Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast

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MBA Wire Taps 280—Difficult personal story. 770 GMAT, off to MBB. Product manager at fintech unicorn. Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back to another jam-packed episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast! This week's show kicks off with some discussion the activity on MBA LiveWire, where a few interview invites continue to trickle out, but that part of the season is slowing to make way for news of admissions decisions. Speaking of decisions, this week, Duke / Fuqua, CMU / Tepper and Oxford / Said will be releasing admissions results - with other schools following suit over the course of the month. Beyond school updates, Graham highlighted an admissions tip that Clear Admit published on the topic of background checks of admitted candidates. Alex and Graham also discussed the new series of 'Real Humans Alumni', which last week featured an alum of LBS who is an entrepreneur and an alum from Chicago / Booth who is now at Microsoft. Graham then highlighted a careers-related article that shows how top MBA programs are concentrating more of their careers-related recruiting at four top employers: McKinsey, Bain, BCG and Amazon. Alex and Graham discussed not only the trend, but speculated as to whether or not it will persist. As usual, this episode features three candidate profiles, sourced from ApplyWire entries: This week's first candidate is applying next season, and has faced a truly difficult pathway to get to where they are today, working as an associate in asset management. Their work experience looks strong, although they have now been working for 11 years, which is well north of the average MBA student. They are very active in their community, helping at-risk youth. They still need to take the GMAT, but we hope they can perform very well, and target elite programs. This week's second candidate is a deferred enrollment candidate, currently completing their masters degree. They have an offer to work at MBB after graduation. They also started two businesses during their undergraduate experience, and have a super GMAT of 770. The final candidate for this week's WireTaps is from the Philippines and also has Canadian citizenship. They appear to have a strong career, they are currently a product manager at a fintech unicorn. Their GPA appears to be low on the US scale, but they graduated in the top 20% of their class. Their GMAT is 710, so slightly lower than the average of the programs they are targeting. Alex and Graham hope they give the test one more try. This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us!

MBA Wire Taps 279—Pakistani failed entrepreneur. Architect with sustainability focus. Military with nuclear experience. Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

This episode kicks off with a discussion of all of the interview invites popping up on MBA LiveWire (and a focus on MIT / Sloan). While all of the big 'single release interview invitation' schools have now passed, programs that follow more of a rolling invite process will still be releasing a few invites in the week or two ahead. In other news, Graham highlighted a recently released podcast episode which focused on GMAC’s new Business Fundamentals program. This program helps candidates prepare for their MBA experience, much like MBA Math and HBS CORe. Graham also highlighted Clear Admit’s recently re-published interview tip focused on the seven hardest MBA interview questions. Your hosts then weighed in on the employment report from INSEAD. Like LBS, the median salary falls a little below their peer programs in the U.S., but this is largely a function of the geographies into which these programs are placing candidates. Alex points out that INSEAD is strong for Consulting, as reflected in the fact that 53% of their most recent graduating classes selected that industry. Alex and Graham then shifted the conversation to programs that are showing a good degree of agility in this uncertain economy; Michigan / Ross and Texas / McCombs have added fourth round deadlines. This episode features three candidate profile reviews, sourced from ApplyWire entries: This week's first candidate is targeting the late rounds this season, which Alex and Graham think might prove a little challenging for several of the programs they are targeting. The applicant is from Pakistan, has an excellent GRE of 332, but a more modest GPA. It appears that they have very strong and quite interesting work experience. Alex and Graham debated about whether they would have better options if they targeted Round 1 next season. Up next, this week's second candidate has a career as an architect underway, following a masters in that field. With another strong GRE (329), Alex and Graham really like their experience and their goals (even if those goals may benefit from some further polishing). This applicant also appears to have strong extra curriculars, which further helps them standout. The final candidate this week also appears to have an exceptional profile: 740 GMAT with a 3.66 GPA in Chemical Engineering. Their military career has focused on nuclear engineering. Just so much to like...although Alex and Graham did question their goal to transition to private equity. This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by Dennis Crowley in chilly Philadelphia, USA. Please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us!

MBA Wire Taps 278—Media and Entertainment, from HYP. Sustainability guy seeks asset mgmt. M&A lawyer from India Feb 20, 2023

Show notes

This episode of the Clear Admit podcast kicks off with a discussion about the flurry of activity on MBA LiveWire, which includes a good volume of interview invites (UPenn / Wharton added to the numbers this week), as well as a few waitlist admits. Alex and Graham then had a decent discussion regarding the Financial Times’s 2023 MBA Global rankings. Three basic themes were discussed: Columbia’s first #1 place, Wharton’s absence, and your hosts' overall dislike of ordinal rankings (and the additional issues of trying to merge global programs into a single ranking). Graham highlighted two pieces from the Clear Admit site - a Valentine’s Day piece that focused on the issues of applying to business school as a couple, and an interview tip that highlights the five most common questions in an MBA admissions interview. We then discussed London Business School’s Class of 2022 employment report. They have a lower starting salary than their peer programs in the U.S., and it appears that more graduates are finding work in the U.K. rather than the wider Europe, which is likely a Brexit effect. That all said, LBS does very well with recruiters at leading companies like McKinsey, Bain and BCG. Finally, Graham highlighted an event we are hosting this Wednesday with current students at top programs including Berkeley / Haas, Chicago / Booth and SMU / Cox. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/rhstudentslive This episode features three candidate reviews, taken from three ApplyWire entries: The first candidate has a really interesting background in media and entertainment. They have a strong GPA from "HYP" (Harvard, Yale or Princeton) and are seeking an MBA to transition to consulting (in the short term). They are targeting next season, and Alex and Graham think if they really do well on the GMAT and show decent quant skills overall, they should be aiming high. Alex and Graham also point out that Wharton is notably absent from their target list of programs. This week's second candidate graduated from Penn State with a 3.21. They have a GRE of 322, so both numbers fall a little below the median for the target programs they’ve selected. They have completed the CFA, and appear to have strong work experience, so Alex and Graham are hoping for some interview invites. Because they might want to target Denver post MBA, we discussed the importance of identifying programs that have a decent network in Denver. This week's final candidate is an M&A lawyer in India. They are targeting next season, and are looking at top European-based MBA programs. They seek to transition to VC/PE, which may be a tough pivot, especially if looking at one year programs. Alex and Graham stress the importance of acing the GMAT, showing strong quantitative scores, and applying in the first rounds. This candidate should be aiming high. This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us!

Episode 275: Prepare for Your MBA with Business Fundamentals from GMAC Feb 17, 2023

Show notes

Are you ready for the academic rigor of an MBA program? Is your academic profile up to par for even scoring an acceptance letter? This special edition of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast covers a potential avenue to success in applying to and being a student in business school: the new Business Fundamentals programming from GMAC. Here to dig into the program is Ana Kyper, the Senior Director of GME Prep and Readiness at the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). We also hear from Chad Upchurch, who recently took a Business Fundamentals course and is currently an EMBA student at Texas McCombs.

MBA Wire Taps 277—Colombian in real estate. Deferred enrollment candidate. Government experience, next season. Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

This episode once again kicks off with a look at the latest interview invites popping up on MBA LiveWire. Alex and Graham then talk about how they anticipate seeing UPenn / Wharton invites this upcoming week, as well as those for MIT / Sloan. Graham also highlighted a recently published interview tip that discusses the differences between a resume-based interview and an application-based interview. Graham and Alex then discussed the recently published article on finance careers, with a “hat tip” to Wharton for leading the way in venture capital recruits. Your hosts also discussed a Real Humans piece focused on six current Wharton MBA students; it's really required reading for anyone considering Wharton. Graham also highlighted a piece by a Tuck student about an event organized by Columbia regarding business in Africa. A good example of the cooperation among leading MBA programs. Finally, Graham highlighted a virtual event we are hosting with current students at top programs including Berkeley / Haas, Wharton / UPenn, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Chicago / Booth, and SMU / Cox. Register here: https://bit.ly/rhstudentslive As usual, this episode features three candidate profile reviews, in this instance taken from three ApplyWire entries. Our first candidate is from Colombia and works in real estate and construction. Alex and Graham like those aspects of their profile. The candidate have a 321 GRE (wish it was a little higher) and a 3.15 GPA (which will be below average). The latter is complemented by a graduate degree GPA of 3.65. They’re applying in Rounds 2 and 3, and have received an interview invite from Michigan / Ross. Fingers crossed! This week's second candidate is applying as an undergraduate to deferred enrolment programs. Alex thinks they should reduce their target school list and only apply to the top programs, for now. They can always reapply in several years’ time. Alex and Graham like their internship experience, they are an under-represented candidate, and their GMAT is at 700. Some very decent potential overall. Wiretaps candidate #3 is originally from Africa, but has been in the United States for most of their life. They have a longer set of work experience, as well as a masters degree. They have not taken the GMAT yet, and are targeting next season. We are hoping to see a GMAT above 700, and really like their profile, overall. WireTaps is recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It is produced and engineered by Dennis Crowley in glorious West Philadelphia. Thanks for listening and stay safe everyone!

MBA Wire Taps 276—Over-represented presents challenges. Interesting background, in sales. Kellogg versus Haas and Ross Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

This week's episode kicks off with a quick rundown of the recent interview invite activity on MBA LiveWire. Many programs are starting to release their Round 2 invites; last week included releases from Harvard, Michigan / Ross and Duke / Fuqua, while programs like Stanford continue to “trickle” out their decisions. Interview prep for Round 2 candidates is now critical, and we recently released a new podcast that focuses on the UPenn / Wharton TBD interview. Beyond interview-related news, Graham highlighted the recently published 2023 online MBA rankings from U.S. News. The results were mostly consistent with last year, but your hosts wondered why Ross languishes outside the top ten. Alex and Graham also discussed the latest employment report from Texas / McCombs. Like many top programs, the school is seeing a small contraction in tech recruiting. It is also interesting to note that about 70% of McCombs grads stay in Texas immediately after their MBA. Graham then discussed an article on the state of the Finance industry as it relates to MBA opportunities. Alex highlighted the importance of not just focusing on percentages, when looking at the strength of alumni networks in key sectors like Venture Capital. Graham also highlighted a Real Humans piece on UVA / Darden. Finally, Graham mentinoed several events that Clear Admit is hosting, including the second deferred enrolment program event this Wednesday, https://bit.ly/defer23 (which includes Harvard), an event we are hosting with current students at top programs, https://bit.ly/rhstudentslive and an AMA with Irvine / Merage https://bit.ly/meragelivechat As usual, this episode features three real candidate profiles - two from ApplyWire entries and one from a DecisionWire entry: This week's first candidate is likely from an over-represented applicant population, and Alex and Graham wonder if applying in Round 2 and 3 this season will give them their best set of options. They are working in operations at a hedge fund, in India. Their counting stats are decent (710 / 3.81) but the GMAT doesn’t really stand out. They also are not heavily involved in current outside activities (despite having been more active in college). Alex and Graham are hoping for the best, but worry that they may need to think about reapplying in the next season, targeting Round 1. This week's second candidate has a very interesting profile with decent numbers. They work in sales in the technology space, so we are hoping there’s enough there to warrant access to top programs. The final candidate for this episode is weighing offers from Northwestern / Kellogg (1 year program), Berkeley / Haas, and Michigan / Ross (with a scholarship). They want to transition to consulting, and Alex makes a strong case for Ross in this instance. This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by Dennis Crowley in West Philadelphia. Thanks for tuning in, and best of luck to all awaiting admissions decisions!

Episode 274: Tips for the Wharton Team-Based Discussion (TBD) Jan 31, 2023

Show notes

Stand out in your Wharton Team-Based Discussion (TBD) interview with these tips from former Wharton admissions reps and experts, Graham Richmond and Alex Brown. Alex and Graham walk through this year's TBD prompt, what Wharton is looking for, how to handle your fellow teammates and more. If you want to succeed in your Wharton MBA interview, tune in now!

MBA Wire Taps 273—Strong profile, GMAT worry. Targeting Johnson and Stern. Wharton versus Yale and money Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of WireTaps, Alex and Graham discuss the flurry of interview invites popping up on MBA LiveWire. Many programs are starting to release their Round 2 invites - and some appear to be earlier than last season. Graham highlighted the renewal of Dartmouth Tuck’s Dean’s tenure, as well as the s school's decision to waive the GMAT for recently laid-off tech workers; your hosts discussed the implications of that latter decision, which is a tactic that several programs are adopting. Graham also commented on a recently published piece that looks at trends in tech recruiting (we are clearly seeing the down slope of what might have been a bubble). Your hosts then discussed a recently published piece on the cost of European MBA programs, where there is quite a broad range in price. Graham then reminded listeners about the two deferred enrolment events that Clear Admit is hosting this Wednesday and then on February 8. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/defer23 For this episode's candidate reviews, Alex selected two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry: The first candidate reviewed is targeting next season. She has a very interesting profile, with a strong focus on data analytics. Her academic record also looks very strong. Her big concern is the GMAT test, which she hasn’t taken, but is nervous about as she claims to be a poor standardized test taker. Alex and Graham discussed the implications of this, and how things might be if she had a GMAT score of 650 vs. 700+. This week's second candidate looks to have a decent career in financial services and is awaiting word from Cornell / Johnson and NYU / Stern on R2 applications. Alex and Graham worry about the combination of a 700 GMAT score and 3.2 GPA (an international degree). Despite these concerns, your hosts are keeping their fingers crossed for interview invites. This week's final candidate is taken from a DecisionWire entry. The lucky applicant is debating between offers from UPenn / Wharton and Yale (with a large scholarship). They are focused on entrepreneurship and there are potentially good reasons to choose either option... This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced in 'always sunny' Philadelphia by Dennis Crowley. Please remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen and to 'stay safe everybody'!

MBA Wire Taps 272—Cybersecurity candidate, needs to ace GMAT. Online gaming interest, 760 GMAT. Wharton vs Columbia, for tech in NYC Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

WireTaps kicks off this week with a timely discussion about the importance of interview preparation for those candidates entering that phase of the MBA admissions cycle (this included a conversation about Clear Admit’s free Interview Archive: https://www.clearadmit.com/category/interview-reports/). Graham then highlighted the employment reports recently published for Stanford and Cornell / Johnson. Both programs are offering impressive numbers from last season. The challenge to business schools this season will be how to replicate these strong numbers in the less favorable economy that we are now experiencing. Graham also highlighted a recent Clear Admit article that focuses on the decline in the tech sector for MBA job seekers; this led to some discussion about whether or not this news portends a more challenging time across the board for the Class of 2023. Before getting into this week's candidate reviews, Graham mentioned the two deferred enrolment events that Clear Admit is hosting on February 1 and February 8. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/defer23 This week's featured candidates were sourced from two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry: First up, an early-bird candidate who appears to have a very interesting military background with a focus on cyber security. They worry about their undergraduate record (3.04 in Electrical and Computer Engineering) and are taking steps to mitigate that. As part of that, they need to target a very strong GMAT score. That said, Alex and Graham love the overall profile, and think there might be options at the very best programs when this candidate applies next season. This week's second candidate has a super GMAT of 760. They have an accounting degree with a 3.23 GPA (slight concern) and a CPA. They also have a passion for online gaming, which may shape their long term goal, and Alex and Graham think this might be an interesting aspect of their profile to set them apart. Along those lines, your hosts did wonder why USC / Marshall is not a target program. Finally, this week's final candidate review comes from a DecisionWire post where a lucky applicant is debating between offers at UPenn / Wharton, Columbia and MIT / Sloan. They want a large network, which favors Wharton and Columbia, and they want to be in New York City, post MBA, in tech or early stage VC. Comments on the site leaned towards Wharton, but the applicant may need to wait to see if Columbia will offer them scholarship... This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced and engineered in Philadelphia by the incredibly hard-working, always reliable Dennis Crowley (shout-out to Dennis's dad, who Dennis credits with instilling in him these traits). Please remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen and to 'stay safe everybody'!

MBA Wire Taps 271—Private Equity to Asset Management. Entrepreneurial ambitions with a Search fund. Fuqua versus Haas and Kenan Flagler, for Investment Banking. Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

This week’s episode kicks off with a quick discussion around the last of the Round 2 application deadlines for top programs (MIT / Sloan have a deadline this Wednesday). Graham and Alex also touched upon the fact LiveWire is starting to see one or two programs release early interview invites for Round 2, CMU / Tepper seems to be leading the way in this regard. It is also worth noting that Duke / Fuqua has added an extra deadline for this season, while UVA Darden have made their final round 'rolling'; is this a sign of deflated application volumes? Alex also noted that Goldman Sachs has announced a round of lay-offs; they join several leading tech forms that have also announced lay-offs in recent months. Your hosts then discussed the potential implications of a less steady job market in terms of the ROI of the MBA. Graham highlighted the return of the Real Numbers series from Clear Admit, kicking off with looking at tuition costs at the top programs. Graham then reminded listeners about two deferred enrollment events that Clear Admit is hosting on February 1 and February 8. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/defer23 For this week's candidate profile reviews, Alex chose two ApplyWire entries and one DecisionWire entry: First up, Graham introduces a very solid candidate for top programs: he has a 730 GMAT, 3.67 GPA and solid banking and private equity experience. He is looking to transition from PE to Asset Management, and Alex and Graham like the switch, but hope there’s enough to differentiate his profile from some other very good, but similar, candidates. This week's second candidate has an ambitious goal of establishing a Search Fund straight after the MBA. We discussed some of the implications of that goal, and while we believe they have great work experience to date, we worry their numbers (320/3.2) in combination may hold them back, for now - even if they have completed MBA Math. This week's final candidate is debating admissions offers from Berkeley / Haas, Duke / Fuqua and UNC / Kenan Flagler (all with scholarships of varying amounts). They are looking to do investment banking, and are an international student. We think it boils down to the geographic preferences and IB placements, and lean towards Fuqua in this case. This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the amazingly talented Dennis Crowley in West Philadelphia. Please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen. Best of luck to everyone applying!

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