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22 days ago

Hi! There is immense potential for story shaping in your profile. The highlight of your profile, however, is your international experience. In the post-Covid scenario, this is a hard one to beat for non-consulting applicants. Pre-MBA experience in supply chain and manufacturing operations is considered top-tier if the goal is to switch to consulting or a function that significantly adds to your foundation in business-building fundamentals (supply chain in your case). You have a very strong chance of making it to almost all schools with the right strategy, except maybe HWS (I wish you had a higher score, though). I had a pretty similar background (driving global manufacturing and supply chain operations in automotive auxiliary → INSEAD → scaling a retail platform), so feel free to reach out. I recently mentored someone who got into IESE with a supply chain/sourcing consulting background in FMCG and extensive work experience in North Africa, and he picked applying to IESE over INSEAD. Happy to throw more light.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

21 days ago

Hi
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, you have a atrong and well-rounded profile, especially with your global exposure and clear impact. Your GPA from a top US engineering school + 695 GMAT are solid.

Your story is actually quite interesting, the MENA/Africa consumer goods + distribution angle is differentiated and credible, especially since you’ve already started exploring the space. Just make sure your short-term goal is sharper to clearly connect the dots.

I’d be happy to offer you a free profile review for your target 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: [email protected]
Good Luck!

11 days ago

Thanks for sharing your profile, @VeryWax. This is a thoughtful, well-built profile with a real upward trajectory, and, importantly, it’s not in the typical Indian IT/consulting bucket, which already gives you an edge. That said, you’re still competing in one of the most competitive demographics globally, so execution and positioning will matter a lot.

What’s working for you:
1. Strong, credible career progression- Cummins Inc > Fortune 500 brand, promotion in ~2 years, and geographic mobility (US > UK). This signals: high potential and adaptability.

2. Real operational impact- $10–20M initiative, 60% cost reduction, and Tariff + supply chain work. This is EXACTLY what schools want, but most applicants lack: Tangible and measurable impact.

3. Clear emerging markets + distribution angle- Your long-term goal is actually quite a strong cross-border platform in MENA/Africa for regulated goods. This is specific geography, a clear business model direction, and ties to your background (Middle East exposure).

Risks:
1. GMAT (important for your demographic)- 695 FE is good (but for Indian male engineers targeting M7, it might be a soft weakness (for some), not fatal)
2. Leadership depth (main gap)- Your experience is strong technically, but adcoms will ask, “Where is the PEOPLE leadership?” Managing teams? Influencing senior stakeholders? Driving org-level change?
3. Extracurriculars- SWE fundraising is good, but limited scale and a limited ownership narrative. For M7, you need one strong spike outside work.
4. The short-term goal is unclear. You said: “Commercial strategy/brand /RTM role in FMCG.” This is logical but too generic.
Your long-term goal Build cross-border distribution platform for regulated goods (alcohol > premium categories). This is actually very differentiated IF executed well. Why? Regulated goods > barrier to entry | Emerging markets > growth narrative | Cross-border > complex ops (fits your background).

This is much better than the typical “I want to work in consulting/FMCG.” Make it more investor/operator-like instead of “Build a platform.” Say, “Build a compliant, asset-light distribution and brand scaling platform for premium regulated goods in fragmented MENA/Africa markets, solving X inefficiency.”

Add- What inefficiency exists? Why are you uniquely positioned?

Fix your short-term goal. You need precision and credibility. You can give a thought to these versions:
1. Join a global beverage alcohol company (example Diageo/AB InBev) in a commercial strategy/route-to-market/general management role focused on emerging markets.

2. Join a strategy/operations role in a consumer-focused consulting or internal strategy team focused on distribution and market expansion. Show skill gap > MBA fills it > role bridges to long-term.

Questions for you:
Have you directly managed people or teams?
Any international leadership challenges/conflicts you handled?
Why specifically alcohol / regulated goods? (personal angle?)
Any family business/exposure to trade/distribution?
Would you be open to EU/Middle East post-MBA roles?
Can you scale your current industry exposure into something tangible (pilot, deal, partnership)?

We’d love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, work experience, and personal journey so that we can provide a tailored profile evaluation and an honest school assessment. Feel free to book an evaluation session.

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

VeryWax

8 days ago

Have you directly managed people or teams? - Yes, for the $20 million dollar in savings project. I am leading the complete engineering initiative. So I am assigning and managing placement students in the UK to complete the projects which are being launched under the whole initiative.
Any international leadership challenges/conflicts you handled? - Not yet, a few supplier miscommunications.
Why specifically alcohol / regulated goods? (personal angle?) - Yes, my family is in the alcohol business. We have direct accounts with Heineken, Asahi, etc. We have a portfolio of alcohol which we are starting to trade. I personally haven't closed a deal yet due to the ongoing Iran war causing supply disruption.
Any family business/exposure to trade/distribution? - Yes.
Would you be open to EU/Middle East post-MBA roles? - Yes.
Can you scale your current industry exposure into something tangible (pilot, deal, partnership)? - Yes, working on that.

40 minutes ago

1. How competitive is this profile across my list?
Overall, your profile seems competitive.

2. Is my long-term story differentiated and credible?
There are multiple approaches to define a Long-Term goal, but we don't recommend fixing it before your Short-Term goal. B-schools care more about your ST goal, whether you are employable or not depends on it. Your LT goal should be a logical and pragmatic extension of your ST goal. Credibility of achieving your goals comes primarily from the ST goal.

3. How should I sharpen the short-term goal?
Your short-term goal can be sharpened by bringing in elements from your personal life, attributes that define who you are and paint your profile in a way that is perfectly aligned with your goals. We wouldn't want to share a generic example here since this is highly specific to each person, but if you'd like to speak with us, we can walk you through multiple real examples connecting personality with goals.

4. Quick question for you, when you think about your short-term goal post-MBA, is it more driven by the function you want to work in, the industry you want to enter, or the geography you want to be based in?
The answer often tells us exactly where the sharpening needs to happen, and helps us give you much more targeted guidance.

Is this list too ambitious, or appropriately balanced? We really like the mix of schools you have selected, given your profile.

8 days ago

Good ingredients that could be packaged well. Be aware that should you be considering working in the FMCG domain in the USA immediately post-MBA, that is quite unlikely to happen. Hardly any FMCG firm hires/sponsors internationals in the USA. And you cannot get this career part of your career narrative wrong.
It will be crucial for you to paint the bridge that connects your past with the need for an MBA education and the why behind your ST and LT goals. Supply chains and failed experiences from your past will be great stories to develop.
If you see value in my supply chain and FMCG/consumer background of over three decades of career (incl. 10+ years in the ME), coupled with being a double MBA (India and the UK), I'm happy to speak.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant | E: [email protected]

3 days ago

@VeryWax - interesting profile overall, given the academics, employer brand, career progression and leadership exposure.

Reg. extracurriculars, were these activities you were involved in post undergrad, and for how long?

Also, the 'why' behind your career goals is as important as the 'what', as this would play a major role in the narrative.

Feel free to reach out for a discussion.

Regards,
Arvind (Founder, admitStreet)
Testimonials: https://admitstreet.com/testimonials/
Request a free profile evaluation: https://admitstreet.com/#contact
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvindkvenkat

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Sunny3897

5 years

India

2027

Male

Score: Plan to take the GMAT

GPA: 7.6

Pre-MBA industry: Technology

Post-MBA industry: Technology

Judge Cambridge

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

1 month ago

Stern

NYU Tech MBA

Round 1, 2027

1 month ago

IIM (All Schools)

IIM Ahmedabad PGPX

1 month ago

Kellogg

MBAi

1 month ago

ISB

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

1 month ago

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1 month ago

Hi everyone, I would appreciate feedback on my MBA profile, school selection, and career goals.

Work Experience:
WebMD.com, Senior Product Manager (2+ years, recently promoted from Product Manager):
I currently manage a product portfolio in Continuing Medical Education (CME) that serves about 1 million healthcare professionals and generates approximately $12M in annual revenue( WebMD operates within KKR’s private equity portfolio; product managers are directly accountable for measurable business outcomes)

My work involves defining product strategy, roadmap prioritisation, and launching new distribution channels and partnerships. Recently, I worked on expanding reach through pharmacy network partnerships (e.g., Walgreens, CVS) and led several cross-functional launches involving clinical, commercial, and technology teams.

YouGotaGift.com, Dubai-based Fintech, Associate Product Manager (1 year 9 months)
I managed an employee incentives and rewards platform built around a closed-loop wallet infrastructure. My role focused on product redesign and regional expansion across the MENA market. I led the revitalisation of the platform in KSA and launched phygital corporate-branded cards (digital + physical) for enterprise clients, integrating fintech rails for rewards and incentives.

o9 Solutions, Business/Technology Consultant (1 year 6 months)
Worked on implementing a Master Supply Planning solution for Estée Lauder, collaborating with global supply-chain stakeholders. My responsibilities included requirements gathering, solution configuration, and coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver planning capabilities for enterprise supply chain teams.

Entrepreneurial Experience – Creator Economy Startup (2024)
In 2024, I attempted to launch a startup focused on the creator economy to improve how brands discover and collaborate with influencers. I successfully built and launched the platform, onboarded four local brands, and validated early demand. However, due to co-founder misalignment and financial constraints, we paused the venture. The experience gave me hands-on exposure to early-stage startup challenges.

Education: Punjab Engineering College (PEC), India
B.Tech (CGPA: 7.6/10)
I realise my GPA may be slightly on the lower side. However, grading at PEC was relatively stringent; the highest GPA in my branch was 9.2, with only one student scoring above 9.
Based on WES conversions reported by other alumni from my school, this CGPA typically translates to approximately 3.3–3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

During college, I served as Chief Secretary of the Astronomy and Space Physics Club, one of the most active technical societies at PEC. The college has a strong aerospace legacy with alumni such as Kalpana Chawla and Satish Dhawan.
In this role, I managed ~70 student members and a ₹2 lakh annual budget, organised technical events and workshops, and led collaborations with institutions such as Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institutes of Technology.

I was also awarded a Certificate of Achievement and the Achievers Award by the Dean for consistently winning multiple Astronomy and Space Physics competitions over two years and for representing the college at the national level at various institutions.

Even after graduation, I continue to conduct astronomy outreach programs in rural schools to promote interest in science and STEM education. Each year, I lead two 15-day workshops during the summer and winter breaks, where we organise hands-on learning experiences for high school students. These workshops include DIY projects such as building simple radio telescopes, constructing Dobsonian telescopes, and conducting night sky observation sessions to introduce students to practical astronomy.
Through these initiatives, I have directly mentored and inspired around 50 students to pursue STEM-related education paths by sparking their curiosity in space science and physics.

Post MBA Goals:
Short term-
Product Management / Product Marketing / Strategy roles in Big Tech or high-growth tech companies (unicorns).

Long term-
Move into strategy-led leadership roles in technology companies, potentially combining product, growth, and platform strategy. My long-term aspiration is to build and scale technology products that operate at global scale.

I have not taken the GMAT yet, but I am currently preparing and targeting a score in the 685–705 range.

I would really appreciate feedback on the following:

1) How competitive does my profile look for top global programs and potential scholarships?
2) Does my school list look realistic, or should I rebalance it?
3) Are there other schools strong in tech/product management that I should consider?

Comments 4 comments

1 month ago

Hi Sunny,

Your profile is rather interesting. Let me break this down:
1. work experience - There is a good depth of experience across different domains. You've also worked with some good brands (WebMD and Estee' Lauder). I didn't know WebMD had operations in India, but I would think, you largely work with a global/ US team, which is again a plus point. Now, at the time of application building, you must show career progression in responsibilities and the kind of achievements (more impact in recent ventures) you have had all through your career. The entrepreneurial experience would be another plus, even if you had to shut the venture, because of the learnings around building a business and conducting it, sourcing clients etc. Do add it to your resume.
2. GPA- a 7.6/10 GPA is not bad, although it could have been higher. That said, you should not justify this in your application as you have done here. Instead, aim for a 705 or higher GMAT score, even if that requires a retake and this score would give a more recent representation of your academic readiness for an MBA program.
3. Your career goals, specifically the short term goals will need more specificity. Between the three choices you have mentioned, you will need to narrow down on one path that makes most sense for you and also aligns with your professional interests. While you could have a Plan B career goal, in the applications, b-schools would want to see how much clarity you have around your goals and what is achievable for you from an employer's perspective. So, you need to spend some time on thinking through your career goals and this may require talking to current students, professionals in your network, or admissions consultants (I'd be happy to chat and offer advice).
4. ECAs- your college ECA shows a distinct interest and what makes it more impressive is that you have pursued this passion by initiating other kids into astronomy/ physics/ STEM degrees. If you wish to do anything in terms of profile building, just add more depth to this activity through further involvement.
5. Your b-school choice - I hope the mention of Judge MFin program is a typo error, as you clearly have a profile and goals focused towards tech. You do not have to solely apply to Tech MBAs or the MBAi, instead you could apply to any 2-year MBA program that has a good standing for tech employments. Kellogg, Booth, MIT, Haas, Ross, Duke, UCLA come immediately to mind. A high GMAT score will play a large part in which b-schools you apply to, so put all your effort in maxing this test.
Do reach out for a one-on-one discussion.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011

1 month ago

Hi Sunny
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, you have a solid PM profile, especially with your experience, plus a promotion to Senior Product Manager and clear revenue responsibility. Managing a product used by about 1M healthcare professionals and generating $12M revenue is a strong talking point, and your startup attempt plus STEM outreach adds a good leadership and impact angle.

Your target GMAT score should make you reasonably competitive for your target schools. Your GPA is not a major concern, especially with a strong GMAT and solid work experience.

1. Competitiveness: Your profile fits well for tech/product-focused MBA programs, particularly if you clearly position your story as product to tech leadership to global scale products. Scholarships will depend heavily on your GMAT score and application quality.

2. School list: Your list is generally good, but it might help to add 1–2 additional tech-friendly schools such as Haas, Anderson and McCombs, which have strong tech placement.

I’d be happy to offer you a free profile review for your target 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: [email protected]
Good Luck!

GradOcean

1 month ago

Your profile looks quite strong overall. The GPA should not be a major concern.

Your post-MBA goal of moving into product management aligns well with your existing experience. You already have a solid foundation in product roles, and the combination of corporate product management experience along with entrepreneurial exposure adds a nice dimension to your profile.

Your school selection for India looks sensible—programs like Indian School of Business and Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad PGPX would fit well given your experience level.

For global programs, you could also consider schools such as London Business School, INSEAD, and Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management, especially if you are targeting post-MBA roles in technology.

A strong GMAT score in the range you’re targeting would further strengthen your candidacy.

Feel free to reach out in case you have any further questions.

All the best!

Shrey Bahadur
Founder, GradOcean Admission Consultants
Website: gradocean.in
WA: +91-9892714308
Email: [email protected]

TheIvyLeagueEdge

2 hours ago

Hi @Sunny3897,
Your profile looks very similar to one of my clients from PEC this year. The only difference is his GRE of 311
He got into 80% of his target schools including Simon Rochester (60% Scholarship), UTD ($41K), UCSD ($105K), and several more... For his own personal reasons, he targeted only US.

Happy to connect you.

Hope that helps. Please submit your profile for a Free Assessment over a 1:1 call. https://theivyleagueedge.com/index.php/contactus/
_________________
Bala

1. WORLD'S MOST recommended Admissions Consultant on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/balkrishna/
2. 100% 5-Star Reviews on PoetsandQuants
Poetsandquants(dot)com/consultant/bala-bal-krishna-shukla/

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Ashavi Shah

1 years

India

2026

Female

Score: Plan to take the GMAT

GPA: 3.2

Pre-MBA industry: Technology

Post-MBA industry: Consulting

ESSEC

ESSEC Master in Management

R1, 2026

10 months ago

Haas

Berkeley Master of Financial Engineering

10 months ago

IE MiM (Jan Start)

10 months ago

INSEAD

INSEAD Master in Management

Round 1, 2026

10 months ago

INSEAD

January Intake

Round 1, 2026

10 months ago

Kellogg

Kellogg MiM

R1, 2026

10 months ago

Johnson (Cornell)

Cornell NYC Tech MBA

10 months ago

HEC Paris

HEC MiM

R1, 2026

10 months ago

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Comments 1 comment

10 months ago

Hello Ashavi,

We'd need more details to assess your profile better e.g. undergrad university, GMAT/ GRE score (or mocks), work-experience (companies, roles), extracurriculars, and directional career goals.

If you're looking for suggestions on what score to target (since you haven't indicated the score), it'd be prudent to aim for 10-20+ points above the published averages of your target programs.

Regards,
Arvind (Founder, admitStreet)
Testimonials: https://admitstreet.com/testimonials/ | Free profile evaluation: https://admitstreet.com/#contact

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Winston23

5 years

Spain

2027

Male

Score: 320 GRE

Pre-MBA industry: Finance: Diversified Financial Services

Post-MBA industry: Finance: Venture Capital

Columbia

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

29 days ago

Harvard

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

29 days ago

Wharton

MBA/MA Lauder Joint-Degree

Round 1, 2027

29 days ago

Sloan MIT

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

29 days ago

Stern

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

29 days ago

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9 months ago

2 years in consulting + 2 years in CSO office of Fortune 500 Fintech company. Recommenders - CSO of my company (supervisor, interviewed me, HBS alumnus who was my strategy professor)

Comments 2 comments

29 days ago

HI, try getting your GRE score up above 330. Also, are you planning to get a recommendation from a professor? NOt a great idea as B-schools prefer them from professional settings.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011

TheIvyLeagueEdge

3 hours ago

Hey @Winston23,
A few observations and suggested actions:
Observation 1. Your choice of schools is ambitious and very aggressive, more so in the light of your pre-MBA industry of Diversified Financial Services (often used to convey tens of related sub industries), and seemingly tenuous links with your post-MBA VC goals.
Suggested Actions:
a. Widen your choice of schools to include safety schools in your basket.
b. Highlight your work accomplishments (across your entire application, LORs included) in a way that makes the AdCom more confident about your understanding of your post-MBA goals
c. Spread your application in multiple rounds. Any admissions in your earlier rounds, will heavily weigh in your favour for admissions to higher ranked and more competitive schools (provided you are able to weave that in your application properly)

Observation 2. GRE score of 320, which puts you among the lower ranges of admissions granted to these schools.
Actions
a. Esp for VC (and IB) goals, it is ever more important to target high Quant scores (not saying that low verbal/ DI/ reasoning scores are ok, but high quant is absolutely essential)
b. It would be wise to get higher GRE scores. 330+ would put you in a comfortable range

Observation 3. Low Spanish Representation in your target schools.
Actions:
a. Low representation can be a positive for you. However, it is very important that you leverage this card to maximize your benefits.

Observation 4. Most applicants spend the LEAST amount of time in understanding the importance of their MBA schools for their entire career beyond the ranks published in a reputed publication. Choose your schools wisely.
Actions:
a. Don't just take the employment reports at face value. Go DEEPER; UNDERSTAND the percentage of employment outcomes from these schools that match your projected trajectories. Technically speaking, few of these reports (if at all) may put in data that’s false about employment outcomes. However, since you are betting your future career and life on your school, it is important for you to dig deeper, and choose your list of target schools wisely
b. Going to a slightly lower ranked school (assuming it still fits your career goals) with a high scholarship may sometimes be worth MUCH MORE than going to a top school with zero scholarship, not merely financially, but also for your potential employers

Observation 5. In your question, you haven’t specified your college, its national standing, your CGPA and such other data. AdComs from the Top ranked schools such as those that form your list, would also LIKE to see top college/ pedigree AND top percentile scores in those.
a. IF you have not had such colleges and/or scores, it may help to take up ancillary courses such as mba math or hbs core. More details about whether or not you should take these courses can be found on Stacy Blackman page (https://www.stacyblackman.com/hbs-core-hbx-or-mba-math/)

Hope that helps. Please submit your profile for a Free Assessment over a 1:1 call. https://theivyleagueedge.com/index.php/contactus/
_________________
Bala

1. WORLD'S MOST recommended Admissions Consultant on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/balkrishna/
2. 100% 5-Star Reviews on PoetsandQuants
Poetsandquants(dot)com/consultant/bala-bal-krishna-shukla/

New Comments Profile review requested

AnindyaDey98

5 years

India

2028

Male

Score: Plan to take the GMAT

GPA: 8.55

Pre-MBA industry: Technology

Post-MBA industry: Consulting

HEC Paris

January Intake

1 day ago

ESADE

Full Time MBA

2nd deadline, 2027

1 day ago

IESE

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2027

1 day ago

ESSEC

Global MBA

1 day ago

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1 day ago

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND & IMPACT:

Over 5 years, I’ve operated at the intersection of quality engineering, production stability, and cross-functional delivery in high-velocity IT environments across Shipping, Telecom and B2B e-commerce. As a Test Lead & Production Support Specialist, I’ve consistently bridged technical execution with business continuity-owning end-to-end release cycles, leading incident management for mission-critical systems and driving process improvements that reduced defect escape rates and accelerated time-to-resolution.

Social Impact & Mentoring:

Founded a technical bootcamp focused on bridging the "campus-to-corporate" gap. I provide low-cost mentoring, resume building and interview prep for non-privileged students entering the IT sector.

MBA OBJECTIVE & STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT:

I’m willing to pursue a full-time MBA in Europe to transition from technical delivery leadership into strategy consulting. While my background has equipped me with analytical rigor, stakeholder management and operational resilience, I seek formal training in advanced project management, data analytics, corporate finance and strategy formulation to solve complex business problems at scale.

Post-MBA Path:

Join a top-tier strategy/operations consulting firm, focusing on data-driven project delivery, tech modernization and market-entry strategy. Long-term, I aim to lead consulting practices or build an advisory venture at the intersection of technology, strategy, and emerging markets.

Comments 3 comments

23 hours ago

Hi Anindya, hope this finds you well. Yours reads like a decent but fairly common IT profile. I would strongly recommend not washing over your original language with ChatGPT or any AI tools, because for applicants with an IT background, any small uniqueness, be it in voice or professional standing, can make a lot of difference in how the adcoms perceive your candidacy.

If you plan to get into digital transformation-type roles post-MBA, data mine strong examples where you, as part of a similar project for a client or an organisation, brought a new perspective to the project. If you want to work in product management, just as an example, data mine instances where your contribution or insights transformed the shape of a digital product at the ideation stage. I hope you see what I am getting at. Do not pitch a seemingly generic IT profile.

Goals like 'I want to work at the intersection of X, Y, and Z...' do not work very well because they show a lack of research. Adcoms like applicants who are focused and have clarity, including having done the research, such as speaking with industry experts, and knowing exactly which roles they will target. Also, you need to do a lot of deep research to find unique pointers around what makes you a distinctive addition to the class at those schools to improve your odds at higher-ranking B-schools. Aim for a high GMAT score as well.

If you want a more detailed read of your candidacy at top B-schools, feel free to reach out for a candid discussion.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

10 hours ago

I am going to agree with Aanchal - use language that a layman understands and can respond to. Adcom members read so many applications in a short time- if they don't understand what you have written, they will reject you. Neither will business managers understand what you want to say.
Now for the profile evaluation-
1. Academics: your GPA is solid, but there would be more context to the grades if you also mention your rank in class (do that in the resume). Top this with a 675+ GMAT score.
2. Work experience- Your 5 years experience in multiple domains puts you in the right age bracket for an MBA. More important will be to focus on your achievements and overall impact on your clients' company's business. Try to quantify your achievements in terms of higher efficiency in testing/ time or costs saved. I will also warn you to not show your experiences as wholly a support function. B-schools want to admit people who show leadership skills, so you must focus on those stories where you took initiative, drove them to finish, influenced other colleagues and seniors to do things, even if they did not initially agree.
3. Extra curricular activities- your boot camp sound impressive. is this a one off activity (and more than 3 years old?), or do you keep doing these? Continued commitment has more value, so if you no longer do this, think of how else you can show your engagement in some activities.
4. Goals- you will need to work on these. At present, they sound generic by this description -" focusing on data-driven project delivery, tech modernization and market-entry strategy". Think deeper on what kind of impact you wish to make on your organizations through our work. What challenges do you wish to resolve for them? and what is your passion for wanting to do so? The goals should be well thought and they should show intentionality, that you are guided by a clear purpose and are focused on achieving it through the course of your career.

Reach out for an indepth discussion.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011

4 hours ago

In addition to perusing what Namita and Aanchal have advised, since you wish to get into strategy consulting, I will propose a crucial piece of homework for you. Search for data on how many Indian alums from your shortlisted schools have made it to consulting in Europe. My hypothesis is that the data will be revealing and give you some food for thought.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant
E: [email protected] | https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-catalysts/

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sunspot

6 years

United States

2026

Female

Score: 311 GRE

Pre-MBA industry: Non-Profit

Post-MBA industry: Consumer Packaged Goods

Darden

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

InterviewedFeb 6, 26

WaitlistedMar 18, 26

1 month ago

Marshall (USC)

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

InterviewedFeb 24, 26

AcceptedMar 21, 26

ScholarshipNone

1 month ago

McDonough

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

WaitlistedMar 20, 26

1 month ago

Fuqua

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

WaitlistedMar 13, 26

1 month ago

Kenan-Flagler

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

AcceptedMar 11, 26

Scholarship50%

1 month ago

Owen Vanderbilt

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

AcceptedMar 10, 26

Scholarship50%

1 month ago

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Lion49

10 hours ago

where do you think youll go?

New Comments

DooperScooper

4 years

United States

2026

Score: 321 GRE

Pre-MBA industry: Consulting

Post-MBA industry: Finance: Venture Capital

Kellogg

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

DeniedMar 25, 26

1 month ago

Ross (Michigan)

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

AcceptedMar 2, 26

Scholarship25%

1 month ago

Johnson (Cornell)

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

AcceptedMar 18, 26

Scholarship25%

1 month ago

Kenan-Flagler

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

AcceptedFeb 20, 26

Scholarship100%

1 month ago

Owen Vanderbilt

Full Time MBA

Round 2, 2026

AcceptedMar 13, 26

Scholarship50%

1 month ago

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Lion49

10 hours ago

where do you think youll go?

navyofficerbr

8 years

Brazil

2026

Male

Score: 155 EA

GPA: 7.6

Pre-MBA industry: Military

Post-MBA industry: Finance: Investment Banking

Wharton

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

AppliedSep 3, 25

InterviewedNov 6, 25

WaitlistedDec 10, 25

4 months ago

Ross (Michigan)

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

AppliedSep 8, 25

InterviewedOct 23, 25

WaitlistedDec 5, 25

4 months ago

Fuqua

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

AppliedSep 30, 25

InterviewedNov 20, 25

AcceptedDec 11, 25

Scholarship50%

4 months ago

Darden

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

InterviewedNov 3, 25

AcceptedDec 10, 25

Scholarship25%

4 months ago

Johnson (Cornell)

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

AppliedSep 17, 25

WaitlistedOct 30, 25

5 months ago

McCombs

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

AppliedOct 15, 25

InterviewedOct 22, 25

6 months ago

Jones Rice

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

InterviewedOct 22, 25

6 months ago

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10 hours ago

After 12 years of active-duty as a Brazilian Navy Officer, I am looking to switch to IB.

Comments 4 comments

1 year ago

Thank you for your service. I hope your country appreciates it! The US business schools should appreciate your experience. The more you can highlight how you stood out or perform better than your peers, the better your chances.

I’m not sure if you have connected with the veterans clubs of those programs, it would help to do that. On one hand, it would give you better chances because you would learn more and hear some insider stories and on the other it will signal to the admissions that you have done your research and connected with folks. It will also help you with recruiting.

Though I just saw that you applied to all of these so fingers crossed and now we wait 🤞🙏👍

navyofficerbr

1 year ago

Thank you for providing me the valuable tips about reaching out the veterans club of those programs, I apreciate and I certainly will do it.

Yes, fingers crossed, I'm excited to get the results soon.

Once more, thank you for the informations.

1 year ago

Best of luck! I would start getting prepared for the interviews just in case.

PS. I had a question for you about the executive assessment test, I’ll message you separately about it.

1 year ago

Hi filipelima
We wish you all the very best for your application.

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WellEmpty

3 years

India

2027

Male

GPA: 9.09

Pre-MBA industry: Finance: Diversified Financial Services

Post-MBA industry: Consulting

ISB

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

1 day ago

Hello,

I am plannig to apply for MBA programmes this year. I am specifically targeting 1 year MBA programmes due to better ROI. I am based out of india and ISB fits as per my consulting / PE VC goal.

Profile
1. Btech Chemical from an IIT
2. 2 years experience in a global NPO
3. Currently working in a fintech startup.

I am looking for suggestions as to what other B-schools i can apply to increase my chances of admit this year.

Comments 1 comment

11 hours ago

Your IIT degree, strong academics with a 9 GPA, and experience across two sectors are positives. The 3 years experience ISB's eligibility criterion, as they requires 24+ months of full-time work experience for PGP.

My main concern is your career goals story, which will come across as scattered with Chemical Engineering>> NPO >>Fintech startup >> consulting / PE / VC. While consulting could be a a realistic post-MBA goal, but PE/VC will be hard to justify unless you have some prior background that makes you employable for such a role. YOu will need to figure out your goals prior to the applications, in order to maximize your chances of admission. Mentioning may unrelated career paths can cost you heavily.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011

Profile review requested

aviikkk

3 years

India

2027

Male

GPA: 9.43

Pre-MBA industry: Energy

Post-MBA industry: Consulting

IIM (All Schools)

IIM Ahmedabad PGPX

13 hours ago

ISB

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

13 hours ago

Comments

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Aliasa

9 years

India

2027

Female

Score: 339 GRE

GPA: 62.37%

Pre-MBA industry: Other

Post-MBA industry: Technology

LBS

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Booth

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Haas

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

HEC Paris

September Intake

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

INSEAD

August Intake

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Judge Cambridge

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Said

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Sloan MIT

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Stanford GSB

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Tepper

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Wharton

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Yale

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Kellogg

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

11 days ago

Fuqua

Full Time MBA

Early Action, 2027

11 days ago

Show all 14 schools

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7 months ago

I have overall 9 years of experience. Have 7 years in Risk and compliance operations and 2 year into supply chain and logistics as a product manager. Currently working as Technical Product Manager. I have done Bachelor of science in Computer application and mathematics with 62% and then done MBA from distance learning with 79%. I have 4 years of gap after graduation because I was preparing for defence but didn't get selected therefore, I started my career in Corporate. I worked in MNC and startups.

Comments 6 comments

10 days ago

Wow, what a high GRE score. that absolves the burden of a low GPA, and more so because this is recent, while your undergrad is quite dated.

If I understood your career trajectory properly, you started working in risk (in what capacity?) and then pivoted to PM (which is more current experience?). If you plan to continue in product management post-MBA, then do explain in your applications, why you need an MBA given that you are already working as a PM. What skills and knowledge are you currently lacking that is keeping you from further growth/opportunities and why is an MBA the best vehicle to achieve this?

You do have a long career gap, but its in the past and nothing can be done about it. The best thing would be to address is factually in the application, and explain why this career path was important to you, how you utilized your time and how you grew personally/ professionally during these 4 years. B-schools want to see growth and learning during any phase of life, and a career break can teach you a lot if you utilized your time sincerely. You just need to be strategic in how you explain this career gap.

With your GRE out of the way, you can immediately get started with your application preparation. Although applications open only June onwards, there's much to be done now in terms of b-school research and selection, profile building, brainstorming life stories etc. You have a huge list of target b-schools and my suggestion is that you apply only to 5-8 b-schools across R1 and R2. Those many applications are enough to land you admissions, but these need to be done right. Application writing is an intense process so don't burn yourself out by submitting way too many applications (your quality will also suffer). Instead focus on the quality of a lesser number of them.

Would be happy to talk, should you need further guidance.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011

9 days ago

Hi, I wish you had thrown some light on your career growth during both your stints in risk and then in logistics. You started your career late, and therefore how you have fared since then becomes very important. From a very distant view of your profile, it would have been ideal to make the switch to product or supply chain a bit earlier, but it is what it is. You can at least underscore the fact that you are a go-getter and that you made this switch only recently, which shows your agility.

I also feel your list of schools is too long and too full of ultra-competitive schools, which could take your focus away from researching individual schools in depth, and that weakens your appeal to the respective adcoms. See if you can add more from the US T20 segment to maximize your chances for scholarships in this job market.

My background is in Supply Chain design (systems and product) so feel free to reach out if you want to discuss your case in detail.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

8 days ago

Please exercise a high degree of caution in selecting schools. I am inferring you are in mid-30's now (UG + 4 + 9) and most schools will challenge you with 'why MBA now?' This challenge will get extended to recruitment also since your peers will be a lot younger to you. I am unclear re your ST goal of technology - is it the industry or the function? Your past will come along with you - so what exactly is on your mind for a post-MBA role, given that you sound like a GRC profile? Happy to speak if you wish to.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant | E: [email protected]

5 days ago

Hi
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, you have a very interesting and experienced profile, especially with about 9 years across risk/compliance to PM to technical PM, which shows clear progression and a shift toward tech. The 339 GRE is a huge plus and will significantly help offset concerns around your undergrad GPA.

Your experience across MNCs + startups and moving into product roles aligns well with your post-MBA tech goals, so the overall direction makes sense. Also, being a female candidate with tech/product experience adds a positive diversity angle.

Low undergrad GPA + gap after graduation needs to be explained well
Higher experience - some full-time MBAs may be less ideal fit

I’d be happy to offer you a free profile review for your target 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: [email protected]
Good Luck!

3 days ago

Hi @Aliasa - well done on the GRE score, which can help offset the GPA.

I'd also like to understand your professional experience to assess the profile better e.g. key projects, achievements, progressions/ promotions, etc.

The career gap would have to be addressed in the application, along with other elements such as your professional (and personal) journey so far, your career goals after the MBA, and how the MBA would help fill in gaps at this juncture.

Also make sure to have a strategic mix of schools across Ambitious, Reach and Safe buckets, aligned to your profile and goals.

Feel free to reach out for a discussion.

Regards,
Arvind (Founder, admitStreet)
Testimonials: https://admitstreet.com/testimonials/
Request a free profile evaluation: https://admitstreet.com/#contact
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvindkvenkat

21 hours ago

Thanks for sharing your profile, @Aliasa. Let's start with the schools and the chances:
1. Stretch (Possible, not probable): Stanford, Wharton, and MIT Sloan. These require exceptional storytelling, impact, and leadership spike.

2. Stretch but achievable: Chicago Booth, Kellogg, Haas, and Yale.

3. Strong targets: LBS, INSEAD, HEC Paris, Cambridge, Oxford, Tepper, and Fuqua. Europe can be your strongest geography.

Strengths:
1. GRE 339 (Massive differentiator): This is M7-level/top 1-2% globally. It offsets your low GPA significantly, signals analytical ability, and makes you academically credible everywhere.
2. Career progression & role evolution: Risk & compliance > supply chain > product > technical product manager. This is a powerful transformation story, Operations > Business > Product > Tech. If framed well, this is gold for MBA essays.
3. Experience depth (9 Years): You’re an experienced candidate, a sweet spot for LBS, INSEAD, and HEC. You bring maturity that younger applicants don’t have.
4. Cross-industry exposure: MNC + startup and Ops + product. This gives you breadth and adaptability.

Risks you must address:
1. Low undergrad GPA (62.37%). This is below average for top schools. But your GRE 339 already compensates heavily. Your distance MBA (79%) helps slightly.

2. 4-year gap (Critical to Explain Well): Preparing for defence is not a problem. But it must show intent, discipline, and growth. Not “unclear direction”.

3. “Why MBA Now?” Risk: At 9 years of experience, schools will ask, Why not continue growing without an MBA?
You need a very tight answer.

4. Goal clarity: You said, Post-MBA > Technology. That’s too broad. You must define product management? Tech strategy? AI/platform/SaaS?
Your story should NOT be, “I want to switch to tech”. Instead, a better narrative can be, “I evolved from operations into product management, and now want to scale my impact in technology leadership, particularly in building scalable digital products across global markets.”

You can also explore IESE and ESSEC.

Things to do next:
1. Build a strong “Impact resume”. You need product metrics (users, revenue, adoption), business impact (efficiency, cost, scale), and stakeholder influence.
2. Leadership stories: Examples: Leading cross-functional teams, driving product decisions, and influencing senior stakeholders.
3. Fix your “Why MBA” narrative: You need to answer, Why now (after 9 years)? Why not continue on the current trajectory? What gap only an MBA fills?
4. Goals: Make them sharp. Example: “Senior Product Manager in global SaaS firms”, “AI-enabled supply chain platforms” or “Digital transformation in logistics ecosystems”.

Questions for you to reflect upon:
What is your biggest product impact (numbers)?
Have you owned a product end-to-end?
Have you led teams or influenced without authority?
Any major conflict or failure story?
What did you learn during defence preparation?
How did it shape your resilience/discipline?
Which companies/roles are you targeting post-MBA?
Why not continue growing as a PM without an MBA?

We’d love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, work experience, and personal journey so that we can provide a tailored profile evaluation and an honest school assessment. Feel free to book an evaluation session.

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

You can register for our upcoming Coffee Session on “Consulting to PE/VC: How to Position Your Profile, Skills & Story for Top Roles”, which is scheduled on 30th April, 2026, at 9.00 PM IST | 11.30 AM ET.

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Ankush Sambare

8 years

India

2027

Male

GPA: 2.4

Pre-MBA industry: Technology

Post-MBA industry: Technology

ISB

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

23 hours ago

Wharton

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

23 hours ago

INSEAD

August Intake

Round 1, 2026

23 hours ago

Background:

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering low GPA. While my academic record isn’t strong, my professional journey shows a clear upward trajectory.

Work Experience (6+ years):

World largest refinary (Data Scientist) – Currently part of a specialized AI/ML team driving Industry 4.0 and digital transformation initiatives in refinery and manufacturing operations. Working closely with plant heads and SMEs to deploy ML solutions for process optimization and efficiency improvement.
Consulting startup (Data Scientist) – Worked on industrial analytics, sustainability, and energy optimization projects across manufacturing sectors. Also involved in client-facing roles and solutioning.
IT company (Data Analyst Intern) – Built ML models across regression, classification, and NLP use cases.
Production Company (Chemical Production) – Managed production planning in a large-scale chemical plant (500 TPD operations).

Key Achievements:

Delivered measurable business impact through AI/ML (cost savings, efficiency improvements, predictive analytics).
Transitioned from core chemical engineering → data science → AI/ML leadership in industrial transformation.
Experience working cross-functionally with business, technical, and leadership stakeholders.
Exposure to sustainability and energy optimization initiatives.

Post-MBA Goals:
Short-term: Transition into Product Management / Tech Strategy / AI Consulting roles in global MNCs.
Long-term: Lead digital transformation initiatives in industrial or energy sectors, focusing on AI-driven innovation.

Target Programs:
MBA programs in India/US/Europe with strong focus on technology, analytics, and consulting, and good scholarship opportunities.

GMAT:
Currently preparing, targeting ~650.

Comments

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AryanGupta03012001

5 years

India

2027

Male

GPA: 8.01

Pre-MBA industry: Technology

Post-MBA industry: Consulting

Imperial College

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

HEC Paris

September Intake

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

INSEAD

August Intake

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

IESE

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

ISB

Full Time MBA

10 days ago

Judge Cambridge

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

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3 months ago

Work Ex -

1. 5 years at Salesforce as a software developer , mostly remote work but collaborating with colleagues across Canada , US , Dublin
2. Mentoring 2 Juniors
3. IST Developer lead , handling all customer comms during the timezone
4. Promoted in 12 months and up for second promotion this August.
5. Enrolled in a leadership programme at salesforce to gain experience and knowledge to become future leaders at the company

Graduation - BITS Pilani 2022 CS Major 8.01 CGPA

Extra curricular's -
1. Travelling - travelled across India + 2 international trips
2. Sports - represent Salesforce in badminton singles
3. NGO Experience in women empowerment

Post MBA Goal -> Consulting

Comments 5 comments

9 days ago

Hi Aryan, how selective is the leadership program at Salesforce, and what would the growth progression look like if you do not go for an MBA at this point? Your growth potential is the key aspect that decides your admission at HEC and INSEAD in particular. Please do ample research on how the top schools evaluate candidates, and I am happy to guide you should you reach out. Mentoring two juniors is really no big deal, what other firm or team improvement initiatives have you taken? Five years is a long time to be with one company or in a particular industry. How have you grown in terms of your applied business knowledge during this time? Think: why would a recruiter want to hire you post-MBA? What do you bring to the table?

Your undergrad pedigree is solid, but you need to top it with a well-deliberated goals strategy based on the last five years.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

GradOcean

9 days ago

Hi @aryan

Thanks for sharing your profile. Overall, it’s strong, but right now it comes across as a fairly typical “software professional targeting consulting,” which is a very crowded pool. You’ll need to sharpen your post-MBA goals and clearly articulate why consulting in a more differentiated way.

Focus on highlighting your career progression and leadership impact more explicitly to strengthen your case with the adcom. Your target school list looks reasonable. Also, aiming for a GMAT score above 675 would put you in a much stronger position.

All the Best!

Happy to connect if you’d like to discuss your profile in more detail.

Shrey Bahadur
Founder, GradOcean Admission Consultants
Website: https://gradocean.in/
WA: +91-9892714308
Email: [email protected]

3 days ago

Hi @AryanGupta03012001 - your undergrad (BITS) pedigree, GPA and the Salesforce brand are good angles. A strong GMAT/ GRE score will help position your profile well.

I'd like to understand your professional experience more to assess better e.g. key projects/ achievements, promotions (e.g. was it fast-tracked), leadership stints, etc.

Reg. extracurriculars, what is your involvement across these activities, and for how long?

It'd also be important to highlight (in the application) your transferable skills for consulting, and your target firms/ geographies, to strengthen the pitch on how an MBA would help you address gaps.

Feel free to reach out for a discussion.

Regards,
Arvind (Founder, admitStreet)
Testimonials: https://admitstreet.com/testimonials/
Request a free profile evaluation: https://admitstreet.com/#contact
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvindkvenkat

3 days ago

Aryan - I would recommend not using consulting as your post-MBA goal in your applications to UK/EU schools.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant
E: [email protected] | https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-catalysts/

23 hours ago

Thanks for sharing your profile, @AryanGupta03012001. You’ve got a well-balanced profile for top European programs.

What’s working in your favor:
1. Brand and Role quality: Salesforce is a top-tier global brand. Developer + cross-geo collaboration is a good international exposure signal. Schools love this combination: tech+global+structured company.

2. Career progression: Promotion in 12 months. Likely second promotion before applying. This is what adcoms want to see: “Fast-track performer in a competitive environment”.

3. Leadership indicators (early but promising): Mentoring juniors, IST developer lead handling customer, communication, and leadership program participation. This is good, but you’ll need to upgrade this into real leadership stories.

4. Strong Undergrad: BITS Pilani (Tier-1 brand), and CS 8.01 CGPA is academically credible.

5. Career goal needs to be refined.

Gaps:
1. Missing GMAT/GRE: This will define your ceiling. Without a strong score, this profile drops significantly. 675+ FE is a competitive score.
2. Consulting goal: Overcrowded bucket. “Tech to Consulting” is one of the most common transitions.
Adcom will ask, Why YOU over 1,000 similar Indian male engineers?
You need a clear consulting angle and a reason rooted in your experience, not prestige.
3. Leadership depth (Good start, not yet standout)
Right now, mentoring and timezone ownership are expected at your level.
What’s missing is ownership of outcomes, driving change, and conflict/influence stories.
4. Extracurriculars are passive (needs depth)
Travel = not differentiating
Sports = good, but need achievement
NGO = promising, but unclear impact
You need depth, not breadth.

How to sharpen your story:
Current version: “I want to move from tech to consulting.”
Strong version should answer:
What kind of consulting? (strategy? digital transformation?)
Why consulting vs internal strategy?
What problems excite you?

For example, direction: “I want to transition into technology consulting focused on digital transformation, leveraging my experience working with global engineering teams at Salesforce to help enterprises scale SaaS adoption across markets.”

Questions you must answer:
What is your biggest measurable impact at Salesforce?
Have you influenced any product/business decisions?
Tell me about a time you led without authority
Any failure or conflict story?
Which firms are you targeting? (McKinsey/Bain/BCG/others?)
Why consulting over product management?
What motivates your NGO's work in women's empowerment?
Any personal story that connects your journey?

If you don’t improve, especially your GMAT/story, you risk falling into the “too common” bucket.

We’d love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, work experience, and personal journey so that we can provide a tailored profile evaluation and an honest school assessment. Feel free to book an evaluation session.

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

You can also register for our upcoming Coffee Session on “Consulting to PE/VC: How to Position Your Profile, Skills & Story for Top Roles”, which is scheduled on 30th April, 2026, at 9.00 PM IST | 11.30 AM ET.

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Akhilak

4 years

India

2027

Male

GPA: 6.67

Pre-MBA industry: Transportation

Post-MBA industry: Technology

SDA Bocconi

Full Time MBA

Deadline, 2027

1 day ago

Rotterdam

International Full Time MBA

October Round, 2027

1 day ago

January Intake Class of

1 day ago

ESSEC

Global MBA

1 day ago

Said

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

1 day ago

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1 day ago

Im preparing full time gmat to get the best score! I've 8 backlogs in engineering which i completed within the course duration with a gpa 6.67(upward curve through the semesters)! Ive 2 years of experience as administrative assistant in a logistics company apart from that i used to manage my fathers business on and off for the rest of the time for about 4 years! I know my profile has a lot of flaws! And a great gmat score would only cover some of those to a small extent! my dream is to get into one of the best bschools or just scrape the plan entirely! my question is am i at a stage where i could do nothing to attain my goal. If yes, understood! If no whats everything i can do to achieve my dream and could you please mention some of the schools i could get into if everything goes right just for motivation purpose! As i said im currently working on my gmat very hard! Regardless of the of the chances of me getting into a top bshool im gonna continue studying and give it anyway on august! If i get an exceptional score which im taking as a challenge is anyone there to help me guide and navigate me to get into a great school. I want to create a story where my profiles as bad as mine could also get into some of the best b schools. If get that magical score is any one ready to work with me to create that story?

Comments

Profile review requested

nfinman

6 years

United States

2028

Female

GPA: 3.85

Pre-MBA industry: Military

Post-MBA industry: Technology

Harvard

Full Time MBA

2 days ago

Sloan MIT

Full Time MBA

2 days ago

Stanford GSB

Full Time MBA

2 days ago

Darden

Full Time MBA

2 days ago

Wharton

Full Time MBA

2 days ago

Show all 5 schools

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2 days ago

I'm a Supply Officer in the US Navy with an undergrad degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia.

Comments 1 comment

1 day ago

Hi @nfinman. We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, work experience, and personal journey so that we can provide a tailored profile evaluation and an honest school assessment. Feel free to book an evaluation session.

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

You can also register for our upcoming Coffee Session on “Consulting to PE/VC: How to Position Your Profile, Skills & Story for Top Roles”, which is scheduled on 30th April, 2026, at 9.00 PM IST | 11.30 AM ET.

RM12122000

4 years

India

2027

Female

GPA: 3.46

Pre-MBA industry: Technology

Post-MBA industry: Technology

Columbia

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

Booth

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

LBS

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

Kellogg

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

10 days ago

Show all 4 schools

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10 days ago

I am currently working in a founder's office role in a B2B SaaS Startup. My work has been primarily wrt Strategy & Operations in the role wherein I have worked in a variety of projects. I have a year-long consulting experience before that in Accenture Strategy. I have done BA Economics Honours from St. Stephen's College, DU.

Post Masters: I want to hopefully continue in a tech oriented role similar to strategy and operations as I do now, but I want international exposure since the industry is pretty advanced outside.
So,

Indian Female
Non-tech Background - Economics Hons
Founders Office Experience ~3 years

Current GMAT FE stands at 625 - I am preparing for GMAT to give it again and get a better score.

Comments 6 comments

9 days ago

if you are in the Founder's strategy team, that is considered a top-tier pre-MBA experience. Many people work at startups in India in Founder's teams and then go on to target top-tier B-schools globally. You need to unpack your experiences and reconstruct your stories to demonstrate that working on business-oriented projects in your current startup has equipped you with direct engagement with leadership, hands-on experience, experiential maturity, and the ability to contextualize business problems specific to your area of work, better than many profiles applying with similar age and experience.
Admissions officers have a weakness for applicants who are, in the well-traveled term, "passionate" about pursuing their dreams. It is only human to respond to enthusiasm. Schools will use the essays to make an indirect assessment of the quality of your mind and thought process. Do you think critically about the problems in your company or industry? Can you craft a compelling case that links your past, your goals, and your respective target schools? What is your unique story and motivation, what are you trying to solve?

Your GMAT is certainly low, so either change that or try to attempt the GRE to improve the odds.

Feel free to speak should you want to personally discuss your case

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

8 days ago

CBS and Booth wouldn't have been the top choices for targeting the tech industry - their employment reports would give you the numbers. Unless I got it wrong, you may wish to revisit your school selection or reflect deeper into how you would articulate your ST (and LT) career goals.
Yes, bumping up your GMAT will be essential for you to package a strong application. The same goes for refining your 'why MBA' - everyone wants (and gets) international exposure. What's unique to you?
Always a pleasure speaking to a rival from North Campus

(though I am from a different generation). Happy to speak if you wish to.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant | E: [email protected]

1 day ago

Your professional experience is interesting, given the Founder's Office role, and tech/ business exposure. Have there been any promotions or progressions in your role? And what was the rationale to move from Accenture Strategy to your current role?

The career goals sound broad and will need detailed introspection.

Regarding extracurriculars, any activities you've been involved in, ideally post undergrad?

The GMAT is a bit on the lower side especially for M7's, and a higher score (ideally 685+) would help strengthen chances.

Feel free to reach out for a discussion.

Regards,
Arvind (Founder, admitStreet)
Testimonials: https://admitstreet.com/testimonials/
Request a free profile evaluation: https://admitstreet.com/#contact
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvindkvenkat

1 day ago

A few things here:
1. A Founder’s Office role can mean very different things across startups, so you will have to set the context through a strong resume and recommendations, which outline quantified achievements and your work's impact on your organization. It will also help to understand the size and scale of the startup.
2. You should also demonstrate how your career has grown since Accenture; infact connect the dots between your role at the two organizations and how it has pushed you in the direction of your goals. Your reasoning for the future goals can be more defined. Saying that the industry is more advanced outside India is too broad. Rather, you should define the role more specifically pointing down to the kind of organizations you wish to work for, in what role, what do you see yourself doing there and how will your career grow further in the mid to short term?
3. You are already retaking GMAT, which is a good move. A 685+ score along with a high GPA from a prestigious Indian college will make your academic arc very strong.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011

1 day ago

Hi! The undergrad pedigree is solid. But the 625 on the GMAT is not super convincing if you have the top schools on your mind. You need an edge which usually comes to young candidates (your competition group) who either come from consulting backgrounds (exposure to multiple clients/industries) or those who have worked in fast-paced startups with unique exposure to how decisions are made at the highest levels. You will have to execute your application well to stand out. You need to unpack your experiences and reconstruct your stories in a way that shows that working on high-impact projects has given you a much more hands-on experience and opportunity to engage with leaders from the industry, more experiential maturity, and more capability to contextualize business problems related to your industry than most young applicants who apply. Always remember that schools are spoilt for choice and they won't blink an eye before rejecting a young applicant who has an improvement area.

Feel free to have a personalised one to one discussion regarding your application strategy with your current situation.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

1 day ago

Thanks for sharing your profile, @RM12122000. You've got an interesting profile with potential, but you’re currently sitting in a “competitive but not yet differentiated enough” zone for your target schools.

Starting with your strengths:
1. Strong academic pedigree. St. Stephen's College is a top-tier brand, with an economics background; it's analytically credible (important for tech + strategy goals).
2. Work Experience: Founder’s office in a B2B SaaS startup is valuable, strategy and ops exposure aligns well with post-MBA goals, and Accenture strategy adds structured consulting credibility. This combination (consulting and startup strategy) is what top schools like.
3. Career direction: Clear (but needs sharpening). You’re not confused, you want: strategy and ops, tech, and global exposure. That’s good, but right now it’s still generic (more on that later).

Gaps:
1. GMAT score: 625 FE is below the median for all targets. This is currently your limiter. Target, minimum 655 FE, and ideal 675–695 FE.
2. Impact clarity (Not role, but outcomes): “Worked on various projects” won’t land. Adcoms care about what changed because of you? Revenue impact? Cost savings? Strategic decisions influenced?
Founder’s Office roles can be powerful, but only if impact is quantified.
3. Leadership story (currently underdeveloped): You haven’t mentioned team leadership, initiative ownership, influence without authority, and external/community leadership. This is critical for Kellogg and LBS.
4. Goals need precision: Right now, “Continue in strategy and ops in tech with international exposure.” This is too safe and common. Adcoms want: Industry, function, geography + WHY? A clear problem you want to solve.

If you'd like, you can also explore INSEAD, IESE, and HEC Paris.

Next action plan:
1. GMAT retake strategy: Give yourself some time. Don’t apply with 625 unless necessary.
2. Build a strong “Impact narrative”. Start documenting: revenue-influenced, strategic decisions driven, Founders/stakeholders you worked with. Any 0 to 1 initiatives.
3. Leadership layer (non-negotiable): You need at least 1 strong leadership angle, examples:
Leading a new vertical/project
Mentoring juniors
External initiative (NGO/women in tech/education)
4. Sharpen career story: Instead of “Strategy and Ops in tech globally”. Move toward “Scaling B2B SaaS GTM in international markets”, “driving product-led growth in global SaaS firms”, “building cross-market expansion strategy”. Make it specific, credible, and differentiated.

Questions to reflect upon:
1. Work Impact
What is the most measurable impact you’ve had? (money/%/scale)
Have you led any initiative end-to-end?

2. Leadership
Have you managed people or stakeholders directly?
Any extracurriculars or initiatives outside work?

3. Goals
Which specific companies or roles are you targeting post-MBA?
Why not continue growing in your current startup instead of pursuing an MBA?

4. Story
What triggered your interest in global exposure?
What unique perspective do you bring as an Indian woman in tech strategy?

We’d love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, work experience, and personal journey so that we can provide a tailored profile evaluation and an honest school assessment. Feel free to book an evaluation session.

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

You can also register for our upcoming Coffee Session on “Consulting to PE/VC: How to Position Your Profile, Skills & Story for Top Roles”, which is scheduled on 30th April, 2026, at 9.00 PM IST | 11.30 AM ET.

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cookieeemonster

India

2027

Female

GPA: 7.6

Pre-MBA industry: Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals

Post-MBA industry: Consulting

Columbia

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2027

2 days ago

Darden

Full Time MBA

Early Round, 2027

2 days ago

ESSEC

ESSEC Master in Finance

R1, 2026

2 days ago

I am a Biotechnology undergraduate at Delhi Technological University with a strong interest in strategy, consulting, and marketing. My experience spans across business analysis, creative communication, and leadership roles where I have worked on translating complex ideas into structured, actionable insights.

As a Franchise Model Intern at Rentokay, I built financial models, conducted market research, and developed investor-ready pitch decks that enhanced fundraising readiness. Alongside this, my work with 180 Degrees Consulting involved leading competitor analysis for a fintech startup, where I delivered strategic recommendations that informed product and user acquisition decisions.

In leadership roles, I have co-founded the DTU chapter of SMILE, driving mental health initiatives and community engagement programs, and currently serve on the executive board of IFSA DTU, where I lead marketing strategy and campaign execution. I have successfully scaled digital outreach, organized large-scale workshops with 700+ participants, and secured high-impact partnerships such as with the CFA Institute of India.

I have also demonstrated strong problem-solving abilities through case competitions, securing top positions in national-level contests. My skill set includes financial modelling, data analysis (Excel, Tableau, basic SQL), and creative storytelling through presentations and campaigns.

I am particularly interested in roles that combine analytical thinking with strategic execution, where I can contribute to solving real-world business problems while continuing to build a strong foundation in consulting and business strategy.

Comments 2 comments

2 days ago

Are you still a full-time student and aiming for deferred MBA programs? If you are, then your program selection for Darden and CBS appears incorrect. Those are regular MBA program titles that would require you to have at least three (ideally more) years of full-time, paid work experience.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant
E: [email protected] | https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-catalysts/

1 day ago

Hi, are you early in the process of chalking out your career path so you can pitch a strong application to business schools at a later stage? Your college ECs are very sound, but I am not sure what you are getting at with this at this point. If you want any advice regarding profile improvement for top business schools, I am happy to guide you during a candid discussion. Feel free to reach out.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]

Profile review requested

Omkarkkk9996

8 years

India

2026

Male

GPA: 8.04

Pre-MBA industry: Technology

Post-MBA industry: Technology

Harvard

Full Time MBA

Round 1, 2026

2 days ago

8+ years of experiance from companies like Intel, Samsung, John Deere and Larsen Toubro.

Expecting a GMAT score of 705 in retake.
Work Experiance:
Contributed to development of a framework which is getting adopted all over the company including the the head office.
Worked on a critical project that lead proved to be bedrock of an ex company's foray into a new sector.
Also worked on projects of national importance with one project being worth 850 million.
Reduced the time required by design and verification teams by factor of 10 by developing a new framework that streamlines the usage of development tools getting renown all over the company.
Completed masters in USA and worked in USA for 2 years after masters.

Extra curricular:
Worked as Director of Personality for local Rotaract club
Arranged multiple events for personality development and social work often taking a lead role in the projects.
Worked for 2 years in the club.

Comments 7 comments

2 days ago

Insufficient data to offer any meaningful insight on your profile. Good brands, higher-than-average work experience, an okay GPA, and an essential GMAT target. No clues of what you've been doing inside/outside of the workplace, why an MBA, or what goals post-MBA...

A good starting point for you would be to deeply understand the HBS class profile (which goes much beyond stats/grades/scores).
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant
E: [email protected] | https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-catalysts/

Omkarkkk9996

2 days ago

Hi,
I have updated my profile.
Please have a look and suggest changes.

2 days ago

You need to spend time on each school to understand the nuanced expectations. Every school differs in what they look for. E.g., HBS looks for ambitious leaders and values transformational leadership and social impact. Do not be in love with your profile. Without understanding the 'fit' with a school, you will end up creating a cookie-cutter application. And I hope you aren't limiting your efforts to just one school because that's an extremely risky approach.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant
E: [email protected] | https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-catalysts/

Omkarkkk9996

1 day ago

Thanks. I have till now only finalized Harvard. I will finalize other schools soon enough.

1 day ago

Hi Omkarkkk9996,

Thanks for filling in the details, however, some more would help in a profile evaluation. For example, what is your domain/role in your company? How has your career progress been? You mentioned about ex company, so I assume you have worked in atleast two. Lastly, what is your career goal and what transition are you seeking for which you require an MBA? Coming in with 8+ years' experience, you will be expected to have clarity in career goals.

Your resume, when you start creating it, should have quantified achievements that show your real impact. Also, it may not be important right now, but you could keep this in mind- words like 'contribute' are not very nice to use on the resume as they show you to be in a support role. Any top business school, specifically HBS, looks for leaders who lead initiatives, take responsibility and achieve real and impactful outcomes, So, be mindful of how you present your resume and the rest of the application and whether you come across as a leader or a follower.

As Dee pointed out, don't just apply to one b-school. You are already on the higher side of work experience and you should try to maximize your applications/ chances of admission this year itself. I am not suggesting that you apply to any more than 5-7 b-schools, but rather that you put in sufficient number of applications to a healthy mix of b-schools, which includes ambitious, reach and safety options.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Helping applicants achieve their MBA dreams since 2011

GradOcean

1 day ago

Hi,
You have a strong, high-impact profile with experience across Intel, Samsung, John Deere, and Larsen & Toubro—this already puts you in a competitive bracket.

Focus on translating your work into clear business impact (numbers, outcomes, ownership) rather than technical detail.
Your biggest gap is career clarity—define why MBA, why now, and your post-MBA goal (product/strategy/tech leadership).

Position yourself as a leader with cross-functional influence, not just a strong engineer.
With a ~705 GMAT FE, you will be well-placed for top programs
Also, apply across multiple schools to maximize your chances and optionality, not just one target program.

Happy to connect if you’d like to discuss your profile in more detail.

Shrey Bahadur
Founder, GradOcean Admission Consultants
Website: https://gradocean.in/
WA: +91-9892714308
Email: [email protected]