[Intro by Arvind Kumar]
What would you do if you were fast-track promoted to become one of the youngest VP’s at a bulge bracket investment bank?
For most, it would be time to celebrate (well-deserved!) and settle into a comfort zone.
But Indraneel isn’t most people.
Despite 7+ years of rich experience across tech, e-commerce, and financial services at marquee brands, he sought to level up his career.
Driven by the desire to deepen his understanding of businesses and expand into new industries/ geographies, he had his eyes set on HEC Paris. He dedicated time to take the GRE multiple times (while balancing his hectic work), until he arrived at a score of 326.
Throughout my interactions with Indraneel over the past year, I was intrigued by the professional and personal challenges he faced, and how he overcame them. Unpacking these anecdotes into a compelling narrative required multiple candid discussions on his journey, career ambitions and how an MBA fits in.
This success story delves into Indraneel’s background, motivation for an MBA, preparation strategies, application process, and how I (and admitStreet) helped him achieve his dream HEC Paris MBA admit.
Over to Indraneel!
Background and Motivation for an MBA
I have ~7 years of professional experience across technology, retail/e-commerce, and financial services sectors. I worked with Oracle in their procurement practices, before pivoting into the retail/e-commerce sector at Flipkart. Subsequently, I spent ~4 years at Goldman Sachs leading the firm’s transformation and platform upliftment practices.
After building a strong foundation, I wanted to level up my professional career. The drive to learn more about business fundamentals and hone my leadership skills, in addition to breaking into industries across different geographies spurred my transition to pursue an MBA
Self GRE Preparation
Considering most test prep agencies charge a huge premium, I enrolled for some online subscriptions for GRE preparations.
One challenge I faced was my initial lower verbal score. However, I identified weak areas like Reading Comprehension (RC) and dedicated time to improving them. Focused preparation, combined with continuous practice in a timed environment, helped me achieve a 325 in my first attempt and 326 in my second attempt.
B-school Selection Process
I was very clear about pursuing an MBA in Europe, and there were three primary criteria I considered when evaluating business schools.
Firstly, the program duration had to be less than two years. Secondly, I looked for a strong track record for consulting placements and finally, I needed the school to have a robust global network to facilitate opportunities across geographies.
Application Strategy
I believe my experience across three distinct industries, coupled with my track record of success, made my profile stand out. At Goldman Sachs and Flipkart, I achieved accelerated promotions, demonstrating my ability to adapt quickly and excel in new environments.
One of the challenges I faced was addressing my initial lower GRE verbal score. Arvind (admitStreet) helped me leverage the other strong aspects of my profile, including my diverse industry experience and leadership roles, to present a balanced application that showcased my potential.
Interview Experience
The Interviews for HEC were quite unique, where the applicant had to prepare a 10-minute presentation on any topics of his/ her choice and present them to the interviewer. This tested your oratory skills, as well as your presentation and time-management skills.
Both interviews were conducted by university alumni, and few questions in my second round were quite unique, as I mentioned my interest to pivot to consulting, I was asked to brainstorm solutions to a potential issue plaguing India and draft a roadmap to address all the issues.
I took full advantage of the in-house expertise from Arvind (admitStreet) by enrolling in the mock interview sessions. Under the guidance of Arvind, who has been exceptionally supportive, I gained valuable insights into effectively structuring my responses to every possible interview question. His detailed feedback and tailored strategies helped me approach each question with confidence and clarity, ensuring that I was well-prepared for the actual interview.
Working with Arvind / admitStreet
It has been an absolute pleasure working with Arvind (admitStreet). He is a gem of a person, always available and accommodating, additionally, he was also flexible with scheduling the brainstorming sessions at odd hours just to accommodate my hectic work schedule.
Arvind’s insights were invaluable, primarily because he not only shared an alumni connection with my target school but also had firsthand experience in the post-MBA exit opportunity (consulting) I was looking to pursue.
Arvind’s profound knowledge of European business schools, along with his strategic understanding of how to tailor each application, significantly reduced my workload and boosted my confidence throughout the process. Coupled with the fact that at admitStreet you get to work directly with the founder, is definitely an edge I felt, throughout my entire journey at admitStreet.
I wholeheartedly recommend Arvind (admitStreet) to anyone pursuing an MBA. Arvind and his team excel at highlighting candidates’ core competencies and strengths, ensuring that you articulate the most compelling and authentic version of yourself to the schools of your choice.
Advice for Prospective Students
- Always strive to put your best foot forward and be your true, honest self in your essays – AdCom values honesty.
- Don’t fret about the things you can’t control like the increase in number of applicants each year etc, rather focus on items you can control, like your GRE/ GMAT score or your extracurriculars or essays.
- It’s extremely important to apply to a small set of schools that you really wish to go to, rather than casting a huge net. Do thorough research on each and every school via multiple websites like Poets&Quants, ClearAdmit, etc.
- For your interviews, there can be some curve balls thrown at you, like solving a mock case etc, hence its advisable to have an airtight storyline and knowledge about the industry you wish to pivot to, post your MBA.