Which region are you aiming for your post-MBA career? If EU, do you have any language skills? Beyond the improved GRE, you will need a clear view on such questions as these, which would need to connect in your narratives, etc.
Also bear in mind that a consulting career in EU on an Indian passport is a challenge due to cross-border mobility issues.
- Dee
MBA admissions consultant and management consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-catalysts/?

@Regex_0210 - thanks for sharing your profile. Some thoughts and clarifications:

1. Your GPA of 7.4 from a Tier-1 college is decent - do mention the university name. However, the GRE score of 308 is below average particularly for schools like HEC, IESE, and ISB. A retake with a higher target (especially a higher Verbal score) would significantly improve your chances and open more doors.

2. Your 4 years of experience in consulting/analytics with team leadership and global client exposure is solid. Since you plan to stay in consulting post-MBA, your story should focus on growth - why now, and how an MBA helps you move to more strategic roles or pivot geographies.

3. Language barriers are to be considered if you're looking for consulting roles in France or some European countries. However, some English friendly geo's like UK, Middle East, Netherlands, Latin America etc. are good options to consider, if you're open i.e. the top EU/ UK schools place grads in these locations. The US is another market to consider too, weighing the pros and cons, as is the case in any geography.

4. Your extracurriculars (e.g. Rotaract, community work) are a plus - don’t underestimate their value. They bring depth and will especially resonate at schools like IESE, ESADE, and HEC that value leadership beyond the resume.

Hope this helps. Feel free to reach out for a deeper chat.

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

Hi @regex_0210,
You have a strong foundation for crafting a compelling post-MBA journey. A few thoughts to consider:

- If you're aiming to build your post-MBA career in Europe, it might be worth focusing your applications on EU schools rather than ISB.
- Since you already have some familiarity with French, applying to HEC Paris as a dream school could be a great idea.
- When are you planning to retake the GRE? A score in the 320+ range could significantly strengthen your chances at top-tier programs.
- Start engaging with school communities (webinars, alumni chats); it helps refine your essays and shows demonstrated interest.

Hi @Regex_0210
Thanks for sharing your profile!

The industry transition that you’ve made i.e., from an Indian IT services MNC to a US-based market research firm, immediately stands out. This upholds your career trajectory well and also shows that you are competent for data-driven strategy profiles. The fact that you’re managing a 7+ member team and are engaging with global CPG clients will definitely work in your favour. Just ensure that you show the impact of your work strategically in your applications.

Working in consulting after MBA suits your profile, given that BI/analytics, and CPG is a valid sectoral angle. However, you’ll need to be precise about whether you’re targeting strategy consulting (MBB/Big 4) or something more niche like analytics transformation or operations strategy. Your Middle East background will paint you as a globally mobile person and will also show that your open to working in international environments like the EU and MENA markets. The US markets are also strong for consulting profiles. It’s good that you have A2 French proficiency but a B2 or C1 level proficiency is much better to be accepted in France’s marketplace.

Since you’re already aware that 308 GRE is not sufficient, aim for a 325+ score (ideally more than 162 in Quant and 155 in Verbal as HEC and IESE favours such scores). There’s sufficient time till August to get your scores in this range. Your 7.4 GPA is workable but higher GRE should make up for this.

Looking at the school choices, HEC Paris, IESE, and ISB will be difficult with the current score. ESADE could work but your overall application needs to be strong. Keep Rotterdam as a backup.
Concentrate on your GMAT score and plan your goals properly, drawing on your current CPG experience for better clarity.

We’d love to offer a 1-on-1 profile evaluation to dive deeper into your strengths, discuss more about your portfolio, talk through your fit across schools, and co-create a tailored application game plan!

Feel free to reach out to us at the coordinates below!
Email: gwyneth@thembaedge.com
Phone/WhatsApp No: +91 88502 49409
Website: https://thembaedge.com/

Warm regards,
The MBA Edge Team

Thanks for sharing your detailed profile @Regex_0210! You’ve built a good foundation for a competitive MBA application, especially for top European programs. With a blend of technical education, cross-cultural exposure, leadership in both professional and extracurricular domains, and a clear trajectory in consulting, your story has substance.

You hold a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Surat, a well-respected Tier-1 institution in India, and graduated with a GPA of 7.4/10. While this GPA sits slightly below the average at your target schools, your academic background still holds weight, especially when paired with a strong GRE score. Your GRE score of 308 (162Q, 146V) is on the lower end for competitive programs like HEC Paris, IESE, ISB, and ESADE, which typically look for scores in the 318-325 range. The quant score is solid, but you should prioritize improving your verbal score. If you can bring your total score into the 320+ zone, you’ll significantly increase your chances across all your target programs and boost your scholarship competitiveness as well.

Your professional journey is another strength. With 3+ years of experience already and 4 by the time you matriculate, you’re in the optimal experience window for full-time MBAs in Europe and India. Transitioning from a project engineer at a leading Indian IT MNC to a Lead Associate in Business Intelligence at a U.S.-based market research firm shows upward mobility and depth. Your experience in the CPG sector, working with international clients and leading a team of 7+, adds strong leadership and global exposure, a must-have for programs like IESE and HEC. Since you aim to stay in consulting post-MBA, the key will be clearly articulating how an MBA will help you move into more strategic, high-impact roles, possibly at firms like MBB or Tier-2 global consultancies. You can take a look at this blog on Product Management and Consulting as Post MBA Goals. You can also take a look at this success story.

One of the most compelling aspects of your profile is your extracurricular and social impact work. Being a founding member and Sergeant of a Rotaract chapter, with initiatives like teaching 70+ underprivileged children, organizing charity drives, and supporting elderly communities, reflects real leadership and a heart for service. These qualities resonate strongly with schools like IESE and ESADE, which place high emphasis on values-driven leadership. Additionally, your multilingual exposure, including French (A2), adds to your cultural adaptability, which is a big plus in European programs. You might consider pushing toward B1/B2 proficiency to boost your profile further, especially for schools in France or Switzerland.

As for your school list, your current targets, HEC Paris, IESE, ESADE, Rotterdam (RSM), and ISB, seem realistic and well-aligned with your goals. With an improved GRE, strong applications, and clear positioning of your consulting ambitions, you can stand a good chance of all of them. You might also explore ESCP Europe, EDHEC, EADA, and even WHU. If you’re open to it, NUS and SMU in Singapore or HKUST in Hong Kong could also be good fits for your profile, especially with your Middle East and Asian exposure.

You’ve done a lot of the hard work already, now it’s about packaging your story effectively. To help you move forward, here are a few questions:

1. What’s your long-term vision in consulting? Do you see yourself focusing on strategy, digital transformation, or a specific industry like CPG or healthcare?
2. Can you quantify specific career wins (like client savings, process improvements, or revenue impact)?
3. Would you consider staying in Europe or returning to the Middle East post-MBA, if not India?

We would love to learn more about your journey. If you'd like, feel free to book a profile evaluation session.