# From Fashion Design to the MBA: How Ashwini Landed at Kellogg with a 700+ GMAT Score Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-the-gmat-7758024/from-fashion-design-to-the-mba-how-ashwini-landed-at-kellogg-with-a-700-gmat-score Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-the-gmat-7758024/from-fashion-design-to-the-mba-how-ashwini-landed-at-kellogg-with-a-700-gmat-score.md Podcast: [Inside the GMAT](https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-the-gmat-7758024) Published: 2025-11-19T13:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://insidethegmat.libsyn.com/from-fashion-design-to-the-mba-how-ashwini-landed-at-kellogg-with-a-700-gmat-score Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/insidethegmat/from_fashion_design_to_the_mba_-_audio_inside_the_gmat.mp3?dest-id=2303165 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/inside-the-gmat-7758024/episodes/from-fashion-design-to-the-mba-how-ashwini-landed-at-kellogg-with-a-700-gmat-score Duration seconds: 1299 ## Resource In this episode of Inside the GMAT , GMAC Zach sits down with Ashwini Deshpande, a former fashion designer turned MBA candidate whose two-month GMAT sprint transformed her entire career trajectory. Ashwini shares how she went from designing digital fashion at Meta to scoring a 750 on the exam (roughly a 715 on today's scale), earning admission—and a scholarship—to the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She walks through her unconventional path, why she approached GMAT prep like a creative challenge, how the right prep tools accelerated her progress, and why non-traditional applicants should see their backgrounds as an advantage, not a barrier. Ashwini also explains how her GMAT skills still show up in the classroom and in consulting recruiting—and how confidence, mindset, and self-reflection powered every step of her journey. You can follow Ashwini's MBA adventures on Instagram , offering a behind-the-scenes look at classes, campus life, and what it's really like to be a business student with a fashion-tech edge. Explore GMAT Prep: https://www.mba.com/gmat-exam-prep Register for the GMAT: https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat-exam/register Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GMATbyGMAC Takeaways: Creativity can lead to a successful MBA journey and prep plan. Self-reflection is key in GMAT preparation. Non-traditional backgrounds can be advantageous in applications. Choosing the right business school is crucial for fit. A strong GMAT score can open doors to not just top schools, but scholarship opportunities. Start preparing early to avoid last-minute stress. Utilize resources that match your learning style. Confidence is essential for non-traditional candidates. Success is achievable with dedication and the right mindset. Chapters: 00:00 Introduct… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/inside-the-gmat-7758024/episodes/from-fashion-design-to-the-mba-how-ashwini-landed-at-kellogg-with-a-700-gmat-score/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-the-gmat-7758024/from-fashion-design-to-the-mba-how-ashwini-landed-at-kellogg-with-a-700-gmat-score.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.