INSEAD Admissions Tips
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INSEAD
- The INSEAD MBA Programme
DEADLINES
Round 1
Deadline: March 30, 2011 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: May 13, 2011
Final Decision Notification: June 24, 2011
Round 2
Deadline: June 15, 2011 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: July 22, 2011
Final Decision Notification: September 2, 2011
Round 3
Deadline: August 3, 2011 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: September 9, 2011
Final Decision Notification: October 14, 2011
*To be included in a specific round, applications must be complete and submitted by midnight (23.59) Central European Time on the day of the deadline.
Deadlines for Sept. 2012 intake (Class of July 2013)
Round 1
Deadline: September 28, 2011 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: November 4, 2011
Final Decision Notification: December 16, 2011
Round 2
Deadline: December 7, 2011 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: January 13, 2012
Final Decision Notification: February 24, 2012
Round 3
Deadline: March 21, 2012 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: April 20, 2012
Final Decision Notification: June 1, 2012
*To be included in a specific round, applications must be complete and submitted by midnight (23.59) Central European Time on the day of the deadline.
Deadlines for Jan. 2013 intake (Class of Dec. 2013)
Round 1
Deadline: April 11, 2012 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: May 18, 2012
Final Decision Notification: June 29, 2012
Round 2
Deadline: June 20, 2012 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: July 27, 2012
Final Decision Notification: September 7, 2012
Round 3
Deadline: August 16, 2012 @ 11:59 pm CET
Interview Decision Notification: September 14, 2012
Final Decision Notification: October 26, 2012
*To be included in a specific round, applications must be complete and submitted by midnight (23.59) Central European Time on the day of the deadline.
ESSAYS
JOB RELATED ESSAY QUESTIONS
VINCE NOTE: INSEAD does not require a resume. Use the following three “job essays” to showcase your career progress and current responsibilities and achievements.
1. Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/ products and results achieved. (250 words maximum)
2. Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words)
3. If you are currently not working, what are you doing and what do you plan to do until you start the MBA programme? (250 words maximum)
ESSAY QUESTIONS
VINCE NOTE: INSEAD now imposes a strict word limit on essays.
1. Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (600 words maximum)
2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments (if possible specify one personal and one professional, to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words maximum)
3. Describe a situation taken from your personal or professional life where you failed. Discuss what you learned (400 words maximum)
4. a) Discuss your short and long term career goals. (300 words maximum) and b) How will studying at INSEAD help you achieve your vision? (250 words maximum)
5. Please choose one of the following two essay topics: a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What insights did you gain? (250 words maximum), or b) Describe the ways in which a foreigner in your country might experience culture shock (250 words maximum)
6. Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (350 words maximum) This essay is optional.
7. In case of reapplication, please provide an update on any new aspects of your professional, international, academic or personal profile that would not have been included in your previous application. Please also explain your motivation for re-applying to INSEAD. (400 words maximum)
(found at http://mba.insead.edu/admissions/apply_online.cfm; accessed 2011/07)
CRITERIA
Admissions Criteria
We are looking for intellectual curiosity, coupled with a desire to learn and stretch yourself in a rigorous academic programme, as well as personal qualities to contribute to the many activities of the School. We welcome applications from around the world regardless of race, religion, gender, colour or financial status. Our aim is to build an exciting, dynamic and diverse student body.
1. Academic Capacity
The INSEAD MBA is intensive, rigorous and challenging. You must have a sound academic foundation: a bachelor's degree or equivalent from a recognised college or university (although in exceptional circumstances, we may waive this requirement for otherwise outstanding candidates with substantial professional experience). While many of our applicants have advanced degrees, this is not compulsory. In looking at your academic background, we consider the competitiveness of the academic institution you attended and your academic performance.
All applicants must take the GMAT or the GRE, both of which provide a uniform and standardised way of evaluating candidates and it is in your interest to prepare thoroughly. While we do not have a minimum score required for admission, we advise candidates to aim for a score at or above the 70-75th percentile for both the quantitative and verbal sections of the GMAT and a percentile of 75-80th or above for the quantitative and verbal sections of the GRE. Please keep in mind, however, that standardised tests are just one of several admission criteria. A high score does not guarantee admission, and a below average score does not eliminate a candidate.
In such cases where an applicant has taken both the GRE and the GMAT, he or she mustreport both scores as part of the application.
2. Leadership Potential and Professional Experience
INSEAD is looking for applicants who can demonstrate their potential as leaders. We will consider your professional experience and past performance when assessing your application. Participants in our current class have an average of five years work experience, with the range being between two and ten. More important than the length of your experience, however, is the quality of your accomplishments. Younger applicants who demonstrate exceptional maturity and outstanding leadership through their professional and personal experiences are encouraged to apply.
3. International Outlook
The INSEAD MBA equips our alumni to work anywhere in the world. Accordingly, we attract applicants with cross-cultural sensitivity and an international outlook.
Fluent English is a prerequisite at INSEAD. In order to start the programme you must also prove that you have at least a practical knowledge of another language. For more information about these requirements visit Languages.
4. Ability to Contribute to the INSEAD Experience
We look for participants who will contribute proactively and share the insights they have gained throughout their professional and personal experience. We seek candidates who demonstrate a clear desire for intellectual growth, both in the classroom and through working on group projects. We welcome participants who are mature, energetic, highly motivated, well-rounded, and possess strong communication and interpersonal skills. In addition, we try to build an exciting, dynamic and diverse student body representing many countries, backgrounds, styles and aspirations. It is our belief that a substantial part of your INSEAD experience will be shaped by your interaction with your fellow participants and your active participation both inside and outside the classroom.
INTERVIEWS
- INSEAD's acceptance rate is reported to be between 25-33%. If you made it to the interview, your chance of getting admitted should be close to 50%.
- Alumni conduct all interviews. One is often friendly (good cop) while another less so (bad cop).
- Interviews are NOT blind. Sometimes interviewers read your entire file before meeting you. Other times, they only read your essays.
- Prepare for some follow-up questions about what you wrote in your application. For example, your interview may ask you to explain more about your goals, or why MBA, or why INSEAD. She may also ask you to explain more details about your most substantial accomplishments, failure, or culture shock stories that you shared in your essays.
INSEAD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
- Walk me through your resume.
- What do you do in your free time?
- Tell me about yourself. / How did you get to where you are now?
- Tell me about your career progression to-date
- Why did you choose your current firm / current position?
- Tell me about your current work responsibilities.
- Tell me, in detail, about one project in your current job.
- Tell me about your international experience(s) - both work and personal.
- Tell me about the major milestones in you life since university graduation.
- What are your goals?
- What are your career goals after INSEAD
- What will you do if you do not get the job you want after graduation?
- Why an MBA?
- Why now?
- Why INSEAD?
- Where else did you apply? How would you prioritize your decision if admitted to two or more?
- Why (THE SPECIFIC AREA OF STUDY YOU WISH TO PURSUE)?
- What is special about you that will make me recommend you?
- Tell me 3 strengths
- Tell me 3 weaknesses
- What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
- When you are in a gathering, what attracts your attention first?
- What makes you angry?
- What are you most passionate about?
- What do you find intolerable?
- Where are your peers that started in the same class with you at your consulting firm?
- What is your style of negotiation?
- How do you deal with a boss who is not as smart as you?
- How do you deal with a person who’s determined not to listen to you even though he/ she knows you are right?
- Tell me about a time when you were in control of a project.
- Tell me about a time when you were in a leadership position?
- What is your leadership style?
- What THREE things would you do if a team member at INSEAD were not pulling his own weight?
- Tell me about your teamwork experience.
- Tell me about a time when you worked on a team.
- Tell me about a time when you had to deal with conflict on a team.
- How do you handle cultural differences on an international team?
- Tell me about (SOME ISSUE IN YOUR INDUSTRY)
- How has the economic crisis affected your company/your industry?
- What do you think of (SOME CURRENT GLOBAL ISSUE: POLITICS, ECONOMICS, etc.)?
- What is the main challenge your industry/company is facing?
INTERVIEW REPORTS
REPORT #1
The interviews went well.
Contrary to my expectation, Interviewer A was the "good cop". He talked mostly about his experience at INSEAD and the only questions he asked me were about my goals, "why INSEAD?" and questions to him.
It was Interviewer B's first experience at interviewing a non-Japanese candidate and he asked me which language I would prefer to interview in. Obviously, I said, "English".
He asked me about my goals, "why INSEAD?", contribution to the school, "what if you do not get into INSEAD?".
He also cross-checked a few facts in the essays.
Both reiterated that they do not have any say in the final decision and they would just be sending their feedback to the school within 2 days of the interview.
REPORT #2
Below are two alumni interviews for INSEAD. Both interviews held in Tokyo.
TIMELINE
Interview invitation mail came on January 12th. INSEAD asks you to contact the two alumni and finish both interviews by X date. Final R2 results are announced Y date.
Interview with alumni No.1
January 2010 Conversational style interview. Friendly, but I was challenged on all answers.
Interviewer's background was close to mine. The length was 1 hour and 20 minutes.
@ Starbucks
Language: 90% English, 10% Japanese (interviewer was Japanese but native English speaker)
Interviewer often interrupted me in the middle of most of my answers and changed questions.
Here are some of the questions he asked.
1. Tell me about yourself?
2. Walk me through your resume?
3. Future goal? Where is your company going? Why X industry?
4. Why MBA? Why INSEAD?
5. Other schools applied? Top choice? Why INSEAD again?
6. How do you act when you don't get along with someone?
7. Ethical dilenma?
8. How I react when I get into the diverse group at INSEAD?
9. How I act if all others in your study group are aggressive leaders?
10. Do you have any questions? x many times
11. Strength and weakness of Japan? Where is Japan going?
12. Why France? Can you speak French? Are you OK with that?
13. What is your motivation?
14. Activities at INSEAD?
The interviewer kept saying he was checking my fit. He seemed to be looking at my personal aspects. Pity that he did not seemed convinced all through. When we left, he asked me to send him mails if I had other questions...
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Interview with alumni No.2
January 2010
Friendly & conversational.
Interviewer is working in Private Equity, and his background (finance->INSEAD->consulting->Private Equity) Completely matched my future career path.
The length was 40 minutes. @ interviewer's office meeting room
Language: 100% Japanese Here below are some of the questions he asked.
1. Tell me about yourself?
2. Walk me through your resume?
3. Future goal & Why MBA? Why INSEAD?
4. Why hospitality industry? 5. Other schools applied?
6. Fonty or Singapore?
The interview ended in 15 minutes and entered Q&A.
For this interview, I think I was confident on all answers. INSEAD tends to do both aggressive style and kind style interviews. One interviewer checks professional activities and goal, and the other seemed to put emphasis on finding out what kind of person you are (soft skills).
REPORT #3
REPORT #4
2005 Alumni Interview
REPORT #5
FAQ
Vince note: please read the INSEAD Admissions FAQs for useful tips ▸ http://mba.insead.edu/faq
LINKS
Need help with school research? Please see Vince's INSEAD links ▸ http://j.mp/INSEAD_links
TESTIMONIALS
INSEAD MBA Class of 2008
Vince is my comrade, my box of wisdom, my gas pedal and my set of breaks. He is focused on bringing out all your potential and fighting the battle with you. Vince doesn't just give you advice. He will reject your essays. He will tell your stories are not appealing. He will say everything that he needs to say. This is only because he knows that the essay has to be about you and he believes that you can create your own unique outstanding essay. He won't write your essay for you, which is the easy way, because he knows that it won't work.
When I was rushing my essay to meet the last intake of INSEAD, he made time for me. He introduced Skype so that we could talk when I was overseas, and tried to make everything possible happen. But just when I was about to submit the essay, he told me not to. He told me the essay was not enough to pass INSEAD, especially the final intake. I was shocked to hear this. I was even frustrated. We discussed why it was not possible. Considering my GMAT score, essay, and background, he said that I was "average". It wasn't appealing enough for INSEAD to choose me when most of the seats were filled.
He was able to make such an important decision knowing that I had spent days and nights just so that I can submit the essay in time. I am truly thankful for his strong suggestion that stopped me from making a terrible mistake and for his courage to do so in such a tense situation.
ヴィンスは、自分にとって単なるカウンセラーではなく、戦友であり、知恵の源であり、アクセルでもブレーキでもあり ました。
ヴィンスは個人の能力を最大限引き出すことに注力し、エッセーを書くという課題に対して共に戦ってくれます。単に助言をするだけ ではありません。エッセー に駄目出しをしたり、エッセーの内容が面白くないとはっきり言います。これは、書いたエッセーが本人を本当に表現している必要があり、各個人が光るエッ セーを書けると信じているからです。きっと代わりに書けば簡単なんだろうが、それをしないのは、そんな小手先の勝負では勝てないことを知っているからで す。
僕がINSEADの最後の締め切りに間に合わせるために、急いでエッセーを書いていた時、ヴィンスは忙しいなかで時間をつくってくれ ました。僕が出張で時 間をつくれないと知ると、Skypeというサービスを紹介してまで、なんとか僕を助けようとしてくれました。しかし、エッセーを提出する直前に、提出を止 められました。それはそのエッセーがINSEAD、特に最後の締め切りで合格するにはレベルが低かったからです。心血を注いでこれまで準備してきた僕は びっくりし、怒りさえおぼえました。なぜ無理という判断になるのかを長い時間議論しました。GMATの点数、僕の前職を考慮すると僕は応募者の中では「平 均」だという評価でした。ほとんどの席が埋まっている中で、INSEADが僕を選ぶにはあと少し足りないということでした。
1ヶ月半も 昼夜を惜しまずエッセーを磨き続けていた、あの緊迫した状況のなかで重要な判断を冷静にしたヴィンスには今でも感謝しています。締め切りを目指 して共に戦ってきただけに、ヴィンスにとっても辛かったと思われるその判断をしたヴィンスの勇気に敬意を表したいです。
-Updated by Vince on 18 Nov 2011
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