Wow. You have a sweet deal and a fantastic profile!

I think you can pick any European program or American one.

Usually the strength of your MBA program degree is the greatest at graduation or during school and it starts losing power immediately after, going down to pretty low in as little as five years and maybe even three. I’m seeing this to point out that you’ll be somewhat removed from your Alma mater when it comes time to your long-term goal so probably doesn’t matter all that much but if you want to leverage some connections and networking, being close to the school is the best option so for example if you plan to settle in London, being close to LBS is going to be the most Powerful or if you’re planning to be in Paris then HEC or INsEAd or Haas or Stanford if you’re thinking about Bay Area.

Hi @RJ3001274402 , I hope you are doing well! Your profile showcases a strong academic background from one of India's top IITs, alongside impressive work experience in both operations/strategy and leadership roles in high-profile companies, particularly with your Chief of Staff role. While your GMAT score of 705 is great, your GPA of 7.11 is slightly below the typical range for INSEAD, though your IIT background should help mitigate that. Your international exposure (leading projects in Brazil, Japan, and the global M&A deals) is valuable, even without being physically present in those countries, that said INSEAD likely value more direct, immersive international work experience.

Your entrepreneurial aspirations are a strong point, especially with the senior role in Europe you are returning to, which aligns with INSEAD’s global and entrepreneurial focus. However, the lack of direct international work experience, particularly in the form of stints abroad, might be a drawback for INSEAD’s global culture but you can frame your whole story in a compelling way. In terms of extra-curriculars, your long-term engagement with poetry and mentoring adds personality and uniqueness.

In summary, you have a great profile for INSEAD's Jan intake, but to strengthen your application, focus on clearly articulating your leadership impact, the value of your international exposure, and why now is the right time for an MBA, especially if you're transitioning into entrepreneurship post-MBA. Tackling the low GPA and emphasizing global strategy contributions can help make your case stronger. You can also explore some more schools like HEC, LBS, IESE, IE, IMD. You can take a look at this webinar and this BLOG for more insights.

If you’d like, we are happy to hop on a 1:1 call with you to learn more about your profile and provide a detailed evaluation.Please feel free to schedule a profile evaluation call according to your convenience.

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