CANDIDATE: AS, India
QUALIFICATION: B.Com (Commerce)
PRE-MBA INDUSTRY: Affordable Housing Finance
EXPERIENCE: 36 months
GPA: 7.4/10
GMAT: 715
ADMITTED TO: Indian School of Business (ISB)
AS’s values were shaped by a legacy of resilience. His grandparents were freedom fighters, and his widowed mother prioritised education, instilling in him a deep belief in the transformative power of education and financial access.
He mentored under-represented students, led peer learning groups, and volunteered with Shakti Kendra, helping disburse ₹1.7 million toward education, healthcare, and small businesses. These experiences built his empathy, leadership, and community focus. At Aadhar Housing Finance, he expanded credit access in low-income areas, revived underperforming branches, and piloted alternative underwriting models using non-traditional data. He was hands-on, thoughtful, and impact-driven.
AS sought an MBA to lead innovation in inclusive finance, but faced key challenges: limited strategic exposure, a low CGPA, and a below-average GMAT quant percentile for a finance applicant.
We helped AS articulate the analytical thinking behind his work, aligning stakeholders, improving processes through data, and piloting credit innovations. He reflected on how his love for strategy and poker sharpened his critical thinking in uncertain situations. Through guided brainstorming and feedback, he developed essays that conveyed authenticity, resilience, and a sense of purpose. To address quant concerns, we highlighted his real-world problem-solving and comfort with analytical tasks on the job.
AS’s journey shows that academic setbacks need not overshadow a purpose-driven story and thoughtful reflection. He will now join ISB, determined to build a more financially inclusive future from the ground up.
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