Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast

Latest Episodes:

MBA Wire Taps 430—337 GRE, 2.96 GPA. 327 GRE, 3.8 GPA. Booth vs Darden. Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing some of the recent activity on LiveWire, which includes some movements on wait lists. We then continued our discussion on the recent U.S. Government decisions as they pertain to international MBA students, and the consequences for U.S. citizens who remain on the summer waitlists. Graham then noted a deep dive article, published last week by Clear Admit, that summarizes the sequence of events that has led to where we are with international students seeking an MBA in the United States.

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s new summer series of webinars, which focuses on top MBA programs’ admissions essays, which will be attended by more than 20 of the top MBA programs. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/mbaessay0725

Graham then noted a new article, posted on Clear Admit, regarding a Stanford podcast episode which covers recent research that uses AI to investigate the source of innovation, investigating whether innovation generally comes from the center of a firm, or from its fringes. It appears to be the latter. Graham also highlighted an admissions tip that offers advice on evaluating campus facilities, atmosphere, and location at the top MBA programs. We have also begun our new series of Adcom Q&As, which is a yearly series where we interview the admissions leaders at all the top MBA programs; the first in this series is from Stephanie Kluth at ESMT Berlin.

Finally, Graham highlighted two Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Ohio State / Fisher working at Uber Freight, and Washington / Olin working at Google.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is a Canadian citizen, originally from South Asia. They have an engineering degree and have eight years of work experience, for the government. They have a GRE score of 337.

This week’s second MBA candidate has a 3.8 GPA, 327 GRE, and nearly five years of work experience. We think they might want to aim a little higher with their target programs.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Chicago / Booth and UVA / Darden with a scholarship.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

MBA Wire Taps 429—Part-time vs Full-time. Reapplying, from India. Judge vs LBS. Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the recent U.S. Government decisions as they pertain to international MBA students, and specifically those who are applying and are admitted to Harvard’s MBA program. Graham then discussed the recent Paris-based MBA admissions event he helped moderate, which brought 10 of the best U.S.-based MBA programs to Paris.

Graham noted three articles that have been recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on a program CMU / Tepper offers that places Tepper MBA students with non-profit boards in the Pittsburgh area. The second is a Fridays from the Frontlines article written by an NYU / Stern MBA student who participated in a Stern Signature Project that led to an experience in Brazil. Graham then highlighted an article that summarized many of the Commencement speakers for MBA programs this year.

Graham then noted two admissions tips. The first tip focuses on helping early-bird MBA candidates develop their target list of MBA programs; the second is a roundup of June MBA admissions events in which top business schools programs are participating.

Graham also highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from IESE working at American Express, UPenn / Wharton working at their own business, Groov, and Berkeley / Haas working at Google.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is targeting part-time MBA programs and is seeking to transition to big tech product management. We discussed whether a full-time MBA program would be a better option.

This week’s second MBA candidate is reapplying this season. They are from India and work in the public sector, although they have several gaps in their career history, to date.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Cambridge / Judge and London Business School.

MBA Wire Taps 428—From China, 675 GMAT. From Africa, 333 GRE. Columbia vs Yale. Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the recent events and activities in the news; specifically, we discussed the recent U.S. administration’s decisions around visa interviews for international MBA students. These are, frankly, very disturbing times, which can seriously harm the MBA experience at for all candidates at top MBA programs in the United States. We are hoping that good sense will prevail, in the near future.

Graham highlighted an admissions event he is helping to moderate in Paris this upcoming week, which includes ten of the top MBA programs from the United States. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/paristopmba

Graham noted three articles that have been recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on the costs of applying to Business School, from application fees to test prep, campus visits, and beyond. The second focuses on which top MBA programs allow for test waivers of the GMAT and GRE. This list appears to grow each season. Graham then highlighted a report from Forte which Clear Admit covered, that illustrates significant gender pay gap differentials.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from UNC / Kenan Flagler working at their own business, Grantease, Rice / Jones working at McKinsey, and Emory / Goizueta working at Morgan Stanley.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 675 GMAT and 3.5 GPA. They are from China, and we discussed whether they should apply in Round 1 or Round 2, and whether they should retake the GMAT.

This week’s second MBA candidate has outstanding numbers and is from Africa. We think they are likely to be a very strong candidate but need to work on their story and connect it to their goals.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Columbia and Yale, with a significant scholarship.

MBA Wire Taps 427—Entertainment goal, 695 GMAT. Consultant, no GMAT yet. Kellogg vs HBS. May 26, 2025

Show notes

In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the recent events and activities that Clear Admit has been involved in, including our MBA Fair in Boston, and online admissions events series that wrapped up last week. More than 600 attendees participated in our most recent virtual event, which included admissions representatives from UPenn / Wharton, Stanford, Texas / McCombs, Columbia and Yale SOM.

Graham noted two articles that have been recently published on Clear Admit. The first focuses on the different teaching methods that are used in top MBA programs. The second focuses on financial aid issues relevant to U.S.-based candidates, including FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Graham then highlighted two Real Numbers articles that focus on Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) and Health Care placements.

Graham highlighted five Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Yale SOM working at Amazon, IMD working at Disney, Cornell / Johnson working at Invenergy, UPenn / Wharton working at Aepnus Technology, and Chicago / Booth working at American Express.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 695 GMAT and 3.8 GPA. They are seeking a top MBA with goals to pivot to the entertainment industry.

This week’s second MBA candidate has not yet taken the GMAT, but everything else about their profile looks very strong. Their long-term goal is to develop a chain of dental practices.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Northwestern / Kellogg, with a significant scholarship, and Harvard. They want to work in venture capital or private equity.

MBA Wire Taps 426—Investment banker, 325 GRE. Argentinian Strategist. Booth vs Ross. May 19, 2025

Show notes

In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the Round 3 activity on LiveWire; interview invites and final decisions continue to roll out for this shortened application round; next week Chicago / Booth and Imperial Business School are scheduled to release final decisions.

Graham noted the Clear Admit promotion, where for every new entry we receive on DecisionWire, that maps out a candidate’s entire application journey, Clear Admit will donate $10 to the Forte Foundation.

Graham highlighted the remainder of Application Overview events series that will be hosted this week on Tuesday (Berkeley / Haas, UVA / Darden, Washington / Foster, UNC / Kenan Flagler, and Georgia Tech / Scheller) and Wednesday (Columbia, Stanford, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM, and Texas / Austin). Signups for those events are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Graham also mentioned an event on Thursday for London Business School’s One Year MBA program. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/lbs1year

Graham noted a deep-dive analysis article on MBA tech career placements for the most recent graduating classes. Not surprisingly, Big Tech placement has dropped off at most top MBA programs.

Graham highlighted two Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Duke / Fuqua working at EY-Parthenon, and UCLA / Anderson working at Google.

Finally, Graham noted the recently recorded podcast featuring the leader of career services at Georgetown / McDonough, talking about the triple jump - changing industries, functions and geographies.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate works in investment banking and is from Ghana. They have a 325 GRE score.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from Argentina and appears to have a very interesting profile, but their GRE score of 309 is going to be an issue. They plan to retake. We also think they should reconsider their school targeting.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Chicago / Booth and Michigan / Ross, with scholarship.

This episode was recorded in Boston, USA and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!

Episode 425–Making the Most of Your MBA: Career Paths, Pivots, and Possibilities May 13, 2025

Show notes

This special episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast is all about making the most of your MBA—the careers it unlocks, the pivots it enables, and the lifelong impact it can have on your professional journey. To unpack this important topic, host Graham Richmond is joined by an expert in the field: Christine Murray, Associate Dean for Career Services at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

MBA Wire Taps 424—First Gen, Civil Engineer. 337 GRE, 2.99 GPA. Johnson vs Darden. May 12, 2025

Show notes

In this week's MBA admissions podcast we began by discussing the Round 3 activity on LiveWire; interview invites and final decisions continue to roll out for this shortened application round; next week UPenn / Wharton, Northwestern / Kellogg, IESE, MIT / Sloan, Yale SOM, Minnesota / Carlson, Columbia, Washington / Foster, UCLA / Anderson and Washington / Olin are scheduled to release final decisions.

Graham noted a new Clear Admit promotion, where for every new entry we receive on DecisionWire, that maps out a candidate’s entire application journey, Clear Admit will donate $10 to the Forte Foundation.

Graham then highlighted Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on Wednesday. This event includes panel discussions, one of which is focused on Consulting hiring and is led by Bain. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend, along with London Business School. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

The remainder of Application Overview events series will then be hosted, virtually, on May 20 and 21. Signups for those events are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25

Graham noted two articles recently published on Clear Admit. The first covers the broad topic regarding what you can do with an MBA, looking at post MBA careers. The second article is a deep-dive research piece that examines placement statistics of the top MBA programs, for those seeking an MBA for their entrepreneurial ambitions. It’s no surprise that Harvard and Stanford top the list of programs that future entrepreneurs join.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from HEC / Paris who established a Search Fund, Washington / Olin working at Applied Materials, and Ohio State / Fisher working at Bank of America.

Finally, Graham discussed a forthcoming podcast featuring the leader of career services at Georgetown / McDonough.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is an engineer who is now working in the renewable energy space. They have a 3.57 GPA and need to retake the GRE.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from Canada, and is also an engineer, working in Toronto. They have nine years of experience, and a 337 GRE.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Cornell / Johnson, UVA / Darden and Michigan / Ross, and is seeking a career in investment banking.

MBA Wire Taps 423—695 GMAT, in Australia. Targeting 330 GRE, in India. Booth vs Haas. May 05, 2025

Show notes

In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the Round 3 activity on LiveWire; interview invites and final decisions continue to roll out for this shortened application cycle; next week Emory / Goizueta, Berkeley / Haas and Duke / Fuqua are scheduled to release final decisions.

Graham noted a new Clear Admit survey, where we are trying to understand the issues and concerns that international students may have, with regards to coming to the United States for an MBA. The survey link is here: https://bit.ly/mba25usa

Graham highlighted Clear Admit’s Application Overview May series of events that begin this week on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday’s event includes Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, INSEAD, London Business School and Michigan / Ross. The remainder of events in this series will be hosted on May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Sandwiched in the middle of this series is Clear Admit’s MBA admissions fair in Boston, on May 14th. This event includes panel discussions, one of which is focused on Consulting hiring and is led by Bain. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend, along with London Business School. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham noted three articles recently published on Clear Admit. The first details the best laptops for MBAs as they plan to begin their program. The second article is part of Clear Admit’s Real Numbers series and looks at the percentage of MBA students who go into Consulting after business school. The final article is a deep-dive research piece that examines placement statistics of the top US MBA programs, by geography. This helps us understand the regional nature of many of the leading MBA programs.

Graham highlighted five Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Michigan / Ross working at PepsiCo, Emory / Goizueta working at Accenture, IESE working at BCG, Irvine / Merage working at Disney, and Columbia working at their own company, Small Bear.

Finally, Graham discussed a recently published podcast episode about careers and impressive growth at SMU Cox with Shelly Heinrich.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 695 GMAT score and a strong GPA. They are working in Australia and received their undergraduate degree from New Zealand.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from India and has 8 years of work experience. They are targeting a 330 on the GRE and have extensive experience building online communities.

The final MBA candidate is deciding between Chicago / Booth and Berkeley / Haas. They are seeking a career in tech.

MBA Wire Taps 422— Peruvian female, 675 GMAT. 330 GRE, from Central Asia. Tepper vs Wait. Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the Round 3 activity on LiveWire; interview invites continue to roll out for this shortened application round; next week several schools are scheduled to release final decisions.

Graham noted Clear Admit’s Application Overview May series of events. These online events will be hosted on May 6 and 7, and May 20 and 21. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/appoverview25 Already, we have hundreds of signups for each event! Sandwiched in the middle of this series is Clear Admit’s MBA Fair in Boston, on May 14th. This event includes panel discussions, one of which is focused on Consulting hiring and is led by Bain. Twenty-four of the top 25 U.S.-based MBA programs are planning to attend, along with London Business School. Signups for this event are here: https://bit.ly/mbafair2025

Graham noted two finance-related articles that were recently published on Clear Admit. The first looks at the number and percentage of students who go into finance from each of the top programs. The second article does a deeper dive into buy-side finance and elite finance careers. Graham then noted an admissions tip, focused on pre-MBA coursework, which may be necessary for those with less traditional undergraduate degrees, or those who need to “repair” their transcript.

Graham highlighted three Real Humans alumni spotlights, alums from Berkeley / Haas working at Morgan Stanley, Rice / Jones working at energyRe and Washington / Foster working at Amazon.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry.

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate has a 675 GMAT score and a strong GPA. They are from Peru and working in Chile. They have six years of work experience, which does include a five-month gap.

This week’s second MBA candidate is from Central Asia, now working in Dubai. They have a 330 GRE score, but we are unsure how strong their academic experience has been.

The final MBA candidate has an offer from CMU / Tepper and is on the waitlist at several other top MBA programs. They are debating whether they should take the Tepper option, if not admitted from the waitlists, or reapply next season.

Episode 421: The SMU Cox MBA–Careers, Connections, and the Power of the Texas Economy Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

This special episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast is about an innovative business school making waves in Texas - the SMU Cox School of Business. As corporations flock to the Lone Star State and big markets like Dallas experience serious growth, SMU has been on the frontlines capitalizing on these opportunities. To dig deeper into careers, connections and the power of the Texas economy, we welcome Shelly Heinrich, the Senior Assistant Dean of Career Management and Graduate Admissions at SMU Cox.

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