Ask INSEAD Admissions

Hi Ruchika

I'll be happy to do a free profile evaluation if there's still time left for you to submit your application! If you've already submitted then all the best for your application

Hi Team,

I am applying for Jan 2020 intake in round 2. Planning to submit my application today.
I had a question about the video interview that we need to submit after this. Am I supposed to submit it within 48 hours of my application submission (April 9) or within 48 hours after application deadline (April 19?)

Posted from my mobile device

Surprised nobody has replied to you. The video interview deadline is 48h from application deadline, not your specific submission. That means that you can submit on the 9th and have more than a week to prepare the interview. Best of luck!

Posted from my mobile device

Thanks cb230191, oozefish congratulations on completing the application and I confirm 48 hours after the deadline. Of course you don't want to play games with this too much because the servers are kind of overloaded around that time of course. So I would strive for 36 hours at the max. cb230191 not too surprising that INSEAD have not yet responded to something posted less than a day ago because it is the weekend.

https://mbaprepcoach.com

Hi!

Could you please help me decide if I ought to give my GMAT again/focus on my application/apply to Sept 2020?

My current GMAT is 680 (Q46 V38 AWA 6 IR 7)
I know that my quant falls short here and I'm curious to know how much of a deterrent it would be for AdCom.

Quick profile:
Indian, Female
BBA (GPA: 3.5/4)
4.5 years of experience in tech companies in India (sales, marketing, brand management). Have travelled abroad for event marketing and have consistently worked with overseas clients for overseas markets.
Co-curriculars: Travelled extensively (about 15+ countries), selected for a youth conference organised by the Russian government, certified scuba diver, college dance club head

I have my goal set on Singapore and to eventually work in tech in Asia.

Thanks in advance!

Hi shreeja27 yes, unfortunately you will need to pull that up a fair bit to be competitive at INSEAD. The average GMAT there is now 711 and so I would recommend 721-731 as your target score. Also, they state a need for you to be in the 70th to 75th percentile for both verbal and quant. I would strongly recommend you err on the side of caution given the immense competition there is for your profile and hold yourself to 75th percentile https://www.insead.edu/node/7371
Always maximize the GMAT - don't stop taking it until you feel there is no way to further improve. Indians who win seats at INSEAD have pretty crazy high scores unfortunately. As a woman, there is a bit less pressure, but not much.

1) Can Cantonese be considered a 2nd language?
2) Can one choose to do their entire MBA course in Sinagpore?

I have an advanced degree in the US. My bachelor's was in India where the language of instruction and transcripts are in English. Do I need to take the TOEFL, or could it be waived?

Hi - you don't need to take the TOEFL if you have an advanced degree from the US. If your bachelor's was in India where the language of instruction was English, you may need to produce a letter from your college stating the same for your TOEFL to be waived. If the language of instruction is explicitly mentioned in your graduate degree then you might still be ok - but I would advise to check with your AO.

Hello! The INSEAD diversity scholarships have a couple of questions which are the same as the questions on the Personal & Financial Profile section.

For example, the Personal & Financial Profile section has an essay topic / question as follows:
* In approximately 300 words provide a concise but accurate description of your financial circumstances as well as your budget for the programme. How do you expect to finance your studies if you do not obtain a scholarship from INSEAD? Why INSEAD should consider you for a scholarship? What amount do you consider appropriate?

The Diversity scholarships section has an essay topic / question as follows:
In approximately 300 words provide a concise but accurate description of your financial circumstances as well as your budget for the year at INSEAD. How do you expect to finance your studies if you do not obtain a scholarship from INSEAD? Why INSEAD should consider you for a Diversity scholarship? What amount do you consider appropriate? Please do not forget to submit a number of supporting documents as required.

Can answers be repeated, or should every answer be unique?

Hi there,

I had a couple of questions regarding the application for the Jan 2021 intake.

- It mentions on the website that the deadline is Aug 5, 2020 for R4 however on the application portal it says July 1, 2020. What is the accurate deadline?
- Secondly, do I need to provide official email addresses of my recommenders or does personal email ID work?

Thanks,
Ananya

Hi Ananya,

1. The portal reflects the earliest deadline available to you for submission, which in this case is R3 (July 1). In case you do not submit your application before that the application automatically gets carried forward to the next round
2. Yes. Official email IDs are always encouraged. A personal email ID would be a red flag and will be subject to higher scrutiny. Unless your recommender is from your family business, personal mail IDs will most likely not be accepted

Hope this helps!

Hi I would like to know if the alumni who interview applicants would have a copy of the letters of recommendation?

No, they should only have the application essays that you sent them.

Posted from my mobile device

Got it! Thanks!

Hi all,

I am applying for the September 2021 intake. Preferably, I would like to apply for Round 1 (deadline: 11 September).

Recently I have taken the GMAT and scored a 690 (Q44/V41). Whilst I scored Q48/Q49 on the practice tests, something about taking the actual test makes me nervous. As a result, I made some silly mistakes in the quantitative section, resulting in a lower score. Would you advise me to retake the GMAT to aim for a higher quantitative score? I am a tad bit frightened that the quantitative score can be a dealbreaker, even though I have a highly quantitative background.

Background: I am 28 years old and from Western Europe. Graduate degree in Engineering (4.0 GPA). Whilst studying at the university, I had my own retail company for 5 years. Since graduating, I have worked as a Strategy Consultant for 2.5 years (highly focused on analytics) at a large well-known consulting firm. Furthermore, I have a high degree of international experience (worked and lived in South Africa for 6 months; worked on projects in the United States, United Kingdom and Serbia; briefly studied in London; travelled to around 30 countries in South-East Asia, South America and Europe).

Hi Timosius,

On the surface, your profile looks very competitive and quantitative. Insead puts great stress on international experience and from this angle, you seem to have a great shot at the school. For your concern about GMAT score, you have got a perfect score in your college and with a quantitative background, it does not seem much of a problem. Also, if this helps you comfort, we have recently helped a candidate, with a 670 gmat, get invited to Insead interview(awaiting results) and that too in R3! So, you stand a fair chance at the schools considering all these aspects. Having said that, if you feel you have the potential of doing better, you should go for retake, because as it goes, the higher, the better (maybe you want to work on your calmness because you are doing good at mocks and may want to reach your potential). You are welcome to hop on a call with us for any of your concerns, we are here to help you Feel free to book a free session with us as per your convenience.

Cheers!
Kashish Garg
Community Manager, MBA and Beyond

On behalf of
Shantanu Sharma, INSEAD Alumnus
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond