Thank you for sharing your profile @jahnvi01! You bring a rich combination of technical depth, entrepreneurial initiative, and cross-cultural collaboration, key traits that top MBA programs are actively seeking, especially as they emphasize digital transformation and innovation-driven leadership. Your GPA of 3.8 is great and signals strong academic potential, particularly in a rigorous STEM field. This gives you a good foundation for any top-tier MBA program. However, since you're yet to take the GMAT, this becomes the single most important next step. For your target outcomes, product management or tech leadership at VC-backed startups, a competitive GMAT FE score of 665+ would significantly strengthen your candidacy.

Tip: Consider taking the GMAT FE, it’s more tailored to problem-solving and data interpretation, which aligns well with your tech background. If quant is your strength, that could play in your favor. You could also explore the GRE, especially if you feel more confident with its structure or vocabulary section.

You have a unique and powerful work trajectory. Few applicants can say they’ve built a freelance tech business working across 4 continents, or helped a Canadian startup raise $8 million from seed to scale. These are standout achievements and show entrepreneurial grit, adaptability, and impact.

Being one of the first hires and getting a short-term onsite opportunity abroad helps you build credibility with adcoms about your international exposure. Additionally, your experience with remotely distributed teams showcases leadership across cultures, a highly valued trait in global business schools. You can take a look at this blog on: How to bring collinearity in your post-MBA goals?

That said, top MBA programs will want to see how this technical and freelance background translates into leadership. Ask yourself:
1. Have you led client strategy or team execution?
2. Did you own product decisions, customer roadmaps, or pitch decks for the startup?
3. Were you driving business outcomes, not just coding?

If so, bring these stories to the front of your resume and application. If not, consider taking on more product/strategy ownership now, before you apply.

Your short-term goal, to become a tech/product lead at a startup or scale-up, looks logical. It also aligns well with what many MBA programs are designed to support, especially those with strong innovation, tech, and entrepreneurship ecosystems.

The long-term goal should extend from this into either: Becoming a Chief Product Officer or Head of Engineering/Innovation, or Founding your venture in the next wave of tech.

Be specific about the tech space you’re most passionate about, healthtech, AI, edtech, devtools, climate, etc. as it helps admissions committees picture your career path more clearly.

You can explore schools like McCombs, Emory, Esade / IE, INSEAD / LBS, UCLA, Rotman, Haas, Fuqua, and more. Round 1 increases your odds slightly at competitive schools and gives you access to full scholarship pools. So, when are you planning to apply?

To help tailor this even more, here are a few clarifying questions:
1. What kind of tech (e.g., AI, fintech, SaaS) are you most passionate about?
2. Have you managed people or owned budgets/timelines?
3. Are you involved in extracurriculars or community work beyond your professional life?
4. Are you open to 1-year MBAs or strictly looking at 2-year programs?

With the right strategy and focus, you seem to have the potential to land a spot at some of the world’s best MBA programs. We'd be happy to learn more about your journey and work experience to provide a detailed evaluation. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation.

Join today's coffee session on: INSEAD Sept 2026 Intake.

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

Hello @jahnvi01, thanks for the profile share.

You’re in a strong position with 5 years of software development, including entrepreneurial freelance experience and high-impact startup work, already places you in a differentiated category.

Being an early team member at a Canadian startup that raised $8M is a standout story. Add to that the global team exposure and brief international stint, and you check the global mindset and impact boxes most top schools crave.

To target M7 programs, ensure your GMAT or GRE (ideally 700+/320+) reinforces your analytical readiness.

Schools like MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Haas, and even Wharton Tech or CBS Tech could resonate with your goal to move into strategic tech/product roles at growth-stage companies. Your essays should focus on how you’ve bridged tech and business and how an MBA will elevate that role into leadership.

You're in the game, we can refine your narrative and goal articulation to stand out further.

Ameer Khatri, Admissions Consultant
Schedule a free 1-on-1 call with me for detailed profile review:
https://calendly.com/ameer-khatri/profi ... th=2025-05

Hi Jahnvi, you seem to have a differentiating factor, looking at the surface-level description of your work experience background. However, with the kind of goals you have for yourself in tech, the pre-MBA career must demonstrate clear and rational progression that aligns with your future motivations. If you have been self-employed for some time, there are complex nuances that you must be careful of, because you do not want your decision to pursue an MBA to come across as an exit path when you could no longer hack growth. The broader context is going to be very critical to your story should you want to target top-level MBA programs. I am happy to have a one-to-one discussion to give you personalised feedback. Feel free to reach out.


Wondering how your profile stacks up? Get a free profile evaluation and discuss a tailored MBA plan that aligns with your goals.

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- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­

You haven't stated which country is of interest to you. Hence, it's a bit difficult to offer much. If it is the USA, I believe startups will not sponsor your H1B.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant
catalysts.success@gmail.com

Hi Jahnvi
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, I see strong technical expertise with entrepreneurial experience and global exposure. You have built a standout profile that combines strong technical expertise with entrepreneurial experience and global exposure. With about 5 years in tech, including running your own freelance IT business and working with clients across multiple countries, you bring a level of initiative and cross-cultural collaboration that adcoms at top schools highly value.

Your GPA also looks strong and positions you well for top programs. Since you haven’t taken the GMAT yet, I’d recommend targeting a score of 655+. You should fine-tune how you link your entrepreneurial past and global work experience to that future path. Adcoms will want to see a strong “why now” and how the MBA will help you make that shift.

Have you led any teams or taken ownership of product or client strategy in your freelance/startup roles? That leadership narrative could really help support your pivot into a more business focused tech role.

Also, if you're still narrowing down your school options, ARINGO is currently offering free school shortlisting support to 5 lucky applicants — could be a great way to get tailored guidance.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR FREE SCHOOL SHORTLISTING.

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