Berkeley / Haas - 11-21-2025 | Clear Admit ApplyWire

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November 20, 2025 6:08pm ET

Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Cambridge / Judge, U. Chicago Booth, Harvard Business School, INSEAD, London Business School, MIT Sloan, UPenn / Wharton, Stanford GSB

Intake Year: 2026

Pre-MBA Career: Strategy and Operations at an AI startup

Post-MBA Target Industry: Entrepreneurship, Technology, Venture Capital Companies: Facebook , Google , Andressen Horowitz , Kleiner Perkins , Sequoia Capital

GMAT: 695

GPA: 8.1

Years of Work Experience: 2

Location: India

Post MBA Location: California

Notes:

I'm an architect-turned-business strategist with an unconventional path into AI. Majored in architecture with a minor in economics at IIT, co-founded one of India's largest student standup comedy societies, growing it from 2 to 90+ members. Participated in a global hackathon guided my team to victory at a global hackathon judged by Steve Wozniak. Joined an AI startup where I transitioned from AI research to strategy, working to define company direction in this rapidly evolving field. At 24, I became the youngest owner of AI initiatives at my firm with a $500k+ budget, led solution ideation and execution solo for a Fortune 500 client. Developed an AI-powered social news app now live on the Play Store in my free time.

GMAT Score 695 (But I intend to take it again and get 700+); GPA: 8.1/10

Post-MBA, I aim to tackle what even tech giants are struggling with: figuring out business strategy for a post-AI world. I plan to work at AI startups solving revenue and commercial challenges before eventually transitioning into VC with an investment in AI focus.

Like (1)

Show Comments (6) Last: December 2, 2025

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1830 Are you applying to these programs in Round 2, this season?

When are you planning to retake the GMAT? The score is already very good, but if you think there’s scope for improvement, it might be worthwhile.

Two years of post undergrad experience is on the shorter end of the spectrum, so showing equivalence, in terms of impact and growth is really important, as well as “why now”.

There is certainly a lot of potential, here.

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parzival_96 Likes Earned: 0 Hi Alex. Thanks for the reply. Here’s what I’m planning: I plan to retake the GMAT in the coming week. I’m trying to compensate for my weak GPA with a good GMAT score. My experience in the AI startup space has been around product development, product strategy, company strategy and sales (planning to highlight the same in the application). Since it is very clear that my experience falls short of the standard normal, I intend to very strongly portray my interest in figuring out the commercial problems in the AI space which is rapidly changing. While waiting for few years might get me a better shot at MBA, the train to solve AI would’ve passed. Hence I wish to get into program now. I would also highlight how my experience with implementing AI at enterprises gets me a chance to contribute about practical AI with my batch at MBA. Do you think this would suffice at giving me the best shot at MBAs especially at HSW? (0)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1830 It may help. A further challenge is applying in Round 2 versus Round 1, as a candidate coming from India. So if you’re not successful this season in Round 2, you may see more success in Round 1, next season. Is your undergrad low? Do you have a class rank, or approximation? (0)

parzival_96 Likes Earned: 0 I scored 8.10/10 CGPA, which are median of my class. But IIT is an extremely competitive school in India. It is also the top rated school for my study discipline in India. Diversifying my odds by applying to other top 15 schools seems to be a better choice then. (edited) (0)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1830 Yes. If it’s important for you to start an MBA program soonest, adding a few programs from the next tiers makes sense, I’d think. (0)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1830 More details on this candidacy in this episode of Wire Taps: https://www.clearadmit.com/2025/12/mba-wire-taps-459-695/ (0)