r/InternationalMBA

Hi everyone,

Would appreciate some honest advice on my profile and goals.

I’m an Indian dentist with ~4 years of experience across private dental practice and as a medical advisor at a healthcare insurance TPA.

Post-MBA, I’m aiming for healthcare consulting, pharma/healthcare strategy, or general consulting roles — ideally in Europe or the Middle East for a few years before potentially returning to India.

I’ve recently interviewed with IE Business School and ESADE Business School and am trying to understand the realistic outcomes.

A few things I’d love insight on:

•Are IE/ESADE good choices for my goals and background?

•How difficult is it for non-EU internationals to get consulting or healthcare-related jobs after these MBAs?

•Between IE and ESADE, which is stronger for consulting, healthcare/pharma exposure, and international mobility?

•Would the ROI make sense if the goal is to build a career in Europe or the Middle East afterward?

One important point: I don’t currently speak Spanish, but if I decide to attend, I fully plan to learn it seriously.

Not targeting investment banking or ultra-high finance, more interested in strong long-term healthcare/business opportunities internationally.

Would really appreciate perspectives from alumni, recruiters, or anyone familiar with these schools and markets. Thanks!

Hi,

I have been contemplating an MBA from Europe and wanted some advice related to Asset Management prospects for those who have studied from LBS or INSEAD.

Target Role: Macro Research/Multi-Asset Strategy (ex- PIMCO, other macro asset mangers- not targeting hedge funds)

Background: Indian male. 3 years F&O trading in commodities. Have decent knowledge of and exposure to global asset movements. Want to transition to longer term asset management. (Total 4 years experience by joining time). Have also completed CFA.

Q) I understand visa sponsorships are tough to come by but weighing whether the extra ~$50K cost is worth for my target roles since most these are based out of London which INSEAD won't give me access to?

Q) Given that I do have some prior experience for my target roles, do the chances of getting a full time offer increase with or without the summer internship route?

Q) Confused whether betting on networking through INSEAD's 10 month program to get a full time roles without the UK graduate visa option would be prudent?

Any advice would be appreciated. Focus would be on London finance ecosystem.

Hi everyone, I would appreciate feedback on my MBA profile, school selection, and career goals.

Indian, Male, 29

Total Work Experience: 6 years

1. WebMD.com, Senior Product Manager (2+ years, recently promoted from Product Manager):
   I currently manage a product portfolio in Continuing Medical Education (CME) that serves about 1 million healthcare professionals and generates approximately $12M in annual revenue( WebMD operates within KKR’s private equity portfolio; product managers are directly accountable for measurable business outcomes)

My work involves defining product strategy, roadmap prioritisation, and launching new distribution channels and partnerships. Recently, I worked on expanding reach through pharmacy network partnerships (e.g., Walgreens, CVS) and led several cross-functional launches involving clinical, commercial, and technology teams.

2. YouGotaGift.com, Dubai-based Fintech, Associate Product Manager (1 year 9 months)
   I managed an employee incentives and rewards platform built around a closed-loop wallet infrastructure. My role focused on product redesign and regional expansion across the MENA market. I led the revitalisation of the platform in KSA and launched phygital corporate-branded cards (digital + physical) for enterprise clients, integrating fintech rails for rewards and incentives.

3. o9 Solutions, Business/Technology Consultant (1 year 6 months)
   Worked on implementing a Master Supply Planning solution for Estée Lauder, collaborating with global supply-chain stakeholders. My responsibilities included requirements gathering, solution configuration, and coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver planning capabilities for enterprise supply chain teams.

Other Details
Entrepreneurial Experience – Creator Economy Startup (2024)
In 2024, I attempted to launch a startup focused on the creator economy to improve how brands discover and collaborate with influencers. I successfully built and launched the platform, onboarded four local brands, and validated early demand. However, due to co-founder misalignment and financial constraints, we paused the venture. The experience gave me hands-on exposure to early-stage startup challenges.

Education:
Punjab Engineering College (PEC), India
B.Tech (CGPA: 7.6/10)
I realise my GPA may be slightly on the lower side. However, grading at PEC was relatively stringent; the highest GPA in my branch was 9.2, with only one student scoring above 9.
Based on WES conversions reported by other alumni from my school, this CGPA typically translates to approximately 3.3–3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

EC
During college, I served as Chief Secretary of the Astronomy and Space Physics Club, one of the most active technical societies at PEC. The college has a strong aerospace legacy with alumni such as Kalpana Chawla and Satish Dhawan.
In this role, I managed ~70 student members and a ₹2 lakh annual budget, organised technical events and workshops, and led collaborations with institutions such as Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institutes of Technology.

I was also awarded a Certificate of Achievement and the Achievers Award by the Dean for consistently winning multiple Astronomy and Space Physics competitions over two years and for representing the college at the national level at various institutions.

Even after graduation, I continue to conduct astronomy outreach programs in rural schools to promote interest in science and STEM education. Each year, I lead two 15-day workshops during the summer and winter breaks, where we organise hands-on learning experiences for high school students. These workshops include DIY projects such as building simple radio telescopes, constructing Dobsonian telescopes, and conducting night sky observation sessions to introduce students to practical astronomy.
Through these initiatives, I have directly mentored and inspired around 50 students to pursue STEM-related education paths by sparking their curiosity in space science and physics.

Post MBA Goals
Short term-
Product Management / Product Marketing / Strategy roles in Big Tech or high-growth tech companies (unicorns).

Long term-
Move into strategy-led leadership roles at a leading Tech company, potentially combining product, growth, and platform strategy. My long-term aspiration is to build and scale technology products that operate at global scale.

School List

Dream
Kellogg MBAi
Insead

Target
Ross
Duke
NYU Tech MBA
Cornell Tech MBA

Safety
CMU
Texas
UCLA
Cambridge
Oxford

I have not taken the GMAT yet, but I am currently preparing and targeting a score in the 685–705 range.

I would really appreciate feedback on the following

1. How competitive does my profile look for top global programs and potential scholarships?
2. Does my school list look realistic, or should I rebalance it?
3. Are there other schools strong in tech/product management that I should consider?
4. What’s the reality of tech placements in Europe? should I consider some other European B schools?

Hi everyone,

I’m considering pursuing an MBA, but I’m unsure if it’s the right move given my background. Here’s a quick rundown of my profile:

• Work Experience: 1 year experience in sales and marketing in Real Estate industry (India)
• Education: got enrolled for BBA from a tier 2 city in an Indian College (grades are 7/10) through a full funded scholarship (ICCR Scholarship)
• Age: 25
• Background: Before pursuing for BBA i was doing my CSE in my country in a private uni and completed 1 sem over there
• Target B.Schools: I would apply to top European programs (Bocconi, INSEAD, LBS, etc.)

My main concerns:

• I only have a bachelor’s degree (no master’s). Would this put me at a disadvantage for MBA admissions?
• My GPA is on the lower side, and I didn’t attend a prestigious university. Could this hurt my chances at top programs?

I’m mainly looking at MBA programs to pivot into marketing, brand management or a corporate sales or marketing role, but I’m open to other options.

Would an MBA be a good investment in my case? Should I aim for a top program, or would a strong regional MBA work just as well? Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Hey folks,
Not an “agency post.” Just me.
I’m an INSEAD graduate (‘23) (got into LBS, HEC Paris, ESSEC with scholarships), and over the last two cycles I ended up helping 11+ people land admits across INSEAD, LBS, Wharton, Oxford Saïd, NYU Stern, Imperial, HEC, etc.
I’ve decided to open up a few slots for the upcoming cycle.
What I help with:
Story positioning (aka: making your chaos look like a compelling life arc)
Essay editing
School selection strategy
Resume + narrative alignment
Sanity checks when you’re spiraling over “is this too risky??”
LOR rewriting
Interview prep

I’m not an agency
No templated essays
No pricing that makes you question your life choices
It’s just me, doing this because I like it.

If you’re applying this cycle and want an honest, no-BS take on your profile,

DM me to book a free consultation.
Worst case? You get clarity.
Best case? You stop writing essays that sound like they were assembled by a corporate chatbot with commitment issues.
Cheers 🥂

I wanted some honest advice on recruiting within LBS. I have talked to a dozen students and majority seem to have landed internships or were able to find visa-sponsored roles.

I know it’s a bloodbath in any geography I look into but can current or past LBS folks shed some candid light on how their recruiting went? Candid stats can help - Every school show offs their placement record but I want to know the reality from students

I’m particularly interested in knowing about international students and their outcomes - Not domestic candidates or people who have return offers/sponsorship

I am planning to do MBA abroad. I am seeing two option

A) One year MBA

B) Two year MBA

How are the two different? Do companies treat them differently when hiring?

Hey everyone,

I’m a Canadian admitted to an M7. Wanted to know what are the best options for loans. Do the Big 5 give loans for US MBAs? How do they structure it?

Would also love to hear from fellow Canadians who’ve navigated this and the options!

Thank you

I’m a Latin American student looking into doing my MBA in Madrid, but every time I research programs all I see is IE and the tuition is honestly insane 😭

Does anyone have recommendations for universities/business schools in Madrid that are actually high quality but don’t cost an absurd amount, cause I also have to the think about the cost of living and its not cheap in Madrid.

Would really appreciate any advice from people who studied in Spain or looked into MBAs there.

Hi all, as the title suggests, I’d really value your perspective on a decision I’m weighing. I’ve received offers from both programs, but I’m unsure whether to prioritize the LBS brand or the MBA experience as a whole. For context, my post-MBA goal is to move into Consulting or Private Equity. Would love to hear your thoughts on which path might make more sense and why.

Hey everyone, looking for some brutal honesty and advice on my career trajectory. I’m currently sitting on some golden handcuffs in big tech, but I desperately want to pivot out of pure backend development and eventually move abroad.

My Profile:

• Demographics: 24M, Indian
• Undergrad: Tier-1 Engineering (NIT) | CGPA: 8.98/10 | JEE Adv AIR 7k.
• Work Experience: Will hit ~2 YOE by June 2026 as an App Dev at a Global MNC. Building enterprise supply chain apps, but recently upskilled heavily into AI (holding Data Science & Gen AI Pro certs).
• Current TC: ~₹28 LPA (Base + Equity), 18LPA Base. This is great for my age, but it makes the opportunity cost of quitting for a Master's pretty heavy.
• Leadership: Led my university’s flagship techfest. Managed a ₹1.5 Crore budget, cross-functional teams, and 100k+ footfall.

My Goals:

• Short/Mid-Term: Pivot into Tech Strategy, Product Management, or potentially break into Finance (IB/PE/VC). I want to move abroad (Europe, SG, Middle East or Australia) for better living conditions, global exposure, and higher earning potential.
• Long-Term: I eventually want to start something of my own. I need the network, business acumen, and capital to make that happen.

My Dilemma - Which path makes the most sense?

Path 1: European MiM (HEC, INSEAD, St. Gallen) right now. My profile seems to fit the 0-2 YOE demographic perfectly. I’m willing to learn French/German. But am I crazy to leave a ₹28 LPA job in India for a MiM where European taxes and entry-level salaries might financially humble me?

Path 2: Wait and apply for a Top Global MBA next year. If I stay at my current job, prep my GMAT, and apply next year, I’ll have roughly ~3 YOE by the time I actually matriculate. With my high undergrad stats and college leadership, is 3 YOE enough to realistically crack top international MBAs (INSEAD, LBS etc.), or will I still get auto-rejected for being too junior? Also, is breaking into high finance from an IT background actually possible through this route?

Prepping for the GMAT right now and trying to figure out what to target. Would really appreciate any unfiltered advice from folks who have made a similar tech-to-business pivot!