Graham highlighted the Spring MBA applicant survey that Clear Admit is conducting. You can access the survey here: https://bit.ly/surveymba26

Graham then noted upcoming Clear Admit events. On May 11, Clear Admit is hosting our in-person admissions event in Atlanta. We are also hosting several Application overview events on May 19 and 20, and May 26 and 27. Signups for these events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham then highlighted an MBA admissions tip that focuses on choosing between several MBA program offers.

Finally, Graham continued with the Real Humans Alumni series. This week focuses on two alumni from Kellogg / PepsiCo and London Business School / Meta.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three DecisionWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate wants to work in Consulting and be on the West Coast, post MBA. Their offers include Darden, Mendoza, Goizueta and Merage.

This week’s second MBA applicant is deciding between Johnson and Scheller. They want to be in the northeast, post MBA.

This week’s final MBA candidate is deciding between Fuqua and IESE. They are from Latin America and are focused on Health Care.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s upcoming livestream “Decision Day Watch Party” scheduled for  Wednesday, you can subscribe to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ClearAdmitMBA

On May 11, Clear Admit is hosting our in-person admissions event in Atlanta. We are also hosting several Application overview events in May. Signups for these events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham then highlighted an MBA admissions tip that focuses on the impact of scholarships for MBA candidates, as they make their final decisions on where they will attend.

Finally, Graham continued with the Real Humans Alumni series. This week focuses on two alumni from Booth / Microsoft and Mendoza / Amazon.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected one ApplyWire entry and two DecisionWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is applying for deferred admissions at top MBA programs, but has a GRE score of 310.

This week’s second MBA applicant wants to work in the Middle East after their MBA and has an offer from Stern for their program in Abu Dhabi.

This week’s final MBA candidate is deciding between Kenan Flagler and Tepper and waiting for Kellogg.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted upcoming MBA webinar events. On Thursday, we are hosting a series of panel discussions focused on international students who are targeting the top MBA programs in the United States. On May 11, Clear Admit is hosting our in-person MBA Fair in Atlanta. We are also hosting several online Application Overview events in May. Signups for all of these events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events And finally, Clear Admit will also be livestreaming a “Decision Day Watch Party” on March 25, you can subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@ClearAdmitMBA

In the news & notes section of the show, Graham mentioned an MBA admissions tip that focuses on the Round 2 wait list and showcased more entries from our Real Humans Alumni series. This week focuses on three alumni from Fuqua / Netflix, Haas / Google and Johnson / Deloitte.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is seeking to pivot from banking to MBB consulting and wants to use an executive MBA program to make that pivot.

This week’s second MBA applicant appears to have a strong career in cybersecurity and wants to pivot to consulting in digital strategy. They still need to take the GRE.

This week’s final MBA candidate is deciding between Fuqua and Ross, and possibly Johnson too.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted upcoming MBA webinar events. On March 19, we are hosting a series of panel discussions focused on international students who are targeting the top MBA programs in the United States. On May 11, Clear Admit is hosting our in-person MBA Fair in Atlanta. Signups for these events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham then highlighted several MBA admissions tips, focusing on Welcome Weekend events, the importance of pre-MBA coursework for MBA applicants, and two that focus on deferred admissions at UPenn / Wharton and Columbia.

Finally, Graham addressed the new season of Real Humans Alumni. This week focuses on four alumni from Rice / Jones at Bain, NYU / Stern at BCG, Harvard at Amazon and CMU / Tepper at Morgan Stanley.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from India and is looking to pivot from accounting to finance. They are applying next season and still need to take the GMAT exam.

This week’s second MBA applicant has a 316 GRE score and is planning to retake the GRE before applying next season. We believe they will have a really strong profile if they can raise their GRE score.

This week’s final MBA candidate is deciding between Fuqua, Goizueta and Owen.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted upcoming MBA webinar events. On March 19, we are hosting a series of panel discussions focused on international students who are targeting the top MBA programs in the United States. On May 11, Clear Admit is hosting our in-person admissions event in Atlanta. Signups for these events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham then highlighted a recently published article that focuses on Stanford’s deferred enrolment program. Quotes for this article came from the recently hosted deferred enrolment webinar series. Graham then noted an admissions tip focused on background checks, undertaken post admissions. We then had a detailed discussion on London Business School’s Class of 2025 career report.

Finally, Graham discussed two additional podcast episodes, featuring SMU / Cox and Juno.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 4.0 GPA but is seeking a test waiver. We encourage them to take a test, if they are targeting the top MBA programs.

This week’s second MBA applicant has a very non-traditional profile overall, including diplomatic work in Moscow. They are also an older candidate, targeting top full-time MBA programs.

This week’s final MBA candidate is deciding between Columbia and Yale.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted we are scheduled for our monthly AMA YouTube Livestream later today. Here is Clear Admit’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@ClearAdmitMBA Graham also highlighted MBA webinar events that are on the horizon that Clear Admit is hosting. We are hosting a series for MiM programs which is scheduled for February 24 and 25. Clear Admit is also hosting events with London Business School and Vanderbilt / Owen later this week. On March 19, we are hosting a series of online panel discussions focused on international students who are targeting the top MBA programs in the United States. Finally, we are excited to announce our in-person admissions event, the MBA Fair, to be scheduled in Atlanta, on May 11. Signups for all these events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham then highlighted a recently published article from Clear Admit’s Fridays from the Frontlines series, highlighting a veteran who is at Notre Dame / Mendoza.  Graham then noted three admissions tips which all focus on the interview experience: MBA interview etiquette, questions for the admissions interviewer, and post-interview follow-up.

Graham addressed a recently published Real Humans piece that focuses on Class of 2027 HBS students. Then finally, we discussed this week’s roll out of the Financial Times ranking.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a deferred admissions candidate who appears to have a very strong profile but still needs to take the GMAT.

This week’s second MBA applicant is from India, works in finance, and has a perfect 340 on the GRE test.

This week’s final MBA candidate is deciding between Wharton and Sloan with a scholarship.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted webinar events that are on the horizon that Clear Admit is hosting. The first webinar series of events is for deferred MBA admissions candidates who are currently completing their first degrees. The second event in this series is scheduled for Wednesday, and includes Haas, Stanford, Columbia, Wharton and Darden. The second series is for MiM programs and is scheduled for February 24 and 25. Clear Admit is also hosting events with London Business School and Vanderbilt / Owen this month. Signups for all these events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham then highlighted several recently published articles from Clear Admit. These include a very popular admissions tip that covers the seven hardest MBA interview questions, and a summary of upcoming in-person events hosted by MBA programs. Also covered is Emory / Goizueta’s one-year MBA program pathways and NYU / Stern’s new AI concentration.

Graham addressed two recently published MBA career reports, from INSEAD and Cornell / Johnson.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is applying next season and has a 655 GMAT score. While they worry that they can’t improve the score, we really encourage them to give it another try, or take the GRE.

This week’s second MBA applicant has a 760 GMAT score that expires in December. They need to target Round 1 next season, to avoid needing to retake the test.

This week’s final MBA candidate is deciding between Columbia and Duke or Ross with scholarship money.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted MBA webinar events that are on the horizon that Clear Admit is hosting. The first webinar series of events is for deferred admissions candidates who are currently completing their first degrees. These are scheduled for the next two Wednesdays. The second series is for MiM programs and are scheduled for February 24 and 25. Signups for both these series are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham then highlighted the recent roll out of the 2026 US News rankings for online MBA programs. Indiana /  Kelley continues to lead the way. Graham then noted the announcement from Georgetown / McDonough regarding their shortened MBA program for those who have completed a Masters in Management program.

Graham addressed two recently published MBA admissions tips that focus on the interview experience. The first focuses on the five most common MBA admissions interview questions and the second explores some of the more unique b-school interview offerings. Graham then noted a Fridays from the Frontlines piece focused on a student at Duke / Fuqua studying the intersection of climate risk and business.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 3.87 GPA and works at MBB, and they plan to return - as they are sponsored. They have a 327 GRE score and appear to be a very decent candidate.

This week’s second MBA applicant has a lower GPA of 3.38, but they had to work through university. We think they should target a few more M7 MBA programs.

This week’s final MBA candidate is deciding between a full-ride at Florida / Warrington and a $70k offer from CMU / Tepper.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

This led to a discussion about our newest product launch, Clear Admit’s MBA Interview simulator.  This simulator is designed to provide a realistic interview experience for twenty top MBA programs, and provide detailed feedback. It is trained on Clear Admit’s extensive catalogue of interview resources including its interview archive and interview guides.

Graham highlighted MBA webinar events that are on the horizon that Clear Admit is hosting. The first webinar looks at the enduring value of the MBA, scheduled for Wednesday. The second series of events is for deferred admissions candidates who are currently completing their first degrees. Signups are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham noted two MBA admissions tips. The first focuses on MBA interview invite timelines for Round 2. The second admissions tip examines Wharton’s Team-based Interview approach. Graham then noted a Real Humans piece spotlighting students from Minnesota Carlson.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a deferred admissions spot at Darden. They are planning to apply to a few M7 programs next season.

This week’s second MBA applicant was admitted to Fuqua, among other programs, in Round 1. They are also looking at several M7 programs in Round 2.

This week’s final MBA candidate has several offers from leading MBA programs. They want to focus on media and entertainment, post MBA. They are deciding between Darden with a scholarship and Columbia.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted MBA webinar events that are on the horizon that Clear Admit is hosting. The first webinar looks at the enduring value of the MBA, scheduled for January 28th. The second series of events is for deferred admissions candidates who are currently completing their first degrees. Signups for all Clear Admit events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

We then discussed a recently published in-depth article on the value of the MBA, in these extraordinary times.

Graham also noted three MBA admissions tips. The first focuses on MBA admissions interviews by invitation vs. open interviews, the second on resume vs. blind interviews, and the third admissions tip addresses letters of support (as distinguished from letters of recommendation).  Graham then noted a Real Humans piece spotlighting students from the HEC Paris MBA program in the class of 2027.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a CPA and is looking to transition from accounting to consulting. They are a first-generation candidate who transferred from community college to a university.

This week’s second MBA applicant has a low GPA, while appearing to have strong work experience. We discussed the importance of taking remedial action, in terms of seeking out additional coursework.

This week’s final MBA candidate has several offers from leading MBA programs. They want to pivot from tech to investment banking. Some of their leading options appear to be Columbia and Cornell / Johnson.

This episode was recorded in Carlsbad, California and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted MBA webinar events that are on the horizon that Clear Admit is hosting. The first webinar looks at the enduring value of the MBA. The second series of events is for deferred admissions candidates who are currently completing their first degrees. Signups for all Clear Admit are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham noted an MBA admissions tip focused on fine-tuning the MBA admissions essays. Graham then noted two Real Humans pieces spotlighting students from Texas / McCombs and Manchester / Alliance. We then discussed the Class of 2025 employment report from Yale SOM.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has one admit in Round 1 for an M7 program and is targeting four more M7 programs in Round 2.

This week’s second MBA applicant is a consultant from Sydney, Australia. We worry that their slightly lower GMAT score of 655 may harm them for the very top MBA programs.

This week’s final MBA candidate has several offers from leading MBA programs. They want to begin their post MBA journey in investment banking, and we think Cornell / Johnson may be their best current option.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted MBA webinar events that are on the horizon that Clear Admit is hosting. The first webinar looks at the enduring value of the MBA. The second series of events is for deferred admissions candidates who are currently completing their first degrees. As always, signups are for our events are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham noted a news story recently published on Clear Admit which takes stock of the past year and looks ahead to MBA predictions for 2026. These predictions, from the Clear Admit team, include a shift in the admissions process that focuses more on areas of the process that cannot be impacted by AI, the possibility that the GRE becomes the most popular MBA admissions test, and the notion that b-schools will continue to roll out specialized masters to help young professionals get the tools needed in today's workforce. Graham also noted four MBA admissions tips, focusing on scholarship negotiations, the data forms, optional essays, and how to show an MBA program that you’ve done the research on their offering.

Graham then noted a Real Humans piece spotlighting students from the University of St Gallen MBA in Switzerland. We then discussed two recently published Class of 2025 employment reports from Wharton and Columbia.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate appears to have an interesting background, from Colombia. However, we fear that their 309 GRE score will harm their chances at the very top MBA programs.

This week’s second MBA applicant is an investment banker and has a very strong background. But they have a DUI from their university days. We discussed those implications.

This week’s final MBA candidate has several offers from leading MBA programs. They are seriously weighing the offers between Booth (with $130K scholarship and a dual degree offer) and Harvard.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted MBA webinar events that are on the horizon that Clear Admit is hosting. The first webinar looks at the enduring value of the MBA. The second series of events is for deferred admissions candidates who are currently completing their first degrees. Signups are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events

Graham noted a news story recently published on Clear Admit that focuses on Washington / Olin’s new MS in AI for Business. Graham also highlighted two admissions tips. The first focuses on how scholarships should impact MBA program selection. The second admissions tip explores the importance of respecting word counts and other similar constraints in the admissions process.

Graham then noted a Real Humans piece spotlighting students from Washington / Olin. We then discussed two recently published Class of 2025 employment reports from Booth and Kellogg.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected one ApplyWire entry and two DecisionWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate appears to have a very decent profile overall, but their GRE score of 324 is potentially their weakest element. Should they consider a retake?

This week’s second MBA applicant is deciding between Duke / Fuqua ($50K), Northwestern / Kellogg ($30k) and UPenn / Wharton.

This week’s final MBA candidate has offers and a variety of scholarships from UNC / Kenan Flagler, Georgetown / McDonough, CMU / Tepper, Cornell / Johnson and Emory / Goizueta. They have a 316 GRE score.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted two admissions tips recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on GMAC’s Common Letter of Recommendation, which has been adopted by many of the top MBA programs. The second admissions tip explores the recent phenomenon of some MBA programs offering test waivers.

Graham highlighted an Adcom Q&A featuring Yale SOM's Bruce DelMonico. This led to a discussion on the value of the institutional brand for Yale’s MBA program. Graham then noted a Real Humans piece spotlighting students from Dartmouth / Tuck. We then discussed the recently published employment reports from Tuck and MIT / Sloan.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has superb numbers, including a 339 GRE score. They work at Accenture and want to target the Ed Tech space, post MBA.

This week’s second MBA applicant also has very strong numbers, and works in the video gaming industry. They want to move to product management in the gaming industry, post MBA.

This week’s final MBA candidate has offers from Tuck, Darden and Goizueta, while applying with a test waiver. They may take the test and develop a Round 2 strategy.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

The next livestream AMA with Graham and Alex is scheduled for this Tuesday, December 16th; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive. Last week Clear Admit livestreamed its first Decision Day Watch Party. We scheduled this for December 10, when several top MBA programs were scheduled to release their Round 1 decisions. Several admissions officers joined us for the event, and it was a huge success.

Graham highlighted a recently published Financial Times 2025 ranking of European business schools that ranks institutions across multiple programs (MBA, MiM, EMBA, and Executive Education), rather than individual programs, which we thought was a strange approach.

Graham noted several admissions-related pieces of content recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on how to choose between MBA programs, once you have your offers. The second focuses on the dreaded wait list, and what steps can be taken. The third article looks at how candidates who didn’t get positive results can reflect. The final admissions-related piece focuses on MBA essay construction, which led to a conversation about how best to use Clear Admit’s AI Chat Bot.

Graham highlighted two Real Humans pieces spotlighting students from Chicago / Booth and Emory / Goizueta. We then discussed the recently published employment reports from Stanford and NYU / Stern.

Finally, Graham profiled a podcast that focuses on The Forté Foundation.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Brazil but now resides in Chicago. They are looking at the Booth part-time MBA program. A potential concern is their 313 GRE score.

This week’s second MBA applicant is working in research, looking at the impact of tech on young people. They reside in New York City and are only looking at Columbia and Stern.

This week’s final MBA candidate has a strong professional background, transitioning from investment banking to private equity. They have a 3.8 GPA and a 325 GRE score.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted a webinar event focused on MBA career paths, scheduled for Thursday. Signups are here: https://www.clearadmit.com/events The next livestream AMA is scheduled for Tuesday, December 16th; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted several admissions-related pieces of content recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on December admissions events being hosted by top MBA programs. The second looks at how best to manage the congested schedule of Round 2 MBA application deadlines that arrive in January. The third piece looks at some of the issues related to applying to b-school as a younger candidate. The final article dives into whether deferred MBA admissions is a good pathway for undergraduate students.

Graham highlighted a Real Humans piece spotlighting students from Berkeley / Haas, and then we discussed the recently published Harvard Business School employment report for the Class of 2025. This led to a discussion on search funds.

Finally, Graham profiled a soon-to-be published podcast that focuses on leadership, from a conversation with Texas / McCombs.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 685 GMAT score. They applied to programs in the first round and subsequently have started a new experience in Africa. We discuss their options for this season versus next season.

This week’s second MBA applicant is a military candidate with a master’s in computer science. They applied in Round 1 with an EA score of 160. They may decide to apply to Sloan in Round 2, depending on results.

This week’s final MBA candidate has a 333 GRE score and has had several startup experiences. They are targeting Harvard, Stanford and Wharton.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming Masters in Management (MiM) webinar series, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Signups for these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events The next livestream AMA is scheduled for Tuesday, December 16th; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted recently published articles on career placements in the Tech and Finance industries as well as a Fridays from the Frontline piece on the Eurout LGBTQ+ conference at London Business School. He then covered two admissions tips recently published by Clear Admit. The first focuses on the increasing importance of video essays in the MBA admissions process. The second admissions tip focuses on how best to do school research via communities of students, alumni and faculty.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans pieces spotlighting students from IMD, IESE and Cambridge / Judge, and then we discussed the recently published Class of 2027 admissions profile from Harvard Business School.

Finally, Graham profiled a recently published podcast that focuses on UNC / Kenan Flagler’s Deans Fellows program.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 695 GMAT score but is planning a retake. They only have two years of experience but are determined to begin their MBA program this season.

This week’s second MBA applicant has a whopping 755 GMAT score but only a 3.0 GPA. They are targeting next season for their MBA, as they only have 2.5 years of experience, to date.

This week’s final MBA candidate is choosing between the one-year MBA programs at Northwestern / Kellogg, CMU / Tepper and Emory / Goizueta. They want to do consulting post MBA, and their partner has an offer at Tepper.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming Masters in Management (MiM) webinar series, scheduled for December 2 and 3. Signups for these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events The next livestream AMA is scheduled for this Tuesday, November 25; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted a recently published article on AI instruction in top MBA programs. This is clearly an important and evolving area. Graham also highlighted a Fridays from the Frontline article featuring two ex-military students at NYU / Stern, and an article focused on consulting placements at top MBA programs. He then covered two admissions tips recently published by Clear Admit. The first focuses on creating the MBA resume, and the second focuses on how to select recommendation writers for business school applications.

Graham highlighted two Real Humans pieces spotlighting students from Northwestern / Kellogg and Vanderbilt / Owen, and then we discussed the recently published Class of 2027 profile from Columbia Business School.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a strong overall profile in the environmentally sustainable space. They have a 332 GRE and a 3.44 GPA. We discussed whether the GPA would be a liability.

This week’s second MBA applicant has a 740 GMAT but a 3.15 GPA. They applied to 15 programs in Round 1 and have received several interview invites.

This week’s final MBA candidate is from Portugal and has a strong GPA. They worry that their 645 GMAT might limit some of their opportunities.

This episode was recorded in Madrid, Spain and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming Masters in Management (MiM) webinar series. Signups for these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events The next livestream AMA with us is scheduled for Tuesday, November 25; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted a recently published article on MBA industry veteran, Dawna Clarke, who is moving to a new role at Darden. Graham also highlighted an article that showcases support for veterans applying to top MBA programs. He then covered three admissions tips recently published by Clear Admit. The first focuses on applying to MiM programs, based on interviews with some of their admissions officers. The second admissions tip focuses on the importance of post-MBA goals. The final admissions tip discusses how to address employment gaps when applying to business school.

Graham highlighted a Real Humans piece spotlighting MBA students from Washington / Foster, and then we discussed the recently published class of 2027 profiles from Northwestern / Kellogg and Dartmouth / Tuck.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is in the Marine Corps. They have a 3.2 GPA and a 326 GRE score. We are encouraging them to retake the GRE, to help compensate for the lower GPA.

This week’s second MBA applicant is from Egypt and working in London in the energy sector. They have a super GPA, but their GRE score of 320 is a little low. They may also retake the test.

This week’s final MBA candidate is working in human resources and is looking at the MBA to pivot to the non-profit / social impact sector. They already have 10 years of experience.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the current state of the MBA admissions season, with interview invites continuing to roll out. This upcoming week, Duke / Fuqua is scheduled to release interview invites, and Columbia is scheduled to have released all its Round 1 interview invites. Ohio / Fisher is scheduled to release its Early Action round decisions, Michigan State / Broad is scheduled to release its Round 1 decisions and Oxford / Said is scheduled to release its Stage 2 decisions.

Graham highlighted the upcoming deferred enrollment webinar, scheduled for Wednesday, and the upcoming Masters in Management (MiM) webinar series. Signups for all these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events The next livestream AMA is scheduled for Tuesday, November 25; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted three admissions tips recently published by Clear Admit. The first focuses on the steps to take after the MBA admissions interview is completed. The next tip focuses on the importance of the business school campus environment, and the final tip addresses the role of volunteer experience in the MBA admissions process. Graham also noted a recently published article that identifies eight key benefits of earning a Masters in Management (MiM).

Graham highlighted three Real Humans pieces that spotlight students from London Business School, Indiana / Kelley and CMU / Tepper. We then addressed three recently published Class of 2027 admissions profiles, from Stanford, MIT / Sloan and Chicago / Booth.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Australia and is seeking a test waiver. We are encouraging them to consider taking the test, to then target the very top MBA programs.

This week’s second MBA applicant is from India and is targeting several top MBA programs in the U.K. They want to be in London, post MBA. They are currently retaking the GRE.

This week’s final MBA candidate works in Real Estate, for a family business. They have a 330 GRE.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming deferred enrollment webinar series, signups for all these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events The next livestream AMA with Alex and Graham is scheduled for Tuesday, November 25; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

We then had a deep-dive discussion covering Wharton’s Team-Based Discussion topic and how to best prepare. These interviews will be hosted by Wharton, virtually, over the next two weeks.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is an entrepreneur with 11 years of work experience. They also have a super GRE score of 337.

This week’s second MBA applicant is an engineer with a great GPA of 3.8 and strong GRE score of 333. They want to transition from consulting to finance.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We then had a discussion on the H1-B visa situation, concluding that US MBA graduates residing in the USA may now be at an advantage, over those who apply for the visa from their home country. This is an ongoing and impactful situation for top MBA candidates.

Graham highlighted next week’s events being hosted by Clear Admit, concluding a series focused on MBA programs in different regions of the United States. Signups for all these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events Graham also highlighted our next livestream AMA, which is scheduled for today, Monday, October 27; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted two recently published admissions tips. The first focuses on Wharton’s Team-Based Interview; Wharton released its interview invites for Round 1 last week. The second focuses on developing a target program list, helpful for those applying in Round 2.  He also shared a peek at some comments from a first year MBA student at Duke / Fuqua, as part of our ongoing Real Humans series.

We then reviewed the Berkeley / Haas Class of 2026 profile, and the NYU / Stern Class of 2026 profile. Both declared slightly smaller class sizes, and a higher proportion of international students in the class.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate applied in Round 1 to a few programs and is now considering their Round 2 strategy. They have progressed from an analyst role to a product management role.

This week’s second MBA applicant is an investment banking analyst in the digital infrastructure domain. They have a 320 GRE, and we really hope they retake the test.

The final MBA candidate is from Mexico and has a 685 GMAT score. Their overall profile does look strong, and they want to do investment banking in the short term, post MBA.

This episode was recorded in Saratoga Springs, New York and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted several upcoming events being hosted by Clear Admit that begin this week, including a Real Humans series and a series focused on MBA programs in different regions of the United States. Signups for all these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events Graham also highlighted our next livestream AMA, which is now scheduled for Monday, October 27; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham recognized Stanford’s 100-year anniversary by quizzing Alex on some of the history of the MBA Program degree and business schools in general. Graham then noted several recently published admissions tips which focus interview preparation, as well as an admissions tip that focuses on assessment days that are offered by a few top MBA programs.

Graham highlighted a Real Humans piece that focuses on MBA students at Columbia Business School, and also reviewed Yale SOM’s Class of 2027 profile, which appears to be very impressive.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a remarkably high salary, as a software engineer at a FANG company. We hope they will consider retaking the GRE.

This week’s second MBA applicant has a very high GMAT score of 705. They want to be in Austin Texas, post MBA. They are also very concerned with gaining scholarship to help defray costs.

The final MBA candidate is a data scientist and is debating their post MBA goals. They want to do investment banking but worry how that would appear for adcom.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted several upcoming events being hosted by Clear Admit this month, including a Real Humans series and a series focused on MBA programs in different regions of the United States. Signups for all these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events Graham also highlighted our next livestream AMA, scheduled for Tuesday, October 28; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted a recently published admissions tip which focuses on which types of questions a candidate can ask their MBA admissions interviewer, at the end of the interview.

Finally, Graham highlighted a Real Humans piece that focuses on Class of 2027 MBA students at ESADE in Barcelona.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has applied in Round 1 with a GRE score of 315. They do plan to retake it and submit the new score to the schools to which they have already applied.

This week’s second MBA applicant is based in Canada and has a 2.9 GPA. This is due to their first two years of study, where they really struggled. They also have a 317 GRE score. We recommend they retake the test, one more time.

The final MBA candidate is from Africa and is targeting European MBA programs. They need to refine their goal focus and perform well in either the GMAT or GRE.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted several upcoming events being hosted by Clear Admit in October, including a Real Humans series and a series focused on MBA programs in different regions of the United States. Signups for all these events are here, https://www.clearadmit.com/events Graham also highlighted our next livestream AMA, scheduled for Tuesday, October 28; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted two recently published MBA admissions articles. The first focuses on the ongoing topic of H-1B visas, and the second summarizes all the top MBA programs' in-person events for October. Graham also highlighted two admissions tips that focus on the key interview questions all MBA candidates should be ready for, and a best practice for preparing (hint: don't script your responses!).

Finally, Graham highlighted a Real Humans piece that focuses on MBA students in Wharton's Class of 2027.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is trying to use the MBA to transition from a transportation-related role to a career in consumer-packaged goods. They also want to switch geographies within the U.S.

This week’s second MBA applicant is a chemical engineering graduate who now works in Wealth Management. We worry their 655 GMAT does not fully represent their aptitude.

The final MBA candidate has a very strong profile, overall, but their post MBA goals need more development.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted several upcoming events being hosted by Clear Admit in the upcoming months, including a Real Humans series, a deferred admissions series and a series focused on MBA programs in different regions of the United States. Graham also highlighted our next livestream AMA, scheduled for Tuesday, October 28; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham noted that two new business-related academic programs were announced last week: Wharton’s MS in Quantitative Finance and Georgetown’s MS in Business Analytics. Graham then noted two recently published admissions tips, focused on MBA interview etiquette and the role of letters of support.

Graham discussed the recently published Real Humans series focused on NYU / Stern. This led to a brief discussion on GMAT preparation. We then discussed the Class of 2027 admissions profile from Wharton, within the context of class profiles from Anderson and Johnson.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a strong international focus and can speak several languages. They have a super GRE score of 331.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a West Point graduate with a 2.76 GPA. We discussed potentials for mitigation, which might include retaking the GRE. They currently have a 321 GRE score.

The final MBA candidate is from Pakistan and has a terrific GRE score of 335. They are working in energy sector consulting and looking to switch to a more health-care focused career.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted that our second livestream AMA is scheduled for this Tuesday on YouTube; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.  Graham then highlighted the ongoing September series of admissions events. The third session is on Wednesday, and includes Berkeley / Haas, INSEAD, London Business School, Michigan / Ross and UNC / Kenan / Flagler. Signups for this series are here: https://bit.ly/cainsidemba

We then had a detailed discussion on the recently released 2025-26 MBA rankings from LinkedIn and Bloomberg / Business Week.

Graham noted two recently published MBA admissions-related tips that focus on completing the business school application data forms, and whether it is advisable to skip the GMAT or GRE and seek a test waiver.  We continued our series of profiling star MBA professors. This week we feature two professors from Columbia Business School and Northwestern / Kellogg. We then discussed our first student-focused Real Humans for this season, from UNC / Kenan Flagler.

Finally, we had our first class profile to review, from the Duke / Fuqua Class of 2027.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate graduated from the Naval Academy and was a division 1 athlete. They appear to have a very decent career in the navy. Unfortunately, they have a low GPA and a modest GRE score.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from Mexico and targeting Dartmouth / Tuck and several Canada-based programs. They are a chemical engineer graduate with several years of business experience.

The final MBA candidate has recently had a fourteen-month break from work. They also want to waive the GMAT. They do appear to have strong prior experience and academics, but we caution against the waiver.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the ongoing September series of admissions events, where Clear Admit hosts the majority of the top MBA programs to discuss Round 2 application strategy. The second session is on Wednesday, and includes Chicago / Booth, Columbia, Texas / McCombs, Toronto / Rotman and Yale SOM. Signups for this series are here: https://bit.ly/cainsidemba Our second livestream AMA is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23rd on YouTube; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham then noted a recently published MBA admissions-related tip that focuses on polishing your business school application essays.  He also reminded listeners about the 25 videos in our free Admissions Academy video series, of which five videos are exclusively about the essay writing process. We also continue our series of Adcom Q&As; this week we hear from IMD's Francesco Farné.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate works for Microsoft as a software engineer. They want to switch into product management.

This week’s second MBA candidate has already completed one major career pivot from engineering and sales to real estate investing. They want to use the MBA to explore the latter, further.

The final MBA candidate is from India, has a 755 GMAT score and works for the space agency. They also have quite significant activities outside of work.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming September series of admissions events, where Clear Admit will host the majority of the top MBA programs to discuss Round 2 application strategy. The first session is on Wednesday, and includes Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Georgia Tech / Scheller, UPenn / Wharton and UVA / Darden. Signups for this series are here: https://bit.ly/cainsidemba Our second livestream AMA is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23rd on YouTube; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive.

Graham then noted two admissions-related tips. The first focuses on all the in-person events that the top MBA programs are conducting in the month of September, the second focuses on the increasingly popular video essays.

We continue our new series profiling some of the leading MBA faculty at the top MBA programs. For this week, we have profiles on two faculty from Chicago / Booth.

We also continue our series of Adcom Q&As; this week we hear from Vanderbilt / Owen and Indiana / Kelley.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from India with a 655 GMAT score. While the remainder of their profile looks very decent, we wonder if they can increase their GMAT score.

This week’s second MBA candidate is targeting Round 2 and has not yet completed the GRE test. They also have an International Relations masters degree.

The final MBA candidate has a 337 GRE score. They began their career in the private sector then enlisted in the military.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming September series of admissions events, where Clear Admit will host the majority of the top MBA programs to discuss Round 2 application strategy. The first session is on Wednesday, and includes Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Georgia Tech / Scheller, UPenn / Wharton and UVA / Darden. Signups for this series are here: https://bit.ly/cainsidemba Our second livestream AMA is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23rd on YouTube; here’s the link to Clear Admit’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/cayoutubelive

Graham then noted two stories covered on Clear Admit this week. The first looks at the ever-evolving picture of DEI in MBA admissions. The second focuses on a new climate-related program from Duke / Fuqua. Graham also highlighted three MBA admissions tips. The first focuses on the constraints of word and character counts, the second focuses on the optional essay, and the third tip focuses on the importance of avoiding the “comparison trap”.

We continue our new series that Clear Admit is publishing this season, which focuses on profiling some of the leading MBA faculty at the top MBA programs. For this week, we have profiles on two faculty from Stanford GSB.

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As; this week we hear from Berkeley / Haas and IESE.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from South Korea, with an undergraduate degree from the London School of Economics. They have a 685 GMAT score and several years of work experience.

This week’s second MBA candidate is debating on whether to take the GMAT or try to waive the GMAT.

The final MBA candidate is a tech product manager, based in New York. They have a 330 GRE.

This episode was recorded in Philadelphia, USA and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham also highlighted the upcoming September series of admissions events, where Clear Admit will host the majority of the top MBA programs to discuss Round 2 application strategy. Signups for this series are here: https://bit.ly/cainsidemba

Graham then noted four admissions tips, which focus on areas of key importance for those targeting the first rounds. These include how to engage with representatives of the top MBA programs, the students, alumni and faculty, and how to show that you have done the research for each of your target programs. We also cover the differences in applying in Round 1 and 2, as well as the importance of understanding who reads your business school applications. We also covered a common myth - the higher the rank of the program, the better the fit for all candidates.

Graham also highlighted the new series that Clear Admit is publishing this season, which focuses on profiling some of the leading MBA faculty at the top MBA programs. For this week, we have profiles on two faculty from Harvard Business School and from MIT / Sloan.

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As; this week we hear from Dartmouth / Tuck, Cornell / Johnson and Northwestern / Kellogg.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from India and has a modest undergraduate GPA, with a positive trend. They have not yet taken the GMAT.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 740 GMAT, and is from rural India. Scholarships are a key concern from them.

The final MBA candidate is from Nigeria and has a GRE score of 332. They have some NGO experience and now work as a chartered accountant. They are targeting a nice spread of MBA programs.

This episode was recorded in Anse Saint-Jean, Quebec and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham then noted an admissions tip which provides general guidance for MBA application essay writing. This also includes a section on how to use AI in helping to craft those essays. Graham also highlighted a new series that Clear Admit is publishing this season, which focuses on profiling some of the leading MBA faculty at the top business schools. For this week, we have profiles on two Wharton faculty.

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As; this week we hear from Texas / McCombs and Michigan / Ross.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has an interesting European background and now works in Wealth Management in Switzerland. They want to move into venture capital, in the United States.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a mechanical engineer from India. They have a 740 GMAT and 8.35 GPA.

The final MBA candidate works in London, and while they have a very good undergraduate record, their GMAT is currently 625. They do plan to retake the test before applying.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham then noted a few new publications on the Clear Admit site. We have a post that covers all the top MBA programs’ in-person admissions event activities for the month of August. We also cover all the early and Round 1 application deadlines for the top MBA programs in a useful guide, and have a timely admissions tip on how to best prepare recommenders.

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As; this week we hear from CMU / Tepper.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a career in undergraduate admissions, and a side-career in comedy. They want to use the MBA to pivot into the entertainment industry.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a data scientist who also plays a rock guitar. They have a 695 GMAT.

The final MBA candidate is a reapplicant. They have a low GPA of 2.75 but have now completed MBA Math. They do have a super GRE score of 331.

This episode was recorded in Philadelphia, USA and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham then noted the weekly refresh series that Clear Admit publishes during this time of year, which is designed to keep MBA applicants updated with admissions-related updates at the leading MBA programs. Graham also discussed a new admissions tip which focuses on all the standardized tests that non-English language MBA candidates might use to demonstrate English proficiency in the admissions process.

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As, and this week we have two Q&As, from Harvard Business School's Rupal Gadhia and Maryland / Smith's Maria Pineda.

Finally, Graham highlighted a recently published podcast that focuses on the strategy consulting industry and its importance for MBA candidates. This is a recording from a panel discussion from our spring event in Boston and includes a representative from Bain Consulting.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a superb 795 on the GMAT, but a very modest GPA. We discussed the impact of this GPA on their overall profile.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India and has not yet taken the GRE. They are targeting top MBA programs outside the United States.

The final MBA candidate has a 745 GMAT and 3.95 GPA in chemical engineering. They work at a small firm, with no title change. We do think this is a very strong candidate.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s ongoing summer series of webinars, which focuses on top MBA programs’ admissions essays, and is attended by more than 20 of the top MBA programs. The final event is on Wednesday of this week, and includes CMU / Tepper, Chicago / Booth, MIT / Sloan, Texas / McCombs and UVA / Darden. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbaessay0725

Graham then discussed a new webinar focused on M7 MBA admissions, scheduled for August 7 and hosted by Alex. This event will also feature admissions coaches from Leland.

Graham then noted two news events from this week. INSEAD is extending their final deadline for their January intake; we assume this might be related to uncertainty for some international students who were targeting the United States. Our Fridays from the Frontlines series features a Duke / Fuqua student with an interview on quantum computing. Graham also highlighted an admissions tip, as part of our MBA Myth Busters series: Adcoms are impressed by jargon and other fancy language in essays and interviews.

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As, this week we have a Q&A from Shelly Heinrich at SMU / Cox.

Finally, Graham highlighted a recently published podcast that focuses on the contents of essays and interviews and candidates’ goals. This is a recording from a panel discussion from our summer event in Boston, and includes representatives from Berkeley / Haas, Duke / Fuqua, Harvard Business School and Indiana / Kelley.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 655 GMAT, and a 9.1 GPA (on a scale of 10).  They are a Bain consultant from India.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 332 GRE score and is also a consultant. They are a first-generation immigrant from South America.

The final MBA candidate also has a 655 GMAT, which they are planning to retake. They are targeting Harvard, Stanford and Wharton. We think they should consider a few more top MBA programs.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s ongoing summer series of webinars, which focuses on top MBA programs’ admissions essays, which will be attended by more than 20 of the top MBA programs. The third event is on Wednesday of this week, and includes Columbia, Georgia Tech / Scheller, Insead, London Business School and Washington / Foster. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbaessay0725

Graham then noted two admissions tips. The first focuses on how to create a resume for MBA admissions.  The second, part of Clear Admit’s “Mythbusters” series, discusses whether top MBA programs only provide you access to careers in Strategy consulting, Investment banking and Technology.

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As, this week we have Q&As from Toronto / Rotman and Ohio State / Fisher.

Finally, Graham highlighted a recently published podcast that focuses on the core elements of an MBA applicant’s profile: test scores, grades, work experience and outside activities. This is a recording from a panel discussion from our summer event in Boston, and includes representatives from Columbia, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, and Georgia Tech / Scheller.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate enlisted in the military. They had a GMAT of 655, then retook the test to score a 695.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 330 GRE score and is looking to do a dual degree in sustainability.

The final MBA candidate is a startup founder. They have also worked as a product manager. They are a first-generation immigrant and have a 331 GRE score.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted Clear Admit’s summer series of webinars, which focuses on top MBA programs’ admissions essays, which will be attended by more than 20 of the top MBA programs. The second event is on Wednesday of this week, and includes Georgetown / McDonough, Michigan / Ross, UNC / Kenan Flagler, Vanderbilt / Owen and Yale SOM. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbaessay0725

Graham then noted four admissions tips; the first focuses on the importance and value of volunteering; the next three, part of Clear Admit’s “Myth Busters” series, discuss whether only the very top MBA programs (M7) will help you succeed, whether being honest means you need to share all your weaknesses, and the desire for applicants to seek out what admissions officers want to hear.

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As, which is a yearly series where we interview the admissions leaders at all the top MBA programs; this week we have Q&As from Emory / Goizueta, Chicago / Booth and Duke / Fuqua.

Finally, Graham highlighted a recently published podcast, the MBA Decoded. This is a recording from a panel discussion from our MBA Fair event in Boston.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Georgia and works in Private Equity. They also have a 705 GMAT score.

This week’s second MBA candidate is an architect in London and wants to transition into real estate private equity. They still need to take the GMAT or GRE.

The final MBA candidate was enlisted in the military and now works in banking. Their short-term goal, post MBA, is investment banking. They have a 332 GRE score.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s summer series of webinars, which focuses on top MBA programs’ admissions essays, which will be attended by more than 20 of the top MBA programs. The first event is on Wednesday of this week, and includes Berkeley / Haas, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua and UPenn / Wharton. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbaessay0725!

Graham then noted three admissions tips; the first focuses on younger candidates who are targeting top MBA programs; the next two, part of Clear Admit’s “Myth Busters” series, discuss applying to b-school if you’re over thirty, and whether there is a need for an MBA if you already have a successful career.!

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As, which is a yearly series where we interview the admissions leaders at all the top MBA programs; this week we have Q&As from Katy Radoll at UNC / Kenan Flagler and from Naz Erenguc at Florida / Warrington.!

Finally, Graham highlighted a Real Humans alumni spotlight focusing on an alum from Yale SOM working as a program manager at Google.!

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 335 GRE score and is an entrepreneur. They now want to use the MBA to pivot into investment banking.!

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 3.84 GPA but their GRE is only 312. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of waiving the test.!

The final MBA candidate is a software engineer with a 3.94 GPA. They have a 710 GMAT score, and we are hoping they might retake the GMAT.!

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s summer series of webinars, which focuses on top MBA programs’ admissions essays, which will be attended by more than 20 of the top MBA programs. The first event in the series includes Berkeley / Haas, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua and UPenn / Wharton. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbaessay0725.

Graham then noted two admissions tips; the first focuses on the importance of post MBA career goals, the second, part of Clear Admit’s “Myth Busters” series, discusses the differences between targeting Round 1 and Round 2..

We continue our series of Adcom Q&As, which is a yearly series where we interview the admissions leaders at all the top MBA programs; this week we have Q&As from NYU / Stern and Georgetown / McDonough..

Finally, Graham highlighted a Real Humans alumni spotlight focusing on an alum from IESE working at PwC..

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 329 GRE score and a 3.4 GPA. They are working in the biotech sector, and plan to remain in that sector, post MBA. They want to do investment banking in the short term..

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 3.86 GPA but has not taken the GMAT or GRE yet. They are also focused on the health care sector..

The final MBA candidate is from South Korea and has 10 years of experience in the tech sector, focusing on AI and robotics. They have a 685 GMAT score.

This episode was recorded in Kansas City, Missouri and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s new summer series of webinars, which focuses on top MBA programs’ admissions essays, which will be attended by more than 20 of the top MBA programs. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbaessay0725

Graham then noted two new articles, posted on Clear Admit, regarding Chicago / Booth. The first addresses a generous donation for their health care focus, the second addresses an entrepreneurial contest which awarded more than $2 million to the top 10 finalists. Graham also highlighted three admissions tips that focus on addressing gaps in unemployment, and two “myth busters” that dispel the notions that you need to have experience in finance or consulting to apply for a top MBA, or that you need perfect test scores for the very top MBA programs.

We continue our new series of Adcom Q&As, which is a yearly series where we interview the admissions leaders at all the top MBA programs; this week we have Q&As from Washington / Foster, Cambridge / Judge, and Michigan State / Broad.

Finally, Graham highlighted two Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Emory / Goizueta working at BCG, and Duke / Fuqua working at Accenture.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has two years of work experience to date and is originally from Japan. They have yet to complete the GMAT test.

This week’s second MBA candidate has five years of experience with a GRE of 326. We believe their overall profile is very strong, but we discussed the merits of retaking the GRE.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between London Business School and INSEAD.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s new summer series of webinars, which focuses on top MBA programs’ admissions essays, which will be attended by more than 20 of the top MBA programs. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbaessay0725

Graham then noted a new article, posted on Clear Admit, regarding a Stanford podcast episode which covers recent research that uses AI to investigate the source of innovation, investigating whether innovation generally comes from the center of a firm, or from its fringes. It appears to be the latter.  Graham also highlighted an admissions tip that offers advice on evaluating campus facilities, atmosphere, and location at the top MBA programs. We have also begun our new series of Adcom Q&As, which is a yearly series where we interview the admissions leaders at all the top MBA programs; the first in this series is from Stephanie Kluth at ESMT Berlin.

Finally, Graham highlighted two Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Ohio State / Fisher working at Uber Freight, and Washington / Olin working at Google.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a Canadian citizen, originally from South Asia. They have an engineering degree and have eight years of work experience, for the government. They have a GRE score of 337.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 3.8 GPA, 327 GRE, and nearly five years of work experience. We think they might want to aim a little higher with their target programs.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Chicago / Booth and UVA / Darden with a scholarship.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted three articles that have been recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on a program CMU / Tepper offers that places Tepper MBA students with non-profit boards in the Pittsburgh area. The second is a Fridays from the Frontlines article written by an NYU / Stern MBA student who participated in a Stern Signature Project that led to an experience in Brazil. Graham then highlighted an article that summarized many of the Commencement speakers for MBA programs this year.

Graham then noted two admissions tips. The first tip focuses on helping early-bird MBA candidates develop their target list of MBA programs; the second is a roundup of June MBA admissions events in which top business schools programs are participating.

Graham also highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from IESE working at American Express, UPenn / Wharton working at their own business, Groov, and Berkeley / Haas working at Google.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is targeting part-time MBA programs and is seeking to transition to big tech product management. We discussed whether a full-time MBA program would be a better option.

This week’s second MBA candidate is reapplying this season. They are from India and work in the public sector, although they have several gaps in their career history, to date.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Cambridge / Judge and London Business School.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted an admissions event he is helping to moderate in Paris this upcoming week, which includes ten of the top MBA programs from the United States. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/paristopmba

Graham noted three articles that have been recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on the costs of applying to Business School, from application fees to test prep, campus visits, and beyond. The second focuses on which top MBA programs allow for test waivers of the GMAT and GRE. This list appears to grow each season. Graham then highlighted a report from Forte which Clear Admit covered, that illustrates significant gender pay gap differentials.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from UNC / Kenan Flagler working at their own business, Grantease, Rice / Jones working at McKinsey, and Emory / Goizueta working at Morgan Stanley.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 675 GMAT and 3.5 GPA. They are from China, and we discussed whether they should apply in Round 1 or Round 2, and whether they should retake the GMAT.

This week’s second MBA candidate has outstanding numbers and is from Africa. We think they are likely to be a very strong candidate but need to work on their story and connect it to their goals.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Columbia and Yale, with a significant scholarship.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted two articles that have been recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on the different teaching methods that are used in top MBA programs. The second focuses on financial aid issues relevant to U.S.-based candidates, including FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Graham then highlighted two Real Numbers articles that focus on Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) and Health Care placements.

Graham highlighted five Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Yale SOM working at Amazon, IMD working at Disney, Cornell / Johnson working at Invenergy, UPenn / Wharton working at Aepnus Technology, and Chicago / Booth working at American Express.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 695 GMAT and 3.8 GPA. They are seeking a top MBA with goals to pivot to the entertainment industry.

This week’s second MBA candidate has not yet taken the GMAT, but everything else about their profile looks very strong. Their long-term goal is to develop a chain of dental practices.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Northwestern / Kellogg, with a significant scholarship, and Harvard. They want to work in venture capital or private equity.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted the Clear Admit promotion, where for every new entry we receive on DecisionWire, that maps out a candidate’s entire application journey, Clear Admit will donate $10 to the Forte Foundation.

Graham highlighted the remainder of Application Overview events series that will be hosted this week on Tuesday (Berkeley / Haas, UVA / Darden, Washington / Foster, UNC / Kenan Flagler, and Georgia Tech / Scheller) and Wednesday (Columbia, Stanford, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM, and Texas / Austin). Signups for those events are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Graham also mentioned an event on Thursday for London Business School’s One Year MBA program. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/lbs1year

Graham noted a deep-dive analysis article on MBA tech career placements for the most recent graduating classes. Not surprisingly, Big Tech placement has dropped off at most top MBA programs.

Graham highlighted two Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Duke / Fuqua working at EY-Parthenon, and UCLA / Anderson working at Google.

Finally, Graham noted the recently recorded podcast featuring the leader of career services at Georgetown / McDonough, talking about the triple jump - changing industries, functions and geographies.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate works in investment banking and is from Ghana. They have a 325 GRE score.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from Argentina and appears to have a very interesting profile, but their GRE score of 309 is going to be an issue. They plan to retake. We also think they should reconsider their school targeting.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Chicago / Booth and Michigan / Ross, with scholarship.

This episode was recorded in Boston, USA and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted a new Clear Admit promotion, where for every new entry we receive on DecisionWire, that maps out a candidate’s entire application journey, Clear Admit will donate $10 to the Forte Foundation.

Graham then highlighted Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on Wednesday. This event includes panel discussions, one of which is focused on Consulting hiring and is led by Bain. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend, along with London Business School. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

The remainder of Application Overview events series will then be hosted, virtually, on May 20 and 21. Signups for those events are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25

Graham noted two articles recently published on Clear Admit. The first covers the broad topic regarding what you can do with an MBA, looking at post MBA careers. The second article is a deep-dive research piece that examines placement statistics of the top MBA programs, for those seeking an MBA for their entrepreneurial ambitions. It’s no surprise that Harvard and Stanford top the list of programs that future entrepreneurs join.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from HEC / Paris who established a Search Fund, Washington / Olin working at Applied Materials, and Ohio State / Fisher working at Bank of America.

Finally, Graham discussed a forthcoming podcast featuring the leader of career services at Georgetown / McDonough.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is an engineer who is now working in the renewable energy space. They have a 3.57 GPA and need to retake the GRE.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from Canada, and is also an engineer, working in Toronto. They have nine years of experience, and a 337 GRE.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Cornell / Johnson, UVA / Darden and Michigan / Ross, and is seeking a career in investment banking.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted a new Clear Admit survey, where we are trying to understand the issues and concerns that international students may have, with regards to coming to the United States for an MBA. The survey link is here: https://bit.ly/mba25usa

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s Application Overview May series of events that begin this week on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday’s event includes Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, INSEAD, London Business School and Michigan / Ross. The remainder of events in this series will be hosted on May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Sandwiched in the middle of this series is Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on May 14th. This event includes panel discussions, one of which is focused on Consulting hiring and is led by Bain. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend, along with London Business School. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham noted three articles recently published on Clear Admit. The first details the best laptops for MBAs as they plan to begin their program. The second article is part of Clear Admit’s Real Numbers series and looks at the percentage of MBA students who go into Consulting after business school. The final article is a deep-dive research piece that examines placement statistics of the top US MBA programs, by geography. This helps us understand the regional nature of many of the leading MBA programs.

Graham highlighted five Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Michigan / Ross working at PepsiCo, Emory / Goizueta working at Accenture, IESE working at BCG, Irvine / Merage working at Disney, and Columbia working at their own company, Small Bear.

Finally, Graham discussed a recently published podcast episode about careers and impressive growth at SMU Cox with Shelly Heinrich.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 695 GMAT score and a strong GPA. They are working in Australia and received their undergraduate degree from New Zealand.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India and has 8 years of work experience. They are targeting a 330 on the GRE and have extensive experience building online communities.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Chicago / Booth and Berkeley / Haas. They are seeking a career in tech.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted Clear Admit’s Application Overview May series of events. These online events will be hosted on May 6 and 7, and May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Already, we have hundreds of signups for each event! Sandwiched in the middle of this series is Clear Admit’s MBA Fair in Boston, on May 14th. This event includes panel discussions, one of which is focused on Consulting hiring and is led by Bain. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend, along with London Business School. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham noted two finance-related articles that were recently published on Clear Admit. The first looks at the number and percentage of students who go into finance from each of the top programs. The second article does a deeper dive into buy-side finance and elite finance careers. Graham then noted an admissions tip, focused on pre-MBA coursework, which may be necessary for those with less traditional undergraduate degrees, or those who need to “repair” their transcript.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Berkeley / Haas working at Morgan Stanley, Rice / Jones working at energyRe and Washington / Foster working at Amazon.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 675 GMAT score and a strong GPA. They are from Peru and working in Chile. They have six years of work experience, which does include a five-month gap.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from Central Asia, now working in Dubai. They have a 330 GRE score, but we are unsure how strong their academic experience has been.

The final MBA candidate has an offer from CMU / Tepper and is on the waitlist at several other top MBA programs. They are debating whether they should take the Tepper option, if not admitted from the waitlists, or reapply next season.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted Clear Admit’s Application Overview May series of events. These online events will be hosted on May 6 and 7, and May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Sandwiched in the middle of these events is Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on May 14th. This event includes panel discussions, one of which is focused on Consulting hiring and is led by Bain. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend, along with London Business School. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham noted a recently published article on Clear Admit that focuses on three alumni from Dartmouth / Tuck who are focusing on areas of social impact. This does help illustrate the broad relevance and impact of a top tier MBA.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Maryland / Smith working at JPMorgan Chase, Harvard working at Disney+, and Yale SOM working at Microsoft.

Finally, we discussed two late-arriving 2024 career reports, from UCLA / Anderson and USC / Marshall. Both programs are showing similar trends that we have seen from other top programs this season. This includes a slight dip in the percentage of those who have offers, that were seeking jobs. Both programs do show some very similar statistics, overall.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected one ApplyWire entry and two DecisionWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has an undergraduate degree in accounting, a master’s in accounting, and is now pursuing a master’s in finance, part-time, while looking at MBA programs. This led to a discussion on the dangers of being considered a degree-collector.

This week’s second MBA candidate is choosing between UVA / Darden or waiting a year to reapply. They are seeking a career in consulting.

The final MBA candidate is choosing between INSEAD and NYU / Stern’s one-year Tech MBA.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham then announced the recent partnership Clear Admit has now established with Leland, which will now become our partner for MBA admissions coaching, test prep, and career counseling.

Graham noted Clear Admit’s Application Overview May series of events. These online events will be hosted on May 6 and 7, and May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Sandwiched in the middle of these events is Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on May 14th. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend, along with London Business School. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham noted a Clear Admit admissions tip focused on what candidates need to do, if they were not able to secure admissions at the targeted MBA programs. Graham then highlighted two recent articles from Clear Admit that focus on NYU / Stern’s new dean, and UPenn / Wharton’s new AI major. We then discussed the recent publication of 2025 US News’s rankings, which led to a discussion on their overall methodology.

Graham highlighted four Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from IMD working at Johnson & Johnson, Cornell / Johnson working at Elephant Energy, Vanderbilt / Owen working at Amazon, and London Business School working as an entrepreneur.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected one ApplyWire entry and two DecisionWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is clearly non-traditional; for that reason, we discussed some of the approaches that non-traditional candidates need to pursue, including a strong focus on “why MBA” and their goals.

This week’s second MBA candidate is choosing between Berkeley / Haas and Northwestern / Kellogg’s MBAi. They want to do product management in tech, in Texas.

The final MBA candidate is choosing between UVA / Darden and NYU / Stern. They have a full-ride scholarship at both and want to purse MBB consulting.

This episode was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted Clear Admit’s Application Overview May series of events. These online events will be hosted on May 6 and 7, and May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Sandwiched in the middle of these events is Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on May 14th. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham noted a Clear Admit article from the Friday’s-from-the-Frontline series from an LBS MBA student, discussing the EQUALL conference, which is focused on gender equality. Graham also noted a recently published admissions tip that focuses on how to negotiate scholarships with business schools.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from UPenn / Wharton working at Pfizer, Ohio State / Fisher working at Deloitte, and Chicago / Booth working at Nike.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected one ApplyWire entry and two DecisionWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Brazil, and has an undergraduate degree in civil engineering, and is now working at a bank, focused on data. They have a 710 GMAT score and are targeting next season.

This week’s second MBA candidate is choosing between several top MBA programs, including Chicago / Booth and Northwestern / Kellogg. They want to work in consulting in Chicago, post MBA.

The final MBA candidate also has several choices, but has narrowed down their decision to be between Indiana / Kelley, with a full scholarship, and Michigan / Ross.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the Spring Survey that Clear Admit conducts each season. These surveys are important to understand the decisions of each applicant-cohort. Here is the link for this season’s survey: https://bit.ly/casurvey25

Graham noted Clear Admit’s Application Overview series of events scheduled for May. These online events will be hosted on May 6 and 7, and May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Sandwiched in the middle of these events is Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on May 14th. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham noted a Clear Admit article that shines the spotlight on ESADE and their work to become carbon neutral. He then highlighted the first in a series of Clear Admit career trends articles, focused on Class of 2024 consulting placements at leading MBA programs. As we have reported over several episodes this season, consulting placements are generally down across the top MBA programs. However, consulting remains a critical industry for top MBA graduates - with most schools sending a third of their class into the domain. Graham then noted a Fridays-from-the-Frontlines feature that focuses on MBA students from London Business School who traveled to Singapore and explored sustainability efforts.

Graham highlighted four Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Duke / Fuqua working at McKinsey, Indiana / Kelley working at Microsoft, Michigan / Ross working at JP Morgan and Columbia working at Netflix.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from the UK and now lives in the US. They have a 675 GMAT score, and a 3.1 GPA undergraduate degree, followed by a 3.8 GPA master’s degree in finance. Their focus is on real estate.

This week’s second MBA candidate is an electrical engineer who also has a master’s degree. They work in the semiconductor industry as a product manager; they also have a 675 GMAT score.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua (with a $40,000 scholarship), and Georgetown / McDonough. They are seeking a consulting career.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the Spring Survey that Clear Admit conducts each season. These surveys are important to understand the decisions of each applicant cohort. Here is the link for this season’s survey: https://bit.ly/casurvey25

Graham noted that we have now nearly finalized the line-up for our Application Overview series of virtual events in May. These events will be hosted on May 6 and 7, and May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Sandwiched in the middle of these events is Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on May 14th. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025 May truly kicks off the new season of MBA admissions at Clear Admit!

Graham mentioned a recently published admissions tip that offers a primer on the Executive Assessment test. This article is a result of the queries we are seeing on the Ask Clear Admit AI bot tool. Graham then highlighted a Real Humans alumni spotlight, an alum from NYU / Stern working at PepsiCo.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three DecisionWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is choosing between Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, and UVA / Darden. They want to work in consulting on the west coast after business school.

This week’s second MBA candidate is choosing between Chicago / Booth’s EMBA program and Cambridge / Judge’s full-time program. They are from Japan and wish to begin a career in the United States.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, and Michigan / Ross. They want to work in tech in New York City. They have a $100k scholarship offer from Ross, and a $30k offer from Johnson.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the Spring Applicant Survey that Clear Admit conducts each season. These surveys are important to understand the decisions of each applicant cohort. Here is the link for this season’s survey: https://bit.ly/casurvey25 Graham also mentioned an AMA event that Clear Admit is hosting with NYU / Stern this week, on Wednesday. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/nyusternama

Graham noted that Clear Admit now has several admissions-related events for the month of May available on the website; this includes the MBA admissions fair Clear Admit is hosting in Boston, on May 14th. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham mentioned two recently published articles by Clear Admit that focus on fellowships and community for women targeting business school and a similar piece highlighting support and funding options for minorities at the leading MBA programs. These articles also address the wider political context, in the United States, that makes these efforts more important. Graham then noted an admissions tip that focuses on choosing between MBA program options, post admissions decisions.

Graham also highlighted four Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Emory / Goizueta working at Deloitte, Rice / Jones working at Pfizer, Berkeley / Haas working at JP Morgan and UCI / Merage working at Microsoft.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected one ApplyWire entry and two DecisionWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a military candidate who has a 331 GRE score. Their overall profile looks very strong; we want them to focus a little more on their short-term goal.

This week’s second MBA candidate is choosing between Arizona / Carey and USC / Marshall. They have a better scholarship offer at Carey.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Northwestern / Kellogg and Berkeley / Haas. They are looking to a career in consulting or tech.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted that Clear Admit now has several admissions-related events for the month of May; this includes the 2025 MBA Fair Clear Admit is hosting in Boston, on May 14th. Twenty-four of the top U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham mentioned two recently published articles by Clear Admit that focus on leading MBA programs’ efforts to support students who are focused on sustainability and social impact, both really important fields in the world in which we now live. Graham then highlighted a Real Humans alumni spotlight on an HBS alumni who is now working at American Express. He notes the real value of all the case studies he was exposed to during his MBA.

Graham also highlighted two Real Numbers features, that focus on average GMAT scores for European MBA programs, and average GRE scores for U.S.-based MBA programs. Graham then mentioned the publication of an admissions tip that focuses on Welcome Weekend events that top MBA programs host, once they have released their Round 2 decisions.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a military veteran who is looking to transition from the military after 20 years of service. This led us to discuss which is the right format of MBA to pursue.

This week’s second MBA candidate is still in college and is applying via the deferred admissions process. They have outstanding credentials, despite their 48th percentile in the verbal reasoning section of the GMAT.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Duke / Fuqua and Indiana / Kelley. They have a Forte Fellowship and are pursuing an MBA in health care.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the MBA Fair Clear Admit is hosting in Boston, on May 14th. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham then mentioned the publication of an admissions tip that focuses on strategies for those on a waitlist. Graham then discussed a new Real Humans piece that focuses on students at Harvard Business School.

Graham also highlighted two Real Numbers features, that focus on average GMAT scores at leading b-schools and the percentage of international students in MBA programs. We then discussed the Class of 2024 career report released by Texas / McCombs. They did see an uptick in recruiting for tech-related jobs, which bucked a trend we are seeing with other top MBA programs. This may be a function of another recent trend - tech firms moving to Texas.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is applying next season, and had experience in the military in special operations, as well as more recent role as a financial advisor. They have a total of 13 years of experience, but we worry their current GRE score of 315 is a little low.

This week’s second MBA candidate applied in Round 2, is from India and works in the tech space. Despite being potentially over-represented, they have received several invitations to interview, including from Stanford.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Northwestern / Kellogg, with a scholarship, and UPenn / Wharton.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We then discussed the “user behavior” of Ask Clear Admit, Clear Admit's new AI chatbot. The bot has received nearly 1,500 prompts since its launch.

Graham then highlighted the webinar series for Master’s in Management candidates; the final webinar in this series is on Wednesday, and features Chicago / Booth, Emory / Goizueta, Indiana / Kelley, Duke / Fuqua and London Business School. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mim0225

Graham noted the continuation of Clear Admit’s articles about great podcast, where we place the spotlight on podcasts from the leading MBA programs. This final spotlight features podcasts from leading business schools in Europe.

We then had an animated discussion on the recently published Financial Times 2025 global MBA rankings. One key point we made is that a ranking of top MBA programs really does need to include Stanford...

Graham then mentioned the publication of two admissions tips that focus background checks and applying to MBA programs as a couple, as well as two Adcom Q&As, from INSEAD and Babson / Olin.

Finally, Graham highlighted a Real Numbers feature on US minority representation at top MBA programs, and a recently recorded podcast episode featuring the GM of the Philadelphia Phillies, who is doing an Executive MBA at Wharton.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is planning ahead but needs to retake the GRE (score of 292) and also consider taking additional coursework to counter their 3.0 GPA.

This week’s second MBA candidate is also planning ahead in terms of their applications, is a first-generation college graduate, who appears to have a strong career and activities record. They will also need to perform well on the standardized test.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between USC / Marshall, Texas / McCombs and Washington / Foster, with very similar scholarship offers.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Alex discussed the release of a “Prompt Guide” for Clear Admit’s new Ask Clear Admit admissions bot. This guide is designed to help candidates get the most out of their engagement with the chat bot. So far, we have seen more than 1,000 prompts.

Graham then highlighted the upcoming webinar series for Master’s in Management candidates; the first of these webinars features Michigan / Ross, CMU / Tepper and Georgetown / McDonough.  Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mim0225

Graham noted the continuation of Clear Admit’s series of articles about podcasts, where we place the spotlight on podcasts from the leading MBA programs. Graham then mentioned the publication of an admissions tip focused on post interview activities. This led to a plea for MBA interview reports, in order to support Clear Admit’s comprehensive MBA interview archive.

Graham then highlighted two real numbers stories, focused on female enrollment (very well done, Johns Hopkins / Carey!) and tuition costs for European-based MBA programs.

Finally, we discussed one more MBA career report from London Business School. Their career statistics generally follow similar patterns we have identified with prior career reports that we have published this season, although they were able to gather data from an impressive 100% of the graduating class.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Brazil and is looking ahead for the MBA applications. They have still to take the GMAT, and they are seeking other areas they can strengthen before they apply.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 334 GRE and strong legal experience from London. They also appear to have interesting activities outside of work and could be a very strong candidate.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Chicago / Booth and Northwestern / Kellogg, with very similar scholarship offers.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the second webinar for Deferred Admissions candidates, scheduled on Wednesday, which includes CMU / Tepper, Chicago / Booth, Columbia, Yale SOM and UVA / Darden. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/de0225 Graham then mentioned the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management candidates, taking place later this month, with signups here: https://bit.ly/mim0225

Graham mentioned several MBA news stories: London Business School is launching a Smart EMBA, which takes a blended learning approach. Clear Admit published two podcast-related posts; the first focuses on podcasts from some of the top-16 MBA programs, and the second looks at UPenn / Wharton’s Ripple Effect podcast. Finally, Clear Admit also published a story regarding Duke / Fuqua students doing a career trek in Silicon Valley.

Graham then highlighted two admissions tips. The first focuses on the versatility of the MBA, the second looks at questions a candidate might want to prepare, ahead of their MBA interview. Clear Admit’s Real Numbers series is now back; the first two articles in this series focus on class sizes across the top US MBA programs, and the yearly cost of attendance at American b-schools.

Finally, we discussed one more MBA Class of 2024 career report from Berkeley / Haas. Their career statistics follow similar patterns we have identified with prior career reports that we have published this season.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is applying through the deferred admissions process, so is still an undergraduate student. They have a 3.9 GPA and a 730 GMAT score.

This week’s second MBA candidate is planning to apply either next season, or the season after. They have a 3.2 GPA, with a positive upward trend. They have a 322 GRE, which we think they might want to retake. They are also still determining between post-MBA goals in finance or consulting.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Dartmouth / Tuck and Berkeley / Haas, and they are seeking a short-term goal in private equity.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We then had a quick discussion regarding our new admissions bot, “Ask Clear Admit”. It is very interesting to be able to see what types of prompts MBA applicants are using for the bot, some of which are a little unexpected. We are now planning to write a prompt guide, to help users get the most out of their bot experience. You can find the chat bot here: https://ai.clearadmit.com

Graham noted two upcoming webinar series. The first is for Deferred Admissions candidates, with signups here: https://bit.ly/de0225 The first webinar in this series, on this Wednesday, features Berkeley / Haas, UPenn / Wharton and Stanford. Next week we have CMU / Tepper, Chicago / Booth, Columbia, Yale SOM and UVA / Darden. The second webinar series is for Masters in Management candidates, with signups here: https://bit.ly/mim0225

Graham highlighted two MBA news stories. The first story covers the best business school podcasts, focusing on podcast from M7 programs. The second looks at an entrepreneurial program at Georgetown / McDonough called “Bark Tank”.

Graham then mentioned three admissions tips, each focused on the MBA admissions interview process.

Finally, we discussed two more MBA career reports from Cornell / Johnson and INSEAD. Both MBA programs show the same resilience as other top MBA programs, while facing the headwinds of a tighter employment market. That said, it’s clear that top European-based MBA programs, like INSEAD, have a lower starting salary than their peer programs in the United States.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected one ApplyWire entry and two DecisionWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from India and has a strong GMAT score of 715. They also have solid work experience, but are worried that they have a lower GPA and few outside activities. We were also concerned that they were only able to target Round 2.

This week’s second MBA candidate is choosing between CMU / Tepper and Texas / McCombs. They have a decent sized scholarship from Tepper. They want to move into tech product management.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Columbia and Kellogg. They are targeting consumer-packaged goods and marketing, but they have a preference for New York City.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We then discussed the role out of Clear Admit’s latest innovation, our “Ask Clear Admit” chat bot, which launched the prior Thursday. We have seen hundreds of prompts come in from applicants as we launched, and the quality of the responses has impressed! You can find the chat bot here: https://ai.clearadmit.com

Graham noted two upcoming webinar series. The first is for Deferred Admissions candidates, with signups here: https://bit.ly/de0225 The first webinar in this series, on February 5, features Berkeley / Haas, UPenn / Wharton and Stanford. The following week we have CMU / Tepper, Chicago / Booth, Columbia, Yale SOM and UVA / Darden. The second webinar series is for Masters in Management candidates in late February, with signups here: https://bit.ly/mim0225

Graham highlighted two MBA news stories. The first story focuses on Stanford GSB’s new Dean, Sarah Soule, who has appeared on a prior Clear Admit podcast. The second covers the release of U.S. News 2025 online MBA rankings. Indiana / Kelley tops those rankings, as it has done in prior years.

Graham then highlighted an admissions tip focused on the five most commonly asked MBA interview questions.  Graham also noted a Real Humans story from HEC / Paris.

Finally, we discussed two more MBA career reports from Chicago / Booth and Yale SOM. Both MBA programs show the same resilience as other top MBA programs, while facing the headwinds of a tighter employment market.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is based in India and working for a large conglomerate to which they intend to return. They are applying in Round 2, and we are a little concerned that this may present more challenges than if they had been able to apply in Round 1.

This week’s second MBA candidate also has a very interesting MBA profile but has a weak GPA of 2.9. We discussed mitigating actions they will need to take, ahead of applying next season.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Columbia and Yale SOM, and are planning a career in Clean Tech, hoping to move into private equity in that industry.

This episode was recorded in Philadelphia, USA and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We then discussed the roll out of Clear Admit’s latest innovation, our “Ask Clear Admit” AI chat bot. We are excited to get customer feedback and hope this new tool will become a “best in class” for chatbots that are specifically trained on MBA admissions-related content. You can find the chatbot here: https://ai.clearadmit.com

Graham noted two upcoming webinar series. The first is for Deferred Admissions candidates, with signups here: https://bit.ly/de0225 The first webinar in this series, on February 5, features Berkeley / Haas, UPenn / Wharton and Stanford. The second webinar series is for Masters in Management candidates, with signups here: https://bit.ly/mim0225

Graham highlighted two admissions tips. The first admissions tip focuses on the role of letters of support, and how they are different to letters of recommendation. The second admissions tip focuses on group interviews like the Wharton team-based discussion exercise.

Graham also noted two Real Humans stories from Manchester / Alliance and Emory / Goizueta’s MIM program.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is based in India and working at one of the MBB firms. They have super numbers (335 GRE, 3.94 GPA) and are planning ahead for a future admissions season.

This week’s second MBA candidate also has a very strong profile (331 GRE, 3.7 GPA), and works for an MBB firm in the United States. Their passion appears to be in the urban mobility space.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Columbia, Stern, Yale SOM and a few other top MBA programs. They also have very good scholarship offers. They are seeking a career in social impact, in New York City.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted two upcoming webinar series. The first is  for Deferred Admissions candidates, with signups here: https://bit.ly/de0225 The second webinar series is for Masters in Management candidates, with signups here: https://bit.ly/mim0225 Graham also noted three Real Humans stories from ASU / Carey, Minnesota / Carlson and Georgetown / McDonough’s MIM program.

Graham highlighted three admissions tips; two of these tips are focused on those who are preparing for MBA admissions interviews, and the third focuses on finalizing MBA admissions essays.

Graham then presented the career placement reports from Duke / Fuqua and Georgetown / McDonough. There is now further evidence, and some acknowledgment, of the tougher recruiting environment that MBA graduates are experiencing this season.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from India and is targeting Round 1 for next season. They appear to have a very decent overall profile but have one potential issue with their undergraduate transcript.

This week’s second MBA candidate also has a very decent profile, overall, with a 695 GMAT score and a strong GPA. They have been working in consulting for four years.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Columbia, Stern, and Duke / Fuqua. They are targeting investment banking and would like to remain in New York City.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted two admissions tips for those finalizing their admissions essays; these essay tips focus on word limits and the optional essay. Graham then discussed a Real Humans post focused on holiday celebrations.

Graham then presented the Class of 2024 career placement reports from Columbia, Northwestern / Kellogg and UPenn / Wharton. This finalizes our reviews of the M7 career reports, and we are seeing the outcomes of a tougher placement market for these top programs.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is only applying to two programs, Duke / Fuqua and UVA / Darden. They did apply last season to some different programs, and we worry that they may be challenged by applying in Round 2 this season.

This week’s second MBA candidate was a NCAA Div 1 athlete with an outstanding GPA. They now work in their family business, focused on sports. While their GMAT is not outstanding, we wonder if they should target a few programs from a higher tier.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Washington / Foster, with $66k scholarship and Vanderbilt / Owen with $100k scholarship. They want to pursue a career in consulting or technology.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted an admissions tip which focuses on the GMAC standard letter of recommendation which has been adopted by many leading MBA programs. This format simplifies the admissions process for recommenders by standardizing the questions to which they need to respond.

Graham then discussed a new Real Humans that features students from Toronto / Rotman.

Graham also presented the career placement reports from Stanford and Michigan / Ross.  We are continuing to see a trend that shows that a higher percentage of MBA graduates are moving on to financial services careers; Ross experienced a significant decline in consulting placement. Stanford is also reporting consulting placements are down for their Class of 2025 interns from last summer, which may be an early signal for next year’s career placement report.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is planning to apply for next season. They are a cloud engineer with a computer science major and psychology minor. They also have interesting activities outside of work. Their GRE is 324, and we think it might make sense to try to improve that score.

This week’s second MBA candidate is only targeting two programs, Berkeley / Haas and Stanford, which we think is very risky. Their GRE score is 318, which will present significant challenges for these two programs.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between UPenn / Wharton, Chicago / Booth and Yale SOM. They also have scholarship offers at each program to factor into their final decision.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted three admissions tips that have been published on the Clear Admit site this week. These include tips about how to highlight the reasons for a target program, without comparing them to other programs, how to explain any employment gaps, and whether to consider test waivers.

Graham then discussed a recently published Adcom Q&A which features the Assistant Dean from Yale SOM. We then discussed a Real Humans story, focused on MBA students at INSEAD.

Graham then presented the career placement reports from Harvard and MIT / Sloan.  We are starting to see a trend that shows that a higher percentage of MBA graduates are moving on to financial services careers, than we have seen in recent years. This is likely more to do with the retraction of opportunities in consulting and tech, rather than student desire.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a non-traditional profile; she is a registered nurse. But she does also have some health care related business experience. Her overall profile is quite interesting, and we think she should have good opportunities.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India, so we would have preferred they had targeted Round 1. They have an interesting career profile in tech and entrepreneurship, as well as strong numbers.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between IESE, Ross and Yale SOM. They are also on the Duke / Fuqua waitlist. They have plenty of interesting options; we think Yale SOM may be the winner.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted five admissions tips that have been published on the Clear Admit site this week. These include tips about scholarship offers, their impact on final decisions and whether they are negotiable. For Round 2 candidates, the admissions tips focused on resume preparation, career goals and building business school connections.

We then discussed two Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at Texas / McCombs and Dartmouth / Tuck. This then turned into a conversation on how to seek out willing students and alumni with whom to connect.

Graham then presented the Class of 2024 career placement report from Dartmouth / Tuck. Overall, Tuck’s placement statistics remain impressive considering the market conditions. There has been a greater emphasis on placement within the North-East and Mid-Atlantic regions.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a very interesting personal profile and has degrees from outstanding academic institutions in Europe. They also have a lot of entrepreneurial experience, over several years. We do worry about their quant profile, which is illustrated by their sub-par GRE score.

This week’s second MBA candidate is planning to apply in two years’ time, so is thinking ahead. They will want to retake their GRE, to improve their current 317 score. They have the opportunity to develop a very decent profile over the next couple of years.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between UPenn / Wharton and Chicago / Booth. Booth is offering them additional scholarship, but we wonder if that is enough to influence their final decision.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted a recently published story on Clear Admit that focuses on four students at Dartmouth / Tuck who are focused on healthcare. Graham then highlighted two admissions tips, the first tip focuses on how to reflect on negative admissions results, and the second explores the role of the video essay in the admissions process.

We then discussed two Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at UC Irvine / Merage and Berkeley / Haas.

Graham then presented the second career placement report of the season, from NYU / Stern. While overall, the placement statistics are in line with last season, one potentially troubling statistic is the lower percentage of students reporting accepting a job, three months from graduation. This is a stat we will be looking at closely for subsequent career reports.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a really interesting profile, which includes doing NGO work in conflict zones. We believe this is the type of candidate that top MBA programs really aspire to enroll. Their GPA is going to be slightly lower than the median for top MBA programs, but they have completed a masters degree and a calculus course, which helps compensate.

This week’s second MBA candidate is planning a second round strategy, based on the results from their Round 1 programs. They have received a few interview invites and are now considering whether to aim higher, or go with more safety programs.

The final MBA candidate is from Africa, has five years of work experience and a very decent GPA. But their GRE score is very low; we really hope they are able to prepare more and retake the test.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management programs, which will be held this week on December 3rd and 4th, and include Chicago / Booth, Georgetown / McDonough, Michigan / Ross, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta and Notre Dame / Mendoza. Signups are still available: https://bit.ly/camim24

Graham then shared four admissions tips. The first two tips focus on those who applied in Round 1, helping candidates decide between different offers, and what to do if you are placed on a wait list at your target MBA program. The second two tips focus on those who are applying in Round 2, helping candidates identify target programs, and choosing their recommenders.

We then discussed two Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at UCLA / Anderson and Washington / Foster.

Graham then presented the first career placement report of the Class of 2024 season, from UVA / Darden. Frankly, their placement statistics, which were very similar to last season, look quite impressive given the potential challenges in the hiring market we've been hearing about (with tech layoffs and a slowing of consulting hiring).

Finally, Graham previewed a podcast episode he recently conducted with Erin Nixon, the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Stanford GSB. This will be published this week, so watch this space!

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has significant work experience in the media and entertainment space and has now come to the realization that an MBA may well be a good next step. We think she will have interesting opportunities if her quant profile is strong.

This week’s second MBA candidate is targeting next season and has a GMAT score of 770. They also have very decent tech-focused work experience, and we think they should also have great options next season.

The final MBA candidate is from Ghana and is an older candidate at 32. We discussed some of the challenges that older MBA applicants might face in the admissions process, and how to overcome those challenges.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management programs, which are held on December 3rd and 4th, and includes Chicago / Booth, Georgetown / McDonough, Michigan / Ross, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, Indiana / Kelley, CMU Tepper, and Notre Dame / Mendoza. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/camim24 Graham also noted the Clear Admit survey that’s in the field, and focuses on issues related to building relationships with MBA program participants. The survey is here: https://bit.ly/casurveyfall24

Graham then highlighted two admissions tips. The first tip focuses on background checks that MBA programs undertake for their admissions candidates, and the second tip lists all the Round 2 MBA deadlines; January is a very busy month for those targeting Round 2.

We then discussed three Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at Johns Hopkins / Carey, SMU / Cox and Columbia. Finally, Graham highlighted a podcast episode he recently conducted with the new Admissions leader at Stanford. This should be published very shortly.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is an American applicant who wants to apply to leading European MBA programs, to build a career in Europe. They appear to have a strong career in technical sales, but we worry about their overall academic profile.

This week’s second MBA candidate is working in their family business, which led to a discussion on how to source their recommenders. They certainly cannot use family members. They have only recently started preparing for the GMAT, but we like their overall profile.

The final MBA candidate has offers from IESE, IE Business and ESADE. They are considering whether they should attend one of these programs or reapply next season and include a few more programs.

This episode was recorded in Estoril, Portugal and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management programs, which begins on December 3, and includes Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta and Notre Dame / Mendoza. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/camim24 Graham also noted the Clear Admit survey that’s in the field, and focuses on issues related to building relationships with MBA program participants. The survey is here: https://bit.ly/casurveyfall24

Graham discussed a presentation he is helping to put together for an upcoming GMAC conference, which addresses how MBA admissions adcom are using Gen AI in their admissions process. There is no doubt that admissions workflows will be impacted with this exciting technology shift. We then discussed the introduction of Clear Admit’s incentive scheme to encourage more community activity on the Wires platforms. This season, we are seeing a higher level of engagement, which is very exciting.

Graham then highlighted a recently published focus on two Stern MBAs who are veterans, in honor of veterans’ day. Finally, we discussed three Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at UPenn / Wharton, Maryland / Smith and Cambridge / Judge.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a reapplicant from last season. She has a strong focus on the education sector, which ties well with her long-term goal. She has a super GPA of 3.82, but her GRE score is a little less prominent at 323.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a deferred-admissions candidate. They have a perfect GRE score of 340 and appear to have all the pre-conditions for a strong profile. They are targeting all the top 7 MBA programs; we think they can shorten that list.

The final MBA candidate has a perfect GPA of 4.0. They work in audit in Florida, and are planning to apply next season, with three years of experience. They also have decent activities outside of work. We discussed their application strategy and things they can do now, to improve their overall profile.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the webinar series for deferred admissions candidates, which continues on Wednesday, November 13 with Berkeley / Haas, CMU / Tepper, UVA / Darden and Stanford. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/cadefermba Graham also noted the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management programs, which begins on December 3, signups are here: https://bit.ly/camim24

Graham then shared a recently published report from Forte Foundation, which illustrates the continued efforts of the MBA industry to move to gender parity. Graham then noted three admissions tips, two focused on the MBA interview process (questions to ask your interviewer, and thank you notes), and the third focused on potential admissions mistakes to avoid.

We then discussed four Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at Yale SOM, IESE, Northwestern / Kellogg and NYU / Stern, and two MBA Class of 2026 profiles, from Columbia and Northwestern / Kellogg.

We then discussed activity on MBA LiveWire; for this upcoming week, Michigan State / Broad, INSEAD, Minnesota / Carlson and Ohio State / Fisher are scheduled to release Round 1 decisions.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from South Asia and has a GMAT score of 720. We are worried about the impact of their low GPA. They do appear to have interesting work experience and additional activities, so we are hoping adcom can look past their GPA.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a military candidate with a super GPA from a military academy. We are concerned that their lower GRE score is not truly reflective of their overall profile.

The final MBA candidate has a 331 GRE score and a 3.98 GPA! They also appear to have interesting work experience and several significant activities outside of work. They are aiming high with their target programs, but this makes sense.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming webinars series scheduled for deferred admissions candidates, which begins on November 6 with Columbia, Harvard, Chicago / Booth and Yale SOM, signups are here: https://bit.ly/cadefermba Graham also noted the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management programs, which begins on December 3, signups are here: https://bit.ly/camim24

Graham then highlighted a recently published story that covers the history of the “M7” group of MBA programs, as well as an admissions tip on some of the more unusual interview practices at top MBA programs. Graham then noted three Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at Emory / Goizueta, Vanderbilt / Owen and Boston College / Carroll.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Italy, now living in Spain.  They appear to have a very solid career history and outside activities. They also have a master’s degree in economics. Unfortunately, they were not able to perform well on the GRE test, so have requested test waivers. We think this will harm their MBA options, overall.

This week’s second MBA candidate applied to all their programs in Round 1 and appears to have a decent profile, overall. This includes a 3.64 GPA, 324 GRE and 5 years of work experience. They already have an interview invite at Dartmouth / Tuck.

The final MBA candidate is from Brazil, and appears to have a very good profile overall, but has taken the Executive Assessment test, instead of the GMAT or GRE. Like our first candidate this week, we think this may negatively impact their overall options.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted this week’s Real Humans webinar on Wednesday, which will include students from Dartmouth / Tuck, Columbia, UVA / Darden and Duke / Fuqua, signups are here: https://bit.ly/rhlive1024 In November and December Clear Admit will be hosting webinars for deferred enrolment candidates, as well as events for candidates applying to Masters in Management programs.

Graham then highlighted two recently published admissions tips focused on the seven hardest MBA interview questions, and group interviews. The latter tip focuses on Wharton’s team-based interview, which is an unusual format, relative to other top MBA programs.  Graham then noted three Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at Georgetown / McDonough, Chicago / Booth and Florida / Warrington.

We then discussed Texas / McComb’s recently published Class of 2026 profile. They managed to increase their class size from 241 students to 255. The actual profile of the class is quite similar to the prior year’s class profile, which included an average GMAT score of 704, and GRE score of 321.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has applied to 12 MBA programs in Round 1, which is an extraordinary effort. They appear to have very decent work experience and outside of work activities. They also have a strong GPA. We do wonder if their GMAT score of 655 is their weak point.

This week’s second MBA candidate has recently graduated from their undergraduate degree. They are now a software engineer. They are looking to apply for their MBA in several years’ time, so they are planning ahead. We offered general advice in terms of what to do over the next several years.

The final MBA candidate is targeting Round 2 and has still to complete the GMAT or GRE. They appear to have good work experience, but we worry that their undergraduate record is going to be a real weakness. They want to transition into Investment Banking and are targeting the very top programs. They may need to adjust some of their target programs.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham mentioned this week’s webinar focused on MBA programs on the West Coast, including Berkeley / Haas, Stanford, UCLA / Anderson, Washington / Foster and UC / Irvine. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/westcoastmba Clear Admit is also hosting a Real Humans webinar on October 24th, which will include students from Dartmouth / Tuck, Columbia, UVA / Darden and Duke / Fuqua, signups are here: https://bit.ly/rhlive1024 In November and December Clear Admit will be hosting webinars for deferred enrolment candidates, as well as events for candidates applying to Masters in Management programs.

Graham then highlighted a recently published admissions tip focused on the five MBA interview questions you need to ace. These are the most common MBA interview questions that most top MBA programs will be asking.  Graham then noted three Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at UNC / Kenan Flagler, IMD and Indiana / Kelley.

We then discussed three recently published class profiles, from Berkeley / Haas, Stanford and Washington / Olin. All these class profiles look very good. It is interesting to note that Stanford’s median GRE score is the same as the median GRE score at Washington / Olin. We discussed why this may be the case.  Haas’s stats appear to be impressive for a program that sits just outside the leading M7 MBA programs, much like NYU / Stern’s stats that we covered last week.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Africa and has a GRE of 332. They also have a graduate degree. They appear to have very solid work experience and are active outside of work. They are targeting Sloan in Round 1, and then additional programs in Round 2.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from the US military and has a very strong GMAT of 715. We do worry about their 2.9 GPA, for which they did provide some mitigating circumstances. They also have a high GPA in their graduate degree which may help.

The final MBA candidate for this week has six years of consulting experience and is also active in their community. They have a GRE score of 294, which may really harm their options. They plan to retake the test and apply in Round 2. They might also consider undertaking some additional coursework.

This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, California and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming webinar focused on MBA programs from the West Coast, including Berkeley / Haas, Stanford, UCLA / Anderson, Washington / Foster and UC / Irvine. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/westcoastmba Clear Admit is also hosting a Real Humans webinar on October 24th, which will include students from Dartmouth / Tuck, Columbia, UVA / Darden and Duke / Fuqua.

Graham then mentioned two recently published admissions tips focused the value of the MBA degree, and interview etiquette. The latter tip will be the first in series focused on interview preparation. Graham then noted three Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at CMU / Tepper, Duke / Fuqua and Ohio State / Fisher.

We then discussed three recently published class profiles, from NYU / Stern, Chicago / Booth and UPenn / Wharton. Like prior profiles for this season, application volumes were up, and the profile of the incoming classes remains strong. Stern’s stats are especially impressive for a program that sits just outside the leading M7 MBA programs.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Africa and appears to have an outstanding profile. They have a GPA of 3.88 and a GRE score of 329. They are also a first-generation college graduate with a solid finance experience.

This week’s second MBA candidate has built their career around affordable housing. That is their long-term goal and they were once homeless. They also have strong numbers, including a 330 GRE score.

The final MBA candidate for this week is from India and works in tech-related sales. They are targeting Round 2, which might not be ideal. They are also considering retaking the GRE, their current score is 318. A higher score will certainly help their overall profile.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming webinar focused on MBA programs from the West Coast, including Berkeley / Haas, Stanford, UCLA / Anderson, Washington / Foster and UC / Irvine. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/westcoastmba

Graham then highlighted two recently published admissions tips focused on letters of support, and different types of MBA admissions interviews. Graham then noted two Real Humans stories, focused on MBA students at Cornell / Johnson and London Business School.

We then discussed three recently published class profiles, from Harvard, MIT / Sloan and Dartmouth / Tuck. Like prior profiles for this season, application volumes are up, and the profile of the incoming classes remains strong. This did, however, lead to a discussion regarding median GMAT scores versus GRE scores.

Finally, Graham noted a recently published podcast he hosted with David Simpson of London Business School.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has an outstanding academic profile, with a 3.85 GPA and 750 GMAT score. They have a health care focus, and as part of their school selection, they need to consider their partner’s continuing career.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 720 GMAT and a 329 GRE, which led to a conversation as to which is better. They have a strong technical focus, which includes their own entrepreneurial experience.

The final MBA candidate for this week is a reapplicant for USC / Marshall. They have improved their GRE score, and other elements of their profile should also be improved. We suggest they also apply to UCLA / Anderson.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

The Clear Admit “Inside the MBA Admissions Process” event series concludes this week, on Wednesday, and includes Duke / Fuqua, CMU / Tepper, Columbia, Texas / McCombs and Georgetown / McDonough. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/insidemba

Graham also highlighted the upcoming webinar focused on MBA programs from the West Coast, including Berkeley / Haas, Stanford, UCLA / Anderson, UC / Irvine, and UW Foster.  Signups are here: bit.ly/westcoastmba

We then discussed two recently published MBA rankings, from LinkedIn and Bloomberg / BusinessWeek. While we understand the importance of rankings for candidates’ research, we discussed the integrity of these rankings, relative to the reality of the marketplace of top MBA programs.

Graham highlighted a recently published admissions tip focused the optional essay, which, for most MBA programs, is truly optional and should be tackled with caution.

Graham then noted the recently published Adcom Q&A from Stanford. This included a conversation about how to address Stanford’s first essay prompt, which is Alex’s favorite MBA admissions essay. Graham then highlighted the beginning of Clear Admit’s Real Humans series that focuses on current students. This series kicked off with a focus on Rice / Jones and Michigan State / Broad.

We then discussed two recently published MBA class of 2026 profiles, from Yale SOM and UVA / Darden. Both programs appear to have very decent class profiles overall. Yale’s does stand out with its academic numbers.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a senior at university and looking to apply for deferred admissions. They have some decent internships in the health care space. They have also undertaken some entrepreneurial work. They still need to take the GMAT and need to aim very high.

This week’s second MBA candidate is applying from India and is applying in Round 1. They do appear to have a very strong profile, overall, with a GMAT score of 760 and several promotions at work.

The final MBA candidate for this week is a London-based software engineer, originally from South Korea, who has worked for some major tech companies. They have a strong GRE score of 330, and are looking to transition to product management, before working at their family business.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

The Clear Admit “Inside the MBA Admissions Process” event series continues this week and next week. Our second event, on Wednesday, includes Dartmouth / Tuck, Berkeley / Haas, Yale SOM, UNC / Kenan Flagler, and NYU / Stern. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/insidemba

Graham highlighted a recently published admissions tip focused on understanding the importance of the word count requirements for the MBA admissions essays. Graham then noted a Clear Admit story on the rise of Master’s in Management programs in the United States, as well as an Adcom Q&A from Rice / Jones.

We then discussed two recently published class profiles. Both Michigan / Ross and Cornell / Johnson reported strong profiles for their incoming classes, following the early trend we are seeing for this season’s new MBA candidates.

Finally, Graham noted a recently published podcast he hosted with UNC / Kenan Flagler, which focuses on their renowned Investment Management program. One of the student co-hosts on the podcast used to be a Wire Taps listener when they were applying to top MBA programs!

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Southern Europe and has worked extensively in the hospitality sector. They have a strong undergraduate GPA, but their GRE is 319. They are taking MBA Math.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a very strong focus on technology in the energy sector. They have a PhD and a GMAT score of 750. They also have 10 years of experience. They have a very specific goal focus, but we wonder if they need to broaden their list of target programs.

The final MBA candidate for this week is planning to use the MBA to transition to their family business, to create a tech-focused vertical. They also have significant work experience of nine years, and they have a decent GRE score of 327. Their GPA is likely their weakest element, at 3.12.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

The Clear Admit “Inside the MBA Admissions Process” event series begins this week and runs for three weeks, on September 11th, 18th and 25th. Our first event includes INSEAD, London Business School, UPenn / Wharton, Emory / Goizueta and Michigan / Ross. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/insidemba

Graham highlighted recent news from GMAC, which is launching a new writing exam, now that the AWA element of the traditional GMAT test has been eliminated. We discussed Harvard admissions team’s desire to see a writing sample for all its candidates.

Graham then highlighted several admissions-related articles that have been recently published on Clear Admit. They include admissions tips focused on GMAT and GRE test waivers (don’t if you are able to take a test) and MBA programs which don’t require the test (we still encourage candidates to take a test). Admissions tips that focus on video essays, which are becoming more popular, and the need to avoid comparing your target MBA program with other programs, through the admissions process. Finally, Graham noted an in-depth survey of visa requirements for international MBA students who plan to study outside their home country.

Graham highlighted three Adcom Q&As, from IMD, Vanderbilt / Owen and Cornell / Johnson. We then discussed two recently published class profiles. UCLA / Anderson experienced an incredible 41% increase in application volume last season, and Duke / Fuqua was able to recruit a class where female enrolment eclipsed 50% for the first time. Both these class profiles are very impressive.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and a Question from LiveWire:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is going to be sponsored for their MBA by a “big 4” consulting firm. They appear to have done very well at work, and they also have a very good profile for sustainability initiatives. Their numbers, 3.3 GPA and 690 GMAT, are a potential area of concern.

This week’s second MBA candidate enlisted in the military straight out of high school. Once they completed their military service they started their undergraduate degree at a community college, they have now transferred to Stanford, and are studying Mechanical Engineering. We anticipate they have a very interesting “lived experience” that may play well in MBA admissions.

The final MBA candidate for this week posed a question on MBA LiveWire regarding their reapplication process. They are planning to retake the GRE, as well as transition to a new job. The question is whether to apply in Round 1 or Round 2.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

The next Clear Admit event series is now only one week away and runs for three weeks, on September 11th, 18th and 25th. Our first event includes INSEAD, London Business School, UPenn / Wharton, Emory / Goizueta and Michigan / Ross. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/insidemba

Graham highlighted two recently published stories on Clear Admit. The first looks a which of the top MBA programs offer a STEM designation. It is clear this has been an interesting trend that began with Rochester / Simon and has recently included Harvard.  The second story focuses on some of the recent Olympic athletes who are completing their MBAs. We are great admirers of the talent, dedication and perseverance it takes to compete at the very top of any endeavor.

Graham then noted two admissions tips that were recently published by Clear Admit. The first tip focuses on the importance of understanding the background of the admissions readers. The second tip discusses the need to do deep research on each of the MBA programs that a candidate is targeting.

Graham then mentioned six recently published Adcom Q&As, from HEC Paris, Imperial College, UNC / Kenan Flagler, Washington / Olin, Northwestern / Kellogg, and UCLA / Anderson.

We then highlighted a new MBA admissions series that focuses on “famous” MBA alumni, which we think highlights the real value of the MBA from top tier MBA programs. This series will focus on MBA alumni in a variety of sectors including technology, health care and retail, finance and philanthropy, and automotive and energy.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from South Africa and appears to have had a very strong career to date in finance roles in the tech sector. Their GMAT is a 730 and they are targeting the M7 MBA programs.

This week’s second MBA candidate works in academia as a researcher in the health care domain. They want to transition out of academia, their long-term goal is to work for an organization like the Gates Foundation. They have a GRE score of 330.

The final MBA candidate for this week is from Ghana. They have a GRE score of 312, but plan to retake the test. They do have a strong GPA and decent work experience, but their post MBA goals could be strengthened.

This episode was recorded in Pescoluse, Italy, and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We than had a thoughtful conversation about the value of a top MBA, weighed against the risk of the investment in pursuing the degree.

The pros of pursuing an MBA, in a world where things are changing in quite extraordinary ways due to AI, geopolitical challenges, climate change, and other large shifts, are substantial. Learning from the best faculty, learning with similarly motivated peers, and seeking to understand the challenges that lie ahead, is a critical advantage of a top MBA program.

Combine this with the network of candidates in the MBA program, and alumni who have come before, and these networks can really help foster valuable connections - whether for long-term friendships or career opportunities.

Finally, the career resources that these MBA programs have available to help candidates pursue their post MBA goals, are very substantial and form a critical aspect of the overall MBA experience.

So, the cost of the MBA, and its opportunity cost associated with leaving a career, is substantial. But the payback can be very rewarding, especially when viewed from a longer term perspective.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Argentina and is seeking an MBA from Spain’s top MBA programs. This is not unusual for candidates from Argentina. They have a super GPA, their GMAT is a decent 710. They appear to have had a strong career to date and were also a track and field national champion.

This week’s second MBA candidate already has some deferred admissions options from when they were an undergraduate student. They have now worked for several years in what appears to be very decent experiences. They are planning to apply to more MBA programs, but we are concerned about their reluctance to take the GMAT or GRE.

This week’s final MBA candidate is a military candidate, who is looking to pivot into renewable energy, post MBA. They had a mechanical engineering undergraduate degree, with a 3.1. Their GMAT score is 645, but they also have an EA of 161.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We then did something very different - we had a deep conversation about our backgrounds, and work history together, which has extended beyond 20 years. We wanted to highlight our MBA admissions experience, so listeners can get a better sense for who is providing the weekly commentary on MBA admissions.

We covered our time together at UPenn / Wharton, where we launched several applicant-facing web initiatives that were industry firsts at the time. These included Wharton’s student2student applicant discussion forum, a student blogging initiative, as well as an online interview scheduler. We then discussed the formation of Clear Admit, and its evolution, as it pivoted from being a leading applicant consulting firm to what it is today - an online community where candidates can get unfiltered and free guidance so they can present their best applications.

It has been a long journey together, but a very enjoyable journey. We hope that comes across during our Wire Taps weekly podcast show!

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a super GMAT score of 750 but has a more modest undergraduate GPA of 2.99. They also have a graduate degree, and both degrees are in engineering. Their work experience appears to be very decent, in tech product management. Their post MBA goals are to pursue consulting in the short term, and then return to the tech industry.

This week’s second MBA candidate also has a super GMAT score (760), but also has a poor undergraduate record. They were compromised by their mental health. They completed an MBA directly after their undergraduate degree, to help compensate. They work in climate finance, and ultimately want to return to this field after a stint in consulting.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

The next Clear Admit event series begins in September and will run for three works, on September 11th, 18th and 25th. Five top MBA programs will participate in each event, signups are here: https://bit.ly/insidemba

Graham highlighted one admissions tip, whether to apply in Round 1 or Round 2, and two additional Clear Admit stories that were published last week. The first looked at our team’s favorite MBA admissions essays, and also highlighted each team member’s choice for a new admissions essay. The second article was a little fun; we explored some of Taylor Swift’s lyrics and how they might be applied to MBA admissions.

Graham then discussed three recently published Adcom Q&As, from Manchester / Alliance, Georgia / Terry and ESCP in Paris.

Graham then highlighted two recently published podcasts that were recorded during GMACs annual conference. These podcasts feature admissions officers from Washington / Foster and MIT / Sloan, answering three questions related to MBA admissions: candidates’ use of AI in the admissions process, the use of video in the admissions process, and aspirational trends that they a seeing from their candidates.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is an environmental scientist from India. She has 11 years of work experience, winning awards and publishing her work. We really like the experience, but her numbers are a little on the weaker side.

This week’s second MBA candidate has very good numbers with a 740 GMAT, a 3.7 undergraduate degree and a graduate degree, both in STEM. They have worked in IT consulting and an AI startup. They are also active outside of work. All around, a very decent profile.

The final MBA candidate for this week has worked for 5 years in non-profit, social impact and the tech sectors. Their work experience appears to be impressive, and their goals should be impactful. They have a decent GMAT of 720, which is still below the median for the very top programs. Their undergraduate degree GPA is also a little below the median.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Clear Admit’s summer essay workshops have now come to a very successful conclusion; the next series of events will begin in September. Graham highlighted Harvard’s recent announcement that their MBA program is now STEM certified. This allows international students more scope for remaining in the United States in the short term, post MBA. Harvard is following a significant trend for leading MBA programs which started with Rochester / Simon.

Graham noted that Berkeley / Haas has a new dean; one of Haas’s previous deans has now moved up in the administration at Berkeley (Rich Lyons, as Chancellor of UC Berkeley), which we assume is a good thing for the business school, generally.

Graham then highlighted two admissions tips. The first focuses on the value of campus visits, the second is essentially a useful list of all the early round deadlines for the top MBA programs. This useful resource also includes links to each program’s respective essay topic analysis, and much more.

Graham then discussed three recently published Adcom Q&As, from Chicago / Booth, Boston College / Carroll, and CEIBS.

Graham then highlighted two recently published podcasts he recorded during GMAC's annual conference. These interviews feature admissions officers from Yale SOM and Cornell / Johnson, answering three questions related to MBA admissions: candidates’ use of AI in the admissions process, the use of video in the admissions process, and aspirational trends that they a seeing from their candidates.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate was a medical doctor and then moved on to McKinsey. We really like that profile. They are targeting the trilogy of Harvard, Stanford and Wharton, which is quite ambitious, but they can always expand their selection in the second round, if necessary.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from the Midwest and has a rather unorthodox pathway to pursuing the MBA, starting out their career as a reporter, then working at a startup, and now in banking. They do have a strong profile; the one weakness may be their quantitative abilities.

The final MBA candidate for this week is a military candidate who has also worked in the private sector for a couple of years after leaving the service. If we can assume a strong military experience, we think there’s a lot to like, and targeting top 16 programs makes sense. They are also a marathoner.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the summer application series that Clear Admit is hosting, which concludes this Wednesday, July 31, with Yale SOM, Columbia, Michigan / Ross, and IESE. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/summeressays

We then discussed a recently published article on Clear Admit which clusters together the key themes for essay topics for MBA programs. While Alex guessed two key themes correctly, he failed on the remainder; the clusters do reveal what is very important for admissions officers as they review their MBA candidates.

Graham noted two recently published MBA admissions tips. The first focuses on creating an MBA admissions resume, the second was an admissions tip for younger MBA candidates. Graham then discussed four recently published Adcom Q&As, from Cambridge / Judge, Notre Dame / Mendoza, UPenn / Wharton and Toronto / Rotman.

Graham then highlighted three recently published, and soon to be published, podcasts that were recorded during GMACs annual conference. These podcast feature admissions officers from Cambridge / Judge, Duke / Fuqua and Cornell / Johnson, answering three questions related to MBA admissions: candidates’ use of AI in the admissions process, the use of video in the admissions process, and aspirational trends that they a seeing from their candidates.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a Hispanic male with a PhD, and experience at an MBB; this experience revealed to them why they need an MBA. They have entrepreneurial aspirations.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India, and is a little worried about the quant score of their GMAT. We are less concerned, and think they need to leverage their interests in the life sciences as part of their MBA strategy, all while applying in Round 1.

The final MBA candidate for this week is currently still an undergraduate student, but has been working 40 hours a week, while maintaining a super GPA and being very active on campus. They are debating whether to pursue an MBA, or MS in Finance, directly after completing their undergraduate degree.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the summer essay insights series that Clear Admit is hosting, which continues this Wednesday, July 24, with CMU / Tepper, Chicago / Booth, Georgetown / McDonough, Cornell / Johnson and Vanderbilt / Owen. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/summeressays

Graham noted a recently published article on MBA programs and their use of AI, clearly a fast moving area. Graham then discussed three recently published Adcom Q&As, from NYU / Stern, Duke / Fuqua and Bath.

Graham then highlighted a recently published podcast that was recorded during GMACs annual conference. This podcast features a long-serving adcom from Dartmouth / Tuck answering three questions related to MBA admissions: candidates’ use of AI in the admissions process, the use of video in the admissions process, and aspirational trends that they a seeing from their candidates.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a decent profile, with a strong finance background. Their academic record is strong, their GMAT is 720, after a couple of retakes. The key question is how competitive they will be at the M7 programs they are targeting.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India, and has a pretty entrepreneurial story, to date. They have also co-founded a school, which appears to have had good impact. Their GMAT is an outstanding 760.

The final MBA candidate for this week is currently still an undergraduate student, and is debating whether to pursue a masters in management degree, ahead of pursuing an MBA degree in a few years. They do appear to be very active on campus, and have an outstanding academic record, and decent internships.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We then discussed Clear Admit’s MBA admissions book, authored by Alex, which is freely available on the Clear Admit site: https://www.clearadmit.com/products/admissions-books/ This book will provide MBA candidates a comprehensive understanding of the MBA admissions process, and enable candidates to really determine the best way to present their candidacy. It is also an easy and fast read.

Graham highlighted the upcoming summer application series that Clear Admit is hosting, which began last Wednesday to great success in terms of attendance and content; two MBA programs announced their new MBA admissions essays during this first session. This Wednesday, July 17, is our second session and we will hear and learn from Dartmouth / Tuck, Berkeley / Haas, UNC / Kenan Flagler, Texas / McCombs, and Washington / Foster. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/summeressays

Graham noted a recently published admissions tip focused on GMAC’s common letter of recommendation. For candidates applying to multiple programs, they will likely need to use this recommendation format for at least some of those programs. Graham then mentioned a unique full tuition scholarship offered by HEC Paris.

Graham then shared tidbits from four recently published Adcom Q&As, from Columbia, CMU / Tepper, Washington / Foster and Florida / Warrington.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a military candidate who has worked in cyber warfare, and has a masters degree in computer science. They are looking to use the MBA to transition into the finance sector and investment banking.

This week’s second MBA candidate is also from the military, and is applying for their MBA after also considering going to law school. They also have a super GRE of 333, and very interesting experiences in the military in special operations.

The final MBA candidate for this week is originally from Tajikistan, and she’s worked and been educated in several countries including Russia and Germany. We think adcom will really like her profile, but may have concerns with potentially weaker quant skills, and fuzzy post-MBA goals.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming summer application series that Clear Admit hosts, which begins this Wednesday, July 10, with Duke / Fuqua, INSEAD, Columbia, UPenn / Wharton and UVA / Darden. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/summeressays

Graham noted a recently published admissions tip focused on selecting recommenders. Graham then highlighted three recently published Adcom Q&As, from Emory / Goizueta, ESMT and Harvard Business School, and also discussed a recently published Friday’s from the Frontlines which focuses on a VC competition won by Northwestern / Kellogg students.

Graham then noted the publication of a new podcast which was another recording from one of the panel discussions during the in-person Chicago MBA admissions event that Clear Admit hosted. This discussion centered on the key elements of the applicant profile, including test scores, GPA, work experience and extra-curricular/additional activities.  Duke / Fuqua, Georgetown / McDonough, Yale SOM and Emory / Goizueta participated in this discussion.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate began in investment banking, but soon switched to strategy consulting focused on life sciences. They have a very strong GPA of 3.87; their GRE is OK, but does not stand out.

This week’s second MBA candidate appears to have a strong tech-focused career in India, having graduated from a top Indian university. They have a decent GMAT of 730, their GPA is 6.8 out of 10. Their post MBA goal is product management, then entrepreneurship.

The final MBA candidate for this week played Division 1 football in the Big Ten Conference, and has now pursued a career in Real Estate. Post MBA they plan to join their family firm in Real Estate. They have a very strong GMAT (705); their overall GPA is a little weaker.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming summer application series that Clear Admit hosts, which begins on Wednesday, July 10, and will include the majority of the top MBA programs. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/summeressays

Graham noted two recently published admissions tips; the first is about the importance of post-MBA goals, the second focuses on how to handle gaps in employment.

Graham then highlighted the recently published essay prompts for Harvard. HBS is taking a slightly different approach to their essays this season, as the admissions office is now under new leadership.

Graham then noted the publication of a new podcast episode which was a recording from one of the panel discussions during the in-person Chicago MBA admissions event that Clear Admit hosted. This discussion centered on how to handle the application materials that a candidate has direct control over; London Business School, Northwestern / Kellogg, Texas / McCombs and CMU / Tepper participated in this discussion.

Graham finally highlighted the publication of four Adcom Q&As, from Rochester / Simon, Maryland / Smith, emlyon, and IESE.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate began their career in manufacturing, and then moved on to MBB consulting; we like that transition. They plan to retake the GMAT, which is currently a 700.

This week’s second MBA candidate has 12 years of experience, placing them at the long end of the spectrum; they will need to justify “why now” is the right time. They have had some employment gaps, due to chronic health issues, and were recently laid off from their most recent role, unrelated to health. They do appear to have developed a strong resume, but they will face challenges in the MBA admissions process.

The final MBA candidate for this week has very good numbers, and graduated top of their class. They are currently a consultant, and are looking to move into product management. Overall, they have a strong profile.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming summer application series that Clear Admit hosts, which begins on Wednesday, July 10, and will include the majority of the top MBA programs. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/summeressays

Graham then mentioned two recently published Clear Admit stories. The first story focuses on the new GMAT test, and how to compare scores with the old GMAT test. The key is to look at the percentile scores. The second story highlights NYU / Stern’s move to change the title of one of its MBA program offerings from Fashion to Luxury and Retail.

Graham then noted the publication of a new podcast episode which was a recording from one of the panel discussions during the in-person Chicago MBA admissions event that Clear Admit hosted. This discussion centered on strategy consulting recruiting and is a conversation with Noble Stafford at Bain and Company.

Graham finally highlighted the publication of three Adcom Q&As, from Michigan / Ross, ASU / Carey and Michigan State / Broad.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Brazil. They have a super GMAT score of 735 and their overall profile looks very strong. We think they would benefit by providing more clarity around their post MBA goals.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a second year analyst at one of the MBB firms. They are based in Australia, and also have a very good GMAT score of 740 (old test format). We think there is a lot of potential upside, but it would be good to know a little more about their activities outside of work.

The final MBA candidate for this week applied this season, and has quite a few options, including Case Western Reserve / Weatherhead with a nice scholarship. They are also still on the waitlist at USC / Marshall, and we discuss whether it makes sense to pursue Marshall further.

This episode was recorded in New Orleans, Louisiana and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming summer application essay series that Clear Admit hosts, which begins on Wednesday, July 10, and will include the majority of the top MBA programs. Signups have recently opened and are here: https://www.bit.ly/summeressays

Graham then noted the publication of a new podcast episode which is a recording of one of the panel discussions during the in-person Chicago MBA admissions event that Clear Admit hosted. This discussion centered on answering several key questions about the MBA degree; who is it for, when should one pursue it, why, what's the ROI, etc.  The show features admissions directors from Cornell / Johnson, Harvard, NYU / Stern and Michigan / Ross, with Graham moderating.

Graham then highlighted a recently published Clear Admit admissions tip, which focuses the importance of the campus environment; this led to a discussion about the Penn campus in Philadelphia.

Graham then noted the publication of Clear Admit’s first Adcom Q&A for this new season, from Ohio State/Fisher.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from India, and is reapplying next season, after gaining admissions this season for USC / Marshall and CMU / Tepper. They have a strong blend of tech and entrepreneurial experience, as well as decent additional activities. They have a very good GMAT, but their GPA is the weak spot.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a military candidate with a 700 GMAT score and a 3.15 GPA. They are not being overly ambitious with their target programs. They plan to retake the GMAT this summer, as well as take some additional coursework to bolster their profile.

The final MBA candidate for this week is also from the military, this time on the nuclear engineering side for the Navy. They have a strong GMAT of 740, and while their GPA is a little modest, they played Division 1 Baseball as an undergraduate.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming summer application series that Clear Admit hosts, which begins on Wednesday, July 10, and will include the majority of the top MBA programs. Signups have recently opened and are here: https://www.bit.ly/summeressays

Graham then highlighted a recently published Clear Admit admissions tip, which focuses on how to build your ideal list of target MBA programs.

Graham then noted three Real Humans Alumni pieces; an MBA alum from Chicago / Booth who now works at BCG, an alum from Goizueta / Emory who now works at Bank of America and an alum from UC Irvine / Merage who now works at Amazon. Finally, Graham highlighted a Friday’s from the Frontlines article from a student who is taking part in 'Stern Solutions', an experiential learning program from NYU / Stern.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is only targeting INSEAD. They have a very strong GMAT of 705, a decent GPA and nearly 10 years of experience in the Fintech space. They are currently working in South Korea.

This week’s second MBA candidate also has a GMAT of 705, and is a product manager coming from a liberal arts background. They are from the Midwest of the United States.

The final MBA candidate for this week is from Nigeria and has trained to be a medical doctor. After one year of being a physician, they switched to lead a Solar company. They also have a high test score, a 333 for the GRE.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted two recently published Clear Admit admissions tips; the first looked at the impact of volunteer activities in an MBA application, the second focused on choosing between MBA programs.

Graham then noted two Real Humans Alumni pieces; an MBA alum from IESE who is now an entrepreneur, and an alum from Northwestern / Kellogg who now works at BCG. Graham also discussed a report from the Kellogg Climate conference, as well as a feature on a Dartmouth / Tuck MBA creating a startup while in business school. We then discussed a Real Humans piece from UCLA / Anderson, which features six MBA students from the program.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from India and now works in Canada. They have 10 years of work experience, which places them at the high end of the spectrum for traditional full-time MBA programs. Should they target one-year MBA programs?  How high should they aim?

This week’s second MBA candidate has developed a VC-backed startup over the last several years. They also have a STEM PhD. They are looking at online/hybrid or executive MBA programs, so they can continue with their startup, while studying for their MBA.

The final MBA candidate for this week is originally from India, but studied in the United States for their undergraduate degree, and then went into banking in the U.S. They then moved back to India for a Fintech startup. This is a rather unorthodox move for an MBA admissions candidate. They also have very good numbers.

Graham highlighted the final spring online webinar that Clear Admit is hosting this Wednesday at 12 pm ET, which will feature CMU / Tepper, Columbia, UPenn / Wharton, INSEAD and London Business School. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/caspringwebinars

Graham then mentioned a recently published Clear Admit admissions tip, regarding background checks on admitted candidates, before moving on to discuss three 'Real Humans Alumni' pieces, an MBA alum from Duke / Fuqua who works at Pfizer, an MBA from Columbia who works in AI for Amazon, and an MBA alum from Chicago / Booth who works at Xbox.

We then discussed the MBA Class of 2023 career report from UCLA / Anderson. This report is quite late in the cycle, but highlights the many strengths of the Anderson MBA program, especially if you are interested in being on the West Coast after business school. Finally, we discussed a U.S. Department of Energy competition won by MBA students from Duke / Fuqua. The winning concept related to how to manage power generation when the renewable inputs are variable.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate appears to have a very strong professional career, and is from Latin America. While their GMAT is decent (710), their GPA is the weak point. We discussed strategies to mitigate the lighter GPA.

This week’s second MBA candidate also has a modest GPA of 3.0. They have a super GMAT (695 on the new version of the test) and appear to have done well in their marketing career, despite navigating a layoff.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Duke / Fuqua and London Business School. These are two quite different options, and we discussed those differences. They want to be in the United States in the longer term, post MBA.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the Spring Online Webinar series that Clear Admit is hosting. The second event in the series is on Wednesday, and includes Dartmouth / Tuck, Yale SOM, UVA / Darden, and UNC / Kenan / Flagler. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/caspringwebinars

Graham then highlighted a recently published Clear Admit article that highlights the benefits of posting an entry to MBA ApplyWire. This is Clear Admit’s tool that allows candidates to share their profile and list of target MBA programs, and then get feedback from the Clear Admit MBA community. Some of these profiles are then discussed on this Wire Taps podcast.

Graham then noted one Real Humans Alumni piece, an MBA alum from Cornell / Johnson who works at Amazon. Finally, we discussed a Friday’s From the Frontline piece which focused on a Duke / Fuqua MBA student who discussed his long pathway to the realization that an MBA was a good next step.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a strong passion for focusing on income inequality issues, and how an MBA can help them develop their skills to further impact this issue. They also have decent numbers, and may well be a strong MBA candidate.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India, and appears to have an impressive professional background, evolving from accountancy to product management in tech, with a focus on social impact. They should target the first rounds.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between NYU / Stern, to which they have already paid a deposit, and Columbia, where they have only recently been admitted. In the long run, they want to be on the west coast.

This episode was recorded in Chicago, Illinois and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham then highlighted the Spring Online Webinar series that Clear Admit is hosting. The second event in the series is on Wednesday, May 22th. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/caspringwebinars

Graham then mentioned a recently published admissions tip that focuses on pre-MBA additional coursework; this might be useful for candidates who have very little quantitative studies in their undergraduate studies, or for candidates who need to address below par grades.

Graham then noted four Real Humans Alumni pieces, alums from: Berkeley / Haas who works at Pepsi, IMD who works at Amazon, Notre Dame / Mendoza who works at Microsoft, and Stanford who works at Myc0Works.

For the candidate profile review portion of the show this week, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is targeting Stanford. They have a very interesting background in EdTech, they also have their own YouTube channel with a significant number of followers, as a content creator. We worry that only targeting Stanford can be risky, but they do appear to have an attractive profile.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India, and also has French citizenship. They have strong numbers, and appear to have done well in their career, to date. They want to target the top programs, and we encourage them to include those programs in the first round.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between UCLA / Anderson and USC / Marshall, with substantial scholarships. They are seeking buy-side finance roles, and wonder if one of these options will be good enough, or should they reapply to higher-tier programs next season.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the Spring Online Webinar series that Clear Admit is hosting. The first event is on Wednesday, May 8th, and includes Berkeley / Haas, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, Georgetown / McDonough and Texas / McCombs. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/caspringwebinars Graham then noted the May 15th event we are hosting in Chicago, which will be Clear Admit’s first in-person MBA candidate event. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/cachicagofair

Graham then mentioned an admissions tip that focuses on the reapplication process. While this is targeted to candidates who were not able to secure a seat at a top MBA program this season, we also discussed candidates who are debating whether to reapply next season, or go to business school this season.

Graham then noted three Real Humans Alumni pieces, alums from: UCLA who works at Google, Harvard who works at Amazon and UC / Irvine who works at PepsiCo.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is targeting leading executive MBA programs, rather than full-time MBA programs. They have 15 years of experience, most of which has been in digital marketing. They currently work at Nestle. They have a 720 GMAT score and a 3.02 GPA.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 326 GRE and a 3.43 GPA; they work at IBM in technical sales. They plan to return to IBM after the MBA, and then move on to work in their family business.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between USC / Marshall and CMU / Tepper. While both MBA programs are in the same tier, they will offer different experiences. We think the candidate needs to really think hard about their post MBA goals, in order to help drive their final decision.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the May 15th event we are hosting in Chicago, which will be Clear Admit’s first in-person MBA candidate event. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/cachicagofair Graham also noted the Application Overview webinar series that Clear Admit is hosting. The first event is on May 8th, and includes Berkeley / Haas, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, Georgetown / McDonough and Texas / McCombs. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/caspringwebinars

Graham then mentioned two admissions tips that focus on MBA scholarship negotiation, and how important scholarship offers can be to a final decision.

Graham then noted four Real Humans Alumni pieces, alums from: Northwestern Kellogg at Google, Duke / Fuqua at Accenture, Rochester / Simon at Bain and Texas / McCombs at Tesla.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a very strong GRE score of 332, and they graduated with a first class engineering degree, in India. Their career focus has been in software engineering in the non-profit sector. We like their overall profile, and recommend they target the first rounds.

This week’s second MBA candidate is planning several years ahead for their MBA experience. They need to overcome a very low 2.4 GPA. There are steps they can take to help mitigate this concern, and we detailed some of those steps.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Cornell / Johnson and UVA Darden, with a goal for MBB consulting. They are an international student and wonder whether the Ivy name from Johnson should be a factor.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham then highlighted the May 15th event we are hosting in Chicago, which will be Clear Admit’s first in-person MBA candidate event (with 20 leading business schools!); signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/cachicagofair Graham also noted the Spring Online Webinar series that Clear Admit is hosting over the course of May, with signups here: https://www.bit.ly/caspringwebinars

Graham then mentioned that Stanford GSB has now appointed a new Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, after a year-long search following the departure of Kirsten Moss. Erin Nixon is a Stanford alumna of the MBA program, and an undergraduate alum. She will begin her new role on July 1.

Graham also noted a recently published tech careers piece, written by Clear Admit’s CEO, Eliot Ingram. While the tech sector is in a hiring squeeze for MBAs, it still represents one of the three major b-school employers.

Graham then noted four Real Humans Alumni pieces, alums from: Emory / Goizueta working at McKinsey, IESE working at BCG, Washington / Foster working at Microsoft, and Chicago / Booth working at Goldman Sachs.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has spent 8 years as a paralegal, and is now planning to use the MBA to transition over to the business side of deal making. They have a strong GRE score of 330, and are also heavily involved in additional activities. A potentially very decent profile, overall.

This week’s second MBA candidate appears to have a strong career in the venture capital sector in India. However, we worry about their overall numbers; their GRE score is 319. We recommend they retake this test, and target the first rounds.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua and Michigan / Ross. They are seeking a health-care related career. They have a partner, so they need to factor that into their decision-making.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham started with a story of his random meeting with a podcast listener (and current Wharton student), who he met at a car rental agency.

Graham then highlighted the May 15th event we are hosting in Chicago, which will be Clear Admit’s first in-person MBA candidate event. Signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/cachicagofair Graham also noted the Spring Online Webinar series that Clear Admit is hosting, with signups here: https://www.bit.ly/caspringwebinars

We then had a discussion about the recently published 2024 U.S. News MBA ranking of U.S. based MBA programs. For the second year in row, there is a significant emphasis on career outcomes in this ranking, rather than an emphasis on the quality of the incoming class. Some of the order of the ranking appears to be off, as a consequence of this.

Graham highlighted a recently published admissions tip focused on the waitlist, which also provides direct access to a video that we hosted for the Admissions Academy. This video is now freely available for all to watch.

Graham then noted three Real Humans Alumni pieces, alums from: Cornell / Johnson working at Amazon, Columbia working at Google, and Georgetown / McDonough working at Johnson & Johnson.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is applying next season. They have decent numbers, with a 3.72 GPA and 326 GRE. They have 3 years of work experience in consulting. We discussed what they might do to improve their overall profile, over the next several months.

This week’s second MBA candidate has recently left their work, to take a break, before starting business school. They appear to have a strong professional record at top tech companies, and a decent GPA. They have gained a test waiver to the programs they are targeting; we are not convinced that’s the right approach.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Northwestern / Kellogg, Duke / Fuqua (with money) and IESE. They also need to consider their spouse’s options, as they weigh whether to do an MBA in Europe or the United States.

This episode was recorded in Schenectady, New York, USA and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the new Spring survey that Clear Admit is running, to get a better sense of how MBA candidates select their target programs. Answering this survey really helps Clear Admit better understand the MBA community, and provides great insights for top MBA programs. The survey is here: https://bit.ly/caspringsurvey

Graham then mentioned a new Clear Admit event, which is an in-person MBA admissions fair, to be held in Chicago on May 15. Most of the top MBA programs will be in attendance. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/cachicagofair

Graham highlighted three Real Humans Alumni pieces: alums from IMD working at Bain, Ohio / Fisher working at JPMorgan Chase, and NYU / Stern working at Hulu.

Finally we discussed the second in Clear Admit's series of post-MBA career reports. This one focuses on consulting careers, and not only which programs send the most candidates into consulting careers, but also which programs have a stronger focus on MBB (McKinsey, Bain, BCG) consulting.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has very strong numbers, with a 334 GRE and a 3.83 GPA. They have four years of experience, most recently as part of the legal team at a Private Equity firm. They want to pursue the MBA to return to private equity, on the investment side. We think this is very doable, but might be worth looking at investment banking as a short term goal.

This week’s second MBA candidate has been a lawyer for eight years, and wants to use the MBA to pivot to consulting in the short term, then a strategy or general counsel role in the longer term. They have a strong GPA of 3.75, but perhaps are a little light on the quant side. They still need to take the GMAT, so a very strong score will help.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Berkeley / Haas and Texas/McCombs, with a $35k scholarship. They have free tuition based on the GI bill. They want to do consulting, post MBA. They also have additional personal reasons that makes this decision a little more complicated.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the new Spring survey that Clear Admit is running, to get a better sense of how MBA candidates select their target programs. Answering this survey really helps Clear Admit better understand the MBA community, and provides great insights for top MBA programs. The survey is here: https://bit.ly/caspringsurvey Graham then mentioned a Clear Admit event, with CMU / Tepper, which focuses on the MBA for non-traditional candidates. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/nontradMBA Graham also shared tidbits from four Real Humans Alumni pieces: alums from Harvard, working at PepsiCo, Stanford working at Uber, Berkeley / Haas working at Nike and Yale SOM working at EY-Parthenon. Finally we discussed the first in Clear Admit's series of post-MBA career reports. This one focuses on finance careers, and shows quite clearly which are the best MBA programs for buy-side finance roles, as well as for roles in investment banking. For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry. This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has very respectable numbers, with a 730 GMAT and 3.54 GPA. They began their career in oil and gas, and more recently are working in the area of carbon capture. They are really targeting the very top programs, which we think they have a realistic chance to attain. This week’s second MBA candidate has an outstanding profile, all around. They have a fantastic GPA, complemented by a 730 GMAT. They have very decent work experience, with progressive roles, and their additional volunteer activities look good, too. We recommend they stick to one post-MBA short term goal, while targeting the very best MBA programs and considering geography as well. The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua and UVA / Darden. They have a very good scholarship offer from Fuqua, which may tip the balance in their favor. They are still waiting to hear back from Northwestern / Kellogg. This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted two recently published admissions tips focused on Round 2 waitlists, and financing the MBA. The latter was written by Juno, which operates a platform to group admitted MBA candidates and source low interest rate student loans.

Graham then noted four Real Humans Alumni pieces: alums from California Irvine / Merage working at Johnson & Johnson, Notre Dame / Mendoza working at Amazon, Rice / Jones working at Goldman Sachs and Duke / Fuqua working at Kearney.

Finally, Graham highlighted a recently published piece on INSEAD, which had a focus on International Women’s Day.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a very interesting profile having graduated from FIT, with a strong GPA; she is also a first-generation college graduate and has seven years of experience. We are very concerned with her lower GRE score of 304. Any increase in that score should have a very positive impact on MBA options.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a very good academic profile, along with a 326 GRE. They are very focused on the education sector, with a long term goal of starting their own school. We really like the profile, and wonder if they should also add Harvard and Stanford to their list of target programs.

The final MBA candidate for this week has several offers from top-30 programs, with significant scholarships. They are also on the waitlist for UNC / Kenan Flagler. They only have two years of experience and are considering whether to attend next season, or to wait and reapply.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted a recently published admissions tip focused on the background check process for admitted candidates. He then noted three Real Humans Alumni pieces, alums from Rochester / Simon, working at Google, Texas / McCombs working at Bain, and Emory / Goizueta working at Microsoft.

Finally, Graham highlighted a Friday’s from the Frontline story that focused on Michigan / Ross’s hosting the Climate CAP MBA summit. This led to a short discussion on the increasing interest, among top MBA programs, for issues related to climate transformation.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a super GRE of 340, but unfortunately has a poor academic record, due to the onset of depression. They now have six years of work experience in the oil and gas sector. We think they will have a few challenges to mitigate the undergraduate record, but it is doable.

This week’s second MBA candidate has an education background and has served as a teacher, with  a special interest in climate change. They want to pursue the MBA to transition into the business of sustainability. They still need to take the GMAT or GRE, and we think that doing very well on the test will be very important.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between London Business School and Columbia Business School. They are from China and want to work in consulting in the Middle East. They already have an engineering degree from Columbia, and Columbia has offered them a significant scholarship.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

On Wednesday of this week, Clear Admit will be hosting an AMA live chat with NYU / Stern, signups are here:  https://canyuama

Graham highlighted two recently published admissions tips focused on the interview process (unusual interview practices and post-interview protocol), as we are now deep into the interview season for Round 2 candidates.

Graham then highlighted two Real Numbers posts from Clear Admit, which focused on average GMAT scores and average GRE scores of top MBA programs based in the United States. Stanford and Harvard top the list for best GMAT scores, but Yale tops the list for GRE scores. Graham then mentioned two Real Humans Alumni pieces, the first two in this series for this season. Featured are alums from Chicago / Booth working at Citi, and IESE working at Allianz.

Graham highlighted a Friday’s from the Frontline story that focused on NYU / Stern’s efforts on impact investing. That led to a brief discussion on the efficacy of batteries used in electric vehicles and mobile phones. And finally, Graham noted a recently published podcast where he interviewed J.R. McGrath at CMU / Tepper; they discussed all the different types of MBA offerings that are now available.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a first generation college grad who went on to complete a BS in Chemical Engineering, and then to serve in the Navy as a Nuclear Power School instructor. We like their overall profile, but think they should try to take the GRE one more time.

This week’s second MBA candidate is being sponsored by their firm to do the MBA. They are seeking a one-year MBA program, so they can return to work soonest. We wonder whether they might be better served by also considering some of the leading two-year MBA programs.

The final MBA candidate for this week has several offers, and is debating between Michigan / Ross with a $150,000 scholarship, Berkeley / Haas with a $100,000 scholarship, or MIT / Sloan with a $75,000 scholarship. They are from Europe and seeking a career in tech, or consulting, preferably on the west coast.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

On Wednesday, this week, Clear Admit continues its event series for Masters in Management programs, signups are here: https://bit.ly/camimfeb The following Wednesday, March 6, Clear Admit will be hosting an AMA with NYU / Stern, signups are here:  https://canyuama

Financial Times released its MBA rankings for top MBA programs from all around the world. UPenn / Wharton took the top spot, INSEAD was ranked number two. Missing from the top-10 were Harvard and Stanford, which really harms the credibility of the resource.

Graham highlighted a recently published admissions tip focused on couples who are applying to MBA programs, together. This allowed us to reminisce on an old podcast episode where we featured a couple who came on the show, live.

Graham then highlighted three Real Numbers posts from Clear Admit, which focused on the percentages of minorities, women and international students at top MBA programs. Graham then mentioned two Real Humans pieces, focused on students from Columbia and HEC.

We then discussed the recently published employment reports for Columbia and London Business School. Columbia’s Class of 2023 employment report showed a slight weakening in the percent of MBA candidates with jobs, three months after graduating. LBS’s career outcomes report for the MBA class of 2023 is closely aligned with INSEAD’s, reflecting the slightly lower average starting salaries compared to their U.S. peer schools.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a very interesting 'lived experience' and has come very far as a first generation Hispanic candidate. Their academic profile is superb and they have a 740 GMAT score. We think they should be targeting the very best programs.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a very decent profile, as an auditor with a strong academic profile. They are of Asian descent. We worry that they want to waive the GMAT test, and this may harm their overall opportunities for access to their best MBA program.

The final MBA candidate for this week has offers from UCLA / Anderson, with money, Berkeley / Haas, no money, and CMU / Tepper with money. Initially they wanted to do their MBA program in Los Angeles. Now they are debating between Anderson and Tepper.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

We discuss the history of the team-based discussion interview, as well as why Wharton has adopted this methodology; it is an attempt to mimic the learning-team experience at Wharton. We highlight some issues with that thinking.

We also discuss the topic of this season’s team-based discussion interview, and then detail approaches in order for candidates to be most effective in the interview. We then walk through best practices for the brief one-on-one interview that occurs after the team-based interview is complete.

Our hope is that this episode provides invaluable and timely advice to those interviewing at Wharton, as well as those curious about the school's unique process - or team dynamics in general. Best of luck!

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

On Wednesday, this week, Clear Admit is hosting an event for deferred admissions candidates, signups are here: https://bit.ly/defeb24 On February 21, Clear Admit begins its event series for Masters in Management programs, featuring several top programs. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/camimfeb On March 6, Clear Admit will be hosting an AMA with NYU / Stern, signups are here:  https://canyuama

U.S. News released its ranking of online MBA programs. Indiana / Kelley continues to top the list. Michigan / Ross is notably absent from the list, again. Graham then discussed the stars system we have for Clear Admit community members who post comments and like comments on the Clear Admit wires. We are now offering Amazon gift cards to the biggest contributors!

Graham highlighted a recently published admissions tip focused on the seven hardest MBA interview questions. Graham also noted the publication of our Real Numbers series, which last week focused on MBA class sizes and the costs of US MBA programs. He then highlighted a Fridays from the Frontlines piece, which focused on the African American Union at Harvard Business School.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate was enlisted in the military and exited as a Captain before joining a government agency in the software engineering domain, they are applying next season. They have a strong GPA, as well as a very decent masters degree. We wonder if their 323 GRE score is their best score, or should they retake the test.

This week’s second MBA candidate is also applying next season, and has yet to take the GMAT. They appear to have a very interesting professional background, with a strong focus in the transportation sector in Indonesia. Their long term goal is to return to Indonesia and return to the transportation sector.

The final MBA candidate for this week has several offers from top MBA programs, with many including significant scholarship offers. They are weighing whether Wharton is worth the risk, with no money, versus Haas, with a large scholarship. Their principle goal is VC in Los Angeles.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Clear Admit is hosting is its monthly Clear Admit+ webinar later today, Monday, February 5. Alex and Graham will take all questions related to MBA admissions. A big focus of the event will be on MBA interview preparation.  On Wednesday, February 7 (and again February 14), Clear Admit is hosting events for deferred admissions candidates, with several leading MBA programs; signups are here: https://bit.y/defeb24 On Thursday, February 8,  Clear Admit is hosting an AMA with UC / Irvine. More details on our website.

Graham highlighted Real Humans pieces for Maryland / Smith and ESCP that were recently published on Clear Admit. We then discussed a Fridays from the Frontline feature on a student at Duke / Fuqua, who is pivoting from digital marketing to brand management.

Because we have moved into interview season, we are seeing more interview tips being published on Clear Admit; last week the focus was on interview etiquette. Graham then highlighted a recently recorded podcast episode with Georgetown / McDonough that focused on leadership...stay tuned for details!

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is an army veteran, with a legal background. They have really good numbers, too. Because they have worked for 10 years, we think they need to focus on fit, as well as articulate a firmer long-term goal.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a really interesting background in the performing arts. Their numbers are very decent, although the quant section of their GRE might raise a concern. Doing some additional course work, like GMAC’s Business Fundamentals, might well serve them well.

The final MBA candidate for this week has offers from NYU / Stern and UNC Kenan Flagler with a considerable scholarship at the latter. Because of their personal circumstances, we think that Kenan Flagler may be the better option, but it's clearly a tough call.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Clear Admit is hosting is next Clear Admit+ virtual event on Monday, February 5. Alex and Graham will lead this event, and will take all questions related to MBA admissions. A big focus will be on MBA interview preparation.  Graham also briefly mentioned upcoming events in February for Deferred Admissions candidates and Masters in Management candidates.

Graham highlighted a Real Humans piece for Harvard, recently published on Clear Admit. This included a discussion about the academic profiles of incoming students at Harvard. We then discussed employment reports from INSEAD and Texas / McCombs. What is striking is the gap in average starting salaries for top MBA programs based in the United States and their counterparts in Europe. This led to a discussion about how firms offer different salaries based on different geographies.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has applied to 12 programs, via The Consortium. They have a very good GPA (3.66) but they have waived the GMAT. Because they are seeking scholarship offers from the programs they are targeting, we suggest they still try to take the GMAT or GRE.

This week’s second MBA candidate is planning to apply next season, and has a strong profile from the military. They also have a good GPA from one of the Service Academies, as well as a great GMAT of 750. We think they will be a very strong candidate, but we provided some thoughts on their post MBA plans.

The final MBA candidate for this week has offers from Chicago / Booth, Columbia Business School, and NYU Stern. Their offer from Stern is a full-ride, which makes their decision very difficult. They would like to go into venture capital, but that may be a tough industry to break into, wherever they attend.

This episode was recorded in Philadelphia, USA and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in glorious West Philadelphia. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Clear Admit is hosting a Real Humans admissions event, scheduled for this Wednesday, January 24 at 8 pm ET. This event will bring together students from a variety of top MBA programs, including Dartmouth / Tuck, NYU / Stern, Georgetown / McDonough and Washington / Foster, ready to answer questions from MBA aspirants.  Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/carealhumans

Graham highlighted an Adcom Q&A for NYU / Stern’s one year program in Abu Dhabi, as well as a recently published Real Human’s story that focused on six students at Manchester / Alliance.

Graham then highlighted a story on Dartmouth / Tuck, which focuses on three MBA alumni who work in Investment Banking.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a female from Vietnam who has worked in a non-traditional field. She also has very strong stats, and we like her overall profile. We think she should be targeting some additional programs from higher tiers.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India, but was educated in the United States at the undergraduate level, and then received a Masters from the U.K. They’ve worked in the risk area of finance for two years. We worry that their post MBA goals could be better developed, we also would like to see more additional interests, outside of work.

The final MBA candidate for this week has several MBA offers, and wants to remain in Boston, after her MBA, while pivoting into Marketing. She also has a young family. Should she explore her options with programs from a higher MBA tier, or remain in Boston for her MBA? This was the question we discussed.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Clear Admit is hosting a Real Humans admissions event, scheduled for January 24. This event will bring together students from a variety of top MBA programs, including Dartmouth / Tuck, NYU / Stern, Georgetown / McDonough and Washington / Foster, ready to answer questions from MBA aspirants. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/carealhumans

Graham highlighted two recently published admissions tips which focus on application data forms, and resume versus application-based interviews; we are now moving to the interview preparation phase of Round 2.

Graham also mentioned two Real Humans pieces that were recently published, covering students from MIT / Sloan and CEIBS.

We then discussed the recently released Employment Report for the Chicago / Booth Class of 2023. With an average starting salary of $180,000, their report looks very robust. Interestingly, they saw a slight uptick in placements on the west coast, and in tech.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from South East Asia, and works in consulting. Their GMAT is 710, and this appears to be the weakest aspect of their overall profile. We really like their work experience and their extra-curricular activities, as well as the fact that they completed their undergraduate degree in the US.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a first-generation immigrant to the United States. They pursued a double major in Engineering, and their GPA is a 3.22. They were also quite busy in outside activities during their undergraduate studies. They have a GMAT of 720, so their numbers combination is not outstanding. They also appear to have interesting work experience, with a focus on entrepreneurship.

The final MBA candidate for this week has some terrific options to consider, which include Harvard, Northwestern / Kellogg and Michigan / Ross. Some financial awards also make the options to consider less clear cut.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

On Tuesday at 12 pm ET, Clear Admit is hosting an event with CMU / Tepper, which focuses on its Data Analytics masters program. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/cmuanalytics Clear Admit is also hosting a Real Humans admissions event, scheduled for January 24 at 7 pm ET. This event will bring together students from a variety of top MBA programs, including NYU / Stern, Georgetown / McDonough and Washington / Foster, ready to answer questions from MBA aspirants. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/carealhumans

Graham highlighted two recently published admissions tips which focus on two key aspects related to finalizing the MBA admissions essays: word counts and essay polishing. One question that is becoming more obvious: how can we best use Generative AI in the essay writing and editing process?

Graham then highlighted two Real Humans pieces that were recently published on Clear Admit, covering students from Yale SOM and Berkeley / Haas.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a very solid GMAT score of 730, but their GPA is a very troubling 2.5. They suffered from mental health issues during their undergraduate experience. Their long term goals are in the mental health space. They will need to address concerns surrounding the GPA in the optional essay; we think they really also need to take some additional coursework.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a very decent 720 GMAT score, and has a chemical engineering undergraduate degree, with a 3.67 GPA from their graduating University. We think there’s a lot to like about this profile, but nothing that absolutely stands out. They might want to consider also exploring 1-2 more top 16 tier MBA programs.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Columbia and Northwestern / Kellogg, while also applying to UPenn / Wharton and MIT / Sloan in Round 2. . They want to be on the east coast, after their MBA, with a focus on healthcare and pharma.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham noted the next Clear Admit+ event which is scheduled for this Wednesday at 12 pm ET, one day before Round 2 deadlines for 10 of the leading MBA programs.  On January 9th, Clear Admit is hosting an event with CMU / Tepper, which focuses on its Data Analytics program. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/cmuanalytics Clear Admit is also hosting a Real Humans admissions event, scheduled for January 24. This event will bring together students from a variety of top MBA programs, ready to answer questions from MBA aspirants. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/carealhumans

We then discussed a new program that CMU / Tepper is rolling out this season, an accelerated version of their MBA program for those who already have taken some business academic coursework. This is another example of how top business schools are innovating their offerings in order to meet market needs.

Graham then highlighted a recently published admissions tip which focuses on the notion that MBA candidates shouldn’t just tell MBA programs that they are the best, they should focus on showing each program why they are a great fit. This is a common error with MBA applicants.

Graham then highlighted a Friday’s from the Frontline feature, which highlighted a student from Notre Dame / Mendoza and her experience in Chile as a part of their Mod-Away program. This led to a discussion on the importance of really looking at the individual offerings of the programs that candidates are targeting, in order to identify the right academic and extracurricular fit.

We then discussed Northwestern / Kellogg’s recently published Class of 2023 employment report, which was in line with many of the top MBA programs we have already featured; Kellogg experienced a slight uptick in consulting placements, and downward trend for tech placement, and a corresponding downward trend in West Coast placement.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate appears to have a very interesting profile, from Central Europe. Their one weakness is their GRE score of 311. They may target this season, or return next season with a retake on the test.

This week’s second MBA candidate is quite similar, in terms of having an interesting profile, and a relatively weaker GRE score, this time its 318. They want to be in Boston post MBA, and this has driven their target school selection in part. We discussed some alternatives to their list.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Indiana / Kelly and Washington / Olin. They are from Brazil and want to move to the midwest of the U.S. They also have scholarship offers at both programs to consider.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen! Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2024, and for positive admissions results!

Graham noted a new admissions event that Clear Admit is hosting with CMU / Tepper on January 9, which focuses on its Data Analytics program. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/cmuanalytics Clear Admit is also hosting a Real Humans admissions event, scheduled for January 24. This event will bring together students from a variety of top MBA programs, ready to answer questions from MBA aspirants. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/carealhumans Graham also mentioned the next Clear Admit+ event which is scheduled for January 3rd, one day before Round 2 deadlines for 10 of the leading MBA programs.

We then discussed a new program that Chicago / Booth is rolling out, to begin this upcoming fall term. To compliment their Masters in Management program, Booth is now launching a Masters in Finance program, for those who are completing their undergraduate degrees. We had a short debate about the trends in the specialized, pre-experience master's domain - and talked about what this means for the MBA market.

Graham then highlighted two recently published admissions tips, focused on weighing up MBA scholarship offers, and making decisions regarding which program to attend. Both these tips are very topical with the release of Round 1 decisions, and the subsequent entries on MBA DecisionWire.

Graham then highlighted three Real Humans pieces from Clear Admit, focused on Ohio State / Fisher, Dartmouth / Tuck and Washington / Foster.

For the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is targeting next season for their applications. Their combination of GPA (2.98) and GRE (322) is a little on the light side for the top MBA programs they are considering; we are recommending a GRE retake as well as some additional coursework, which might include GMACs Business Fundamentals. Their work experience appears to be the strength of their profile.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a really strong academic profile, and a great GMAT of 740. They did drop out of medical school, and we had a long discussion on how to best present this, as they pivot their goals to the business-side of healthcare.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Emory / Goizueta (with scholarship) and UVA / Darden. They are targeting a career in Consulting in the North East. A very tough decision, indeed.

Graham noted a new Real Humans admissions event, scheduled for January 24. This event will bring together students from a variety of top MBA programs, ready to answer questions from MBA aspirants. Signups for the event are here: https://bit.ly/carealhumans Graham also mentioned the next Clear Admit+ event which is scheduled for January 3rd, one day before Round 2 deadlines for 10 of the leading MBA programs.  Please join us by signing up here: https://www.clearadmit.com/private-webinar-series/

We then discussed the recently published Poets & Quants 'aggregate' MBA ranking. Most of our conversation focused on UPenn / Wharton’s position in the ranking at #31, as a result of not being able to participate in the Financial Times ranking.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans pieces from Clear Admit, focused on Washington / Olin, IMD, and Chicago / Booth. We then discussed three MBA employment reports, from MIT / Sloan whose top industry is Consulting, Berkeley / Haas whose top industry is Tech, and UPenn / Wharton whose top industry is Financial Services.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Africa and has really interesting professional experience which may help them stand out. Their GRE score is a very respectable 327, but we worry that their GPA of 3.01 may raise concerns, despite it being a computer science degree.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a GMAT score of 655. Because this is the new GMAT focus edition, we needed to convert this score to a 700-710. They have a strong GPA (3.6) and decent work experience in Canada. They also have a good spread of target MBA programs.

The final MBA candidate for this week is deciding between Dartmouth / Tuck (with scholarship), UVA /  Darden (no money) and possibly Northwestern / Kellogg. If they are admitted to Kellogg, we see a tough choice between Kellogg and Tuck, and geographical preferences will likely play a part in the final decision.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted two Real Humans pieces from Clear Admit, focused on IESE and Vanderbilt / Owen. We then discussed the recently published MBA class of 2025 profile from Columbia, and three employment reports, from Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth / Tuck. The profile of recruiters at Harvard and Stanford is different from other “M7” programs, with more focus on buy-side financial services, and less focus on consulting.

Graham also highlighted an Adcom Q&A from Yale SOM, as well as a topical admissions tip that was published last week: how to handle rejections from top MBA programs.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a very interesting profile, and it appears that she also has really strong leadership experiences. She applied in Round 1, and has received interview invites. Her one clear weakness is a 305 GRE score.

This week’s second MBA candidate has some pretty amazing entrepreneurial experience from West Africa; they helped start a budget airline. They still need to take the GMAT, which is a potential concern. They are targeting some of the more unique programs like Stanford’s one year MSx program, and the Sloan Fellows Program at MIT.

The final MBA candidate for this week is an engineer who is targeting next season for their MBA applications. Their combination of a 690 GMAT (with a relatively low quant score) and 3.0 GPA is a little concerning. We are hoping they are able to boost the GMAT, even if only a little.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted the upcoming MBA admissions events this week. On Monday, December 4, Clear Admit is hosting its monthly Clear Admit+ event, open to all registered users. This is an opportunity to ask questions to our podcast hosts as we move towards the Round 2 deadlines. On Wednesday, December 6, Clear Admit is hosting its second Masters in Management program webinar. Schools participating in this event include Duke Fuqua, Emory Goizueta, Georgetown McDonough, Northwestern Kellogg, and Notre Dame Mendoza. Signup for this event here: https://bit.ly/clearadmitmim

We then had a discussion on the recently released LinkedIn ranking of top MBA programs. They use their self-reported employment data to rank the programs, which is an interesting approach. The outcome of the ranking is reasonable, with a few exceptions.

Graham then highlighted a recent article that Clear Admit published for its Sustainability series, from Northwestern / Kellogg. He then noted a three Real Humans articles from Texas / McCombs, London Business School and Georgetown / McDonough. We then discussed two Admissions Tips: one focused on the increasing use of video essays, the second on the importance of the data forms in the admissions process.

We then reviewed the London Business School class of 2025 profile, which looked very reasonable for a top European program in terms of the statistics. We did wonder whether European application numbers were harmed by the Brexit situation (Europe + the U.K. only represents 18% of this recent class).

Finally, we discussed the MBA employment report for UVA / Darden Class of 2023. Their employment statistics fall in line with other top programs, with an increase in consulting placements (even if some of those are delayed), and a small reduction on tech placements, which appears to be in line with the wider employment environment.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a super GRE score of 335. They are an engineer, from India, now working in the U.S. They are targeting next season. They do have three degrees already, so the MBA will be the fourth; they will need to make it clear that they are not simply collecting degrees, and there are broader goals that make sense of their pathway. We also hope they have some hobbies and interests that further differentiate them from other very bright engineers from India.

This week’s second MBA candidate also has a great test score, with a 750 on the GMAT. They are from Azerbaijan, and they are targeting Round 2 for this season. Their longer term goals are for entrepreneurship, and we were very interested in whether this is back in their home country, or where they study for the MBA. We also like their community activities.

The final MBA candidate for this week is debating whether to apply for full-time of part-time programs, weighing up the risk / reward trade offs of both. They appear to have a very decent profile, but their GRE score is at 317. They are targeting next season, so we hope they can really boost that score, and then potentially apply to both program options, to see what opportunities this presents.

This episode was recorded in Milan, Italy and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted three upcoming admissions events: on Wednesday, November 29, at 12 pm ET, Clear Admit is hosting an event for Masters in Management programs. Schools participating in this event include Chicago / Booth, Michigan / Ross, and CMU / Tepper. The following Wednesday (same time), Clear Admit’s second event for Masters in Management programs will include Northwestern / Kellogg, Georgetown / McDonough and Notre Dame / Mendoza. Signup for these events here: https://bit.ly/clearadmitmim On Thursday, November 30th, Clear Admit is hosting an admissions event with seven leading MBA programs, which will share key tips on how to optimize candidates’ MBA admissions opportunities. These seven programs are Berkeley / Haas, Cornell / Johnson, Duke / Fuqua, Michigan / Ross, NYU / Stern, Yale SOM and UVA / Darden. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/catoptips

Graham also mentioned a recent article that Clear Admit published for its Sustainability series, from Michigan / Ross. He then noted a Real Humans article from Johns Hopkins / Carey. We then discussed an Admissions Tip about how to convince schools you 'mean business' by demonstrating the research you've done and ensuring it comes to light in your MBA application essays.

Finally, we discussed two employment reports, from Yale SOM and Cornell / Johnson. Despite a slowdown in technology and consulting hiring, both programs have pretty fantastic numbers across the board in terms of the careers their candidates are able to move into.  This is very much in line with other top MBA programs we've profiled on recent episodes.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from South Africa, and has a good combination of a strong GPA and 730 GMAT. Their work experience, via a rotational program in tech, looks very decent. They are also quite involved in activities outside of work. They are targeting the very elite M7 programs, but we do think they have a strong overall profile.

This week’s second MBA candidate is originally from East Asia, but now lives and works in Canada, from where they did their undergraduate degree. Their GPA is slightly lower than average, but Canada has less grade inflation. Their GRE score is 326, which is decent. They are targeting top 16 programs, which do look within reach.

This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced and engineered in Philadelphia, USA by Dennis Crowley. Please remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen and to 'stay safe everybody'!

Graham highlighted the upcoming MBA admissions event on November 30, where seven of the world's leading MBA programs will share tips on how to optimize their MBA admissions opportunities. Signups for the event are here: https://bit.ly/catoptips Clear Admit is also hosting two events for Masters in Management programs, on November 29 and December 6. Schools participating in that event include Chicago / Booth, Michigan / Ross, CMU / Tepper, Northwestern / Kellogg, Georgetown / McDonough and Notre Dame / Mendoza. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/clearadmitmim

Graham then highlighted two articles that Clear Admit published for its Sustainability series, from Chicago / Booth and Cornell / Johnson. He then noted a Real Humans article from UNC / Kenan Flagler, which led to a story about how the MBA student challenged their fear of heights. We then discussed an Admissions Tip: knowing your audience, which details the importance of understanding the admissions officers who will be reviewing the applications.

Finally, Graham previewed a recently recorded podcast that he conducted with Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), and two students who successfully used the service and attended Stanford GSB and Columbia Business School.  Stay tuned for more on this...

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries:

The first MBA admissions candidate is targeting next season for their applications. They have a 700 GMAT and 3.3 GPA. They do plan to retake the GMAT. They have very interesting experience within the Federal Government, helping small businesses in underserved communities. Their goals for the MBA make great sense, and they would appear to be a potentially strong candidate, especially if they improve their numbers profile.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a strong career in sales within the tech industry, and is looking for the MBA to help them relocate from New York to the west coast, and potentially seek opportunities in the media and sports industries. They do have a lower GRE score of 316, but are planning a retake.

We finished this podcast episode with a short discussion on the risks associated with doing a self-diagnosis in terms of determining why a candidate is rejected from an MBA program.

This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced and engineered in Philadelphia, USA by Dennis Crowley. Please remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen and to 'stay safe everybody'!

Graham highlighted the second deferred admissions event that Clear Admit is hosting this upcoming Wednesday, which includes Berkeley / Haas, Columbia, Yale SOM and CMU / Tepper. Signup for the event here: https://bit.ly/declearadmit Clear Admit is also hosting its first events for Masters in Management programs on November 29 and December 6th. Schools participating in those events include Chicago / Booth, Michigan / Ross, CMU / Tepper, Northwestern / Kellogg, Georgetown / McDonough, Emory / Goizuetta, Duke / Fuqua and Notre Dame / Mendoza. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/clearadmitmim

We then had a discussion on the impact of the Forte Foundation on female enrollment in top MBA programs. New data reveals that in 58 leading MBA programs, female enrollment is now averaging 42%. We also know that at some of the very top programs, that number rises to above 50%. This is an impressive leap forward from the 30% we were seeing 20 years ago. Some great and important work has been done in this area.

Graham then highlighted three Real Humans pieces, from Cambridge / Judge, Notre Dame / Mendoza and NYU / Stern. Hearing directly from students at these programs is a great way to learn more about the culture of these programs. We then discussed three recently published employment reports, from Georgetown / McDonough, Duke / Fuqua and Emory / Goizueta. Consulting still appears to be the key industry for placements, which also helps drive up the overall median salaries to record levels at these programs.

Graham then mentioned our ongoing fall survey for MBA applicants, which will allow MBA programs to better understand candidates’ communication preferences, interest in sustainability, and international business. You can access the survey here: https://bit.ly/clearadmitfallsurvey

For this week, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries for the candidate profile review portion of the show:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a great GPA of 3.93 and was top of their class. Their GRE score is also decent, at 326. They are a software engineer from India, so they will be potentially considered over-represented, which may present additional challenges as they target round 2. Outside of work, they have a passion for fine art, which may help differentiate their profile.

This week’s second MBA candidate is also from India, and has a super GMAT of 760. They have worked in digital marketing, with great success. They are also very active outside of work, with several different activities, including classical singing. They did apply in Round 1, and have interview invites for all the programs they have targeted. They are now considering their Round 2 strategy.

We finished this podcast episode with a short discussion on speculating patterns for the release of interview invite decisions, for those MBA programs which release decisions over several weeks.

This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced and engineered in Philadelphia, USA by Dennis Crowley. Please remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen and to 'stay safe everybody'!

Graham highlighted the deferred admissions events that Clear Admit is hosting, which begin this Wednesday, with Harvard, Stanford, UPenn / Wharton, Chicago / Booth, and UVA / Darden. Signups for the two deferred admissions events are here: https://bit.ly/declearadmit

Graham then mentioned a recently published story for Clear Admit’s sustainability series, from Berkeley / Haas, as well as Clear Admit’s “spooky” admissions tips. He then asked listeners for some help with our fall survey for MBA applicants, which will allow MBA programs to better understand candidates’ communications preferences. You can access the survey here: https://bit.ly/clearadmitfallsurvey

We then discussed two Real Humans pieces, one from Emory / Goizueta and the second from Boston College / Carroll.

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has super numbers, a 770 GMAT and 3.94 GPA. But they only have two years of work experience. We discussed the advantages of applying now, versus waiting for another year, with more work experience.

This week’s second MBA candidate also has a great GMAT (760). They have 10 years of experience, and are now based in Australia. They are of Indian heritage, but with Australian citizenship. They are debating whether to target Round 2 with additional applications (they applied to a couple of programs in Round 1) or wait until next season. We suggest they target Round 2 as a first step.

The final MBA candidate comes from the military and speaks fluent mandarin. They are also seeking a joint degree with International Relations. We are very interested in their long term goal, and how that fits their narrative. But their overall profile could be very appealing to MBA admissions committees.

This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Cassis, France. It was produced and engineered in Philadelphia, USA by Dennis Crowley. Please remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen and to 'stay safe everybody'!

Graham highlighted two upcoming events that Clear Admit is hosting. Our monthly Clear Admit+ event is on Wednesday at 12 pm ET; we also have two events for candidates who are targeting deferred admissions, featuring Berkeley, Columbia, Chicago, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard,  Stanford, Wharton, UVA Darden, and Yale.  Signups for these deferred admissions events are here: https://bit.ly/declearadmit

Graham then highlighted recently published stories from Clear Admit’s new sustainability series, featuring Yale SOM and Duke / Fuqua. He then noted the publication of an admissions tip that focuses on video-based interviews, and a schedule for Round 2 deadlines. The majority of those deadlines fall on three consecutive days after the new year, making things challenging for candidates targeting those programs.

We then discussed the recently published employment report for NYU / Stern. Like other recent employment reports, the numbers are impressive, with an average starting salary of $175,000. Consulting is the largest employer, moving ahead of finance, which was a little surprising.

Finally, we discussed two Real Humans pieces, one from INSEAD and one from Cornell / Johnson.

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate appears to have very decent work experience in consumer packaged goods. They also have a very solid GRE score of 331. Their GPA is a little lower than the medians of the programs they are targeting. They did undertake lots of extra-curricular activities while at university. They applied to several programs in Round 1, with interview invites to all their targets except for Wharton.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a mechanical engineer with only one year of work experience. They are hoping to apply next season, with two years of experience. They still need to take the GMAT. We had a good discussion on whether two years of work experience will optimize their opportunities in terms of MBA programs.

The final MBA candidate is a first-generation immigrant, based in Philadelphia. They have had a very unorthodox career, to date, and are now completing their undergraduate degree. But we think they have a very interesting story to tell. Their GPA is outstanding. They still need to take the GRE. And we think they should broaden their list of target programs.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted a $25 million gift that was received by Northwestern / Kellogg to add further support to its Entrepreneurial Programs, via its Zell Fellows Program.

Graham then highlighted two class profiles recently published on Clear Admit, for Michigan / Ross and for Georgetown / McDonough. Both classes look to be holding steady, but it was interesting to see an uptick in international enrollment at McDonough. We then discussed a Real Humans piece for Georgia / Terry. The statistics on class size for these three programs highlights the fact that generally, the higher the tier of a top MBA program, the greater the class size, which makes perfect sense. (Exceptions to this rule include Stanford GSB).

Graham also reported on our first employment report for the Class of 2023, this from Michigan / Ross. Their numbers look very decent, with an average starting salary of $175,000. Consulting is the largest sector of employment, led by McKinsey, Bain and BCG (MBB) as the schools top employers. This led to a discussion about hiring freezes in strategy consulting and how delayed start dates we are hearing about may not be captured in the statistics.

Finally, Graham highlighted two additional podcast he’s recently hosted; the first with Indiana / Kelley with a focus on career services, and the second with NYU / Stern, discussing career pivots (coming soon).

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has had a strong nine-year career in the Army and is looking for the MBA to allow them to transition to the private sector. Their goals of consulting, followed by a leadership role in an aerospace or defence company, make perfect sense. Their stats are decent, with a 326 GRE and a 3.51 GPA.  Can they overcome being an older candidate, and are they targeting the right schools?

This week’s second MBA candidate has super numbers, and is an investment banker, based in Hong Kong. We worry that they are applying with only two years of work experience completed. Because they have strong numbers, they may still be successful, but we wonder if their opportunities might not be better in 1-2 more years.  There are also some concerns around their ECs...

The final MBA candidate is from Ghana and has an aerospace undergraduate degree. Their work experience has been with their family business in textiles, with a focus on business development and supply chain management. Their goals appear to be around entrepreneurship, and they are now looking to see which MBA programs they should target.

We then discussed a new content series that Clear Admit launched last week, which focuses on what top MBA programs are doing to prepare leaders for the challenges of climate change and broader sustainability issues. The first article in the series comes from Harvard.

Graham highlighted the continuing Real Humans series; last week Clear Admit published content from Duke / Fuqua, Toronto / Rotman and Michigan / Ross. We then discussed the newly published class profiles from CMU / Tepper, NYU / Stern, Texas / McCombs and MIT / Sloan. Each of these class profiles reflects strong classes, despite a small downturn in application volumes.

Graham then mentioned two upcoming events that Clear Admit is hosting: the first is with Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) on Wednesday, signups are here: https://www.bit.ly/clearadmitmlt The second event will be a Real Humans event, bringing together MBA students from leading programs, later in October.

Finally, Graham talked about two additional podcasts that he’s recently hosted: the first is an Adcom Q&A with Stanford, and the second is a discussion with Manish Dharia from GMAC, exploring the roll out of the new GMAT Focus Edition.

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from China, which led to a discussion as to whether they are coming from an over-represented group of candidates. They completed an undergraduate degree in journalism, but pivoted to investment banking, which we thought was a very interesting pivot. They have a very solid GMAT of 730, but a slightly lower GPA of 3.3.

This week’s second MBA candidate is a 29 year old female, originally from Pakistan, who completed their undergraduate and their work experience in the United States. They appear to be a very interesting candidate, but we do worry about the combination of a lower GPA (due to cultural adjustments) and lower GRE of 317. They have taken the test several times, but plan to take it one more time, ahead of Round 2.

The final MBA candidate has had a career in Real Estate, and is originally from Peru, with goals to return to Peru in the long run. They have a strong GPA from the United States, but have not yet taken the GRE. Their work experience also looks very strong, they have been working for 9 years. They also have a masters degree in Real Estate.

Graham highlighted two events Clear Admit is hosting in the upcoming weeks: one is a Real Humans event featuring MBA students from leading programs, the second is an event Clear Admit is hosting with Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). Last week, we hosted our monthly Clear Admit+ event, which focused on Round 1 interview prep. It was a very good event, with lots of terrific questions from the audience. Our next Clear Admit+ event will be held in early November.

Graham then highlighted an Adcom Q&A with Northwestern / Kellogg, and detailed a couple of new classes the program is offering; one focused on AI and the rules for AI, the second focused on energy financing with a focus on sustainable energy. Graham then mentioned  several Real Humans profiles, published on Clear Admit, from Indiana / Kelley, CMU / Tepper, and ASU / Carey.

We then discussed several class profiles that have been announced, from Stanford, Chicago / Booth, UVA / Darden, Cornell / Johnson and Berkeley / Haas. The numbers from Stanford are just really impressive, but all programs appear to be holding quite steady with their class profiles, despite a small downturn in application volumes.

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a super GMAT of 780, and a slightly low-than-average GPA (3.4). They were super busy during their undergraduate studies. They appear to have had an interesting career path in fintech, and now want to move over to media, with a tech focus. They also have very decent activities outside of work.

This week’s second MBA candidate worked as a school teacher before switching to human resources at a consulting firm. Her numbers are a little on the lighter side (680 / 3.3), and she is now doing MBA Math. She applied to MBA programs in Round 1, so should be getting some early indications on where she stands. We think it might make sense to look at a couple of Top 16 programs for Round 2, and to consider retaking the GMAT, if necessary.

The final MBA candidate is a sponsored candidate from PWC. They’ve worked in strategy consulting, and will return, but they also have a nice focus on biotech and healthcare; they have very solid additional activities. A strong GMAT of 760 also helps. They do look like a decent candidate for M7 programs.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted two recently published Adcom Q&As from Berkeley / Haas and INSEAD, and discussed two recently published MBA admissions tips which address letters of support, as well as the five most popular MBA interview questions.

We then discussed four newly published MBA Class Profiles, from Harvard, Kellogg, Yale SOM and Tuck. This included an interesting conversation regarding median GRE scores.

Finally, we promoted the upcoming Clear Admit+ webinar, scheduled for Wednesday of this week. The primary focus of this webinar will be on MBA interview preparation. Signup is here: https://www.clearadmit.com/private-webinar-series/

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a military candidate who enlisted, and then went back to gain their undergraduate engineering degree from a Service Academy, and is now a helicopter pilot. They have had an unorthodox pathway, but we think they have a strong profile in most aspects. We do worry a little about their age, and how this relates to their post MBA pathway.

This week’s second MBA candidate worked in the oil and gas sector, and then pivoted to clean energy via MBB. We really like their overall profile, and think their weakest link is the GMAT of 710. They might want to add 1-2 more target programs, but overall we really like their goals.

The final MBA candidate is a first-generation candidate who has also had a career in the oil and gas sector, and is also looking to switch to a clean energy focus. Their GMAT is also a 710, which will be a little below the median of the programs they are targeting. We do suggest casting a slightly wider net, including MBA programs like Michigan / Ross and Cornell / Johnson.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted our final Essay Insights series, which runs on Wednesday of this week, with UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM, UVA / Darden and Michigan / Ross; these events are very popular and bring together the leading MBA programs to talk about their admissions essay topics. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/cafallessays

Graham then shared some tidbits from a recently published Adcom Q&A from Washington / Foster and discussed a recent admissions tip, published on Clear Admit, which addresses how not to compare MBA programs in admissions essays. We then discussed the recently published BusinessWeek ranking of MBA programs, and some of our misgivings about these rankings. That said, well done to Stanford GSB for topping the list this year.

Our final discussion centered on NYU / Stern’s recent announcement of a new MBA program and campus in Abu Dhabi. This one year MBA program will have a heavy focus on the Middle East and North Africa regions.

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a female candidate from India who has extensive work experience in the non-profit sector. She has a little concern about her academic profile, and how that might limit her opportunities for target programs. While her GRE is decent at 325, her GPA is a slightly weaker 3.28, (but she does have some mitigating circumstances that can help address the lower grades).

This week’s second MBA candidate is from the Marine Corps, and has outstanding numbers; A GRE score of 336 and a GPA of 3.91. They are targeting the best MBA programs, and we think that they should be, assuming a strong pre-MBA career in the Marines.

The final MBA candidate is doing really interesting work in the area of digital trust. They are also an advocate for digital trust and freedom of expression in their home country. We think this type of work profile will stand out. Their numbers are also very strong, with a 3.7 GPA and a 329 GRE score.

This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced and engineered in the City of Brotherly Love by Dennis Crowley. Please remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen and to 'stay safe everybody'

Graham highlighted our next Essay Insights series, which continues on Wednesday of this week, with CMU / Tepper, Columbia, Georgetown / McDonough, Texas / McCombs and UNC / Kenan Flagler; these events are very popular and bring together the leading MBA programs to talk about their admissions essay topics. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/cafallessays

Graham then shared some insights from a recently published Adcom Q&A from Shelly Heinrich at Georgetown McDonough.

Our final discussion focused on the recently published MBA class profile for Duke / Fuqua. Their class profile matched some of the observations we identified with the class profile of UCLA / Anderson (the class profile we discussed on last week's show). Fuqua is reporting a smaller class size, while keeping the quality of the class close to constant. We did also discuss the ranges of test scores and GPAs, but we think candidates would prefer to know the medians, or both.

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from India - and therefore is over-represented in the pool.  At the same time, they appear to have very good numbers and strong work experience, balanced by decent volunteer activities outside of work. They are not over-reaching with their target programs in the first round, and we wonder if they should have targeted 1-2 M7 level programs.

This week’s second MBA candidate is also a strong candidate, based in the U.S. An All-American athlete from a top liberal arts college, they are working in consulting (MBB) with a focus on the climate. Their only weaker area is a slightly lower-than-average-for-top-programs GRE score. Should they apply in Round 1 with this score (325) or delay to Round 2 with a higher score. We think the latter might be a good strategy, or at least split the applications over two rounds.

The final MBA candidate is an entrepreneur who has a great GRE score (333) but a poor GPA (2.9). While they have an upward trend for the GPA, they will need to use the optional essay to add context. They might also consider taking Business Fundamentals, or other similar options to show that they are prepared and committed to the academic aspect of the MBA experience.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham highlighted our next Essay Insights series, which begins on Wednesday of this week, and continues the following two Wednesdays; these events are very popular and bring together the leading MBA programs to talk about their admissions essay topics. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/cafallessays

Graham then mentioned two pieces of correspondence that we received last week, which led to discussions on the merits of One Year MBA programs that have a special industry focus, and the value of the full-time MBA program for a candidate who is also considering part-time options.

We then discussed the recent announcement of the new MBA Admissions Director at Harvard Business School. Rupal Gadhia, an HBS alumna, will be joining the admissions team in October. Following this, we discussed a new initiative from INSEAD, that highlights their inclusion of sustainability content within the core curriculum of their MBA program.

Graham then highlighted three Adcom Q&As, where we interview admissions directors at Texas / McCombs, Vanderbilt / Owen and UNC / Kenan Flagler. Graham also noted three new admissions tips posted to Clear Admit last week, each highlighting different aspects of the admissions essay writing process.

Our final discussion focused on the recently published profile of UCLA / Anderson for the Class of 2025. While the quality of the class remains strong, we did note a decline, over the last two seasons, of the class size. We speculate if this trend will be seen with other leading MBA programs as class profiles continue to be published.

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a military candidate who appears to have very good service experience. Our key concern regarding their profile is their GMAT score, which will be below average for the top programs. Because this appears to be the weakest part of the application, we are really encouraging them to retake the test. They can also expand their list of target programs, to include 1-2 more from the M7 group, and a few programs from the top 16 tier.

This week’s second MBA candidate is also from the military, and also appears to have a strong professional record. But like our first candidate, their achilles heel appears to be their test score, this time a GRE of 310. While they have taken this text three times already, each time they have improved. We are hoping for one more re-test, and pushing the applications to Round 2, rather than applying in Round 1 with the current score.

The final MBA candidate is considering doing a test waiver, based on their undergraduate record, and their analytical work experience. They are also concerned that they need to apply in Round 1, before their life gets more hectic with a forthcoming family addition (new baby). That all said, we really encourage them to apply in Round 2 (they can get all their application materials prepared early) and find time to prepare and take the test. This should open up more access for them to leading programs.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Graham then highlighted our next Essay Insights series, which run on September 13, 20, and 27; signups for this popular series are here: https://bit.ly/cafallessays Graham then mentioned two Adcom Q&A articles, where we interview admissions directors at Georgia / Terry and Boston / Carroll.

As usual, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate participated in Teach for America, and then subsequently won a Fulbright Scholarship to teach English abroad. They also have extensive roles on boards. Unfortunately we worry about their academic profile, for which they have already taken MBA Math. But improving their GRE score, and applying in Round 2, will be very advantageous.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from Chile and has an engineering undergraduate degree. They are an older candidate (the engineering degree took 6 years) and have recently been laid off from work, during the tech lay-offs. While they are currently able to focus full-time on preparing their MBA applications (and preparing to take the GMAT), we think they might also benefit by doing some additional volunteer work in an area about which they are truly passionate.

The final MBA candidate is debating whether to apply full-time or part-time. Their valid concern is that at their stage of career, they are making a very good salary, and are also married with family. But we think the risk / reward scenario favors doing a full-time MBA, and targeting M7 programs. Their overall profile looks really strong, both from an academic standpoint, and from a professional standpoint.

This episode was recorded in Philadelphia, PA and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!