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Sample INSEAD MBA Extracurricular Essay: Violin

Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (approximately 300 words) *

In the fourth example, we capture the narrative of an applicant whose parents immigrated to the UK after putting their heart and soul into a venture. The success of the venture is highlighted as a key event for the change in her destiny. With the upliftment, she could focus on the extra-curricular. Violin became her favorite instrument. With the goal to join the prestigious London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), she diligently practices.

The selection into the Junior artist programme is the high of the narrative.

The narrative then directly transitions into her M&A career and the problem a client was facing. The unique challenge and the demand of the client are resolved by leveraging her experience of participating in the orchestra. A comparison of the skills required to excel in an orchestra and to succeed in a client-facing role in Investment Banking is the second half of the narrative.

Sample Essay 3: Extra-Curricular and How enriched you are (299 Words) (M&A and Orchestra)

My parents, through hard work and dedication migrated to the UK and created a legacy that has given I and my brother the opportunity to explore engagements that fine-tuned our extra-curricular skills. I gravitated towards Violin as the instrument was the most challenging to master. The hours of deliberate practice and perfecting the notes, although personally satisfying, my goal as a teenager was to join the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO). As a child of African immigrants, I could join the LPO junior artist programme that gave voice to the underrepresented communities in Music.

While working on an M&A deal for <x>, the experience was crucial as the client was skeptical about the information flow. The failure of the last acquisition that forced a $2b write-off was a contributor to the skepticism. The advisory team – a competing Investment Bank, failed to disclose a business model risk that materialized in just 1 year after the deal. As one of the three client-facing representatives for the bank, I had to listen attentively to the concerns of the client. Practicing with the....

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Download the Complete INSEAD MBA Extra-curricular Essay on the Orchestra's influence on applicant's Consulting Skills and 19 Sample INSEAD MBA Essays

 

F1GMAT's INSEAD MBA Essay Guide

Question 1: Provide a summary of your career since graduating from university, explaining the rationale behind your key decisions and career progression. Include a description of your current (or most recent) role, covering the scope of your work, major responsibilities, employees under your supervision, budget size, clients/products, and any notable results achieved. (500 words)

Question 2: Describe your short and long-term career aspirations, including your target geography, industry, and function. How do you plan to bridge the gap between your current position and these goals, and how will INSEAD help you achieve them? (300 words)

Question 3: Give a candid description of yourself as a person and a leader, emphasising the strengths and weaknesses you recognise in yourself. Explain how you are actively working on your development, sharing key experiences that have shaped you, providing specific examples where relevant. (500 words)

Question 4: Describe a highly stressful situation you faced and how you managed it. What did this experience teach you about yourself and your interactions with others? (400 words)

Download F1GMAT's INSEAD MBA Essay Guide

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