSB, and INSEAD.

Consider programs like LBS or Kellogg’s one-year MBA, where professional brand and international exposure can weigh more heavily if you pair it with a strong score. Without fixing the GPA/test issue, even mid-tier schools will be difficult.

Ameer Khatri, Admissions Consultant
Schedule 1-on-1 call
https://admitportal.ameerkhatri.com/pro ... n-calendar

Thanks for sharing your profile, @Ticiana Figueiredo! You’ve got a distinctive profile: Brazilian, 8 years in strategy/consulting (MBB + Big 4), pivoting to AI-driven roles. That’s attractive to top programs and to recruiters in tech/AI strategy, if you neutralize the GPA and show clear AI fluency. Tier-1 consulting pedigree; cross-industry pattern recognition, International diversity (LatAm) + female candidate = positive portfolio effect. Clear post-MBA path (AI/tech strategy) that maps to current employer demand.

Your 2.9 GPA is below the median for most of the B-schools. You’ll need a strong GMAT and/or fresh quant signals. R2 is tighter on seats/ scholarships than R1; still doable, but execution must be crisp. Target a great GMAT FE score (695+). If you plateau, consider the GRE. Consider taking a graded calculus/ stats/ analytics course. Use the optional essay to contextualize GPA and point to recent A-level work.

For big tech AI strategy/ops, schools near NYC/ the Bay Area/ London, plus hands-on labs, will help. Prioritize AI product, data strategy, responsible AI, and build a portfolio that you can show in interviews.

How you can frame your story in the Essays:
1) Client leadership - “Partner-trusted operator” who moves ambiguous AI problems to board-ready decisions.
2) AI with judgment - Not just modeling; show problem framing, change management, and risk/ethics.
3) Inclusion & ecosystem - LatAm perspective in global AI adoption (talent, infra, regulation) and how you assemble cross-border stakeholders.

For Scholarships, R2 funds exist but are tighter. Raise test scores, show recent A-level academics, and highlight women-in-tech/LatAm leadership to access named awards at INSEAD/LBS/Judge/Saïd and merit awards at U.S. programs.

Quick questions to reflect on:
1) Which region do you want post-MBA (U.S., Europe, or both), and do you have work-authorization constraints?
2) Within AI, are you targeting product strategy, go-to-market, ops & enablement, or AI governance/risk?
3) Biggest client impacts you can quantify (revenue, cost, NPS, time-to-market)?
4) Do you have coding/ data exposure (SQL/Python) or mostly strategy/ops?

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can join our Coffee Session: “MASTER YOUR MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS FOR INSEAD, HEC, LBS, AND IESE!” which is on August 22, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST | 11:30 AM ET. KNOW MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond