Applicant:
SS
Pre-MBA Industry:
Consulting
From:
India
Years of Experience at the Time of Application:
3 Years
GMAT/GRE Score:
770
Undergraduate GPA:
9.6/10
Graduate GPA:
NA
Admitted to:
Stanford GSB
How a Sustainability Consultant from India Secured a Spot in Stanford GSB’s MBA Program
Background
SS was an applicant with a stellar undergraduate CGPA, a near-perfect standardized test score, and a consulting role working on sustainable energy and climate change projects at McKinsey. He aimed to capitalize on these strong data points and complete his MBA at one of the USA’s top three leading business schools. SS had an idyllic childhood growing up in a famous Indian hill resort destination but became aware of the harsh realities of the increasing scale of unregulated corporate and real estate infrastructure leading to disastrous climate change. Observing the effects of climate change and the financial circumstances of rural communities in these isolated areas motivated him to contribute towards the building of robust climate change solutions for resilient, sustainable communities and businesses through his consulting role.
An engineering graduate from the renowned Indian Institute of Technology, SS had secured a deferred admission to The Wharton Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Chicago Booth School of Business. After accepting a spot at The Wharton Business School, SS started his career at McKinsey, where his responsibilities proliferated within sustainability projects with fast-tracked promotions at an early age. Additionally, his previous experience leading independent global CSR projects helped SS gain valuable experience and become a subject domain expert. This also enabled him to reflect more deeply on his long-term goals, leading him to re-apply to top-ranked MBA schools in the USA via regular application. His wide-ranging industrial work experience showed him that he wanted to help global conglomerates earn profits and go green as pillars of a rapidly growing economy.
Approach
An in-depth exploration of his profile helped us understand the profound nature of his goals and desire to contribute to solving pressing global climate change and sustainability concerns, as well as his reasons for pursuing an MBA. A very focused applicant, we advised SS to set aside time every day to research the schools on his radar, hold targeted conversations with student ambassadors, and learn about school resources that would fit in with his ambition to create a positive impact at a large scale. SS then systematically mapped all his prime personal and professional stories in Excel. This helped us recognize patterns in motivations and behavior. It also enabled us to connect the dots between different facets of his life, which provided context to his consistent drive to go beyond the scope of his role to deliver results at his current job.
Additionally, it showcased his ability to convince those in power to invest in long-term solutions to localized sustainability issues. It underscored the realistic nature of his grandiose goal of building large-scale solutions to complex global problems within climate change and sustainability.
We helped SS work through the details of his long-term goals of becoming a subject matter expert to the Indian government, presenting his research into policy making and the nuances of his path to the international gatekeepers of the world’s most sought-after business schools. SS secured admission to Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Key Takeaway
SS’s case is an example of how providing the right direction to a highly accomplished and competent candidate can help them secure a spot at a school of their choice. Instead of over-crafting his story, we let his achievements do the talking, which reflected the seriousness and credibility of his goals. His journey exemplifies how a combination of academic excellence, impactful professional experience, and a clear vision can synergistically position an applicant for success. Through the process, SS’s strategic approach toward research, targeted networking, and meticulous story mapping made him an ideal candidate for the Stanford Graduate School of Business.