[HELP] Need Revaluation from Alums/consultants

Question

Hi,

I've been dinged by all the schools, I had applied to last year and seek your advice to get an admit this year.

Here are my key stats:
I'm a 27 year old female from India, who has been working as business analyst for one of the top UK banks in India. I've done an integrated 5yr course (engineering + MBA, but the MBA wasn't even close to what a real MBA is) from a recognised university. I've got a 730 in my GMAT and I joined my company as a graduate, where now I've spent 5 years. I've been working very actively on citizenship and gender equality agendas at my work place. I've chattedI've interest in marketing and ideally would want to work as product marketing manager.

Last year, I applied to the below schools:
- INSEAD: got dinged without interview. Now I realise, my goals essays wasn't great. Strongly wish to reapply.
- ISB: got rejected after interview. The goals part screwed me up again.
- Kellogg: got dinged.
- Ross: got dinged after being on waitlist. Strongly wish to reapply.

Since my application year, I've been promoted, recognised for my extra curricular (again, has happened in the past) and my responsibilities towards these initiatives has increased.

Can somebody please advise:
A. Which schools would be a good fit for me (including the ones as reapplicant)
B. Where I could be going wrong in my application?
C. Should I reapply at INSEAD considering my goals have changed?

Please help!!

MBAkarma · Answer

Hello swarman

You profile is a sum of Acads + Quality of Work Ex + Diversity + Career Goals (you could read more here)
If you have a spike in 3 out of these 4, you are a strong candidate. Ultimately you must have received a rejection due to one or more very weak factor (out of these 4).
Based on this info let us try to break this down-
1. Acads- With a 730, definitely not a deal breaker with the likes of ISB. Though remember that Indians are usually expected to score high, so a 730 while good, doesn't help you stand out you in a highly competitive pool. But as mentioned, certainly not the reason for rejection.
2. Quality of Work Ex- You work as a business analyst but that in itself is not enough to say anything. What have you achieved in these 5 years? What has been your career progress? What real business impact have you had on your organization (not your individual/technical contributions, but impact on the business). Now this is not very evident here and will ultimately depend on what you wrote in your essays and CV. This may or may not have been the reason for rejection- but one will be able to say only after looking at your complete application.
3. Diversity- As and Indian, you will have to play other cards to showcase diversity such as extracurricular of great achievements in work/other areas of life. I'm not entirely sure is the citizenship/gender equality bit is someway a part of your direct responsibilities or outside it. It may have a great potential but cannot comment without knowing the exact stories you chose to write. Also I see that you have not mentioned in detail about Extracurricular activities so tough to give any feedback here.
4. Career Goals- You are an analyst and wish to become a marketing manager after 5 years or work ex. Just on paper I don't see how the is a realistic and organic goal. Such a shift is possible but only if you show that you have worked towards gaining transferable skills to make this a successful transition. Also need to tell how an MBA will truly add the missing skills. On paper definitely looks weak (based on limited info provided). Again final word will depend on what you wrote in the essays/said in the interviews. Supplement your research by reading here
If you re-analyze the above 4 factors, then the gap is somewhere between Work Ex,Goals or Diversity (or a combination of these). Not possible to say in detail without looking at the application.
You received an interview call with these stats/info from ISB/Ross, so reapplying will make sense only if at least 2 of these factors have improved drastically (as you have mentioned). Otherwise reapplication will not make sense. ISB and most other schools ask re applicants to write an additional essay highlighting the change vs last year.
1. Shortlisting schools will demand a deeper dive into your overall profile.
2. Reasons of rejection will require a thorough study of your application/review of your interview.
3. Reapplying to INSEAD just because of changed goals will not help, other details will also need to change/improve (for example your application itself might have been weak) as you did not get an interview call.
Should you have further questions, let me know.

Best
Varun Sharma
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MBAkarma.com
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swarman

Hi,

I've been dinged by all the schools, I had applied to last year and seek your advice to get an admit this year.

Here are my key stats:
I'm a 27 year old female from India, who has been working as business analyst for one of the top UK banks in India. I've done an integrated 5yr course (engineering + MBA, but the MBA wasn't even close to what a real MBA is) from a recognised university. I've got a 730 in my GMAT and I joined my company as a graduate, where now I've spent 5 years. I've been working very actively on citizenship and gender equality agendas at my work place. I've chattedI've interest in marketing and ideally would want to work as product marketing manager.

Last year, I applied to the below schools:
- INSEAD: got dinged without interview. Now I realise, my goals essays wasn't great. Strongly wish to reapply.
- ISB: got rejected after interview. The goals part screwed me up again.
- Kellogg: got dinged.
- Ross: got dinged after being on waitlist. Strongly wish to reapply.

Since my application year, I've been promoted, recognised for my extra curricular (again, has happened in the past) and my responsibilities towards these initiatives has increased.

Can somebody please advise:
A. Which schools would be a good fit for me (including the ones as reapplicant)
B. Where I could be going wrong in my application?
C. Should I reapply at INSEAD considering my goals have changed?

Please help!!

FortunaAdmissionsMJ · Answer

Hi  swarman ,

I'm so sorry to hear that. You must be very frustrated and confused. It's always hard to say why one is rejected - especially not seeing the application you put together. It sounds like you've got a great profile but perhaps it just wanted articulated very well in the essays/CV. It's always great to have outside perspectives. 
That's what we do as Admissions Consultants - help you clearly communicate your key selling points and convince why ad coms should accept you. You can always re-apply but sometimes it's best to wait a year or so until time has passed so you can mention what has happened/ how you've grown in that time. For example INSEAD prefers you wait and not just apply for the next round.

Our coaches have all previously worked at the top business schools - a lot of us worked at INSEAD in particular. So we know exactly what ad coms are looking for.
The best way for us to see what went sideways is to have a chat.
We also offer a reapplicant strategy package where we will:
-Provide a candid assessment of your entire application package
-Analyze your interview experience, if relevant
-Provide you with an expert opinion on the most likely reasons for your rejection
-Help you develop a strategy for successful reapplication in the following admissions cycle – including whether you should reapply to the same school, and/or which other schools you should target

Or simply we can just help you with one (or more) of your desired schools and really help shape your application.

Let me know if you are up for a discussion.
Hang in there and don't give up! There will be a great business school for you out there.

[HELP] Need Revaluation from Alums/consultants

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