insead mba sample essays

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INSEAD MBA Essays : Sample Essays & Writing Tips

MBA & Beyond Team

22/12/2023 | 11:13 am

If you’re reading this, you’re likely considering or already in the process of applying to INSEAD’s renowned MBA program. It’s no secret that the application essays play a pivotal role in your admission process. They are not just forms to be filled out but canvases for you to paint a vivid picture of who you are, your aspirations, and what you bring to the table.

INSEAD’s MBA program is known for its rigorous academic standards and diverse student body. Crafting essays that stand out is crucial, as they provide a unique opportunity for you to showcase your individuality, experiences, and perspective. Let’s dive into what it takes to write essays that resonate with the admissions committee and increase your chances of getting into one of the world’s top MBA programs.

INSEAD MBA Highlights :

• INSEAD MBA GMAT
• INSEAD MBA Class Profile
• INSEAD MBA Scholarships
• INSEAD MBA Eligibility
• INSEAD MBA Essays
• INSEAD MBA Interview Questions

UNDERSTANDING THE INSEAD MBA ESSAY REQUIREMENTS

Before you start typing away, it’s important to understand what INSEAD is looking for in its MBA essays. The application process for INSEADinvolves several essays, each serving a distinct purpose and requiring a thoughtful approach. Let’s break down these requirements:

• Number of Essays: The INSEADMBA application includes seven mandatory essays, categorized into two types – career/job type essays and motivational essays
• Essay Length and Depth : The essays vary in length but collectively constitute a substantial portion of your application. This allows you to provide in-depth insights into your professional experiences and personal motivations.

CAREER OR JOB TYPE ESSAYS

These essays focus on your professional background and aspirations. They are designed to gauge your career progression, professional achievements, and future goals. Here’s a quick overview:

• Current Job Summary: Describe your current or most recent job, including major responsibilities and achievements (200 words max).
• Next Career Step: Discuss what your next position would be if you continued in your current company (200 words max).
• Career Path Description: Provide a detailed account of your career since university, emphasizing the rationale behind your choices (300 words max).
• Career Aspirations: Elaborate on your short and long-term career goals post-MBA from INSEAD(100 words max).

Each of these essays requires you to reflect on different aspects of your professional journey and articulate them succinctly. It’s not just about what you’ve done but also why you’ve done it and where you plan to go with an INSEADMBA in your toolkit.

MOTIVATION INSEAD MBA ESSAYS

The motivation essays at INSEADare your window to showcase who you are beyond your professional accomplishments. These essays delve into your personal characteristics, life experiences, and the factors that have shaped your journey so far. Let’s break them down:

• Self-Description: Give a candid description of yourself, highlighting your strengths and weaknesses, and the main factors influencing your personal development (500 words max).
• Proudest Achievement and Learning from Failure: Describe your most significant achievement and a situation where you failed. Reflect on how these experiences impacted your relationships and what you learned from them (400 words max).
• Extra-Professional Activities: Discuss your involvement in activities outside your professional life, such as clubs, sports, arts, and how they have enriched you (300 words max).

These essays are your chance to bring out your personality, values, and the unique attributes you will bring to the INSEAD community. They require introspection and honesty, and are an opportunity to reflect on your journey, your growth, and how your experiences have prepared you for the challenges of an MBA at INSEAD.

STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE ESSAY WRITING

Writing compelling essays for INSEADis an art that combines honesty, clarity, and creativity. Here are some strategies to help you create essays that will capture the attention of the admissions committee:

Be Original: Avoid clichés and write in a way that truly reflects your unique experiences and perspectives. Think about what sets you apart from other applicants and how you can bring your individuality to the forefront in your essays

Attention to Language: The clarity of your writing, grammar, and sentence construction says a lot about you. It’s important to write in a way that’s understandable and relatable, avoiding technical jargon and acronyms that might confuse the reader

Detailed Work Experience : Be clear and specific when describing your professional responsibilities and experiences. If you have gaps in your employment, address them honestly rather than omitting them

Remember, your essays are not just answers to questions but stories about who you are. They should flow naturally, engage the reader, and provide a comprehensive picture of your background, aspirations, and personality.

COMMON CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Embarking on the INSEAD MBA essay writing journey can be daunting, but you’re not alone in this challenge. Here are some common hurdles applicants face and how to overcome them:

• Feeling Overwhelmed by the Essay Length : INSEAD’s essays, collectively reaching around 2,000 words, can seem intimidating. The key is to start early and break down the writing process into manageable parts. Focus on one essay at a time and give each the attention it deserves.
• Striking the Right Balance : It’s challenging to maintain a balance between professional and personal content. While your career achievements are important, INSEAD also values who you are outside of work. Ensure your essays reflect a well-rounded individual.
• Maintaining Originality : With so many applicants, standing out can be tough. Avoid writing what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Instead, be genuine and share your true self and unique experiences.
• Addressing Gaps or Weaknesses : If there are gaps in your employment or areas of weakness, address them head-on. Use these as opportunities to show your self-awareness and how you’ve grown or plan to grow from these experiences.

Remember, the goal is not just to complete the essays but to create a compelling narrative that provides a window into your life and aspirations.

Concluding Thoughts

As you wrap up your INSEAD MBA essays, remember that these are more than just application requirements; they are a platform for you to share your story, your aspirations, and your potential to contribute to the INSEAD community. Your essays should reflect the depth of your experiences, the clarity of your goals, and the uniqueness of your personality.

Your journey to securing a place in the INSEAD MBA program is a significant step towards your future. With dedication, introspection, and strategic planning, you can craft essays that not only meet the application requirements but also resonate with the admissions committee.

In conclusion, approach your INSEAD MBA essays with honesty, creativity, and self-reflection. This process is not just about getting into a program; it’s about understanding and presenting the best version of yourself. 

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Homepage > MBA Admissions > 2023 – 2024 INSEAD MBA Essay – Analysis and Sample Essay Structure

2023 – 2024 INSEAD MBA Essay – Analysis and Sample Essay Structure

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Mar 10, 2023 | Business Schools , GMAT Focus Edition , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

INSEAD is one of the most popular business schools in the world, and among the best 1-year programs globally. With campuses in France, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and now in San Francisco, it is truly “the business school for the world”. INSEAD is among the few top schools globally with two intakes in a year – September intake and January intake. Candidates, therefore, can plan their application in a manner that instead of applying late to one intake, may apply early to the next intake.

Here are the INSEAD Application Deadlines for the September 2024 intake.

INSEAD MBA Application Deadlines 2023-2024

INSEAD also has one of the most demanding MBA applications out there, with about 7 required essays to be submitted by the applicants. The two types of essays asked in the application are:

Job Description Questions

Job Description Essay 1

Job description essay 2, job description essay 3, job description essay 4.

Motivation Questions

Motivation Essay 1

Motivation essay 2, motivation essay 3.

In this article, we will go deeper to analyze the expectations and the right approach for each of the essays that the INSEAD MBA application requires.

INSEAD MBA essay – Job Description Essays

Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words maximum)

Schools often ask this question somewhere in their application, not always categorizing it as an essay. INSEAD has dedicated a full essay to it, clearly with the intent of understanding your current role deeper – remember, it’s a one year program and you will start connecting with recruiters even before your program is mid-way through.

Straightforward as it may seem, there are a few imperatives you should stick to while writing this essay:

• Do not lift and drop from your job description. JDs are the worst way to introduce a function to the Ad-Comm. You don’t want to sound like a boring HR officer reaching out to job-seekers.
• Instead, you may want to break your work down into smaller nuggets, simpler pieces. But I won’t stretch this exercise to the level of explaining it to a six-year-old kid. Remember, the Ad-Comm is a group of accomplished individuals, but they may not be accomplished in your field. Hence this is the first test of your MBA application — how easily can you explain a complex value proposition to a client if you were consulting them at McKinsey. The skill to simplify your job but not vehemently play it down is what this essay begets. For example, something like:

“I am the sole contact in the first line of defence for risk portfolio of structured rates derivatives and exotics focused in EMEA region, supporting an HFT desk based out of London. This also requires an examination of market movements in rates, tenor volatilities, curve spreads, and time decay. I am also responsible for issuing dealing authority to designated Volcker sub-desks for effective market making and to curb intuitive punting.”

… can be presented as:

“I serve as the primary analyst for assessing and managing market risk in EMEA portfolio of structured rates derivatives and exotic products worth $20 billion. I support the London desk, which deals in high-frequency trading. I have been working in this role for last 3 years. The role requires on a daily basis, a detailed analysis of factors of market volatility. I am also responsible for issuing guidelines to Volcker desks to ensure legal and risk-appetite boundaries are not breached. I work in a team of eight people, of which two report directly to me. The job requires intense analytical, quick-thinking, and cross-functional skills.”  

• Short, crisp sentences
• Avoid industry acronyms and jargons
• Simple explanation, but not utterly simple
• Clear mention of teamplay (working in a team of () people, working across cross-functional teams, directly work with several lateral teams, etc.)
• Managerial leadership (if any)

One may find it tempting to copy-paste certain points from the resume, but remember, there are no shortcuts to success (certainly not at INSEAD). The adcom has your resume as well, and it may not be exciting to read the same lines again.

What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company? (200 words maximum)

Tricky, but not difficult. Applicants often present how they have hit a glass ceiling and that an MBA will be the solution to all their problems. Bad idea, always! If you can’t show that you are doing awesome at work, you are more likely looking for an exit route and not the path to success. This question seeks to understand how well you are doing.

This essay demands a candidate to lay down a roadmap they have envisaged for themselves — MINUS the MBA. What if you hadn’t thought of doing an MBA? What if you saw multi-fold growth in your current role/organization/sector? What if you loved your job so much that nothing could break you away from it? What if you didn’t have Colin Farrell from Horrible Bosses at work? What if due to a financial constraint, or God forbid a personal issue, you just couldn’t go for an MBA? Well, the reason isn’t important—you ought to think, what if you were going to continue in the same firm?

Here, INSEAD wants you to introspect. The Ad-Comm wants to give you a chance to see if you could convince yourself that you needed an MBA before you wrote it down for them. What are the next steps you should be taking to climb up the professional ladder in your firm? How long before you were going to hit a promotion? Are there any pockets of learning in your current role that you are yet to consider? How would your responsibilities change, evolve, and transform over time? All these questions would give you an ideal springboard to ace this essay!

Towards the end, it would provide a nice footnote if you candidly addressed the gap that an MBA degree would bridge, and that without an MBA, you won’t reach where you want and deserve to be. This should round up a great essay for you!

Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words maximum)

This essay requires you to rationalize the professional decisions you have made since graduation. From the outside, it looks like a simple task. You could glorify your decisions by painting a nice, ideal picture of your job. You could associate unparalleled benefits with your current role, which prompted you to take up the job in the first place. Learnings, virtues, experiences, ideas, avenues—everything that your career choices brought, you could list them down and submit a flawless essay.

But we all, including the Ad-Comm, are well aware, that most of our choices in the closely enmeshed social structure of the society are externalized. Our choices are governed by external factors such as parental expectations, peer pressure, societal norms, labels of the coloured collars, etc.—unless you were one of those few fortunate ones who heard their calling in the very beginning itself.

Thus, this essay beckons you to accept your decisions as your own. You might have made a rookie mistake of following the herd, but that doesn’t vilify you or question your decision-making abilities.

Accepting those erroneous judgments showcases a strong character. On the other hand, if you were smart enough to make all the right calls, justify that with examples. The key is to stay aware that any or all of your choices must have provided you skillsets, perspectives, insights, and experiences. It’s imperative that you clearly mention what you learned from them, as it shows that you aim to make the most of your decisions, whether right or wrong.

This essay also serves as a nice spindle of your career trajectory, thereby showing how streamlined or wayward your career has been. However, the good part is, that an MBA serves both kinds of audiences. Thus, there are no negatives of an essay that says you need an MBA to help you make an informed career choice/switch; or one that says that you want a launchpad to move further in your pre-MBA discipline.

Discuss your short and long term career aspirations with or without an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words maximum)

This could have been a standard MBA essay, but INSEAD has given it a major twist this year by including a “without an MBA” clause to it.

“With an MBA from INSEAD”

Here, INSEAD wants you to contemplate on your rationale behind wanting to pursue an MBA, and how it helps your cause in achieving your long-term career goals. At the same time, your short-term goal lays down a clear indicator of your thought process in making conscious career decisions. It wouldn’t look too coherent if you aspired to build an ed-tech venture for differently-abled people in the long run but were to seek a finance/banking role straight out of your MBA.

“Without an MBA from INSEAD”

This is tricky because, for most of the candidates, MBA serves as transportation from their current job to their aspirational role. They all rationalize the MBA as the next or the first step towards their long-term goals. In such a situation, to rationalize the same set of goals for the near and long-term without an MBA could be an uphill task, while to furnish a different set of goals could highlight your indecision.

In such a situation, the most astute way of enlisting your goals is to keep them realistic while being ambitious and visionary. You should give it a good amount of thought and come up with more than one way of achieving your targets. For this, surfing LinkedIn to see people with different profiles working for the same organization could be a good starting point. You could also look at several certification courses being offered online, which intend to cover at the least the theoretical MBA curriculum. Be sure to put forward some realistic estimates on the timelines by which you aim to achieve these goals if an MBA didn’t happen. It can act as a marker of clear and resolved thinking.

INSEAD MBA Essay – Motivation Essays

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. (500 words max.)

This has been a trademark INSEAD essay for some years now. From the outside, it may give off as a mirage of a professional essay wanting of you to wax a lyrical about your strengths, while passing a few weaknesses off as hidden strengths (read: extreme workaholism, not able to say no, strict ideals, and principles, etc.). No. A big, fat, blunt NO. One shouldn’t make the mistake of treating it as a method to perform a SWOT analysis, or even risk weighing it as a medium to make the Ad-Comm hear what they might be reading in five thousand other applications. The key to ace this essay is simple—EMBRACE AND NARRATE YOUR VIRTUES AND VICES ALIKE.

This essay is more about what makes you…you. Who were you as a child? What was your upbringing like? Those childhood fantasies, parent/sibling relationships, your neighborhood, your school. What drove your first major decisions? Was there a laughable incident during childhood when you exhibited your first business model to the outside world? Or a seminal moment when your sibling or a friend introduced a novel concept? Some personal experiences leading to a fundamental shift in the worldview?

Remember—every applicant in your pool is hard-working, dedicated, honest, meticulous, and so on. The Ad-Comm reads about the same set of qualities over and over again. What truly sticks is the story behind each virtue. You’d never be remembered as a team player. But there is a higher chance of being remembered as a high-performing team player who copped the fall for a collective failure so that the weakest member wasn’t fired. [ example ] STORYTELLING, remember.

Here, do NOT hesitate in laying bare your inadequacies, if there were any [ unless you believe otherwise ]. Remember, this essay is about you the person, not you the achiever. Unfulfilled dreams, inevitable disturbances, any inclination you couldn’t make big in—IT IS OKAY TO BE IMPERFECT. Characters are made during adversities, so recall what you learned off your bad days. Self-awareness makes a person attractive, cover-ups don’t. A balanced mix of your strengths derived from situations resulting from your weaknesses is the cornerstone of this essay.

By this time, you should be 375-400 words into the essay. At this point, your essay is in the weeds, and this is where you exactly want it to be. Now is the time to thread every narrative into a streamlined, cohesive plot and answer some pertinent questions to put a decisive floor to your story:

• How does an MBA add to your personal development? How does an MBA specifically from INSEAD consolidate this point?
• Professional achievements aside, what is it that you really look ahead to achieve? What makes you happy? Does this step bring you any closer to that goal?

Before you set out to write this essay, try this small exercise—think of one word that best describes your whole life as of yet. Just make that the title of the story you are about to narrate!

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. (maximum 400 words)

Usually, B-schools ask candidates to write one essay on a standout achievement, and another on their lessons from failure. What INSEAD has done here is squeeze a lot of things into one essay—achievement, failure, interpersonal relationships, and impact on them, learnings, etc. Hence, more than descriptive, you ought to be smart here.

In an ideal structure, this essay should follow a 200-100-100 scheme. 200 for the two anecdotes you want to pick up for success and failure. 100 are to be devoted to the impact they might have had on your interpersonal relationships. Final 100 are your insights, learnings, and takeaways.

Selection of events

Many candidates come up with this question—”what should we pick as the biggest achievement of my life?” There are certain markers of an “achievement” being the right fit for this essay:

• Look out if your “achievement” had any major external impact. You could have been a topper throughout, but that’s not the kind of achievement this essay is looking for. You could have helped underprivileged kids with what you learned at school and helped them pass their exams with great marks. Or you could have invented something or discovered a cool scientific fact during college and received a patent. Again, without undermining your achievement AT ALL, it’d have sounded a much better fit FOR THIS ESSAY had you also set up a college patent advisory to make your peers understand the nuances of patent registration and safeguarding their intellectual property.
• See if any of your achievements are global/international in nature. INSEAD is big on global experience and international exposure, and such an achievement could really turn the tide in your favour. For e.g., were you in London on the day of Brexit helping your firm evade losses due to market crash? Or did you initiate a global movement for handicraft artists and raised big funds to help their cottage businesses? Or do you like mountaineering and have managed to scale some or all of the seven major peaks of the world? Measure the international quotient of your achievements.
• Another thing that can really hit a home run is success against an impediment. All humans are susceptible, and all susceptible are humans. Each one of us has struggled with an impediment at least once in their life. They may come in the form of a disability, an addiction, a personal loss, repeated failures, bullying, racism, sexism, conservatism, disturbed surroundings, etc. What really matters is that you or anyone trumped that impediment and came out of it. Such an inspiring story weaves your strong character, tenacity, and resilience into a nice fabric of wholesomeness and makes you a strong candidate in the eyes of Ad-Comm.

When it comes to “failures”, again there are a few markers. The Ad-Comm expects to read about the moments where despite your hard work, efforts, and sincerity, you failed to achieve desired results. Your failures may be attributed to one or several reasons—lack of ability or training, unexpected roadblocks, or any other external factor. Explain the circumstances in which you were stranded in a failed situation. But do understand this—in no way, this narrative is going to make your application any weaker. In fact, a joke goes around the candidate circles that the bigger the failure, the stronger is your essay. Your choice of the event reflects your ability to own up your failures as much as your successes, which in turn speaks volumes about your character. However, more than the selection of event of “failure”, you should focus on HOW you coped with a particular failure. We may have relatively smaller failures which simply called for a correction of course. And then there are some life-altering failures that change your worldview for good. You need to pick those inflection points and translate them into this essay.

Learnings and relationships

The next 200 words represent the fulcrum of this essay. You are required to showcase how efficient and judicious you were in learning from your laurels and your mistakes. It also shows your ability to break the situation down into simpler pieces and segmenting your life-events with rationality and precision. It is equally important that your successes don’t lift you off the ground, and your failures don’t drive you into it. Your successes shouldn’t give you an Imposter Syndrome, you should be able to weigh them absolutely. You ought to mention the key insights you got about your own character, personality, and behavior from this retrospection.

You are also required to reflect upon your interpersonal relationships as your life went through ebbs and flows. What were some key soft lessons you picked up about people? Have your achievements and failures made you appreciate the diversity of thought and humility? Have they made you a better team-player? Do you understand the difference between authority and leadership? Are you now able to delay your judgments about others until they have proven themselves? More such examples about people-relationship should give your essay more colour and an extremely productive ending.

Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (maximum 300 words)

INSEAD is highly focused on the extra-curricular achievements and activities a candidate has been a part of throughout their career. The Admissions Committee looks for those who have maintained a parallel hobby/passion while pursuing their mainstream professional goals. In this regard, it helps greatly if a candidate has remained engaged with a particular activity even after college since most of the extra-professional activities are given a platform during that phase. Hence it carries a lot of value to have remained loyal to your hobbies.

At this juncture of your application, the Admissions Officer going through your profile knows very well about your career trajectory and aspirations. While you could have laid down some great points about your professional decisions, MBA demands an all-round personality and not a proverbial bookworm. Thus hobbies like sports, music, visual and performing arts, traveling, quizzing, etc. are valued highly. Any engagement with social impact also finds its space in this essay (unless you have a long-term career goal in this field and have already described it in previous essays). Initiatives and participation in education, environment, gender and sexuality, disaster management, political awareness, etc. are invaluable additions to this essay.

One critical point to AVOID for candidates is to treat this essay lightly. Any mention of leisure activities such as “listening to music, reading books, watching movies” can be hugely detrimental, since these kinds of activities do not project a candidate’s all-round and unique development. However, an extended interest in these areas—such as blogging/vlogging about movie/literature reviews, members of a music club to explore hidden talent, and bring it to limelight through social media pages and distribution channels, etc. are also qualified ingredients for this essay.

For the second part of the prompt, candidates should focus on soft skills they develop apart from hard skills learned for an activity. A solo sports player (ex. Badminton) can narrate about their lessons in self-motivation, self-control, personal regime, and tenacity; while a team-sport player can cite learnings like teamwork, adaptability, compassion, collegiality, responsibility towards others, loyalty, etc.

The same goes for engagements in music, dance, other artforms, social work, traveling. You could pen stories about the kind of people you met during your travels and what all did you learn from them. The romance of roaming around in unfamiliar streets and still finding a charm in doing that, or the beauty of enjoying the process of working towards a common humanitarian cause while it lasts.

This essay should bring out your social and cultural quotient, and basically tell the Admissions Committee how much fun and congenial you can be. Do note that INSEAD categorizes this as “Motivation Essay” for a very strong reason. What you do beyond your work, things that drive you on a daily basis, activities, and interests that you are passionate about, deeply establish your motivations in life and the qualities that define your personality.

Applying to other top schools? You may benefit from the following:

• Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis
• MIT Sloan Essay & Cover Letter
• Wharton MBA Essay Analysis
• Yale SOM Essay Analysis

About the Author

Prashant Tibrewal is the founder of Admit Square Consulting and has mentored 1000+ MBA aspirants to get into top global universities such as Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD, Oxford, HEC, ISB, etc. Prashant has also served on the Board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) and led the AIGAC Conference 2020, attended by admissions officers from 25+ top-ranked MBA programs.

Admit Square Consulting has mentored applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply to top MBA programs. With a proven track record of 10+ years, and admits to universities such as Stanford, MIT, Kellogg, Cambridge, INSEAD, etc., Admit Square was awarded the Most Successful International MBA Consulting Company in India at the India Education Awards, 2019. With a team of Consultants from top business schools such as MIT, Yale, LBS, and Oxford, Admit Square offers 100% Money-back Assurance on its services. You may send your details to [email protected]  for a free profile evaluation.

If you are planning to take the GMAT, we can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare.  Please write to us at [email protected]. We are the most reviewed GMAT prep company on GMAT club  with more than 2500 reviews   and are the only prep company that has delivered more than 700+ scores than any other GMAT club partner .   Why don’t you take a free trial and judge for yourself?

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Suheb Hussain

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• INSEAD Essay Tips and Examples

August 29, 2023

Jeremy Shinewald

INSEAD candidates must respond to four short career-focused queries (a fifth one is optional) and provide three motivation essays (with an optional fourth).  Applicants are also tasked with completing a video component for which they answer four questions as four separate video recordings. Given the total number of prompts, tasks, and questions involved, some candidates could find INSEAD’s essay gauntlet a bit intimidating and likely arduous as well. Read on for our full analysis, which we hope will make the process a little easier to manage.

INSEAD 2023–2024 Essay Tips

Job description 1: briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words maximum)  , job description 2: what would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company instead of going to business school (200 words maximum)  , job description 3: please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words maximum)  , job description 4: discuss your short and long term career aspirations with an mba from insead. (100 words maximum)  .

For the school’s job-related mini essays, we encourage you to start by very carefully parsing exactly what data the school requests for each. Together, these four prompts cover many of the elements seen in a traditional personal statement essay, including info about one’s career to date, interest in the school, and professional goals. However, the topics are clearly separated among individual submissions rather than covered in a cohesive single essay, and INSEAD also asks applicants to comment on their expected progression within their current firm were they to remain there rather than entering business school.

The first prompt requires that you outline roughly six different aspects of your current or most recent position. Be sure that you address each of the elements the school lists, and do not skip any just because you would rather write more about some than others. You might also want to consider providing a very brief description of your company or industry, if the nature of either might not be readily clear to an admissions reader. For the second question, your response should be fairly straightforward. If your firm has a clearly defined management hierarchy in which one position leads directly to a higher one—and you would be interested in adhering to that system—you simply need to explain this and perhaps offer a short description of the new responsibilities your next position would entail. If your company does not have such an arrangement or you would want to move in a different direction, simply explain what your preferred next role would be and the duties involved. 

The third prompt is rather self-explanatory with respect to detailing the various stages of your career to date, but do not be remiss in responding to the “rationale” and “choices” aspects of the query. The school wants to know that your progression has not been passive, with you simply accepting the next good thing to come along, but rather that you have made thoughtful decisions with clear motivations and intentions behind them. For the fourth question, you will need to present your professional goals within the context of an INSEAD MBA education. Do your research on the school to identify specific resources it offers that relate directly to the skills and experiences you need to be successful in your career, thereby illustrating how INSEAD would help you achieve your aims. Above all, be sure to show determination and direction—that you are focused firmly on your intended end points and will not be easily deterred. 

For all your job description responses, avoid using any acronyms or abbreviations that would not be easily recognizable to most people. Using shortcuts (in the form of abbreviations/acronyms) and skipping basic contextual information could make your answers less understandable and therefore less compelling and useful to an admissions reader, so do yourself a favor by depicting your situation as clearly as possible. 

As we have noted, these questions cover many elements of a traditional personal statement, so we encourage you to download a free copy of our  mbaMission Personal Statement Guide . In this complimentary publication, we provide a detailed discussion of how to approach such queries and craft effective responses, along with multiple illustrative examples.

Optional Job Essay: If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme. 

With this essay, INSEAD hopes to see signs of your interest in ongoing self-improvement, knowledge or experience collection, and/or giving back. Whether you are choosing to leave your job a few months before the beginning of the MBA program or are asked to do so by your employer, simply explain what you expect do and gain in the interim. The admissions committee wants to know that you are the kind of person who takes advantage of opportunities and to understand what kinds of opportunities appeal to you. For example, perhaps you plan to complete a few quantitative courses to be better equipped to hit the ground running in your related MBA classes, or perhaps you want to spend some time with family members or volunteering in your community because you know that your availability to do so will be limited when you are in school, and you want to maintain those important connections. Maybe you want to focus on improving your foreign language ability before coming to INSEAD, given the importance of this skill in the school’s program. Or you might arrange informational interviews, job-shadowing opportunities, and/or unpaid internships, which could help in various ways with recruiting and job selection. Whatever your goals and plans, clearly convey how you anticipate that your experience(s) will add to or change your character, enhance your skill set, and/or increase your understanding of yourself or others—all of which are valuable in business school.

Motivation Essay 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 (maximum 500 words).  

Although INSEAD’s request for “main factors which have influenced your development” comes in the latter half of this essay prompt, we feel you should actually provide this context for your formative experiences before discussing the strengths and weaknesses you derived from them, because showing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the two is important. The school asks that you offer examples “when necessary,” but your essay will be strongest if you present anecdotes to illustrate and support all your statements. Still, your essay should not end up being a hodgepodge of unconnected anecdotes that reveal strengths. Instead, focus on two or three strengths and one or two weaknesses in the mere 500 words allotted.

As always, be honest about your strengths (do not try to tell the committee what you think it wants to hear; truthfully describe who you legitimately are) and especially about your weaknesses—this is vital. Transparent or disingenuous statements will not fool or convince anyone and will only reveal you as someone incapable of critical self-evaluation.

Motivation Essay 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 (maximum 400 words).  

For this essay, you will need to offer two anecdotes that reveal different sides of you as an applicant, describing a high moment from your life and a low moment. Because the school also asks you to address how these incidents subsequently influenced your interactions with others and what lessons they taught you, you must identify stories that not only involve a significant incident but also affected you personally in a meaningful and long-lasting way. These elements of your essay are just as important as the accomplishment and the failure you choose to share; your unique thoughts can differentiate you from other applicants, and showing that you recognize how these incidents changed you and your relations with others demonstrates your self-awareness and capacity for growth. Steer clear of trite and clichéd statements about your takeaways, and really reflect on these situations to uncover your deeper reactions and impressions. For example, everyone gains some level of resiliency from a failure, so you must offer something less common and more compelling and personal.

Be aware that the best failure essays are often those that show reasoned optimism and tremendous momentum toward a goal—a goal that is ultimately derailed. In most cases, you will need to show that you were emotionally invested in your project/experience, which will enable the reader to connect with your story and vicariously experience your disappointment. If you were not invested at all, presenting the experience as a failure or learning experience will be less credible.

Motivation Essay 3: Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (maximum 300 words)   

Although stereotypes about the top MBA programs abound—this school wants consultants, that school is for marketing professionals, this other one is for techies and entrepreneurs—the truth is that they all want a diverse incoming class, full of people with various strengths and experiences that they can share with one another for the good of all. Discussing how you choose to spend your free time—explaining why your chosen activities are important to you and what you derive from them—provides the admissions committee with a window into your personality outside the workplace and classroom and an idea of what you could contribute to the student body and INSEAD as a whole.

Optional Motivation Essay: Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (maximum 300 words) 

We tend to believe that the best use of the optional essay is to explain confusing or problematic issues in your candidacy, and this prompt offers an opportunity to do just that. So, if you need to, this is your chance to address any questions an admissions officer might have about your profile—a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, a gap in your work experience, etc. We suggest downloading your free copy of the mbaMission Optional Essays Guide , in which we offer detailed advice on deciding whether to take advantage of the optional essay and how best to do so (with multiple sample essays), if needed.

INSEAD does not stipulate that you can only discuss a problem area in this essay, however, so you have some leeway to share anything you think might be pivotal or particularly compelling. We caution you against trying to fill this space simply because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you. Remember, by submitting an additional essay, you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so you need to make sure that time is warranted. If you are using the essay to emphasize something that if omitted would render your application incomplete, take this opportunity to write a very brief narrative that reveals this key new aspect of your candidacy.

After submitting your INSEAD application, you will need to complete a video interview consisting of four questions. You will be given 45 seconds in which to consider your answer to each one and then 60 seconds in which to deliver it. You have until 48 hours after the deadline for the round in which you apply to complete this element of the process, but we strongly recommend doing so sooner rather than later while your mind is still in application mode and to ensure you do not somehow forget this task or have to rush through it at the end of the allotted time period.

Because all INSEAD admissions interviews are conducted by the school’s alumni, this is a way for members of the admissions committee to virtually “meet” candidates and supplement the information provided in the written portions of the application. This video component gives the committee direct and dynamic insight into applicants’ character and personality, as well as another angle on their language abilities. About the videos, INSEAD says on its site, “The MBA Admissions Committee is interested in obtaining an authentic view of you as a person, to see how you think on your feet and how you convey your ideas.” So when the time comes for you to record your responses, do your best to relax, answer genuinely, and let your true self shine through!

Learn more about INSEAD’s academic program, elective courses, location, facilities, and other key features by downloading your free copy of the mbaMission INSEAD Insider’s Guide .

The Next Step: Mastering Your INSEAD Interview

Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. We therefore offer our free  Interview Guides  to spur you along! Download your  free  copy of the  INSEAD Interview Guide  today.

2023-2024 Business School Essays INSEAD International Business Schools MBA Essay Tips

Tags: business school essay INSEAD international programs MBA application essays optional essay video essay

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2023–2024 MBA Essay Tips

• Berkeley Haas School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• BU Questrom School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Cambridge Judge Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Chicago Booth School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management Essay and Examples
• Dartmouth Tuck School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Duke Fuqua School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Emory Goizueta Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Esade Essay Tips and Examples
• Georgetown McDonough School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Harvard Business School 2+2 Deferred MBA Program Essay Analysis 2024
• Harvard Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• HEC Paris Essay Tips and Examples
• HKUST Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IESE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Essay Tips and Examples
• Ivey Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• London Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Michigan Ross School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• MIT Sloan School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• NYU Stern School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Ohio Fisher College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Oxford Saïd Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• SMU Cox School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Stanford Graduate School of Business Application Essay Tips and Examples
• Texas McCombs School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Essay Tips and Examples
• The Wharton School Essay Tips and Examples
• Toronto Rotman School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UCLA Anderson School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• USC Marshall School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UVA Darden School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UW Foster School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Essay Analysis, 2023–2024
• Villanova School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Yale School of Management Essay Tips and Examples

Click here for the 2022–2023 MBA Essay Tips

MBA Program Updates

• Berkeley-Haas
• Boston University (Questrom)
• Cambridge Judge Business School
• Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
• Columbia University (Columbia Business School)
• Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Cornell University (Johnson)
• Dartmouth College (Tuck)
• Duke University (Fuqua)
• Emory University (Goizueta)
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• Georgetown University (McDonough)
• Harvard University (Harvard Business School)
• IE Business School
• IESE Business School
• Indian School of Business
• Indiana University (Kelley)
• Ivey Business School
• London Business School
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• New York University (Stern)
• Northwestern University (Kellogg)
• Notre Dame (Mendoza)
• Ohio State University (Fisher College)
• Oxford University (Saïd Business School)
• Penn State Smeal College of Business
• Rotman School of Management
• Saïd Business School
• Southern Methodist University (Cox School of Business)
• Stanford University (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
• University of California Los Angeles (Anderson)
• University of Cambridge (Judge)
• University of Chicago (Booth)
• University of London (London Business School)
• University of Michigan (Ross)
• University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Southern California (Marshall)
• University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)
• University of Virginia (Darden)
• Vanderbilt University (Owen)
• Villanova School of Business
• Yale University (School of Management)

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2023-2024 INSEAD MBA Essay Analysis and Tips

Admit expert.

• August 7, 2023

With a total of 2,000 words across seven essays, the INSEAD application essays are among the longest of any top-tier business school. And that doesn’t count the two essays that aren’t required.

When you’re just starting out and looking at a blank page, this can be scary. But after working with many applicants we’ve understood that the INSEAD application gives you the best chance to tell your story and make a strong case for yourself than almost any other business school application out there.

There are 2 types of essays that INSEAD asks all the candidates to submit:

• Career essay
• Motivation essay

In this article, we have shared tips and analyses for all these essays which are a part of the INSEAD MBA application for the 2024 intake:

Career Essay 1

Career essay 2.

• Career Essay 3 

Career Essay 4

Career essay 5 (optional), motivation essay 1 analysis, create lists, rethink strengths and weaknesses, ‘measure’ impact, motivation essay 3 analysis, discuss intention and motivation, re-define enrichment, optional essay, let us help you get into insead, insead mba essay analysis.

Briefly summarize your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (word limit – 200 words)

The goal of this question is to give the reader an idea of where you are in your career right now. Don’t think too much about it, because you’ll have plenty of time in later essays and other parts of your application to go into more detail about your big achievements. 

Make sure to tell us your job title, organization, where you work, and what your main responsibilities are.

Even if you’ve worked at the same company for a long time, it’s best to stay focused on your current role and duties, as directed. Consider that this will serve as the adcom’s introduction to your application, so you may want to give the reader a sense of where you fit in the company’s organizational structure and what you do for a living.

Feel free to list a few accomplishments if there’s room, but don’t list the same one you wrote about in your accomplishments essay again in another part of the application. 

Include leadership and teamwork if they are important, as well as any international projects or work that has an international scope. As much as possible, try to use numbers to convey your impact.

What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company? (200 words max)

The admissions committee seeks to obtain a sense of your present career momentum by focusing on what your next logical move would be in their current firm (i.e. without an MBA). 

You should be able to explain how you plan to take on more responsibility in the future, whether it be in terms of project size and complexity, the number of personnel you manage, or the company’s financial results. 

If applicable, you should also include an idea of when you expect to be promoted to this position. You should be able to provide a thorough response in 100-150 words for this question due to the fact that the information needed is more limited than the other short responses in this section.

But if you don’t have a natural progression in your organization, you may want to take a different method. You’ll have to watch your language and refrain from blaming management for your lack of advancement or sense of stagnation. 

If you don’t think you’ll be able to progress in the same company because of external factors like the company’s size, location requirements if you’d have to switch office headquarters, the skill set required to advance (ideally skills that an MBA would provide), or another existing roadblock, then you should state that you don’t expect that you’ll be able to do so in the future. 

Once you’ve proven that an MBA is a sole key that unlocks the door to the future, you may discuss how an MBA can help you achieve your goals.

Do you want to impress the INSEAD Adcom?

At Admit Expert, we have helped hundreds of students get into top MBA programs around the world. We would be happy to help you too. Schedule a free call with us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your goals.

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Career Essay 3  

Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words max)

This essay allows you to go beyond your resume and explain why you made the decisions you did. Make sure to give it the attention it deserves as a part of your broader narrative as an application. 

Writing this essay gives you the opportunity to elaborate on aspects of your professional history that might not be immediately apparent from a cursory glance at your resume. 

Remember, the INSEAD adcom is searching for a candidate who can show that their career has progressed in a logical manner and that they have been on an upward trajectory from the beginning. 

Approach this essay prompt chronologically, beginning with your first job and ending with your current position. 

Keep in mind that your resume and a subsequent essay will provide ample opportunity for you to elaborate on your achievements. Insist on showcasing your rise through the ranks at each company, along with notable achievements you’ve had while working there. 

Even if you have substantial job experience or have held multiple different positions, you should save your word count for the most important section of this essay: explaining why you made the decisions you did.

Discuss your short and long term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words max)

Because there are just 100 words to deal with, you’ll need to answer this question both efficiently and effectively. When you’re done with your MBA, what is your immediate post-MBA professional ambition, and where do you envision yourself in 10 to 15 years?

The position you hope to occupy after completing an MBA school should be named, along with 1-2 organizations where you would like to work. Sample company names and suggestions for specific job titles will help you get a better sense of what you’re looking for. Geographic location can be included. Ideally, try to include a few phrases describing why you are so enthusiastic about this career path.

Also discuss your long-term goals for the next 10 to 15  years by describing the role you expect to play, as well as the influence you hope to make in that job. If there is enough room, it would be a good idea to discuss how an MBA could help achieve these goals, and why INSEAD is an excellent choice.

If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme. 

There is no word limit, but we recommend limiting your response to 300 words. INSEAD has added a question that gives people who are unemployed a chance to explain their situation. 

There is also a section for people who plan to take more than two months off between the time they submit their applications and the time they start INSEAD’s program. 

In either case, applicants should show that they are (or will be, if they are taking a leave) actively building skills, making connections, and moving closer to their career goals. 

This essay is a great place to talk about how you plan to make the most of the time between applying to INSEAD and starting the program. 

For example, you could talk about how you plan to do more volunteer work, go to more conferences and professional development workshops, try to get a short-term job before starting the MBA program, or make other plans.

Motivation Essay 1

Give a candid description of yourself, 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. (500 words max)

INSEAD’s “candid description” essay seeks your authenticity and vulnerability as you delve into the enjoyable facets of your life beyond the formal academic and professional dimensions.

Be mindful not to mention hobbies or sports in this segment, as those will be addressed in a subsequent question. Instead, concentrate on delineating your character through 5-6 distinct qualities.

Utilize these traits as foundational pillars to construct an intricate portrait of your identity, interwoven with life events that molded you into this person.

Infuse vibrancy into your portrayal by intermingling self-assessed attributes with vivid anecdotes.

Moreover, delve into the reasons you believe each quality accurately characterizes you. Strive for a balanced overview by incorporating traits that resonate well on both a resume and in an interview, while also revealing your personality beyond professional realms.

How to write INSEAD’s Motivation Essay 1

Tips to write effectively:.

Craft a list of qualities that aptly define you. Alongside each attribute, create a parallel segment where you can either relate it to an event that highlighted this trait or emphasize its innate nature.

This catalog serves as the foundation upon which to construct your response. For instance, if portraying yourself as outgoing and a people person, expound on your natural affinity for striking up conversations with strangers.

Elaborate on the enrichment you derive from these interactions—learning and sharing insights. Illustrate how this quality intertwines with your community-building pursuits, propelling members to engage in philanthropic local activities, such as cleaning a nearby pond or organizing events for the marginalized.

Embrace the concept of ‘weakness’ as a pathway to personal growth. Uncover the reasons behind your ongoing struggle with this facet, narrating your evolving awareness of its significance in your life. Maintain a candid and transparent tone throughout this exploration.

Shifting to your strengths, illuminate the path that led you to perceive these attributes as valuable assets. Elaborate on specific instances where you harnessed these strengths not just for your own benefit, but also to create positive impacts for those around you. Move beyond mere restatements of well-known traits; instead, craft engaging narratives that lend richness to your descriptions. This approach will infuse your portrayals with depth, offering an insightful glimpse into your character.

• Start with a confident introduction, listing a couple of strengths and weaknesses that best define you.
• Elaborate on why you consider these traits to be the most representative of you.
• Further delve into how these characteristics have impacted your life, either fostering personal growth or presenting challenges.
• Conclude by briefly outlining your strategies to harness your strengths and address your weaknesses.

Motivation Essay 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. (400 words max)

Motivation Essay 2 Analysis

Given the limited word count, focus on briefly summarizing the achievement or failure. Prioritize discussing takeaways and the impact on relationships.

This allows more space to elaborate on your communication and interpersonal skills during highs and lows. Friends and family influence how we perceive and celebrate both successes and setbacks, shaping our growth.

Acknowledge the shared challenges of being part of a larger community, bridging personal and professional spheres. When addressing your takeaways, emphasize your key sources of support and challenges.

Explain how these individuals have uniquely contributed to your growth. Explore how these dynamics have influenced your relationships, not only with them but also with others in your life.

Tips to write effectively

Consider the various types of impact – emotional, financial, and social – when delving into the effects of achievements or failures on your relationships. Categorize these impacts to establish clearer connections to the shifts in your life. Reflect on how each impact, regardless of scale, collectively contributed to reshaping your perspective and personal growth. While identifying these impacts is important, go beyond and explain why they left a significant imprint, why they remain relevant, and how you intend to apply the lessons moving forward.

• Introduce the achievement by setting the scene and context. Then, expand on the specific reasons that make this achievement remarkable and why it holds such importance.
• Shift the focus to how this achievement had an impact on different aspects of your life, particularly your personal and professional relationships. Explore the ripple effects it created in these areas.
• Follow the same structure when discussing a failure. Provide context and details about the failure, and then explain why it holds significance as a learning experience.
• Conclude by emphasizing the main lessons you’ve extracted from both instances. Describe how these insights will shape your future actions and decisions.

Motivation Essay 3

Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (300 words max)

Within this question lies an opportunity to build upon your hobbies and philanthropic endeavors, allowing the admissions committee to glimpse the vibrant tapestry of your identity.

It’s crucial to thoughtfully establish connections between your interests and the way they illuminate both your strengths and weaknesses.

Before delving into specifics, provide a brief context about what motivated you to explore these paths. Following this, synthesize your thoughts to reveal how engaging in diverse activities has catalyzed your personal growth.

Convey your intention to sustain this trajectory, emphasizing your openness to embracing challenges and absorbing life’s lessons.

For instance, if your explorations encompass extensive travel, elaborate on the destinations you chose, the transformative encounters you experienced, and the self-discoveries you made.

Finally, illustrate instances where you ventured outside your comfort zone, underlining your readiness to confront challenges and embrace life’s myriad opportunities.

As you discuss your hobbies and interests, delve into the factors that guided your choice. Did a movie, a person, or a natural inclination spark your interest?

Once you began, share whether pursuing this hobby was smooth or challenging, and explain why you continue along this path.

Whether your hobby brings you joy and accomplishment or presents challenges, explore it further. If it brings happiness, expand on those positive aspects.

If it poses difficulties, describe how overcoming them has readied you for tougher challenges ahead.

While highlighting your enthusiasm for your hobby is important, also use this opportunity to lay the foundation for discussing your personal growth and development.

After you’ve elaborated on your motivations and intentions, explore your perspective on enrichment. Go beyond personal development and consider how it contributes to your life. Whether it serves as a stress reliever, a lens to view the world differently, a creative outlet, or a means of finding personal space and rest, discuss what “enrichment” signifies to you. This could encompass anything from integrating gratitude in your life to pushing your boundaries and discovering new horizons.

• Introduce your hobby briefly, sketching a timeline that highlights why you initially ventured into this interest.
• Explore the enduring motivation that keeps you engaged in this hobby regularly.
• Dedicate the most extensive portion of your essay to detailing how this hobby enriches your life. Delve into its role as a stress-reliever, a transformative lens for viewing the world, a medium of creative expression, or a haven of personal solace.
• Conclude by outlining your plans to carry forward this hobby and its enriching impact. Share your vision for deepening your engagement and ensuring that its positive influence continues to shape your journey.

Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (300 words, maximum)

Applicants are encouraged to contribute any material that they believe is relevant to their application in this openly phrased optional essay (in addition, of course, to explaining extenuating circumstances or acknowledging weaknesses in their applications). Candidates should, however, keep in mind that INSEAD’s essay prompts span a wide range of topics, so it’s a good idea to see if their essay answers any of these questions.

We will help you write essays that portray your unique strengths and experiences in the most favorable light so that your application shines above the rest. We have helped hundreds of students get into top US and European business schools. Let us help you too.

Do you want to get into your dream business school?

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2023-2024 INSEAD Essay Analysis

May 1, 2023

• Who is INSEAD looking for?
• How should I answer INSEAD essay questions?
• Get expert help

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on August 1, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below.

With business increasingly taking place across borders and popular industries (we’re looking at you, tech!) moving at a breakneck speed, INSEAD is a more popular target for business school applicants than ever. 

Though INSEAD offers two intakes each year, the increased attention the school has garnered makes it more competitive than ever to earn a spot at this prestigious business school. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your INSEAD admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips but have also included INSEAD sample essays to ensure you give your INSEAD application your best shot. 

1. Who is INSEAD looking for?

Source: remessaonline.com

“The accelerated full-time MBA programme curriculum develops successful, thoughtful leaders and entrepreneurs who create value for their organisations and their communities, and we are looking for smart, well-rounded candidates who believe that business can be a force for good.” Minh Huy Lai , Managing Director of the INSEAD MBA Program.

Every year, INSEAD searches the globe for outstanding, globally-minded professionals. More than 75 countries are represented in INSEAD’s MBA class . With a strong emphasis on diversity, collaboration, and global mindset , there is a lot of variation in the INSEAD class, with previous work experience ranging from 3 to 8 years . 

Beyond the impressive statistics, though, INSEAD is a highly values-driven community that values diversity, adaptability and teamwork — and professionals who are adept at putting these values into practice in their daily lives. 

According to INSEAD’s admissions committee:

 “The MBA Admissions team are looking for people with intellectual curiosity, personal qualities to contribute to the many INSEAD activities and a desire to stretch themselves in a rigorous academic programme. We welcome applications from around the world regardless of race, religion, gender, colour or financial status. Our aim is to build an exciting, dynamic and diverse student body.​”

If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering INSEAD’s highly varied, challenging  admissions essay questions. 

2. How should I answer INSEAD essay questions?

Writing any admission essay is a tough task. However, INSEAD requires applicants to submit a highly-challenging set of nearly a dozen essays that discuss everything from strengths to failures to personal characteristics to future plans to extracurricular activities. 

Keep reading for a more in-depth look at how to turn this advice into outstanding essays!

2.1. Motivational Essay 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. (500 words)

Considering the fact that you only have 500 words to present yourself , this essay can seem like a daunting task. However, we have found that the following structure helps this essay flow nicely and perfectly nail the brief. 

We suggest including two strengths and one weakness (in any order you prefer), and a theme to connect them all. 

As you can see in Motivational Essay Sample Set 1 (available for download below), the author uses his passion for digital as the theme for his essay, comparing various technical processes to strengths and weaknesses in his personality before ending by stating his working to become version 2.0 of himself. 

Many people argue initially that their personality should be enough of a theme. This can definitely work, however, we have found that a more robust theme that integrates with and connects to your characteristics makes for a more interesting, cohesive essay . It will also help you discuss what led you to develop the unique characteristics that make you you! 

Finally, please ( please !) do not use a fake or made up weakness. Your weakness should be thoughtful , yet appropriate for business school. 

Talking about how you often fight with superiors, for example, is not appropriate for business school, since the experience is inherently collaborative and teamwork driven, so make sure you don’t build an argument that you have a hard time relating to others. Furthermore, answers like losing your temper easily or being lazy are not good choices. 

You also don’t want to stray too far to the other side, choosing answers like “I work too hard.” Instead, choose real, well-considered weaknesses and include information about why this personal trait is a weakness. 

REMEMBER: your weaknesses should be an obstacle to other strengths and NOT one of your inherent flaws. 

For example, if you tend to get lost in the details, show the adcom that this has led to negative feedback at work, where you’re increasingly asked to take care of your team’s big picture responsibilities. 

Finally, end by showing how you are working on this weakness. The important thing here is not to show you are a “perfect” person, but to show them that you are mature, self-aware, and focused on self-improvement. 

TOP TIP: There is a lot of space for repetition with Essay 2, so we suggest planning out all your examples for all essays and double-checking for any conflicts before you start writing. 

Need more guidance? Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of past successful INSEAD essays and a detailed brainstorm to help you plan out a winning INSEAD essay. Our library also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join ! 

2.2. Motivational Essay 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. (400 words)

For many of our clients, this is the most difficult essay to write, considering the sheer amount of content applicants must cram into a 400-word essay. 

However, with the right approach , this essay can be much less daunting. 

First, we suggest you brainstorm a list of your greatest accomplishments and greatest failures.  

After doing this, filter out examples that are contradictory to Essay 1 (for example, your achievement revolves around being an excellent presenter and your weakness in Essay 1 is presentation skills) or that overlap with stories you are telling in other essays. 

After this, go through the list again and remove examples that have nothing to do with other people. 

This is incredibly important because this essay is not asking you to discuss your life’s absolute greatest mess up, it’s asking you to talk about a failure and discuss how it influenced your relationships with others . 

For example, while brainstorming this essay, many of our clients suggest writing about not passing at their top choice undergraduate university for their failure. Though this is certainly a crushing blow, it’s hard to talk about how this impacted the way you relate to others. An example like not asking for help and failing to deliver on a project, on the other hand, is a much better choice. 

As such, be absolutely sure that you choose examples that allow you to answer the full question. 

Finally, given the short word count, you may want to consider a situation where you experienced a failure, learned from it, and turned things around to lead to your greatest achievement. Though you certainly don’t have to follow this model (and many of our successful clients have not), it can help shorten the word count by eliminating the need to provide context for two situations. 

TOP TIP: STAR-format examples work best here. If you’re not sure how to achieve this, check out this post , designed to help you use the STAR methodology easily and effectively in your essays. 

2.3. Motivational Essay 3

Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc.). How are you enriched by these activities? (300 words)

Here, we suggest choosing a few different activities you currently participate in (or have meaningfully participated in previously). 

These can be a range of activities, from hobbies to community service to sports, etc. If you can, try to choose activities that reinforce you’re a globally-minded, team-oriented person and use this space to highlight new elements of your profile that you did not discuss elsewhere. 

No matter what you choose, you must justify how each activity has enriched you . 

You don’t have to get overly dramatic here and state that soccer saved your life (if it did, though, write about that!), but make sure to show a mature, thoughtful analysis of how this activity has led you to grow as a person. 

2.4. Optional Motivational Essay

Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the admissions committee? (300 words)

As with nearly all elite business schools, INSEAD does not want to see a summary of your profile or a restatement of why you want to attend INSEAD. Considering they give you 8 other essay questions and a video essay , you have plenty of space to make your most important arguments within the confines of the application. 

However, if you have extenuating circumstances that merit additional explanation (a good overview of what kind of circumstances qualify can be found here ), make sure to explain them clearly and directly. 

2.5. Job Essay 1

Job Essay 1: Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words)

For this question, the most important thing is to answer all elements of the question and maintain focus on your current role . 

You’ll have plenty of room to discuss your past career choices and future ambitions in other essays, so make sure you give the adcom a full picture of what you do on a daily basis. 

If you’re currently working on a particularly interesting project, you can include information about the project and your related responsibilities, but don’t bog your reader down with an exhaustive list of every project and result you’ve ever obtained in your current role. 

Should you feel a little bit of context is necessary to understand your current role, feel free to provide it. Keep in mind, however, that you’re given an entire essay to discuss your career choices leading up to the present day. 

Finally, make sure to include the data they ask for, specifically related to the budget and the number of people you manage. 

2.6. Job Essay 2

What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company instead of going to business school? (200 words).

Depending on how complex this next role will be, this might be a very short answer or a slightly longer one. 

Here, focus on your next logical step in your current organization ( whether you intend to return post-MBA or not ). By asking this, the committee is attempting to gauge your career progress and momentum thus far. 

Thus, highlight how the complexity and scope of your position would increase, especially making sure to note any additional leadership or management responsibilities. You may also want to mention a feasible timeline for being promoted to this role. 

2.7. Job Essay 3

Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words).

Here, INSEAD does not want a 2-page dramatic retelling of your CV, so make sure you start writing this essay with your ultimate goal in mind. 

We suggest applicants take this opportunity to show the “whys and hows” of their career choices thus far, specifically focusing on what led you to move from one company or role to another and what you learned. It’s also a good practice to highlight any of your “blockbuster” moments to establish a track record of excellence in your career. 

Furthermore, show the adcom your career is on an upward trajectory by including information about increased responsibilities with each new role. 

As for size, try to keep it short, but use your best judgment. If you’ve had 10 positions since graduating university, your essay will likely be longer than someone who has had 2-3 positions at one company in the same amount of time. 

Though this is not a traditional goals essay, you may find it helpful to think of this as the “setup” section of a goals essay, since you’re required to demonstrate how your trajectory thus far has prepared you for the goals you plan to pursue post-MBA. 

2.8. Job Essay 4

Discuss your short and long term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words).

Unlike many other schools, INSEAD poses a very straightforward goals question that asks you to discuss your short-term and long-term goals, as well as your need for an INSEAD MBA. 

Considering the fact that you’ve just told the admissions committee about your past experiences, we recommend jumping right in and starting to discuss your short-term goal, namely, the job you hope to have right after graduation. 

Then, continue by discussing why you want to pursue this goal , before moving on to stating your long-term goal (this varies, but somewhere in the 5-10 year range is a good target) and the reason for wanting to pursue this goal as well. 

Though it can be tempting to be vague or generic here, that’s not going to help your application.

INSEAD, like all elite business schools, will use this essay to determine your career risk (i.e. the likelihood of you getting the job you’ve said you want after graduation). As such, specificity is an absolute necessity (include both title and industry). 

Finally, if you’re pursuing goals that are very loosely related to what you’ve done thus far, make sure you fully explore why you’re making such a drastic change and give any evidence you can that you’ll be successful in making this big shift. 

Show the admissions committee you recognize that you still need to grow as a person and as a professional in order to successfully reach the goals you’ve laid out. To do this, consider key skills that you need to build or develop that are specifically related to your plans. 

For example, if you’re planning to pursue partnership at a major consulting firm, pitching clients will become a huge part of your job description, so improving your abilities to do so is important. 

On the other hand, if your post-MBA goal requires managing a huge team, you may want to think about how you need to grow as a leader and manager to successfully rise to the occasion.

After you’ve identified your skill areas, show how specific elements of the INSEAD experience will help you develop. 

Finally, it’s worth mentioning how and why you might benefit from being part of INSEAD’s highly global MBA. Regardless of what you choose to write about, make sure you do extensive research into the INSEAD program and deeply reflect on your future goals before you start writing. 

TOP TIP: Not sure how to define your goals for your MBA application? Check out our guide on the topic here !

2.9. Optional Job Essay

If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme.

If you are currently unemployed or plan to leave your position early, make sure to show how you will use this time off to develop your skills and bring yourself closer to reaching your short-term and long-term goals. 

Ensuring you offer specifics about what you’ll be doing and showing how you intend to be enriched by your activities will be a convincing argument in showing your commitment to pursuing an MBA and your goals beyond. 

If you’re not sure if you’ll leave your job early or not, we recommend not writing this essay. 

3. Make Sure You Get into INSEAD

Are you almost finished with your application but are still worried your essay is not quite perfect enough to send? 

At Ellin Lolis Consulting, our goal is to add more value to your application than you ever thought possible by giving you the tools and positioning you need to write outstanding essays that help you gain admission to a top MBA program.

If you’re struggling to put your core values into words, or aren’t sure you’ve really nailed the brief for INSEAD, let our award-winning editors use their expert storytelling abilities to help you transform your essay from average to attention-grabbing and land an INSEAD interview. 

That’s how we helped our recent client Georgia navigate her application. 

After all, you don’t get into a prestigious business school without standing out!

4. INSEAD Deadlines

INSEAD has two deadlines each year, one for the September intake and one for the January intake. Please check INSEAD’s website directly for the most recent information about deadlines! 

You can start your online application by clicking here . 

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INSEAD MBA Essays: Question Prompts & Successful Sample Essays

By Arvind Kumar

31 July 2023

INSEAD MBA Motivation Essays: Question Prompts

Essay 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 (maximum 500 words).

Essay 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(maximum 400 words).

Essay 3: Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (maximum 300 words)

Essay 4 (Optional) : Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (maximum 300 words)

INSEAD MBA Job Description Questions: Question Prompts

Question 1: Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words maximum)

Question 2: What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company instead of going to business school? (200 words maximum)

Question 3: Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words maximum)

Question 4: Discuss your short and long-term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words maximum)

Question 5 (Optional): If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme. 

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INSEAD MBA Motivation Essays – Successful Sample Essays

Looking back on my life, I would say my journey so far has been one of using mental resilience and adaptability to overcome adversity. My mental fortitude has helped me deal with the pressures of running a sprawling business and with bouncing back from its eventual failure. I have had to stay strong due to my father’s chronic kidney failure and subsequent transplant, while at the same time managing multi-million client projects in my day job and running a fledgling business on the side. These high-pressure life experiences have helped me develop a strong work ethic, intense focus and a deep appreciation for the value of teamwork.

I become self-reliant and adaptable to change at an early age. My family periodically relocated cities due to my parents’ transferable job, and I had to develop the ability to take in the new circumstances and make friends quickly. This habit served me well later on in life when I was selected for a prestigious undergraduate internship at the University of Bath, UK. I felt invigorated and excited by the exposure to a new culture. Interacting with a diverse group of people imparted a sense of belonging in me after my fragmented childhood social life.

Another trait which has helped me in my professional life is my appetite for competition – I am excited in the face of a challenge and always put my best foot forward. After coming back from the UK I set my sights on securing a consulting analyst role at one of the MBBs. Despite competition from 400 of my fellow students, I was the sole person selected for the top business consulting internship at Microsoft from my college. Through my dedication and with the help of my prestigious internships I finally achieved my goal and secured a placement offer as an analyst at Bain. 

My ambitious and dedicated nature also has its downsides, in that I sometimes take big risks without adequate preparation, and put too much pressure on myself when I am not ready to handle it. This trait is what made me abandon my placement offer at Bain to try and save my newly established family business. Despite my best efforts I was unable to prevent its failure. In hindsight, I can clearly see that I did not have the requisite business experience and skills to take on that challenge, and I should not have taken that risk. 

My resilience and determination helped me to bounce back from this failure. I got back into consulting with an Analyst role at (Confidential), where I achieved 2 promotions in subsequent years through my hard work and dedication. I combined my learnings and utilised my strengths to launch new entrepreneurial ventures in the F&B space, which I have grown to $100K+ in revenue in the first year itself. I feel the INSEAD MBA is the perfect place to work on my areas of improvement and utilise my strengths to take my career forward.

My professional career has been deeply influenced by certain pivotal events and the important learnings I have taken from them. Chief amongst these has been my first entrepreneurial attempt – during my last year of college, my father and I started a dairy farm business with our family’s savings. It quickly became apparent that the business was struggling, and I felt compelled to abandon my placement offer of consulting analyst at Bain to join the start-up in an attempt to safeguard my family’s fortunes. However, due to unfavourable market conditions and our own mismanagement arising from inexperience, we were unable to rescue the business and had to shut down with massive losses.

I learned a very hard lesson—good intentions and hard work are not enough to compensate for a lack of experience and business acumen. Indeed, this pivotal experience has shaped me profoundly and made me value business experience and know-how as critical attributes. I used these learnings and experiences as my bedrock while starting my second business – The Charcuterie Co. Starting and growing this business has been my most significant professional achievement.

I started this company in 2021 to translate my passion for European gourmet food to the Indian palette. However, as soon as I had started this venture along with my day job, my father was diagnosed with kidney failure. I had invested my life’s savings into my business and I could not justify shutting it down; thereby losing my investment and rendering my newly hired staff redundant. 

My family and I continued battling against all odds, and we arranged for a kidney transplant. My father is now on the path to recovery and is doing well. Despite the difficult circumstances, I stayed mentally strong, continued working on my business and built up to monthly £13,000 in sales. Turning the business into a success after the tough start has been even more meaningful to me after my first failed attempt at entrepreneurship. I will aim to translate this mental fortitude as well as my entrepreneurial mindset to my career and life post my MBA.

Having grown up and extensively travelled in underdeveloped parts of India, I have had the chance to see food-poverty and its devastating effects firsthand. Since my college days I have been volunteering with various charities such as the Rotaract club and the Delhi NCR Foodbank to do my part in eradicating food insecurity in India. Using my businesses in the F&B space I play an active role in making and distributing food packets, most recently with the Chattarpur AKSM Trust Foundation. Helping to combat India’s food poverty problem is incredibly fulfilling, and I feel this endeavour has helped me grow into a more empathetic person.

Through my business I have partnered with some of India’s largest art galleries and exhibitions in the past year, and have subsequently developed a passion for art and creative design. I am a member of the Bikaner House Art Collective which has given me the chance to interact with India’s biggest artists, such as Paresh Maity and Jayasri Burman. This exposure to the art scene in India has furthered my own creativity and encouraged out of the box thinking in my business pursuits. 

I also enjoy physical exercise and sports. I am an active member of the Siri Fort Sports Club. I have run half-marathons before the COVID pandemic and am currently in training to run a full marathon before starting my MBA program. Working out has made me more disciplined and mentally strong as a person, and has helped me be more productive throughout my day.

Other than this, I am an active member of my college’s mentorship group. I have recently mentored 2 juniors in business fundamentals and case studies and helped them gain their dream consulting jobs, which has been a personal high point for me in the past year. 

Essay 4 (Optional): Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (maximum 300 words)

One of the reasons I am attracted to the INSEAD MBA program is its emphasis on diversity, inclusion and international experience. The program also places an emphasis on its cohort having strong international experience and a history of working with diverse team members. I believe I satisfy these criteria and will be a good fit with the dynamic and diverse cohort at INSEAD. 

I have spent most of my professional career working with international clients and teammates. Starting with my 3 month internship at University of Bath, UK, where I worked on a robotics project with a team comprising people from over 20 nationalities. This was an exciting opportunity for me and I found it exhilarating to work alongside people from different backgrounds and nationalities.

During my time at (Confidential) I exclusively worked for international clients in my 3 year stint, during the majority of which all my managers and team were based in either America or Europe. I worked alongside people from the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain and Costa Rica on a daily basis. I was also in line to be internally transferred to the US. This however did not end up happening due to the COVID pandemic and my father’s subsequent medical problems. 

I am intent on joining INSEAD due to its focus on consulting careers, incredibly diverse cohort and the culture of excellence which the school embodies. I have had several conversations with current INSEAD students who have all encouraged my application and given me valuable insight into the school. I look forward to the chance to travel extensively and learn from and alongside a diverse cohort at INSEAD.

Learn from  Adhiraj’s insights on his successful INSEAD admit with scholarships . 

INSEAD MBA Job Description Questions – Successful Sample Essays

I am currently managing 2 companies, both of which I have founded in the last 18 months. The first is a gourmet food delivery and catering company which I started from my home kitchen and have grown to a team of 20 employees with monthly revenues of ~€15,000. In my day to day work I oversee quality control, drive new product ideation, handle high value customers, review marketing and sales performance and manage HR issues.

The second is a hospitality consulting business which I run with my business partner and chef. There are 5 employees, and our average monthly revenue is ~ €4,500. I am directly responsible for new lead generation and conversion through sales platforms and my professional network. I advise my clients on their overall business strategy, build their brand concepts and run PMOs for their projects.

Previously I have worked as an Associate Consultant at a boutique management consultancy where I led a team of 5 analysts and managed client projects with average baselines of ~$30M – $200M. My diverse experiences have helped improve my business acumen and team management skills, and I look forward to contributing my experience to the INSEAD MBA cohort.

My current aim is to continue growing both of my businesses and achieving sustainable profitability while transitioning myself to a hands-off chairman role instead of an executive role. In the short term my aim is to get back into the corporate world and progress my consultancy career. I feel the best way to set my business up for success is to recruit experts in the field, empower them to deliver their ideas and give them the tools for success while I gain further experience, connections and capital through my consultancy career. I feel the INSEAD MBA is the perfect place for me to build these capabilities while simultaneously enhancing my profile in order to better negotiate start-up funding for my businesses.

If I were to not go to business school I would still try to transition back to a consultancy career to build my skills and connections. I would target a Consultant role and aim for a company where I have the possibility of internally transitioning to a strategic consulting role in a European/US geography within 2-3 years. Simultaneously I would also begin exploring angel investment options for one of my businesses instead of waiting for sustained profitability.

At the time of my graduation from college I had secured a placement offer from Bain for a consulting analyst profile. I ultimately chose to not take up this offer and joined my newly started family business in organic and sustainable dairy farming. I became the managing director and had directly oversaw  finances, marketing, sales, product development and quality control. In 1.5 years we grew annual revenue to $180,000 and expanded our distribution network to 5 other cities. Additionally we secured large B2B contracts and negotiated financing in tough COVID market conditions. However, despite our best efforts we could not attain sustainable profitability and had to shut down operations in 2019.

After this setback I joined (Confidential) in 2019 to develop my analytical and consulting skills while gaining direct exposure to client projects. I gained promotions in successive years, advancing from an Analyst profile to an Associate Consultant within 3 years. Towards the end of my tenure was managing a team of 5 analysts while directly handling $30M – $200M categories on billion-dollar projects. I developed a specialisation in logistics and supply chain management with a focus on the North American and European geographies.

In 2021, I launched a gourmet food business while continuing with my day job, with the intention of pursuing my passion as well as giving my entrepreneurial ambitions another chance. In the first year of business, I grew it to $100K+ in revenue and now manage a team of 20 people across different functions and domains. I have also launched a hospitality consulting business where I aim to couple my business skills with my team’s culinary expertise to help young professionals start their own F&B businesses. We have delivered 5 projects in 3 cities in our first 3 months and continue to expand.

Through the INSEAD MBA I am targeting a switch in geography from India to Europe, particularly the UK/Netherlands. I am also planning to switch my profile from an operations/procurement role into a strategy consulting profile at a global consulting firm such as the MBBs, Kearney or Strategy&.

In the long term, I aim to combine the expertise, connections and skills I build in my consulting career with my prior entrepreneurship experience to realise my ambition of becoming an innovation and sustainability focussed entrepreneur. I believe an INSEAD MBA is the perfect path forward to realising this goal.

Question 5: If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme. (Optional)

If I am successful in my application, I plan to take a 2 month vacation before the start of the programme. In this time I will fulfil one of my big dreams – to backpack solo across south east asia and explore the exciting cultures of Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. 

I also aim to take an active role in the organising of the annual Diwali ‘bhandara’ (communal food distribution) at the Chattarpur AKSM Trust Foundation, which feeds up to 500,000 food insecure people on festival days. Helping alleviate India’s crippling food insecurity is one of my personal ambitions and I have partnered with several institutions across Delhi through my food kitchen for social work. I would like to take this endeavour one step forward and actually help organise the massive logistics behind this mammoth charity event.

Another personal goal I would like to complete in this period is to participate in a full-length marathon, for which I have been training for the past 6 months. Having run half-marathons in the past, it would be a big achievement for me to take the next step and cross off a bucket list item.

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Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

June 20, 2022

INSEAD MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [2022 – 2023]

Communication is key for INSEAD – in part because it is a key factor that their recruiters look for. Hence the INSEAD application elicits your communication effectiveness. First, INSEAD asks you to write reflective essays – and to do so succinctly. Balancing this emphasis on written communication is a video component – the adcom wants to see you articulate your thoughts in a spoken, interpersonal setup as well. Ultimately, verbal acuity really matters in the INSEAD program because the ability to comprehend, synthesize, communicate, and act on complex ideas across cultures is central to global leadership .

Motivation is the second driving interest of the INSEAD adcom. The application form terms its three essays “Motivation Essays.” Keep that word “motivation” in clear focus as you draft those essays; it indicates that you should express not just what you’ve done but why – what drives you; what propels your choices, decisions, and actions. These written essays are the first “getting to know you” element. Taken together in both form and content, the written and video components should portray both sophisticated communication abilities and self-awareness of who you are and what inspires you, moves you, propels you forward.

In this post:

• INSEAD application essay tips
• INSEAD application deadlines
• INSEAD class profile

INSEAD MBA 2022-2023 motivation essays

Insead mba essay #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. ( Maximum 500 words )

This question gets to a key point: how well do you know yourself, and are you able to openly acknowledge your motivations and shortcomings? (Perhaps one could interpret it as “Are you mature?”) Note that “strengths” and “weaknesses” are plural – and they should be personal, not professional, characteristics. A personal weakness such as “impatience with detail” could certainly have professional impact, but don’t cite a weakness that is purely work-related.

I suggest 2-3 strengths and 1-2 weaknesses. Provide examples for all of them – these examples can vary in length – sometimes a sentence will suffice. Also, try to bring in anecdotes/examples from outside work and from work. Sometimes, one anecdote can cover both a strength and a weakness, and, also, sometimes, a strength, taken to excess, can turn into a weakness – just possibilities to keep in mind when deciding on content for the essay.

The main formative factors you choose to cite may be related to and integrated with the strengths/weaknesses; in addition, you can discuss key elements of your background that differentiate or distinguish you and are truly key to your personal development.

(NOTE: There is potential for some overlap in this essay with Essay 2, so look at both questions together and organize content before writing them.)

INSEAD MBA essay #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. ( Maximum 400 words )

With only 400 words to describe 2 significant experiences, and the specified discussion points, use stories that can be told without a lot of background information. And keep in mind Essay 1 – don’t use stories that reflect exactly the same messages.  

“Achievement of which you are most proud ” is a high bar, and it can be from either work or outside of work. It also should be something that reveals qualities or attributes about you that are positive and relevant . I suggest using something from the last two to three years. Luckily you don’t have to write about the failure about which you are most ashamed… 😉  Discuss a failure that is specific, fairly recent, and meaty enough to have rattled you a bit. Again, work or non-work topic is fine.

In discussing what you learned from the experiences and how they impacted your relationships, either identify one specific thing each for each story, or integrate “impact relationship” and “what you learned” into one point – avoid broad learnings, as targeted, specific insights will be more thoughtful and illuminating.

INSEAD MBA essay #3

Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc.). How are you enriched by these activities? ( Maximum 300 words )

Simply discuss the range of activities you participate (or have participated) in – those that are major passions, and those that are “just fun” – clarifying their relative role and importance in your life. Be straightforward in how they enriched you – insight is what’s important. Imagine you are meeting with clients or superiors – between the business dealings (and perhaps over a drink), you and they chat about non-work interests – approach this essay like such a conversation. Not quite as casual as with a peer, but still conversational, straightforward, and connecting on a person-to-person level.

INSEAD MBA essay #4 (optional)

Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the admissions committee? (Maximum 300 words)

Use the optional essay to explain anything that needs explaining and/or to give them one more reason to accept you. DON’T use it for a superficial summary, a restatement of your other essays, or anything similarly boring and trite. If you choose to write it, produce a tight, focused essay revealing something you haven’t yet discussed.

INSEAD MBA video component

After you submit your application, you will receive a link inviting you to provide a video interview. Your application will be deemed complete only after you submit  your video interview . Without indication of topic from the adcom, you should be ready for anything – redoing will not be possible. For this application component, presentation matters. If they only wanted content, they could have had written questions. They are looking to see how you respond in “real time” as part of their initial assessment. Find that perfect balance – be yourself, and be professional. Polished, but not slick or contrived. This “perfect balance” will be different for different people, depending on their culture, their personality, their profession. If you haven’t had formal training in presentations, it would be a good idea to try some self-videos with random questions and analyze them, looking as well as listening.

Listen: Virginie Fougea, Global Director of Admissions & Financial Aid on What Prospective MBAs Need to Know >>

For expert guidance with your INSEAD MBA application, check out Accepted’s  MBA Application Packages , which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to INSEAD’s MBA program and look forward to helping you too!

INSEAD MBA application deadlines for August 2023 intake

Source: INSEAD website

INSEAD MBA class profile [2021 graduates]

Here’s an inside look at INSEAD 2021 MBA Graduates. Data taken from the  INSEAD website .

Admits:  795

Average student age:  29

Nationalities:  84

Women:  34%

Average work experience:  6 years

Breakdown of undergraduate majors:

Business / Administration 33%

Engineering 28%

Economics 13%

Sciences 9%

Law / Political Sciences 7%

Humanities and Arts 6%

Media and Communication 1%

Previous industries of students:

Management Consulting 29%

Financial services 20%

Technology, media, and telecommunications 14%

Manufacturing 7%

Do you need help gaining admission to INSEAD or any other top MBA program? That’s what we do! Explore our  MBA Admissions Consulting Services  and work one-on-one with an experienced admissions advisor who will help you GET ACCEPTED.

Related Resources:

• What Prospective MBAs Need to Know About Applying to INSEAD , a podcast episode
• What INSEAD is Looking For
• Which MBA Program is Right for Me? The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an MBA Program

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Tuesday Tips: INSEAD MBA Essays and Tips for 2023-2024

INSEAD, whose slogan is “The Business School for the World,” is a top-ranked program that attracts a diverse and international group of students. The INSEAD MBA program is only 12 months and provides multiple campuses and practical business experience.

For these essays, the INSEAD MBA admissions team advises all applications to be original, focus on the details, and be specific about work experience.  According to SBC consultant Lucy , a former INSEAD AdCom member, applicants should keep the following in mind as they work on their essays: “To truly be themselves, clearly explain their story, what their goal is, and how can the INSEAD MBA help them achieve it. And to mention what they can bring to the program and the INSEAD community.”

Visit the INSEAD MBA website for more essay tips, and don’t miss our INSEAD admissions overview for more program details.

Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school?  Contact us  to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.

Job Description Questions

The job questions are not essays. hence, the number of words is not so important. people need to be comfortable writing 3 lines or 20. some applicants work for companies that are well known, and only 3 lines are sufficient to describe them; others work for small companies where it is more important to give the full picture..

All of the job questions are short answers. INSEAD advises applicants they can answer them in as little as one line. Or in as many as twenty lines. You could think of the entire set of essays as one narrative. First, you start with your current job, then discuss what you would do next in your role. Next, talk about your background. Finally, end with a brief explanation of your goals and where an MBA fits.

Make sure to use the space efficiently and answer the questions directly. INSEAD MBA admissions is not looking for an extensive explanation. There is no need for background beyond the questions answered.

Question 1: Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words max.)

This question focuses on your current (or most recent) work situation. Providing relevant context for your current role is appropriate. However, make sure you are devoting most of the space to describing the details of your day-to-day responsibilities. If you have less experience supervising others or managing a budget, use the space for key responsibilities and results.

Question 2: What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company? (200 words max.)

If your boss has already talked to you about the next step, this is an easy question to answer. If you have not explicitly discussed promotion at work, what would be the future role you would ideally pursue?

Maybe you are pursuing an MBA because you want to make a career change or because the next step at your current company is undesirable for other reasons. If so, this may be a place to describe what that next step would be. Also, consider why you do not wish to pursue that next step.

Question 3: Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words max.)

Even if you have a relatively straightforward career path, you can take the opportunity to comment on some of the learnings from each position. Use those learnings to create the story of your past, present, and future plans to build your career narrative. This should be a short answer like the others. Therefore, focus only on the moves you have made in your career and the reasons behind them.

Question 4: Discuss your short and long-term career aspirations with or without an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words max.)

A top-tier program like INSEAD is an accelerator for your career. The INSEAD MBA program can introduce you to a broader network than you would otherwise have. INSEAD will expand your skillset into new functional areas, and expose you to people from around the world.

Think about how you plan to use your INSEAD MBA to advance your current career (or change paths entirely). If you did not attend INSEAD, how would you achieve your goals otherwise? Think of this short answer essay as a thought experiment to show that you can plan two routes to one goal.

Optional Question: If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme.

If you are unemployed at the moment, you will want to answer this question. Use the space to show how you are spending your time without full-time employment. Ideally, you are currently involved in an activity that is going to further your career. If not, you are pursuing personal goals at this time. The best answer shows you are self-motivated and do not need paid work to continue developing yourself.

For example, perhaps you are volunteering in a non-profit that is related to your career goals. Maybe you are working with a friend on a start-up. Or you are consulting and building contacts in your industry.

Maybe you are out of work only briefly, or planning to take just a few months off before school starts. If so, it’s reasonable to pursue travel or other activities. Focus on areas that develop your international awareness and perspective. However, make sure that your actions can tie back to your long-term goals.

Motivation Essays

Essay 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. (max. 500 words).

Strengths and weaknesses are a common topic for MBA applications. The purpose of a question about strengths and weaknesses is to evaluate your level of maturity and self-awareness. This is an opportunity to highlight leadership, teamwork, or other qualities that will drive your future career success.

Examples aren’t explicitly required, but consider that the INSEAD MBA admissions team is reading a lot of essays. Concrete examples can help you stand out. When describing weaknesses, focus on those weaknesses that you have taken tangible steps to fix. Or, that have been a route to learning more about yourself. Often, strengths and weaknesses are two sides of the same coin and you can tie your key weaknesses to your key strengths.

It is difficult to write about weaknesses without sounding either overly self-deprecating or as if you are humble-bragging. Therefore, this is a critical essay to share with others to seek feedback on tone.

Essay 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. (max. 400 words)

This essay is an opportunity to showcase one of your most significant achievements. Impressive achievements that stand on their own are great fuel for this essay. It is equally important to explain why these accomplishments are valuable to you. If you concisely explain the achievement, then provide the background for your personal pride.

The flip side of achievement is failure, and INSEAD wants to understand how you view both. When approaching any failure essay, it’s essential to use a real failure that has emotional resonance for you. An accomplishment framed as a failure will be easy to see through. Use a real failure to demonstrate your maturity and ability to grow. If you can explain how you changed as a result of the failure, that is excellent.

The third part of the essay deals with how these experiences impacted your relationships and what you learned. Whether you were part of a team or the main impact was on a loved one, this part of the essay is about how other people felt.

Most obviously, a success likely led to happiness from a team or a manager, while a failure was disappointing. However, your particular achievement or failure could have led to a learning experience for your organization. Or, an opportunity opened up for someone else. Possibly it was a chance for you to be closer to another person through a team challenge. Think creatively about this aspect.

Essay 3: Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (max. 300 words)

Nothing is more personal than what you choose to do outside of school or work. What are the most meaningful pursuits you have spent your time on? You should both describe the main interests you have outside of your professional pursuits and explain why they are meaningful to you and why you spend time on them.

Ideally, you can also explain how you will continue your involvement while at INSEAD and cite some specific clubs or groups where you see your interests contributing to the community.

Optional Essay: Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (max. 300 words)

This essay is 300 words you can use for anything you would like to cover. Because INSEAD MBA’s questions are thorough, you may have covered all aspects of your candidacy. Think of topics that couldn’t work into the rest of your application. Make sure you have included personal qualities. This might be a good place to describe an interesting hobby or key accomplishment.

If you did cover everything, you can feel comfortable skipping this question (it IS optional). However, if you have any problems like a low GPA or a failing grade in college, this is the place to cover it. It’s far better to explain any issues in your application thoroughly. You do not want to leave the INSEAD MBA admissions committee to guess what happened.

Explain the issue and focus most of the essay on the correction for the problem. Demonstrate what you learned from the experience. Then, show you have been an ideal citizen ever since. Finally, avoid blame, and show that this incident is in your past and will stay there.

Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our  All-In Partnership  to test prep to hourly help with targeted tasks. Contact us today for a  free 15-minute advising session  to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.  Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on  our SBC team .

If you have an interview coming up, you will want to review SBC’s interview prep services . The key to interview success is practice and we provide you with all the tools you need to do just that.

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Essay Writing Tips for Your MBA Application

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Writing essays can be one of the most challenging aspects of the MBA application. Yet, they are a crucial element in the admissions process, giving you a unique opportunity to introduce yourself and your achievements and providing valuable information to the admissions team on your motivations and overall fit for the programme.

As such, to guide you through this important process, we thought you may appreciate a few pointers from our admissions team on how to write strong essays. They recommend the following tips:

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INSEAD MBA Essays and Application Deadlines: 2023-2024

The INSEAD MBA deadlines have been confirmed for the 2023–2024 application cycle.

For candidates considering INSEAD, the program is best known for its international student body, hence the school’s tagline of “The Business School for the World.”

A typical class profile includes more than 75 different nationalities and over 65 business or home countries. This global cohort renders the INSEAD MBA program a diverse and inclusive experience.

If you are considering applying for 2024 intake, please see below for the upcoming INSEAD MBA deadlines as well as Personal MBA Coach’s guidance on how to answer the INSEAD MBA essay questions, based on the 2022-2023 MBA application essay questions. The full-time MBA programs offers four application rounds for August 2024 intake, the second falling in November (earlier than most Round 2 deadlines).

The INSEAD MBA Deadlines Are:

Round 1: September 12, 2023

Round 2: November 7, 2023

Round 3: January 16, 2024

Round 4: March 5, 2024

Based on our 16 years of experience, we do not expect the INSEAD MBA application essay questions to change next year.

Personal MBA Coach’s Tips for Tackling the INSEAD MBA Essay Questions (based on the 2022-2023 essay questions):

Essay 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. (500 words maximum)

This is your chance to show INSEAD how you will add uniquely to school’s diverse and international student body.

With such a broad question, it is tempting to tell your life story: we recommend not doing so. Instead, think about your personal story and which elements of your profile truly make you unique and focus only on those characteristics. As with all strong MBA application, show, do not tell. Instead of listing your characteristics, let the reader see how you have demonstrated them in action. A strong essay will then take this a step further, letting the reader know why these characteristics are important to you.

While most applicants will focus on their strengths, do not forget to candidly discuss your weaknesses. MBA applicants have plenty to learn so this is your chance to show your humility. Avoid false weaknesses such as “I work too much” or “I am a perfectionist.”

Essay 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. (400 words maximum)

Describe the success or failure concisely and clearly, think through the reason you are proud (or regretful in the case of the failure), and immediately follow through with the effect this had on your relationships with others and what you learned. Particularly for the failure, the learning part is essential: show your ability to draw improvement from a situation. But the learning part can be equally important for the success if, for example, you helped your team win by sharing the spotlight with someone else.

The most important part: pick a success and a failure that offer rich takeaways.

Essay 3: Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (300 words maximum) 

Here, like for INSEAD Essay 1, we suggest you whittle your list down to the activities that have been or are most important to you for some reason.

Explain your involvement, then delve quickly into how the activity shaped you or enlightened you or made you learn something that contributes to who you are. If this determined or shaped your MBA goals , then say that. With 300 words, less is more.

Optional Essay: Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (300 words maximum)

The optional INSEAD essay should only be answered by those with extenuating circumstances. Read more on our approach to optional essays here.

If you are applying to INSEAD, visit our INSEAD school page for more program-specific information. If you are looking to maximize your chances of success, Personal MBA Coach is here to guide you through our comprehensive packages .

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INSEAD MBA Sample Essays

Insead mba application essays 2023-24, insead motivation essay 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. (600 words max.), insead motivation essay 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. (400 words max.).

INSEAD Motivation Essay 3: Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (300 words max.)

Job Essay 1: Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of the budget, clients/products and results achieved. (short answer)

Job Essay 2: What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company? (short answer)

Job Essay 3: Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (short answer) *

Job Essay 4: Discuss your short and long term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD. (short answer)

INSEAD Winning Sample Essays – 1

Mountains are my one true love. They have helped me come to terms with who I am, making me face my biggest fears and helping me acknowledge latent strengths.

I have found that to reach every summit be it on a mountain or in life, I pursue my goal with an unflinching focus on the next step. As a student, having overcome a paralyzing fear of failure, I learnt early on that grit is as important as ability. Today, I rarely get overawed by the magnitude of the challenge because I keep my attention fixed on the immediate goal.

Whether it was crossing the Rupin Pass at a height of 15500 ft and an incline of 60 degrees or successfully handling a complex project such as BP’s Shah Deniz where the slightest error could have had disastrous consequences, my unwavering focus has always been my forte.

Another strength that has served me well is my ability to solve critical problems while maintaining my composure. When I was trekking solo across the Gadsar Pass I was caught in a sudden snowstorm at 13500 feet. I couldn’t stay outside in the cold risking hypothermia but I couldn’t move blindly either. So I trusted my ears and ran down towards the river in the hope that I would find someone camping near it. An hour later, I noticed someone warming his hands by a fire. My ability to stay calm in a crisis literally saved my life that day but it has also been my saviour in a number of different albeit less critical situations be it leading unpredictable projects, tackling technology failures or working through an unsavoury team dynamic.

Mountains have helped me come face to face with my weaknesses and shown me the path to overcome them. Growing up in a family in which money always fell short of aspirations, economic security subconsciously became a major factor in my decisions. Living in the mountains made me realize that money is similar to the resources in a trekking bag. It is good to have them but the more you carry, the heavier the bag gets and the more onerous the summit climb becomes. I figured out that the true summit can only be excellence, not security. It is in pursuit of this excellence that I jumped at the chance to move to an international work location and that I quit a lucrative job to build a social enterprise.

I have also realized that my idealistic approach to life sometimes comes in the way of adopting a more pragmatic middle path. While trekking on the frozen Zanskar River in Ladakh, the team consensus was that everyone should wear crampons as the entire trek would be on ice. Though I acceded to the team’s opinion, I believed this would dilute the unique challenge of the trek. It was only later I realised that had I held out, I might have risked injuries to those who were equally enthusiastic but perhaps less adept at trekking. Since then, when faced with confrontation, I make a conscious effort to set aside my own beliefs for a little while and walk in the shoes of the other person, be it at work or in my personal life.

I cannot imagine a better way of developing holistically than spending a year at INSEAD. The diversity of culture and backgrounds at INSEAD will help me understand different perspectives much better and reconcile conflicting interests, including my own. Living and working closely with people who exemplify excellence will only strengthen my resolve to pursue it in every sphere of life.

To paraphrase Tolstoy, all success is similar, but each failure shapes life in its own unique way. One such failure which left an indelible mark on my personality occurred after high school when I failed to qualify Indian Institute of Technology Entrance Examination. I decided to take the exam for a second time because I felt that it was my inability to tackle pressure that had led to my failure and not a lack of aptitude or diligence.

Over time, I realised that my success would mean nothing if it was driven by my fear of failure. Upon qualifying the exam, I wanted to feel the ecstasy of accomplishment not the relief of having avoided failure.

This time around I decided to focus on analyzing and solving the questions rather than worrying about the ultimate consequence. I ended up qualifying the examination. The failure helped more in shaping my personality than if I had succeeded the first time. The unstinting support of my family in that one otherwise lonely year improved the very fundamentals of my relationship with them. This experience enabled me to develop a sense of equanimity that has since become an enduring strength.

In 2012, Halliburton started a low cost project to drill 100 wells on 5 rigs. The estimated revenue from operations was relatively low at about $6M annually but the growth potential of the operation was huge. While most of my peers were intimidated by the high risk nature of the project, I was able to focus more on the learning opportunities it presented. I stepped up and asked to be made the Focal point LWD Field Engineer which gave me control of the entire operation. The pressure involved was immense as even slightly sub optimal results would cause a huge dent in revenues. At the end of the year, the Non productive time (NPT) was less than 0.5% which was a Halliburton Asia Pacific record. Despite my limited years of experience I was now seen by my peers and superiors as a natural leader and this in turn gave me the confidence to take even bigger steps in my career. Till today, it is the achievement I am proudest of because it became possible only because I overcame my fear of failure all those years ago, instead of allowing it to overcome me.

INSEAD Motivation Essay 3: Tell us about an experience where you were significantly impacted by cultural diversity, in a positive or negative way. (300 words max.)

Last year, I went on a 5 weeks’ backpacking trip across what is arguably the most neglected part of India, the north eastern states. 70% of the population in these seven states is tribal, with resemblance to mainland Indian, Mongolian, Tibetan and Austro-Asiatic cultures. The trip allowed me to experience the culture of these indigenous tribes from close quarters.

I saw large families living inside a one room house with no lavatory. Homes where the nearest bazaar was a 6 hour mountain hike away. Beautiful women of the Apatani tribe who were made to tattoo their faces to escape the wrath of oppressors who had molested them for years.

I also noticed that centuries of deprivation had not defeated these people but had taught them to channel their anger towards building self sufficient lifestyles. If villages which have the highest rainfall in the world had no iron to build bridges, the villagers built bridges with the roots of trees. If there were no pesticides to protect their paddy crops, they learnt to do pisciculture which not only protected their crops but also provided an additional source of food and income.

Despite the sheer strain of eking out a living, most villagers let me into their homes, their lives and their beautiful mountains without once wondering if they would reap any financial benefit from it.

This experience ended up challenging my entire perspective on top down development approaches. I now understand that the quality of lives can only be improved if there is a better understanding of how good people’s lives already are. I therefore decided to take a break from my job and work in the breathtakingly complex development space in India to help those who are different from me, and enrich myself immeasurably in the process.

INSEAD Motivation Essay 4: Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (300 words max.)

As a Mechanical Engineer, building a car from scratch was a long cherished dream. In college, I co-founded the MECHISMU group in which I led a team of 15 members to design and fabricate an All-Terrain Vehicle to participate in BAJA SAE India competition. As the captain, I had to not only raise sponsorships but also ensure that there was a synergy between available resources and performance optimization.

Leading a team in which everyone (including me) was a novice and going through several technical, financial and administrative hurdles to achieve something truly path-breaking taught me the nuances of both leadership and teamwork. The icing on the cake was that we reached second place in the competition. In the subsequent years, I have continued to mentor future teams, providing technical expertise and heading the team selection.

Another love that has enriched me over the years is debating. Picking up a subject and then bringing it down to arguments, rehashing those arguments repeatedly, the thrill of discovering some aspect of the issue you had missed completely, have helped mould my thoughts with crystal clarity. Although I no longer debate competitively, informal discussions continue to keep the debater within me alive.

One of my earliest childhood memories is running to the Badminton court before any of the adults noticed my fractured hand! I went on to play State level Badminton for Uttar Pradesh, India. In college, as the badminton captain, seeing the dismal condition of the sport, I ensured that two new indoor courts were built and that tournaments became a regular fixture. My love for sports constantly pushes me to bring that level of passion into my everyday life. That said one true sporting dream I have is to watch Liverpool play at Anfield. I’m getting goose bumps just writing about it!

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INSEAD Winning Sample Essays – 2

Insead motivation essay 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. (600 words max.).

Looking back, it is amazing how marriage and fatherhood changed me entirely. I was 19 when I found out that my girlfriend was pregnant and I decided to marry her against the wishes of my family. That time I was still serving National Service (Conscription) and had not even started my undergraduate degree. My family was not supportive of the decision to get married so young and be a father. Coming from a middle-class family, public perception was a major challenge apart from a lack of financial resources and internal family conflicts. During my first few years as a father, I was still aimless, living every day as it is and not giving much thought to my family’s future. 

Through the circumstances of being a young parent and hardships of life, reality hit me hard. Seeing how other parents are able to provide a better life to their wives and children, I knew that I had to step up. That grew into a kind of motivation, drive, and ambition to want to achieve success. This mentality that marriage and fatherhood have brought to me is certainly a dictionary definition of Wen Kang and my greatest strength. This motivation pushed me to not only get an undergraduate degree but also graduate as the top of my class. From there on I received back to back promotions in my career and became the youngest Assistant Vice President in the second-largest bank of Southeast Asia.

However, nothing comes without a cost. That transition has been so effective and so drastic that I lost sight of the original intention, which was to give a better standard of living for my family. After repeated arguments with my wife, I came to truly realize that the standard of living is not just solely in its material sense but rather, it is about spending quality time with family. I realized that I was blinded by constantly chasing for financial success that I stopped spending quality time with my family and kids. This realization came to me a lot more strongly after I moved my career from Singapore to Cambodia. I might have earned a lot more salary and got better professional exposure but I had effectively reduced the time I spent with my family, leading to arguments and deterioration in my relationships with my wife. I feel that I still do, at many times, sacrifice family time for my work and that is my greatest Achilles heels which I am trying to improve upon so that I can be a better father and husband. 

Looking at the bright side and looking back, I can see how I grow to become a more mature father and husband, and realized more philosophies in life after each decision I made. These experiences have shaped me into who I am today, being able to look beyond just a few dimensions and weigh things that are truly more important.

INSEAD Motivation Essay 2: Describe a situation taken from your personal or professional life where you failed. Discuss what you learned. (400 words maximum)

The proudest moment of my life is when I graduated top of my cohort and school, along with the honors and limelight. I have been conferred the valedictorian of my school, featured in both national newspapers and magazines. I was asked to be interviewed on national TV shows and invited to a dinner function with the then President of Singapore, Dr. Tony Tan. I still remember standing on the auditorium’s podium and giving my valedictory speech to the cohort of more than a thousand people. The success did not come easy. During my undergraduate days, I struggled with family relations, finances, studies, and some of the harshest public perception of young parents. The moment of success was both bitter and sweet because so many tears, hard work, and hardships were behind it.

Despite standing proud of what I have achieved, I regretted not managing my relationships with my mother and siblings better when I got married. It was a delicate and sensitive period. In the neighborhood of gossip mongers, my mother and siblings were somewhat ashamed of my early parenthood. As a result, they were not welcoming and supportive of my wife. Furthermore, living under the same roof has proved too difficult for perhaps many mothers and daughters-in-law. I had to choose to stand by my wife but quarrels, acts of dominance, and the daily hostilities severely eroded my relationships with my mother and siblings. Eventually, I stopped talking to them, and even until today, after almost a decade, we barely communicate. As much as I still feel much disappointments towards them, I realize I could have done a better job back then in managing communications and facilitating mutual understanding. I did not, at any point, ever try my best to break down these complicated relationships to meeting the basic expectations of both sides.

I learned that everyone despite sharing a common Singaporean-Chinese culture has different stories, motivations, teachings, and reactions, and that it is important to give in or stand firm in different circumstances and at appropriate quantities. Managing relationships’ intricacies is more than just who is right, who is wrong and there is more to life and people than just rationality. These are lessons and learnings which I now carry with myself and can bring to my cohort at INSEAD to share with my peers on how to balance individual professional success with family and personal relationships.

INSEAD Motivation Essay 3: Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (approximately 300 words)

I have been a competitive athlete since a young age. I represented my primary school in badminton and my team achieved the national second by winning over more than two hundred primary school teams. I then went on to become the team’s captain in my secondary school. As the top player in the school, I have always been a singles player. Single players compete primarily on techniques, athleticism, and mental endurance while double players compete on reflexes and mutual synergy.

As I have always wanted the camaraderie of a team sport, I joined the dragon boating team at the university. My team won second place in the yearly prestigious Prime Minister’s Cup during two of my three years in the team. During my first year with OCBC Bank, I was even “headhunted” by the HR and had helped to clinch their first corporate category gold medal. In dragon boating, I see a drastically different side. While mental fitness is necessary for all competitive sports, synchronization, and teamwork are far more crucial in team sports.

Even though I stopped regularly playing badminton or competing in dragon boat races because of family commitments, I have shifted my focus to marathons and biathlon, and to date, I have participated in four marathons and biathlon. My ultimate fitness goal is to complete a full marathon in Antarctica and since last year I had started my prep and dietary research. 

I am proud to be a sportsman. These three sports have taught me some of the most important attributes that follow through in my life – having the mental resilience and harnessing the power of teamwork, and these are applicable and beneficial to every aspect of my life.

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INSEAD – MBA Essay Samples

Insead mba essay sample 1.

Please give a detailed description of your job, including major responsibilities; and employees under your supervision, budget, number of clients/products and results.  

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INSEAD MBA Essay Sample 2

Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position?  

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INSEAD MBA Essay Sample 3

Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date, explaining why you view them as such.

The above mentioned question brings to memory varied accomplishments at different stages of my career.  The first is where I led a major turnaround at ABC (Small-to-medium enterprise business) and the second was during an international student exchange program in the early stages of my career.

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INSEAD Sample Essay

Essay 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. (600 words max.)

At the age of eleven my mother enrolled me in an English language immersion school, where for five days a week I attempted to divulge my thoughts in a language, as distant to my own as the nearest country where it was spoken. I didn’t understand the need to memorize new words or why an English-language magazine replaced my favorite comics. However, with my trademark tenacity, I translated articles, competed with friends in vocabulary quizzes, and put together my first independent phrases, developing skills that would become crucial to success later in life. Though shy at the time, I pushed my timidity aside during after-school conversation classes with my Australian tutor Mike, the first foreigner I had met. As my English improved, we discussed differences between Australia and Poland, his favorite local dishes and my wanderlust to one day visit and ski in his country.

A string of instructors followed –Bob, who found a wife in Poland and invited my entire high school class to his wedding, Mr. Jones, a pastor from Alabama who moved with his wife and three children and spoke about the Bible, and Holly, the first “hippie” professor at my rather conservative high school. Along with improving English, I learnt to communicate effectively with people from backgrounds different than my own and appreciate the new perspectives they brought into my life. Today, I enjoy working in intercultural teams and applying my cultural sensibility to challenges that sometimes arise with differing perspectives. This helps me be a better leader and team player and gains the respect of colleagues and clients alike.

I let passion and intellectual curiosity lead all my personal and professional pursuits. During a trip to France I indulged in my favorite travel pastime – a cooking class. After dutifully researching my options I enrolled in a French speaking class. Undeterred by a lack of fluency (having only studied French for 3 months at the time) and armed with friendliness and a big smile – two traits that always seem to work – I joined my French cohorts for an evening of culinary (and linguistic) adventure. I observed in silence, trying to emulate the chef’s vocabulary but often needing to bridge my lack of fluency with body language and improvisation. The experience served as motivation to further pursue French by way of a private teacher and immersion-study in France; I can’t wait to return to France and test my fluency in Chef’s kitchen.

The same creativity I found in the kitchen also helps me as a business consultant. Although I am well versed in the financial industry, the diversity of clients I work with requires that I apply creativity to frame complex problems, find pragmatic solutions and drive engagements to a successful finish that exceeds client expectations.

Because my hobbies are often individual in nature, I had to rely solely on my own persistence, even stubbornness, to achieve results. Maintaining a strong opinion was paramount to my success in sales and trading where I had to make split-second decisions, often going against general consensus or market trends. But after transitioning into business consulting, I realized that obstinacy could be a weakness that stalls progress and limits consensus driven solutions. Because my next career steps will increasingly lead me towards management and executive functions, I have to be prepared to uphold the right balance between standing my ground and relying on consensus driven decisions, a skill I hope to further cultivate through my INSEAD experience.

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