Thanks for sharing your profile @anna0830 ! Let's start with your strengths that you should highlight. Direct social-impact experience at scale, building a WhatsApp learning solution in partnership with state governments and employers, is rare and very compelling. Blended skillset (tech, impact, funding), product/tech delivery + portfolio management for USAID-supported enterprises = ability to translate strategy into operational scaling. Your stated pre- and post-MBA industry alignment (social impact / nonprofit / impact investing) is coherent, schools like to see that continuity. International / cross-sector collaboration, working with the government, donors (USAID), and startups, demonstrates stakeholder management and systems thinking. Use STAR stories that show measurable outcomes (users reached, % improvement in learning metrics, revenue or livelihoods created, jobs enabled, funding mobilized, cost per beneficiary improvements).

Main weaknesses/risks: Your GRE score of 320 can be in the lower range for many of your target schools. If possible, try to retake the GRE, aiming for 325+(330+ would make you comfortably within many schools’ ranges). Your GPA is fine, but top schools will still look for quant readiness. If you’re rusty on quantitative coursework, take a short, verifiable course (micro-credential) and list grades/score. Also include quant-heavy accomplishments (data/AI model work) in your resume.

Differentiation vs. other impact applicants: many candidates say “social impact.” You must show unique leadership, scale, and entrepreneurial ownership (example: “I led X product to reach Y users and increased Z outcome by N% in 12 months”). Use metrics! Also, career clarity within impact: “Non-profit” is broad. Schools prefer a crisp 3-5 year post-MBA plan (example, “Head of Programs at global social enterprise”, “impact investing associate → partner at an impact fund”, or “build/scale an edtech social enterprise”). Show how the MBA closes skill gaps (finance, strategy, operations, fundraising).

Keep a balanced list of schools. Scholarships/financing: ISB and HEC/INSEAD offer some merit/need scholarships. Higher test scores and leadership awards increase scholarship probability. Apply early and prepare a funding plan (savings, loans, scholarships). Craft a tight career plan (3-5 years and 10-15 years) and how each school’s resources close skill gaps. Use school-specific hooks (faculty, labs, projects). For each major project, show (a) the problem, (b) your role and constraints, (c) what you executed, and (d) the measurable outcome. Example: “Led WhatsApp program- reached X gig workers in Y months; completion rate up Z%; reduced cost per learner by $A; scaled to B cities.”

Why MBA & why now: specific skills you need (finance for impact funds, strategy/operations to scale an enterprise, data & AI governance for inclusive AI), and how each school’s offerings will help. Post-MBA path, be concrete, title/organization type, and geography. European schools (INSEAD/HEC, etc.) remain highly competitive and are emphasizing international experience, entrepreneurship, and social mission.

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

Check out this blog on How to Get Into INSEAD. You can also register for our Upcoming ESSAY WORKSHOPS. Craft essays that shine: pick powerful stories, match your goals with each school, and showcase authentic leadership. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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

Hi
Priyanka here from ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, your blend of tech and social impact experience gives you a mission-driven edge that’s highly appealing to your target schools, which value global and purpose-oriented leadership. The GRE is decent. What really stands out is your career narrative, starting with edtech, moving into impact investing, and now leading initiatives at a tech startup focused on rural livelihoods and AI inclusion, that’s a rare mix of execution and empathy. Your academic record is decent, especially given the analytical foundation it offers.

For your essays, you’ll need to tie your professional journey into a cohesive story of scaling social impact through technology and leadership, something all your target schools love.

Since you are also applying to ISB, you can join our webinar by ISB Senior Associate Director Amit Tyagi for a highly exclusive admissions strategy session.
Click here to register for the event

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 your CV at: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!

Hi @anna0830
Your profile is differentiated and strategically well-positioned for top-tier global MBAs. You bring 5 years of experience in technology, development, and impact investing, a background combination very few candidates possess.

You began at Khan Academy, building an ed-tech product distributed via WhatsApp for gig workers. That early exposure to government and corporate partnerships provides credible scale and shows early leadership instincts. Shifting to an impact investment fund was a great move as you went from from implementation to strategic capital allocation and ecosystem shaping. Managing a USAID-backed portfolio in women’s health and mental health adds strong international development credibility and positions you as someone with financial, and operational insight. Your current role at a tech startup building digital livelihoods for rural workers shows continuity of purpose in the sense of tech-enabled inclusion but with higher operational complexity and leadership scope.

From an adcom perspective, the story forms a cohesive “tech for impact” arc. This kind of through-line bodes well with schools like INSEAD, HEC, and Oxford Said, which value candidates connecting public good and private enterprise.

Only point of contention is the GRE. 320 is on the lower end of the spectrum with regards to your target schools. Anything north of 325+ would work well in your favor. INSEAD, HEC Paris, Said, and Judge should be your priority. ISB honestly won't be such a great fit for you because their main stream recruiting base is consulting, tech, and product management. You have a niche profile which could benefit well from the other schools in the list. SDA Bocconi is a safe target, can place it lower in the pecking order.

However, for an unconventional profile like yours, it's all in the essays. So introspect into your experiences so far.

Right now prioritize two things: retaking the GRE ideally with a month if you have given it recently and the other, getting your profile evaluated to see which schools will do wonders for your profile and career.

We'd be happy to evaluate your profile for free and assess how you should approach your application. The race is on for R2, so let us help you put your best foot forward.

Kind Regards,
The MBA Edge Team
Phone/WhatsApp: +91 8850249409
Email: gwyneth@thembaedge.com
Website: https://thembaedge.com/ | Testimonials: https://thembaedge.com/testimonials/

Hi Anna,

Your profile is impressive — a strong combination of academic grounding in Economics (BA & MA) and impactful professional experience across tech and social impact. Initiatives like your WhatsApp-based learning solution for gig workers, managing USAID-supported women’s health enterprises, and building AI-enabled digital livelihoods demonstrate both innovation and leadership in the social impact space.

Your target schools — HEC Paris, ISB, SDA Bocconi, INSEAD, and top UK programs — are aligned with your mission-driven goals. Given the competitive nature of these programs, a strong GRE score of 320 is solid, though a slight improvement could enhance your academic positioning further.

Overall, your profile tells a compelling story of social impact, innovation, and leadership. We’d be happy to help you refine your narrative, highlight key achievements for essays, and strategize school selection to maximize your chances.

Feel free to reach out at contact@involve-consulting.com
or connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naikhemal/
.

Best,
Hemal
Rep, Involve Consulting
(HEC Paris)