Yale SOM, Texas McCombs & UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Admits w/ $160K scholarships: Dhruv’s Success Journey

[Intro by Arvind Kumar]

What does it take to get into Yale SOM, UNC Kenan-Flagler, and Texas McCombs – with scholarships worth $160K?

Dhruv’s story offers a glimpse into that answer: a clear story, self-awareness, and the grit to keep going even when things aren’t perfect.

With an IIT Roorkee background and experience at JP Morgan, Dhruv had a strong professional profile. He also took initiative outside his core role, actively working on hiring more women into his team – a cause he genuinely cared about.

Right from the start, Dhruv had his sights set on Yale. It was going to be a stretch (on our ‘ambitious’ category), and while Dhruv had a lot going for him, we also had to navigate a few challenges – especially around extracurriculars, career goals and the usual R2 competitiveness.

We took a structured approach to reflect on his journey, uncover meaningful stories, and shape a narrative that felt both honest and compelling. Through multiple feedback rounds on the CV and essays, we polished the story and ensured every part of the application reflected his voice, values, and goals – not just what schools “wanted to hear.”

Dhruv didn’t leave anything to chance. Even after submitting his application, he chose to retake the GMAT based on my advice and sent the updated score on the same day he received Yale’s interview invite (speak of coincidences!)

Our mock sessions helped Dhruv structure his thoughts and show up with clarity and confidence. His interviews went well – thoughtful responses, clear goals, and a calm, grounded presence.

A few weeks later, the results were in: admits from three schools (Yale SoM, Texas McCombs and UNC Kenan Flagler), with a total scholarship amount of $160K.

Super proud of this one. Congrats Dhruv, excited to see where this next chapter takes you!

Over to Dhruv to share his story in his own words.

Background

I graduated from IIT Roorkee with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2020. Following my undergraduate studies, I joined JPMorgan Chase as a Software Engineer in their Portfolio Analytics team, where I have been working ever since.

Initially, my work focused primarily on building software platforms for portfolio performance reporting. Over time, however, my role has evolved from traditional software engineering to one that now centers around quantitative development, involving statistical computations and AI/ML applications.

In addition to my core responsibilities, I mentor new analysts and associates on technical challenges within the team. I also work closely with senior technology partners to gather product requirements and actively contribute to system design.

Motivation for an MBA

Broadly, there are three key reasons. First, on a more personal note, I wanted to step out of my comfort zone, which currently revolves around coding. Every day, I spend hours in front of two screens, immersed in code. I now want to focus on developing my soft skills, particularly in communication and leadership – qualities that I believe are critical for long-term growth in any multinational organization.

Second, while I’ve built strong software engineering fundamentals over time, I’ve realized the need to better understand the business side of things. For instance, I’m keen to learn how strategic decisions are made across an organization, and how the technology products we build align with broader business goals. I want to bridge that gap between technology and business.

Third, as an alumnus of IIT Roorkee, I deeply value the strength of a powerful and engaged alumni network. It plays a key role not only in enabling career or job transitions but also in offering mentorship and guidance. I want to join a business school with an equally strong alumni network – one that helps expand both my professional and personal connections.

GMAT Preparations

I’ve had good mathematical skills, and since my work involves a lot of data analysis, I focused my GMAT preparation on verbal. For Quant and Data Insights, I primarily relied on the Official Guide and the Quantitative Review, which were sufficient for me.

Verbal, however, was more challenging for me. While I started with the Official Guide and the Verbal Review, I realized that wouldn’t be enough. To strengthen verbal, I began practicing LSAT critical reasoning questions and studying LSAT concepts, which helped me significantly. For Reading Comprehension, I solved three sets daily from a variety of sources on GMAT Club.

In my first attempt, I scored a 675, but I honestly messed up the exam quite a bit. I had practiced a lot of Verbal questions, but not under timed conditions, so I ended up running out of time and missing the last question, which the GMAT penalizes pretty heavily. On top of that, the stress from Verbal got to me, and I ended up making some basic mistakes in Quant as well.

In my second attempt, I was confident I could cross 700 just by staying calm and focused throughout the exam. This time, I focused specifically on improving my time management in Verbal by practicing timed quizzes on GMAT Club.

However, with less than 10 days to prepare, I didn’t get a chance to practice Quant and Data Insights as much as I wanted to. The exam felt really really tough. The Data Insights section felt brutal. I got two Multi-Source Reasoning questions back to back, and since I was out of practice, I couldn’t perform in Data Insights. I ended up scoring a 705.

Profile: Strengths & Challenges

One of the main challenges I faced was my GMAT score, which was just about average, especially considering I come from an overrepresented background i.e. Indian Male Engineer . I didn’t have any standout factors to offset it i.e. no “wow” elements in my profile that could compensate.

My work experience didn’t include any formal leadership titles, and I didn’t have exceptional extracurriculars to showcase either. These gaps definitely made me question how competitive my application would be.

Having said that, my IIT degree, high GPA, and two fast-track promotions within JPMC were strengths that I believe helped my case.  

Selecting the right B-schools

I was open to different geographies, but one thing I was sure about was that I wanted international exposure. I started looking at global business schools with strong reputations. Yale had always been my dream school.

At the same time, I knew that even if I put my heart and soul into the applications, I’d still need someone to guide me i.e someone who could give me an outside perspective and help me stay on track.

I posted a profile review on GMAT Club to get a reality check. I also spoke to a few consultants, but Arvind (admitStreet) stood out. He felt genuine because he wasn’t trying to oversell or undersell me, and his feedback was honest. After a few initial sessions, I decided to work with him.

After speaking with Arvind, we decided to apply to UNC, McCombs, Yale, Darden, and Ross. To be honest, Yale was my dream school, but I knew it was a long shot – so much so that I even asked Arvind (admitStreet), “Is it even worth applying?” But he told me, “You won’t know unless you give it a shot.”

If he hadn’t encouraged me at that moment, I honestly don’t think I would’ve gone through with the Yale application. And if I hadn’t, I never would’ve made it there.

CV

On the CV front, I started with an initial draft that, in hindsight, lacked structure.

The CV format typically used for job applications is quite different from what’s expected in an MBA application. My first version focused more on listing skills, responsibilities, and educational qualifications, but it didn’t effectively highlight the quantitative impact of my work or reflect key transferable skills like stakeholder management.

In fact, I recall Yale’s Admissions Dean once mentioning that many candidates tend to underestimate the importance of the CV. For MBA applications, it’s essential to craft a compelling document that clearly emphasizes both transferable skills and the measurable results of your achievements.

Arvind helped me identify these gaps early on, and we worked through two to three iterations to refine the CV. I can confidently say that his input was crucial in helping me showcase those aspects effectively, something that would have been challenging to do on my own.

Essays

When it came to the essays, I initially approached them with an unclear mindset.

I wasn’t entirely sure about my post-MBA goals, which is a critical aspect of the application. One of the most important things in an MBA application is to reflect on your journey so far and clearly define your career goals after the MBA.

At first, I assumed I could simply pick three to five key highlights from my JPMorgan experience and plug them into different essay prompts. But I quickly realized it doesn’t work that way. I lacked clarity on both my goals and the motivations behind them.

That’s where Arvind (admitStreet) was instrumental. He helped me explore various post-MBA paths, from product management and consulting to investment banking, and guided me in articulating my goals thoughtfully and with purpose.

After the initial drafts, Arvind pushed me to dig deeper into my anecdotes. We went through about seven to eight drafts per school. With each revision, he challenged me to go beyond surface-level stories, to explore what I actually did, the personal qualities that enabled success, and even the weaknesses or failures I overcame.

Many applicants shy away from highlighting their shortcomings, but showing growth through those moments was something he encouraged, and it added authenticity to my essays.

Lastly, I was relying heavily on AI-generated content early on, using ChatGPT at a time when tools like Claude and DeepSeek weren’t available. Being immersed in the process, I couldn’t easily tell whether my essays sounded robotic. Arvind brought in a much-needed human and emotional touch, helping me infuse reflection and sincerity into every story.

Working with Arvind (admitStreet)

I have no shame in admitting that I was painfully slow with my application drafts. But throughout the process, the admitStreet team showed incredible patience and support.

We did over 7 edits per school, and not once did they rush me. Instead, with every draft, Arvind pushed me to reflect more deeply and helped me bring out the best version of my story. I have nothing but respect for that kind of dedication.

What stood out from the start was Arvind’s honesty. He never tried to oversell or undersell my profile. At every stage – whether it was reviewing essays, prepping for interviews, or even motivating me to retake the GMAT in the middle of the process – he gave it to me straight. That kind of genuine feedback made a huge difference.

No matter when I needed help – whether it was essay feedback or a random, last-minute question- he was always just a message away. He never operated on strict time blocks or limited hours. It genuinely felt like he cared about my success, and that kind of commitment is rare.

Across all the school-specific essays, I want to highlight Arvind’s incredible emphasis on structure. He is really good at telling stories in a way that’s not only well-organized but also deeply personal.

Yale

Arvind played a crucial role in helping me select the right anecdote for Yale’s essay, keeping their mission in mind. If I had done it on my own, I would have definitely gone with the wrong story. More than that, he was instrumental in helping me crack Yale’s interview. He conducted multiple mock interviews, investing significant time without ever mentioning anything about extra cost. That level of commitment was amazing.

McCombs

Because of his close familiarity with the McCombs admissions process, Arvind had great insight into what the school looks for. My initial drafts were okayish, but he helped steer them in a direction that more closely resonated with what McCombs was looking for. I also had a tendency to overwrite and sometimes wrote over a thousand words where the limit was 200. He patiently helped me trim everything down without ever complaining.

UNC

His expertise extended to UNC as well. He had a clear understanding of what the school prioritizes, but more importantly, his help with the UNC interview was unmatched..

Interview Experience & How mocks helped

I’ve never been great at interviews. During our mock sessions, I fumbled quite a bit and really struggled with structuring my answers.

Arvind was the one who helped me bring clarity and not just to individual answers, but to the entire flow of the interview. The framework he provided for approaching interviews was honestly commendable.

He helped me articulate my goals, introduction, and motivations in a way that was both clear and structured. That training made all the difference. I genuinely believe I wouldn’t have been able to sail through my interviews without his support.

UNC

The interviewer was really warm and genuinely interested in hearing my stories. Not once did I feel like she was trying to put me under pressure but instead, the focus was clearly on understanding my soft skills and who I am as a person. It felt more like a conversation than a test, which made the experience much more comfortable and authentic.

• Why MBA 
• Why Kenan Flagler 
• How your typical day looks like 
• TMAT how did you persuade someone ? 
• Greatest accomplishment ? 
• TMAT you navigated an ambiguous situation 
• TMAT you felt like things were going out of control .
• .. few others …

Yale

The interviewer was incredibly kind and welcoming. He mentioned upfront that he had a few required questions to ask, but would keep the conversation casual so it didn’t feel too mechanical. Honestly, I felt like I completely messed up the interview—I struggled to give a strong answer to the “How do you align with Yale SOM’s mission?” question and a few others. But throughout the interview, he remained supportive and encouraging, which really helped ease my nerves.

• Greatest professional accomplishment ? Follow up 
• TMAT disagreement with someone ? FOllow up 
• How do you align yourself with the Yale SOM mission ? 
• What research have you done before taking the decision to pursue MBA 
• How do you stay organized ? 
• How would you contribute to the Yale community ? 
• … few others ..

McCombs

By far the most enjoyable interview experience I had. Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this great. It was a little different from the usual format. The interviewer asked me just two questions: a basic introduction and what I wanted to pursue post-MBA. After that, the floor was mine to ask anything. He was incredibly honest and open in his responses, and that really reflected the transparency and warmth of the McCombs culture. I walked out of the interview genuinely impressed by the community.

Advice for Prospective Students

First, don’t underestimate yourself. You never know which school will see potential in your story. I was rejected without interviews at Darden, Ross – so I never imagined that Yale could be within reach. But it happened.

Second, get an external perspective. Yes, you can write your essays on your own, but I truly believe an outside viewpoint helps you build a stronger narrative. It pushes you to add depth, introspect meaningfully, and make sure your story resonates. Sometimes we’re too close to our own experiences to know what really stands out.

Lastly, focus on what you can control. You can’t change your GPA or your past, but you can improve your test scores or take on more responsibility at work. For me, if Arvind hadn’t pushed me to give the GMAT another shot, I might’ve ended up in a much tougher position. Put in the work, stay open to feedback, and don’t count yourself out.

Yale specific advice

I believe Yale’s application process felt the most different compared to other schools, mainly for the following reasons:

Video essays

I was asked questions I had never anticipated. These aren’t the type of questions you can prepare scripted answers for because they really test your ability to think on your feet. My advice: Don’t chase the best idea, just go with the first reasonable idea that strikes you. The time limit is so tight that overthinking can leave you completely blank.

Behavioral assessment

To be honest, I’m still not sure how Yale uses this in their admissions decisions. The questions felt tricky …. like they were designed to trip you up. It’s multiple choice, but almost every option feels equally valid. I really don’t have any advice because I just went with my gut.

Interview

Even though Yale’s interview is one of the most structured I experienced, there were one or two questions that caught me off guard. That’s where the introspection from the essays really helped. Personally, I wasn’t able to answer a few questions as well as I wanted to but if you’ve done the work to reach the interview stage,  you’ll be able to navigate it.

Essays

With only 500 words, Yale forces you to go deep. You can’t afford to skim the surface. You need to focus on one strong anecdote and unpack it fully. Again, deep introspection is key here.