IIM vs INSEAD is generally not a dilemma for most MBA applicants. For those planning for a long-term management career in India, an IIMA stamp is invaluable. And for international opportunities, INSEAD is one of the strong business school brands you can add to your resume (IIM vs Foreign MBA).
Pranav Tandan took the GMAT 3 times and went through the gruelling MBA admissions process for 3 years. He even got into IIM Ahmedabad and started his MBA journey. A month after starting the program, he found himself at crossroads.
INSEAD vs IIM Ahmedabad
Should I drop out of IIM Ahmedabad?
by Pranav Tandan
Born and raised in Calcutta, I was fortunate enough to be exposed to writing code at a young age. My fondness for coding led me to pursue Computer Science Engineering, following which I joined Oracle as a Software Developer.
While I loved technology, I realized I wanted to see where technology fits in the grand scheme of things.
I didn’t want to restrict myself to the piece of code I was writing or the module I was developing, and thus, after two years as an SDE, I moved to a Product Management role.
In 4.5 years, I worked in the US Primary Care ecosystem (via Abjayon) and the public health space in India (at Everwell).
Outside of work, I try to play basketball as regularly as possible, follow a bunch of sports, go for the occasional quiz, and do a bit of stand-up comedy!
MBA Aspirations
Doing an MBA was a long-term goal for me, but I wanted to get sufficient work experience before doing so, and thus the switch to Product Management came at an apt time.
Knowing that I come from THE MOST OVERREPRESENTED APPLICANT POOL (Male, Engineer, Tech), I knew I needed a high GMAT score on my app.
I was aiming for a 750 and took the GMAT thrice (730, 690, and 730). I regretted not acing quant as I think I took it too lightly and didn’t practice much. Consistent practice is essential and that’s where I messed up.
The first time
I had initially planned to do my MBA after about four years of work ex and applied to a bunch of schools (ISB and US top 15) for the class starting in 2020.
I made it to many interviews and waitlists but couldn’t convert them. In hindsight, I realized my application lacked depth. I needed to flesh out more details and required to be a whole lot more structured in interviews. And I definitely needed more clarity. It had to be personal and specific rather than it just seems like the next logical step. I knew I would try again.
The second time
Come 2021, the uncertainty of the pandemic ensured that I only applied to ISB. I was initially waitlisted, and the second wave led to delays in the admissions cycle.
By the time I got my admit, I was on the verge of joining Everwell Health, a budding startup in the public health space.
Wanting a full campus experience, I declined the admit and decided to put my MBA plans on hold (and took a much-needed break from the applications cycle for courses starting in 2022!)
The third (and final) time
For the 2023 cycle, I started my application with the PGPX – the one-year full time program at IIM Ahmedabad. I was fortunate to get an admit in the first round itself. The admit virtually eliminated all my other options except INSEAD.
Among all the schools globally, INSEAD has perhaps the most strenuous application process – 7 essays, 1 video interview, two in-person interviews, and multiple scholarship essays.
I was quite far from the stereotypical INSEAD candidate – non Consulting, minimal international experiences, and a non-feeder (no IIT | BITS | NIT) undergrad brand.
I was also still a male engineer working in technology. I knew I needed help to put my story across, and that’s where Manish Gupta (MG) from MBA Crystal Ball came in.
Interactions with MBA Crystal Ball
Right from day 1, Manish was extremely frank and open in his conversations. He said it would be tough but worth a shot. I loved his structured approach to the whole process.
He spent a significant amount of time going through my profile and stories rather than jumping right into the essays, something which a lot of consultants and applicants are guilty of.
Rather than trying to retrofit my journey into a traditional INSEAD applicant, he polished my stories to present the best version of myself as is. He was confident that the values and skills would be transferrable and relatable, and they were.
Manish and I went through 3 rounds of editing with my essays and resume. He made it clear that his feedback would be sharp (and at times brutal), and if it didn’t work for me, I should let him know, and he would tone it down.
I absolutely loved his style, and the on-point feedback really made the stories stand out. I got my interview invite within two weeks of submitting my application.
I chose to continue with Manish for the interview preparation, wherein we went through my stories again, and had two mock interviews.
He helped me frame my answers better, highlight the times where I seemed to be rambling.
He also gave me specific feedback on body language, movements, and gestures, things which we rarely think about, but make a whole lot of difference, especially in a virtual setting.
Post my interviews, I was put on the waitlist — Deja vu!
INSEAD Admit
A month into my course at IIM A (May’17th), I received my INSEAD Admit, along with a Financial Aid of EUR 18,000. That’s over 16 lakhs in Indian Rupees.
I was in the business end of my first term at IIM A and had one of the most challenging decisions ahead of me.
The good news was that there was no wrong answer. A month into the course, I was really liking the program and the opportunities that IIM A brings to its students.
Even when I applied to INSEAD, I knew long term I would return to India in a couple of years.
Within the Indian context, it doesn’t get much bigger than IIM Ahmedabad. I was initially fearful as I couldn’t seem to fathom how I could say no to an INSEAD admission with financial aid.
Over time, I realized that saying yes to INSEAD would mean saying no to IIM A, which was an equally huge decision, especially in the Indian context.
Keeping the long-term plan in mind, and the option to graduate with minimal debt, I decided to continue with my course at IIM Ahmedabad, and with a heavy heart, had to decline INSEAD’s amazing offer.
What I learnt from my MBA admissions experience
The MBA Admissions cycle is a tumultuous process, but it’s a nice teaser of life at a premier Business school, so the earlier one gets used to it, the better.
For a lot of candidates from overrepresented candidate pools, even the thought of how to differentiate oneself to the AdCom can be daunting. It’s not easy, but there are ways to work around it.
The advantage of working for a few years before applying is that one can work in different setups, functions, and contexts, making up for the lack of diversity in other aspects.
Also, extracurriculars go a long way in differentiating oneself.
Being genuine is important, but then adding a few genuinely diverse elements to your profile can go a long way.
And the whole process is quite subjective and can take its time, so patience is essential. I say this in hindsight, obviously!
Get in touch if you’d like us to help with your MBA applications:
info at mbacrystalball dot com
Also read,
– Difference between MBA in India and abroad
– International MBA program vs Indian MBA
– Pranav Tandan reviews MBA Crystal Ball on Quora
– Watch to find out whether you should get an MBA in India or abroad
