MBA LiveWire

BA in Sociology, Saint Petersburg State University (2022)
MRes in Sociology, Sciences Po Paris (2024)
Languages: English, Russian, French.

My motivation
For a long time, I aimed for an academic career in sociology, but after my master's (for which I traveled to Paris), I realized the academic world wasn't for me, and I wanted something bigger. And more lucrative.
I started working in data/business analytics and research at smaller Russian consulting agencies. But as a russian expat who lives in Georgia, I can only work remotely. And even though I love the work, it is not doing much for my long-term career.

After some thinking, I decided that an MBA is an excellent way to (1) grow my skills in business and finance, (2) grow my network, and (3) get my foot in the door of the European job market. My childhood dream is the UK, but I also consider France or Spain.

My experience
I started with research roles back in university around 5 years ago. After graduating from master's 2 years ago, I started working as a Data Analyst at a rather small research and consulting firm in Russia. Marketing, go-to-market, competitive analysis for large IT infrastructure products — that sort of things.

I moved up rather fast from a junior to a middle and middle+. Then moved to a different company to a comparable position. But now it was less IT and more real estate planning.
In both places I not only did the analysis but also proposed and implemented a range of AI-powered tools for lead generation and knowledge base.

International experience
After leaving Russia in 2022, I've lived in Turkey, Georgia, France and Spain. In France I did my studies, in other countries I simply lived and worked remotely, mostly for Russian-based employers.

Application process
I have already applied to IESE in R1. Now I'm waiting for R2 in LBS, and the January intake in INSEAD.

My problems
I realize that my greatest weaknesses are problably a short work experience and a low GMAT. I can retake the GMAT, and I'm counting on a score around 650. But with work experience nothing can be done quickly.

I want to get to school as soon as possible because right now my work does not do much for my career and does not advance me towards Europe where I want to live. I do not count much on the scholarships, but naturally it would be nice to get them.

My questions:
1. How competitive is my profile at these schools, and how much does a GMAT retake from 595 matter for admission?
2. My real estate experience is on the market/consumer research side, not deals or finance. Is the real estate narrative credible, or should I lead with consulting?
3. Does my nationality, or having worked mostly for Russian-based employers, hurt me in admissions or in EU/UK recruiting?
4. Are there other schools I should add or swap in given my priorities?

I am 30 years old and have recently been promoted to Manager at KPMG Ghana. Outside of work, I enjoy playing tennis on weekends, work occasionally as a DJ, and volunteer my time mentoring underprivileged children at a school near my home.

Looking ahead, my ambition is to transition into strategy consulting at a leading MBB firm, with the longer-term goal of becoming Head of Strategy for a Fortune 500 company in the United States. At the same time, I am intentional about pursuing opportunities that align with my broader life priorities. As a father of two young daughters, I want to build a successful career without compromising my ability to be actively present in their lives and contribute meaningfully to their growth and development.

Demographics: Indian, male

GPA: 3.83/4.00: Computer Science & Engineering (Minor: Digital Humanities)

Test: Applying via test waiver (no GMAT/GRE)

Work experience: ~3 yrs at the time of admit

Post-MBA goal: Product management in assistive technology; long-term, build an assistive-tech venture (social impact)

Extra info: accessibility work-ex, internships and volunteering

27F. Asian. Graduated T20 undergrad with double major in Biology and Statistics.

I applied Round 2 last cycle to Stanford, Northwestern MMM, Harvard, and MIT. I was accepted to the MMM with 30k in scholarship and waitlisted at MIT without interview. I actually posted on here back then and was featured on the podcast, which was awesome and I really appreciate it.

I ended up declining admission to Kellogg despite it honestly being the program I was most excited about as I received another promotion at work and the salary increase was too great compared to the cost of attendance. Applying round 2 last year was actually somewhat unexpected as I planned to apply this fall anyway, but did really well on my GMAT, so I ended up applying earlier. The extra time enabled me to save up more and gain more experience at work.

Professional Experience:
I currently work at a top gaming company as a mid-level project manager. I do a lot of operational work revolving around team morale and engagement. Think onboarding, swag, internal events, office management, and some executive assistant work. Since applying last year, I dove heavily into AI and how it can improve and automate my work. I then starting teaching other admins across the company how to make tools for themselves as well. I ran a 2 hour long workshop and launched an entire learning and development program for the admin discipline, featuring workshops, office hours, show and tells, and more. I have also been advocating with company leadership to get additional clarity and job architecture around the admin function at work.

For extracurriculars, I have and still do a number of speaking engagements at conventions and universities about gaming careers and breaking into the industry. I was also honored at a local university for my efforts with helping wit htheir gaming program and my work across collegiate gaming as a whole. I was president of my gaming club in college and founded a grassroots gaming community for students in response to COVID that grew to 3000+ members in 3 weeks. I have directly coached 100+ students and early career professionals, helping to place 10+% in jobs through my work. I also mentored 1 student very closely over 3 years, helping her secure a position at a top gaming brand. Since applying last year, I started a local gaming community for 100+ people in the Seattle area to connect and have hosted 20+ events both online and in person. I started a Gen Z career community with a friend but we haven't had a ton of time to build it out. We have a pilot group of 10+ individuals and have started ideating on programming. I also volunteer at my local aquarium educating people about ocean conservation and local marine wildlife.

Post-MBA: Last year I wanted to pivot into product within gaming and eventually entrepreneurship. This year, I realized my actual passion was going straight into entrepreneurship and hopefully building something that focuses on human connection and mentorship as a means to empower people to reach their dream careers. Also potentially with the focus on technology resilience and adaptability so people are able to develop skills that will help them as tech continues to evolve and change.

Applied/Applying Round 1. Reapplying to Kellogg MMM, Stanford, and MIT. Applying first time to Booth and Wharton. Hoping for more money this time around! I did speak with Kellogg and they understood this was a financial decision and that I was still very interested in attending.

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Leadership from University of Minnesota Twin Cities (2022)
GPA: 3.3/4.0

Professional Experience:
I began my career at Cummins Inc., a global leader in commercial vehicle propulsion systems, as a Test Engineer focused on powertrain validation. I was responsible for validating the functionality of engines and then later progressed into a Senior Field Test Engineer role where I was testing the engines in trucks, leading technical and strategic team meetings and was also mentoring junior engineers.

In mid-2026, I relocated to Pakistan to join Lucky Motor Corporation as a Manufacturing Engineer in the Reliability & Compliance function. Here, I transitioned from validation to production, where I lead daily quality and reliability investigations, drive line balancing optimization using Yamazumi charting, and own production launch readiness initiatives.

Entrepreneurial Background:
During my undergraduate years, I co-founded an online export-quality apparel resale business. Within a year, we scaled to over Rs 1.5 million in revenue and managed a remote team of 10–15 people. While the business didn't sustain into its second year as competition intensified, the experience taught me the critical importance of strategic planning, market positioning, and team leadership.

Community Involvement:
I remain active in my community through leadership roles—I managed Cummins's World Cup team in 2023 (strategy, team organization, execution) and held officer positions in my university's Pakistani Society. More recently, I've mentored junior engineers transitioning from validation into manufacturing roles, helping them navigate the technical and interpersonal dimensions of production environments.

Post-MBA Goals:
My immediate goal is to move into a Product or Program Management role at an automotive OEM or Tier 1 supplier, where I can own a product line's roadmap and drive cross-functional alignment on cost, schedule, and delivery. Over the longer term (5–10 years), I want to become a senior strategy leader in the automotive industry, shaping which products and technologies to bring to market, which markets to enter, and where to invest.

Questions for reviewer:
How competitive is my profile to not only get admission but also get a decent scholarship at these programs.
What do schools like to hear from candidates coming from an engineering background?
Are there any other schools I could add/replace with one on my list - my priority is scholarships.