Q 1: So Rakhi, we don’t traditionally get a lot of PhDs applying for an MBA. What was the catalyst in your career that prompted you to think about an MBA? Also,, if you can just maybe give a brief background about yourself?

• I’ve been in life sciences and healthcare pretty much my whole life. I moved to the US at 17 to study biochemistry and molecular biology at Michigan State, went on to do a master’s in human genetics at the University of Michigan, and later completed a PhD in cancer biology at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
• Somewhere during my PhD, I realized I didn’t want to stay in the wet lab forever. I became more curious about how drugs actually make it from the lab bench to real patients. That shift made me want to explore the business and commercialization side of biotech—something I couldn’t learn from research alone.
• Around the same time, one of my professors, who had a biotech startup in India, offered me a role. It felt like the right opportunity—I wanted to be closer to my family, and the role aligned perfectly with my interests. So I moved back and joined Sathgen Therapeutics, where I worked on business development and strategy for their anti-cancer drugs.
• While working at Satgen, I realized how much I still had to learn about the business side of pharma. I also felt the need to build a stronger network outside of research. That’s what led me to pursue an MBA—to fill those knowledge gaps and to connect with people in the commercial and strategic side of healthcare.

Q 2: There’s a big debate going on between Europe and the US MBAs. As someone who has spent close to 17 years in the US, why did you opt for Europe over the US?

• Having already lived and studied in the US, I knew I didn’t want to move back. Even if you go to a top US business school, it naturally ties you to the American job market—and I wasn’t looking to build my career there.
• I was clear that I wanted to be either in Europe or Asia. That ruled out most US MBA programs for me, because even if you’re not technically restricted, you’re seen as a better fit for roles in the US—and then you have to justify leaving.
• European business schools stood out because of their global orientation and alignment with my geographic goals. It just made more sense for the direction I wanted my career and life to take.
• Another big factor was the duration—many European MBA programs are just one year, which was a huge plus. In contrast, most top US programs still follow a two-year format, which didn’t appeal to me.

Q 3: So Rakhi, what was your application journey? I remember, when you reached out to me, you had a long conversation, a lot of debating with respect to what made sense, what didn’t make sense. So we can just briefly talk about the entire journey?

• • I’d gone through school applications before, but juggling a full-time job with MBA prep was a different beast. My days started at 5 AM with GRE prep, then work, followed by applications and more GRE study at night.But I guess that’s the daily life of most MBA applicants.

In this madness, working with you was amazing because you, you know, you kind of guided me on what I needed to focus on at the moment. Like, even when we spoke, I remember you said, just focus on your GRE and then we’ll get to your applications, do what you need to do right now. And I think that really helped streamline the process for me.

I remember, we brainstormed through my profile because it was a bit diverse and we wanted to bring science and business together. So I think having you help me build my story was very, very important. Because as you know, I didn’t do very well on the GRE.

• My GRE score wasn’t amazing, and I was genuinely unsure if I’d get in. But in the end, it was the strength of the overall application—especially the story—that made the difference.
• The whole process stretched over six-plus months, including the scholarship stage. By the end, I was completely drained and just wanted it to be over—but getting that admit email made it all worth it..

Q4. For the benefit of everyone, what were the results like? And you know, what was the final outcome for you during this whole process?

• I applied to four schools—INSEAD, LBS, Oxford Saïd, and ISB. I was waitlisted at LBS initially but eventually got in, and I received admits from both Oxford and INSEAD. ISB also invited me for an interview, but I didn’t end up pursuing it.
• The sequence of admits helped shape my decision. I got the LBS admit just before I had to make a call on Oxford, which was a relief. Then, while I was deciding between LBS and Oxford, the INSEAD offer came through—which changed the game.
• I reached out to INSEAD about a scholarship and they responded positively, which really helped. Beyond that, the one-year duration and the school’s strong presence in both Europe and Asia aligned perfectly with my personal and career goals.
• By the time ISB called me for an interview, I had already committed to INSEAD. I told them to move forward with another candidate who might benefit more—it felt like the right thing to do.

Q5: I think all three of them are really good admits, right? And they have unique aspects. So I think just between INSEAD and LBS, because they are sort of considered competitors in some sense for pretty much all MBA applicants, you know, what were the factors that sort of tipped your decision in favor of INSEAD?

• Getting into both INSEAD and LBS was exciting, but also overwhelming. I honestly didn’t even celebrate the INSEAD admit at first—I was immediately stressed about having to choose between two great options.
• Having already spent years in academia doing a PhD, the shorter, one-year timeline at INSEAD was a big draw. I didn’t want to stay out of the job market any longer than necessary.
• My career focus is on both Europe and Asia. While LBS is strong in Europe, especially London, INSEAD offers broader access—not just to Europe, but also Asia and the Middle East, which better aligned with my goals.
• INSEAD offering a scholarship was the final deciding factor. My decision wasn’t about choosing between industries like finance or consulting—it came down to practical aspects like geography, time, and financial support..

Q6. That’s helpful to know. So what would be your advice for, you know, future MBA applicants, any three key takeaways that you know, probably you want to talk about from your experience? Because at the end of the day, it was a very successful outcome for you.

Absolutely, a lot of my credit goes to you for helping me put together my applications.

• The first most important thing I would say is put your story together really well. Even before you start your applications, just start putting a story together, especially if you come from a diverse background such as mine.
• I was successful despite a strong GRE score and that had a lot to with my story. Have a good story that you take through your applications, your interviews, or as you speak to alumni, keep that constant and talk to them about it.
• Second, it feels a lot when you’re working and applying, whatever you have, keep it going, because at some point, it gets a lot. But I think the outcome can be really good if you keep pushing.
• Third, I think speaking to alumni from different schools can help you make a good decision. Because I think at least for me, all of the alumni gave pros and cons for everything that I was speaking to, especially while making my decision between LBS and INSEAD.