Amazing Women of MBA & Beyond: Scholarship Stories

This blog is based on “How to Win MBA Scholarships as a Women Applicant”, a close-knit, candid conversation on MBA scholarships, leadership narratives, and what truly makes applications stand out.

Hosted by Paridhi, Co-Founder of MBA & Beyond, alongside Shantanu (Founder, MBA & Beyond, and an INSEAD Alumnus) and Shipra (applicant who received admits from Darden with a $90K scholarship, and TUCK with a 70K scholarship, with a 695 GMAT Focus score, and a unique background spanning Entrepreneurship, Family Business, and Policy), the session went far beyond tactical advice. It unpacks mindset, impact, and storytelling, the real levers behind competitive MBA scholarships.

Shipra – MBA Admit & Scholarship Winner

Shipra worked closely with MBA & Beyond for over a year and brought the applicant’s perspective to life. With a background in marketing at Flipkart, she is heading to business school this fall, armed with:

• $90K Scholarship at Darden
  
• $70K scholarship at Tuck

The Big Question: What Do Scholarships Actually Look For?

A recurring myth was dismantled early in the session: Scholarships are not just about GMAT scores or job titles.

Shantanu emphasized that while academics and test scores matter (they’re table stakes), scholarships are fundamentally about impact beyond your job description.

Merit vs Impact

• Merit-based scholarships often focus on academics, GMAT, and career progression.
  
• Leadership and women-focused scholarships (like Forte or Laidlaw) look closely at:
  • What you’ve done outside your formal role
  • Causes you’ve committed to without incentives
  • How your values translate into action

Real Examples That Made the Difference

Shweta & the Laidlaw Scholarship

One standout story was of a candidate who secured a 100% Laidlaw Scholarship, despite a 690 GMAT.

Her differentiator?

• Supporting young women from her hometown
  
• Raising funds to help them attend colleges outside their city
  
• Personally mentoring them on exposure and opportunity
  

The takeaway was clear: One deeply authentic story beats ten surface-level achievements.

Shipra’s Journey: Connecting the Dots

Shipra’s success wasn’t about one big achievement, it was about cohesion.

Her application wove together:

• A strong academic foundation
  
• A marketing career at Flipkart
  
• Creative pursuits like painting and storytelling
  
• Community work, including:
  
  • The Lighthouse Project
    
  • Reclaim Circle, a peer-support group for divorced women
    

What stood out was not scale, but intentional impact. As Shantanu explained:

“Leadership doesn’t mean leading 100 people. Sometimes it means changing one person’s trajectory.”

Leadership Isn’t a Title (And It Isn’t Always an NGO)

Shipra shared a powerful workplace example that resonated with many attendees. At Flipkart, she noticed that marketing campaigns were heavily Hindi-centric, unintentionally alienating audiences in South and East India. Although she wasn’t leading the entire marketing function, she:

• Identified the gap
  
• Escalated it to leadership
  
• Helped drive a shift toward regional and vernacular marketing
  

That single insight led to organization-wide change, a perfect example of leadership without authority.

How to Think About Scholarship Essays

The session broke down how to approach common scholarship questions.

1. Leadership Experience

Don’t default to KPIs or metrics.
Instead:

• Talk about going the extra mile
  
• Focus on why you acted, not just what you achieved
  
• Show values in action
  

2. Post-MBA Goals

Forget the scholarship for a moment.
Ask yourself:

• Does this goal logically connect to my past?
  
• Are my transferable skills visible?
  
• Is my ambition bold but believable?
  

Shipra put it perfectly:

“Your long-term goal should be ambitious, not delusional.”

Women-Focused Scholarships: Is Impact Only About Women?

A key clarification:

• While scholarships like Forte or Laidlaw prioritize women’s leadership, they also value:
  
  • Broader social impact
    
  • Future commitment
    
  • Clear ROI on you as an investment
    

Even if your past impact isn’t exclusively women-focused, your plans and values still matter.

The mindset shift Shantanu emphasized:

You’re not asking for a scholarship. You’re inviting them to invest in you.

Practical Advice That Hit Home

• Apply early (Round 1) if scholarships matter, funds reduce in later rounds
  
• Some scholarships require separate essays, others just a checkbox
  
• Employer sponsorship can affect scholarship chances, but can be addressed thoughtfully
  
• There is no age bias; candidates with 10-13 years of experience still win scholarships
  
• Strong narratives take time:
  
  • ~2 months to refine your core story
  • ~1 month per high-quality application

Final Takeaway: Story > Stats

If there was one message that echoed through the session, it was this:

Scholarships reward clarity, conviction, and coherence, not perfection.

Whether you’re early in your journey or deep into applications, the differentiator isn’t how impressive your resume looks. It’s how honestly and powerfully you tell your story.

If you’d also like to be among applicants who secure admits and scholarships from top business schools, let’s review your profile in detail and map out a clear path forward. Book a 1:1 profile evaluation session with us for absolutely Free. 

Stay focused, be authentic, and let your unique story shine through with MBA&Beyond.