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Published: August 29, 2024
A Guide to Test Waivers: Should You Request a Waiver for Submitting a GMAT or GRE Score?
It is no secret that standardized tests are not the part of the MBA application process that applicants most cherish. Some applicants simply aren’t good at standardized testing; others feel they do not have the time to invest in studying properly. Due to COVID-19 and the related impact on testing centers and availability, test waivers became a more prevalent option in b-school admissions. Whether you’re hesitant or excited about the GMAT or GRE, what are valid reasons to request a test waiver? Even if you have a valid reason, does it make sense to request a test waiver? In this Read more
Published: August 29, 2024
Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms
We’re back with another Weekly Refresh, in which we list this week’s admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site. 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: Boston College / Carroll Florida Warrington Georgia Tech Scheller Rochester Simon Toronto / Rotman USC Marshall Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Georgia Tech Scheller Rochester Simon SMU Cox Read more
Published: August 29, 2024
Can You Get into an MBA Program Without Work Experience? Exploring Deferred Enrollment MBA Programs
The question of whether it’s possible to get into an MBA program without work experience is one that many people, particularly those still in their undergraduate studies, often ask. The traditional MBA admission process often emphasizes the importance of professional experience, with many programs requiring applicants to have between three to five years of post-graduate work on their resume. This requirement is based on the belief that students with professional experience are better equipped to contribute to class discussions, grasp complex business concepts, and leverage the MBA for career advancement. Therefore, the evolving landscape Read more
Published: August 28, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Paola Eicher of IMD
For this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A, we visit Lausanne, Switzerland, to meet Paola Eicher, Associate Director of Recruitment and Admissions at IMD Business School. Paola holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.) in International Hospitality Management from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. She has over a decade of experience in higher education, focusing on student recruitment and admissions. Before her current role, she was Head of Admissions and Recruitment at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Read on for her insights into the IMD MBA Read more
Published: August 27, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Avoid the Comparison Trap
In this MBA Admissions Tip, learn how to avoid the comparison trap in your application essays. 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 Read more
Published: August 27, 2024
Understanding Visas For Your MBA Abroad
The benefits of studying an MBA abroad are plenty. New job opportunities, new experiences, new people – and the chance to expand your educational horizons. The only downside appears to be the challenge of jumping through the bureaucratic hoops required to set up residence in your new country and apply for that all-important visa.  To clarify the process, we’ve put together this guide to help you. Read on to get a breakdown of the visa situation across six different countries! USA  If you’re an incoming international student to a U.S.-based MBA program, you’re Read more
Published: August 27, 2024
MBA Programs Without GMAT or GRE Requirements in 2024
Pursuing an MBA without the GMAT or GRE has become more accessible in recent years as many business schools have lifted this requirement from their admissions process. For many prospective students, avoiding the stress and cost associated with standardized testing is a major advantage. Below is a list of reputable MBA programs that do not require GMAT or GRE scores, making them ideal for candidates who excel in other areas of their application, such as professional experience and academic achievements. Quick List of MBA Programs Without GMAT or GRE: Babson College – F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business Georgia Tech Read more
Published: August 26, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Eddie Asbie of Cornell University’s S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Eddie Asbie, Executive Director of Admissions and Scholarship at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Eddie is responsible for overseeing admissions and recruitment for the residential Two-Year MBA program. He has spent 20 years in higher education, primarily within admissions, and has been at Cornell for 12 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University at Buffalo and a master’s in student personnel administration from SUNY Buffalo State College. Read more
Published: August 25, 2024
Duke Fuqua MBA Class Profile: Daytime MBA Class of 2026 Achieves Gender Parity
Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business reached gender parity for the first time with its Daytime MBA Class of 2026. Of the 427 new students, 51 percent are women. The school also posted impressive representation of U.S. minorities, seeing 10+ percentages increases in underrepresented students of color and students of color over their MBA Class of 2025. Associate Dean of Admissions at Duke Fuqua, Shari Hubert, remarks, “I am proud to share that Fuqua received a record-high number of applications, experienced an increase in yield, Read more
Published: August 25, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 379—Argentina to Spain. GMAT waiver. Military to renewables
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast Graham began by discussing our September MBA admissions event series; several top MBA programs are scheduled to participate. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/insidemba We than had a thoughtful conversation about the value of a top MBA, weighed against the risk of the investment in pursuing the degree. The pros of pursuing an MBA, in a world where things are changing in quite extraordinary ways due to AI, geopolitical challenges, climate change, and other large shifts, are substantial. Learning from the best faculty, learning with similarly motivated peers, Read more
Published: August 25, 2024
The Week Ahead: Cambridge Judge Deadline, August 26-30, 2024
It’s time for our first installment of The Week Ahead series for the 2024-2025 admissions season! This weekly post will forecast any deadlines, interview invitation dates or decisions for the coming week. Deadlines Begin! The 2024-2025 MBA admissions season gets underway this week, with Cambridge / Judge. More Round 1 deadlines will follow in the upcoming weeks! Tuesday, August 27, Cambridge / Judge has its Round 1 application deadline. 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  Read more
Published: August 22, 2024
Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms
We’re back with another Weekly Refresh, in which we list this week’s admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site. 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: UCI Merage WUSTL Olin Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Boston College / Carroll You can also bookmark our deadlines page for reference. Recommendation Questions Let your recommenders know, the following MBA program has released their  Read more
Published: August 21, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Steve Togneri of Imperial College Business School
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, let us introduce Steve Togneri, Director of Admissions at the Imperial College Business School in London, England. Steve is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in higher education admissions. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies from the University of Portsmouth. Following his undergraduate studies, Steve embarked on a career in community health promotion, gaining valuable experience in public engagement and community outreach. For the past 17 years, Steve has been a dedicated member of the admissions team at Read more
Published: August 20, 2024
Looking Back at the 2024 Olympics: The Athletes Who Attended Business School
You would be hard pressed to find someone more impressive than an Olympian. Years of dedicated training and mental commitment, displays of unimaginable athletic ability and stories of sacrifice across the board. With the closing ceremony drawing a line under the 2024 Olympic games earlier this month, we’ve been reflecting on just how incredible the teams who went to Paris were.  What if we told you that, on top of all the hard work of which you already know, many of the people you saw compete in the 2024 Olympics have also earned business school degrees? Read more
Published: August 20, 2024
Digging Deep with Your MBA Program Research: Anecdotes & Advocates
Communicating with insiders (current students, alumni, and faculty members) can be beneficial to your MBA applications for a number of reasons. In addition to learning about a given school and your potential fit, you’ll also generate material for your essays, demonstrate your interest in the program, and perhaps even make an ally or two. As you aim to go beyond the schools’ websites and promotional materials, we specifically recommend reaching out to individuals in a few key groups: Current MBA Students People who are currently enrolled in a given program can obviously provide the clearest picture of the present state Read more
Published: August 19, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Steve Thompson of Northwestern Kellogg
We welcome back Steve Thompson, Senior Director of Admissions at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, in this Admissions Director Q&A. As the leader of Full-Time admissions, Steve is focused on attracting the best and brightest candidates to Kellogg’s portfolio of Full-Time MBA programs. Steve has played a critical leadership role at Kellogg since January 2018, when he first joined the team as director of the Executive MBA Program. Prior to Kellogg, Steve worked at IE Business School as the Executive Director of the International MBA Program. Keep Read more
Published: August 19, 2024
MBA Famous Alumni: Finance & Philanthropy
Famous MBA Alumni in Finance And Philanthropy  Our series on famous MBA alumni has uncovered the stories of tech giants and retail innovators, leading us through fast tracks to fame as well as quirky success stories. To wrap it all up, we’ll be looking at two of the largest names of them all. The heads of JP Morgan and the Gates Foundation – two very famous organizations, with worldwide impact and influence, and with potentially very different outlooks. Two organizations where, once again, the professional journeys of Read more
Published: August 18, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 378—Tech PM to MBA. Climate finance to MBA.
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast Graham began by discussing our September MBA admissions event series; several top MBA programs are scheduled to participate. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/insidemba We then did something very different. Graham and Alex had a deep conversation about their backgrounds, and their work history together, which has extended beyond 20 years. We wanted to highlight our MBA admissions experience, so listeners can get a better sense for who is providing the weekly commentary on MBA admissions. We covered our time together at UPenn / Wharton, where we launched Read more
Published: August 15, 2024
Inside the MBA Admissions Process Webinar Series Fall 2024
Join our exclusive webinar series designed specifically for prospective MBA applicants! Gain insider knowledge from admissions officers of 15 top MBA programs. This series of three virtual interactive events will provide invaluable insights and tips to navigate the MBA admissions process successfully. Dates: September 11th, September 18th & September 25th. Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & 1 pm-1:30 pm Breakout Q&A with Individual Schools (all times Eastern) Event Highlights: – Exclusive Access: Hear directly from admissions officers of 15 top MBA programs. – Expert Guidance: Clear Admit co-founder, Read more
Published: August 15, 2024
Famous MBA Alumni: Automotive & Energy
Below in our series about famous MBA alumni, we meet leaders in the automotive and energy industries. You can learn about other famous alumni from tech & media and healthcare & retail in our other installments. Our series on famous MBA alumni has plucked diverse and impressive names from across the world of business and traced their successes all the way back to their MBAs. In this article, we’ll be looking at some of the top names in the automotive and energy industries, detailing the educational histories of people wielding Read more
Published: August 15, 2024
Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms
We’re back with another Weekly Refresh, in which we list this week’s admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site. 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: ASU Carey Babson Olin CEIBS CMU Tepper Esade Florida Warrington HEC Paris Maryland Smith Minnesota Carlson The Ohio State Fisher Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: ASU Carey Babson Olin CEIBS Read more
Published: August 14, 2024
MBA Degrees & Majors with a STEM Designation
The past few years have seen a surge in business schools that run MBA programs with a STEM designation. MBAs, that is, that are now classified as a science, technology, engineering or mathematics degree. The new STEM MBA designation is promising students a multitude of new opportunities – but what is it, really? Read on to find out what a STEM MBA is, which schools offer it, and what this all might mean for you.  What Is a STEM MBA? The structure of a STEM MBA is relatively simple. The foundational knowledge and core concepts of Read more
Published: August 14, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Mikale Elliott of WashU Olin
We’re back to Washington University’s Olin Business School with Associate Director of Recruiting Mikale Elliott in this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series. Mikale spent her undergraduate career at the University of Missouri–Columbia studying business communication and gaining experience recruiting underrepresented minorities. After graduating, she took a non-traditional pathway working as a flight attendant for a few years. Eventually, she returned to higher education to work on an HIV prevention research project. Through all these pivots, the thing that brought her back to admissions was her passion for others from diverse backgrounds to Read more
Published: August 13, 2024
Live Admissions Q&A: Alex Lawrence of UCLA Anderson
Alex Lawrence, Assistant Dean and Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, UCLA Anderson Surf’s up! From surfing to skiing, UCLA’s Anderson School of Management provides city living and outdoor adventure along with a leading business education. Riding the wave of admissions insights from the GMAC Conference this summer, Assistant Dean and Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid Alex Lawrence brings 20 years of experience at UCLA Anderson to this special edition Read more
Published: August 13, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Know Your Application Readers
Who is an MBA application reader? Knowing your audience is the first step to crafting a compelling application. As anyone who’s going through the process knows, applying to business school is an incredibly demanding process. In addition to taking the GMAT/GRE, assembling academic transcripts and providing recommendation letters, candidates are required to draft multiple essays, job descriptions, lists of activities and more. With the obvious incentive to save time wherever possible, it’s understandable that many applicants simply cut and paste content from an existing résumé and write about their work in the manner that comes most naturally. However, in doing 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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