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Hello,

I'm a final-year B.Com (Honours) student from Nirma University in India, planning to apply for Master's programs starting Fall 2026. My primary target is an MS in Finance at Ivy League schools (e.g., INSEAD, LBS, LSE, Cornell, UPenn) or top Tier 1 non-US universities (e.g., LBS, INSEAD, Cambridge). I'd consider a Masters in Management (MiM) if it's at an Ivy or a top 10-20 global program like HEC Paris or Bocconi. I'm aiming for programs that emphasize corporate finance, data analysis, and regulatory compliance, given my background.

I'm preparing for the GMAT Focus and have been scoring in the mid-600s on mocks (around 635). I'm worried this might not be competitive enough for my targets, especially Ivies where averages seem to hover around 700+. I plan to take the official test soon and am working on improving quant/DI sections. Any advice on retakes, study strategies, or whether to consider GRE instead would be appreciated.

Here's a quick overview of my profile:

Demographics:21-year-old Indian male, from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Education:
- Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), Nirma University, Ahmedabad (Aug 2022 - June 2026)
- CGPA: 8.24/10
- Relevant coursework: Corporate Finance, Business Analysis, Data Analysis, Accounting.

Work Experience (Internships, ~4 months total, one of them at a renowned firm i.e. Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited):


Awards & Achievements:
- NFLQ 2024 Finalist (National Financial Literacy Quiz by NISM, June 2024):
- Secured 1st Position in the Western Region and 2nd Position Nationwide in the Proctored Test Round, advancing to Semi-Finals.
- Secured 2nd Position in the Semi-Finals, reserving a spot in the Finals.
- NATS 2023-24 (National Accounting Talent Search, January 2024):
- Achieved outstanding performance in the examination.

Technical Skills:
- Languages/Databases: Python, SQL, MySQL
- Visualization Tools: Tableau, Power BI
- Other: Tally, Advanced Excel, Business Analysis, Data Analysis, Corporate Finance
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Target: Insead MiM (also open to suggestions ;))
Background: finnish, 21
undergrad: top eu b-school (t-15/t-10) gpa of 4.0 converted (with honours distinctions + one course distinction)
gmat FE: 655 (not great but i was contacted by lbs recruiter who said it should be fine)
exp: 6 months at a top T2-consulting firm w/ global M&A, C(V)DD & strat projects, co-chair of an association in uni (non-professional) & board-member of IB/PE association
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Hey HarshG7,
Important to focus; please understand the career trajectories of MiM, MiF or any others you plan to consider.
Also, before you listen to anyone here, I believe some homework would help you; after all you would be doing it for your own sake.

Reproducing what was said just a few posts earlier, which you have clearly not read. (BTW, this advice was for a GMAT FE of 675, and female)
1. LBS MiF does NOT normally consider applicants with fewer than two years' relevant work experience. MiF Avg is 6 years
2. LSE – MSc Finance requires at least a UK 2:1 / ~70%+ and STRONG quantitative skills; most admits have first-class-level academics. GMAT Focus 635 for an Indian Male is too risky. Sound evidence of quant caliber may help offset some of the risk, but only some.

Listing down some of your options:

[*][color=#0f0f0f]Apply [/color]now (best odds): Imperial MSc Finance

[*]Apply as Stretches (with stronger quant/test): LSE MSc Finance, HEC MiF, Oxford MFE.
[*]Defer until more experience: LBS MiF, INSEAD MFin (both need more experience).
[*]Consider as smart additions: ESSEC/ESCP/Bocconi/UCL/Warwick

Hope that helps. Please submit your profile for a Free Assessment over a 1:1 call. https://theivyleagueedge.com/index.php/contactus/
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HarshG7
Hello,

I'm a final-year B.Com (Honours) student from Nirma University in India, planning to apply for Master's programs starting Fall 2026. My primary target is an MS in Finance at Ivy League schools (e.g., INSEAD, LBS, LSE, Cornell, UPenn) or top Tier 1 non-US universities (e.g., LBS, INSEAD, Cambridge). I'd consider a Masters in Management (MiM) if it's at an Ivy or a top 10-20 global program like HEC Paris or Bocconi. I'm aiming for programs that emphasize corporate finance, data analysis, and regulatory compliance, given my background.

I'm preparing for the GMAT Focus and have been scoring in the mid-600s on mocks (around 635). I'm worried this might not be competitive enough for my targets, especially Ivies where averages seem to hover around 700+. I plan to take the official test soon and am working on improving quant/DI sections. Any advice on retakes, study strategies, or whether to consider GRE instead would be appreciated.

Here's a quick overview of my profile:

Demographics:21-year-old Indian male, from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Education:
- Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), Nirma University, Ahmedabad (Aug 2022 - June 2026)
- CGPA: 8.24/10
- Relevant coursework: Corporate Finance, Business Analysis, Data Analysis, Accounting.

Work Experience (Internships, ~4 months total, one of them at a renowned firm i.e. Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited):


Awards & Achievements:
- NFLQ 2024 Finalist (National Financial Literacy Quiz by NISM, June 2024):
- Secured 1st Position in the Western Region and 2nd Position Nationwide in the Proctored Test Round, advancing to Semi-Finals.
- Secured 2nd Position in the Semi-Finals, reserving a spot in the Finals.
- NATS 2023-24 (National Accounting Talent Search, January 2024):
- Achieved outstanding performance in the examination.

Technical Skills:
- Languages/Databases: Python, SQL, MySQL
- Visualization Tools: Tableau, Power BI
- Other: Tally, Advanced Excel, Business Analysis, Data Analysis, Corporate Finance
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Hey finnflash
Too many gaps in your description.
I feel there is potential in your profile, but until I have further information, I would not quite agree with the LBS recruiter (Note that to look more competitive, and improve their selectivity ratios, schools invite many more applicants than they would take; in other words, increase their denominator, so the selectivity percentage looks more competitive. The KRAs of recruiters are tied to the numbers of people who apply)

Hope that helps. Please submit your profile for a Free Assessment over a 1:1 call. [color=#007ec6]https://theivyleagueedge.com/index.php/contactus/
_________________
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[/color]
finnflash
Target: Insead MiM (also open to suggestions ;))
Background: finnish, 21
undergrad: top eu b-school (t-15/t-10) gpa of 4.0 converted (with honours distinctions + one course distinction)
gmat FE: 655 (not great but i was contacted by lbs recruiter who said it should be fine)
exp: 6 months at a top T2-consulting firm w/ global M&A, C(V)DD & strat projects, co-chair of an association in uni (non-professional) & board-member of IB/PE association
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Hi everyone, posting for a quick profile check!
  • Background: North African, 21 years old
  • Undergrad: BBA at Esade (strong gpa >8/10)
  • Work Experience: A few internships so far, mostly in finance (private equity, project investment, and fixed income/markets).
  • GMAT/GRE: 615 FE, is it bad based on my profile? Planning to retake but will be short for R1 deadlines
  • Languages: Fluent in English, French, Arabic.
  • Goals: Ideally start in Investment Banking in London, but I’m also open to consulting as a path.
How do you think I stand for HEC, LBS, INSEAD, ESSEC, and ESCP (all MiM)? Would appreciate any thoughts on my chances!
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Hey @jjj00uuaa,
Sorry to break it to you like this, but if you want to get into the most coveted job/role (IB), you will have to show a calibre to be able to handle it. A 615 in your GMAT is far from reassuring to the employers (and by extension to your MiM schools) that you have the academic prowess to handle the rigors of the course (esp an IB role).

A higher score would be a strong first step, though there would be several more components to a strong application.

Finally, submitting R1 when your application is not strong enough for the school, is just going to speed up the ding (and applying again in the same year is not allowed, even if you had a 99th percentile GMAT). So, choose wisely.

jjjoouuaa
Hi everyone, posting for a quick profile check!
  • Background: North African, 21 years old
  • Undergrad: BBA at Esade (strong gpa >8/10)
  • Work Experience: A few internships so far, mostly in finance (private equity, project investment, and fixed income/markets).
  • GMAT/GRE: 615 FE, is it bad based on my profile? Planning to retake but will be short for R1 deadlines
  • Languages: Fluent in English, French, Arabic.
  • Goals: Ideally start in Investment Banking in London, but I’m also open to consulting as a path.
How do you think I stand for HEC, LBS, INSEAD, ESSEC, and ESCP (all MiM)? Would appreciate any thoughts on my chances!
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Hi everyone,
I am not sure of how strong my profil is and could really use some advice regarding my current situation.
I just finished the GMAT and scored a 585, which was a bit of a disappointment since I was expecting closer to 610 (my average in practice mocks). The quant section was my weakest area at the 37th percentile.
I’m now working on applications for these programs:
  • ESCP MiF
  • ESCP MiM
  • ESSEC MiM
  • ESSEC MiF
  • HEC Master in Economics and Finance
Here’s my dilemma: the Round 1 deadline for ESSEC and HEC is October 2nd, but the earliest retake date I could book is October 15th. That means if I wait to improve my score, I’ll need to apply in Round 2 for those schools.
Should I go ahead and apply in Round 1 with my 585 (knowing the quant is weak but seats are more available), or hold off, retake the test, and apply in Round 2 with what I expect will be around a 610? I don’t think I can go much higher than that, but I feel confident I can reach it.
For context, this is how I would summarize my profil:
  • Want to breack into IB in London or Paris
  • Bachelor’s from ESADE with an ok grade (7.5-8/10)
  • Exchange semester at target school in Europe
  • Board member of a student association during my last 2 years
  • One 5 month internship in VC and one internship in Private Equity that started this september 2025 and will end in december
  • 3 month summer 2024 volunteering project in Guatemala
  • 90% scholarship for my bachelor’s program that was renewed every year (also received scholarship from my uni for my volunteering and exchange)
So my big questions are: are the schools that I am targeting realistic and is it worth waiting for Round 2 just to add 20 points on the GMAT, or should I go for Round 1 with what I have?
Thanks a lot for your help!
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Hey Nicolass,
Will say the same thing as already said in a reply to a post below, and btw, that was for a higher GMAT.

"Sorry to break it to you like this, but if you want to get into the most coveted job/role (IB), you will have to show a calibre to be able to handle it. A 615 in your GMAT is far from reassuring to the employers (and by extension to your MiM schools) that you have the academic prowess to handle the rigors of the course (esp an IB role).

A higher score would be a strong first step, though there would be several more components to a strong application.

Finally, submitting R1 when your application is not strong enough for the school, is just going to speed up the ding (and applying again in the same year is not allowed, even if you subsequently achieved a 99th percentile GMAT). So, choose wisely."

My suggestion is to wait, and use the time to get your score higher...
While the other aspects are important, a high GMAT/GRE, esp quant is critical to let the schools know of your academic preparedness to be able to handle the quant rigour of the course (many students who cannot handle the basic stats or such quant of the BSchool program, flunk out within the first few months

Nicolass
Hi everyone,
I am not sure of how strong my profil is and could really use some advice regarding my current situation.
I just finished the GMAT and scored a 585, which was a bit of a disappointment since I was expecting closer to 610 (my average in practice mocks). The quant section was my weakest area at the 37th percentile.
I’m now working on applications for these programs:
  • ESCP MiF
  • ESCP MiM
  • ESSEC MiM
  • ESSEC MiF
  • HEC Master in Economics and Finance
Here’s my dilemma: the Round 1 deadline for ESSEC and HEC is October 2nd, but the earliest retake date I could book is October 15th. That means if I wait to improve my score, I’ll need to apply in Round 2 for those schools.
Should I go ahead and apply in Round 1 with my 585 (knowing the quant is weak but seats are more available), or hold off, retake the test, and apply in Round 2 with what I expect will be around a 610? I don’t think I can go much higher than that, but I feel confident I can reach it.
For context, this is how I would summarize my profil:
  • Want to breack into IB in London or Paris
  • Bachelor’s from ESADE with an ok grade (7.5-8/10)
  • Exchange semester at target school in Europe
  • Board member of a student association during my last 2 years
  • One 5 month internship in VC and one internship in Private Equity that started this september 2025 and will end in december
  • 3 month summer 2024 volunteering project in Guatemala
  • 90% scholarship for my bachelor’s program that was renewed every year (also received scholarship from my uni for my volunteering and exchange)
So my big questions are: are the schools that I am targeting realistic and is it worth waiting for Round 2 just to add 20 points on the GMAT, or should I go for Round 1 with what I have?
Thanks a lot for your help!
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Hi Nicolass,

You absolutely need to aim for a higher GMAT score, and, frankly speaking, it should be higher than a 615.

At this point, do not think about "Rounds" but think about applying when you feel you have your strongest application.

As you are preparing for your GMAT, we encourage you to take 7-day free trial to our GMAT course. You might find it useful.

Thanks and all the best!

Experts' Global
Nicolass
Hi everyone,
I am not sure of how strong my profil is and could really use some advice regarding my current situation.
I just finished the GMAT and scored a 585, which was a bit of a disappointment since I was expecting closer to 610 (my average in practice mocks). The quant section was my weakest area at the 37th percentile.
I’m now working on applications for these programs:
  • ESCP MiF
  • ESCP MiM
  • ESSEC MiM
  • ESSEC MiF
  • HEC Master in Economics and Finance
Here’s my dilemma: the Round 1 deadline for ESSEC and HEC is October 2nd, but the earliest retake date I could book is October 15th. That means if I wait to improve my score, I’ll need to apply in Round 2 for those schools.
Should I go ahead and apply in Round 1 with my 585 (knowing the quant is weak but seats are more available), or hold off, retake the test, and apply in Round 2 with what I expect will be around a 610? I don’t think I can go much higher than that, but I feel confident I can reach it.
For context, this is how I would summarize my profil:
  • Want to breack into IB in London or Paris
  • Bachelor’s from ESADE with an ok grade (7.5-8/10)
  • Exchange semester at target school in Europe
  • Board member of a student association during my last 2 years
  • One 5 month internship in VC and one internship in Private Equity that started this september 2025 and will end in december
  • 3 month summer 2024 volunteering project in Guatemala
  • 90% scholarship for my bachelor’s program that was renewed every year (also received scholarship from my uni for my volunteering and exchange)
So my big questions are: are the schools that I am targeting realistic and is it worth waiting for Round 2 just to add 20 points on the GMAT, or should I go for Round 1 with what I have?
Thanks a lot for your help!
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Hello Everyone,

I would like to receive a profile evaluation for application in European MiM programs:

Indian, 23, Male

Undergrad:
CGPA 8/10, Electrical Engineer
Thapar University, India (a Tier 2 uni)

GMAT: 545

Work Experience:
--> 1 year (by the time of sept 2026 intake - 2 years)
Engineer at Havells India Ltd. (an Indian MNC)

--> Internship: 6-months in same role, same organization

Extra-curricular/Leadership:
--> Honored on various occasions for social work/charity events.
--> Head of graphics design and video editing team for 2 college societies.
--> Captained my school football team
--> Mess secretary - college hostel

Post Master Goals:
Career in either Finance or Operations.

P.S.:
I know the top MiM Programs in Europe won't accept me because of the GMAT score.
But would like to know which universities would accept considering the GMAT score and how strong is my profile for these universities.
Also, would like to know the ideal IELTS score for these programs.

Please let me know if I should provide some additional info.
Thanks & regards,
Piyush
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Hi everyone
I am new to the forum i need some help to choose colleges
1. edhec (ms in marketing analytics)
2. Neoma MIM
3. Grenoble MiM (offers working student opportunity found it very attractive) i do not know about the employment scenario in these cities
4. MS in Business analytics at Warwick (quite expensive though)
5. What are my chances for ESCP MS in Big data Analytics
I can speak A2 french and graduated last year with 1 rank in College and 10 th in DU (CGPA -8.818, awarded Delhi Gov merit scholarship awarded to only 20 students in entire University, Fresher) was not able to join last year due to health reasons and was waiting for IIM waitlist to move.
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wanted to add that I ma female Indian and B.A. in econ and computer applications
quasidolor
Hi everyone
I am new to the forum i need some help to choose colleges
1. edhec (ms in marketing analytics)
2. Neoma MIM
3. Grenoble MiM (offers working student opportunity found it very attractive) i do not know about the employment scenario in these cities
4. MS in Business analytics at Warwick (quite expensive though)
5. What are my chances for ESCP MS in Big data Analytics
I can speak A2 french and graduated last year with 1 rank in College and 10 th in DU (CGPA -8.818, awarded Delhi Gov merit scholarship awarded to only 20 students in entire University, Fresher) was not able to join last year due to health reasons and was waiting for IIM waitlist to move.
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Hello everyone hope you’re doing well!

I currently plan to apply to the ESCP MiM program 2nd round and wanted to know if I stand a chance. I would gladly appreciate your opinions on the matter!

My profile:


• ⁠Male , 25;

• ⁠Double citizenship Italian/Iranian but raised in Italy;

• ⁠Bachelor in Economics in Pavia University (good Uni in Italy but not really relevant internationally), GPA 26.8/30 (I think it translates to around 3.45/4.00);

• ⁠6 months Erasmus in Bratislava, Slovakia;

• ⁠3 months Audit internship in PWC Financial Services + Industry area, Milan;

• ⁠1 year as a finance analyst/Accounts Payable in Amazon, Bratislava Office, half of it carried out while still studying;

• ⁠6 months traineeship in Audit Financial Services - Insurance area in KPMG, Milan;

• Helping in my wife’s family concierge business as an assistant Concierge for 1 year at this point;

• ⁠TOEFL iBT 108/120 (C1 English);

• ⁠GMAT aiming for 635;

• ⁠No reference letters.


I’m worried about my lack of extracurriculars (always did different sports, did volunteering in high school) and reference letters; will it be a big deal in my profile evaluation?

Moreover, what other school you suggest for me to apply?

Waiting for your kind response I wish you a nice day.

Kind regards,
Kamyar
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