I'm a second-year at IESE Business School in Barcelona, and I went through this exact application cycle in 2025. Before the MBA I spent four years at McKinsey, working across banking and healthcare analytics, after starting out in data engineering. I've spent the last year helping applicants - mostly from India - figure out which European schools actually fit them, rebuild their essays, and prepare for Kira and alumni interviews. Several are now at IESE, INSEAD, HEC and LBS. I'm not an agency. I'm 2 years ahead of you, I remember how this felt, and I'll tell you honestly where you stand.