pumpkin2014 wrote:
Applied R1, got offer from INSEAD, interviewed at Wharton and then got dinged, no interview invite from Stanford GSB and MIT SLOAN
Background: Chinese, male, GMAT 740, 5 years R&D engineering background in Canada, 4.0 GPA for both undergraduate (in China) and graduate (top 3 in Canada) programs, will be 29 at matriculation
Post-MBA career goal: to work at MBB or rotational general management programs in China
Should I take the INSEAD offer or apply R2 to HBS, Kellogg, Booth, Yale, and Duke? One difference for my R2 application will be that I will be applying as a Canadian instead of Chinese, just got my Canadian citizenship status recently. Not sure whether this will make a difference.
Any thought or advice is welcome.
Hi,
I think applying as Canadian instead of as Chinese national will definitely make a difference in your chances, as universities generally either have quotas or at least like variety in representation from different countries. You will move out of one of the most competitive demographics and that improves your chances. That being said, however, that does not guarantee admission.
Taking into consideration your career goals I think INSEAD is a great option for both MBB or rotational program in China. INSEAD is a recruiting powerhouse for MBB and it has a solid reputation in Asia. Career-wise, unless you are set on doing MBB in the US, I do not think you will be better off at the US schools that at INSEAD for that purpose (and even at a US school, US offices are extremely competitive and difficult to reach for internationals).
If you like INSEAD, I would accept the offer, however, if you are really set on going to a US school then you can reject the offer and apply next year to those US schools but always bearing in mind that you may end up empty handed.
Good luck with your decision