I have close to 4 years of total work experience as of date.


I am currently working as a Research Analyst (Sr. Specialist) with a multinational financial services firm. My work focuses on researching and reporting the current scenario of the oil and gas sector, and the transition of oil and gas companies towards 'clean energy'. I have just started working here in April'24.

Before that, from April'23 to April'24, I wrote and self-published a poetry book and traveled the terrains of India, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. I also worked as a freelancer for some time and led two group trips (~15 people in each) within the Indian subcontinent. The experience has many good memories that I cherish.

I also worked for two years (April'21 to April'23) as a consulting analyst with a boutique consulting firm. At a high level, my work there involved dealing with clients from pharma companies across the globe and using advanced analytics to generate actionable business insights. I also partnered with the leadership and the learning team to design courses for the better onboarding of new joiners in the team.

Before that, I also worked for a few months as an independent freelance content writer. I have worked on close to 13 projects with clients across the geographies.

I have an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from an Indian college, and graduated in 2020.

All of my job locations till now have either been remote or within India. However, I have worked with people from different geographies in my team.

MBA region targetted: I want to pursue a course from UK or European B schools. I have a keen interest in exploring sustainable leadership avenues while focusing on entering front-end roles within the consulting industry again. The introductory sessions that I have attended for IESE, INSEAD, LBS, etc. showcased that the schools are actively engaging in the amalgamation of such areas.
Also, the data suggested that the schools have a great division of individuals from different countries which is something I am looking forward to experiencing!

Post MBA-
Short Team goal: I would prefer to stay & work in Europe for a couple of years. While doing so, I would also want to position myself better in the local job setup. I would also want to hone my skills by seeking new experiences, cultures, and languages.

Long-term goals: I want global flexibility in my job options, and I feel that the international MBA would aid the process in the long term. I also want to explore entrepreneurship focused on building a sustainability platform, while continuing with my consulting and writing career.

I plan to take my GMAT somewhere in the 1st week of September this year and then apply in round two at LBS & IESE and for the January intake in INSEAD & HEC Paris. I am aiming for a 700 score.

I have the following questions for which I would love to gain insights on:
- I am targeting the 2025 intake and based on my experiences, what are my chances of making it to these schools?
- Based on my goals, are there any other schools that I should also take a look at?
- I want to also apply for scholarships in these schools, would a round two application decrease my chances of getting that?
- As for the GMAT score for the focus edition, is there a range that would put me in a good spot with the admissions?

In case you have any other pointers for me that would be of help, please let me know <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/1f642.png" class="forumSmileyItem" width="20" height="20" alt=":)" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->