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Students Participating in the Chat:
Abhishek Sahay – INSEAD 15 D - Prior experience in strategy consulting at McKinsey & Company in India; Worked for 1 year in social sector in Ethiopia as part of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; brief part-time effort as an admissions consultant to support applicants to MBA programs. Bachelors in Mathematics from Delhi University.
Monica Cepak –INSEAD 15 J – Prior experience in PR and global marketing for Samsung, LinkedIn and HP as well as consultancy services for start-ups in New York City. Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University and Master’s Degrees from University of Rotterdam and University of Barcelona; Published Author.
Akkshay Chugh – INSEAD 15J - Prior experience in Investment Banking at Jefferies in the US and Ernst & Young in India. Co-founded Aura Investment Partners in the US & India. Graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Pennsylvania.Add This Event to your Google Calender
INSEAD Current Student Chat 22nd June 15.pdf [792.96 KiB]
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| FROM Insead Admissions Blog: My Trip to Uganda |
|
I spent six weeks of summer 2015 in Uganda, right on the equator. Sweet deal! I got to spend my summer break hanging out in the back of a pick-up truck, meandering in the Rwenzori Mountains on the DRC border. I was driven around to interview coffee farmers as part of a corporate subsidy program to develop the coffee farming community. A few days after my arrival, I learnt of my new identity. I was mzungu. Not “Sir”, not “Mister”, not “Excuse me” nor “yes please?” “Mzungu!” Which means “white man” in Swahili. It’s not a derogatory term around here. It’s just giving back the true vocabulary to words that political correctness stole away, the correctness that plagues Western society. White man indeed! I won’t deny that. Unmistakably, every time we arrived in a new village, people were attracted by our nice Nissan 4×4. When the mzungu came out of the car, this was when the full house event began. The best of events was usually when there was a school nearby and kids were either on recess or finishing classes. All of us were in for a real treat! We had between 100 and 200 kids circling in, just staring at us—me. Once in a while, I’d look back at them, and they’d start giggling, hiding behind their friends the same way I would if I were a teen getting to meet Slash or Keith Richards. And if ever I smiled or winked at them, they’d run back to their friends and start chatting excitedly covering their mouths behind their hands, maybe unaware I don’t understand a word they were saying.  As we left the village, there was the ‘encore’ or curtain call. All the kids started running after us, and they finally got their voice back, yelling, “How are you?!” “Mzungu!” “Bye bye!” They were absolutely thrilled to give me a high five through the car window. Whoa! Maybe that is how Rocky felt when he was running with the 200 kids in the streets of Philadelphia, right before climbing up the Rocky steps. At one point, an elderly woman actually told my colleague, “Thanks for bringing a mzungu with you.” The insightful part began when I started talking with my Ugandan colleague. He actually told me that the population would get really excited when they get to see a mzungu in person. I understand that many kids might have never even seen one before and they may end up totally beside themselves with joy and excitement. The locals, on the other hand, are excited more because of what we represent to them. They just seem really happy to see, talk, meet and shake hands with a mzungu. My colleague then continues, ”You know, because of our colonial past, we are used to perceiving the mzungu as being able to lift the community welfare, and we look up to them. We usually see the mzungu coming around in nice cars. In a country where we might have 10 to 15% of the population that can afford a car, this is definitely not trivial.” All kidding aside, it is not without a certain level of discomfort that I analyze and absorb the situation. I really wish those kids looked up to me for an objectively better reason than because I was born in a mzungu’s body, from mzungu parents. Indeed, if you’re reading this, you may have picked up on the fact that I was born in a fortunate situation, where I have never lacked anything, neither material nor immaterial. I am not prone to being a target of racism, sexism, discrimination because of sexual orientation or religious beliefs, not even for economic or political beliefs. Smooth sailing. Smooth sailing. I would feel a lot more comfortable, and I might even enjoy the high fiving and ego trip a little bit had I negotiated a treaty ensuring long lasting peace in the Middle East. Or found the cure to world hunger. But still, my colleague carried on, “You inspire these kids. They look up to you, and the mobility you have is a source of motivation for them—for us.” Then I put my thinking cap on. I haven’t really discussed the following with other people yet. You reading it is sort of a prime time, if you wish. The reason why the locals look up to the mzungu is probably for all the wrong reasons, such as the colonial past or the fact that white people generally living in “rich countries”. But let’s be constructive. In a broader context, let’s agree it probably doesn’t matter why or how one inspires people, or even how people end up looking up to someone. The bottom line is that you end up having certain influence over a group of people. In my case, this temporary influence I have is over the local kids that have the huge advantage—or vulnerability—of being moldable and easily influenced. In the end, all that matters is what I do with this. Of course, I might eventually feel better if I discover the cure to HIV. But it doesn’t matter how I feel. When in a position of influence, it shouldn’t be about me. It’s about the people over whom I have influence. They are the ones that matter. How about making something good out of this influence? I really look forward to discussing this. But until then, next time someone looks up to you, try and do something positive out of it, and don’t fret too much about the why. You might have more influence than you think, and this may lead you to having the power to change the world for the better. One step, one kid, or one opportunity at a time. |
| FROM Insead Admissions Blog1: My Trip to Uganda |
|
I spent six weeks of summer 2015 in Uganda, right on the equator. Sweet deal! I got to spend my summer break hanging out in the back of a pick-up truck, meandering in the Rwenzori Mountains on the DRC border. I was driven around to interview coffee farmers as part of a corporate subsidy program to develop the coffee farming community. A few days after my arrival, I learnt of my new identity. I was mzungu. Not “Sir”, not “Mister”, not “Excuse me” nor “yes please?” “Mzungu!” Which means “white man” in Swahili. It’s not a derogatory term around here. It’s just giving back the true vocabulary to words that political correctness stole away, the correctness that plagues Western society. White man indeed! I won’t deny that. Unmistakably, every time we arrived in a new village, people were attracted by our nice Nissan 4×4. When the mzungu came out of the car, this was when the full house event began. The best of events was usually when there was a school nearby and kids were either on recess or finishing classes. All of us were in for a real treat! We had between 100 and 200 kids circling in, just staring at us—me. Once in a while, I’d look back at them, and they’d start giggling, hiding behind their friends the same way I would if I were a teen getting to meet Slash or Keith Richards. And if ever I smiled or winked at them, they’d run back to their friends and start chatting excitedly covering their mouths behind their hands, maybe unaware I don’t understand a word they were saying. As we left the village, there was the ‘encore’ or curtain call. All the kids started running after us, and they finally got their voice back, yelling, “How are you?!” “Mzungu!” “Bye bye!” They were absolutely thrilled to give me a high five through the car window. Whoa! Maybe that is how Rocky felt when he was running with the 200 kids in the streets of Philadelphia, right before climbing up the Rocky steps. At one point, an elderly woman actually told my colleague, “Thanks for bringing a mzungu with you.” The insightful part began when I started talking with my Ugandan colleague. He actually told me that the population would get really excited when they get to see a mzungu in person. I understand that many kids might have never even seen one before and they may end up totally beside themselves with joy and excitement. The locals, on the other hand, are excited more because of what we represent to them. They just seem really happy to see, talk, meet and shake hands with a mzungu. My colleague then continues, ”You know, because of our colonial past, we are used to perceiving the mzungu as being able to lift the community welfare, and we look up to them. We usually see the mzungu coming around in nice cars. In a country where we might have 10 to 15% of the population that can afford a car, this is definitely not trivial.” All kidding aside, it is not without a certain level of discomfort that I analyze and absorb the situation. I really wish those kids looked up to me for an objectively better reason than because I was born in a mzungu’s body, from mzungu parents. Indeed, if you’re reading this, you may have picked up on the fact that I was born in a fortunate situation, where I have never lacked anything, neither material nor immaterial. I am not prone to being a target of racism, sexism, discrimination because of sexual orientation or religious beliefs, not even for economic or political beliefs. Smooth sailing. Smooth sailing. I would feel a lot more comfortable, and I might even enjoy the high fiving and ego trip a little bit had I negotiated a treaty ensuring long lasting peace in the Middle East. Or found the cure to world hunger. But still, my colleague carried on, “You inspire these kids. They look up to you, and the mobility you have is a source of motivation for them—for us.” Then I put my thinking cap on. I haven’t really discussed the following with other people yet. You reading it is sort of a prime time, if you wish. The reason why the locals look up to the mzungu is probably for all the wrong reasons, such as the colonial past or the fact that white people generally living in “rich countries”. But let’s be constructive. In a broader context, let’s agree it probably doesn’t matter why or how one inspires people, or even how people end up looking up to someone. The bottom line is that you end up having certain influence over a group of people. In my case, this temporary influence I have is over the local kids that have the huge advantage—or vulnerability—of being moldable and easily influenced. In the end, all that matters is what I do with this. Of course, I might eventually feel better if I discover the cure to HIV. But it doesn’t matter how I feel. When in a position of influence, it shouldn’t be about me. It’s about the people over whom I have influence. They are the ones that matter. How about making something good out of this influence? I really look forward to discussing this. But until then, next time someone looks up to you, try and do something positive out of it, and don’t fret too much about the why. You might have more influence than you think, and this may lead you to having the power to change the world for the better. One step, one kid, or one opportunity at a time. |
| FROM Insead Admissions Blog: All of what will happen has happened before |
|
Orientation officially begins this Sunday but predictably, the pace for my classmates and I is already frantic. We are slowly trickling into town and getting our phones (first priority, obviously), our apartments, and our visas sorted. Some of us are living it up in Bali or in the South of France. Some are toiling away at Business Foundations courses, and getting to experience the joy that is group work. Some of us are trying to study for exemption exams and exit language tests (key word: trying). Some are kissing babies and partners extra hard before life officially gets crazy. And all of us are going to the thousands of drinks and lunches and dinners happening every day. So unofficially, b-school is definitely in full swing. What I find comforting is to remember that we’re having a very universal experience—kind of how having a kid is the “same” for everyone, but it still is life changing for YOU.  The cafe at the Singy campus – probably the emptiest it will be all year Specifically, even though INSEAD is a 10-month program for us September starters, I still feel the presence of everyone before me. You can hear it in the discussions we’re already having. Everyone knows what FOMO is (“fear of missing out”). Everyone knows 90% of the class secretly wants to be on the Dean’s List in P1 but that drops to 15% by P3. Everyone knows there’s a lot of weekend trips. Everyone knows group work is going to be the bane of our existence. Everyone knows there’s some sort of a bidding system we have to use to choose electives and campus exchanges. Everyone knows way more of us will get seduced into applying for consulting roles than originally planned. everyone knows it’s going to be crazy and fun. How? Some of it is from talking to alumni and other batches before us in person or in the lovely Facebook groups. Some of it has been institutionalized forever in the official and unofficial INSEAD blogs floating around the Internet (hours of entertainment) where you can read all about the joys and the angst of going to b-school. I kind of love all the previous batches already because of the road map they’ve created for the next 10 months. Why is this important? 1) Hearing INSEAD students in their own voice gives YOU an idea of whether this school and this program is the right fit and whether you can see yourself here. 2) The road map can help us start strong—to hopefully be clearer about what we’re going to prioritize during the program (among others, recruiting, family, socializing, joining clubs, networking, traveling, parties, dating, exercising, sleeping, getting on the Dean’s list—something will have to give). I’ve amused my husband to no end by experiencing FOMO before even starting, but I think it’s a useful exercise. Kind of like an anti-gravity chamber! 3) So we know we’re not alone in what we go through—the good and the bad, the successes and the setbacks, the exhaustion and the exhilaration; this has happened before and this too, shall pass. So let’s savor it. |
| FROM Insead Admissions Blog1: All of what will happen has happened before |
|
Orientation officially begins this Sunday but predictably, the pace for my classmates and I is already frantic. We are slowly trickling into town and getting our phones (first priority, obviously), our apartments, and our visas sorted. Some of us are living it up in Bali or in the South of France. Some are toiling away at Business Foundations courses, and getting to experience the joy that is group work. Some of us are trying to study for exemption exams and exit language tests (key word: trying). Some are kissing babies and partners extra hard before life officially gets crazy. And all of us are going to the thousands of drinks and lunches and dinners happening every day. So unofficially, b-school is definitely in full swing. What I find comforting is to remember that we’re having a very universal experience—kind of how having a kid is the “same” for everyone, but it still is life changing for YOU. The cafe at the Singy campus – probably the emptiest it will be all year Specifically, even though INSEAD is a 10-month program for us September starters, I still feel the presence of everyone before me. You can hear it in the discussions we’re already having. Everyone knows what FOMO is (“fear of missing out”). Everyone knows 90% of the class secretly wants to be on the Dean’s List in P1 but that drops to 15% by P3. Everyone knows there’s a lot of weekend trips. Everyone knows group work is going to be the bane of our existence. Everyone knows there’s some sort of a bidding system we have to use to choose electives and campus exchanges. Everyone knows way more of us will get seduced into applying for consulting roles than originally planned. everyone knows it’s going to be crazy and fun. How? Some of it is from talking to alumni and other batches before us in person or in the lovely Facebook groups. Some of it has been institutionalized forever in the official and unofficial INSEAD blogs floating around the Internet (hours of entertainment) where you can read all about the joys and the angst of going to b-school. I kind of love all the previous batches already because of the road map they’ve created for the next 10 months. Why is this important? 1) Hearing INSEAD students in their own voice gives YOU an idea of whether this school and this program is the right fit and whether you can see yourself here. 2) The road map can help us start strong—to hopefully be clearer about what we’re going to prioritize during the program (among others, recruiting, family, socializing, joining clubs, networking, traveling, parties, dating, exercising, sleeping, getting on the Dean’s list—something will have to give). I’ve amused my husband to no end by experiencing FOMO before even starting, but I think it’s a useful exercise. Kind of like an anti-gravity chamber! 3) So we know we’re not alone in what we go through—the good and the bad, the successes and the setbacks, the exhaustion and the exhilaration; this has happened before and this too, shall pass. So let’s savor it. |
| FROM Insead Admissions Blog: Why INSEAD: An American Going Global |
 Hello! My name is Rachel Bush. I am an American having worked in healthcare business development and strategy in the US, South America, and Middle East and am joining the ‘16J class at INSEAD this fall. Having recently arrived on campus in Singapore, I am beyond excited for the term to start, to meet all my fellow classmates, and to learn from each other’s vastly diverse professional and personal experiences. While INSEAD is a top-ranked MBA programme recognized throughout the world, I’ve had many colleagues, friends and family ask me why I chose to pursue my MBA at INSEAD instead of attending school in the U.S. Well, let me tell you: 1. Global Diversity My primary motivation to attend business school outside of the U.S. was to be surrounded by others that came from not only varying professional backgrounds, but also diverse cultural and national backgrounds. As someone who plans to continue a professional career on an international scale, it is important for me to understand not only how business works in other parts of the world, but to understand the perspectives of other cultures and to be able to connect with people from differing backgrounds no matter where they are from. Being part of a cohort that is made up of 90+ nationalities, with no one country being a majority, will expand my perspective and way of thinking in a way I never imagined. Also to be able to share my own experiences and perspectives on the world with my classmates and broaden their perspectives as well. 2. Pursuing an International Career While this clearly ties into point #1 above, ultimately my goal is to continue my professional career working in an international environment. As technological advances continue to accelerate and societies continue to develop, the world is quickly shrinking and the ability to have an impact beyond local, regional, and national borders becomes more feasible. The ability for me to collaborate, manage, and effectively communicate with people from any corner of the world will be absolutely critical if I want to continue expanding and developing services and/or products around the globe. And while yes, I could have gone to a top US school and still managed to work abroad, I believe that for me, being surrounded by and immersed in a globally diverse network (both my peers as well as my professors) will better prepare me for an international career. Lastly, with recruiting connections all over the world, but especially in Europe and Asia, INSEAD can provide me the launching pad to more easily transplant to a new geography if I so choose after graduation. 3. Experience of Living Abroad I believe every person should experience travelling and/or living abroad at some point in their life. Not only to broaden your perspective on the world, but also to explore and see how much more of the world there is beyond your own home country. INSEAD offers the opportunity to live for at least 4-5 months in not only one, but two very different countries with their main campuses located in France and Singapore. With the newly formed Abu Dhabi program as well as additional campus exchanges, one could experience even more if they wanted. Not only will I be living in both Singapore and France and experiencing the local cultures of those two nations, but I will also have access to other neighboring countries throughout Southeast Asia and Europe. For someone coming from a country where it takes six hours to fly in an airplane from one side to the other, being able to hop over to Thailand or Germany for a weekend trip is a dream come true. 4. Alumni Network I’m not certain how many programs can say they have alumni connections located in as many cities and countries as INSEAD, but my guess is not many. Before the school term started, I had the opportunity to take time off of work and travel throughout North and South America in the United States, Canada, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. Everywhere I went, there were other INSEAD students – and these were just students from my same class. Imagine the vast amount of connections, both current students and alum, throughout not just North and South America, but also Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. I know that no matter where I am in the world, there will be an INSEAD connection, which is pretty amazing. All in all, I am incredibly grateful and excited to become part of such an amazing network and can’t wait for what will surely be a challenging, yet incredible and possibly one of the most interesting and amazing years of my life! |
| FROM Insead Admissions Blog1: Why INSEAD: An American Going Global |
|
Hello! My name is Rachel Bush. I am an American having worked in healthcare business development and strategy in the US, South America, and Middle East and am joining the ‘16J class at INSEAD this fall. Having recently arrived on campus in Singapore, I am beyond excited for the term to start, to meet all my fellow classmates, and to learn from each other’s vastly diverse professional and personal experiences. While INSEAD is a top-ranked MBA programme recognized throughout the world, I’ve had many colleagues, friends and family ask me why I chose to pursue my MBA at INSEAD instead of attending school in the U.S. Well, let me tell you: 1. Global Diversity My primary motivation to attend business school outside of the U.S. was to be surrounded by others that came from not only varying professional backgrounds, but also diverse cultural and national backgrounds. As someone who plans to continue a professional career on an international scale, it is important for me to understand not only how business works in other parts of the world, but to understand the perspectives of other cultures and to be able to connect with people from differing backgrounds no matter where they are from. Being part of a cohort that is made up of 90+ nationalities, with no one country being a majority, will expand my perspective and way of thinking in a way I never imagined. Also to be able to share my own experiences and perspectives on the world with my classmates and broaden their perspectives as well. 2. Pursuing an International Career While this clearly ties into point #1 above, ultimately my goal is to continue my professional career working in an international environment. As technological advances continue to accelerate and societies continue to develop, the world is quickly shrinking and the ability to have an impact beyond local, regional, and national borders becomes more feasible. The ability for me to collaborate, manage, and effectively communicate with people from any corner of the world will be absolutely critical if I want to continue expanding and developing services and/or products around the globe. And while yes, I could have gone to a top US school and still managed to work abroad, I believe that for me, being surrounded by and immersed in a globally diverse network (both my peers as well as my professors) will better prepare me for an international career. Lastly, with recruiting connections all over the world, but especially in Europe and Asia, INSEAD can provide me the launching pad to more easily transplant to a new geography if I so choose after graduation. 3. Experience of Living Abroad I believe every person should experience travelling and/or living abroad at some point in their life. Not only to broaden your perspective on the world, but also to explore and see how much more of the world there is beyond your own home country. INSEAD offers the opportunity to live for at least 4-5 months in not only one, but two very different countries with their main campuses located in France and Singapore. With the newly formed Abu Dhabi program as well as additional campus exchanges, one could experience even more if they wanted. Not only will I be living in both Singapore and France and experiencing the local cultures of those two nations, but I will also have access to other neighboring countries throughout Southeast Asia and Europe. For someone coming from a country where it takes six hours to fly in an airplane from one side to the other, being able to hop over to Thailand or Germany for a weekend trip is a dream come true. 4. Alumni Network I’m not certain how many programs can say they have alumni connections located in as many cities and countries as INSEAD, but my guess is not many. Before the school term started, I had the opportunity to take time off of work and travel throughout North and South America in the United States, Canada, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. Everywhere I went, there were other INSEAD students – and these were just students from my same class. Imagine the vast amount of connections, both current students and alum, throughout not just North and South America, but also Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. I know that no matter where I am in the world, there will be an INSEAD connection, which is pretty amazing. All in all, I am incredibly grateful and excited to become part of such an amazing network and can’t wait for what will surely be a challenging, yet incredible and possibly one of the most interesting and amazing years of my life! |
| FROM Insead Admissions Blog1: The Personal Touch |
There are lots of things that go into the decision of where you want to go for your MBA. You are likely to look into job prospects, geography, faculty, diversity of candidates, tuition cost, opportunity cost, loans and scholarships, strengths of program, reputation in market, famous alumni and a host of other extremely logical reasons of why you should or should not choose a particular school. While all these are extremely important, I decided to go to INSEAD the moment I knew I was in. Not necessarily because it was a clear winner in all the above mentioned criteria but because they did one simple thing—they called me to tell me that I got in. I was on a bus in New York heading to work when someone from INSEAD administration, whose name I instantly forgot in excitement, called me. She introduced herself and congratulated me on getting into INSEAD. She informed me that I would be starting on the Fontainebleau campus and that she was excited to meet me on campus. While this is fairly vain, this extra bit of personal attention on that call that lasted about a minute was all it really took – a personal touch. When you start doing MBA applications, you realize all schools basically ask you the same things. Why MBA? Why this school? What can you bring to the table? However, INSEAD’s essay questions were a little different. To me they felt like a career counsellor was walking me through different portions of a personality test, trying to get to know me better as a person and not just my professional background. INSEAD wants to know the personal anecdotes that make you who you are. All questions in the INSEAD application ask you to reflect in a way most other applications don’t. For example, essay #1 while asking you to summarize your career also asks you to consider the opportunity cost of going for the MBA. “Briefly summarize your current (or most recent) job. [...] What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company?” You are forced to consider exactly what you are giving up. Are you really willing to give up a promotion in a year’s time to start at the bottom rung of the ladder in a different industry? Are you sure you want to leave a secure life and relocate? Are you sure you are willing to take this risk? “What are the main factors that have affected your personal development, provide examples?” “How did these experiences impact your relationships with others?” “How are you enriched by extracurricular activities” INSEAD doesn’t just want to know what you did, but wants to know the “So What?” How did this effect you? How did this change you? Another essay asks the candidate for a description of their professional history and goals “as if you were talking to someone at a social gathering detailing your career path with the rationale behind your choices.” The important thing here is that the tone should be true to yourself, as you would describe your professional journey to a friend and not necessarily to an admissions committee. The one essay I truly loved and thought set INSEAD apart was the one on cultural diversity. “Tell us about an experience where you were significantly impacted by cultural diversity, in a positive or negative way.” This is a question that truly signifies the importance of diversity at INSEAD and the intimacy the admissions team is looking for. The answer to this question doesn’t have to be a work-related one and definitely cannot be one with shallow cultural involvement such as “I was a tourist in Thailand for a week.” You need not have travelled the globe for you to be aware of the different cultures around you, especially in a globally connected world. I myself talked about the different cultures growing in India as one part of the population modernizes swiftly while another holds on to more traditional values and how this dichotomy affects me as someone who is a part of both worlds. All of us have been touched by cultural diversity on some level and this question asks you to share a very intimate, personal experience with the admissions team. We’ve all heard this piece of advice when starting MBA applications – be yourself, don’t project yourself as the admissions committee wants to see you. Yet, we often try to find out what are the key characteristics a school is known for and tailor our essays accordingly. For INSEAD, I can truly say, relax and be yourself. The committee wants to know you personally because that is the way things are done at INSEAD. |
| FROM Insead Admissions Blog: The Personal Touch |
|
There are lots of things that go into the decision of where you want to go for your MBA. You are likely to look into job prospects, geography, faculty, diversity of candidates, tuition cost, opportunity cost, loans and scholarships, strengths of program, reputation in market, famous alumni and a host of other extremely logical reasons of why you should or should not choose a particular school. While all these are extremely important, I decided to go to INSEAD the moment I knew I was in. Not necessarily because it was a clear winner in all the above mentioned criteria but because they did one simple thing—they called me to tell me that I got in. I was on a bus in New York heading to work when someone from INSEAD administration, whose name I instantly forgot in excitement, called me. She introduced herself and congratulated me on getting into INSEAD. She informed me that I would be starting on the Fontainebleau campus and that she was excited to meet me on campus. While this is fairly vain, this extra bit of personal attention on that call that lasted about a minute was all it really took – a personal touch. When you start doing MBA applications, you realize all schools basically ask you the same things. Why MBA? Why this school? What can you bring to the table? However, INSEAD’s essay questions were a little different. To me they felt like a career counsellor was walking me through different portions of a personality test, trying to get to know me better as a person and not just my professional background. INSEAD wants to know the personal anecdotes that make you who you are. All questions in the INSEAD application ask you to reflect in a way most other applications don’t. For example, essay #1 while asking you to summarize your career also asks you to consider the opportunity cost of going for the MBA. “Briefly summarize your current (or most recent) job. [...] What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company?” You are forced to consider exactly what you are giving up. Are you really willing to give up a promotion in a year’s time to start at the bottom rung of the ladder in a different industry? Are you sure you want to leave a secure life and relocate? Are you sure you are willing to take this risk? “What are the main factors that have affected your personal development, provide examples?” “How did these experiences impact your relationships with others?” “How are you enriched by extracurricular activities” INSEAD doesn’t just want to know what you did, but wants to know the “So What?” How did this effect you? How did this change you? Another essay asks the candidate for a description of their professional history and goals “as if you were talking to someone at a social gathering detailing your career path with the rationale behind your choices.” The important thing here is that the tone should be true to yourself, as you would describe your professional journey to a friend and not necessarily to an admissions committee. The one essay I truly loved and thought set INSEAD apart was the one on cultural diversity. “Tell us about an experience where you were significantly impacted by cultural diversity, in a positive or negative way.” This is a question that truly signifies the importance of diversity at INSEAD and the intimacy the admissions team is looking for. The answer to this question doesn’t have to be a work-related one and definitely cannot be one with shallow cultural involvement such as “I was a tourist in Thailand for a week.” You need not have travelled the globe for you to be aware of the different cultures around you, especially in a globally connected world. I myself talked about the different cultures growing in India as one part of the population modernizes swiftly while another holds on to more traditional values and how this dichotomy affects me as someone who is a part of both worlds. All of us have been touched by cultural diversity on some level and this question asks you to share a very intimate, personal experience with the admissions team. We’ve all heard this piece of advice when starting MBA applications – be yourself, don’t project yourself as the admissions committee wants to see you. Yet, we often try to find out what are the key characteristics a school is known for and tailor our essays accordingly. For INSEAD, I can truly say, relax and be yourself. The committee wants to know you personally because that is the way things are done at INSEAD. |
| FROM Insead Admissions Blog: Selecting an MBA Program Using Big Data and Data Visualization |
 Many MBA programs strive for international diversity and publish statistics portraying the demographics of their classes. Aside from numbers alone, it is often useful to visualize the data to gain additional insights. INSEAD, with campuses in Fontainebleau (France), Singapore, and Abu Dhabi, is where I made the decision to study. Since I was first contacted by admissions with the good news of my acceptance as a Round 1 candidate, it was truly incredible to see a strong community form. Social media groups were abuzz with introductions, meet-ups were planned in all corners of the earth, and classmates helped each other figure out the logistics of finding accommodation, acquiring visas, and getting ready to (in many cases) move abroad to embark on an incredible year of learning, professional development (and fun). I had the fortune of choosing between multiple offers of admission for my MBA program. Data visualization (through the creation and use of “infographics”) along with big data, were both tools I used to look beyond the schools’ brochures and truly understand the particular demographics of each program. All my choices were excellent from an educational standpoint, having good reputations, seasoned professors, and a high number of academic publications. What was not evidently clear, in neither marketing materials nor public rankings, was what many alumni recognize as the greatest benefit of a graduate business education – the strength of the network you develop with your fellow students and alumni. LinkedIn has delved into this very space by helping prospective students make decision boards to aid them in navigating the admissions process. By mapping out the network of alumni from schools all over the world, it is now possible to see which schools specific employers target for recruitment, which sectors alumni work in upon graduation, and where alumni call home. While many universities tout the international diversity of their students, and many universities list over 100 nationalities forming their class and alumni demographic, one aspect quickly differentiated INSEAD from the competition: the distribution of alumni across different nationalities. Many of the top-ranked schools have a great diversity of students and alumni, but they typically have a disproportionately high amount of students from their home country and many scattered minorities. At INSEAD, everyone is a minority because historically, no more than 15% of the alumni network represents any single nationality. The result is a much more even distribution of alumni across the world and a far more resilient international network. What is true in the aggregate, is also true for each and every MBA graduating class as evidenced in the (unofficial) demographics for the class of July 2016. From its humble beginnings in 1957, INSEAD has remained true to its founding principles in creating an environment of diversity, in which everyone has equal claim to raise questions, and where everyone learns to cooperate with each other regardless of race, religion, or gender. It is therefore no surprise that INSEAD has been touted “The Business School for the World”.
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| FROM Insead Admissions Blog1: Selecting an MBA Program Using Big Data and Data Visualization |
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Many MBA programs strive for international diversity and publish statistics portraying the demographics of their classes. Aside from numbers alone, it is often useful to visualize the data to gain additional insights. INSEAD, with campuses in Fontainebleau (France), Singapore, and Abu Dhabi, is where I made the decision to study. Since I was first contacted by admissions with the good news of my acceptance as a Round 1 candidate, it was truly incredible to see a strong community form. Social media groups were abuzz with introductions, meet-ups were planned in all corners of the earth, and classmates helped each other figure out the logistics of finding accommodation, acquiring visas, and getting ready to (in many cases) move abroad to embark on an incredible year of learning, professional development (and fun). I had the fortune of choosing between multiple offers of admission for my MBA program. Data visualization (through the creation and use of “infographics”) along with big data, were both tools I used to look beyond the schools’ brochures and truly understand the particular demographics of each program. All my choices were excellent from an educational standpoint, having good reputations, seasoned professors, and a high number of academic publications. What was not evidently clear, in neither marketing materials nor public rankings, was what many alumni recognize as the greatest benefit of a graduate business education – the strength of the network you develop with your fellow students and alumni. LinkedIn has delved into this very space by helping prospective students make decision boards to aid them in navigating the admissions process. By mapping out the network of alumni from schools all over the world, it is now possible to see which schools specific employers target for recruitment, which sectors alumni work in upon graduation, and where alumni call home. While many universities tout the international diversity of their students, and many universities list over 100 nationalities forming their class and alumni demographic, one aspect quickly differentiated INSEAD from the competition: the distribution of alumni across different nationalities. Many of the top-ranked schools have a great diversity of students and alumni, but they typically have a disproportionately high amount of students from their home country and many scattered minorities. At INSEAD, everyone is a minority because historically, no more than 15% of the alumni network represents any single nationality. The result is a much more even distribution of alumni across the world and a far more resilient international network. What is true in the aggregate, is also true for each and every MBA graduating class as evidenced in the (unofficial) demographics for the class of July 2016. From its humble beginnings in 1957, INSEAD has remained true to its founding principles in creating an environment of diversity, in which everyone has equal claim to raise questions, and where everyone learns to cooperate with each other regardless of race, religion, or gender. It is therefore no surprise that INSEAD has been touted “The Business School for the World”.
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Last year's was something like 350 I think. Even so it's way too few words to squeeze 7 years of work and projects and give a rationale behind movement too 
Success stories and strategies from high-scoring candidates.
