After you've celebrated the huge achievement of getting into an MBA program, then you have to figure out how you're going to pay for it. This episode focuses on the details of paying for your MBA with your own money, with "free" money, or with loaned money. It also includes what the FAFSA is used for and what your program's financial aid office can assist with.
This is a replay of our MOST popular episode. SBC admissions consultant Erika Olson interviews her past client Nick, who is about to graduate from HBS. Nick was admitted to both Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business, and shares what he thinks made his MBA journey such a successful one. (This interview took place on April 7, 2020.)
It's our 100th episode! For this milestone, we've invited journalist Francesca Di Meglio—who’s reported on MBA programs for 20 years—to share her insights on what’s changed most over time … and what those trends mean for MBA students and applicants today.
My Consulting Offer CEO and former Bain consultant Davis Nguyen returns to the podcast to share insight on consulting interviews and recent trends he's seen in the industry when it comes to MBA hiring.
My Consulting Offer CEO and Bain alum Davis Nguyen gives an overview of both the consulting industry and consulting careers for MBA graduates.
Erika and her SBC colleague, Dawn Clare, discuss misconceptions about what it takes to get into Harvard Business School, as well as HBS-related questions we're often asked by the applicants we work with. Dawn also shares some inspirational life and career advice based on her own experiences.
Curious about how an online MBA works? In this episode, SBC's online MBA expert Bill covers the structure of these programs, how they are both similar to and different from full- or part-time programs, what the "typical" online MBA student profile is, and a few downsides to earning your degree online.
For MBA hopefuls, getting waitlisted after months of hard work can be devastating and demoralizing. But one of the worst things you can do after getting such news is to overreact and ruin your chances of eventually getting in. This week’s episode covers the most important things you should do—and not do—to improve your standing when waitlisted.
This episode takes a deep dive into the most common type of MBA interview: the behavioral interview.
It can be devastating to receive a ding after months of hard work on your MBA applications. This episode focuses on what a ding from any given program may or may not mean, and also gives advice on how you might choose to move forward.
After you've been admitted to an MBA program, it's very likely the program you decide to attend will perform a background check on you. This freaks a lot of applicants out, but really, is there anything to worry about with this process? This episode explains what exactly the background check will cover, what can be a red flag in your materials, and what you can do to head off issues.
This is the second of a two-episode arch discussing the Stacy Blackman Consulting team's thoughts on MBA rankings, the differences between the "top" schools and the next tier, and what's most important for applicants to factor in when making decisions on where to apply.
Do MBA rankings matter? Are there real differences between the "top" schools and the next tier? The Stacy Blackman Consulting team had A LOT of thoughts on these topics, so over the course of two episodes we'll be covering what applicants should keep in mind when considering business school rankings, as well as what's most important to factor in when making decisions on where to apply.
While there are deferred-admissions programs for MBA hopefuls who are still in college, is it possible for someone with just 1 or 2 years of work experience to get into an MBA program "the normal way"? It's not impossible, but it's pretty rare. This episode explains why, and gives advice for MBA applicants who are less than 3 years out of college.
Round 2 deadlines are approaching -- are you ready? This episode gives advice on what MBA applicants should focus on in the remaining days before their materials are due.
If you're more than 5 or 6 years out of college, or well into your 30s, do you have any hope of being admitted into an MBA program? Yes you do, but your journey won't be without its challenges. This episode focuses on several things you MUST communicate in your materials if you're an older-than-average MBA applicant.
A former Kellogg adcom director and current member of the SBC admissions consulting team shares magnificent insight into the multiple MBA programs at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
As we continue with our series of program-spotlight episodes, next up is the Jones School at Rice University. This week, our host Erika talks with Lisa, an SBC admissions consultant who was formerly the Director of Admissions at Jones. Lisa shares a lot of wonderful insight on the Rice community; what Jones is looking for in applicants’ essays and interviews; and nearly convinces Erika to move to Houston after running through everything the city and its surrounding areas can offer its students a...
If you want to be on Team Fuqua, this week’s episode is for you! It’s jam-packed with insider information from Sherry, a member of our SBC admissions consulting team who’s a former member of Duke’s Fuqua School of Business admissions committee. Sherry gives advice for each of Fuqua’s essays, and shares invaluable insight on several aspects of the curriculum, campus life and what students like to do in the surrounding Durham, North Carolina, area.
This week, two former Booth adcom members (and current SBC admissions consultants) share their insights on what is unique about University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, what Booth's adcom is looking for, and what student life is like both in and outside of the classroom.
If you're interested in the University of Texas Austin McCombs School of Business, this is a can't-miss episode! Erika interviews Rodrigo Malta, Managing Director, MBA Recruiting and Admissions at McCombs, who gives extremely insightful advice and information for aspiring MBAs.
A Tuck MBA who previously worked with Tuck admissions shares insight about the program; about the benefits of Dartmouth's Hanover, New Hampshire, campus location; and about what Tuck applicants can do to set themselves apart.
Erika talks once again with Anthony Penna, a fellow SBC admissions consultant who spent 10 years with the Wharton School in Career Management and as Associate Director of Admissions for the full-time MBA program. In this episode, Anthony shares insights about the strengths and unique aspects of Wharton's program that every applicant should know. (In episode 42 Anthony covered details about the Team-Based Discussion, Wharton's interview method.)
Cooper is on the younger side of the MBA applicant pool and applied to a handful of programs in Round 2 of the 2020-21 application season. He knew going into the process that in addition to his age, he'd after to overcome his GPA, GMAT score, non-feeder college program status and being in an overrepresented demographic bucket. In this interview, he shares his application experience and what he thinks helped him ultimately gain admission to Tepper. He also shares his experience at Tepper so far.
This episode covers who you should ask to write your recommendations if you work for a family business, lead a startup, or can't risk asking your direct manager (or possibly anyone at your current firm).
This episode focuses on smart MBA interview-prep strategies, and also covers which tactics are a waste of time or could backfire and negatively affect your performance.
Yesterday, Harvard Business School was the first MBA program to release its 2021-22 Round 1 interview invites and dings, meaning that thousands of MBA hopefuls around the world have just received news they didn't want to hear. This episode is for anyone who experiences a business school rejection this year and isn't sure what it means about their candidacy or what their options are now.
In this episode, our host Erika interviews her 2020-21 client Jenny, who found a way to differentiate herself from the rest of the financial services pack and gained admission to both CBS and Wharton.
This episode focuses on a few important things to keep in mind for MBA hopefuls who are applying in Round 2 of the 2021-22 application year.
Round 1 of the 2021-22 MBA application cycle is soon drawing to a close, and along with those deadlines comes a surge in self-sabotaging applicant behavior. This episode covers 3 things you should do before submitting, as well as 3 mistakes you should avoid making after your materials are in.
