Ajay’s Journey: From Indian MBA to Kellogg 1Y – A Reapplicant’s Redemption
When Ajay first set his sights on the US MBA scene, he knew that his profile wasn’t a typical feeder profile. He had an engineering degree from DA-IICT, an MBA from IIM Shillong, and six years of experience in project finance at Yes Bank, working on infrastructure deals across roads, renewables, and agri-infra. However, he did have a strong 750 GMAT score and was a CFA charterholder.
On paper, his chances looked dicey. And when he applied on his own in his first attempt, he didn’t receive a single interview call.
“I was overconfident. I assumed a strong GMAT and a decent resume would be enough. I hadn’t realized how nuanced and rigorous the US MBA admissions process is, especially for someone with a prior MBA.”
That experience became a wake-up call.
In his second attempt, Ajay decided to do things differently. He connected with Admissions Gateway and got in touch with Aparna. From that point on, she became his guide, editor, strategic advisor, and sounding board through every step of his reapplication.
“We started from scratch. Aparna helped me completely rework my goals, school list, and application narrative. I had applied generically the first time around, but this time, she made sure each application was tailor-made for the program I was applying to.”
One of the biggest changes was how Ajay approached fit. He had initially used the same goals and content across all schools. Aparna pointed out that unless a school could see itself as the bridge between his past and his future, they wouldn’t be convinced about why a second MBA is critical in your career journey, no matter how strong the rest of the profile was.
“She made me talk to current students at every school. That gave me a much deeper understanding of the curriculum, the career outcomes, and how to frame my own story accordingly.”
After multiple discussions and iterations, Aparna helped him crystallize his goals: pivot from Indian project finance to global investment banking in the energy sector. Aparna also propelled him to look into 1-Year programs that would let him make that move without repeating two more years of an MBA. Kellogg’s one-year program emerged as the ideal fit.
“I loved that Kellogg’s 1Y program treated you exactly like a 2Y—same professors, same access, same resources. But yes, not having an internship does make full-time recruiting a bit more intense, which is something the school is working on currently.”
Through the process, Aparna’s attention to detail stood out. Whether it was late-stage optional essays, fast-approaching deadlines, or mock interviews that stretched for hours, Ajay always felt like she was fully invested.
“She grilled me in interviews. I used to wing it before, but she made me prepare written answers for every possible question. I think we spent 2.5–3 hours just prepping for Kellogg. It made all the difference.”
Ajay ultimately received admits from multiple top schools, including Darden and Ross, but once the Kellogg admit came through, the decision was easy. He’s now a full-time investment banker at BMO, focused on energy infrastructure deals.
“It’s a completely different market here. The depth, the structure of deals, the exposure—it’s exactly what I was looking for. The learning curve is steep, but that’s what I came here for.”
His advice to future applicants, especially those with prior MBAs or who are reapplying is crystal clear:
“Be honest with yourself about what you want to do after the MBA. Then find schools that can genuinely help you get there. If that match is clear, everything else, the essays, interviews, recommendations, falls into place.”
To read more such stories of folks who got into their dream business schools to pursue their lifelong passion, check out our success stories.