At Menlo Coaching, we’ve had strong results working with Indian applicants from elite
backgrounds—particularly those at large family businesses, private equity and venture capital firms, or
other high-end employers.
But we want to be upfront:
We’re not the best fit for every Indian applicant.
Our pricing is significantly higher than local firms—and may be out of reach based on typical Indian
salaries.
We focus on a small subset of Indian applicants and do not have broad admissions data across the entire
applicant pool.
If you’re currently working for a top-tier family business, PE/VC fund, or similar organization…
…and you think you may be a fit for our services, feel free to reach out directly at [email protected].
Looking for a Great Local Option?
We often recommend MBA Crystal Ball, one of the most established and trusted MBA admissions consulting
firms in India.
They’ve helped a wide range of applicants succeed at the M7, T10, and T25 programs—even those with
challenges like low test scores, GPA issues, or career gaps.
“MCB made me fall in love with the application process.”
— Apoorva: 10 applications, 9 interviews, 6 admits, $250K in scholarships
IESE offers a two-year MBA program that can place its graduates in any industry: finance, consulting, entrepreneurship, tech, and more. Because the school is located in Barcelona and has a student body that (mainly) intends to seek jobs in other locations after graduating, they are not beholden to any one industry or set of employers in the same way as schools that send their graduates mainly into a narrow set of employers in their home region.
The school’s approach to admissions is refreshingly honest, with the admissions team talking about “Career Risk,” and encouraging applicants to consider the MBA not as a journey of wish fulfillment, but as a practical career decision with certain benefits and drawbacks. It goes without saying that IESE prefers to admit students who have figured out how to achieve a high likelihood of career success by using the program’s resources. They also offer introductory chats with admissions officers to help you gauge whether the program is a good fit. (Talk to us first if you want to be well prepared for these.)
Finally, who wouldn’t want to study in Barcelona? (Or, at one of IESE’s other campuses, including New York, São Paulo, Munich, or Madrid.)
The above data is from 2021 and represents the career statistics for the IESE MBA class 2021.* See the full report: IESE MBA Employment Report
IESE MBA Academic Programs
MBA Curriculum
IESE’s MBA curriculum spans across two years, where year one is neatly organized into three terms, and the second term is entirely customizable. You can choose the duration of the program to be either 15 or 19 months long. IESE’s core curriculum consists of 24 classes. The first term focuses on core classes in Business Essentials, Term 2 takes you into a Strategy and Operations deep-dive, and Term 3 covers 10 core courses in a range of subjects, including International Management and Corporate Finance. There are over 130 different electives in the IESE MBA. The electives are spread out over a wide-variety of subjects such as Entrepreneurship, Economics, Financial Management, and Production, Technology, and Information Management.
Although IESE does not offer official majors or concentrations, you can choose your elective coursework according to your personal and career interests. IESE’s large number of course offerings includes classes in topics like Venture Capital, Real Estate Investments and Management, Data Science for Business, and Personality, Self-Leadership, and Happiness.
Experiential Learning Programs
The program’s focus on the case method is illustrative of the strength of IESE’s experiential learning program. Moreover, they implement “actioning learning” in the classroom, which involves solving real-world problems. Their curriculum also includes simulations or business games, that simulate real-life business situations.
Center for Research in Healthcare Innovation Management
Center for Innovation Marketing and Strategy
Center for International Finance
International Center for Logistics Research
Center for Public Leadership and Government
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center
International Center for Work and Family
Institute for Media and Entertainment
Public-Private Sector Research Center
MBA International Study Programs
IESE has a network association of 15 business schools. In addition, they have exchange partnerships with over 25 business schools. For those of you interested in shorter exchange programs, IESE offers two-week study electives abroad in New York, Sau Paulo, Shanghai, and Nairobi.
IESE’s global focus can also be witnessed through their curriculum, which includes internationally oriented coursework such as Corporate Finance in Emerging Markets and Applied International Economics.
Video Resources on IESE Academics
IESE MBA Application
The latest application requirements set by the IESE MBA admissions office are described below.
Essays
Here are the prompts for IESE’s 2023–2024 application:
Essay Question I: How do you expect to be changed by your experience at IESE and what impact you would like to make after your MBA? (upload file, word limit 300 max)
Essay Question II: What are your short and medium term post MBA career goals and how will IESE help you achieve them? (upload file, word limit 300 max)
Video Resources on IESE Admissions
IESE MBA Admissions Interviews
Members of the IESE Admissions Committee conduct all admissions interviews. Though they may hold interviews in your region, many interviews occur at one of their three campuses: Barcelona, New York, or Sao Paolo. The interview format is conversational, and the interviewer tries to get to know you genuinely to see if you would be a good fit for the school.
Barcelona Location: IESE’s founding campus is situated minutes from bustling downtown Barcelona. Along with its rich history and beautiful art and architecture, Barcelona is also one of the most active European business centers.
Rigorous Academics: The IESE MBA Program has a high workload, and is very academically focused. There are three case discussions per day, even during the first year (HBS does two).
Entrepreneurship Support: IESE MBA students interested in starting their own business will have many opportunities to explore this career path. In our interview on entrepreneurship resources at IESE with former Admissions Director Pascal Michels, he highlights three great draws to IESE for prospective entrepreneurs:
A comprehensive entrepreneurship curriculum available with the MBA
An option to do a summer entrepreneurship project
A lively investor community circling campus, as well as a dedicated investment fund dedicated solely to entrepreneur ventures run by IESE students and graduates
Explore the IESE MBA program with our comprehensive guide and gain valuable insights from our MBA admission consulting experts to enhance your application.
*All data retrieved from the IESE MBA Program webpages and other sources.
Pascal’s former experience as Director of Admissions for IESE’s MBA program and heavy involvement with MBA recruiting at Citi Private Bank make him the perfect mentor for applicants looking to climb the ladder or transition into a new role. Fluent in four languages, Pascal has a special affinity for European MBA candidates—but his proven track record extends to all fields, including bankers and military officers.
