Real Humans of MBA Students

Published: October 7, 2019

Real Humans of The Wharton School’s MBA Class of 2021

We continue with our Real Humans: MBA Students series at the University of Pennsylvania. Since 1881, The Wharton School at Penn has been an innovator in business education, pioneering schooling in accounting, business law, finance, industrial management, insurance, marketing, transportation and more. American entrepreneur and industrialist Joseph Wharton established the world’s first collegiate business school, transforming business from trade-based training to an institutionalized, respected profession. Wharton boasts business school “firsts,” including the first business school research center to open in 1921 and the first MBA program in Health Care Management. Today, Wharton maintains Read more

Published: October 6, 2019

Real Humans of Cornell Johnson’s MBA Class of 2021

Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management set a record this year for their all-time highest representation of women in their Two-Year MBA class: 35 percent. This benchmark stems from an ongoing commitment to diversity and equity, as the school is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Office of Diversity & Inclusion this year. Altogether, this leads us to a special all-women edition of Real Humans: MBA Students. Johnson’s support for women leaders in business is clear. The incoming class is offered a Women’s Welcome Retreat, Women’s Faculty Reception, Read more

Published: October 2, 2019

Real Humans of Vanderbilt Owen’s MBA Class of 2021

We turn our attention to Nashville, Tennessee, for this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students. Beyond being a mecca for music, this glowing city is home to Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, which has been a stronghold of MBA talent in the American South. The 147 students who comprise the incoming Class of 2021 hold median GMAT scores of 680 and undergrad GPAs of 3.36. They arrived on campus with professional work experience averaging 5.3 years. International students comprise 14 percent of the class, including permanent residents and dual citizens; Read more

Published: September 30, 2019

Real Humans of Harvard Business School’s MBA Class of 2021

In this edition of Real Humans, we are pleased to introduce a handful of MBA students who each earned a coveted spot in Harvard Business School’s Class of 2021. While this year’s Round 1 MBA applicants anticipate interview invitations, let’s get to know the latest set of students who made it through HBS’s highly selective admissions process. The MBA program at HBS received 9,228 applications last year, and 938 of that group matriculated this fall. The large class size at HBS supports diversity of Read more

Published: September 25, 2019

Real Humans of Rochester Simon’s MBA Class of 2021

Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester has cultivated a reputation as an MBA program that values both hard and soft skills in its business leaders, which this year’s incoming class reflects to a high degree. The MBA Class of 2021 consists of 107 students representing 18 different countries of origin. While Simon’s representation of women MBA candidates of 34 percent in recent years sits below the 38 percent national average, the incoming class reports an impressive jump to 42 percent women representation for 2021. Additionally, the school ranked second in 2018 for percentage Read more

Published: September 23, 2019

Real Humans of Duke Fuqua’s MBA Class of 2021

We continue our exploration of MBA student life in our Real Humans series down in Durham, North Carolina. The Associate Dean of Admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business has walked us through many appealing features of the city and the school culture. As you’ll see on the following pages, the Daytime MBA Class of 2021 agrees—Fuqua is the place to be. Tradition and community are a part of the school’s DNA. Fuqua students benefit from participating in traditions such as Fuqua Friday or the Duke Basketball Read more

Published: September 18, 2019

Real Humans of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA Class of 2021

Home to 13.2 miles of bike lanes, over 95 restaurants and bars, 250 acres of parks, 12 theaters and live music venues all with a population of under 60,000, Chapel Hill is routinely ranked one of the nation’s top college towns. And within that landscape, the collaborative and supportive culture at UNC Kenan-Flagler left a strong impression on each of the MBA candidates featured in this edition of Real Humans. Whether during the application process or kicking off the new school year, students and staff dedicated their time to each other to Read more

Published: September 16, 2019

Real Humans of Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA Class of 2021

Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management students praise the diverse, friendly, and supportive on-campus atmosphere. The overall Class of 2021 demographics further support this culture. Of the 474 full-time MBA students in the most recent class, U.S. minorities account for 26 percent of the student body while international students represent 32 percent of the group. Twenty-nine percent of the Class of 2021 majored in STEM subjects for their undergraduate degrees, 49 percent in economics/business, and 24 percent in humanities subjects. GMAT scores ranged between 620 and 780, with the average landing at 730. While Kellogg has Read more

Published: September 9, 2019

Real Humans of NYU Stern’s MBA Class of 2021

As last season’s MBA applicants transition to students at their target programs, we are excited to begin introducing them in our Real Humans of the MBA Class of 2021 series! We start in New York City with New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, and you should stay tuned as we make our way around the world to additional leading business schools. When asked, “Why the Stern School of Business?” students of the incoming NYU Stern Class of 2021 applauded the customizable curriculum and the school’s Read more

Published: April 28, 2019

Real Humans of Bain: Summer Associates

There’s no doubt that consulting consistently leads the pack for MBA graduates’ career choice, and Bain & Co. is widely considered one of the most elite consulting firms in the world. As such, we’re excited to kick off our Real Humans of Bain series. Just as we brought you the inside perspective from recruiting at Bain, we’re now on the ground with recent Summer Associates, who provide fresh firsthand perspectives on earning an MBA and landing at Bain. The recent MBA graduates profiled below walk us through their MBA and career experiences, Read more

Published: February 19, 2019

Real Humans of Indiana Kelley’s MBA Class of 2020

Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business has an exceptional MBA program consistently ranked in the top 25 of MBA programs by Forbes and US News & World Report. Kelley’s innovative curriculum emphasizes the school’s four core values: collaboration, professionalism, leadership, and excellence. The first experience that Kelley MBA students have is via Me, Inc., an intensive program in which students do some major self-reflection. The goal of the program is to help students develop a clear idea of what they want to do over the next two years. After completing this pre-MBA program, the Kelley MBA program Read more

Published: February 13, 2019

Real Humans of Carnegie Mellon Tepper’s MBA Class of 2020

Pittsburgh is a city of confluence, intersected by three rivers—the Ohio, Alleghany, and Monongahela. As the city’s hills rise away from these three mighty bodies of water, the various streams of Pittsburgh life merge—the artistic culture of Pittsburgh with its industrial past and its technological future. One of the places that best exemplifies the mixture that is Pittsburgh is Carnegie Mellon University. Sitting along the coast of the Monongahela, Carnegie Mellon is well known as one of the best technical schools in the U.S., producing generations of engineers and computer scientists. It also has one of the top drama schools, Read more

Published: February 10, 2019

Real Humans of Emory Goizueta’s MBA Class of 2020

Long the hub of the South, Atlanta has been rapidly gaining national prominence due to the rise of its homegrown rap scene and its booming media economy, anchored by firms such as Turner and Tyler Perry Studios. Long before Atlanta became a music and media hub, Atlanta was—and remains—a major international business hub. Currently, the city is home to massive companies such as Coca-Cola, Delta, UPS, and the Home Depot. Given the companies headquartered in the city, it is a no-brainer that Atlanta is a stellar place for MBA students to learn their craft. Emory University’s Goizueta Read more

Published: February 5, 2019

Real Humans of SMU Cox’s MBA Class of 2020

In the minds of many, Dallas is embodied by three cultural artifacts: the Cowboys, the JFK assassination, and the 80s soap opera. But on the ground, Dallas is a bustling city of business in the heart of the Lone Star State. Jobs are booming, and the future is looking bright. Southern Methodist University has consistently generated many of those future business leaders through the MBA program at its Cox School of Business. SMU Cox is one of the smaller schools profiled in this series, as its incoming class is only 109 students. Read more

Published: January 29, 2019

Real Humans of the HEC Paris MBA Class of 2020

According to Times Higher Education, HEC Paris has produced the most CEOs of Fortune Global 500 companies. This is appealing to students who both want to lead major businesses, as well as those who want to create their own legacies. Entrepreneurship is also at the forefront, as the school estimates about a quarter of graduates each year launch their own businesses. Moreover, there are hundreds of entrepreneurial projects created during the school year. HEC Paris limits each entering cohort to 250 students, which means that competition is intense. Only 16 percent of those who applied to Read more

Published: January 21, 2019

Real Humans of USC Marshall’s MBA Class of 2020

Women comprise the majority of students who earn graduate degrees—except when it comes to MBAs. While Forté Foundation reported that women’s enrollment at full-time MBA programs reached 38 percent on average in 2018, the figure hovered closer to 30 percent women on average just a few years ago. The absence of women in MBA programs ricochets out into the boardrooms, as women hold far fewer positions of power within the business world than men. MBA programs have recognized this problem and begun making efforts to change the narrative. Although some programs like Northwestern Kellogg (46 percent), Dartmouth Read more

Published: January 13, 2019

Real Humans of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA Class of 2020

The Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is celebrating its 100th birthday this week. Through the decades of development and evolution in business education, the school has grown in tandem with its core values of excellence, leadership, integrity, community and teamwork. Over 4,000 alumni enjoy careers with Fortune 500 companies, over 900 graduates have reached C-level positions and more than 250 work as CEOs. Kenan-Flagler also prides itself on graduates not just creating positive change in companies they lead, but also creating positive impact on the communities they serve. The Read more

Published: December 30, 2018

Real Humans of Rochester Simon’s MBA Class of 2020

The University of Rochester’s Simon Business School has risen to prominence recently as the first U.S. business school to receive STEM designation for its full-time MBA program. Alongside a STEM-designated option, Simon places emphasis on experiential learning. Students are required to take a project-based consulting course, during which they work in teams with a company on a business project, applying the tools they have learned in the classroom in real-life situations. Simon offers 10 specializations arranged in three tracks: Finance, Marketing and Consulting. Students also have the option to round off their education with a minor in six Read more

Published: December 18, 2018

Real Humans of Rice Jones’ MBA Class of 2020

At the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University, their motto is: “be attentive, responsive, and kind.” Jones offers a small program—and proudly. Just 118 students matriculated for their Class of 2020, and the school boasts class sizes at 40 students and a 9 to 1 student to faculty ratio. Just under a third—31 percent—of the class is comprised of women. Fifteen percent are U.S. underrepresented minorities and 36 percent are U.S. minorities. Approximately a quarter of the Class of 2020 are foreign nationals, and altogether the class represents 17 countries. In regards to academic Read more

Published: December 16, 2018

Real Humans of Cambridge Judge’s MBA Class of 2019

Cambridge University is an institution steeped in history. Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin, Sylvia Plath, and Isaac Newton have walked across its quads and sat in its halls. So it's no wonder that the business school ad com looks for candidates who are "intelligent, curious, and energetic, and keen to contribute to our community, as well as achieve great things for themselves." Before we introduce five students who met the criteria, let's take a closer look at the school and its Class of 2019. Read more

Published: December 13, 2018

Real Humans of Oxford Saïd’s MBA Class of 2019

As HQ for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, Oxford has long held a place in the global imagination as the image of elite British education. While Oxford Saïd Business School is a relatively new addition to the Oxford ranks, it has quickly made a significant contribution to the legacy of the institution in its short 22-year existence. In fact, The Economist currently ranks Oxford Saïd as the UK’s top MBA program. Over the course of the yearlong program, Oxford Saïd MBA students will develop the skills they need to thrive as corporate executives through team projects, workshops, seminars, and lectures. Students acquire and Read more

Published: December 9, 2018

Real Humans of UCLA Anderson’s MBA Class of 2020

At the UCLA Anderson School of Management, the collaborative curriculum gives students the skills to achieve their goals while the Career Management Center provides one-on-one coaching and access to top-level executives and businesses to help students make a smooth, successful transition into the professional world. Of the 3,423 people who applied to be a part of the supportive program, 360 matriculated in the Class of 2020. Altogether, the new class averaged 719 on the GMAT and the 80 percent range fell between 680 and 750. Their middle-80 percent undergraduate GPA range landed at 3.2 to 3.8. A quarter Read more

Published: December 5, 2018

Real Humans of the Georgetown McDonough MBA Class of 2020

As a global hub for politics, business, tech, and nonprofit organizations alike, Washington, D.C., is one of the major selling points for prospective Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business students. Students also laud the close-knit community of the MBA program, and how second-year students are always at the ready for any and all questions from new candidates. In this edition of Real Humans, we’re going to meet five new students who chose McDonough for different reasons, but found the same sense of community. We start with a snapshot of the new class. The 271 students who enrolled Read more

Published: December 2, 2018

Real Humans of Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA Class of 2020

We are pleased to continue our Real Humans series with a snapshot of the Class of 2020 at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. Situated in Hanover, New Hampshire, Tuck stands out from its peer schools for offering only a full-time MBA program, though students may pursue joint or dual degrees in conjunction with Dartmouth and other leading universities. Once again, the Tuck class matriculated with impressive and diverse experiences. Compared to the Class of 2019, the average GMAT score has stayed consistent at 722 and the average GPA has dropped only slightly to 3.49. Tuck also continues Read more

Published: November 26, 2018

Real Humans of NYU Stern’s Class of 2020

The Leonard N. Stern School of Business is located in the center of New York University’s main campus in Manhattan, New York. With a prime location in Greenwich Village and proximity to Wall Street, even applicants appreciate the “fantastic energy” of the program and its student body. Of the 3,781 applicants hoping to join the lively and diverse community, 375 enrolled in the Class of 2020. The group arrived on campus this fall with an average of 5.3 years of work experience, though Stern is also open to fresh graduates. William Berkley, the chairman of NYU’s Board of Overseers, Read more

MBA Applywire

January 14, 2025 12:01am ET

Applying: Duke / Fuqua, Northwestern / Kellogg, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, UVA / Darden

Intake Year: 2025

Pre-MBA Career: Private Equity tax consulting

Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey

GMAT: 675

GPA: 3.95

Years of Work Experience: 9

Location: Bangalore, India

Post MBA Location: East Coast

Notes:

I have primarily worked with venture funds and startups covering a range of tax advisory projects from M&A, due diligence, venture fund setup etc. I want to go beyond tax and step into strategy consulting roles, with a focus on fund strategy and portfolio acceleration in private equity.

Extracurricular : Involved with Rotaract for 2.5 years, taken part in multiple corporate responsibility initiatives at the firm , volunteer in pet rescue initiatives for the community

January 13, 2025 11:26pm ET

Applying: Columbia, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, UPenn / Wharton

Pre-MBA Career: Consulting at MBB; will continue with consulting post-MBA as I am considering firm sponsorship

Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Venture Capital Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey , Andressen Horowitz , Sequoia Capital , Other

GRE: 335

GPA: 3.94

Years of Work Experience: 2

Location: India

Post MBA Location: NY, Chicago, Boston

Notes:

- South Asian (Non-Indian), Male, 25 year old

- Bachelor in Finance and Economics (1st in Class) Graduated May 2023

- Activities:
Debating (Coached National Debate Team to its best performance in the World Championship, 3x Asian Top 10 debater, won/competed in finals of Oxford Intervarsity, UCL Intervarsity, Durham-Oxford-Cambridge Open, and many more prestigious competitions, Mentored 100+ debaters across 15 countries and advised Debate Organizations in Australia and China).
Non Profit (Founding member of a student org; Conducted 5 city-wide projects on Food Security, Clothing for the poor in Winter, and Improving sanitation in slums that received national coverage)

- More on Work: My focus is on Growth Tech (Startups and fast scaling businesses) and Public Sector practice area. I have led the writing of a report we co-published with a client (my name is on the acknowledgement section). The client and Partners loved my work and have now staffed me in writing another report for the same client. Evals are highly positive and have endorsements from 2 Senior Partners in the org (who are happy to write my recc)

- What I am doing outside of work now: I had a merit scholarship offer from LBS for its MiM program upon graduation. I have been helping folks from my country get into top tier early career master's programs pro-bono (Most people here cannot afford Western Admissions consultants as the charges are exorbitant for us given the country is an LDC). Since joining work, I have continued to work as a selector for National Debate Team and I take pro-bono sessions for disadvantaged schools. I have also taken sessions at local consulting firms to teach them what I have learned from my MBB experience (I am the first from my country to make it to an MBB after a local undergrad; MBBs do not have offices in my country)

- Future Plan: Continue at MBB and specialize in Venture Capital/ Startups. I have a very good network with VCs and founders in my home country. I would love to raise a fund to help the startup ecosystem of my country in the future or work in the capacity of mentoring founders.

- Target: Full-rides to top schools such as HBS, Wharton, CBS, Sloan. Looking for tips to develop my profile for 2027 Fall entry. I believe that I have what it takes to make it to an M7 but would love to take the 2 years to solidify my profile so that I can be in the mix for a good scholarship

Interests: Martial Arts, Reading (I have read books from Wharton Professors such as Adam Grant, Angela Duckworth, and Katy Milkman) Weightlifting, Marathon Running (I am aware this is super cliche haha)

Side-note: My GRE split is 166 Q (84%ile), 169 V (99%ile), and 5.5 AWA (98%ile). I can improve my Quant to 169-170 but I doubt the extra effort needed now will make a material difference. Would love to have your thoughts

January 13, 2025 2:37pm ET

Applying: Harvard Business School, INSEAD, London Business School, MIT Sloan, Stanford GSB, UPenn / Wharton

Intake Year: 2025

Pre-MBA Career: Consulting - Government

Post-MBA Target Industry: Technology, Undecided Companies: Google , Microsoft

GRE: 338

GPA: 3.66

Years of Work Experience: 4

Location: US

Post MBA Location: Undecided

Notes:

Background in design. Graduate degree in design from Harvard. Transitioned public sector consulting and planning work.

January 13, 2025 6:32am ET

Applying: Columbia, NYU Stern, U. Chicago Booth

Intake Year: 2025

Pre-MBA Career: Consulting

Post-MBA Target Industry: Investment Banking, Private Equity

GRE: 323

GPA: 3.0

Years of Work Experience: 7

Location: Uzbekistan

Post MBA Location: NYC

January 12, 2025 11:33pm ET

Applying: Dartmouth / Tuck, UVA / Darden

Pre-MBA Career: Construction and real estate

Post-MBA Target Industry: Other

GMAT: 665

GPA: 7/10

Years of Work Experience: 5

Location: India

Post MBA Location: India

View or Submit Entries

MBA LiveWire

January 15, 2025 3:30am ET

Interview Invite to Yale SOM

Round: Round 2

Received via email on January 12, 2025

GMAT: 695

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Consulting

January 14, 2025 11:44pm ET

Applied to Harvard Business School

Round: Round 2

Received via portal

GPA: High 2:1 (UK)

GMAT: 695

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Technology

Application Location: Korea

January 14, 2025 11:13pm ET

Applied to Harvard Business School

Round: Round 2

Received via portal

GPA: 3.78

GRE: 333

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Consulting

Application Location: California

January 14, 2025 10:14pm ET

Interview Invite to Vanderbilt / Owen

Round: Round 2

Received via email on December 31, 2024

GPA: 3.24

GRE: 320

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

January 14, 2025 10:13pm ET

Interview Invite to UNC Kenan-Flagler

Round: Round 2

Received via email on January 01, 2025

GPA: 3.24

GRE: 320

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

View or Submit Entries

Live
Wire