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Published: March 17, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 344—GRE 304, FIT. GRE 326, Education innovator. Attend MBA or wait
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the wave of Round 2 MBA application decisions that are forthcoming. Interview invites are now dwindling for Round 2 as we approach the end of Round 2. Georgetown / McDonough, IESE, Emory / Goizueta, Chicago / Booth, Berkeley / Haas, Texas / McCombs, UCLA / Anderson and INSEAD are releasing their final Round 2 decisions this week. Graham highlighted two recently published admissions tips focused on Round 2 waitlists, and financing the MBA. The latter was written by Juno, which operates Read more
Published: March 14, 2024
Submit an HBS, INSEAD, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, Stanford GSB or UPenn Wharton MBA Interview Report – Receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card
If you’re interested in sharing your MBA interview experience, we are awarding a $10 Amazon gift certificate to each applicant who submits an MBA interview report for HBS, INSEAD, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, Stanford GSB or UPenn Wharton by Sunday, March 17th, 11:59 pm EST. To be eligible for the $10 gift card, you must be signed into your clearadmit.com account at the time that you submit your report. You must also include the following information in your report:* School/Date/Admissions Round Description/location of visit and/or interview atmosphere Type of interview (alum/adcom/first- or second-year student, resume-based vs. application-based) List of interview questions Read more
Published: March 14, 2024
Fridays from the Frontline: Reflections from Leading the Net Impact Conference
In this Fridays from the Frontline, take a look inside the 2024 Net Impact Conference at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School with current MBA student, Fayez Ahmed. Empowering Innovation for Change: Reflections from Leading the Net Impact Conference By Fayez Ahmed, JHU Carey MBA Class of 2024 Passion ignited, purpose galvanized, and community transformed—such were the echoes of the 2024 Net Impact Conference at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School on February 24. As a Co-President of the Carey Business School Net Impact chapter, it was a privilege and a profound learning Read more
Published: March 14, 2024
Real Humans of Uber: Reuben Shorser, Stanford GSB MBA ’22, Product Manager
Reuben Shorser has had quite a “ride” from building a restaurant chain in NYC to product management at Uber in San Francisco–with the Stanford GSB MBA being a vehicle for such a dynamic change. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Shorser explains how the MBA program at Stanford GSB helped him step back, reflect, and accelerate in a new direction. Read below for Shorser’s story of change and growth into a new career. Reuben Shorser, Stanford GSB MBA ’22, Product Manager at Uber Age: 32 Hometown: Pound Read more
Published: March 13, 2024
Rice Business MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
The interview was with a graduate and was a comfortable and enjoyable conversation. 1. Please introduce yourself. 2. Why are you pursuing an MBA now? 3. Why Rice Jones? 4. Talk about your short-term and long-term goals. 5. What is your greatest achievement and accomplishment? 6. Anything else you would like to say? 7. Do you have any questions? Read more
Published: March 13, 2024
Real Humans of PepsiCo: Darrin Rahn, HBS MBA ’19, Strategy Director
In today’s Real Humans: Alumni feature, we meet Darrin Rahn, HBS MBA ’19 & PepsiCo Strategy Director, whose career involves revolutionizing the future of food. To begin his journey toward his aspirations, Rahn wanted to expand his leadership abilities, gain a deeper understanding of global and emerging markets, and expand his professional network. He would find all he needed to accomplish those goals at Harvard Business School. Keep reading to learn how the MBA at HBS gave Rahn the skills necessary to tackle industry challenges like health and wellness, food sustainability, and consumer Read more
Published: March 12, 2024
UPenn Wharton MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Virtual
Standard TBD I was asked 2 questions after TBD: 1. What experiences/philosophy have allowed you to contribute the way you did today? 2. Is there something the group could have done better? Read more
Published: March 12, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: How to Proceed on the Round 2 Waitlist
As Round 2 decisions roll out and several candidates report being waitlisted on MBA LiveWire, we have some guidance for candidates who find themselves placed on a waitlist. Before we get to that, let’s look first at why schools use a waitlist. First and foremost, while schools now know the quality of their Round 1 matriculants and Round 2 applicants, they do not know how many of the candidates admitted as part of Round 2 will ultimately enroll, nor the number of outstanding candidates in Round 3. Simply put, the waitlist helps schools manage these unknowns to arrive at Read more
Published: March 11, 2024
Real Humans of Johnson & Johnson: Sophia Fischer, UCI Merage MBA ’22, MLDP Marketing Manager
In this installment of Real Humans: Alumni, Sophia Fischer shares her story of how and why University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business became the right place for her MBA and how the program prepared her to be an MLDP marketing manager at Johnson & Johnson. For Fischer, pursuing an MBA was an investment in personal growth, one that required choosing a school that would make that same investment in her as a student and also ensure she would find a company to continue that growth. Sophia Fischer, UCI Merage MBA ’22, MLDP Marketing Manager Read more
Published: March 11, 2024
Real Humans of Amazon: Tanique Philogene, Notre Dame Mendoza MBA ’23, Senior Program Manager
In this Real Humans: Alumni, Tanique Philogene reveals how the Notre Dame Mendoza MBA program’s hands-on experiential learning gave her exactly the skills she needed for her pivot from finance to the tech industry. Some individuals know for sure where their path leads, and are just looking for the right opportunity at the right time. For Philogene, who knew before graduating high school she wanted an MBA, that opportunity was during the pandemic, when she had the time to prepare for the next stage of her career and personal development. Tanique Philogene Notre Dame Read more
Published: March 10, 2024
INSEAD’s Limitless Women’s Campaign 2024: Ambition Has No Gender
To mark International Women’s Day on March 8th, INSEAD’s Limitless 2024 campaign set the spotlight on women determined to advance gender equity and succeed economically, politically, and personally. The annual Limitless campaign shares the stories of women who serve as role models for the next generation. This year’s theme is Ambition Has No Gender. INSEAD stands behind the promise of education to empower individuals, shape lives, and spark change. These extraordinary women embody that promise, positively impacting their communities and the world.  Meet the six women Read more
Published: March 10, 2024
MIT Sloan MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Zoom
Interviewed with AdCom. Interview was largely reflective of other MIT Sloan reports that I’ve read on here (except for one point, detailed below) – predictable question set, to-the-point, with the interviewer remaining quite stoic the whole time. Surprisingly, the interviewer did not ask me about either of my pre-interview essays! Questions were as follows: 1. Have there been any changes to your application? 2. Tell me about a moment that you are most proud of. 3. Describe your leadership style, and give me an example. 4. Tell me about a difficult interaction at work. 5. Read more
Published: March 10, 2024
Stanford GSB MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Zoom
I joined the call 2 mins before the scheduled time; however, the interviewer was 5 mins late to the video call. He apologized multiple times for the delay and we started informally with talking about our personal lives. He works in the same industry as mine, hence it was easy for me to connect with him. Questions asked to me minutes: – Why MBA? Why GSB? – TMAT you showed positive results. – TMAT you managed different types of stakeholders (diversity and function). – Why did you switch jobs 3 times in your professional career? Read more
Published: March 10, 2024
UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Off-Campus
Hi, I had an interview with Rahul. 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. Why MBA, why now, why UNC and ST and LT goals? 3. A time you received constructive criticism. 4. Tell me about a stressful situation you had at work and what made it stressful. 5. A time you had to deliver bad news to someone. 6. How differently would you have done this? (follow up question on no.6) 7. What makes a good leader and what leadership trait do you seek to improve on? 8. Difference between a leader and Read more
Published: March 10, 2024
HBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / On-Campus
Two people: one interviewer and one note-taker. Both briefly introduced themselves and we dove right into it. 1. What do you do at your current company? Few follow-up questions on the nature of my work. 2. Tell me more about your group: where do you see the growth in the short term? Few follow-ups on that. 3. Have you received mentorship at your current and previous companies? How did you respond to it? Few follow-ups on that. 4. Do you supervise people? How do you provide guidance? 5. Tell me more about the nature of the Read more
Published: March 10, 2024
The Week Ahead: MBA Admissions Decisions, Deadlines & Interviews, March 11-15, 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! Round 2 Decisions amid Late Round Action We are now moving to the decision release period for Round 2 candidates while late round deadlines come into play. Monday, March 11, UNC / Kenan-Flagler is scheduled to release its Round 2 decisions. Cambridge / Judge has its Round 4 application deadline. Tuesday, March 12, Duke / Fuqua is scheduled to release its Round 2 decisions. Wednesday, March 13, UVA / Darden is scheduled to release its Round Read more
Published: March 10, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 343—340 GRE, depression. Teacher with sustainability passion. LBS vs CBS
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the MBA application deadlines and interview releases for this season. Interview invites continue for some top MBA programs, but we are getting towards the end of the cycle and closer to Round 2 decisions. UV / Darden, Michigan / Ross, Duke / Fuqua, UNC / Kenan Flagler, and Dartmouth / Tuck are releasing their final Round 2 decisions next week. Graham highlighted a recently published admissions tip focused on the background check process for admitted candidates. He then noted three Real Humans Read more
Published: March 7, 2024
UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Zoom
I had my interview with a current adcom at UNC Kenan-Flagler via Zoom. The interviewer made me feel really comfortable and we both talked about our hobbies in the first 5-7 mins Following questions were asked: Walk me through your resume. How will you use your MBA to reach your career goals? Share a tough team situation and your role in resolving it. What makes you unique at UNC Kenan-Flagler? What sets this school apart from others you’re considering? How will you contribute to the school’s culture outside the classroom? Tell me about a situation showing your commitment to diversity. Read more
Published: March 7, 2024
Real Humans of Goldman Sachs: Ken Jackson, Rice Business MBA ’23, Private Wealth Advisor
Army veteran Ken Jackson went from piloting Black Hawks to private wealth management at Goldman Sachs–the bridge being the Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business MBA program. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, see how Jackson’s MBA put him in the entrepreneurial mindset, his secret weapon that has allowed him to thrive confidently in the wealth management landscape. Ken Jackson, Rice Business MBA ’23, Private Wealth Advisor at Goldman Sachs Age: 33 Hometown: Peachtree City, GA Undergraduate Institution and Major: United States Military Read more
Published: March 6, 2024
UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
I didn’t plan to interview for UNC Kenan-Flagler, but ended up doing it and having a great experience. It was resume-based and very conversational, with an AdCom, online. The questions were pretty standard: Why MBA? Why now? Why UNC Kenan-Flagler? What are your goals? Any experiences with diverse teams? Any leadership experiences? What would you add to the school’s community? Any questions for me? Very chill interview! Read more
Published: March 6, 2024
Emory Goizueta Business School Announces Winners of 2024 John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition
The winners of Emory University’s Goizueta Business School’s fourth annual John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition, held on February 23, have been announced. The competition gives students from universities nationwide the opportunity to present innovative and, most importantly, actionable ideas to companies about addressing racial injustice in their organizations and industries.  Lynne Segall, associate dean for management practice initiatives and the competition’s faculty advisor noted, “The conversation around racial justice has shifted significantly since 2020 and yet the structural issues persist, making the John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition Read more
Published: March 6, 2024
Real Humans of Kearney: Caroline Queen, Duke Fuqua MBA ’21, Manager
In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, former Olympian Caroline Queen shares how her unconventional career path led her to Duke Fuqua for her MBA and on to consulting at Kearney. While the “Team Fuqua” culture forged the foundation of her b-school experience, the skills honed in the program and the interview prep ensured she could take the next step in her career. Learn more about Caroline’s journey below. Caroline Queen, Duke Fuqua MBA ’21, Manager at Kearney Age: 32 Hometown: Darnestown, MD Undergraduate Institution and Major: Davidson Read more
Published: March 4, 2024
Real Humans of Google: George Muchira, Rochester Simon MBA ’23, Financial Analyst
In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, recent MBA graduate George Muchira shares his journey from the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School to becoming a financial analyst at Google. Rochester Simon’s culture of diversity and community drew George to the business school, and the critical thinking-based curriculum prepared him for an industry change from finance to tech. Read on for his story. George Muchira, Rochester Simon MBA ’23, Financial Analyst at Google Age: 33 Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya Undergraduate Institution and Major: Jomo Kenyatta Read more
Published: March 3, 2024
INSEAD MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumni / Online
Two alumni interviewed me separately online via Google Meet (I picked this virtual platform since both of them are using Gmail so it’s easier and does not have time duration limit as Zoom does). Both interviews are résumé and application-form based, as the AdCom required candidates to send the latest resume & the application form to the interviewers. The interview questions are pretty structured. First, introduction of your experience (focusing on work experience). Second, questions around your resume: Introducing one of your work projects that you feel very proud of and why?; Introducing one challenge in your life that it Read more
Published: March 3, 2024
LBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Online
Behavioral questions + goal-related questions + life-related + case interview + ask questions back: For behavior questions, they are based on your resume, you will need to walkthrough the reasons of any significant gaps or changes in your work experience (why the change, why the gap?); introducing one challenging but rewarding project and what did you learn? For goal-related questions: Why LBS? Did you apply to any other schools and how would you compare them with LBS if you get both/all the admissions offers? What is/are your post-MBA goals? What would you do if you cannot realize all the goals? 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 2:43pm ET
Interview Invite to NYU Stern
Round: Round 2
Received via email on November 24, 2024
GPA: 3.8
GRE: 324
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: United States
November 26, 2024 2:22pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal November 26, 2024
GPA: 9.48
GMAT: 705
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: India
Note:

Interview 11/12
November 26, 2024 2:21pm ET
Interview Invite to Duke / Fuqua
Round: Round 1
Received via email on November 13, 2024
GMAT: 735
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: India
Note:

Interviewed on 11/22.
November 26, 2024 2:19pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GMAT: 735
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: India
Note:

Interviewed on 11/7.
November 26, 2024 2:18pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 3.6
GMAT: 675
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
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