Akash's MBA Triumph: Realising his Potential with Crimson's Guidance

One of the primary challenges was the applicant's common profile as an Indian male engineer, which is highly represented in the applicant pool. Another hurdle was his younger age compared to most of our successful applicants, leading to a relatively shorter list of achievements. Furthermore, having graduated at the cusp of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that his initial job opportunities were less than ideal, impacting his early career.

Given his relatively young age, we highlighted his academic strengths, notably his achievement as a global top 7 IB scorer and his acceptance into one of Singapore's most competitive undergraduate programs for international students. Additionally, we showcased the diversity of his background, underscored by his upbringing across three different countries, which reinforced his interpersonal skills. Finally, we wanted to showcase his ability to redefine his career by emphasizing his successful admission into one of the world's most selective rotational programs with the world’s most prestigious Oil & Gas company.

Capitalizing on the 'impact' wave that top MBA programs have been seeking in applicants since 2018, we crafted a clear long-term goal for him at the intersection of clean energy and supply chain management - his primary area of expertise. While we have developed clean energy narratives for previous clients and were confident about the relevance of this sector, we aimed to further refine this narrative to align specifically with his expertise. By integrating these elements, we strengthened his application and highlighted his well-defined career objectives.

Untraditional Essay

Though we had all the elements, his initial essay drafts were somewhat lackluster and failed to deliver the impact we were aiming for. They lacked excitement and did not effectively showcase his unique qualities. Drawing from our proven strategies, we deconstructed his essay and restructured the key points into engaging short stories, enhancing the overall presentation and appeal. Having done it successfully in the past, we knew that it was an effective way to make an essay exciting - when well done.

Akash secured admissions offers at INSEAD, Kellogg and HBS (with 85% scholarship) and became one of the youngest candidates we’ve helped attend the HBS MBA.

Working with Akash reinforced a valuable lesson: being qualified for a top-tier MBA program like INSEAD likely means you are well-suited for any elite MBA program. This insight has underscored a key message we consistently impart to our applicants: you only apply once to business school, and ambition is not just a trait, it's a critical asset. Being rejected is acceptable. Not applying is a mistake. The pursuit of an MBA is not merely a step but a significant leap towards achieving your fullest potential.