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Published: June 15, 2023
Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines
Welcome to Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site. In this edition, we’re catching up with essay tips and deadlines for schools that have released info thus far for the 2023-2024 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: Columbia Business School Harvard Business School Stanford GSB Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled Read more
Published: June 14, 2023
Real Humans of Amazon: Christine Moore, Washington Foster MBA ’22, Senior Product Manager
Christine Moore found that the MBA at Washington Foster was exactly what she needed for the complex projects and challenges she would tackle in her career. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, find out how Foster prepared Moore to move successfully into a new industry at Amazon. Christine Moore, Washington Foster MBA ’22, Senior Product Manager at Amazon Age: 32 Hometown: Catonsville, MD Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Maryland, Communications Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Read more
Published: June 13, 2023
Admissions Tip: Considering the Campus
There are many factors that go into deciding whether to apply to a specific school, one of which is the physical place where you’ll be spending 1-2 years. Whether speaking with current students or touring the campus for yourself, it’s helpful to approach these information-gathering experiences with as clear a sense of what matters to you as possible. Factors to consider about a business school’s campus: 1. Facilities Are state-of-the-art classrooms and impressive new architecture a priority for you? Would you prefer a school that is headquartered in a single building to one spread over a larger campus? What about Read more
Published: June 12, 2023
Real Humans of Goldman Sachs: Jordan Aré, Rice Business MBA ’22, Investment Banking Associate
The high-powered world of investment banking requires perseverance, attention to detail, a capacity to learn, and effective communication. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, proud Houston native Jordan Aré talks about how Rice Business helped him tap those qualities in himself. Read on to learn how Aré not only honed his skills in the MBA program, but acquired powerful new ones to thrive at Goldman Sachs. Jordan Aré, Rice Business MBA ’22, Investment Banking Associate at Goldman Sachs Age: 30 Hometown: Houston, TX Undergraduate Institution Read more
Published: June 11, 2023
The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions, June 12-16, 2023
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 continue. Final rounds continue as we get closer to the end of the cycle. Tuesday, June 13, Chicago / Booth is scheduled to release its Chicago Booth Scholars 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 5 Ways MBA LiveWire Helps You Navigate Admissions. Access MBA ApplyWire to explore the application strategies of fellow candidates. Add your plan and Read more
Published: June 11, 2023
MBA Wire Taps 295—Asset manager, 760 GMAT. Data scientist, poor GPA. Marketer, Europe vs US
Another week, another Wiretaps!  As usual, this episode begins with Alex and Graham discussing activity on LiveWire which is now slowing down as the 2022-23 admissions season gets closer to its end. Next week, Chicago / Booth will be releasing its decisions for its Booth Scholars program. Graham highlighted two events Clear Admit is hosting: The first is a ‘Real Humans’ event which brings students and alums together to discuss their experiences with candidates. It will be held on June 20 at 12 pm ET, and you can signup here: https://bit.ly/realhumansmba The second is a set of events focused Read more
Published: June 8, 2023
Real Humans of Bain: Tobi Ogunsanya, LBS MBA ’22, Consultant
The London Business School had the international student base, burgeoning London tech sector, and flexible program that Tobi Ogunsanya was looking for in an MBA. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Ogunsanya describes how learning balance, resilience, and creativity at LBS prepared him for his consulting career at Bain. Tobi Ogunsanya, LBS MBA ’22, Consultant at Bain & Company Age: 33 Hometown: London Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Warwick, Politics and International Studies Graduate Read more
Published: June 7, 2023
Admissions Tip: Making Your List of Business Schools
You’ve decided the MBA is the next stop on your career path. What now? The smartest applicants are those who take the time to create an informed MBA application strategy—a well thought-out game plan that can help you obtain your goals as effectively as possible. This includes making a list of your target business schools. One of the first tasks you’ll need to tackle is school selection: strategically choosing which schools to apply to, while considering how your experience and stats compare to those of current students (or, how “competitive” your application will be at each program). How many MBA Read more
Published: June 7, 2023
Search for Head of MBA Admissions Continues at Stanford GSB
During the 2022-2023 admissions season, several MBA admissions representatives left their posts–Kristen Moss, the Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions & Financial Aid at Stanford GSB, was one of them. After five years in the role, Moss announced her departure between Round 1 & Round 2 last year. She stayed with the program through 2022, and the leading business school is still searching for a permanent replacement. As Stanford GSB continues to search for a new admissions lead, the school shared that Jamie Schein, MBA ‘91, Assistant Dean & Director of the Career Read more
Published: June 6, 2023
Cancer-Fighting Startup Takes Top Prize at University of Chicago’s New Venture Challenge
Out of the finals of the 2023 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), Alnair Therapeutics, a company with the mission to fight cancer, claimed the top spot. Launched in 1996, the NVC is an esteemed accelerator program and competition held at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Whittled down from 25 participants in the NVC, a credit-bearing spring quarter course, the remaining 10 teams presented their ventures to a panel of distinguished judges in the finals earlier this month. The judges — Read more
Published: June 6, 2023
Real Humans of Deloitte: Allison Lawler, Indiana Kelley MBA ’20, Senior Consultant
In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Allison Lawler explains how her consulting projects at Indiana Kelley ensured she was ready to grow and perform when it came time to join Deloitte. Allison Lawler, Indiana Kelley MBA ’20, Human Capital Senior Consultant at Deloitte Age: 34 Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Michigan – Ann Arbor; Major: English, Minor: Political Science  Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration (if applicable): Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Graduation Year: 2020, Concentration: Read more
Published: June 5, 2023
Real Humans of Amazon: Danielle Rodriguez, INSEAD MBA ’21, Senior Partner Manager
Danielle Rodriguez chose INSEAD‘s MBA program to accelerate her career in tech and help her achieve her goal of excelling at Amazon. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Rodriguez explains how INSEAD was the best fit for her plans and more. Danielle Rodriguez, INSEAD MBA ’21, Senior Partner Manager at Amazon Age: 33 Hometown: Houston, Texas Undergraduate Institution and Major: The University of Texas at Austin, Biology Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration (if applicable): Read more
Published: June 4, 2023
MBA Wire Taps 294—Two-time Olympian, part-time vs full-time. Pilot with a 690 GMAT. Marketing career, 321 GRE
Alex and Graham’s first WireTaps episode for June gets rolling with the usual review of activity on LiveWire, which includes waitlist decisions and final decisions from Rounds 3 and 4. This upcoming week should feature final decisions from UVA / Darden and MIT / Sloan (for their deferred admissions programs) and for Texas / McCombs and London Business School. Alex and Graham then had a brief discussion about the still-vacant admissions director seats at HBS and Stanford GSB admissions. It looks like both programs will head into next season with leaders in interim roles as their searches continue. Graham highlighted Read more
Published: June 4, 2023
The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions, June 5-9, 2023
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 continue. Final rounds continue as we get closer to the end of the cycle. Wednesday, June 7, UVA / Darden is scheduled to release its decisions for its Future Year Scholars program. Thursday, June 8, Texas / McCombs is scheduled to release its Round 4 decisions. MIT / Sloan is scheduled to release its decisions for its Early Admission program. Friday, June 9, LBS is scheduled to release its Round 3 decisions. How “The Read more
Published: June 1, 2023
Fridays from the Frontline: Inside Student-Led Treks at Tuck–Exploring Old and New in Japan
As the Dartmouth Tuck community celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, two students reflected on their trek to Japan earlier this year. Read on for their experiences in this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, Inside Student-Led Treks at Tuck: Exploring Old and New in Japan By Fiona Bowen T’24 and Charlie Jersey T’24 T’24s Fiona Bowen and Charlie Jersey reflect on their time in Japan alongside 70 Tuck classmates. Five Japanese students led the trek to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. Fiona Bowen T’24 For this year’s spring break, a group of Read more
Published: June 1, 2023
Real Humans of McKinsey: Olivia Qi Zhang, Georgetown McDonough MBA ’22, Consultant
In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, we meet Olivia Qi Zhang, who had the unique experience of being a foreign correspondent on business and politics before deciding she was more interested in the former than the latter. At Georgetown McDonough, she found the global mindset and perspectives she was looking for to cultivate her future career in consulting at McKinsey & Co. Olivia Qi Zhang, Georgetown McDonough MBA ’22, Consultant at McKinsey Age: 32 Hometown: Shanxi, China Undergraduate Institution and Major: Culture Industry Business Management, Read more
Published: May 31, 2023
ETS Trims the GRE—Fewer Questions, Less Time
On the heels of a new GMAT format, Educational Testing Service (ETS) has announced a shortened version of the GRE General Test starting September 22 of this year. The changes to the GRE translate to a graduate admissions exam that can be completed in under two hours–about half the time of the current version. “The changes we’re announcing today underscore the emphasis we place on keeping our customers at the center of all that we do,” said ETS CEO Amit Sevak in the press release. “As we continue to introduce product innovations, we’re committed Read more
Published: May 31, 2023
Admissions Tip: Consider Pre-MBA Courses Before Applying
Pre-MBA courses offer applicants a chance to bolster their academic records, prepare for the rigor of business school and more. As you prepare for the MBA admissions process, you might want to consider whether you should undertake additional undergraduate-level coursework before you apply. Who Should Take Additional Pre-MBA Courses? There are two reasons that it might benefit a candidate to complete additional coursework as part of their MBA application strategy. If your undergraduate transcript is devoid of quantitative coursework, the admissions committee might be concerned about the lack of data points as they assess whether you’re prepared for an MBA Read more
Published: May 31, 2023
Is the Pay Gap Closing? Forté Foundation Study Shows Stagnation
The Forté Foundation, a nonprofit organization guiding women into business leadership through access to business education, released its most recent study on the MBA gender pay and promotion gap, barriers to women in leadership, and disparity in work-life issues. The report highlights the progress made — and candidly confronts the daunting mission ahead.  Key Findings of the Latest Forté Foundation Research “The gender pay gap has narrowed since 2016 and 2018, but has not budged during the pandemic despite calls for pay equity and transparency,” says Forté CEO Elissa Sangster.  Read more
Published: May 30, 2023
MBA Admissions Consulting: How to Choose an Advisor
An experienced MBA admissions consulting partner can: Markedly increase an applicant’s chances of MBA program acceptance and scholarship because admissions consulting firms know the applicant competition and have best practices extrapolated from volumes of past client results Give an applicant the clarity and focus around their values and career aspirations to optimize success in recruiting job offers as an MBA student How Can Prospective MBA Applicants Select the Right Advisor? Many applicants to top business school programs hire an MBA admissions consultant for their applications. Applying to business school requires a substantial amount of time and effort, and many candidates Read more
Published: May 30, 2023
Real Humans of Google: Jermyn Davis, UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA ’20, Strategic Initiatives Manager
Culture is vital to making connections and finding success: how do we fit in? Does our team share aspirations and energy? Does our organization foster an environment for innovation? In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Jermyn Davis tells us how the culture at UNC Kenan-Flagler prepared him for the tech world and Google. Jermyn Davis, UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA ’20 Strategic Initiatives Manager at Google Age: 35 Hometown:  Denver, Colorado Undergraduate Institution and Major: Wake Forest University, Chinese and Read more
Published: May 29, 2023
Real Humans of Morgan Stanley: Eric Tinnell, Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA ’23, Investment Banking Associate
Changing careers can be considered rebranding oneself. Our Real Humans: Alumni featured today, Eric Tinnell, did just that. Find out how he walked into Carnegie Mellon Tepper as a wealth manager and walks out this spring with his MBA and a coveted position as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. Eric Tinnell, Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA ’23, Investment Banking Associate at Morgan Stanley Age: 32 Hometown: Ephrata, WA Undergraduate Institution: Central Washington University Major: Finance Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration (if applicable): Read more
Published: May 28, 2023
The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions & Deadlines, May 29-June 1, 2023
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Late Round Decisions Keep Rolling Final rounds continue as we get closer to the end of the cycle. Wednesday, May 31, Georgetown / McDonough is scheduled to release its Round 4 decisions. Thursday, June 1,  NYU / Stern has its Initial Notification deadline for Round 4. Cornell / Johnson has its Final Notification for its April round. CMU / Tepper has its decision deadline for its Future Leaders Deferred MBA Admissions Program. How “The Wires” Can Read more
Published: May 28, 2023
MBA Wire Taps 293—Female lawyer, from Nigeria. Blackhawk pilot, 720 GMAT. International student, lower GRE
Happy Memorial Day!  On this episode of WireTaps, Alex and Graham officially open BBQ season with a look at what’s been cooking on LiveWire, including waitlist decisions and final decisions from Rounds 3 and 4. Alex reminds listeners that we also should see final decisions coming out for Georgetown / McDonough, Cornell / Johnson and CMU / Tepper (for its Future Leaders program) in the coming week.  Alex also pointed out that new deadlines and essay topics are starting to be unveiled by the top MBA programs for next season; this led to a discussion regarding Clear Read more
Published: May 25, 2023
Real Humans of McKinsey: Justin Rufen-Blanchette, Michigan Ross MBA ’22, Associate, Digital Strategy
Justin Rufen-Blanchette had plenty of reasons to pursue an MBA: his family values, the success of siblings who had already earned the degree, seeing the acquisition of a startup in real-time, and discovering his knowledge gaps. But, it was his desire to be at the busy intersection of strategy and investment in sports, media, and technology that led him to choose Michigan Ross. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Rufen-Blanchette shares how Ross prepared him for the exciting and rapidly changing world of consulting at McKinsey. Justin Rufen-Blanchette, Michigan Ross MBA ’22, Associate, Digital Read more

MBA Applywire

1
February 28, 2025 7:26am ET
Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Financial analyst
Post-MBA Target Industry: Investment Banking Companies: Bank of America , JP Morgan
GRE: 328
GPA: 3.7
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: Nigeria
Post MBA Location: USA
7
February 27, 2025 6:06am ET
Applying: Cambridge / Judge, Columbia, Harvard Business School, INSEAD, London Business School, U. Chicago Booth, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Family Business, Military
Post-MBA Target Industry: Family Business
GRE: 339
GPA: 3.1
Years of Work Experience: 2
Location: Singapore
8
February 26, 2025 5:04am ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, UT Austin / McCombs
Intake Year: 2026
Pre-MBA Career: U.S. Special Operations 8yos / 5 years Financial Advisor
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Other Companies: Bain , Deloitte
GRE: 315
GPA: 3.7
Years of Work Experience: 13
Post MBA Location: Chicago
Notes:

Throughout my time in the Army I steadily promoted and I have had a successful Financial Advising career with notable institutions and now currently with a startup firm. Average client I manage has a liquid asset of $1.5million. I am looking to change careers as I struggle with the monotony of the job, and I am always seeking new challenges. I know post MBA there will be plenty of challenging and exciting opportunities to tackle which will hopefully help me feel more fulfillment in my professional career.
4
February 18, 2025 9:55am ET
Applying: Columbia, NYU Stern, UCLA Anderson, USC / Marshall
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Brand Consulting
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Other Companies: Bain , BCG
GRE: 319
GPA: 3.47
Years of Work Experience: 3
Location: California
Notes:

I applied to my programs via the Consortium.
8
February 15, 2025 7:12am ET
Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, Stanford GSB, UCLA Anderson
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Tech
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting Companies: Bain , BCG
GMAT: 705
GPA: 8.23
Years of Work Experience: 6.5
Location: Pune
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MBA LiveWire

March 1, 2025 4:41am ET
Applied to Stanford GSB
Round: Round 2
Received via n/a
Standardized Test: GRE
GPA: 3.2
GRE: 330
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Entrepreneurship
March 1, 2025 4:20am ET
Accepted to Indian School of Business
Round: Round 2
Received via email on February 26, 2025
Standardized Test: GRE
GRE: 322
Program Type: One Year Program
Target Career: Consulting
February 28, 2025 8:11pm ET
Interview Invite to Stanford GSB
Round: Round 2
Received via email February 28, 2025
Standardized Test: GMAT
GPA: 2:1 (UK)
GMAT: 695
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Application Location: Korea
February 28, 2025 7:29pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 3
Received via email February 28, 2025
Standardized Test: GMAT
GPA: 3.4
GMAT: 735
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: United States, New York
February 28, 2025 5:55pm ET
Accepted to Georgia / Terry
Round: Round 2
Received via phone February 28, 2025
Standardized Test: Granted Waiver
GPA: 3.45
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Nashville, TN
Note:

App submitted Jan 1, 2025. Interviewed during campus visit prior.
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