When it comes to b-school choices for Indian applicants, INSEAD is always among their top options. Even if applicants prefer Indian b-schools, they often include INSEAD as their sole international choice. It is therefore justified that we write an article on what attracts Indians to INSEAD, what the b-school seeks in applicants, and how to submit your strongest application to the most international b-school of them all.
What attracts Indians to INSEAD?
When we probe applicants on why they wish to apply to INSEAD, they cite:
- It’s a short 10-month program, so I’ll finish my MBA quickly.
- With campuses in France and Singapore, it’s closer to home in India.
- A one-year MBA is cheaper than a two-year MBA in USA.
- It’s a consulting powerhouse, and I want to work in consulting post-MBA.
- I want to gain international exposure, and no b-school could be better than INSEAD for this.
- I thought about doing an MBA last night (in December), and INSEAD has a spring intake. The application logistics fit me like a glove. (hmmm! Really?)
These reasons are mostly factual, but with a 30%-32% acceptance rate, admission into INSEAD is no cakewalk. To be successful, think deeper about why INSEAD is perfect for you.
Are you applying to INSEAD for the right reasons?
While the INSEAD MBA is short and allows you to return to work sooner than other MBA programs, it’s also very accelerated. The program is very well structured to be completed in a short time, but can you handle the program’s pace? Instead, would you prefer an extended and slower-paced, 2-year program to enjoy the experience of being a student?
Undoubtedly, the campuses in France and Singapore are closer to India, but do these locations align with your desired post-MBA work regions? INSEAD is suitable for those aiming to work in the UK, Europe, MENA, or the Asia-Pacific region. However, if you want to live in the USA or Canada, you will benefit more from applying to American/ Canadian b-schools.
INSEAD’s one-year cost is more effective than a two-year peer MBA program in the USA. Not just would the tuition fee be lesser, but so would your living cost and other overhead expenses be lower. Moreover, you get back to working a full year earlier. For comparison, let’s look at the cost of attending Wharton, INSEAD and Columbia, the three b-schools ranked at the top by Financial Times. At Wharton, the tuition fee is $168,660 for two years and the total cost of attendance is $254,432. At CBS, the tuition is roughly $173,215 and the total cost of attendance is $257,340. At INSEAD, the tuition is roughly $112,303 and the total cost of attendance is $148,108.
INSEAD has rightly earned its reputation as a feeder school for consulting, with a whopping 61% of the class finding a job in the industry. Some of these folks (about 17%) come to INSEAD from consulting and return to consulting post-MBA, they may not need an internship. While INSEAD supports its students from immensely diverse professional backgrounds in making career pivots and also offers an internship option with its January intake, ensure that you don’t need the extensive resources of a two-year MBA to make a career pivot. That said, INSEAD boasts an impressive 79% of the class being career changes across either of the three dimensions- industry, function or geography. If you are seeking a career change, you will need to show agility and start working on your career plan from the start of your INSEAD MBA.
Some applicants choose b-schools for logistical convenience, thinking INSEAD’s two intakes allow for flexible application timing. However, convenience should never be the reason to apply to a business school. Consider more critical factors like academics, leadership development, employment opportunities, and the culture and Fit of a b-school while zeroing in on your target MBA programs.
What is INSEAD looking for?
INSEAD has an intensely collaborative and international culture and values applicants who fit in from day one. With the program being short, the admissions committee strives to build a cohort that can positively contribute to peers’ experience from the moment they set foot on campus. Therefore, Fit and eligibility are of paramount importance.
Like every other top business school across the world, INSEAD desires applicants who demonstrate academic preparedness and leadership skills – qualities that will set them up for success at b-school. As an MBA is largely a peer learning experience, students must be able to contribute to each other’s learning and skill enhancement, hence your ability to contribute matters a great deal to any business school, including INSEAD. However, what differentiates INSEAD’s requirement is its emphasis on international motivation. INSEAD defines this as “your adaptability and flexibility in multicultural environments.”
With no more than 10% of the class from a single nationality, INSEAD is truly international. The b-school has an affinity for applicants with experience living, studying, or working abroad. However, many Indian applicants gain admission without such experience. These applicants usually work in multi-national companies and collaborate extensively with global teams and clients in regions across the world.
How to show International Motivation:
INSEAD’s eligibility criteria emphasize international motivation rather than international experience. They seek applicants with an international focus who can work effectively in global teams. This requires appreciating different cultural contexts, communicating effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives and adapting to various ways of doing things. Highlighting these qualities, even without international experience, can strengthen your application.
Adaptability or cultural sensitivity doesn’t mean mindlessly following others without questioning their viewpoints or methods. INSEAD values applicants who can not only constructively challenge their peers and debate issues, but also reflect on and question their own thought processes and change as needed. Showcasing these traits, along with maturity and empathy, can highlight your potential to contribute to INSEAD’s international ecosystem.
If you equate international experience with name-dropping the countries you have visited or worked in, then you are misinterpreting the term. Many applicants make this mistake; unfortunately their applications land in the ding pile. Instead, demonstrate openness to new ideas and perspectives and your ability to learn in a global setting. This approach will better align with what INSEAD is looking for in applicants.
How to Demonstrate Eligibility in Your INSEAD Application
Use your resume, job description essays, and recommendations to showcase career progression and career vision, leadership skills, global exposure, and impact while working with multi-cultural teams.
The motivational essays and recommendations should emphasize qualities such as your leadership capability, collaboration skills, empathy, cultural sensitivity, adaptability. In addition, remember to highlight your other notable strengths or values that make you unique. INSEAD deeply values authenticity and does not want applicants to force fit themselves into perceived molds.
INSEAD asks for essays on weaknesses and failures. While these topics can initially baffle you, use them as an opportunity to show your self-awareness, maturity and ability to work towards self-improvement.
The essay on extra-curricular activities allows you to mention your interests and passions outside your work responsibilities. The significance of this essay lies in showcasing you as a well-rounded person who engages not just in professional work but also in personally enriching activities or social causes (one of INSEAD’s core values is doing good for society). This essay also helps the admissions team decipher how involved you will be in the B-school community – applicants who have never participated in any activities are less likely to get involved even at B-school.
Although INSEAD asks for more essay responses than any other b-school, you must exercise your judgment in selecting the right stories and examples.
Sometimes applicants pick stories that are not relevant for the INSEAD MBA class. For example, you may have been academically strong and scored exceedingly well in college entrance examinations. While this may have been an important event at one point in your life, its probably no longer relevant, given a more exciting and recent repertoire of stories.
When selecting stories, remember INSEAD’s international context. Ask yourself constantly, “Why am I telling INSEAD this story? What will they learn about me? Would it be relevant? Would it be a common story for someone from my demographic? How can I tell something about myself that differentiates me, yet represents my true self?
Another mistake applicants make is focussing only on their professional profile and not delving into their personal side. Avoid focusing solely on academic achievements or professional life. Instead, mix personal and professional stories to give the admissions committee a holistic picture of you.
By carefully considering these factors and presenting a comprehensive application, you can elevate your chances of gaining admission to INSEAD.