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MBA Applywire

6
July 26, 2026 8:44am ET
Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Harvard Business School, INSEAD, MIT Sloan, Penn / Wharton, Stanford GSB
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: Manufacturing
Post MBA Career: Management Consulting, Manufacturing, Manufacturing/Automotive/Aerospace, Technology, Amazon, Apple, Facebook/Meta, Google, Microsoft, Tesla
GPA: 3.94
Years of Work Experience: 11
Location: Philippines
Post MBA Location: US
Notes:

Background: Pakistani national, Senior Manager. 11 years at top FMCG manufacturing excellence, operations leadership, and digital transformation. #1 Pakistani University Gold Medalist, 3.94 GPA, Electrical & Electronics Engineering. Gold Medal for undergraduate final year project (intelligent systems / hardware-software integration).

Career highlights:

Acting Plant Manager: drove facility from #15 to #2 globally in 18 months; 98% workforce retention through full plant divestiture with 100% supply continuity
Currently an expat in Philippines
Co-Founded on (digital marketing agency) alongside full-time expat role, $20K MRR

Post-MBA goals: Short-term: MBB consulting (Operations or Digital/Technology practice) or Operations Technology/Strategy role at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, or Tesla. Long-term: build or lead an AI-native automation venture.

School list (R1, Fall 2027): MIT Sloan (LGO joint MBA/MS if possible), HBS, Stanford GSB, Wharton (joint MBA/MS Penn Engineering), UC Berkeley Haas. Considering adding CMU Tepper for the MBA/MS ML or Robotics combination. INSEAD as a backup option for Middle East / SEA Work.

Visa: Pakistani national, prioritizing STEM-designated programs for 3-year OPT.

Weaknesses I'm aware of:
GRE not yet taken, sitting August 2026, targeting 325+. Deadlines are tight (HBS/Wharton Sep 3)
Heavy manufacturing background pivoting toward consulting and big tech, narrative work needed
South Asian male engineer applicant pool is highly competitive and quite a common stereotype
No US work experience

Questions for consultants:

Is my school list calibrated correctly given the manufacturing-to-consulting/big tech pivot, or am I reaching too broadly?
Does the joint MBA/MS angle (LGO, Penn Engineering, CMU ML) strengthen or complicate the application narrative at this stage?
How do I frame 11 years of manufacturing as an asset rather than a liability for MBB and big tech recruiting?
Is a 325 GRE realistic enough to keep HBS and Stanford on the R1 list, or should I be planning for R2 at the reaches?
5
July 26, 2026 3:10am ET
Applying: Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, Penn / Wharton
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: Strategy and Growth Series B Start Up
Post MBA Career: Management Consulting, Technology
GMAT: 725
GPA: 3.91
Years of Work Experience: 4
Location: South Asia
Post MBA Location: US
Notes:

Go-To-Market/CoS to the Founder/Economics Background/Female
5
July 25, 2026 3:08pm ET
Applying: Other, Boston / Questrom, Miami / Herbert, NYU Stern, Vanderbilt / Owen
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: Real Estate Journalist and Newsletter Editor
Post MBA Career: Consumer Goods, Energy, Finance, Asset Management, Commercial Banking, Venture Capital, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Technology
GPA: 3.6
Years of Work Experience: 4
Location: New York City
Post MBA Location: New York, Philadelphia, Boston, San Diego or Miami
Notes:

I've worked for 2 online real estate trade publications for the past 4 years. I'm currently a Senior Associate Editor.

I have a nuanced knowledge of many niche industry topics and trends, alongside a solid grasp of economics and finance concepts.

I majored in philosophy with minors in journalism and history.

The other school I'd like to apply to is Fordham's Gabelli School of Business.
11
July 24, 2026 12:23am ET
Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, HEC Paris, Indiana / Kelley, Michigan / Ross, NYU Stern, UVA / Darden, Vanderbilt / Owen
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: Audit & Assurance
Post MBA Career: Accounting Firms, EY, Professional Services
GMAT: 655
GPA: 3.14
Years of Work Experience: 5
Post MBA Location: Strategy Consulting
View or Submit Entries

MBA Livewire

July 23, 2026 9:34pm ET
Accepted to Johns Hopkins / Carey
Round: Rolling Admissions
Received via portal on July 19, 2026
Standardized Test: Granted Waiver
GPA: 3.6
Post MBA Career: Healthcare
Application Location: Baltimore, MD
Note:

Applied 7/13, decision received 7/20.
Juno Member: Not yet
July 23, 2026 2:40am ET
Enrolled at Harvard Business School
Round: Round 2
Received via email
Standardized Test: I haven't taken any of the standardized tests yet.
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Post MBA Career: Consulting, Ernst & Young
Application Location: Malaysia, Machang
Note:

I am waiting the Decision
Juno Member: Yes
July 22, 2026 6:24pm ET
Accepted to Columbia Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email July 22, 2026
Standardized Test: GRE
GPA: 3.6
GRE: 330
Program Type: January Intake
Post MBA Career: Healthcare
Application Location: Washington DC
Juno Member: Not yet
July 22, 2026 2:04pm ET
Applying to All Schools
Round: Rolling Admissions
Received via email
Standardized Test: Granted Waiver
GPA: 3.37
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Post MBA Career: Finance, FinTech, Mastercard, Paypal, Visa, Technology, Amazon
Application Location: Nigeria
Juno Member: Not yet
July 22, 2026 12:54pm ET
Accepted to Columbia Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email July 22, 2026
Standardized Test: GRE
GRE: 321
Program Type: January Intake
Post MBA Career: Consumer Goods, Food
Application Location: New York (but I'm from overseas)
Note:

16th June Applied/2nd July Invite/12th July Interview/22nd July Admit Letter
Juno Member: Not yet
View or Submit Entries

MBA DecisionWire

UT
June 28, 2026 7:54pm ET
Enrolled: UT Austin / McCombs
Admitted: UT Austin / McCombs $
$10,000
Applied: UT Austin / McCombs
GPA: 3.05
Location: Dallas, Tx
Juno Member: Yes
NYU
June 27, 2026 5:05am ET
Enrolled: NYU Stern
Admitted: Cornell / Johnson $
$70000
 , Michigan / Ross , NYU Stern , Rochester / Simon $
$130000
 , UVA / Darden $
$30000
Applied: Cornell / Johnson, Michigan / Ross, NYU Stern, Rochester / Simon, UVA / Darden
GPA: 3.6
Juno Member: Yes
UVA
June 25, 2026 7:04am ET
Enrolled: UVA / Darden
Admitted: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper $
$40000
 , Cornell / Johnson , Georgetown / McDonough , UCLA Anderson , UVA / Darden $
$40000
Applied: Harvard Business School, UVA / Darden, UCLA Anderson, Stanford GSB, Penn / Wharton, Northwestern / Kellogg, MIT Sloan, Georgetown / McDonough, Cornell / Johnson, Columbia Business School, Chicago Booth, Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Berkeley / Haas
Entering Year: Other
GMAT: 675
GPA: 3.75
Location: USA
Juno Member: Not yet
Notes:

Deferred Enrollment. Kind of rushed the application process, curious if that could have contributed to my M7 results or if it was test score or my overrepresented profile.
Em
June 17, 2026 10:49am ET
Enrolled: Emory / Goizueta
Admitted: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper $
$65,000
 , Emory / Goizueta $
$125,000
Applied: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Emory / Goizueta, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, UT Austin / McCombs, Berkeley / Haas
GMAT: 705
GPA: 3.1
Location: India
Juno Member: Yes
View or Submit Entries

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