Hi Namita,

Thank you very much for your response. That was very helpful and I will definitely think hard and deep about my post-undergrad ECs.

Concerning the re-taking of the GMAT, I did. Just yesterday, and scored the same! A 710 again! I guess I am stuck with this, and another re-take isn't going to make any sense. Though I did icrease my Q (from a 47 to a 49), the V (40) and IR (5) have remained the same. I think I will just have to work hard on my applications, cross my fingers and apply with the same score.

INSEAD is a long shot, but it's my dream school. I will work very hard on my applications

I have also been reading that INSEAD places a very strong emphasis on international exposure. Though I haven't worked in any foreign countries (being a lawyer, it's not easy for us to jump over to another jurisdiction and practice their law - any job abroad mostly means going to their law schools and clearing their bar exams), but I work most of the time with foreign clients (looking to invest in India) and/or foreign PE funds (having presence in India). And my profession and role being very high in client facing, means that I deal with them on a personal level on the phone, over emails and in meetings (when they visit India).

Would the above count as average or strong international exposure?

Hi everyone,

Do I stand a chance at INSEAD with my profile? It's my dream school, and the aim is to switch to a consultancy. I have been counselling clients from a legal perspective for a while (being a transactional lawyer - primarily M&A and PE), and would love to switch to business/strategy counselling through a consultancy career.

Female, Indian, Corporate Lawyer

GMAT: 710 (V40, Q47, IR5, AWA 6)

Educational qualifications: I have completed my schooling at a school that features every year in the Times of India top 10 schools in India. I secured 95% in 10th and 86% in 12th.

Thereafter, I studied my law (5-year B.A.LL.B course) in one of the top 10 law schools in the country. My grades in college are unfortunately average. In top 25 in a batch of 100.

Work experience: I have around 4 years of PQE (and will complete 5 by the time of starting the session). First 2 years were at one of top 5 law firms in India, through college placements. The subsequent 2 years (and where I am working right now) is at the #1 law firm in India. I work as a transactional lawyer (specializing in M&A and private equity investments) and mostly work with foreign clients being companies (many US, UK, Chinese, Australian and Singapore clients) and PE funds (such Goldman Sachs, Blackstone, Warburg Pincus and Brookfield) looking at investments in India.

I have recently been promoted to a Senior Associate, which is one of the only 3 promotions that we receive in our entire careers in law firms. Our designations are Associate ---> Senior Associate ----> Principal Associate ----> Partner. Further, I have consistently been rated very high in terms of performance and have received high bonus payouts. My job profile is very high in client facing work and involves no court experience, since I am a corporate lawyer and deal with transactions such as share purchase, acquisitions, mergers etc., and not litigation.

Recommendations: I can obtain recommendations from my current boss (a partner at my firm), another partner at my firm that I work for extensively, and my ex-boss (a partner at my ex-firm).

Co-curriculars: Have 2 legal research papers as publications in journals and 1 legal research paper presentation. Also have 1 moot court participation in a national level moot court competition.

Extra-curricular:
a) During College:
• Volunteering at an NGO that provides free legal aid to socially disadvantaged women.
• Teaching at a coaching class for CLAT (Common Law Admission Test - the Indian equivalent of LSAT ).
• Part-time content writing for websites (including the blog of an online retailer).
• Headed the book clubs on sci-fi and fantasy literature and organized intra-college crossword tournaments.
• In the organization committee of an inter-law school sports festival organized by our law school.

b) Post College:
• Mentoring a financially disadvantaged teenager with an NGO.
• Handled the CSR activity of a listed company in Indore with a friend by creating a plan for manufacturing low-cost sanitary napkins for distribution in Indore to disadvantaged women.

c) Office participation:
• Part of the team which suggests ideas and drives the updating of the technological systems within the workplace for increased productivity.
• Regularly conduct workshops in office on sexual harassment at the workplace.

I identify my major flaws as (i) not very high GMAT score, (ii) an unbalanced GMAT score, and (iii) not securing very high grades during my undergrad. Unfortunately flaws are what we can't undo.

Thanks to whoever is kind enough to share their two bits!

Hi Experts!

I'd like to kindly request you for your feedback on my candidacy for INSEAD. Here goes.

Background:
Indian Male
Age 27
GMAT 720
Industry: Consulting (Front end consulting role in one of the largest HR Consulting organizations in the world, typically held by Tier-1 MBA professionals)

Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from IIT Delhi (CGPA – 7.0)

Work Experience: Total 4+ years (in india)
Worked for over 2 years in a social sector consulting startup and 1 year in an election campaign strategy firm (a SuperPAC). Working in the strategic HR consulting for last 1 year.

Extra curriculars – Won international competitions and worked on two international projects in Europe. Worked as Coordinator in various campus festivals and a student association club.

Post MBA Goal – Work in MBB strategy consulting firms

Posted from my mobile device

I'd like to kindly request you a profile evaluation on my candidacy for INSEAD. Here goes.

Nationality- Moroccan
Residence - France
Gender- Male
Age - 29
Grad- 3,6 GPA (Tier1 engineering school)
GMAT- 700(Q49, V37, IR6, AWA5)

Post MBA Goals:
Short Term : MBB Consulting
Long Term: Founding my own company with a focus on the African market // maybe do politics

Work Exp :
- 5+ years in a big telco company : I have joined the company within a specific an attractive recruitment scheme designed for high-potential graduates from the best international engineering and/or business schools. Rate of admission: 25 among 1500+ candidates (~1%).
- 4 different jobs/promotions in 5 years: deputy technical team manager (+100people), financial controller (~40m€), E-commerce strategist (Reporting to France's B2C E-commerce VP), Transformation program director (my current job).
-> Thanks to this experience, I have a transverse vision of the company that I want to consolidate with a mba from INSEAD (my dream school)
- Intrapreneurship: Since 2016, I devote part of my time to implement a solution that has become a major project: sponsored by an executive and included in the roadmap of the direction to which I belong.

Awards and Recognition :
- Merit scholarship awarded by the Moroccan government to pursue my studies in France
- Part of the high potential pool of my company
- Got promotion to the next level (there remains only one level to become top manager) as one of the youngest to access
- Had the opportunity to present my intrapraneurial project to the CEO and the executive committee.

Extra-Curricular Activities:
- Contribution to the seminaries organization dealing with strategic topics for the development of Morocco (politics has always interested me)
- Created and led, with HR, a think tank (50+ young employees, experts and senior executives ) on youth engagement based on design thinking techniques to empower young people in my company.
- During my studies, Moroccan representative within the “Assembly of Delegates of Residents’ Committee “ of the International University Campus in Paris which is the largest site hosting foreign students and researchers in France and maybe in the world (+12,000 students, researchers, artists and athletes from 127 countries !!!). My task was to represent the residents’ views on all issues to do with living on the International Campus and create bridges with other cultures.

Hi Medstark,

that's a great profile overall and I quite love it. You check a whole number of boxes for several b-schools, including INSEAD. You have international experience, diversity of experience, leadership experience through your initiatives, and excellent career progression. Your ECAs are somewhat differentiated (HR thinktank and Morocco related seminars) and would be more impactful if you have achieved some positive outcomes due to your efforts.

Now its your responsibility to submit a strong application. This includes a resume that shows your achievements, impact and career progression. Use strong, impactful action verbs for every pointer that showed you made a big difference to the activity in question. We see so many disappointing resumes every year even when applicants have excellent profiles otherwise. Along with the resume, your essays and recos need to be solid as well. Reach out f you need help with these.

Also, consider applying to LBS- great program for those have international orientation and its also top of the ranking charts.

Hey!

I would like you to kindly review my profile and possibly comment on its quality.

Age: 30 , Gender: Male , Nationality : Indian

GMAT : 750

Bachelor's : Symbiosis International University
Bachelor in Accounts & Finance , graduated with 3.10/4 in 2010

MBA : Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi (considered one of the best college's in Asia for Trade)
MBA in International Business (specialisation Trade) , graduated with 2.62/4.33 in 2016

Certifications: CFA LvL 3 & FRM LvL 2

Languages : English, Hindi & French

Work ex Post - MBA:

- 3 years(current) as a Trade manager responsible for procuring, transporting and importing dry bulk commodity into 14 African countries(biggest importer of clinker in African continent & handling traders in excess of $100million independently) based out of Middle East with constant travel to all 14 country's.

Work ex Pre - MBA:

- 2 years with Lloyd's London working in Maritime Insurance with one of the biggest Property & Casualty Insurance Brokers.

- 2 years entrepreneurial venture(business development) - expansion of existing family business in setting up educational institute (K+10) which unfortunately had to be wound down dude to sanction and licensing legalities.

Post MBA: would like to be involved in operations role of European energy trading firms(very briefly).

I wanted to know, in particular, whether I am have a competitive profile for INSEAD, keeping in mind this would be my second MBA and how much of a factor would my low MBA gpa play?

Please comment.

Thanks in advance,

Hi,

Can anyone give feedback on my chances to INSEAD?

Want to shift career into Management Consulting. So, hopeful that MBA would be a trampoline for this.

Asian, currently working in UAE.
Age: 30
Diploma of Electronics Engineering, 2010, 3.2/4.0
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, 2010, 3.0/4.0
Work Experience: 6 years
Job: Researcher in University
GMAT: 710
Can speak 3 foreign languages apart from my native language.
Have been living abroad for the past 8 years.
Interned in big tech plant in Europe 5 years ago.

many thanks in advance.

Hello Experts

I request your views and advice on my profile.

Background:
Indian Female, 28 yrs
Doctor (MBBS)
GMAT (yet-to-give) target 710

Education:
Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery

Work Experience: Total 5 years
Job 1 - Medical Officer (6m)
Job 2 - Medical Officer and Co-ordinator of medical unit (9m)
Job 3 - Founding member of healthcare startup. The start-up did not take off due to multiple operational reasons. (1y)
Job 4 - Program Manager of an international academic Masters program in Asia brought in collaboration with a UK university. Currently, the program has more than 70 surgeons representing 7 nationalities across Asia. Additionally was in-charge of operations at the NGO associated with the same organisation including fund-raising activities. Was the intern co-ordinator for international students coming to the NGO for summer internships.(1.5y)
Job 5 - Currently the founder of a social start-up for the elderly (1y)
Overall a slightly more intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial resume. The journey has come with its fair share of learning.

Extra curriculars - Teaching underprivileged students, part of an NGO
Post MBA Goal
Short term - to get into social impact sector either in foundations such as Bill & Mellinda Gates or social businesses or social impact consulting. I want to work with organisations across the world with deep community engagement. Heavy interest in relocation abroad to work at renowned social impact organisations with a focus on healthcare.
Long term - Drive my own social venture and get into social impact investment

Hi, Can you please help me in evaluating my profile for INSEAD MBA, Class of 2021

Nationality: Indian, Female, 24 years

Graduation(B.Tech.) - Tier 2 college-7.5 CGPA

GMAT:710(Q49,V36)

Work-Ex: 4 years in Data Analytics and Business Analysis field
2 years: ZS Associates
2 years: BCG

Extra Curricular:
-Leading the CSR group (60 people) at BCG and managing their monthly activities
-Active member of Robinhood army
-Core member of Women Leadership Initiatives at BCG, Events Team at BCG


Post MBA goals: Front end Consulting

Posted from my mobile device

Hi,

I would like you to kindly review my profile.

Age: 29 , Gender: Male , Nationality : Indian

GMAT : 700 - will retake once again in August

Bachelor's : Anna University, Computer Science, graduated with distinction in 2012

Post graduate Diploma in mgmt (similar to an MBA but not exactly an MBA degree) : MDI, Gurgaon, graduated with 6.5/10 in 2016 (its a decent enough brand in India but not outside)

Certifications: Certified FRM

WE Post - MBA:

- 3 years Consultant (Technology) at a Fortune 500 company (top 200)
- do not have international experience but have worked across projects with international clients based out of UK, US and Canada

WE Pre - MBA:

- 2 years as a developer in a Fortune 500 company

Post MBA goal: would like to get into Product Management in technology.
Reason for another MBA - 1. It was a diploma in mgmt so not a proper MBA degree
2. It has not really helped me to crack into Product Mgmt
3. Would like to have an MBA from a top tier univ recognized globally

Kindly let me know if my profile is competitive for INSEAD and what parts of my profile I need to focus on to improve my chances.

Please comment.

Thanks in advance,
Prashanth