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Published: July 8, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Dr. Naz Erenguc of University of Florida Warrington College of Business
In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A, we head to Gainesville, Florida, to meet Dr. Naz Erenguc, Director of Admissions for the University of Florida Warrington College of Business. Whether in her role as a professor of global health or as director of admissions for the University of Florida’s top-ranked MBA program, Dr. Erenguc helps make sure everyone has a seat at the table, and a pathway forward. Her work with the Association for Academic Women as an Executive Board member and as the Institutional Read more
Published: July 7, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 364—Life sciences to MBA. Unicorn Tech to MBA. Big Ten Football to MBA
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the activity on MBA LiveWire, with most top MBA programs finalizing their incoming classes; there is still some activity around wait lists at a few MBA programs. 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 Read more
Published: July 4, 2024
Admission Director Q&A: J.R. McGrath of Carnegie Mellon Tepper
For this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back J.R. McGrath, Executive Director of Masters Admissions at the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business. J.R. has been at Tepper for the past 3.5 years and accepted the role of Executive Director in October 2022. He has previously served in leadership roles at SMU Cox, TCU, and Syracuse. In addition to his professional responsibilities, J.R. and his wife have a young daughter that keeps them busy. J.R. also enjoys running, golf, and anything to do with Pittsburgh sports teams. Keep reading for his Read more
Published: July 4, 2024
Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines
We are serving up another Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site, as we prepare for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Cornell Johnson Duke Fuqua IMD UCLA Anderson Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Emory Goizueta IMD You can also bookmark our  Read more
Published: July 3, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Brent Nagamine of University of Washington Foster School of Business
This installment of our Admissions Director Q&A takes us back to the University of Washington Foster School of Business with Director of Admissions Brent Nagamine. Brent oversees marketing, recruitment, selection, and scholarships for the Full-Time, Evening, and Global MBA programs. He has been working in the higher education sphere since 2013, when he graduated from the University of Washington. He started his career working in undergraduate admissions and eventually pursued his M.S.Ed from the University of Pennsylvania. After joining the Foster MBA admissions team in 2019, he was also drawn to pursue his own MBA, Read more
Published: July 2, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Selecting & Preparing Recommendation Writers
If you’re applying to business school in the 2024-2025 admissions season, you can start thinking about who should write your MBA recommendation letters. Your letters of recommendation are a critical variable in the MBA admissions equation. They allow the admissions committee to get an outside perspective on your skills and strength, and to learn about your work experience beyond that’s covered in your essays and resume. Who Should Write My MBA Letters of Recommendation? First, your recommenders should hold a position that is senior to yours – unless the school specifically asks for a peer recommendation. The adcom gives greater Read more
Published: July 2, 2024
Episode 363: Roundtable Insights from Duke Fuqua, Emory Goizueta, Georgetown McDonough & Yale SoM
We are capping off our panel discussions from the Clear Admit MBA Fair with this podcast episode, which focuses on MBA application components such as tests, grades, work experience and outside activities. The panel includes Allison Jamison, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Duke Fuqua; Melissa Rapp, Associate Dean of Graduate Admissions, Emory Goizueta; Shelly Heinrich, Associate Dean & Managing Director, MBA Admissions, Georgetown McDonough; and Amber Walsh, Senior Associate Director, MBA Admissions, Yale School of Management. The admissions representatives answer questions Read more
Published: July 1, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Melissa Rapp of Emory Goizueta
For this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A, we revisit Atlanta, Georgia, and welcome back Melissa Rapp, Associate Dean of Graduate Admissions for the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Melissa she leads the teams responsible for recruiting, evaluating, and yielding students across the portfolio of Graduate Business programs, including the MBA and Specialized Master’s programs. A longtime higher education professional with 20 years of experience, Melissa has worked at a variety of institutions, helping to form and implement successful admissions strategies. She collaborates with program offices, registrars, career centers, and alumni offices Read more
Published: June 30, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 362—Manufacturing to MBB. Handling employment gaps. Liberal arts to product management.
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began with a rundown of all the latest MBA application news – ranging from admissions deadlines and essay topic releases to forthcoming decisions and waitlist updates. 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. Read more
Published: June 27, 2024
MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series Summer 2024
We’re sure you’ve already heard that the application essays are a crucial component of the MBA application. So how can you ace this part of the admissions process without the use of sample essays? Get essay tips straight from admissions representatives at leading business schools during our upcoming MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series! Dates: July 10, July 17, July 24 & July 31. Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & 1 pm-1:30 pm Breakout Q&A with Individual Schools (all times Eastern) Each session will start with a 60-minute roundtable panel, Read more
Published: June 27, 2024
Fridays from the Frontline: Winning the Venture Capital Investment Competition for Northwestern Kellogg
This Fridays from the Frontline takes us inside the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) with Prashanth Somu, a Northwestern Kellogg team representative from the Class of 2024 Evening & Weekend MBA program. The team representing Kellogg, Collin Bhojwani, Erica Buursma Klenz, Henry Richmond, Eunice Wangadi, Prashanth Somu, and Jason Epstein, won the top prize in the VCIC 2024 Global Finals held at UNC Kenan-Flagler. Winning the Venture Capital Investment Competition for Northwestern Kellogg By Prashanth Somu ’24 MBA, Collin Bhojwani ’24 MBA and Jason Epstein ’25 MBA – Northwestern University Kellogg Read more
Published: June 27, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Stephanie Kluth of ESMT Berlin
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Stephanie Kluth, the Director of Admissions at ESMT Berlin. Kluth has been working for ESMT since its founding in 2002 and has been heading the Admissions office since 2005. Prior to joining ESMT Berlin, Kluth worked at the Aspen Institute Berlin and the Jewish Museum Berlin. Berlin has been her home for many more years, so she knows the city inside and out. She knows every full-time MBA alumnus/a who has studied at ESMT, and she and her rescue pup would be Read more
Published: June 27, 2024
Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms
We are serving up another Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site, as we prepare for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: ESMT Berlin Harvard Business School Texas McCombs Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Cornell / Johnson U. Chicago / Booth MIT Read more
Published: June 26, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Rupal Gadhia of Harvard Business School
Following the release of new application essays this year, Rupal Gadhia, managing director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at Harvard Business School, joins us for this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A series. Gadhia graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2004. Her post-HBS career began in brand management with Sara Lee and Campbell Soup Company, followed by a move to Booz & Co as a management consultant. Leveraging her passion for brand and consulting, she joined the Brand Union, managing North American strategy and Read more
Published: June 25, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Defining Your Post-MBA Career Goals
Having clear and realistic post-MBA career goals is essential to the business school application process. Though essay prompts tend to vary year to year, the two things that nearly every prospective student can count on being asked are “What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals?” and “How will Business School X help you achieve these goals?” Even if this sort of question doesn’t appear in the essay portion of the application, rest assured that you’ll be asked this question in the data forms and/or during your interview. Identifying clear post-MBA career goals will help in everything from Read more
Published: June 25, 2024
Episode 361: Roundtable Insights from CMU Tepper, Northwestern Kellogg, LBS & Texas McCombs
We continue to share panel discussions from the Clear Admit MBA Fair with this podcast episode, which focuses on articulating career goals, brainstorming for essays, choosing recommenders, and preparing for interviews. The panel includes J.R. McGrath from Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, Alessandra Gazzola from London Business School, Jerry Langfelt from Northwestern Kellogg, and Rodrigo Malta from Texas McCombs, with each sharing their expertise on specific topics. The admissions representatives answer questions such as: When a business school asks an applicant Read more
Published: June 24, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Rebekah Lewin of the University of Rochester Simon Business School
In this Admissions Director Q&A, we get an update on MBA admissions at the University of Rochester Simon Business School with Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions and Programs Rebekah Lewin. Rebekah has over 25 years of undergraduate and graduate admissions and program management experience. In her current role, she oversees strategy related to recruitment, admissions, financial aid, career management, student experience, EDI, and corporate engagement for full-time, part-time, and online MBA and MS programs. Rebekah is involved in board and advisory roles, including as a Board Trustee for the Consortium Read more
Published: June 24, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Maria Pineda of the University of Maryland Smith School of Business
We welcome back Senior Director of Admissions Maria Pineda of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business for this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series. Pineda has been with UMD Smith for over 15 years, and manages the recruiting efforts for Full-Time MBA and Specialty Master’s Programs. She joins us again this year for an update on the MBA admissions process, what to expect during the interview, what makes a great essay, and more. Maria Pineda, Senior Director of Admissions at The University of Maryland Clear Admit: What is the one Read more
Published: June 23, 2024
Georgia Terry MBA Admissions Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
Tell me about yourself. Why UGA? Why do you want to get an MBA? Why now? What would you bring to the program? The interview was conversational and I enjoyed it! Read more
Published: June 23, 2024
The Week Ahead: HBS & Wharton Deferred Decisions, June 24-28, 2024
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Final rounds are concluding. With the exception of a few MBA programs offering rolling admissions through the summer, official deadlines for the leading MBA programs are concluding this week. Thursday, June 27, Harvard is scheduled to release its 2+2 final decisions. UPenn / Wharton is also scheduled to release its deferred admissions decisions. How “The Wires” Can Help Visit MBA LiveWire for the latest “buzz” about MBA admissions, including interview invitations and decision notifications. There are  Read more
Published: June 23, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 360—735 GMAT, from Brazil. Australian MBB. Weatherhead vs Marshall wait list
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the MBA application deadlines and decision releases for this season. For this upcoming week, we will see decision releases from Harvard and UPenn / Wharton for their deferred admissions programs; we are also still seeing some activity around wait lists at a few MBA programs. 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 highlighted two recently published Read more
Published: June 20, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Paula Amorim of IESE
Our Admissions Director Q&A series continues with a visit to Barcelona, Spain, with the Director of Admissions of the Full-Time MBA at IESE Business School, Paula Amorim, who is back this year with more behind-the-scenes insights into MBA admissions. Paula joined the admissions team after completing her MBA at IESE in 2016 and was previously responsible for the Latin American market, based in the Sao Paulo campus. She is an Industrial Engineer from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in her hometown, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Prior to the MBA, she dedicated her Read more
Published: June 20, 2024
Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms
We are back with another Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site, as we prepare for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Dartmouth Tuck Michigan / Ross UVA / Darden Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Read more
Published: June 19, 2024
The Consortium Expands to 25 Member Schools
The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in graduate business education and American business, recently expanded to 25 member schools. The Consortium partners with top-ranked MBA programs across the U.S. to increase the representation of underrepresented minorities in business education and corporate leadership. Following the addition of Duke Fuqua earlier this year, Chicago Booth was subsequently selected to become its 25th member school. A Long History at Fuqua In its announcement of the nomination of Duke Fuqua, Read more
Published: June 19, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Matteo Pedriglieri of emlyon business school
For this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, meet Matteo Pedriglieri, Recruitment Manager and Business Developer at emlyon business school. Pedriglieri is an experienced professional with dual master’s degrees in International Relations and Human Resources Management, and boasts an international background. With a decade of experience, his career spans significant roles at globally renowned recruitment consulting firms Michael Page and Morgan Phillips. Pedriglieri now spearheads recruitment for the International MBA program at emlyon business school, leveraging his extensive experience and global perspective to foster the next generation of business leaders. Read on for Read more

MBA Applywire

7
November 26, 2024 6:16am ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Dartmouth / Tuck, Harvard Business School, Michigan / Ross, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, UCLA Anderson
Pre-MBA Career: Software Engineer
Post-MBA Target Industry: Other
GRE: 331
GPA: 3.2
Years of Work Experience: 4.5
Location: United States
Notes:

I am aiming to pivot from Software Engineering to Product Management. My undergrad degree was in Computer Science from an Ivy League school where I was a D1 varsity athlete. EC's outside of that are pretty slim, although I am involved with charities and volunteer organizations sporadically. Have organized and led a small handful of hobby groups among friends and colleagues as well. Work experience includes solid brand recognition, and my previous 2.5 YoE are in the music/entertainment industry.
2
November 26, 2024 5:48am ET
Applying: Columbia, NYU Stern
Pre-MBA Career: product Manager in Entertainment
Post-MBA Target Industry: Undecided
GPA: 3.57
Years of Work Experience: 3
Location: New York
Notes:

I am a woman of color and a Product Manager at a major streaming service with three years of experience thus far. I hold a degree in Cinematography from a CUNY school and began my career as an NBCUniversal Page. Since then, I’ve worked for prominent media companies like NBCU, Peacock, A+E Networks, and Paramount+. While I didn’t initially plan on pursuing an MBA, my career trajectory has naturally led me in that direction due to my rapid career growth. I’m preparing for the GMAT (focus edition) with a target score of 655 or higher.

As a non-traditional candidate, are there any potential red flags in my profile? Additionally, are there other MBA programs I should consider? Thank you!
9
November 26, 2024 12:03am ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Columbia, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM
Pre-MBA Career: Government Affairs at technology startup
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey , Amazon , Apple , Facebook , Google , LinkedIn , Microsoft , Tesla , Uber
GMAT: 770
GPA: 3.4
Years of Work Experience: 3
6
November 25, 2024 11:01am ET
Applying: Arizona State / W.P. Carey, Georgetown / McDonough, Indiana / Kelley, U. Washington / Foster, UCLA Anderson, USC / Marshall
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Military: Acquisition Program Manager
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology Companies: Accenture , Bain , Deloitte , McKinsey , Amazon , Apple , Facebook , Google , IBM , Lenova , LinkedIn , Microsoft , Oracle
GRE: 317
GPA: 2.43
Years of Work Experience: 9
Location: Los Angeles
Post MBA Location: West Coast
Notes:

Undergrad was at a Service Academy. Also earned a Masters of Science with a GPA of 4.0, Project Management Professional certification holder, and volunteered for two years at service to schools helping veterans get into an undergraduate program.
2
November 25, 2024 7:58am ET
Applying: Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB
Pre-MBA Career: Equity Research at Goldman Sachs, and long only Asset Management (healthcare sector)
Post-MBA Target Industry: Asset Management, inc. HF Companies: Fidelity
GMAT: 735
GPA: 3.6
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: San Francisco CA
Post MBA Location: San Francisco CA
Notes:

I took a gap year in college and switched majors taking longer to graduate so I’m 30, would matriculate at 32 and graduate at 34. Seems like I’m an outlier and worried I’m too old.
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MBA LiveWire

November 26, 2024 1:19pm ET
Accepted to Indian School of Business
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 8.23
GMAT: 705
Program Type: One Year Program
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: India
November 26, 2024 1:16pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GRE: 326
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Note:

Received email with portal update. Interviewed 10/22.
November 26, 2024 1:07pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 3.69
EA: 157
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Marketing
Note:

applied 9/15 and interviewed 11/5
November 26, 2024 1:07pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal November 26, 2024
GMAT: 731
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: India
November 26, 2024 12:52pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal November 26, 2024
GMAT: 755
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Note:

Interview on Nov 5th, got an email with portal update. No scholarship
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Live
Wire