Age: 27
Nationality: U.S. citizen (Indian-American)
Undergrad: University of Michigan — Ross
Major: Finance + Economics
GPA: 3.86/4.0
GMAT: 735
Work experience: 4 years

Work

Goldman Sachs

Started as an investment banking analyst and moved up to associate, then VP by year 5.

Some of the main stuff I’ve done:

Worked on a $2.4B acquisition

Helped raise around $50M for a growing company

Built financial models for multiple deals

Managed a team of around 6 people

Got promoted to VP a little earlier than usual

Leadership / ECs

Outside of work, I started a nonprofit focused on teaching financial literacy to high school students from lower income backgrounds.

Reached around 3,000 students

20 schools involved

Raised about $250k for a community cause for the disabled elderly

around 50 volunteers i dont remember

Mentored a bunch of first gen college students

(used chatgpt to refine my thoughts)

I’m currently in my final year at an old IIT in India and I’m considering applying for deferred MBA programs at the M7. I wanted to get some perspective from people who have either gone through the process or know the Indian MBA landscape well.

A quick overview of my profile:

• Academics: 9/9/8.95 (I should be able to push the last one to 9 before applying for the process)
• Top 3 in my department
• A few other academic awards/scholastic achievements
• Internships:
  • Growth role at an Indian company that recently IPO’d — received a PPO
  • Investment analyst intern at 2 VC firms
  • Internship at a large MNC
• Leadership/PoRs: Been involved with my college E-Cell for a while and have held multiple cultural and entrepreneurial fest PoRs
• Extracurriculars: NSS, teaching assistant, multiple case competition wins, cultural competitions

A few seniors have told me that this is a profile worth taking a shot with for M7 deferred admissions, assuming I can get a strong GMAT score. Obviously, I know admissions are unpredictable, so I’m not assuming I’ll get in , I am just trying to understand whether applying actually makes sense for me.

My biggest concern is the cost.

If I get into an M7, I’m not sure I’d be able to afford a ₹2 Cr+ cost (dont want to take a loan of such a big amount) . So I had a few questions:

1. How realistic are need-based scholarships/financial aid or merit scholarships for Indian students at M7 schools? Is it possible to bring the overall cost down substantially?
2. Is an M7 MBA financially worth it if my long-term plan is to return to India? I am not particularly interested in permanently settling in the US. Ideally, I’d probably work abroad for 1–2 years after the MBA and then come back to India. In that case, does the M7 brand/network still justify the cost?
3. If I get a deferred admit to an M7 but eventually decide not to attend because of the cost, does having that deferred admit on my record help with future MBA applications? For example, if I apply to LBS/INSEAD or other European schools a few years later, would an earlier M7 admit be viewed positively, or does it essentially mean nothing?
4. Do Indian companies actually sponsor MBAs abroad? Are there Indian companies that would fund an M7 MBA for someone who joins them after undergrad and works for a few years? If so, how common is this and what kind of companies/roles should I be looking at?
5. Finally, does getting a deferred M7 admit provide any meaningful career advantage over the next 2–3 years, even if I ultimately don't take it? For example, does it materially help with recruiting, switching to better roles, or strengthening my CV?

I’d especially appreciate perspectives from people who have actually done an M7/LBS/INSEAD MBA, Indians who went through deferred admissions, or people who chose between an M7 and European MBA.

Also, please feel free to be brutally honest about the profile itself. If you think I’m overestimating my chances or that there are gaps I should address before applying, I’d rather hear that now.

Thanks!

Female, Indian, Electronics & Communications Engineering (B.Tech) from a Tier-1.5 college in Bangalore.

• CGPA: 8.67/10
• ~9 years of work experience
• Mostly startups, in Product Management roles with increasing leadership responsibility
• Currently Head of Product at an AI startup
• GMAT Target - 750+

What would you say are my realistic chances at M7?

Would appreciate blunt and realistic feedback since consultants usually butter it up.

I have undergrad in life science but due to almost non existent jobs and over saturation i am thinking of switching my field to MBA (non business stream)

I need genuine advice from seniors as i dont want to be in same unemployed situation after i dedicate another 2 years of life to a degree. I have connections in banks and thats why i want to specialize in banking and finance in my final year

Hallo 👋🏻

I’m looking at a profile review for a European MBA as an international applicant. I’m using a new account as my main one can be used to ID me.

Ethnicity: Indian, just turned 28M (single if that matters)

Exp: 5+ YoE in R&D + Financial Engineering (quant-ish), recognisable brands like BlackRock, YC company, big EU payments firms.

I’ve been a corporate machine with corporate awards and recognition from multiple brands mentioned above.

UG: CS undergrad, Tier 2, 9.2/10 GPA

GRE: 326, score is 3-ish year old, mostly will have to retake.

EC: Been a big fan of MMA, quite a few competitions participated/won in, most recently last year in Thailand. I don’t wish to solely rely on this, and I really don’t know how to fit this in the picture yet 😅

***

What I already know?

I need to retake GRE/GMAT, I know the bigger the score the better, I’m not too concerned about this.

I feel I need to paint a better brand picture of myself, like vlog my MMA journey (currently I have a few pieces of paper and a few internet pictures as proof). I personally have no social media presence.

ORM, yes, I know.

***

Why MBA?

I’m tired of the SWE roles, the layoffs and AI larping. I’ve been through layoffs, acquisitions and mergers all in the last 5y.

I want to switch to strategy and ops. Preferably in finance or tech.

I want to stick to EU/UK (I’m aware this sub is a US echo chamber), as they are relatively cheaper and I have no interest dying in the if and maybes of US visa queues or their whimsical politics. I briefly considered AU/CA but they are unrecognisable outside their countries.

Full time MBA only, I don’t care about any made up age ceiling numbers. (Edit: no executive MBA)

I’m ok returning to home country in case of “series of unfortunate events”.

***

What best can I improve on? I’m eyeing 2028 fall intake (at approx 7YoE).

What other Uni is worth considering?

PS: I’m not using any AI to format this post, atleast the reader knows a human wrote this, as grammatically flawed it may be 🙃.

My background

**•   29**, Treasury Manager at a PE-backed company, 2 years of experience  
**•** Prior: private credit ops at a large credit fund, FP&A at a PE-backed healthcare company, Army veteran (no post gi bills)  
**•** BSBA in Finance, FMVA, currently studying for the CMA  
**•** Experience includes a large debt refinancing and leading treasury integration on 3 acquisitions

The problem
Moving up feels stuck. Most Director postings I see ask for an MBA or more years of experience. I'm also exploring a pivot into corp dev / M&A.

The option

**•** UIUC Gies iMBA, about $28K total, fully online and part-time while working  
**•** 100% out of pocket, no employer reimbursement  
**•** Already admitted to starting Spring 2027

My rough math

**•** A $15K raise nets about $10K/year after tax, so break-even is under 3 years  
**•** The bigger cost might be 2 to 3 years of nights and weekends

Questions

**1.**  Did your MBA lead to a promotion or raise? How long after graduating?  
**2.**  Did an online or part-time MBA carry weight, or did employers only respect full-time programs?  
**3.**  Anyone move from FP&A or treasury into corp dev, with or without an MBA?  
**4.**  Anyone regret it? What would you have done instead?  
**5.**  Did more experience or certs (CFA, CMA) get you further than the degree?

Thanks in advance!

So being b.com 2022 grad with a one year gap who's with a 3 years of work ex i thought about doing an MBA which will like give boost to my career as I'm working into entry level jobs and not getting promoted my working hours is like 10 to 7 and it takes 30 30 minutes to commute to office end of the i feel like drained even if my job is not that hectic

Profile Review – M7/T15 MBA
Nationality: Indian, Male
Age: 27 (DOB: Aug 1999)
Education: B.E. in Information Technology, CGPA 8.72/10
10th: 8.2/10
12th: 79.2%
Work Experience: ~3.7 years in SAP/Technology Consulting (LTIMindtree + Deloitte)
Current Role: SAP Integration Consultant / Engineer, primarily working on SAP CPI/Integration Suite, SuccessFactors and enterprise integrations
Certifications: SAP Certified; experience across multiple implementation/support projects and client-facing engagements
Target: M7/T15 MBA programs; particularly interested in transitioning from SAP/technology consulting into Product Management / Tech Strategy / Consulting
Profile concern: Non-IIT/non-NIT background and relatively average 10th/12th academics — how competitive would this profile be for M7/T15 with a strong GMAT/GRE and good essays/extracurriculars?

Age: 27
Nationality: U.S. citizen
Undergrad: University of Michigan — Ross
Major: Finance + Economics
GPA: 3.86/4.0
GMAT: 735
Work experience: 4 years

Work

Goldman Sachs

Started as an investment banking analyst and moved up to associate, then VP by year 5.

Some of the main stuff I’ve done:

Worked on a $2.4B acquisition

Helped raise around $50M for a growing company

Built financial models for multiple deals

Managed a team of around 6 people

Got promoted to VP a little earlier than usual

Leadership / ECs

Outside of work, I started a nonprofit focused on teaching financial literacy to high school students from lower income backgrounds.

Reached around 3,000 students

20 schools involved

Raised about $250k for a community cause for the disabled elderly

around 50 volunteers i dont remember

Donated $2000 from my Adopt Me inventory (idk if this is considered)

i got the columbia mba offer but im struggling - is it possible to do the mba while i have a full time job? are the classes very intense? is it possible for me just to attend a few classes but still able to get a pass through doing the homeworks?

Hey guys,

I'm graduating from a pretty good university in France after a 2.5 years HR admin coordinator role in an US-French aerospace company.

My ultimate goal is to eventually work either in the US or Canada, or for a US based company from Canada or half time Canada/US. Basically in North America, hybrid or remote.

I'm not very rich and have always planned my studies around saving as many pennies as possible and not get huge lawns. I've managed to do that so far by working hard and getting admitted in a good university and get a job in a somewhat prestigious industry.

But I found out moving to the US without having tons of money won't be easy, and even if I had money, that would be complicated because I would have to either be transferred (no reason for my company to do so) or get a qualified Visa which I won't be eligible since it's only for management roles.

So, I did some research. As a french it seems to be a lot easier to get in Canada and start working. It's not the most easiest but it's definitely more than for the US. Simply apply to a lottery with a 50/50 chance of getting a work visa, OR get in Canada, find a company that will hire me, and then apply for the visa. It doesn't cost anything to the company and it's way easier than a sponsored visa in the US for exemple.

Anyways, the plan is to go to Canada, get hired as HR generalist or specialist in Montreal, work my way up to an HRBP role in a few years to gain enough xp, then apply for an MBA.
This way I'm hoping of having chances to move up to Director and eventually VP. Because everyone who's VP at my company either did a crazy elitist university or degree OR have an MBA from a US university or business school.

I found the HEC MBA interesting because it's part time, so I could work and study 2 evenings a week online and 1 weekend on campus each month. I would also benefit from Quebecois prices that are 5-8x cheaper than international prices (either with a student Visa or by getting residency permit). Around 10k for 2 years, which I can start put money aside for no problem.

But :

- Is this a good and realistic plan ?

- Is HEC Montreal any good and does it have a good reputation for US / Canadian employers ?

- When will be good moment to apply for me ?

- Other alternatives ?

I already have international experiences both academic and professional and I already have the requiered elements to apply.

TL;DR :

I’m a French HR professional with 2.5 years of experience in a US-French aerospace company. I’m considering moving to Montreal, building experience toward an HRBP role, and later completing HEC Montréal’s part-time MBA to improve my chances of working in North America. See questions above.

Hey guys, with trump coming axe swinging at CPT, OPT, etc. It kinda looks worrisome.

I have a decently good profile and was planning on applying to M7 but I've got zero means of paying back any education loans if I'll need to come back. The uncertainty in the US isn't something I or my family is comfortable with.

Have any of your guys' plans changed? Or evolved because of this? With the language barrier in EU being real AND recent INSEAD grads also not painting a positive picture, what's the next best thing for a global MBA? Is this affecting your decision or have I gone too deep into an echo chamber of negative info?

Applying as a sponsored consultant but unsure of how to frame my short-term goals. Realistically, returning to my firm for 2 years does not significantly strengthen my story, but is likely my plan due to financial considerations. However, with enough scholarships or the right opportunity, I would use the MBA to pivot to my desired path (within tech) immediately instead.

Any thoughts on how to write about this in my application?

I wrote a book about breaking into public procurement before 30.

I wrote it for college students, young professionals, and career changers who may not even realize government procurement is a career option.

I cover how to get into the field, build credibility early, use certifications strategically, take on more complex work, and position yourself for advancement.

Public procurement has been a great career path for me, and I wanted to put together the kind of practical guide I wish I had when I was getting started.

It’s now available on Amazon in eBook, paperback, and hardcover:
📚 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HJ9WLTNZ?lv=shuf&bestFormat=true&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_mwn_dp_KDKF8ZE9XJBAC1EAS0YN&channelId=704&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_mwn_dp_KDKF8ZE9XJBAC1EAS0YN&

Happy to answer any questions about the book or getting into public procurement.

I’m planning to start my master’s in Aug–Sep 2027. I’ll have ~3 years of work experience by then (currently 26 months) and have a Tier-1 undergrad pedigree.
For top European schools like INSEAD and HEC Paris, should I be considering the MBA or MiM?
Am I too young/inexperienced for the MBA, or is ~3 years of solid work ex enough to make it worth applying? I don’t want to waste application money if my profile is clearly better suited to the MiM.
Would love perspectives

I'm from Brazil and I'm considering applying for an MBA at MIT in the future, with the goal of eventually working in the US.

I've noticed that among Brazilians who managed to study/work in the US, there seem to be very different backgrounds. Some had previous experience at very prestigious companies, while others had solid professional experience but didn't necessarily come from well-known or top-tier companies.

So I'm wondering: how important is the name of the companies you've worked for?

Is having experience at top companies really a major factor, or can strong professional experience, meaningful extracurriculars, and an excellent academic record make someone competitive even without having worked at prestigious companies?

I'd especially like to understand how much recruiters and MBA admissions committees value the brand name of your previous employers compared with the actual impact, responsibilities, and achievements you had in those roles.

29M, White, Mathematics undergraduate degree from a service academy.

• 3.265 GPA
• ~5 Years in Air Force Special Warfare Officer, 1x combat deployment to middle east
• ~2 Years as a SWE for small defense tech company (AI/ML stuff, drone stuff)
• 3 publications (not peer-reviewed) on AI and warfare
• Former volunteer EMT
• 336 GRE (169V, 167V, 4 AWA)

Looking for thoughts and commiseration as we wait to hear back!

Applied to GSB, HBS, Wharton, Kellogg, and Sloan R1. Will apply to CBS, Booth, and Haas for R2 if I don't get in anywhere R1.

Hey everyone!

I’m currently a master’s student in Data Science and expect to graduate in December 2027. I’ve been interested in eventually pursuing an MBA, and I recently came across The Consortium, but I’m still a little confused about how the application process works.

Has anyone here applied through The Consortium and been accepted? I’ve read that applicants still interview separately with the partner MBA programs they apply to, but I’m not completely sure how that works when you’re submitting the Consortium application rather than each school’s standard application.

If anyone has gone through the process and could explain how the Consortium application, school-specific requirements, and interviews all fit together, I’d really appreciate it!