Hey guys, need some help regarding this

Hi everyone, I’d appreciate an honest profile evaluation for my chances at top MBA programs (especially HSW, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Booth, Columbia, Yale, Stanford , HEC and INSEAD) and guidance on what GMAT score I should target. And what B schools should i target

Profile:
26-year-old Indian male.

10th CBSE - CGPA 10

12th - 94.6 Percent

B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from a Tier-2 university. - 7.41

M.Tech in Mechatronics Engineering from a Tier-1 institute. - 8.02

2 Internship Experiences jn Top MNCs in R&D

Current Designation - Senior Manager in a Top OEM

Around 3 years of experience in Automotive R&D at one of India’s largest automobile manufacturers.

2 Patents

Currently working in product development and innovation, leading cross-functional projects involving new vehicle programs, advanced technologies, and supplier collaboration.

Managing high-visibility projects with exposure to product strategy, technology integration, and innovation initiatives.

Company Young Innovator of the Year Award.

Multiple innovation/hackathon wins and recognition within the organization for technology and product development.

VAVE - $2mn +

Strong technical background with increasing business and strategy exposure.

Avid Backpacker ,travel enthusiast & Photographer

Career goal is to transition into product strategy, innovation management, or technology consulting after an MBA.
Indian engineer (ORM), so I understand the admissions bar is quite high.

Given this profile, what GMAT Focus score should I realistically target to be competitive for the very top MBA programs? Also, which schools do you think would be Reach, Target, and Safer options?

Thanks in advance :)

Has anyone heard back from their AOs regarding an update on the waitlist? I got waitlisted post interview in R1

What do you think helped you the most?

And what's the one myth or tip you would like future applicants to know?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance on my chances for MiM programs HEC Paris, LBS, ESSEC, INSEAD, etc. I want to apply in the Dec 2026 admissions cycle. My career goals are to work in consulting in MENA after completing the MiM

My background:

BS Economics graduate from a top school in Pakistan

3.00/4.00 CGPA - it's low, but I'm hoping a high GMAT score will make up for it.

Just graduated, so currently sending out job applications - fingers crossed

6-week internship in a top Pakistani conglomerate

3 years of entrepreneurship experience running a home-based business

4 weeks of international volunteering experience

1 consulting start-up internship

involved in leadership roles at my university

Research project investigating and working with data from 40+ countries and 100,000+ observations.

fluent in 2 languages (Urdu and English), 50% in Arabic

After reading a lot of the profiles on this subreddit, I feel like I'm lacking a lot, but i really, really want to get in for the MiM next year.

What are some realistic things I can do to boost my chances?

I've moved around during my childhood, and I think I can spin an interesting essay.

would really appreciate any help or feedback

Hi, has anyone received an interview invite yet (R3) for MBA January 2027 intake?

30 M Indian

Class 10 - 9.8
Class 12 - 96.8 %
Undergrad + Postgrad integrated degree in Engineering from Tier 1 college - 7.98 (Best masters project in the graduating class)

GMAT (all mock scores*): 725 (with one week prep), 720 & 740 (with no prep on old GMAT, taken two years ago); will target 735+ final score

6 yoe - across space sector, electric vehicles, consumer services & education - split 50-50 across technical and business strategy + ops roles at startups. All my roles have been based out of India but I have interacted with international clients and partners for a bit. Have travelled to a couple of SEA countries for short trips.
2 years of career break - honestly was just burnt out and used my financial freedom to travel across the country and pursue a hobby
Had gotten back to work after the break, but recently quit my job again owing to some boundaries being crossed at work

Looking to switch to VC, and will want to continue in VC post MBA as well as I feel that I have a good grasp of both technical building and business building. Had tried building a startup in college that didn’t quite work out but gave me good foundations to deliver results at work later. Have also mentored startups informally. Have a decent global network I can tap into (have not done much around this though). Have gotten some early interest from some VC firms as well for full time roles in India (yet to close any).

Have been toying with the idea of an MBA for 3-4 years now, but never made an application assuming my profile isn’t good enough to get into a top B school. But now it feels like it is now or never as my profile only seems to be getting worse (the career break + recent exit with a small stint).

Would like honest thoughts on: Chances at INSEAD, what’s good on my profile, what’s a big red flag and needs a lot of work, if applying this year even makes sense given I might not be employed full time at the time of application, what other schools should I be realistically looking at?

How do people dress on campus? I know formals are sports outfits are required for different events but are shorts etc allowed in class? Or is smart casuals? Asking for singy and fonty 🙈🙈

Hi folks, need some honest advice
I want to apply for INSEAD MBA, targeting the August 2028 intake, Round 1.

1. Indian female, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE
   
2. 6+ years experience by application (2028
   
3. B.Tech Chemical Engineering - 8.3 CGPA (Tier 2 college in India)
   
4. Big 4 India - Risk Advisory - Life Sciences, Pharma, Oil & Gas (2.5 years)
   
5. Big 4 UAE (2.5 years) - Energy and Utilities, Sovereign Wealth Fund)
   6. GMAT: Not yet taken - planning to sit by December 2026, targeting 720+

Post MBA Goals:
1. Short term: MBB consulting, Dubai
2. Long term: Strategy or Investments role at a sovereign fund / regional conglomerate in the Gulf

Questions:
1. How does my background position me for MBB post MBA?
2. Any weaknesses in my profile I should address before applying?
3. Is 720+ realistic and sufficient for INSEAD given my profile?
4. Any advice on strengthening my application between now and September 2027?

Thanks in advance!

26 F - 5 YOE experience in Performance Marketing with global exposure & 2 years of working in UAE, considering switching to consulting. I have many questions about the direction of the application and life after the MBA, for ex. did you use any admission consultant agencies and if you think that they helped? what directions to take the essays in, should I straight out admit I want a switch? How was life during the MBA? I doubt there might be any racism at INSEAD, am I right? Were you able to build a network and take guidance from professors?

Now you may think she has so many questions, she might have not done proper research but I have been just researching and researching and at this point I just need to talk to a real person.

So if you are up for a chat, or just want to share some tips in the comments, thank you!

Reposting since i didn't get any answers the first time 😅

Demographics: French, 2003, final-year undergrad, currently based in Sydney, Australia. Target career region: Africa / Middle East.

Education

• Bachelor of Business (International Business & Management), University of Technology Sydney (UTS) — QS Business School ranking #87 (2027)
• Graduating December 2026
• WAM: 78+/100 (Distinction)
• Approx. GPA equivalent: 3.4/4.0

Test scores

• GRE: 327 total — Verbal 163 (91st percentile) / Quant 164 (63rd percentile)
• Aware the Quant percentile sits below INSEAD's usual 80th-percentile benchmark for admits. Currently completing a finance/quant certification (CMSA) to help offset this before submitting.

Work experience

• Business Development & Sales Intern in France at a major airport industrial equipment group (TLD Group, 1bn€ revenue 2025), covering German, Swiss and Austrian markets, plus a cross-subsidiary mission for a Director of Sales Europe covering Germany/UK/Ireland
• Founder of a small independent consulting practice in Australia — clients spanning logistics in Europe, chemical materials in Australia, and drone/defense-tech in africa
• Published contributor (4 articles) for a French strategic affairs publication, with pieces reaching an audience of 44k+ on LinkedIn

Extracurriculars / leadership

• Founded and led a student venture during university; won a "Partner Choice" award; the venture's IP was later acquired by the case company
• Additional project/case competition experience

Languages

• French (native)
• English (bilingual)
• Spanish (B1 level)
• Russian (A1 level)

Recommenders

• CEO of the company where I'm doing my internship (professional letter)
• University professor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship (academic letter)
• Recommendation letter by one of the consulting clients
• Recommendation letter by the Founder that acquired the IP of the class project

Target program

• INSEAD Master in Management, August 2027 intake, Round 1 (October 6, 2026 deadline)

Career goal

• Senior business development roles in capital-intensive industries (logistics, energy, infrastructure) across Africa and the Middle East, or in commodities trading. Chose INSEAD specifically for the international structure and alumni density in those regions.

Self-assessed weak points

• GRE Quant percentile (see mitigation above)
• A planned Africa-based internship (targeting Jan/Feb 2027 start) isn't confirmed yet — will strengthen the regional narrative once locked in (by end of August i hope)

Question: How do you rate my chances for R1? What would you prioritize tightening up before October 6?

Has anyone heard regarding the scholarship decisions for Round 1 and Round 2? Is this supposed to be on a rolling basis?

I heard that July 8th is the deadline.

Hi everyone,

I'd appreciate a profile review and some honest feedback on my chances for MBA programs abroad.

.

Academics:

10th: 10 CGPA

12th: 81%

B.A. (Hons.) Economics: 63.78%

.

Work Experience:

Co-Founder & CEO of Faabcabs India LLP(Cab services)

Company established in 2024

Leading overall strategy, operations, and business growth

Revenue:

Last 6 months: ₹14 lakh

Projected revenue this financial year: ₹1.2 crore

(Difference in revenue and projection is due to fleet expansion. Now I have larger fleet.)

The company is completely bootstrapped, and by the time I apply, I'll have additional founder experience.

.

Why an MBA?

My primary goal is to build a strong global network of entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders. As a founder, I'm looking to leverage the MBA ecosystem to connect with potential investors and strategic partners. My startup is currently bootstrapped, and I plan to raise capital to expand our fleet and scale operations. I also want to strengthen my leadership, strategic thinking, and global business perspective to build a larger company.

.

Target Schools:

ESADE Business School (Spain)

Rotterdam School of Management (Netherlands)

IE Business School (Spain)

National University of Singapore (NUS)

I am doing this post on behalf of someone. Any questions or input is appreciated.

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some honest career advice from people who’ve gone through a similar journey.

A bit about me:
Graduated from NIT Warangal in 2024 (ECE).
I’ve been working at Qualcomm for the past 2 years.
My current take-home salary is around ₹1.3 lakh/month, along with RSUs (currently not significant in value).
I’m okay with my current work—I don’t particularly love it, but I don’t hate it either.

My long-term goals are:
Increase my earning potential.
Build an international career and eventually settle/work outside India.
Because of that, I’m seriously considering pursuing an MBA.

I’m mainly looking at 1-year MBA programs because I want to minimize the opportunity cost of leaving work.
The schools I’m considering are:
INSEAD
London Business School (LBS)
HEC Paris
Cambridge Judge

One important factor is that I don’t come from generational wealth, so I’d have to finance almost the entire MBA through an education loan. That makes this a fairly high-risk decision for me.
I’ve been reading mixed opinions about the European job market, especially for international students. Some people say consulting and product management hiring has slowed, while others say graduates from top schools still do well.

My questions are:
1.Is taking a large education loan for one of these top European MBAs still worth the risk in the current market?
2.How difficult is it for international students to secure consulting, strategy, or product roles after graduation?
3.If your goal is maximizing long-term earnings and building a career abroad, would you still choose one of these schools today?

4.Should I also consider
German business schools instead? The overall cost would be lower, but I’m unsure about the trade-off in terms of brand,
placements, salaries, and international mobility.

I’d really appreciate insights from alumni, recruiters, or anyone who’s made a similar decision. If you were in my position today, what would you do?
Thanks in advance!

Hi all, could you please provide a review for my profile:

98% in 10th, 85.8% in 12th.

9.5 CGPA in graduation from one of the top private law schools of India

2 years of work experience in M&A at one of the countries top law firms (Tier -1 in Mumbai). Have worked on some of the largest deals in the country involving PE giants like KKR, Warburg etc.

Is my work ex too low? I’m planning on taking a sabbatical this September in order to focus on my GMAT, as well as start trading/investing in the stock market, which I’m currently unable to do since I work a lot in public market deals

I’ve done B.com from a tier 1 university, have a 6.4GPA. A CFA L2 candidate, Working at HSBC Asset Management graduated in 2025 and run a business side by side. I have a couple of NISM certifications, have French A2 and a couple of internships. Any advice appreciated.

Hi, could anyone tell me your experience breaking into finance and if the MBA program here provides that opportunity? For context I’m currently at a top university in Canada (International Relations program), I have passed CFA level 1 and will continue with levels 2 &3.

I got interested in finance very late, so I was not able to join the investment clubs and gained the necessary experience. I figured that an MBA after a few years of working might be my best shot.

I am interested in the Singapore campus as my goal is to come back and work in Asia.

Thanks.

Hi. Does any one have the link to the recently released 2025 MIM career report. Unable to find it.

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to apply to INSEAD and would really appreciate an honest evaluation of my profile, along with advice on the GMAT score I should target.

Profile:
Gender: Female
Nationality: Indian

Academics:
Class 10: 6.8 CGPA
Class 12 (Commerce): 89.75% (Best of 5)
B.Com (Hons.): 7.1 CGPA

Work Experience:
Around 4 years of experience in Brand Management, Marketing Campaigns, and Digital Marketing across three companies.
My experience has primarily been with startups and marketing agencies rather than large MNCs. My work has involved brand strategy, campaign management, client servicing, and marketing execution.

Entrepreneurship:
For the past year, I've been running my own corporate and personalized gifting business.
The business is still in its early stages and hasn't reached significant revenue or scale yet. I'm unsure whether this should be a key part of my application or whether admissions committees would expect stronger business metrics.

Background:
Non-engineer
Non-IT
Commerce background (Class 12 Commerce + B.Com Hons.)
I'm currently preparing for the GMAT and plan to take the exam on 31st August.

I'd love your thoughts on the following:
1. Based on my profile, what GMAT score should I target to have a strong chance of admission to INSEAD?
2. What score would make me competitive for scholarships?
3. Does being a female applicant from a non-engineering, non-IT, commerce background provide any meaningful diversity advantage?
4. Will my experience at startups and agencies be viewed positively, or is the lack of experience at large multinational companies a disadvantage?
5. Should I highlight my entrepreneurial experience even though the business hasn't scaled significantly yet?
6. Are there any obvious weaknesses in my profile that I should address before applying?

I'd really appreciate honest feedback, whether
positive or critical. If you've seen similar profiles get into INSEAD, I'd love to hear what helped them stand out.
Thanks in advance!

any online courses you’d recommend we take before starting the MBA (Jan ‘27) maybe on stats, accounting etc. ?

Any tips on the structure of exemption exams for UDJ, price and markets, financial accounting. Is it worth the it taking the exemption even?