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Published: January 4, 2024
Fridays from the Frontline: Seven Weeks in Silicon Valley
In this edition from Fridays from the Frontline, Notre Dame Mendoza MBA student, Gautier Tonongbe, recounts the lessons he learned from his trip to Silicon Valley. Seven Weeks in Silicon Valley: A Transformational Journey! By: Gautier Tonongbe, Notre Dame Mendoza MBA Class of 2024 Immersing myself in classes led by Notre Dame professors Sarv Devaraj, Jan Poczobutt, Rebecca Tower and Nick Berente has been an unparalleled experience. These weeks have redefined my approach to innovation and entrepreneurship. In this short span, I’ve delved deep into discussions with entrepreneurs, product managers and engineers from Read more
Published: January 3, 2024
Real Humans of the CEIBS MBA Class of 2025
We head to Shanghai to greet some new members of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) MBA Class of 2025 in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students. The 18-month CEIBS MBA is well known for its China Focus, called “China Depth, Global Breadth,” as well as for preparing international leaders to enter the global business economy. 121 new MBA students joined CEIBS in the Fall of 2023. Forty-six percent of the new class are women and 24 percent hail from overseas. The new class represents 16 different countries overall. Upon matriculation at CEIBS students Read more
Published: January 2, 2024
UC Berkeley Introduces MBA/Master of Climate Solutions Dual Degree Program
The UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and the Rausser College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley have introduced a new MBA/Master of Climate Solutions (MCS) dual degree program aimed at preparing the next generation of leaders in sustainability and climate action. Set to commence in the fall of 2024, the program offers students the opportunity to obtain both an MBA and an MCS degree in just two and a half years, or five semesters. Application deadlines for the initial MBA/MCS cohorts are January 4, 2024, and March 28, 2024. Designed for early-career professionals Read more
Published: January 2, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Data Forms
This Admissions Tip steers attention to an oft-overlooked element of the MBA application process: the data forms. These are the online forms that one fills out when applying to a business school. While the forms used to be straightforward and brief (essentially amounting to contact information, academic information, and work history), they have been expanding in some areas and have become an increasingly important part of the mix of application materials. In the wake of an industry-wide reduction in the number of essays required by each school, many programs have actually shifted questions away from the essays and into these forms (as Read more
Published: January 1, 2024
Real Humans of the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA Class of 2025
We kick off the new year in California to meet some members of the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA Class of 2025 in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students. 244 students matriculated at Haas in the fall of 2023. Women comprise 41 percent of the class and 47 percent are international, representing 39 countries. Fourteen percent of the class identify as LGBTQ+. U.S. minority students make up 47 percent of U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the class. Historically underrepresented U.S. minorities, identified as American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latinx, or Native Read more
Published: December 31, 2023
MBA Wire Taps 330—Low GRE, from Central Europe. Boston goal, but odd program selection. Kelley versus Olin
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast Happy 2024!!! In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we turn our attention towards the coming wave of Round 2 MBA application deadlines. These deadlines come thick and fast and will dominate the first two weeks of this month. DecisionWire also remains popular, as Round 1 MBA candidates start making decisions as to which MBA program they will enroll. 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 Read more
Published: December 31, 2023
The Week Ahead: MBA Admissions Deadlines, January 1-5, 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 gets underway. Round 2 application deadlines come thick and fast at the beginning of the New Year! Wednesday, January 3, Harvard and London Business School have their Round 2 application deadlines. Thursday, January 4, Stanford GSB, UPenn / Wharton, Chicago / Booth, Dartmouth / Tuck, Yale SOM, Berkeley / Haas, UVA / Darden, UCLA / Anderson, Georgetown / McDonough, Washington / Foster have their Round 2 application deadlines. Friday, January 5, Columbia, Texas / Read more
Published: December 28, 2023
Webinar: Carnegie Mellon Tepper – What’s the ROI of a Tepper MBA? – February 2024
Interested in the Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA?  Join the Intelligent Future! Investing in an MBA can be a difficult decision. It’s important to understand both the financial and personal return on your investment. In this webinar, hosted by the Tepper School of Business, we discuss Tepper advantage and career, salary, and personal growth that accompanies a Tepper MBA. This event will take place on February 1, 2024 at 12pm Eastern time.  Please click the link below to register for this free event! CMU Tepper MBA Webinar Speakers: TBA Read more
Published: December 28, 2023
Clear Admit Event: Deferred Enrollment MBA Application Insights, February 2024
Do you have your sights set on deferred enrollment MBA programs? Join us to hear how to amp up your application for these special pathways to b-school. Full-time MBA programs traditionally require several years of full-time work experience, but deferred enrollment MBA programs allow candidates to apply – and secure a seat in a future class – during their senior years of college or final years of masters study. How can you demonstrate your fit for this kind of program? How should you approach the admissions process? Hear directly from leading programs in this two-part Deferred Enrollment MBA Read more
Published: December 28, 2023
Webinar: Carnegie Mellon Tepper – Tepper MSBA Application Tips – January 2024
Interested in the Carnegie Mellon Tepper Master of Science in Business Analytics?  Join the Intelligent Future! Join this online event as the Tepper School of Business MSBA Admissions team answers questions about the application process and provides keen insight on how candidates can best advocate for themselves through their application. This event will take place on January 9, 2024 at 12pm Eastern time.  Please click the link below to register for this free event! CMU Tepper MSBA Webinar Speakers: TBA Read more
Published: December 28, 2023
MBA Admissions Tip: Essay Polishing
With the deadlines looming, consider this MBA Admissions Tip as you make one final pass through your application and essays before hitting submit. This isn’t the time for drastic changes – but there might still be an opportunity for small improvements. Read on for three big picture, “crunch time” tips! Keep It Professional It’s true that many schools ask “fun” questions and most urge applicants to be themselves rather than submitting “overly polished” material. But it’s important to remember that this is a graduate school application, and you should approach your essays with a degree of formality. You do want Read more
Published: December 27, 2023
Real Humans of the Yale School of Management MBA Class of 2025
New members of the Yale School of Management’s (SOM) MBA Class of 2025 join us for the latest edition of our Real Humans: MBA Students series. 339 students matriculated in the latest class in New Haven, CT. Forty percent are women and half are international passport holders. Forty-eight percent of U.S. students identify as U.S. students of color and 18 percent identify as U.S. underrepresented students of color. During their undergraduate years, Yale MBA students earned a median GPA of 3.64, of those who attended U.S. programs that used a 4.0 GPA scale. Thirty-five percent Read more
Published: December 26, 2023
Chicago Booth MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / On-Campus
The Booth Admissions committee offered an in-person interview option that was easy to do in conjunction with in-person programming consisting of a complimentary lunch with current first-year students at the Booth cafeteria, a student-led tour of the Harper Center, and attending up to two classes with Booth students. The in-person interview process allowed for a very personable and engaging glimpse into the Booth experience. I elected to do the in-person programming the day prior to my interview, which better informed me on specific courses and professors for the interview. The interview was conducted by a second-year Booth Admissions Fellow. Interviewees Read more
Published: December 26, 2023
MBA Admissions Tip: Essay Word Limits and Character Counts
MBA candidates naturally have a good deal of information they want – and need – to convey in their essays, and getting the important ideas down under restrictive word counts is a difficult task. While it might be tempting to run a bit beyond the guidelines to slip in that one extra thought, it’s important to keep the reasons for these limits in mind. In addition to being a forum for explaining your goals and sharing your story, the essays and short answers also serve as a test of the applicant’s ability to communicate clearly and concisely, not to mention Read more
Published: December 25, 2023
Kellogg MBA Employment Report Class of 2023: Record High Median Compensation & Consulting Placement
The Two-Year MBA Class of 2023 at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management achieved record-high median compensation, according to the employment report. 420 of the 501 graduates of the MBA Class of 2023 sought employment. Sixty-two students were company-sponsored or already employed while 11 started their own business. At three months post-graduation, 95 percent of newly-minted Kellogg MBAs seeking employment reported receiving a job offer. Liza Kirkpatrick, Assistant Dean of the Career Management Center, remarks, “Students are landing jobs at incredible companies in challenging roles, empowered with tools through our Career Read more
Published: December 24, 2023
MBA Wire Taps 329—Low GPA, how to mitigate? Medical school drop-out. Goizueta versus Darden
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing all the latest activity on LiveWire and DecisionWire.  Over, the past three weeks, we have witnessed all the top MBA programs releasing their Round 1 decisions. While things are a little quieter on MBA LiveWire now (as we enter the Christmas break), DecisionWire remains popular, with Round 1 MBA candidates starting to make decisions as to which MBA program they will enroll. We also noted that Round 2 deadlines are just after the New Year, so Round 2 candidates are likely to be Read more
Published: December 21, 2023
Submit a Georgetown McDonough, HBS, INSEAD, Stanford GSB or Yale SOM 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 Georgetown McDonough, HBS, INSEAD, Stanford GSB or Yale School of Management by Sunday, December 24th, 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: December 21, 2023
MBA Admissions Tip: Avoid the Comparison Trap
In their desire to make their case to their target MBA programs, many applicants devote sentences and even paragraphs to explaining why the school in question is their “first choice” and arguing its superiority over other schools. Though certainly understandable, this is actually not a very productive exercise. Let’s consider a few reasons why from the schools’ point of view: Tell me something I don’t know. A popular strategy – and not always bad one – for applicants seeking to demonstrate their fit with one school above any other is to study its website to understand the program’s self-determined selling Read more
Published: December 21, 2023
Fridays From the Frontline: My Mod-Away in Chile
In business school, experiential learning extends beyond campus to international projects. In this edition from Fridays from the Frontline, Notre Dame Mendoza student, Bailey Harrison, sums up her MBA study abroad experience in Chile. My Mod-Away in Chile By: Bailey Harrison, Notre Dame MBA Class of 2024 Notre Dame Mendoza’s Mod Away program has allowed me to grow personally and professionally within a supportive environment. During our seven weeks in Chile, we participated in four courses: International Marketing, International Economics, International Finance and Chilean Business Immersion. Each International course focuses on Chilean (and more generally Latin American) Read more
Published: December 20, 2023
New Accelerated MBA at Carnegie Mellon Tepper
The Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business has introduced an Accelerated MBA that can be completed in 12 or 16 months, compared to a two-year, traditional full-time MBA. The Accelerated MBA is designed for business graduates or those with undergraduate business coursework who want to take advantage of their educational experience to accelerate their degree. Candidates should have at least three years of work experience and have taken courses in accounting, finance, marketing, microeconomics, and operations in the last ten years from an accredited Read more
Published: December 20, 2023
Real Humans of The Ohio State Fisher MBA Class of 2025
We head to The Ohio State to greet some new members of the Fisher College of Business MBA Class of 2025 in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students. Forty-nine new MBA students joined Fisher in the Fall of 2023. Forty-three percent of the new class are women and the same percentage are international. A quarter of the new U.S. students identify as a minority. During their undergraduate years, 45 percent pursued undergraduate degrees in business. Another 18 percent had studied arts and sciences, and 22 percent studied social sciences. Fifteen percent had majored in Read more
Published: December 19, 2023
Should MBA Scholarship Money Impact Your Choice of Business School?
A brief look at MBA DecisionWire reveals candidates for leading MBA programs are being offered scholarship money, either need-based or merit-based, a lucrative lure to enroll. This scholarship money reduces the price of the MBA, and therefore alters the calculus in terms of the cost-benefit analysis of the program. If you do have admissions offers from multiple programs, some of which include scholarship money, you will need to weigh whether the reduced cost alters your order of preference for schools. Cases where scholarship dollars can alter your order of preferences include: 1. Career Goal Impact: When your career aspirations, Read more
Published: December 18, 2023
Real Humans of the Dartmouth Tuck MBA Class of 2025
Some new members of the Dartmouth Tuck MBA Class of 2025 join us to discuss MBA admissions and student life in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students. 297 students matriculated into the Tuck MBA program in the fall of 2023. Forty-four percent are women and 33 percent are international. Thirty-two percent of U.S. students identify as American Indian, African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latinx, or Native Hawaiian. Thirteen percent of U.S. students identify as U.S. underrepresented minorities, which includes American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latinx, or Native Hawaiian. During their undergraduate years, Tuck MBA students Read more
Published: December 17, 2023
Michigan Ross MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Zoom
Alum interviewer Resume based Questions: Why MBA? Why Ross? Why Now? Biggest Failure? Post Grad Goals? It was very conversational and I wasn’t surprised by anything. Read more
Published: December 17, 2023
LBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-Campus
The adcom matched me with an alumnus from my country and also from the same industry I work, so it helped me be a lot more comfortable in the interview. We set the location of the interview to be in his office, which was in the same city I live. As soon as I got there I felt very welcomed and an informal environment, much more like a conversation than an interview. We talked a lot before the interview starts since we had a lot in common, so a very good environment was set when we began. He asked the 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 10:40pm ET
Rejected at NYU Stern
Round: Round 2
Received via portal on November 13, 2024
GPA: 2.79
GMAT: 694
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: New York
November 26, 2024 10:39pm ET
Interview Invite to Columbia
Round: Round 1
Received via email on October 10, 2024
GPA: 2.79
GMAT: 695
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: New York
November 26, 2024 10:16pm ET
Accepted to Georgia / Terry
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 3.9
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Operations Management
Application Location: Mississippi
Note:

Im also a Veteran.
November 26, 2024 9:21pm ET
Interview Invite to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email on November 17, 2024
EA: 155
Program Type: One Year Program
Application Location: NYC
Note:

Retail and Luxury
November 26, 2024 8:05pm ET
Accepted to London Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 95.5/100
GMAT: 690
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Mexico
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