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Weekly Columns

Keep up with the latest school facts and news from your fellow MBA applicants.
Published: December 3, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Global Experience Module in Brazil
One of the most exciting experiences of going back to school can also be going abroad. In this Fridays from the Frontline, Emory Goizueta MBA student, Racquel Waite, walks us through navigating the pandemic and still ensuring a once in a lifetime international experience. Read more
Published: November 26, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Deferred Chicago Booth Scholar Reflects On Application Process
The future may feel extra uncertain right now, but one thing young professionals can do is lockdown their seat in a leading MBA program through a deferred option. Catherine Wain, who anticipates graduating from Chicago Booth in 2024, shares her story behind applying early. Read more
Published: November 19, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: 4 Things to Know about the MS/MBA Biotech at Harvard Business School
At the crossroads of business and biotech, you may find yourself drawn to the MS/MBA program at Harvard. The program confers an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Master of Science from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Medical School. A member of the first cohort of the program, Nora Rabah, shares her experience in this week’s Fridays from the Frontlines. 4 Things to Know about the MS/MBA Biotech at Harvard Business School By Nora Rabah, Harvard MS/MBA Candidate Since emigrating from Read more
Published: November 12, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Kellogg’s Pride Week – Creating Spaces of Inclusivity and Allyship
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, we hear from the co-chairs of Pride Week at Northwestern Kellogg.  Adam Wolford and Jamal Little, both Kellogg Two-Year MBAs '21, share their stories of finding and creating inclusivity and allyship at the leading business school. Read more
Published: November 5, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: From the Coast Guard to Stern MBA
With Veterans Day coming up next week, we wanted to catch up with a military veteran turned MBA in this edition of Fridays from the Frontline. Read on for Kathleen Dillon's fascinating journey from the Coast Guard to NYU Stern, and how the leading MBA program has supported her return to civilian b-school life. Read more
Published: October 29, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Currently Contemplating—Insights from Recruiting at Chicago Booth
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, Sarah Hill, Chicago Booth MBA '21, shares her lessons and insights from recruiting for her summer internship at Google. Read more
Published: October 22, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Let’s make life delicious! A Summer Internship at Kraft Heinz
Summer internships provide a testing ground for everything you’ve learned in the MBA classroom. In this edition from Fridays from the Frontline, Cornell Johnson Two-Year MBA student, Kaitlyn Briggs, walks us through her experience interning with Kraft Heinz. Let’s Make Life Delicious! A Summer at Kraft Heinz By Kaitlyn Briggs, Johnson Two-Year MBA ’21 Kaitlyn Briggs, MBA ’21, made the summer a little more delicious through her marketing internship at Kraft Heinz for their Philadelphia Cream Cheese division. Many business school students look to their summer internship as a way Read more
Published: October 15, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: How to Maximize the First Terms at Duke Fuqua
While you may be in the midst of your MBA applications, this Fridays from the Frontline outlines what you have to look forward to once you get to b-school. Yun Hong, a second-year student at Duke Fuqua, shares his reflections on how to make the most of your first terms. Read more
Published: October 8, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: 5 Feelings while being a Black MBA student in Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic
For this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, we hear from a current MBA student at Emory Goizueta in Atlanta, Georgia. Erin Lightfoot, Goizueta MBA '21, shares her experience during the pandemic. Read more
Published: October 1, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Stanford GSB Internship – Helping Patients Vote Safely
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, we hear from Stanford GSB MBA student, Ben Ruxin, about his internship with VotER. Read on about his efforts to promote civic engagement, and how the Stanford GSB curriculum supported this endeavor. Read more
Published: September 24, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Kellogg’s Collaborative & Inclusive Approach to Hybrid Learning
Get a look inside the Kellogg MBA classroom! Alyssa Posklensky, Kellogg 1Y MBA, shares how fellow students and staff have been making the most of hybrid learning during COVID-19 conditions. A 1Y Shares Kellogg’s Collaborative & Inclusive Approach to Hybrid Learning By Alyssa Posklensky (1Y 2021) When I applied to business school last September, it certainly never crossed my mind that I’d start during a pandemic. I had chosen Kellogg’s One-Year accelerated MBA program (which spans from June to June) because I was not switching careers and wanted to get a top MBA without taking two years. Read more
Published: September 17, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Stern Students Help Small Businesses in NYC During the Pandemic
Come pandemic or citywide shutdown, NYU Stern MBA students still find ways to help their communities. Read on for Yilin Hai's (Stern MBA '21) account of Stern Works: Serve NYC. Read more
Published: September 10, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Building the Berkeley Haas Team Spirit
MBA students have been challenged to form connections in different ways due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aileen Lu, an MBA candidate at Berkeley Haas, shares how she teamed up with her new school community to build team spirit from a distance. Read more
Published: September 3, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Oxford MBAs Build Back Better
Get a glimpse of what Oxford MBA students have been doing to support struggling businesses during the pandemic in this edition of Fridays from the Frontline. Read more
Published: August 27, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Advice from a Dartmouth Tuck Partner
Let's shake off the COVID-19 isolation and enjoy tales of outdoor and student life at Dartmouth Tuck in the Upper Valley.  In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, Tuck Partner, Lita Madlang, shares her key takeaways from like as an MBA student's partner. Read more
Published: August 20, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: UCLA Anderson Internship – Day in the (Virtual) Life – Biogen
Internships are a hallmark of the MBA experience, enabling b-school students to gain real-world experience, rub elbows with company execs and—both literally and figuratively—get their foot in the door. But now, in the day and age of COVID-19, social distancing and office regulations mean many internships have moved online. In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, an MBA student at UCLA Anderson, Thea Whyte, shares a look inside her virtual summer internship. Day in the (Virtual) Life: Biogen By Thea Whyte, UCLA Anderson MBA ’21 Thea Whyte, UCLA Anderson MBA Read more
Published: August 13, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Johnson Faculty and Alumni Launch Investment Internship with the Cayuga Fund
COVID-19 has caused the upheaval of countless plans–one being summer internships for MBA students. In light of these challenges, the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business sought to create new opportunities for their students. In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, learn how some Johnson MBA students were able to enjoy investment internships during these unusual times. Johnson Faculty and Alumni Launch Investment Internship with the Cayuga Fund By Susan Hu, Center Coordinator, Parker Center for Investment Research, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business Early this year, the COVID-19 pandemic swept Read more
Published: August 6, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: GBC Fostering Community at Chicago Booth
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, we hear from Chicago Booth MBA student, David Noël, about how the Graduate Business Council has been supporting the spirit of the student community in these trying times. GBC Fostering Community at Booth By David Noël, Chicago Booth MBA ’20 Chicago Booth prides itself on the strength of its community. And while the transition to an all-virtual environment presented considerable challenges, it also created an opportunity to engage with each other in a way we haven’t had the opportunity to before. Though we had Read more
Published: July 30, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: How Do You Turn a Business Idea into a Real Business?
While the setting of this Fridays from the Frontline is Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, the question it explores is universal: How do you turn a business idea into a real business? Oxford MBA student, Jiaxian Shi, shares his journey to answer this question–what inspired him to attend Oxford Saïd, bridging the gap between ideas and reality, and more. How Do You Turn a Business Idea into a Real Business? Jiaxian Shi Oxford MBA ’19-’20 By Jiaxian Shi, Oxford MBA ’19-’20 This question haunted me long before Read more
Published: July 23, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Duke Fuqua Student Life Events Adapt to Social Distancing
MBA students continue to adapt under the social restrictions due to COVID-19. See how the Duke Fuqua student community has been maintaining their connection in this edition of Fridays from the Frontline. Read more
Published: July 16, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: NYU Stern’s Endless Frontier Labs of Endless Opportunity
When entrepreneurial business needs intersect with science and tech, NYU Stern MBA students can partake in the Endless Frontier Labs to strengthen their experience knowledge and abilities.  Learn more about the course in this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, as Wilson Keng, an MBA graduate of NYU Stern, shares his student experience with the program's Endless Frontier Labs. Read more
Published: July 9, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: 2020 Bollywood Bash Digital Dhamaka – Uniting a Community Over Zoom
Student members of the India Business Club at Northwestern Kellogg showcased how the school community is acclimating to the new virtual world with their online Bollywood Bash.  Read all about the fun cultural event in this edition of Fridays from the Frontline. Read more
Published: July 2, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: At Stanford GSB, Reimagining the News
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, Stanford GSB student, Judd Olanoff, introduces his entrepreneurial project, Storyist. Read on for how an MBA class inspired his idea, and how the Stanford GSB program helped him bring it to life. At Stanford GSB, Reimagining the News By Judd Olanoff, Stanford MBA ’20 Judd Olanoff, Stanford MBA ’20 “How many of you read The New York Times? The Wall Street Journal?” NYT editor and GSB lecturer Glenn Kramon begins his “Winning Writing” class by asking students what news they read. Fewer than half raise Read more
Published: June 25, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Student Perspectives – The Consortium at UCLA Anderson
This edition of Fridays from the Frontline highlights a valuable organization for diversity in business school: The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. Current MBA student at UCLA Anderson, Carmen Chávez, shares her story of the support and guidance she received through the Consortium. Student Perspectives: The Consortium at Anderson By Carmen Chávez, UCLA Anderson MBA ’21 A year ago, I started working with The Parker Career Management Center to prepare for The Consortium’s Orientation Program, or “OP” as it is commonly referred to, where I’d have the opportunity to Read more
Published: June 18, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: How Duke Fuqua Forged Ahead During the Pandemic
Current Duke MBA student, Sandeep Panda, took to Fuqua's student blog to share how the faculty and community have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Read on for Sandeep's story in this edition of Fridays from the Frontline. Read more

MBA Applywire

9
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
10
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).
7
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?
10
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 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!
November 20, 2024 11:49pm ET
Interview Invite to Berkeley / Haas
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 20, 2024
GMAT: 645
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Note:

Consortium
November 20, 2024 9:20pm ET
Interview Invite to Dartmouth / Tuck
Round: Round 1
Received via portal on September 04, 2024
GPA: 3.74
GRE: 311
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Tampa, FL
Note:

Applied early enough to guarantee interview.
November 20, 2024 9:19pm ET
Interview Invite to U. Washington / Foster
Round: Round 1
Received via email on October 31, 2024
GPA: 3.74
GRE: 313
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Tampa, FL
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