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Published: November 12, 2024
Texas McCombs MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
Very conversational, with the interviewer doing most of the talking. I used most of call time to ask the student my questions about the program. The only two questions I was asked were: Introduce yourself, and What do you want to do post-MBA. Read more
Published: November 12, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Background Checks
Following decision notifications from MBA programs, we know that many of our readers will be asking about the background checks conducted by leading business schools. Here are some quick facts to help explain this part of the MBA admissions process: 1. What are background checks? Background checks involve the verification of information that a candidate has provided in his or her MBA applications. Although the process varies from school to school, it usually includes checking that an applicant attended the undergraduate (or graduate) school(s) that he or she claims to have attended, received the grades indicated and earned the GMAT/GRE Read more
Published: November 12, 2024
Affordable MBA Online Programs That Won’t Break the Bank
Are you interested in taking an affordable MBA online? You’re not alone.  In recent years, interest in affordable online MBAs has grown steadily. Students are drawn in by promises of salary increases and career advancement without sacrificing flexibility or breaking the bank. Perhaps, however, you’re not sure where to start when it comes to choosing your affordable online MBA program. After all, there are a lot out there!  To help with your decision, we’ve put together this guide to affordable MBA programs that Read more
Published: November 11, 2024
CBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
40 min interview hosted on Zoom. Instructed to send resume in advance. Very kind interviewer. More or less followed the questions below: Tell me about yourself. Tell me about your ST/LT goals and why MBA? Why MBA now specifically? What factors led you to your school list and where does Columbia fall on this list? TMAT you disagreed with a coworker. TMAT you led a project you’re particularly proud of. What contributions would you bring to Columbia and what types of clubs would you engage in? Is there anything we haven’t discussed that you’d like us to in the remaining Read more
Published: November 11, 2024
Real Humans Profile: Wharton’s MBA Class of 2026
The University of Pennsylvania Wharton MBA Class of 2026 represents a global community of ambitious individuals, from military officers to former consultants, all drawn to Wharton’s collaborative and inclusive culture, as we’ll see in the profiles in this Real Humans: MBA Students. The program’s reputation for supporting entrepreneurial ventures and offering unmatched resources across various industries continues to be a pivotal attraction. As the class embarks on their journey, they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to growth, making them a transformative cohort in Wharton’s rich history of business leadership. Wharton welcomed 866 Read more
Published: November 11, 2024
Earn Rewards as a Star Contributor of the Clear Admit Community
We’ve loved seeing the Clear Admit community help fellow MBA applicants succeed by sharing advice and insights on admissions. Now, we’re giving rewards to recognize our most active members and the value they have provided to others. Cue the “like” feature on posts and comments in the Wires, admissions tools that help MBA applicants navigate their journeys to business school! Active members who accrue a lot of likes on their posts and comments in ApplyWire, DecisionWire and/or LiveWire earn the Star Contributor designation. Thirty likes yield 1 star, 60 likes earn Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
Northwestern Kellogg MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
It was a resume based interview. Started asking me about my experience and going over my resume. I did not like that she would interrupt me constantly. Honestly, not a good experience and not a very friendly interviewer. It felt like she was playing “gotcha” and testing me. After the first 20 minutes I was done with it and wanted it to be over. I want to believe I got unlucky with the interviewer because I’ve interviewed with other schools and it has been completely different to this one. Not great but I think this was an outlier and really Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
Dartmouth Tuck MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Virtual
I had such a kind second-year student! I was very nervous, but she made it conversational, which helped a ton. Most of the questions were: 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. Why an MBA? ST/LT goals? 3. Why Tuck? 4. TMAT you received constructive feedback. 5. TMAT you helped out a team member. 6. How will you contribute to the fabric of Tuck? Time for questions. Interview was for 45 min. Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
Chicago Booth MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Virtual
It was done with an alum. They had my resume only. Overall it was very conversational and unstructured, which I prefer. The typical questions to get to know you, followed by 2-3 behavioral questions (teams, conflicts, decision-making) and a final 20 minutes of questions about the program and their experience. I enjoyed the interview as it didn’t feel like a test and more like an opportunity to show why you fit the program. Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
Cornell Johnson Tech MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Google Meet
Cornell Tech MBA interview through Google Meet. Seemed like a blind interview Questions I was asked: Why MBA? Why Cornell Tech MBA? Goals? Toughest problem you’ve solved? What would your colleagues describe you as, that would be incorrect? Any questions for him? Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
NYU Stern MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Interview with adcom who already read my application. Questions were quite straightforward and overall it was a relaxed interview. Questions asked: Biggest achievement? 3 words to describe your strengths and give examples. A mistake you made and how you overcame it. Why MBA? Why Stern? Do you plan on getting a summer internship, what firms are you interested in and what are your recruiting strategies? Anything else you’d like to tell me? Then Q and A. Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
Rice Business MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Virtual
The interview lasted about 20 minutes. It felt very question-answer based, but my interviewer was friendly and approachable so I felt relaxed. My interviewer gave an introduction and then asked me for a brief introduction. Then we got straight to questions: 1) Why Rice? 2) Why are you pursuing an MBA? 3) What are your post-MBA goals? 4) Rice has a very diverse and smaller class. How will you contribute to Rice’s diversity? I then asked my interviewer questions for the last 10 minutes or so. Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 394—720 GMAT, low GPA. High GPA, low GRE. 3.98 GPA, 331 GRE.
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the U.S. election, and the potential impacts of a new Trump administration. 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 Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions & CBS Interview Invites, November 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! Decisions & CBS Interview Invites The 2024-2025 MBA admissions season is now underway. Interview invites continue to roll out, and a few final decisions are continuing to be released. Monday, November 11, Michigan State / Broad is scheduled to release its Round 1 decisions. Friday, November 15, INSEAD, Minnesota / Carlson and The Ohio State / Fisher are scheduled to release their Round 1 decisions. Columbia is scheduled to have released all its Round 1 interview Read more
Published: November 10, 2024
Columbia Tuition Costs for the MBA Program in 2024
Columbia Business School is renowned for its world-class teaching, its high employment rates and its M7 status. The rewards of their MBA program are well-documented and clear—but how much would it cost a student to complete it? How much does Columbia tuition actually cost? This article will help you find out. We’ll break down the various costs of one year (the 2024-2025 academic year) on the MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS), sharing what they are, how they shift, and how you should budget.  To Bear in Read more
Published: November 7, 2024
Real Humans of the UMD Robert H. Smith School of Business MBA Class of 2026
In this edition of our Real Humans: MBA Students series, we meet some new members of the MBA Class of 2026 at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, a dynamic cohort with a shared commitment to impactful leadership. From military veterans transitioning into federal service to experienced analysts with a passion for data-driven decision-making, these students bring unique perspectives shaped by years of experience in fields ranging from technology and consulting to finance and the military. The newest class is comprised of 69 students. Thirty-five percent are women and 68 percent are international. Read more
Published: November 7, 2024
Fridays from the Frontline: Service-Members to Sternies
In honor of Veterans Day this Monday, November 11, NYU Stern MBA Class of 2025 students Brad Cassidy and Caleb Primos, Co-Presidents of Stern’s Military Veterans Club, share their journeys to business school in this edition of Fridays from the Frontline. Service-Members to Sternies By Brad Cassidy and Caleb Primos, NYU Stern MBA Class of 2025 Brad Cassidy, NYU Stern MBA ’25 Brad Cassidy: After six years of service in the Army, including two deployments to Afghanistan as an Army Ranger, I found myself at a crossroads. I realized that the aspects of my Read more
Published: November 6, 2024
Chicago Booth MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
Interview was with a current second-year student. The only thing about I didn’t love was just having to schedule the interview on our own. They give you a student’s email and then you have to find a time in the next two weeks to connect. I think a scheduling system makes that process a bit easier, but nonetheless, we scheduled a mutual time to connect. Interview was scheduled for 1-hour, we used just about 50 min or so. Very conversational, and followed the general outline: Tell me about yourself. Why an MBA/ST and LT goals? Why Booth? How would you Read more
Published: November 6, 2024
CBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumna / Virtual
The interview was very conversational, and she made me feel very comfortable, sharing personal anecdotes of her CBS experience. She was an ’05 alumna and the interview did not consist of any behavioral questions or curveballs, just standard MBA questions. Read more
Published: November 6, 2024
Michigan Ross MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alum / Zoom
My interviewer was in the same city as me, and was an alum. Interview took place over the weekend. Questions consistent with those I have seen on here, and generally followed the flow below: Walk me through your resume. Why an MBA? ST/LT goals? Why Ross? What classes would you like to take at Ross? What clubs would you like to take at Ross? Tell me about a time (TMAT) you had to change your approach due to a shift in project scope. TMAT when you failed and what you learned from that experience. TMAT when you had to change Read more
Published: November 6, 2024
Yale SOM MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
Such a great interview. Questions were more or less consistent with what I had seen before in the interview reports. The interviewer saw my resume so didn’t need me to walk through the resume, instead the questions were along the lines of: – What’s your biggest professional accomplishment? – TMAT when you worked with someone with a different opinion than yours. – What research did you do prior to deciding to pursue an MBA? – What do you plan to continue to do this year to prepare for your MBA? – What are your ST / Read more
Published: November 6, 2024
Northwestern Kellogg MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Interview was with a member of the admissions committee. Kind interviewer, taking thoughtful notes, and asking thoughtful questions. Began with a brief intro to herself and the purpose of the interview. She’d seen my resume, so she began with particular questions about my work. Not necessarily in this order, this was more or less the conversation that was covered? #1 Tell me about this experience [called out a specific position on my resume] and its purpose. #2 Tell me about this role [temporary role I had] and why you were there for this length of time. #3 Read more
Published: November 6, 2024
CBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alum / Zoom
Very friendly alum interviewer. Blind (resume only). Questions : 1.Tell me about yourself? 2. Why MBA and Why now? 3. Why CBS? 4. Time you led a team? (They dug deeper into this story) 4a. How big was the team? 4b. Any direct reports? 5. What is your plan B if you don’t get into any B-School? 6. Have you applied to other schools ? All in all, very informal, lasted like 25 minutes including questions I had for them. Very pragmatic chat. Have heard similar from other CBS interviewees, seems Read more
Published: November 6, 2024
Texas McCombs MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
This was an optional interview that lasted 30 minutes. It was aimed at providing me with more info about UT Austin and the MBA experience. The interviewer spent the first half asking me questions and gave me 15 minutes to ask her questions. It was very casual and informative. Questions she asked me: 1. Introduce yourself. 2. Why McCombs? (Talked about what my goals are, why an MBA now, and then answered why McCombs) 3. What do you see yourself getting involved in when you come to McCombs? (I talked about clubs–professional and extra-curricular) Questions I asked Read more
Published: November 6, 2024
UCLA Anderson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
Interviewee: 2nd-year MBA Student Interview Duration: 30 minutes Start: The interviewer started by outlining the agenda and introducing himself. The interview was more structured than previous ones I had experienced, but it was still very relaxed and casual. Interview Questions and Responses: 1. Introduce yourself (2 minutes) 2. Why MBA now? (Quickly explained career goals. Tied the timing to reasons for pursuing an MBA now.) 3. Why UCLA Anderson? 4. What are your short-term and long-term goals? (Initially surprised by the question since goals had been previously discussed. But answered it in more detail.) 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 11:19am ET
Interview Invite to Rochester / Simon
Round: Round 2
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 7.01
EA: 161
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: India
November 26, 2024 10:53am ET
Accepted to London Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 3.7
GMAT: 655
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
November 26, 2024 10:32am ET
Accepted to Rochester / Simon
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 3.76
GRE: 328
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: Pakistan
Note:

Admitted with 60% Scholarship
November 26, 2024 10:00am ET
Accepted to London Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GRE: 328
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Application Location: Based in UK but Caribbean
November 26, 2024 8:27am ET
Accepted to London Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 3.84
GRE: 327
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: United States
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