Recommend Admission Consultant for European schools

Question

I'm planning to apply for an MBA this year in R1 Sept 2023.

Target Schools -INSEAD, Cambridge Judge, IMD, IESE.

Can someone please recommend an admission consultant for these European schools?

Profile Background

Demographics - 30, Indian, Female

Educational Qualification/ Achievements
1)Graduation GPA: 5-Year Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech) from IIT Bombay - 7.2/10
2)Received Undergraduate Research Award at IITB
3)Class X - 88%

GMAT: Target 650 (Not yet taken)

Work Experience (Total 6 yrs) - India
1)Strategy Manager (1.2 yr)
- Sector: Edtech
- Responsible for designing monetization model and pitching to CEO
- Working on cross functional projects 
2)Management Consulting Exp (3.5 yrs) - Japan’s largest Management Consulting firm with 45+ offices worldwide
- Sector: Automotive Downstream
- 3 Promotions: Associate Consultant >>Deputy Senior Consultant
- Leadership experience: Led 10+ projects as a Project Leader, Top scorer in the Peer Performance Evaluation System
- BD and Client Management: Engagement Manager for a key client; Won projects repeatedly from the same client
- Worked on a few marketing projects
3)Startup Exp (1 yr)
- Worked with the CEO to execute projects across different functions

International Exposure
1) Worked with Japanese clients, different teams from SEA
2) Undergrad Internship at Warsaw University of Technology, Poland

Extra-Curricular:
1) Lost 9 kg through healthy habits and workout. Consistently working out from the past 3 years to maintain weight and build strength
2) NGO (Hues of the mind) - Supported in Mental Health workshop and fund raising activity.
3) Travel - Explored 10+ countries
4) Sports - Won 3 medals in the Inter-college championship. Represented in Inter-IIT Sports Meet for 4 successive years
5) Dance - Participated in a lot of dance competitions in college and won a few.
6) Event Manager at College Festival

MBA Goals:
Short term - Want to transition from edtech to the any other sectors in strategy function in international market. Would like to start something of my own in long term.

Target Schools: INSEAD, Cambridge Judge, IESE, IMD.

TheMBAEdge · Answer

Hey  Sarika101 ,

You have some decent undergrad grades and some solid work ex ranging across a spectrum of industries and profiles. The ECs are good and the international experience solid which will make you a good fit for a European MBA. Will suggest you keep your test scores a top priority and focus on building your international experience as they will come handy while applying.

We have been working with candidates for a range of European business schools, so do drop a message in case you want to discuss further.

Thanks,
TheMBAEdge

ARLeeConsulting · Answer

Hi Sarika101 , you have a well-rounded profile with potential for acceptance at all your target schools. As a matter of fact, I have experience with successful Indian applicants to INSEAD, LBS, IMD... with similar backgrounds to yours, including work experience in Japan's largest management consulting firm. However, I'm afraid a 650 GMAT score won't do it. Perhaps it is a typo and you meant that you're targeting 750? As you may know, as an Indian applicant, it is always recommended to score 20-30 points above your target schools' average GMAT scores. For INSEAD, this means around 730-740. And for the rest of your target schools 700-710. But with a strong profile like yours and a kick-ass application, you can def get accepted with a lower GMAT score. But 650 would be a stretch. Feel free to email me your resume at alex@arleeconsulting.com to start a conversation and get a more detailed evaluation of your profile. Thank you very much. Warm regards Alex

MBADecoder · Answer

Hi Sarika,
I would add LBS to your list. Your work experience is quite solid with lots of leadership opportunities and impact. You can create a meaty resume basis this ( however, note many applicants land up creating a resume that focuses on responsibilities and not achievements, and as a result, undersell themselves).
Your international experience will be valued by your target programs as each of them has a highly international student base and they like applicants who have worked in global teams. 
You mention entrepreneurship as a long term goal. I would be more cautious about this, unless you have a solid reason and you know what you will do. Would be happy to discuss this in more detail.
Should you be interested, you can fill the profile evaluation form ( link in my signature) and we can go in depth on the profile discussion.

Posted from my mobile device

jwatkins · Answer

Happy to recommend Laura Freedman: copying a review I wrote for poetsandquants below.

Also emailed Alex Ruiz Lee (above) who had great ideas. Unfortunately, I only found his (detailed) reply in my spam folder after making my decision.

Some of the other consultants I asked didn’t seem to know much about the INSEAD process specifically, though I’m sure there’s a lot of overlap.

********

The INSEAD application process is particularly lengthy and detailed and I wanted help to navigate it from someone with some experience with this process. Laura Freedman (http://www.accesseducation.com) specialises in consulting for the European MBAs. She is an INSEAD alumna with an unconventional background who helped this nontraditional candidate formulate a truthful and compelling narrative.

Laura has a structured approach, which focuses on each of the individual components of the application separately and methodically.

Laura has an engaging and enthusiastic manner. The INSEAD application requires you to explore childhood and other personal influences, so developing a rapport with your consultant is helpful to uncover the anecdotes that individualise your response.

All our work together was done synchronously; I would draft a CV, an essay, or a list of international experiences, and she would discuss and edit it in real time with me. The work was very collaborative, but remained concrete and tangible. At the end, I had a better product to show for it than what I would have done on my own, but I could still honestly say it was my own work.

Having regular meetings of approximately two a week helped to keep me focussed on the task. The INSEAD application is quite lengthy and it would be quite difficult to rush it in the last week!

I also found her advice useful in managing recommenders and engaging with the school on scholarships.

Overall, I’m more than happy to recommend her as a consultant for INSEAD.

Posted from my mobile device

Admissionado · Answer

Sarika101 : In the interest of being brief, at Admissionado, we have plenty of graduates on our staff from INSEAD and other top European schools. Please take a look at our team page: https://admissionado.com/team-mba/ If you are interested in connecting with one of them for a free consultation, please use the below link and note the consultant (or consultants) you would like to speak with for a complimentary call. If we don't hear from you, good luck! Warmly, Admissionado

ARINGO · Answer

Sarika101, we would love to work with you! we have a lot of experience helping MBA candidates get admitted into top European schools, and we have several MBA grads from these programs on our staff. You can check out our admission stats for European schools here: https://aringo.com/aringo-mba-admission-statistics/ Also, check out our playlist of videos with tips for applying to top MBA programs in Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thJsv7d ... FN&pp=iAQB

VPGMAT · Answer

Would Recommend MBACrystalball for the same. Though I would suggest to take GMAT before contacting any admission consultant

LemonEd · Answer

Hi Sarika101

Your profile is well suited for top European MBA programs. You could also add LBS and HEC Paris to your target schools.

More specifically, your academics are strong, backed by the IIT brand and an international internship.

Your target GMAT is on the lower side. We assume this is a typo and you meant 750.

Your work experience is varied (with promotions) and you have an international component which will stand you in good stead.

Finally, your extracurricular activities traverse sports, fine arts and volunteering, and serve to enhance your overall profile quite effectively.

In short, your profile has all the boxes (other than GMAT) checked.

LemonEd has worked with candidates for some of the top European business schools and would be delighted to partner with you on your MBA admissions journey.

Please feel free to contact us for a free consultation.

GeneralEducation · Answer

Your profile is quite impressive. You have a strong academic record, work experience in a variety of industries, and a commitment to extracurricular activities. You are also an international candidate, which can be a valuable asset in the MBA admissions process.

Your target schools are all highly competitive, but you have a good chance of being admitted. Your work experience in management consulting and your leadership experience in the startup world is particularly strong. Your extracurricular activities also show that you are a well-rounded individual with a variety of interests.

To improve your chances of admission, you should focus on getting a high GMAT score and writing strong essays that highlight your motivation and long-term goals clearly. You should also make sure to get strong letters of recommendation from people who can speak to your character and qualifications.

We have consultants with 15+ years of experience who have admitted applicants regularly to your target schools. We can analyze your weaknesses and help you to build a strong application for these programs. Reach out to us below for a free profile analysis.

You can now find all the free resources for admissions on the Website or try the free tools below for a self-evaluation:
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