No Templates, No Gimmicks — Just Honest, Thoughtful Guidance to INSEAD

About the Applicant

The student, a driven professional aiming for global leadership exposure, entered the Round 2 application cycle carrying the weight of Round 1 rejections. Despite strong professional achievements, he struggled to express his authentic motivations and connect them with schools’ values of diversity, collaboration, and leadership.

He wasn’t looking for someone to “fix” his essays, he was searching for clarity, confidence, and renewed purpose in his MBA journey.

The Problems He Faced

• Emotional Burnout: Round 1 rejections left the student demotivated and uncertain of his potential.
• Lack of Narrative Direction: His essays lacked depth and failed to highlight authentic motivations.
• Confusion Over School Fit: He was tired of formulaic advice and unsure of what top schools truly sought.
• Score Limitations: His initial test score didn’t reflect his real ability, further fueling self-doubt.

What he truly needed was not just a consultant, but a mentor who could help him rebuild belief and tell his story in a powerful, authentic way.

How We Resolved It

Sridhar began by listening, truly listening, to the student’s story. Together, they explored motivations, key turning points, and professional impact to uncover the emotional and strategic core of his application.

Ding Analysis & Reflection

• Broke down Round 1 failures to identify gaps.
• Rebuilt confidence through clarity on strengths and vision.

Authentic Storytelling

• Crafted essays from reflection, not templates.
• Connected personal motivations with school values, especially INSEAD’s ethos of diversity and leadership.

Score & Confidence Boost

• Encouraged and supported a GRE retake to enhance competitiveness.
• Used the process itself to rebuild confidence.

Interview Preparation

• Conducted structured coaching and mock interviews.
• Helped refine articulation, presence, and clarity of purpose.

The Result: A standout Round 2 application cycle leading to an INSEAD admit, along with offers from other top schools, and, more importantly, a renewed sense of self-belief.

About Our Uniqueness

At Open Admits, we believe the best applications come from self-discovery, not shortcuts. Every journey is crafted through authentic reflection, storytelling, and strategic mentorship.

In this student’s case, what began as a post-rejection ding analysis became a process of rediscovery and transformation. Together, we used a structured approach:

• Post-consultation brainstorming to surface authentic motivations and untapped strengths.
• Essay structuring frameworks to build clarity, flow, and connection to the student’s long-term vision.
• Customization of every story to highlight impact, leadership, and alignment with school values.

The outcome was more than multiple admits, it was proof that the right guidance can turn setbacks into defining breakthroughs by connecting the dots across a profile, career goals, and vision for the future.

Contact us

Transform your story into an authentic, standout MBA application.
Book a consultation with Open Admits and discover the difference genuine mentorship can make in your journey.