INSEAD
INSEAD
About INSEAD
More than any other top Business School, INSEAD distinguishes itself through the
international scope of its MBA program and the emphasis it places on producing
graduates with a business mindset unrestricted by national boundaries. From the
school’s two campuses in France and Singapore to the three-language requirement,
INSEAD’S commitment to international diversity is real, and applicants must
demonstrate both significant international experience and a thoroughly global
outlook in order to be admitted. INSEAD’s students come from over 70 different
countries with no more than 10% of participants from any given nation. As a result,
no one culture dominates INSEAD’s MBA program, with students, professors, and
administrators recruited from every continent.
The INSEAD Approach
One Program, Two Campuses. Unlike its top American competitors,
INSEAD is not affiliated with a larger university. What INSEAD may lose from being
affiliated with a larger institution, it gains from having two fully-integrated campuses
in Europe and Asia. The French campus is located in the weekend resort town of
Fontainebleau, approximately 40 miles south of Paris. The town itself is dominated by
one of France’s largest palaces, which served as a hunting lodge for French kings since
the 16th Century up until the time of Napoleon. By contrast, INSEAD’s Asian campus is
in the middle of highly urban Singapore, a city-state known for its fusion of Chinese,
Indian, Malay, and British culture.
One-Year Accelerated Program. Teachers and administrators describe
the experience of the one-year accelerated program as “drinking from a fire-hydrant.”
Indeed, days are long and studying is intense. The school points out that the cost of a
one-year program provides a better return on investment than a traditional two-year
program, and many of INSEAD’s graduates would agree. INSEAD’s MBA curriculum
matches that of a two-year program, with students attending over 350 class sessions
in 10 months, or approximately 80% of the course volume of a traditional, two-year
MBA program. INSEAD tends to accept older, more experienced applicants than
competing programs—the average age of an INSEAD student is 29. Many students
arrive with a great deal of knowledge and professional experience under their belt and
are better prepared to handle the intense pace and accelerated learning schedule.
Staggered Intakes. INSEAD’s MBA program lasts 10 months and is divided into
two staggered classes: one running from January – December (called the January
intake) and September - July (called the September intake). Students in the January
intake take two months off during the summer to either pursue an internship or to
travel in Europe or South East Asia. Both intakes run concurrently on the Fontainebleau
and Singapore campuses. In addition to providing a unique international MBA
experience, INSEAD also ensures that its students discover exactly how much learning,
work, fun and cultural exploration they can pack into 10 months. Few come away
without having increased their motivation and capacity to use their time and energy
for maximum results.
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“INSEAD distinguishes itself through
the international scope of its MBA
program and the emphasis it places
on producing graduates with a
business mindset unrestricted by
national boundaries.”
“What INSEAD may lose from
being affiliated with a larger
institution, it gains from having
two fully-integrated campuses in
Europe and Asia.”
“Teachers and administrators
describe the experience of the
one-year accelerated program as
‘drinking from a fire-hydrant’.”
A B O U T
I N S E A D
INSEAD
Admissions at INSEAD
Application Essay Topics
INSEAD requires two essay sets – the first labeled “job essays” and the second a more general group of questions.
Job Essays
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Please give a detailed description of your job, including nature of work, major responsibilities;
and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, number of clients/
products and results achieved.
Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were
to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position?
General Questions
1
2
3
4
5
6
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Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be
your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal
development, giving examples when necessary.
Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date,
explaining why you view them as such.
Describe a situation taken from school, business, civil or military life, where you did not
meet your personal objectives, and discuss briefly the effect.
Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying at INSEAD and
how will they contribute to your professional career.
Please choose one of the following two essay topics:
a. Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you? or
b. What would you say to a foreigner moving to your home country?
Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the
Admissions Committee to know?
In case of reapplication, please use this page. Your essay should state any new aspects of
professional, international, academic, or personal development since your last application.
We would also like you to explain your motivation for re-applying to INSEAD.
Veritas Prep clients working on their INSEAD applications will receive expert guidance on each of these essay questions. Head
Consultants help clients understand how to highlight strengths and weaknesses as well as unique elements within the confines of
the question, while also addressing each of the key business school admissions themes. Furthermore, INSEAD Specialists will help
clients decide whether to make use of the optional “anything else you have not mentioned” essay and will ensure that all essay responses are in keeping with what INSEAD is looking for in its applicants and that the program highlights included in this guide are
used as appropriate reference points and examples.
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A D M I S S I O N S
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I N S E A D
INSEAD
Admissions Criteria
Deadlines
Successful candidates to INSEAD’s MBA program have a track record of academic
excellence and professional achievement. In addition, applicants must demonstrate
an international perspective, highly developed communication skills, strong
analytical and quantitative abilities, and the potential to succeed as business leaders.
Most importantly, INSEAD students have lived, worked, and studied in a number of
different countries and are comfortable engaging in an international environment.
INSEAD features four rounds of admissions for
both of their intake periods, which occur in
January and September each year. The following dates are for the 2010 September application cycle.
English is the language of instruction at INSEAD and all students are required to
be fluent. In addition, students must have a working knowledge of one additional
language to be accepted to the MBA program and often should demonstrate at least
a basic grasp in a third before graduation. INSEAD’s website provides information on
which third-party exams are accepted as proof of language proficiency. Students
may also take a language exam at the school to pass the language requirement.
In general, it is easier to pass the language requirement by taking the school’s own
tests than through a third party exam, which tend to be more rigorous. Language
instruction is available during the MBA program through affiliated language schools
in both Fontainebleau and Singapore. An FAQ on INSEAD’s language policy is
available on the school’s website and applicants should determine if they will be
able to meet the requirements before applying.
Round 1
Application Deadline
September 30, 2009
Interview Decision Deadline
November 6, 2009
Decision Release Date
December 18, 2009
Round 2
Application Deadline
December 2, 2009
Interview Decision Deadline
January 15, 2010
Decision Release Date
February 26, 2010
Round 3
Application Deadline
February 10, 2010
Interview Decision Deadline
March 19, 2010
Decision Release Date
April 30, 2010
Round 4
Application Deadline
March 31, 2010
Interview Decision Deadline
May 7, 2010
Decision Release Date
June 18, 2010
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A D M I S S I O N S
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INSEAD
Visiting INSEAD
Contact Information
One of the best ways for candidates to truly understand if INSEAD is a proper fit is
to visit the campus and get a feel for the academic environment, student life, and
overall campus culture. Additionally, visiting the school offers the opportunity for
face-to-face contact with current students, professors, and admission representatives. INSEAD offers a variety of ways for candidates to come and experience the
school for themselves:
Office of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid
Europe Campus
Boulevard de Constance
77305 Fontainebleau
In-House Events: INSEAD holds what are termed “In-House Events” seven
times a year at both the Fontainebleau and Singapore campuses. These include a
tour of the campus as well as a presentation on the MBA program, the admissions
process and INSEAD’s Career Services department. The In-House events also include
a Master Class conducted by a member of INSEAD’s faculty, followed by an opportunity to meet current students and MBA staff.
Information Sessions: In addition to the In-House events, INSEAD hosts
weekly Friday Information Sessions on both the Fontainebleau and Singapore campus. The Friday Sessions consist of a campus tour, a presentation on the MBA program and the opportunity to attend a lecture. Information sessions are held every
Friday at 2 p.m. and last approximately an hour and a half. No reservation is required.
Visitors can simply show up.
Tel : +33 (0)1 60 72 40 00
Fax : +33 (0)1 60 74 55 00
mba.info@INSEAD.edu
Asia Campus
1 Ayer Rajah Avenue
138676 Singapore
Tel : +65 6799 5388
Fax: +65 6799 5399
mba.info@INSEAD.edu
Virtual Tours: Prospective students can attend a virtual information session
through Second Life. The agenda includes a presentation on the MBA program, a
Q&A session and the opportunity to chat informally with MBA staff and fellow applicants.
Outreach Events: Throughout the year INSEAD conducts information sessions
in major cities around the world. For a schedule of events and online registration
please visit INSEAD’s website.
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A D M I S S I O N S
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INSEAD
Financial Assistance at INSEAD
Tuition and Cost
Financial Assistance Options
Tuition: ........................................................ €51,000
Additional Expenses:.......................... €3,900*
Language Course Fees (optional): .....€2,500
INSEAD presents the following options for exploring financial assistance:
INSEAD Merit-Based Scholarships
INSEAD provides a limited number of merit-based scholarships. No additional
application is required for the following:
•
INSEAD Weston Scholarship: All admitted candidates will be considered on
the basis of merit as per the quality of their admission application. Two awards
are granted per class of up to €15,000.
•
INSEAD Louis Franck Endowed Award for Excellence: One award will be
made per class to the most outstanding applicant, as determined by the school,
as per the quality of their admission application. All admitted candidates will be
considered. The award is for US$10,000.
•
INSEAD Admiral Scholarship: One award of €15,000 is awarded per class. All
admitted candidates will be considered on the basis of merit as per the quality
of their admission application.
INSEAD Need-Based Scholarships & Grants
The majority of scholarships available to MBA candidates are awarded based on need,
as well as on various criteria ranging from nationality, gender, professional background,
leadership abilities and previous field of study. Some of the largest include:
•
INSEAD Alumni Fund (IAF) Robin Hood Scholarship: Awarded to candidates
admitted to the INSEAD MBA program who can justify difficulty in raising finances
for their studies. One award of €10,000 is given to a participant from each class.
•
INSEAD L’Oreal Scholarship: Candidates of any nationality who demonstrate
a capacity for creativity and innovation through diversity and entrepreneurial
activity. The amount of the award varies, but can include partial tuition.
•
INSEAD Alumni Fund (IAF) Diversity Scholarship - ‘86D: One award of up
to €10,000 is granted per class. Awarded to participants with a not-for-profit
background or a demonstrated exceptional personal commitment to not-forprofit work.
•
INSEAD Alumni Fund (IAF) Women’s Scholarship(s): 0-15 awards per class
ranging from € 5,000 to € 15,000 awarded to female participants who have made
significant achievements in their professional and/or personal lives.
•
INSEAD Andrew Hordern Endowed Scholarship - ‘91D: Approximately
€10,000 awarded to a participant of each class from a non-traditional background:
performing artists, journalists, architects, medical practitioners, military, lawyers,
research scientists, not-for-profit, etc.
•
INSEAD Andy Burgess Endowed Scholarship for Social Entrepreneurship:
Awarded to candidates who demonstrate experience or commitment to social
entrepreneurship. One award of €10,000 is given to a participant in the January intake.
•
INSEAD ifs/Henry Grunfeld Foundation Scholarship: Awarded to candidates
with a UK background with an interest in pursuing a career in investment banking.
Award in the amount of €12,500 given to a participant from each intake.
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*Includes books, student council fees and a laptop
Monthly Expenses
Monthly living expenses for each of INSEAD’s
campuses are detailed below. Both the January
and the September intake last for 10 months
with a Summer break of two months for students
in the January intake . Campus exchanges typically take place in Sessions 4 & 5.
Monthly Living Expenses: Singapore
Accommodation: .....................€600 - €1,200
Meals: . ................................................................€400
Local Transportation: ................... €50-€150*
Telephone:......................................................... €75
Personal Insurance: .................... €160 - €400
Travel for exchange program
and Job Search (Optional): . ..................€200
*Students on the Singapore Campus primarily use
public transportation
Monthly Living Expenses: Fontainebleau
Accommodation: .....................€600 - €1,000
Meals: . ................................................................€500
Local Transportation: ..............€100 - €600*
Telephone: . .....................................................€100
Personal Insurance: .................... €200 - €900
Travel for exchange program
and Job Search (Optional): . ..................€200
*Students on the Fontainebleau Campus typically
lease a car at a cost of approximately €4,500 for the
year. Information on how to lease a car in France is
provided by INSEAD upon acceptance to the MBA
program. If your French is good, you can save money
by leasing a car directly from Peugeot.
F I N A N C I A L
A S S I S TA N C E
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INSEAD
Federal and Private Loans.
As with most graduate programs, INSEAD makes available a series of loan programs
that comprise the bulk of each student’s financial assistance. A list of funding sources
based on nationality is available from the INSEAD website.
For U.S. students, INSEAD recommends the following:
Federal Stafford Loans – The maximum amount of a subsidized Federal Stafford
loan is $ 8,500 ($ 12,000 for an unsubsidized Loan). The Stafford loan interest rate is
fixed at 6.8%. Federally mandated origination fees of up to 3%, depending on the
lender, are deducted from your loan checks at disbursement. To apply for a Federal
Stafford loan, borrowers are required to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on-line.
How 2008 Graduates
Financed Their INSEAD MBA
Company Sponsored: ..................................9%
INSEAD Scholarships: . ............................... 20%
Loans & Savings: ........................................... 69%
External Scholarships:................................... 2%
Federal Plus Loans – The maximum amount a student can borrow through the
PLUS program is the Cost of Attendance (COA), as determined by the school, minus
any Stafford loans, minus any other aid. PLUS loans have a fixed interest rate of 8.5%,
although many major lenders are offering reduced interest rates. A 3% origination
fee is mandated by law on all PLUS loans. To apply for a Federal Plus loan, borrowers
are required to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on-line.
Private Loans through SallieMae – To help finance tuition and living expenses
while attending INSEAD, participants can apply for private loans through SallieMae.
Applications for Federal Stafford and Plus loans can also be made through SallieMae.
The amount of private loans through SallieMae is based on the tuition fees plus estimated living expenses (less any financial aid received). Competitive interest rates are
tiered based on an applicants credit rating, so the better your credit, the lower your
interest rate. If you apply with a co-borrower, your rates and fees are based on your
co-borrower’s credit.
Bank of America Alternative Loan – Visit the Bank of America website for further
details.
National City Bank – National City Bank offers both federal and private loans. Check
the company website for more details.
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F I N A N C I A L
A S S I S TA N C E
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INSEAD
INSEAD Students
Student Stats
Student Organizations
Total INSEAD Enrollment...................988
Student organizations do not play a large role in the INSEAD MBA experience given
the fast pace of the accelerated one-year program that calls for a full schedule of
lectures, group projects and personal study time. INSEAD’s website provides a list of
the fifteen clubs and student organizations that currently exists on campus. Some of
the most active are:
•
INSEAD Women in Business
•
INSEAD Private Equity Club
•
OUTSEAD: Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Community
•
INSEAD Rugby Club
However, that doesn’t mean that campus life is dull. Far from it. INSEAD’s National
Weeks are a mainstay of an MBA participant’s social life and guarantee that there is
always something to do. National Weeks are arranged by students from each country
and are intended to showcase their national culture, music, food and pastimes. What
these events often turn into is a chance for students to come together for drinking
and dancing in one of the area’s many private chateaux. National Weeks are usually
sponsored by a variety of companies from the student’s home country and a healthy
competition exists to raise the most money and outdo the previous nation’s festivities.
Total full-time MBA Enrollment......914
Percent Male ...........................................71%
Percent Female . ....................................29%
Percent Married......................................25%
Percent International .........................90%
Regional Representation:
Western Europe......................................37%
Asia.................................................................26%
North America.........................................14%
Eastern Europe.......................................... 7%
Latin America............................................. 6%
Middle East.................................................. 6%
Africa .............................................................. 3%
Oceania.......................................................... 2%
Average Age . ..............................................29
Average Work
Experience . ...............................63 months
Range of Work
Experience..................36 to 108 months
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I N S E A D
S T U D E N T S
INSEAD
INSEAD Academics
Teaching Philosophy
INSEAD does not have a preferred teaching method, and each professor is free to
choose whichever method he or she deems most appropriate for the subject matter. In practice, most courses are lecture based, supplemented with case studies and
team based assignments. INSEAD uses case studies developed by the school’s faculty,
which are written with an emphasis on global business issues and cross-cultural management.
Class Organization
As mentioned above, INSEAD’s MBA program lasts 10 months and is divided into two
staggered intakes – both of which run concurrently on the Fontainebleau and Singapore campus. Applicants must specify on which campus they wish to begin their
studies. While admission decisions are not based upon campus preference, administrators sometimes push accepted students to begin in Singapore (the less popular
of the two campuses), but ultimately the choice is left to the applicant. In addition
to the flexibility, the staggered classes maximize participants’ interactions with each
other. Students study with their own class of approximately 450 people throughout
the length of the program, combined first with the 450 students from the previous
intake for five months, then with the 450 students from the following intake during
the remaining half of the program.
To make the class size more manageable, students are divided into sections of approximately 80 students each, and these sections remain together throughout the core
instruction (Sessions 1 – 3). Sections meet daily Monday through Friday for approximately 7-to-9 hours a day, five days a week. Students are further divided into study
groups of 5-to-6 people, with no more than two people from any one country or
from the same industry background. Study groups typically meet to complete group
assignments in the evenings for two or three hours and on weekends if necessary.
These study groups can be challenging as students must reach a shared perspective
in order to complete assignments; not always an easy mission given the divergent
cultural, social, economic and political beliefs of team members. Students from the
U.S. should be aware that the American perspective on business and global politics is
not automatically accepted. However, much of INSEAD’s unique learning experience
comes from these interactions, and MBA participants are expected to use their teammates’ perspectives as a way to evaluate and challenge their own assumptions and
professional practices.
Core Classes
The first two and half periods are devoted to core courses in business fundamentals.
Each section of approximately 80 students meets in the same amphitheatre daily for
the duration of the core instruction, Monday through Friday for 6-to-9 hours a day.
Professors rotate in and out.
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“INSEAD does not have a preferred
teaching method, and each professor
is free to choose whichever method he
or she deems most appropriate for the
subject matter.”
“Students are divided into sections
of approximately 80 students each,
and these sections remain together
throughout the core instruction.”
The core courses
are as follows:
•
Financial Accounting
•
Financial Markets & Valuation
•
Leading People & Groups
•
Prices & Markets (Microeconomics)
•
Uncertainty, Data & Judgment
(Statistics)
•
Corporate Financial Policy (Corporate Finance)
•
Foundations of Marketing
•
Leading Organizations
•
Managerial Accounting
•
Process & Operations Management
•
Strategy
•
International Political Analysis
•
Macroeconomics in the Global
Economy
I N S E A D
A C A D E M I C S
INSEAD
Course Enrollment
Academic Calendar
Students are assigned Professors for the core courses. MBA participants may get an
exemption from a core course by sitting the exam at the beginning of each Session.
Students who are exempt from a core course select an elective to replace it. In general, there is always enough space in an elective course to accommodate demand
and rarely are students unable to fully customize their MBA instruction after the core
courses.
INSEAD’s MBA program lasts 10 months and is
divided into two staggered classes: one running
from January through December (called the January intake) and September through July (called
the September intake). Students in the January
intake have a two-month break during the summer. The MBA program is divided into five sessions each lasting eight weeks. The final week of
each Session is devoted to exams with approximately five vacation days between Sessions. Oncampus recruitment takes place during Sessions
4 and 5.
INSEAD Research Centers
and Exchange Programs
Research Centers
• Abu Dhabi Centre for Executive Education and Research
• Asia Pacific Institute of Finance (APIF)
• Centre For Advanced Learning Technologies (CALT)
• Centre for Decision Making and Risk Analysis (CDMRA)
• eLab@INSEAD (eLab)
• INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute
• INSEAD Centre for Human Resources in Asia (ICHRA)
• INSEAD Gender Diversity Initiative
• INSEAD Global Leadership Centre (IGLC)
• INSEAD Leadership Initiative
The current academic calendar runs as follows:
Singapore:
September Intake
August 29th 2009 – July 10th 2010
December Intake
January 5th 2009 – December 16th 2009
Fontainebleau:
September Intake
August 25th 2009 – July 8th 2010
December Intake
January 6th 2009 – December 17th 2009
• INSEAD-PricewaterhouseCoopers Research Initiative
on HPOs (HPO)
• INSEAD Social Innovation Centre
• INSEAD Social Science Research Centre (ISSRC)
• INSEAD-Wharton Center for Global Research and Education
• Learning Innovation Centre
• The Rudolf and Valeria Maag International Centre
for Entrepreneurship (ICE)
• Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise (WICFE)
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I N S E A D
A C A D E M I C S
INSEAD
Campus Exchange
A unique feature of the INSEAD MBA program is the opportunity to study on both
the European and Asian campuses. Again, applicants to INSEAD must indicate on
which campus they prefer to begin the program: Singapore or Fontainebleau. Campus selection does not influence admission decisions. After completing Session 1
and Session 2, MBA participants may spend any number of the remaining three Sessions on the other campus. The campus exchange is popular, with nearly 70% of
students participating in the campus exchange (and Wharton exchange; see below).
Assignments are made through a bidding system and it is generally easier to have a
bid accepted to study for a single period than for multiple periods.
Wharton Exchange: In addition to studying at INSEAD’s Fontainebleau and Singapore campuses, MBA participants may choose to spend either Session 4 or Session 5
at Wharton in Philadelphia. For the January intake, the Wharton exchange is available
during Session 4 or Session 5 (September – October or November – December) and
for the September intake, the exchange is available during Session 4 (March – April).
An INSEAD Session is equivalent to one quarter at Wharton. The exchange is popular
and assignments are made through a bidding process. INSEAD students interested in
working in the U.S. often time their exchange to coincide with Wharton’s on campus
recruitment period.
“INSEAD students interested in
working in the U.S. often time their
exchange to coincide with Wharton’s
on campus recruitment period.”
Since the program’s inception in 2001, more than 800 MBA students have participated in the exchange. In 2008, 54 INSEAD students went to Wharton and 47 Wharton
students studied at INSEAD, with 31 Wharton students in Fontainebleau and 16 in
Singapore. The exchange program also provides for the exchange of faculty across
the two schools and to date more than 60 faculty members have visited the partner
school to teach or carry out research.
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I N S E A D
A C A D E M I C S
INSEAD
INSEAD Faculty
The INSEAD faculty features many prominent business leaders, researchers and teachers that come from more than 35 different countries and further reinforce INSEAD’s
commitment to international diversity. Students do not select their professors for the
core courses. However, among INSEAD students there are a handful of professors who
are considered a “must” for electives during the remainder of the program, due to their
reputation both as educators and as experts. This list isn’t merely a collection of famous
names, but rather the instructors that INSEAD students deem to be essential for the full
experience. These notable professors include:
Renee Mauborgne (U.S.A.) & Chan Kim (S. Korea)
These two professors are often mentioned in the same breath due to the pair’s groundbreaking work in the fields of Strategy and Innovation. Renee Mauborgne is Affiliate
Professor of Strategy, INSEAD Distinguished Fellow of Strategy and International Management and Co-Director of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute. Chan Kim is Professor of Strategy and International Management, the Boston Consulting Group Bruce
D. Henderson Chaired Professor of International Management and Co-Director of the
INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute. Together, Professors Mauborgne and Chan wrote
the international bestseller Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market
Space and Make Competition Irrelevant, which sold more than one million copies in
its first year of publication and has been translated into forty-one languages. Based
upon the book’s success, INSEAD has established the Blue Ocean Institute in one of the
most prominent buildings on the Fontainebleau Campus. As such, INSEAD has a great
deal invested in the institute and the pioneering work of its founders. One of the MBA
program’s most popular electives is the Blue Ocean Study Group that teaches students
a new framework in which to view competition and harness the value unleashed by
innovation.
Manfred Kets de Vries (Netherlands)
Clinical Professor of Leadership Development
Professor Kets de Vries’ approach to leadership and the dynamics of individual and organizational change is as innovative and daring as the man himself. Professor Kets de
Vries is a member of the New York Explorers Club and in his spare time he can be found
in the rainforests or savannas of Central Africa, the Siberian Taiga, Australia’s Arnhem
Land, the Pamir Mountains, or the barren wastelands of the Arctic. On the academic
side, he is the author of more than thirty books, and his writings have been translated
into twenty languages. MBA students get a new perspective on leadership through
Professor Kets de Vries’ dazzling synthesis of international management, psychoanalysis
and psychotherapy. His students rarely see leadership in the same way after attending
one of his classes.
The INSEAD faculty is
divided into 9 academic
departments:
1. Accounting and Control
2. Decision Sciences
3. Economics and Political Science
4. Entrepreneurship and
Family Enterprise
5. Finance
6. Marketing
7. Organizational Behavior
8. Strategy
9. Technology and
Operations Management
“Professor Kets de Vries is a member
of the New York Explorers Club and in
his spare time he can be found in the
rainforests or savannas of Central Africa,
the Siberian Taiga, Australia’s Arnhem
Land, the Pamir Mountains, or the
barren wastelands of the Arctic.”
Linda Brimm (U.S.A.)
Emeritus Professor of Organizational Behavior
INSEAD students tend to speak lovingly of Dr. Brimm, who is known for her insight into
organization behavior and management. Dr. Brimm sees INSEAD’s MBA participants as
people first, and students second. Trained as a clinical psychologist, she has conducted
cross-cultural research examining the complexity and development of people’s careers
over time, and is available outside the classroom to any MBA participant who needs
help defining their future course. Dr. Brimm’s total lack of stuffiness is also highly valued
by INSEAD’s students, as she unswervingly seeks out new ways to think about what is
on every MBA student’s mind: professional development. Her current research centers
on a study of identity development and the reaction to life changes in the next generation of global leaders, and the innovative use of narrative writing and analysis as a tool
in professional and personal development.
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I N S E A D
A C A D E M I C S
INSEAD
Enrico Diecidue (Italy)
Associate Professor of Decision Sciences
Enrico Diecidue joined the Decision Sciences department at INSEAD in 2001 and has
remained one of the MBA program’s favorite professors ever since. Young and very
charming, Enrico - as all his students call him - can make any subject interesting and
accessible. You should count yourself lucky if you are able to get him as your Statistics
professor. Enrico is one of the very few faculty members regularly invited to student
parties, which is a testament to how “cool and fun” he is. His genuine interest in his
academic field and his insistence that it can be readily understood by any INSEAD
student continue to make him a standout professor.
David Young (U.S.A.)
Professor of Accounting and Control
David Young is nobody’s fool and he wants to make sure that MBA participants in his
Accounting course don’t become anyone’s fool either. His approach to Accounting
can be neatly summed up in the title of his book, Profits You Can Trust: Spotting and
Surviving Accounting Landmines. Going beyond the mechanics tallying your cash
flow statement with the balance sheet, Professor Young instills in his students a real
appreciation for the value of accounting as an investigative tool by providing concrete advice on how to uncover misleading accounting practices. Professor Young
is an expert on developing economies and devoted much of his efforts throughout
the early and mid-1990s to Central and Eastern Europe.
Pierre Chandon (France)
Associate Professor of Marketing
Perhaps not surprising for a Frenchman, Professor Chandon’s research centers around
how perceptual biases influence food consumption decisions. But make no mistake:
having lived in the U.S. and taught at Wharton, Professor Chandon’s approach to
marketing is informed by an excellent grasp of both French and American culture.
His declaration that most people choose a wine based on the label demonstrates a
willingness to challenge cultural truths: a hallmark of the INSEAD MBA program. His
course in Brand Management—in which he uses his own award-winning case studies—is amongst INSEAD’s most eye-opening and entertaining electives.
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“Going beyond the mechanics
tallying your cash flow statement
with the balance sheet, Professor
Young instills in his students a
real appreciation for the value of
accounting as an investigative tool
by providing concrete advice on
how to uncover misleading
accounting practices.”
I N S E A D
A C A D E M I C S
INSEAD
Grading Policies
Grades for INSEAD courses are based primarily on exams with a mix of class participation and group projects, typically in an 80/10/10 split. All exams are graded on a
standard normal curve with a mean of 2.5 and a standard deviation of 1. In order to
graduate, participants must maintain a mean grade in the core courses of 1.8 and a
2.0 for electives. Since participants in INSEAD’s MBA program tend to be older and
more experienced, those less familiar with the topics and ideas taught in business
school find the curve challenging. Each year a few students are expelled due to low
grades. While the atmosphere is tense around exam time—held every eight weeks
after Sessions 1, 2 and 3—INSEAD students are distinctly uncompetitive and always
willing to share their knowledge and expertise.
INSEAD maintains a strict non-disclosure policy with respect to grades. Grades are
never disclosed to employers. During on-campus recruiting, company representatives are not permitted to inquire about grades and participants are asked not to
volunteer them. The grading and non-disclosure policies were developed to allow
MBA participants to challenge themselves in new areas without worrying how it will
affect their job prospects.
INSEAD Business Plan Competitions
INSEAD holds only one business plan competition, a bi-annual event run the by
school’s Entrepreneurship Department. The competition is open to all MBA students.
However, the majority of entries come from students who take the Business Plan
Workshop elective. The winning plan is provided with financial assistance and incubator/support facilities on INSEAD’s Fontainebleau campus.
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I N S E A D
A C A D E M I C S
INSEAD
The INSEAD Campuses
As part of INSEAD’s commitment to providing an MBA education with a truly international perspective, the 10-month MBA program is run concurrently on two campuses, located in Europe and Asia.
European Campus – Fontainebleau: The town of Fontainebleau—referred to by INSEAD students as “Fonty”—has been a fashionable weekend getaway
for the French aristocracy since the 16th Century due the town’s location in the middle of one of Western Europe’s largest forests. The forest provides extensive opportunities for walks, running, biking and rock climbing. The INSEAD campus contains 28
lecture halls, two restaurants, a bar, a bookshop, a gym, squash courts and extensive
library resources. Additionally, INSEAD is just a ten-minute walk from the center of
town. Fontainebleau itself is dominated by the massive Chateau de Fontainebleau,
which served as a “hunting lodge” for French rulers from Francois I to Napoleon, who
was escorted from the Chateau’s grand horseshoe staircase into exile on Elba (from
which he would eventually return).
MBA participants in Fontainebleau must make their own arrangements for accommodation, which range from apartments in the town itself to rented country houses
and private chateaux that dot the surrounding countryside. Most INSEAD students
rent a car during their stay, which is virtually a necessity. When you tire of French
country living, Paris is only 40 miles away to the North and provides everything you
would expect from one of the world’s global capitals. If you have never visited, prepare to be dazzled. Given the amount of traffic, the trip typically takes about 90 minutes. Paris can be difficult to navigate by car unless you are a native, so don’t forget
your GPS. Train service to Paris is available from the neighboring town of Avon. During breaks, MBA participants in Fontainebleau explore France’s wine regions, lay on
the beach in St. Tropez, ski at Courchevel or go on shopping trips to Milan, where
there are many bargains to be had. Barcelona and London are also popular weekend
and holiday destinations.
Asian Campus – Singapore: In contrast to INSEAD’s European campus, the
Asian campus in Singapore is located in one of the world’s most highly urban settings. The campus accommodates 950 students and includes lecture halls, a library,
meeting rooms, extensive workspaces and a fully equipped fitness center. As in Europe, MBA students in Singapore make their own accommodation arrangements,
which range from modern condominiums with swimming pools and tennis courts,
to government-subsidized apartments. The MBA office has a listing of local real estate agents and landlords who can assist with the housing search.
“MBA participants in Fontainebleau
must make their own arrangements
for accommodation, which range
from apartments in the town itself to
rented country houses and private
chateaux that dot the surrounding
countryside.”
“MBA participants take advantage of
their breaks and weekends to explore
South East Asia, with visits to Bali,
Angkor Wat and Bangkok being the
most popular.”
Singapore is a bustling, modern city-state that combines Chinese, Indian, Malay and
British culture. It is known for its fantastic shopping, a wide array of culinary experiences and an impressive selection of cultural events. Sentosa Island is a popular
island resort that includes a dizzying selection of recreational facilities including volleyball, roller-blading, cycling, canoeing, miles of tropical beaches, two golf courses,
a butterfly park and an oceanarium, to name just a few. After dark, Singapore has a
lively nightlife. Fortunately it is all a breeze to explore—getting around Singapore is
both easy and cheap thanks to the city’s excellent public transportation system. The
INSEAD campus is located a short distance from the subway, buses run frequently
and taxis are plentiful and cheap.
MBA participants take advantage of their breaks and weekends to explore South East
Asia, with visits to Bali, Angkor Wat and Bangkok being the most popular. The Indonesian island resort of Bintan is only a 45-minute ferry ride away.
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I N S E A D
C A M P U S
INSEAD
Professional Recruitment at INSEAD
Career Management Center
Career Development Resources
INSEAD’s dedicated MBA Career Services is
fully integrated on both the Europe and Asia
campuses.
INSEAD is recognized by companies worldwide as a key source for individuals with
proven academic excellence, strong managerial potential, and an international
perspective on business. The MBA Career Services team assists both companies
wishing to recruit at INSEAD and MBA participants as they develop their job search
strategy.
Career Management. Career Management begins almost from the first day of
the MBA program. Periods 1 & 2 are devoted to self-assessment tests, career counseling
sessions, investment banking workshops and resume preparation. Period 3 focuses on
company research, job-hunting skills, networking events, industry discussion panels
and career development workshops. On- and off-campus recruitment, interview
preparation and salary negotiation skills take place in Periods 4 & 5.
The recruitment period begins with three weeks of company presentations in the
evenings, after course lectures. Interviews are held on campus or in local hotels, and
sign-ups are coordinated through INSEAD’s on-line interview scheduling system.
State-of-the-art telecommunications enable students on both campuses to watch
company presentations and interview with recruiters by videoconference. INSEAD’s
students who participate in the Wharton exchange may also take part in Wharton’s
on-campus recruitment.
On Campus Interviews: INSEAD
organizes three recruitment campaigns per year:
1. January - February: Summer internships for December graduates
2. March - June: Full-time positions for July
graduates and summer internships for December graduates
3. September - December: Full-time positions for the December graduates
MBA Job Postings. Specific career opportunities and summer jobs are posted
on-line at INSEAD’s dedicated job database: CareerLink. Students may also access job
listings from Harvard, Stanford and Kellogg as part of INSEAD’s reciprocal agreement
with the MBA Career Services at these schools.
Resumé Books. INSEAD’s Career Services office publishes a resume book of all
MBA participants, which is available both online and in hard copy. Resume books are
an important tool for both prospective recruiters and for MBA participants who wish
to reach out to alumni in their prospective fields.
Summer Internships. Participants beginning in January have the option of
using their 8-week summer break for employment.
Alumni Network. INSEAD’s 32,000 alumni live in over 150 countries across
all continents, giving a breadth and depth that is unmatched by the alumni
networks at INSEAD’s peer schools. A majority of alumni are members of the INSEAD
Alumni Association with its 40 national alumni associations. Alumni can connect
online through a dedicated website called INSEAD Connect which allows participants
to search for alumni across countries, industry sectors, interest and more. There are
websites for each class where alumni post messages, exchange files and share photos.
INSEAD’s dedicated job database -CareerLink – can also be accessed by alumni
through INSEAD Connect.
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P R O F E S S I O N A L
R E C R U I T M E N T
AT
I N S E A D
INSEAD
Employment Statistics
Salaries
INSEAD graduates work in a variety of industries, functions, and locations. Note that it
is very much a “consulting school,” which stands in contrast to the London School of
Business, which places most of its graduates in finance professions. Furthermore, as
one might expect, the graduating INSEAD workforce is very European in nature, with
only 6% of students going off to work in North America.
Median Salary...............................$110,600
Median Signing Bonus...............$22,400
Function
Finance/Accounting 21%
Sales /Marketing 13%
General Management 10%
Consulting
46%
Other 8%
Operations 2%
Industry
Financial Services 28%
Manufacturing 6%
Technology 6%
Other 5%
Consumer Products 4%
Consulting
39%
Health Care/ Pharmaceuticals/
Biotechnology 4%
Energy 3%
Media and Entertainment 2%
Non Profit 2%
Real Estate1%
Major companies across the globe recruit
INSEAD graduates and many of the most common employers are similar to those that recruit
at other top business schools. The following
were among the most common employers for
graduates from the class of 2008, with number
of hires in parenthesis:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
McKinsey & Company (106)
Bain & Company (40)
Boston Consulting Group (35)
Booz Allen Hamilton (21)
Barclays Bank (16)
Deutsche Bank (13)
Johnson & Johnson (13)
A.T. Kearney (12)
Lehman Brothers (10)
Credit Suisse Group (9)
Ronald Berger
Strategy Consultants (9)
Merrill Lynch (7)
Google (7)
Standard Chartered Bank (7)
American Express (6)
UBS (6)
Morgan Stanley (5)
Royal Dutch Shell (5)
Source of Job Offers
Location
Asia 20%
Western
Europe
63%
Major Employers
School Facilitated..................................59%
Graduate Facilitated.............................41%
North America 6%
Middle East 5%
Eastern Europe 3%
Latin America 2%
Africa 1%
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P R O F E S S I O N A L
R E C R U I T M E N T
AT
I N S E A D
INSEAD
INSEAD and Veritas Prep
Veritas Prep has a distinguished track record helping our clients gain acceptance to
one of the world’s truly elite business schools. The secret to our success, as always, is in
first ensuring that INSEAD is a proper fit for the client, and then assisting the client in
expressing that unique fit in the most articulate and impactful way possible.
Our Team
As with the Veritas Prep to other elite business schools, our team of INSEAD consultants
includes former admission representatives, alumni interviewers, members of influential
student groups, and, of course, accomplished professionals in a variety of fields. With
multiple INSEAD consultants on our admission consulting team, we are able to provide
customized service to clients based on background, timing, and logistics. Our INSEAD
consultants have career experience in a variety of industries and functions.
Each client who works with Veritas Prep on an INSEAD comprehensive package will receive a customized team of consultants: a Head Consultant and an INSEAD Specialist.
Head Consultant. All of our Head Consultants have experiences as admissions
representatives that afford each of them a unique perspective on the applicant pool
and how candidates must position themselves to express proper fit and to stand out
in an increasingly competitive process. The Head Consultant will guide the client
through every step of the process: from the initial Diagnostic Session to submission
of the application.
“With multiple INSEAD consultants on
our admission consulting team, we are
able to provide customized service to
clients based on background, timing,
and logistics.”
INSEAD Specialist. Every comprehensive package client who chooses INSEAD
will also receive an INSEAD Specialist who is either a current student or recent graduate of the school. This individual will ensure that essay responses are both topical and
aligned thematically with the things that matter to INSEAD. In addition to helping clients find specific courses, programs, clubs, and professors that match their interests, the
INSEAD Specialist will also comb through each question and answer to ensure that the
response is properly aligned with the qualities that INSEAD seeks in a candidate.
For more on Veritas Prep’s incredible team and the individuals who serve as our INSEAD consultants, please visit the Consultant Profiles page of our website.
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I N S E A D
A N D V E R I TA S
P R E P
INSEAD
Our INSEAD Services
The INSEAD School of Business is always one of the most popular school selections
among our clients due to its reputation as a global MBA program that rivals the top
American schools. However, the Veritas Prep approach is built upon identifying the
right fit for each client, regardless of the generic qualities of the business school. Only
once we have verified a proper match do we begin to build the candidate’s personal
marketing platform and piece together the perfect INSEAD application.
Diagnostic Session. Our Diagnostic Session – the first step in our comprehensive packages as well as a stand-alone service – assures that each client’s goals
and prospects are properly aligned. Once we have helped ensure that the client is
making sound choices with regard to each business school application, we start
building a timeline and a strategy specifically tailored for a INSEAD engagement.
Personalized MBA Game Plan. Each client’s Head Consultant will create
a Personalized MBA Game Plan, a strategic approach based on the client’s professional, academic, and personal history. Those elements will become the foundation
of the INSEAD application story, allowing the client to demonstrate leadership, innovation, maturity, teamwork skills, analytical ability, and potential for academic excellence. A major component of the Game Plan is the identification of each candidate’s
strengths and weaknesses – as well as truly unique qualities – relative to the INSEAD
applicant pool (this applies to nearly all of the elite business schools). This will create an application platform from which to work and will help mold and shape the
strategy of how to address application components such as the resumé, essays, and
letters of recommendations.
“Each client’s Head Consultant will
create a Personalized MBA Game Plan,
a strategic approach based on the
client’s professional, academic, and
personal history.”
International Background. Successful applicants to INSEAD must demonstrate that they have the necessary international background to contribute to the
global learning environment that INSEAD works continuously to create. Applicants
should weave this theme into as many of the essays as possible, and highlight all the
aspects of their background – academic, personal, professional – that demonstrate
an understanding of the value of international diversity and the ability to succeed
in cross-cultural environments. Most INSEAD students have extensive experience
across all three of these parameters from having lived, worked and studied in a number of different countries. As such, INSEAD is not assembling an MBA program of
“foreign” students, but individuals who have experience across cultures. However, it
is not absolutely necessary to have had international professional experience. Successful applicants can demonstrate that they would thrive in an international environment through a discussion of their academic and personal experiences outside
of their home country. Keep in mind that international travel alone is unlikely to be
sufficient. INSEAD’s language policy ensures that MBA participants are more than
well-traveled tourists. All applicants must speak English and one foreign language
to be admitted, and demonstrate the ability to speak a third upon graduation. Our
approach to the INSEAD application is to think as broadly as possible about what it
means to have a global perspective and to help applicants find the right combination of experiences that best demonstrates their capacity to appreciate and contribute to INSEAD’s unique international diversity.
“Successful applicants can
demonstrate that they would thrive in
an international environment through
a discussion of their academic and
personal experiences outside of their
home country.”
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I N S E A D
A N D V E R I TA S
P R E P
INSEAD
Maturity. INSEAD’s accelerated 10-month MBA program is intense and the admissions committee needs to ensure that participants have the capacity to keep up with
the pace. As such, INSEAD tends to accept older, more experienced applicants who
demonstrate a high level of maturity. Maturity is assessed both through personal and
professional accomplishments as well as the level of introspection a candidate demonstrates in his or her application materials. The ability to clearly outline goals, assess
personal strengths and weaknesses, and articulate what you stand to gain from INSEAD’s MBA program, are all elements applicants should use to reveal their maturity.
INSEAD is aware that the program is about more than time spent in the classroom.
MBA participants go flat out during their time at INSEAD filling their days and nights
with as much learning, socializing, travel and cultural experiences as possible. INSEAD
values high-energy candidates who demonstrate that they can take on as many of
life’s opportunities as possible and possess the maturity to benefit from these experiences without being overwhelmed.
Balance and Perfection. Once the themes of an international background
and maturity have been installed as the backbone of the INSEAD application, the Veritas Prep Head Consultant and INSEAD Specialist will team up to ensure that all of the
questions have been properly answered, that the resumé and essay questions have
been crafted with style and efficiency, and that all of the key business school themes
have been addressed in a balanced way throughout the application. It’s not easy applying to one of the most popular schools in the country, but our consulting team will
ensure that Veritas Prep clients give themselves the best chance of admissions success
through the most accurate, engaging, and persuasive portrayal of their candidacy that
they can possibly create. This is true of our approach to all schools, but particularly at
INSEAD, where two critical themes – an international background and maturity – must
resonate so strongly and consistently throughout the application.
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I N S E A D
A N D V E R I TA S
P R E P
INSEAD
About Veritas Prep
Founded in 2002, Veritas Prep has emerged as a global leader in GMAT® education
and MBA admissions consulting. The company’s business school team includes more
than 300 graduates of the world’s elite MBA programs, managed from its headquarters in Malibu, California.
The Veritas Prep consulting model is built on adding value to a student’s application
process by providing both mentorship and expertise. The business school admissions process has become increasingly competitive and applicants must do everything possible to showcase their value. Our consultants assist applicants in presenting their unique stories in the most professional and meaningful way possible. In a
sense, our consultants are translators – helping an applicant discover raw materials
and information and then helping that candidate articulate a unique story in a language that admissions committees understand. More than anything, Veritas Prep
gives candidates a sense of ownership and control over the process. Quality of work,
attention to detail, care for the student, and integrity are the lynchpins of a successful
consultation.
“Success Favors the Prepared“
In addition to elite MBA admissions consulting services, Veritas Prep also offers the
finest GMAT preparation available in the industry, as well as admissions consulting for
law school, medical school, and graduate school services.
For comprehensive information on all of Veritas Prep’s many services, please visit our
website.
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A B O U T V E R I TA S