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Beyond Business School

Published: August 7, 2024
Famous MBA Alumni: Big Tech & Social Media
Are you familiar with the famous MBA alumni in tech? The names at the top of major corporations boast diverse and impressive resumes. They’ve founded companies, networked with household names and generated strategies that have changed the face of business. There is, however, one thing that these people have in common; one point that crops up time and time again amongst the lengthy lists of accomplishments.  For many of these leaders, it all started with an MBA: the degree that laid the foundations of success for some of the biggest names in business. Read more
Published: July 10, 2018
Financial Times Ranks Top MBA Programs for Entrepreneurship
Leading entrepreneurs in the business world today can often be seen as trailblazers, standing strong and independent in an often cutthroat world. What isn’t seen as often is the kind of support—whether financial capital or mentorships—that can help get an idea off the ground. In recent years, business schools and MBA programs around the globe have made this kind of support for new businesses a core part of their operation, often offering entrepreneurship majors, business pitch competitions, startup incubators and more. Each year, the Financial Times releases its ranking of the best MBA programs for entrepreneurship, helping Read more
Published: May 7, 2018
Why McKinsey & Company Loves Hiring MBAs
McKinsey & Company is considered one of the most prestigious management consultancy firms in the world, with a clientele that includes 80 percent of the world’s largest corporations, along with an extensive list of governments and non-profit organisations. The firm is also a prestigious landing spot for MBAs following graduation. About McKinsey Founded in 1926 by James O. McKinsey, the firm developed an “up or out” policy, where consultants who are not promoted are asked to leave, developed by Marvin Bower. He served as managing director of McKinsey from 1950 to 1967, and remained a leadership figure at the Read more
Published: March 12, 2018
How Can You Land a Post-MBA Job at Deloitte?
In 2017, Deloitte placed 11th out of “Fortune’s 100 Best Companies” to work for. It achieved its top slot thanks to the company’s focus on work/life balance where “you decide how fast paced/slow paced you want to take it.” In fact, 91 percent of Deloitte employees say their workplace is great, citing: Great challenges (96 percent) Great atmosphere (95 percent) Great rewards (94 percent) Great pride (97 percent) Great communication (95 percent) Great bosses (94 percent) So, it’s no wonder that Deloitte is a top career choice for many MBA students. The company fits Read more
Published: March 4, 2018
The Skinny on Corporate MBA Fellowship Programs—Could One Be Right for You?
Prospective MBA students looking to join a program at a leading business school have a wealth of opportunities available to them in the form of corporate MBA fellowship programs. These highly competitive fellowships, often geared toward under-represented minorities, are offered by many major corporate recruiters hoping to secure top MBA talent early in their time at business school. Corporate MBA fellowship programs can present a great option for those looking to offset the cost of business school, since many include stipends that cover some or all of awardees’ MBA tuition costs. Corporate MBA fellowship programs also can be an excellent way Read more
Published: January 21, 2018
Why More Harvard MBAs Are Choosing Careers in Politics Straight Out of School
There’s no doubt that politics and public service have been hot topics since the November 2016 election. These subjects have dominated news stories and talk shows across the country. And, according to a recent report by the Wall Street Journal, politics and public service are also moving up as career choices for graduates from Harvard Business School (HBS). Read more
Published: November 15, 2017
Beyond Business School: How a Chicago Booth MBA Helped Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
Once a ferocious beast in the kingdom of tech with massive product launches and antitrust sagas, it could be argued that Microsoft has spent the first two decades of the 21st century in search of solid ground. The Steve Balmer era, which focused on “devices and services,” brought us the Xbox, the Surface, and the acquisitions of Skype and Linkedin. Wired posits that the fall of Microsoft “stems from its attempts to lock users into its products by refusing to work with competitors,” coupled with a series of “me-too hardware products,” like Read more
Published: November 9, 2017
How McCombs Helps MBA Student Veterans Tackle Re-Entry Into Civilian Life
Returning to civilian life can be difficult for military veterans. In fact, in some cases, a veteran may never even have applied or interviewed for a civilian job before. Then—as U.S. Veterans Magazine. recently described—there’s the difficulty of trying to transcribe military duties into practical skills that a company could understand. Veterans may also face challenges like PTSD and service-related disabilities, as well as being older and having a different life situations than their classmates. According to a 2016 survey by Student Veterans of America, 80 percent of student veterans are over the age of 25 and 46 percent have children—this includes both undergraduate and graduate students. That’s why many top MBA programs such as UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business offer a variety of support programs to help military veterans make the transition between active duty and school. Read more
Published: October 25, 2017
Beyond Business School: Meet the Cambridge EMBA Who Is Rebuilding Libya
As an Executive MBA (EMBA) student, you don’t have to choose between your career and your studies, which was exactly the case for Roland Friedrich, who worked as a senior political affairs officer for the United Nations while pursuing his EMBA at Cambridge Judge Business School. Friedrich graduated with his EMBA in 2016, but through his studies he was involved in the rebuilding of Libya as part of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). This mission, established in 2011, supports the country’s transitional authorities and institutions after the overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi. Read more
Published: October 10, 2017
Beyond Business School: Michigan Ross MBA Alum Joins Shark Tank as Guest Shark
To kick off the second half of the season 9 premiere of ABC’s Shark Tank, Rohan Oza, a ’97 University of Michigan Ross School of Business MBA, joined the panel of judges as a guest. Oza is an entrepreneur who has found incredible success in the food and beverage industry. Today, he’s dubbed as “Hollywood’s Brandfather” and is considered a global pioneer of celebrity equity deals that have transformed many consumer products into household names. Read more
Published: October 9, 2017
Social Impact MBAs: Programs That Help Students Make a Difference in the World
For years, social impact has been a growing area of emphasis at business schools. Increasingly, MBA students are stating that a well-paying career isn’t enough: They also want to make a difference. As Sherryl Kuhlman, the managing director of the Social Impact Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, told U.S. News & World Report: “Our students want to make the world go round in a different way. [They are no longer willing to] take a job they don't like so they can give their money away later. They want to merge the money and the purpose." MBA programs incorporate social impact into their programs in various ways, through global experiences, coursework, clubs, competitions, and more. MBA students may also have opportunities to team up with corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to get hands-on experience during their graduate studies. So if you’re interested in social impact, what opportunities should you look for within an MBA program? Read more
Published: September 17, 2017
Marketing Analytics in Business and the MBA
Analytics are invaluable in marketing decision-making, but many firms lack personnel with the skills needed to compile the data and leverage this information. According to the CMO Survey, a biannual report that provides insight into the field of marketing, marketing analytics are used to make 37.5 percent of business decisions—but only 1.9 percent of firms have the people in place to measure, analyze, and use the marketplace data. McKinsey & Company recently found that 36 percent of executives report that they lack big data specialists. Not only that, McKinsey forecasts that 1.5 million more managers and analysts with analytical skills will be required by 2018. According to Christine Moorman, a senior professor of business administration at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the founder and director of the CMO Survey, "More firms are using quantitative tools to demonstrate the long-term impact of marketing investments." And an MBA could be part of the solution for meeting this growing need. Read more
Published: September 11, 2017
Top Investment Banks for MBAs to Work for in 2018
While a career in investment banking may not be as highly sought after anymore among MBAs, it’s still a fairly popular option. And according to a U.S. News interview with Jeff McNish, assistant dean of the Career Development Center at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, investment banks and consulting firms are raising their compensation offers to draw in more students. These companies are willing to pay a premium to draw MBA talent. The question is, which are the best investment banks to work for? Vault Banking 50 recently released its annual ranking of the best investment banks in North America. The list was compiled through a survey of 2,400 banking professionals and used a weighted formula to review such issues as quality of life—including culture, satisfaction, work/life balance, training, and compensation—and overall prestige. This year, Goldman Sachs took the #1 spot—with a score of 8.380—maintaining its title of “best investment bank to work for.” Coming in at a close second was Evercore (8.311), followed by Centerview Partners (8.308), and Morgan Stanley (8.114). The top 10: Goldman Sachs Evercore Centerview Partners Morgan Stanley Moelis & Company Greenhill & Co. Lazard Perella Weinberg Partners Bank of America PJT Partners Read more
Published: June 4, 2017
Beyond Business School: General Motors CEO Mary Barra
General Motors CEO and Stanford MBA Mary Barra is a testament to passion and commitment. Though many profiles on Barra focus on her role as the world’s first female automaker CEO, it is perhaps more telling that, according to Forbes, Barra is lauded as having “… accomplished more in three years than most CEOs do in 30 years.” Read more
Published: July 12, 2016
Robin Chase, MIT Sloan Grad and Visionary of the Sharing Economy
Robin Chase, MIT Sloan Graduate School of Management MBA (1986) and co-founder of Zipcar, is a visionary in the brave new world of the sharing economy and peer-to-peer technology. It’s easy to take for granted the omnipresence of the sharing economy in our everyday lives. For some millennials, it's hard to recall that there was ever a time before they could walk outside, wave a gadget to a car windshield, and go on an unexpected road trip. Robin Chase's Zipcar gave birth to a phenomenon. Read more

MBA Applywire

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November 20, 2024 9:42pm ET
Applying: Babson / Olin, , Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Emory / Goizueta, Rice / Jones, Rochester / Simon, SMU Cox, UCI Merage, Washington U. / Olin
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Technology - Entrepreneurship
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Entrepreneurship
GRE: 333
GPA: 2.56
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: Lagos
Notes:

I just got rejected for WashU Olin and I have an interview invitation with Questrom. GPA continues to bother me but I addressed it in my supporting essays.
11
November 19, 2024 12:51pm ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, INSEAD, Michigan / Ross, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Tech in government
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Entrepreneurship Companies: Bain , McKinsey
GRE: 319
GPA: 2.9
Years of Work Experience: 7
Notes:

I got cancer when I was undergrad that's why my undergrad GPA is low. After MBA I want to work in consulting then make a social impact in Africa through entrepreneurship
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November 19, 2024 12:06pm ET
Applying: Duke / Fuqua, Harvard Business School, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, U. Washington / Foster, UNC Kenan-Flagler, UT Austin / McCombs, UVA / Darden
Pre-MBA Career: Wealth Management and Military
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Asset Management, inc. HF, Other Companies: Bain , BCG , Deloitte , McKinsey , Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan Asset Management , State Street , Vanguard
GPA: 3.80
Years of Work Experience: 7
Location: San Diego
Post MBA Location: Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis, Charlotte
Notes:

UG Degree: BBA Financial Markets at an Accredited Institution.

Civilian Work History: 3 years as Wealth Advisor under an RIA in Minneapolis and Denver. Total AUM of ~$350-400M, served as a salaried advisor in a primary and secondary capacity. Holistic services to include investment management, estate planning, retirement planning, insurance planning, tax planning, etc.

Military History: 4 years as a supply/logistics officer heading efforts for air/ground mobility, defense contracting, supply and procurement, and fiscal budget management while located at various bases within CONUS and multiple forward deployed locations.

Professional Certifications: Obtained Certified Financial Planner designation (2022) and Series 65 (2019).
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November 18, 2024 12:50am ET
Applying: Columbia, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, NYU Stern, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Consulting
Post-MBA Target Industry: Investment Banking Companies: Bank of America , Barclays , Citibank , Credit Suisse , Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan Chase
GRE: 323
GPA: 3.32
Years of Work Experience: 7
Notes:

Education:
- Combined Major in Economics and Statistics
- CFA Charterholder (passed all three levels on the first attempt)

Professional Experience:
- Manager at a Big 4 firm Specializing in capital projects and infrastructure, with a role similar to investment banking
- Seven years of experience, mainly in financial services in Ghana

Extracurricular Activities:
- Pro bono capital-raising services for SMEs
- Aspiring to run a full advisory firm for SMEs in the future
- CFA exam coaching and tutorial classes for candidates
- Founder of a travel and tour club offering affordable trips to explore beautiful and historic scenes in Ghana

Will being 32 years old affect the attractiveness of my candidacy?
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November 17, 2024 9:24am ET
Applying: Columbia, , Georgetown / McDonough, Harvard Business School, INSEAD, NYU Stern, Oxford / Saïd, Stanford GSB, UCLA Anderson, Yale SOM
Pre-MBA Career: Higher Education
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Investment Banking, Venture Capital, Private Equity, Media, Undecided Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey , JP Morgan , Morgan Stanley , JP Morgan Chase , Apple , Google , Microsoft , Andressen Horowitz , Charles River , Sequoia Capital , Blackstone , KKR , 21st Century Fox , Comcast , Walt Disney
GPA: 3.97
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: Denver, Colorado
Post MBA Location: New York City
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MBA LiveWire

November 21, 2024 12:58pm ET
Accepted to Cornell / Johnson
Round: Round 1
Received via phone November 21, 2024
GPA: 3.92
GRE: 327
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: Austin
November 21, 2024 12:41pm ET
Interview Invite to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 21, 2024
GPA: 3.46
GRE: 328
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Washington D.C.
Note:

Round 1 Consortium Applicant
November 21, 2024 10:36am ET
Accepted to Cornell / Johnson
Round: Round 1
Received via phone November 21, 2024
GPA: 3.5
GMAT: 760
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: United States
November 21, 2024 4:51am ET
Waitlisted at NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal on November 19, 2024
GPA: 3.54
GRE: 331
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Nicaragua
Note:

Waitlisted without interview. How can I flip this in my favour?
November 21, 2024 3:13am ET
Accepted to Washington U. / Olin
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 20, 2024
GPA: 3.81
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: Los Angeles
Note:

100K scholarship!
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