INSEAD - R3 for Jan start or R1 for Sep start?

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INSEAD - R3 for Jan start or R1 for Sep start?

by Absco » Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:37 am
Hi,

I'm due to do my GMAT next week, the same day as the application deadline for Round 3 of INSEAD's Jan program. I only started studying 2 weeks ago, and am achieving test scores around 640 (was 580 last week). I'm confident that I can break the 700 barrier, and can definitely get close to the 740 range, with another few weeks of study. However, my exam is on Wednesday (5 days away). Should I do it, and send it my application, even if I get a lower score (as it's the last chance for Jan entry), or should I wait, do my GMAT to the best of my potential in a month or so, and then apply for INSEAD and the other b-schools in Round 1 in September/October?

Here's a little overview of my profile:

- I have a BA in Economics from a top ranking UK university, however, I have a low GPA (3.3) which is why I'm keen to maximise on my GMAT with a 720+ score.
- I have 8 years of work experience. I started up an online retail company after my undergrad degree, successfully built it up over 8 years to a $70 million dollar revenue company with 3 locations worldwide (Mid East and Europe) and 200+ employees. We eventually sold the company to a private equity firm in Jan 2011
- I speak/can work with several langauges - fluent in 2, confident in 3 and at an intermediate level in 2 (English, French, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Farsi, Swahili)
- Co-founded a british charity in January 2010 which offers direct financial support to individuals and families undergoing economic hardship, regardless of their faith, culture or background.

My aim is to move into the consulting industry, and gain significant experience by working internationally for one of the big names in strategy.

INSEAD has been the top of my list for a while and although I am keen to get in and get started ASAP, I want to make sure that I get in. Based on the above, what do you think? Take a chance and apply next week, or take step back, get the GMAT I want, spent time on the applications and then apply for Sep 2012?

Thanks.
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by PrepMBA.AlexLeventhal » Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:16 pm
First, forgetting about the GMAT, have you spent a lot of time on your essays and gotten some feedback from a sibling, peer or consultant? Re-application is not always easy as you need to demonstrate material growth to have a fighting chance, and that is not always easy to do in a year or two.

Now to your GMAT. INSEAD puts great emphasis on the GMAT, and even suggests percentile performance standards for the quant and verbal sections. It sounds like you started studying pretty recently, so why not wait? You have other INSEAD dates coming up, and you might even get up to 720-740.

The golden rule is apply when you are ready, and don't rush to make deadlines if that means less than top performance. It's too competitive.
Alex Leventhal
Harvard MBA, 1998
Prep MBA Admissions Consulting
www.prepmba.com
[email protected]
(323)424.3178