Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 190: Admissions Director Q&A—Emily Haydon of Northwestern Kellogg Oct 07, 2021

Show notes

Hear directly from Kellogg MBA admissions in this podcast episode of our Admissions Director Q&A with Emily Haydon, Interim Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Episode 189: Wire Taps—College Athletes, RankingsWire Debut Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

Despite the chilly rains sweeping through England and France over the past few days, Alex and Graham bring a particularly sunny disposition to WireTaps this week. They kick things off with a breakdown of the incoming class profiles at Ross and Stern, do a bit of promo for the Clear Admit Interview Guides and for the final essay workshop for the fall (featuring admissions directors from Stanford, Chicago Booth, NYU Stern, LBS, INSEAD and slated for this Wednesday at 12 pm ET)! Sign up here: https://bit.ly/essayeventseries In terms of candidate profiles, this week, two college athletes try to counteract their subpar undergrad GPAs and wonder if a stellar GMAT result or a fantastic GPA from a master's program will do the trick. Also, for the first time, Alex and Graham review a post to our new tool, MBA RankingsWire, breaking down a user submission by request. This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced by Dennis Crowley mere blocks away from the 'Rocky Steps' in sunny Philadelphia. Please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen. You can also contact your hosts at info@clearadmit.com if you'd like to share your thoughts, questions, life decisions, or MLB World Series tickets. Thanks for listening!

Episode 188: Admissions Director Q&A—Donna Swinford of Chicago Booth Sep 29, 2021

Show notes

Applying to Chicago Booth for your MBA? Get insights on admissions, essays, interviews and more at the leading b-school in this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A series with Donna Swinford, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions at Booth.

Episode 187: Wire Taps—Aiming High Enough and Putting Your Best Foot Forward Sep 27, 2021

Show notes

Alex and Graham kick off this week's episode with some talk of Yale interview invites and a breakdown of Columbia's Class of 2023 profile. They also remind listeners about a new social tool on the site that is not yet fully live, but is looking for users to test drive: www.cleradmit.com/rankingswire (try it!). In terms of the candidates profiled, two themes emerge this week: the importance of putting your absolute best foot forward - even if that means sitting an exam (again), and the need for candidates to aim high and leave nothing on the table, so to speak. This week's cast of characters include a Brazilian female with amazing experience but some GPA concerns, an African American male with highly differentiated work experience but questions about his GRE results, and a healthcare IT professional who is hoping to secure a GMAT waiver...but may be at a disadvantage as a result. This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced by the tireless Dennis Crowley in the City of Brotherly Love. Please remember to rate and review the show wherever you listen, and to tell everyone you know that WireTaps is the best podcast you have ever encountered! Or at least that you like it.

Episode 186: Wire Taps—Is 700 Enough?, ORM or URM?, GPA Repairs Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

Before diving into profile reviews of another group of interesting MBA candidates, Alex and Graham take a deep dive into some of the recently released rankings. First up is the US News & World Report undergraduate college and universities rankings - where our hosts debate the importance of undergraduate pedigree in the MBA application process. Then, Alex and Graham turn their attention to the Bloomberg BusinessWeek MBA rankings while attempting to understand how on earth Wharton landed at #9, among other quirks. The two also unveil a new rankings-related tool that can secretly be found in beta mode here: www.clearadmit.com/rankingswire (check it out!). As to this week's candidates, there are admissions lessons abound regarding GMAT retakes, how American women of Indian descent are viewed (ORM vs. URM?), and whether or not a 3.0 GPA necessitates some transcript repair efforts. Finally, don't forget to join our essay workshops this month - featuring admissions staff from the likes of Berkeley, Stanford, Chicago, Columbia, Michigan, LBS, INSEAD and many more! Sign up here: https://bit.ly/essayeventseries. This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced in West Philadelphia at 'The Other Philadelphia Zoo' by the talented Dennis Crowley. Please remember to rate, review, and rave about this podcast!

Episode 185: Wire Taps—R1 Sanity Check, PhD to MBA, Startup Goals Sep 13, 2021

Show notes

This week's episode answers several key questions; ranging from the mundane (Is Alex's local pub back up and operating and does he tend to go there BEFORE or AFTER recording WireTaps?) to the more practical (Can one pitch an adcom on goals that involve launching a startup? Can a PhD get into b-school?). The episode kicks off with a deep dive into a military candidate's profile just as he's about to hit 'submit' on R1 apps. Then, Alex and Graham review an scientist's chances of moving from the lab to the c-suite. And finally, this week's third candidate has held three jobs in less than 5 years and is wondering how to weave things together while simultaneously pitching some entrepreneurial plans for post-MBA. Please don't forget to sign up for our whole slate of upcoming events, including one for career switchers this Wednesday (https://bit.ly/careerswitchmba) and several for those still looking at essay questions for this application season (https://bit.ly/essayeventseries). This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced by the incredibly patient Dennis Crowley in Will Smith's West Philadelphia. Please remember to rate and review the show wherever you listen! You can also email Graham and Alex by writing to info@clearadmit.com, using the subject line WireTaps.

Episode 184: Wire Taps—Humility, Ambition, and Corroboration Sep 06, 2021

Show notes

In this week's episode, Alex and Graham offer advice to three new MBA applicants. One has a winding career path and low GPA to address. Another with a history in professional dance wants to continue her impressive career growth in VC, but may face hurdles coming from an over-represented demographic. Finally, a candidate in family business needs to reconcile a second recommender. Don't forget to sign up for our whole slate of upcoming events, including one for career switchers (https://bit.ly/careerswitchmba) and several for those looking at essay questions for R2 application (https://bit.ly/essayeventseries). This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced by the tireless Dennis Crowley in leafy West Philadelphia. Please remember to rate and review the show wherever you listen! You can also email Graham and Alex by writing to info@clearadmit.com, using the subject line WireTaps.

Episode 183: Wire Taps—High Bars and Vaulting to Success Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

This week, Alex and Graham connect for another 'transatlantic' episode of WireTaps, as Graham wraps up some US travels. Before the two hosts tackle the usual WireTaps stuff, Alex puts Graham on the spot to weigh in on the classic essay / interview question that asks applicants to talk about "someone you admire". Later, Graham highlights a whole slate of upcoming events, including one for career switchers (https://bit.ly/careerswitchmba) and several for those looking at essay questions for R2 application (https://bit.ly/essayeventseries). As to this week's featured applicants, they once again run the gamut from a stellar candidate with impressive numbers and healthcare entrepreneurship goals to a former professional gymnast and decorated coach, to an early-bird looking to stand out in a potentially crowded pool. This episode was recorded in Philadelphia, USA and Cornwall, England. It was produced by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in glorious West Philadelphia. Please remember to rate and review the show wherever you listen! You can also email Graham and Alex by writing to info@clearadmit.com, using the subject line WireTaps.

Episode 182: Admissions Director Q&A—Dawna Levenson of MIT Sloan Aug 26, 2021

Show notes

Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean of Admissions at the MIT Sloan School of Management, digs into MBA admissions at the leading business school in our latest podcast episode of our Admissions Director Q&A series.

Episode 181: Wire Taps—Gaps in Employment, A Non-Traditional ORM, An Infantry Early Bird Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

Graham and Alex are back this week to advise three more MBA hopefuls. From China to the U.S. military, one applicant hopes to return to CSR consulting but has to explain a substantial gap in employment. Another applicant moved from India to Canada and has a wealth of policy experience but wonders if they are still an ORM. Finally, an army infantry officer looking several years ahead to business school has struggled to translate their practice GMAT scores to the final test and wonders how to best prepare for application. Beyond these profiles and the important admissions lessons born out of their specific challenges, Graham and Alex also preview an upcoming Admission Director Q&A podcast and talk about some special events scheduled for September (https://bit.ly/essayeventseries). This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Lake Harmony, PA. It was produced by Dennis Crowley in West Philadelphia. Please remember to tip your server, and to rate and review this podcast!

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