Nga Tran, INSEAD MBA Class of 2019 J
Age: 27
Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Union College (NY, USA), economics
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): I spent four years in hotel management. I had a startup in agriculture in Vietnam on the side for more than two years. I thought it wouldn’t work out that way anymore, so I decided to move back to Vietnam and work full-time in the startup for a year before INSEAD.
Why business school? Why now? While my experience and passion provide a solid foundation, an MBA sharpens specific business skills and technical knowledge. When I worked on the startup, I constantly wanted to find mentors who could help me with strategies such as pricing and sales. I thought going to business school would grant me access to many professors and mentors along with opportunities to learn the concepts and frameworks that have helped other small companies get off the ground. Also I always wanted to do business internationally, and thus the global network a top MBA program could offer would help tremendously.
Why INSEAD? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? Three factors: personality fit, career goal, and the length of the program.
I wanted an international environment where people are truly open-minded. I talked to alumni from a few schools and felt that I would mesh well in the international and dynamic environment at INSEAD and be very happy there. Moreover, the next stage for my startup is to export. At INSEAD, I can easily reach out to many different markets, a network that most other schools can’t offer. Last but not least, being away from my startup for two years would be too long for me. An intensive one-year program was a perfect choice.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2019 J? I’m from a non-traditional background for MBAs—both hotel management and agriculture are rare to find among the MBA students’ backgrounds. That helps me see things from different perspectives from my classmates. Having said that, once I first stepped on campus, I realized that everyone is my class is greatly unique. Yes, they are different from me but they are all interesting in their own way. I’m also one of only a small group of women social entrepreneurs.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? My fiancé and I are having a business plan for coral restoration that we will bring to the INSEAD Venture Competition.
Post-MBA career interests? I am going back home to continue my journey with my agriculture start-up and help my fiancé with the coral project.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? Reflect, reflect, and reflect. For me it was a rewarding process that taught me so much about myself. Had I not gotten in, I would still have pursued the ambition I wrote in my application.
–One thing you would change or do differently? I would have only applied to INSEAD so I wouldn’t have to think about where I would go. I am half joking. I understand I can say that just because I am looking back. I wouldn’t encourage applicants to apply to one school only. That said, I’ve talked to many INSEAD students here and found that’s exactly what they did—INSEAD or no MBA.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it? The video questions. I know why the admissions team added them into the application process, and I’m not complaining. But I’m not great on videos, so I was a bit nervous. I practiced quite a lot, stayed calm, and got through it just fine.
What is your initial impression of INSEAD’s students/culture/community? I would say having lived/worked/studied in five countries across three continents is something different about me, but actually at INSEAD everyone is at least that international or more.
One thing you have learned about INSEAD that has surprised you? Orientation had never been interesting for me until I got to INSEAD. The launch week at INSEAD was intensive, exciting, and fun.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year? How to balance between social life, academic, and career (my startup). I felt like I haven’t been as busy my whole as I have been in the two weeks since I got here. Period 1 at INSEAD is truly intensive. I am having a blast here.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year? Friendships. I am amazed by how INSEAD was able to attract such a great pool of special and diverse talents. I wish I could do at least one coffee chat with everyone in my class and the senior class. Listening to their stories fascinates me. I want to know them all at a personal level. I am truly expanding my horizons. There are many people here that are so different from me. I thought I wouldn’t be able to create meaningful connections with them, but I gladly admit that I was wrong. My teammates are amazing, too. We support and challenge each other while still giving others plenty of space to contribute and develop.
