How to Get into the INSEAD MBA Program

Introduction

This blog offers valuable insights, tips, and a comprehensive application process analysis for individuals aspiring to join the INSEAD MBA program. Our guide delves into crucial aspects like acceptance rates, emphasizing the need to demonstrate well-rounded qualities, the significance of adhering to application deadlines, crafting impactful essays, securing solid letters of recommendation, excelling in interviews, and effectively navigating the admissions process. We also discuss the importance of standardized test scores and guide you in presenting a compelling case by articulating your motivations. By following our expert advice, you’ll be equipped with the necessary tools to enhance your chances of being accepted into the INSEAD MBA program.

INSEAD MBA Program: Brief Overview

The INSEAD MBA Program is renowned for its focus on innovation, sustainability, and responsible business education. With campuses in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and a student body representing over 80 nationalities, it offers a truly multicultural experience.

The program’s accelerated 10-month curriculum is designed to shape influential leaders and entrepreneurs who can generate value for their organizations and communities. Going beyond traditional business education, INSEAD incorporates sustainability principles throughout the curriculum, equipping students with the skills to make socially responsible decisions in the corporate world.

The program’s impressive 99.5% completion rate is a testament to its rigorous selection process, innovative teaching methods, and efficient administrative support. Graduates often describe their time at INSEAD as transformative, with the program empowering them to make a lasting impact on the global business landscape by seamlessly integrating sustainability into business decision-making.

Average GMAT for INSEAD MBA

Although a strong GMAT score is not the sole determining factor in the admission process, it holds significance as it objectively assesses your verbal, analytical, and mathematical abilities. While a higher GMAT score does not guarantee admission, it can certainly give you an advantageous position among other applicants. The GMAT score is a reliable benchmark for evaluating candidates, showcasing their aptitude and potential to excel academically.

Admissions committees recognize the value of a competitive GMAT score and consider it alongside other criteria when making final decisions. It demonstrates your readiness for the program’s academic rigor and indicates your ability to handle complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and quantitative analysis. Hence, while a strong GMAT score is not the sole determining factor, achieving a score of 650 or higher can undoubtedly enhance your overall application and increase your chances of being admitted to the program.

INSEAD MBA Acceptance Rate

Although the official website does not provide specific details regarding the acceptance rate, reputable sources and historical data from previous years indicate that the acceptance rate for the INSEAD MBA program is approximately 30-35% making the school highly competitive in terms of admissions.

INSEAD’s stringent selection process, coupled with its esteemed reputation and global recognition, attracts a large pool of highly qualified candidates from around the world. As a result, the admissions committee carefully evaluates each applicant’s profile, considering factors such as academic achievements, work experience, leadership potential, personal qualities, and cultural diversity.

While the acceptance rate may vary yearly, the overall trend highlights the program’s selectivity. Prospective applicants should be prepared to showcase their unique strengths, achievements, and motivations to stand out among the competitive applicant pool and increase their chances of securing a coveted spot in the INSEAD MBA program.

INSEAD MBA Deadlines: 2023-2024

INSEAD’s admission process operates on a staged timeline, offering six deadlines for each of the two intakes per year. Within each round, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. While competition remains consistent across all rounds, gaining admission earlier in the process is advantageous as it allows for more time to secure financing and make logistical arrangements. Approximately two months before the Round 1 application deadline, the new online application form becomes available for submission.

Checkout the updated application deadlines here.

INSEAD MBA Application Essay Analysis

Crafting compelling essays can often be one of the most demanding components of the MBA application. However, they hold significant importance within the admissions process, as they afford you a distinct chance to present yourself, highlight your accomplishments, and offer valuable insights to the admissions team regarding your motivations and suitability for the program.

Here are some tips to help you throughout your essay crafting journey:

• Be original: Avoid clichés and showcase your unique experiences and perspectives.

• Embrace diversity: INSEAD values a variety of backgrounds and there is no one-size-fits-all template for applicants.

• Balance personal and professional: Include elements from your personal life that highlight your passions and accomplishments while maintaining a professional focus.

• Capture thoughts in bullet points: Use a diary or bullet points to capture ideas before writing your essays.

• Allocate sufficient time for preparation: Plan for 8-10 weeks to fully prepare and revise your essays.

• Detail work experience: Provide specific examples and descriptions of your professional responsibilities and organization, addressing any gaps in employment history honestly.

INSEAD MBA Essay Prompts

1. “Give a candid description of yourself (who are you as a person), 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.”

When addressing the essay prompt, “Give a candid description of yourself,” it is essential to provide an authentic portrayal of who you are. Delve deep into your characteristics, emphasizing both your strengths and weaknesses. Discuss the primary factors that have influenced your personal development, backing them up with relevant examples. Be genuine and introspective, showcasing the unique aspects of your personality that shape your identity and make you who you are today.

2. “Describe the achievement of which you are most proud and explain why. In addition, describe a situation where you failed. How did these experiences impact your relationships with others? Comment on what you learned.”

When approaching this essay prompt, choose a meaningful achievement that holds personal significance, explaining why it is a source of pride and how it shaped your values and growth. For the failure, be honest and self-reflective, discussing the lessons learned and taking personal accountability. Introspect on how these experiences influenced your relationships with others through fostering connections, building resilience, or providing valuable insights. Emphasize the importance of personal growth and the transformative power of success and failure in shaping your interactions with others.

3. “Tell us about an experience where you were significantly impacted by cultural diversity, in a positive or negative way.”

To tackle the essay prompt about an experience significantly impacted by cultural diversity, aim to create an engaging narrative. Start by vividly describing the setting, people, and cultural differences you encountered. Share your journey throughout the experience, highlighting moments of growth, challenges faced, and lessons learned. Use descriptive language to captivate the reader and convey cultural diversity’s impact on your mindset, beliefs, and relationships. Discuss how this experience transformed your perspectives, deepened your appreciation for different cultures, and broadened your understanding of the world. Aim to engage the reader by immersing them in your transformative encounter with cultural diversity.

INSEAD MBA Tips for LORs

When applying to the INSEAD MBA program, candidates are required to submit Letters of Recommendation (LORs) that offer valuable insights into their qualifications and potential. INSEAD’s MBA LOR prompts focus on specific aspects of the applicant’s profile. Here are some examples of the prompts used by NTU:

INSEAD MBA LOR Prompts

1. How long have you known the candidate? Define your relationship with the candidate and the circumstances whereby you met.

2. Comment on the candidate’s career progress to date and his/her career focus.

3. What do you consider to be the candidate’s major strengths? Comment on the factors that distinguish the candidate from other individuals at his/her level.

4. What do you consider to be the candidate’s major weaknesses?

5. Comment on the candidate’s potential for senior management. Do you see him/her as a future leader?

These prompts aim to gather information about the candidate’s major strengths and distinctions, weaknesses, potential for senior management and leadership, and notable achievements. They provide a glimpse into the candidate’s character, strengths, and potential for future success.

Obtaining influential letters of recommendation can enhance your candidacy and present a comprehensive profile to the admissions committee. Thus, it is crucial to carefully select recommenders who can provide valuable insights and ensure their perspectives align with your application for the INSEAD MBA program.

Interview Tips

• Complete four video interviews using the unique link provided after submitting your online application.

• Showcase your passions, motivations, and true self in the interviews.

• Video interviews do not replace face-to-face interviews with Alumni.

• Your application is considered complete once the video interviews are submitted.

• Complete the interviews before the application deadline, preferably with some preparation time.

• Submit the video interviews within 48 hours after the deadline.

Types of Interview Questions

Since the interviewers will be familiar with your resume and application materials, it’s crucial to review and be ready to address key topics and questions. Here is an overview of the types of interview questions you may encounter:

1. Personal Introduction:

• Tell me something about yourself.

• Walk me through your resume.

2. Motivation and Fit:

• Why do you want to pursue an MBA?

• Why specifically choose INSEAD?

• Why pursue an MBA now or at this stage of your career?

• What are your short-term and long-term goals?

• What is your backup plan if your desired career path doesn’t materialize?

3. Strengths and Weaknesses:

• What are your key strengths? Can you provide examples?

• What is your biggest weakness? Can you provide examples?

4. Value and Contribution:

• How do you believe you can add value to the MBA class?

• Why should the admissions committee choose you over other candidates?

• Can you think of a reason why you shouldn’t be selected?

5. Situational and Behavioral Questions:

• Describe a time when you faced a conflict while working on a team and how you handled it.

• Share an example of a situation where you didn’t meet a client’s expectations and how you attempted to rectify it.

6. Case Questions (for consulting aspirants):

• Case questions may be asked, such as estimating the number of golf balls that can fit in a Boeing 747 or determining the global market size for smartphones.

Remember, the interview is not just about giving perfect answers but also about having a genuine conversation and connecting with your interviewers. The alumni interviewers are chosen based on career interests or other commonalities with the applicants. 

INSEAD MBA Admission Process

Step-by-step Application Process Guide