Declined from 10 colleges, Need help in evaluation and next steps

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@AYUSH198 - sorry to hear things didn't go better with your apps. Some thoughts:

1. The IIT pedigree and GMAT score are strong points. As you were invited for interviews with some schools, I doubt the work-ex would have played a concerning role there (else the profile would have been rejected w/o interview). It'd be difficult to speculate reasons for rejection without understanding your profile in depth e.g. professional arc, essays, post-MBA goals, motivation for why MBA, interview performance, etc. Would like to understand these angles better to advise.

2. Broadly, European B-schools value experienced candidates more than US counterparts. Average age and work-ex at top B-schools can be found here. While R1 (and early rounds) can increase odds, having the right school-mix, based on your profile fitment and post-MBA goals, would be crucial.

3. While you haven't mentioned ExtraCurriculars, this is an important angle that B-schools value. Would like to understand your involvement in ECs (ideally recent/ consistent ones) that would strengthen the narrative.

Hope this helps a bit. Feel free to reach out through the links below for a deeper chat.

­Regards,
Arvind
Founder, admitStreet | Schedule a free chat
W: https://admitstreet.com | LinkedIn | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com­

­AYUSH198 INSEAD alum here. I feel bad knowing you are struggling with unsuccessful attempts despite having a solid academic background and GMAT score. I wish you had shared more about your professional experience. Something tells me your academic background or GMAT is certainly not the reason for the results you got. As expected, you even received some interest from reach schools like Ross, Tuck, Columbia, and Yale. I think you may not have given your best in presenting your case to the adcoms either in the application (essays and resume) or the interviews.

Also, just seeing that you applied to 10 colleges all in one round tells me how little you would have been able to personalize your applications to these schools, something that the adcoms would have easily observed either in the quality of  your essays or during your interviews.

If you are keen on applying to INSEAD, with the next deadline only a few days away, know that the same hit and trial method may not work. Reach out to me if you want some candid advice. In the meantime, you can read some tips here.


From Setback to Success: Reapplication Strategies for MBA : The B-School Applications (gmatclub.com)



Get personalized advice tailored to your specific situation. Reach out to us if you need help navigating your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. We do not cap discussion hours.

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, former INSEAD admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­
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This bit looks very competitive. A few things to consider:
1. what did you write in your essays? Did you show the qualities b-schools look for, namely, maturity of thought, self-awareness, leadership potential, empathy, collaborative nature, initiative? 
2. were your career goals aspirational, concrete, aligned with your career uptil now (realistic)? Did your resume and recommendations support your career goals?
3. Did your resume project your leadership skills, achievements and impact? Did you come across as a leader or a doer(big no for this)?

I have been doing a lot of ding analysis lately and have found these to be the main issues in applications. I can have a look at your apps and point out any areas of concern. You can email me at :contact@mbadecoder.com.

As you did interview at 4 b-schools, something probably worked in your application. So, I would also ask you to reflect on your interview preparation- did you preapare adequately? Did you convey your passion for the b-school/ know what you will gain from it/ what you will contribute? You interviewed at some great b-schools, where the competition in general is very tough, and your interviews would be competitive as well, so doing well here would be as important.  

Lastly, I would say, you still have some hope at Yale. The good thing is, Yale gives feedback to waitlisted applicants. Make use of this opportunity and get feedback. You can accordingly manage your waitlist updates. Even if it doesnt work out at Yale, you will have some advice from a b-school for next year's applications, should you apply again. As only a few bschools give feedback to applicants, I wouldn't miss this opportunity. 

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email]contact[/email]@MBADecoder.com
Profile evaluation: https://mbadecoder.com/services/free-pr ... valuation/
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Hello AYUSH198,

I hope you are doing well. Your profile showcases a highly experienced professional with a stellar GMAT score and a solid educational background (IIT Delhi graduate with a 7.6 GPA). Speaking about your Work experience, 8 years of experience, including 3 years of management, demonstrate strong leadership potential and career progression.

However, the recent Round 2 application cycle yielded you rejections from highly competitive programs (Wharton, Booth, MIT, Ross) without interviews and post-interview rejections from others. This suggests there might be weaknesses in areas outside of academics and test scores. The waitlists at Columbia and Yale offers you a chance, but for a successful Round 1 application to INSEAD and other top schools, you could benefit from a closer look at potential areas for improvement. This could include a review of your essays, extracurricular involvement, letters of recommendation, and highlighting achievements beyond just work experience.

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