Meet today’s guest, Executive Director at CEMS Global Alliance, Roland Siegers. He studied in Germany and France and started working for CEMS in 2002, becoming the Executive Director in 2012. Welcome!

What is CEMS? [1:45]

It’s a joint program – a partnership among 30 leading b-schools. It’s provides a pre-experience master’s program (the students are straight out of undergrad). And students study at two of 30 campuses on 5 continents.

Currently there’s no US partner.

MIM program overview [3:13]

Students enroll at one of the 30 partner campuses. They do one term at their home campus, one term abroad, and one internship term (also usually abroad). There’s a very strong international focus.

And at the end, students earn two degrees: a master’s degree from their home campus and the CEMS Masters in International Management.

Most of the master’s programs are 1-2 years. If a student is in a 2-year master’s program, they can add the CEMS program in the second year of the 2-year program. [4:38]

If a student is doing a second degree, does it have to be related to business? [5:30]

Yes. We consider the CEMS MIM an advanced degree, and we go deep. But their undergrad degree can be in a different field.

What distinguishes the MIM from an MBA? [7:15]

Timing. While the MBA generally requires a few years of work experience, MIM students are young – generally straight out of undergrad.

What distinguishes the CEMS MIM from b-school linked Masters in Management? [8:25]

The international flavor. 100 institutions contribute to shaping the program – so there are many opportunities for your studies. You get to be exposed to students from 30 campuses and 70 nationalities.

The world is our home, and that’s reflected in our program.

What are the 100 institutions? [10:00] 

There are 65 companies, 5 NGOs, and 30 schools. The companies participate in every aspect of the program: selecting students, mentoring, providing guest speakers, etc. And ultimately, hiring.

How does the internship term work? Is it in a third location? [11:15]

People do diverse things all over the world (including developing countries and countries where the program doesn’t have partner campuses, like the US). The internship gives them a chance to learn something practical about the working world.

What are you looking for in a student? [12:45]

Bright people with good academic records. We also want an interest and appetite for the international, as well as people with maturity, clear ethics, and a strong moral compass. People who have the capability of reflecting on challenges, and who have the desire to perform and compete.

The application process [14:10]

The application itself is carried out by member schools.

After applying, candidates are selected to an interview/assessment center. The interview could include a group discussion or team situation, or you could be asked to give a presentation. There’s also an interview with a school representative and a company representative.

Does the application vary by school (among the 30 campuses)? [16:10]

The application might vary – the school might have specific requirements you also must meet.

Some schools have essays. They all want to see you’ve done well in your studies and that you’ve also gained international exposure.

The GMAT/GRE? [17:20]

Both GMAT and

How to apply to medical school: join us today for a conversation with Accepted’s own Cydney Foote!

Cyd has a background in healthcare education administration at the University of Washington Medical and Dental Schools, where she served on several fellowship admissions committees, as well as years of experience in writing and marketing for various businesses. And it’s that combination of persuasive writing and medical school admissions experience that she has drawn on since she joined Accepted in 2001 and became a medical school admissions consultant extraordinaire. We’re also going to draw on those parallel strengths today in this show.  

Cyd, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk!

Considerations for the average med school applicant when it comes to deciding where to apply? [1:55]

It generally comes down to time and money. Be smart and look reasonably at your chances. Most people generally apply to between 15 and 30 schools. There’s a tradeoff when you apply to more schools – it costs more, and you might not have enough time to put together strong secondaries.

Do your research to see where you’re a competitive applicant. Look at the numbers: don’t go below the “lows” on MSAR, but if you’re in the average range it’s worth applying. Also note that state schools often have a higher acceptance rate for in-state students. And that there’s a tradeoff when it comes to numbers, too: some of the schools with low average stats also have low admissions rates, because a lot of people apply to them.

You should also do your research: look at each program’s strengths and focus. Do you want somewhere research oriented? Patient oriented? Arts focused? Research up front will help you when you’re answering secondaries and preparing for interviews, too.

I definitely advise organizing and keeping your research. (A spreadsheet can be helpful.) [5:25]

It can also be helpful to talk to mentors, doctors you’ve shadowed or done research with, etc.

How can applicants determine which experiences to write about in the personal statement, and which in the activities/meaningful experiences? [6:30]

Before you start to write, think about what you want to talk about in the application overall. (Think through some of the stories you would like to tell, and do some prewriting – basically, work on generating your inventory of stories.) When you’re working on your meaningful experiences and secondaries, think about things you didn’t have the space to talk about in your personal statement.

You can imagine the application process as a ladder where each section leads to the next. Be consistent—all of the pieces come together to present a picture of you as a qualified applicant. (Another metaphor: a jigsaw puzzle. All the pieces come together, but they don’t overlap.)

Reinforce rather than repeat – be balanced. Make the parts of your application (including the pieces of the primary app, the secondaries, the interviews) work together as a cohesive whole.

Each step in the process is a rung in the ladder: the primary app, the secondaries, the interviews.

Do you recommend that people save stories? [10:25] 

Yes. I recommend that people write more than they need to for the primary personal statement, and when I review personal statements,

Since we recorded this interview, the Wall Street Journal published a short article discussing the strong demand for tech skills around the world. Apparently the area with the greatest gap between supply and demand is Big data/analytics, where 39% of IT leaders feel there is a shortage of people skilled in this area, the highest of any tech field in the survey.

The shortage makes this podcast interview particularly timely because you’ll hear from Dr. Dimitris Bertsimas, Co-Director of MIT Sloan’s Master in Business Analytics, and we discuss this brand new program in depth.

Meet Professor Dimitris Bertsimas. After earning his Master’s in Operations Research and PhD in Applied Mathematics/Operations Research at MIT, he joined the MIT faculty, where he is Professor of Operations Research, the co-Director of the Operations Research Center, and now the co-Director of the brand new Master’s in Business Analytics program. Welcome!

What is MIT Sloan’s Master’s in Business Analytics? [1:25]

It’s a 1-year program. Students take two semesters of courses and labs and then do a 3-month internship, implementing solutions with a company.

How did MIT’s MBAn come into being? [2:10]

It’s been developing over the last few years The need for analytics has grown. Sloan is in a strong position to provide this program – given the strength of its faculty in this area, it can attract superb students and be the premier business analytics program in the world.

And the demand is definitely there: last year I taught a MOOC to over 100K students.

What are the labs? [4:00]

There are several unique elements. Students learn software for analytics. There are also several modules – optimization, visualization, etc. And they learn leadership, teamwork, communication skills, etc. It’s not just traditional teaching: there’s a strong focus on hands-on learning and real world context.

The internships [6:03] 

There will be multiple opportunities available for internships. Some internships might eventually and naturally translate into job opportunities.

The program is aimed primarily at recent college grads. For this group of applicants, what is MIT looking for in an applicant to the MBAn? [7:00]

Exceptional academic ability and the aspiration to apply their skills in the real world.

For career changers who have some work experience, what are they looking for? [8:22]

A strong background in science, engineering, or math: breadth and depth in their area of expertise.

What is required in the application? [8:50] 

GMAT/GRE, grades, projects/papers, letters of rec. There’s also a personal statement and an interview.

What is MIT hoping to glean from the interview? [9:30] 

We’re looking for exceptional people. We want grads to be leaders in analytical efforts in their organizations. So during the admissions process, we’re trying to select people who have the ability and aspiration to advance. We’re looking for leadership qualities.

For potential applicants who are considering MBA, MS Stats, MS Operations Research, or the Masters of Business Analytics: what makes the MBAn stand out? [10:45]

The internship component is unique. Also, the focus on lab courses and experiential learning is a unique focus.

The MBA career search and life as a Chicago Booth MBA – check out the latest episode of Admissions Straight Talk.

We are joined today by the co-founders of TransparentMBA, a free career data resource for prospective and current MBA students.

Introducing Mitch Kirby, Alyssa Jaffee, and Kevin Marvinac, co-founders of TransparentMBA and students at Chicago Booth. [0:35]

Mitch graduated from Princeton with a degree in molecular biology and then worked in the Health Practice at Booz. Alyssa went to the U of Wisconsin, studying Marketing and Spanish and then worked for the Advisory Board in marketing and sales for about 5 years. And Kevin, after earning his bachelors in Finance and Latin American Studies at Notre Dame, pursued his love of wine and worked for the Gallo Winery. They all met at Chicago Booth, and we’re going to hear the rest of their story from them. Welcome!

What is Transparent MBA? [1:25]

It’s a way for MBA students to anonymously share compensation and satisfaction information for firms that recruit MBAs.

Their roles [1:52]

Mitch– product developer/coder

Alyssa– works with the corporations

Kevin– user side

How did Transparent MBA come into being? [2:40]

Mitch: I wanted to understand career options better, and felt there was a lack of MBA-specific data in the space. The data from the school’s career services wasn’t specific enough (by company), and other options (like glassdoor) aren’t MBA-specific.

What need does Transparent MBA fill that other services don’t? [4:20]

It’s specific to the needs of MBAs and allows more specific company-based searches than school information, which often doesn’t provide details on bonuses, etc.

When did they launch, how have they grown [5:23]

Transparent MBA launched in 2015 with just a few students. By Feb of 2016, they were outside Booth, with 35 schools and thousands of participants.

Is there any danger that with small sample sizes, people are retrieving more anecdotal evidence than data? [7:00]

They’re actually trying to combat a reliance on anecdotal info by giving people the opportunity to get more information from another source, rather than just relying on something they heard.

You can log in and compare industries. Later there will be more filters and tools so you can filter by school, grad year, etc. [8:30]

Is the site useful to pre-MBAs? Or is it more for MBA grads? [10:25]

Pre-MBAs can use it now through the prospective user portal. It can be helpful to see what their future options will be. In the future, it could potentially be a tool to help compare schools.

Role Booth played in helping develop Transparent MBA? [11:25]

Mitch took a course in coding and building web applications, which gave him the skills to develop the project. He also met his cofounders at Booth. And they’re participating in the New Venture Challenge, which is helping them think through challenges.

The New Venture Competition- how does it work? [12:30]

There are 30 teams, of which 10 will make the finals and 1 will win. They pitch their venture to investors. It makes them think harder about everything they’re doing.

The next stage is the Acceptance Pitch on June 2, to see if they make the finals. They’re competing for $70K in funding.

A one-year law school for non-lawyers: join us for a conversation about Emory’s Juris Master.

Meet Dr. Lynn Labuda, the director of Emory’s Juris Master program. After years of working in business, she earned her EMBA from Emory’s Goizueta School of Business in 2007, and her PhD in Education in 2015. She’s led the Juris Master program since 2012. Welcome! 

What is the Juris Master program? [1:30]

It’s a 30-credit program for people who don’t want to be practicing lawyers, but who want to understand the law as it relates to what they do. About 80% of the students are working professionals and are enrolled part time, taking 2-2.5 years to complete the program. The remaining students are full-time—recent graduates (from college or grad school) who want to use the program to supplement their educational background as they launch their careers. Taking courses full time, it’s a 1-year program.

For example, some of the full-time students are pre-med students taking the course during a gap year before med school.

How the program came into being [5:15]

Emory’s law school wanted to reach a broader audience — not only people who planned to practice law, but also people who wanted to learn about the law, particularly in their own professional fields. (For example, physicians who want to move into healthcare administration and want a deep understanding of health law.)

Curriculum overview [7:22]

Incoming students take two required courses:

1. Introduction to the American Legal System (which gives them an introduction to contracts, torts, criminal law, property law, etc)

2. Analysis, Research, and Communication for Non-Lawyers (which trains them in foundational skills for law school)

Then they can select among many concentrations (for example: employment, health, IP, etc), and tailor their courses to their interests. They can also customize their concentration.

Most classes are taken alongside Emory’s JD students. The mandatory first year courses are JM specific. [9:19]

This is a benefit to the whole law school program: since so many of the JM students are mid-career professionals from diverse backgrounds, their experience adds to the JD classes.

The size of the program [10:50]

At any given time, there are about 70-80 students in the program (full and part-time combined). They’ve graduated about 80 so far.

The application process [11:12]

It’s a straightforward online application. They want to know about your educational and professional background; they require letters of rec; undergrad and graduate transcripts; and a personal statement. The personal statement is very important for showing your motivation for pursuing the degree.

What is Emory looking for in a successful applicant? [12:20]

Someone who is a good fit and will benefit from the program. They want people whose goals align with what the program is doing. It’s not for people who want to be professional lawyers – it’s important to understand what the program is and what it’s not.

They want students who can handle the academic rigor of the program – it’s a law school program that requires strong critical thinking skills.

And they’re looking for students who will make a contribution to the Emory community.

What role does work experience play? [15:10]

They’re not looking for a certain level of experience.

Would you like to combine a slick, personalized mobile test prep app with access to individual tutoring?  Stick around!

Meet Elad Shoushan, a former pro-basketball player in Israel who attended the Technion, Israel’s MIT, got into coding big time, and worked for GE Healthcare. Just before starting at MIT Sloan he founded a little start-up that this year raised over $5 million in Series A funding and whose apps have been downloaded over half a million times. That’s what he’s here to talk about today. Welcome, Elad!

How did he get into test prep? [1:55]

He’d always wanted to study in the US – even during his basketball career, he dreamed of coming to the US to study and play division I ball. When he was working at GE Healthcare, pursuing his MBA seemed like a natural next step.

He struggled with the GMAT, and took it a few times. While he was studying, he thought that the process didn’t make a lot of sense – and he wanted a convenient way to study on the go. He thought an app would be helpful, and so he set out to create one.

Going through the test prep process helped him learn a lot about how the brain learns and how standardized tests work. [4:25]

As the company has developed, they’ve worked on studying learning methodologies. And they’re getting great feedback from users.

What was his career plan when he applied to MIT? [6:10]

He wanted to be an entrepreneur. In fact, he’d already spent a couple of months developing/coding the first version of the app (for GMAT prep), and had already left his job at GE. So he’d already launched the business by the time he started at Sloan. His courses at Sloan helped him develop the start-up.

He pursued the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Certificate at MIT Sloan [9:25]

What distinguishes his apps from other test prep options? [10:30]

The goal is to provide a full educational experience all the way to school, with the focus on being a great mobile learning experience. Other test prep companies basically plug in existing content into an app. His company focuses on the user experience – developing the experience and the content specifically for mobile. They consider what the user needs to learn, where s/he is, when s/he is using the app, to maximize learning in small bites.

Is the focus on content or strategy? [13:55]

Both. The goal is to identify what the applicant needs to focus on. It’s a comprehensive course: each app has over 1000 questions. For the MCAT course, they’ve partnered with the Princeton Review for content; for the other apps, they’ve developed their own content.

The original name is LTG (Label the GMAT)—what does that refer to? [15:40]

This goes back to the beginnings of the company, and the idea that solving questions requires two steps – identifying the type of question and knowing the content. The app parses the text so the learner can easily identify the concepts being tested. Now this feature is called “x-ray”—it allows the applicant to see the keywords in the question and quickly understand how the question is structured. It’s a way to grasp the underlying logic of the exam questions.

Where does tutoring fit in? [18:35]

Tech can help a lot, but it can’t solve everything. Some people will benefit from an explanation from a human being.

Meet Temple University’s Dr. Glenn Gerhard (Professor and Chair, Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry), and Dr. Kathy Giangiacomo (Associate Professor, Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry). They’re joining us today to discuss an innovative online MCAT prep option, plus Temple’s postbac programs and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. Welcome!

How Temple’s online Biochem MCAT course developed [1:50]

Gerhard: In 2015, Temple was developing a new university-wide initiative to create courses in an online format, across diverse subject areas. This coincided with a curriculum revision at the School of Medicine, and also with AAMC’s changes to the MCAT format. And so the new course coalesced into the biochem MCAT prep course.

Giangiacomo: I had recently developed an undergrad course that would prepare students for the new MCAT. I’d also been creating online materials for a lot of courses, especially for the postbac program (such as videos, etc).

What makes Temple’s MCAT course distinctive? [5:40]

The AAMC recognizes the importance of biochem for incoming med students, but the way biochem is taught at the undergraduate level can vary quite a bit. Since Temple’s faculty teach med students, this course is designed to teach the course from a med-focused perspective and prepare students effectively for med school.

Giangiacomo: The prereqs are streamlined, which allows students to take the course in time to graduate. It’s run like a med school class, so students can apply the concepts they learn.

What is the schedule/timeline? How long is the class? [11:40]

It’s a 5-week online course and is the equivalent of a full semester. Students should budget at least 2 hours a day, 5 days a week to cover the content. There will be a course beginning in September (ideal for students preparing for the January MCAT). The course is also scheduled in March and May.

Their postbac students have already taken the course and reported that they were very well prepared for the MCAT. [14:40]

Any plans to expand to other sections of the MCAT? [15:20]

Potentially yes, they’ll see how it develops.

Postbac at Temple [15:48]

They have two programs: one for career changers and one for academic enhancers. Both are 1-year programs.

The career changer program is a 12-month intensive program. If students earn a 3.6 GPA and a 30 on the MCAT, they can have conditional acceptance at Temple’s med school.

Academic enhancers also have the option of conditional acceptance. The med school acceptance rate is 90% for academic enhancers – lower for career changers.

Requirements for postbac admission [19:45]

For academic enhancers: they need to have a 3.4 GPA (for both overall and science). They don’t have to have taken the MCAT, though most of them have. The program provides MCAT prep if they need it.

For career changers, they need a 3.6 overall GPA, 3.3 science, and there’s a limit on the number of science classes they can have in order to be considered a career changer.

What’s distinctive about Lewis Katz School of Medicine? [21:15] 

Gerhard: Temple has traditionally prided itself on a strong focus on students and education. The med school is committed to training patient-centered physicians who are excellent clinicians. The program integrates basic and clinical science. And the culture of the school places equal value on research and teaching – valuing pedagogy alongside knowledge.

What’s it like to be about to graduate from Harvard Business School? Listen to today’s episode for an insider perspective.

[0:38] Meet Anndrea Moore, a member of HBS’s class of 2016. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2010 with a degree in Marketing and International Business. After graduating she worked as a Brand Analyst at the Nielsen Company and then in Operations at Google. Welcome!

Her path to HBS [1:20]

After studying Marketing and International Business at U of Cincinnati, she interned at Neilsen, and ultimately took a full time job there as a brand analyst. The exposure she gained there to online marketing and social media led her to a marketing position at Google.

Why the MBA, and why HBS [3:20]

Leaving undergrad, she considered pursuing a masters in marketing. But an adviser suggested that she work for 3-5 years and then consider b-school. Having worked in the tech industry, she felt some pushback against returning to school, but she wanted the skills she would gain in b-school (finance, management, etc). She thought HBS was the best fit.

What was the most challenging part of the application process? [5:00]

Managing it: preparing for and taking the GMAT (she took it twice); deciding who she should ask to write her letters of rec. And the essay was pretty difficult – HBS has a broad essay question, and figuring out a strategy was challenging.

How much time did she budget for her essays? [6:35]

She applied Round 2, and started writing in October. After writing a rough draft, she showed it to friends, her mom, and a coach – people she trusted. She went through multiple revisions.

What were the most memorable/difficult interview questions she faced? [7:45]

The interviewer asked why, if her goal was brand management, she hadn’t considered going straight to PnG (based in Cincinnati). It was a very specific question based on her education, experience and goals.

Was the interview high stress because of the stakes? Or the questions? [9:00]

Both. Once you’re at the interview stage, it feels like it’s yours to lose. And the interview consisted of rapid fire questions on all aspects of the application.

It’s important to show continuity with your application.

What she wrote about in her interview reflections [10:45] 

She addressed the PnG question with more detail, thanked the interviewers, and referenced the questions she’d asked them at the conclusion of the interview.

Any surprises about HBS life? [11:35]

You really get a chance to understand how people think. The way classmates approach cases shows their reasoning process and can help you create better arguments.

Has HBS met her expectations? [12:55]

Yes! She’s met great friends, heard wonderful speakers, and made connections to a helpful alumni network. It feels like she’s part of a family.

Her FIELD experience (Field Immersion Experiences for Leadership Development) [14:10]

She went to Peru. Their client was a fast food hamburger chain – their team’s job was to prepare the business for the next 5 years. They visited the food processing center, restaurant locations, etc. And they presented their recommendations to the company’s leadership team, who said they’re going to implement some of them.

Anything she wishes she’d known about the FIELD experience? [15:55]

Even though you prepare at home,

Are you suffering from a case of MCAT anxiety? We’ve got the prescription for you in this week’s podcast episode.

Meet our guest. [0:30]

Meet Bryan Schnedeker, National MCAT Director for Next Step Test Prep and a standardized test expert. He scored 44 on the old MCAT and a perfect 180 on the LSAT, and has worked in test prep for more than 20 years. He’s been with Next Step Test Prep since 2012. Welcome! 

What does Next Step Test Prep do? [1:10]

They’re the world leader in 1 on 1 MCAT prep—they focus on individual tutoring. They also offer full length practice tests and a question bank.

What distinguishes NSTP from other prep services? [2:00]

Their philosophy and focus on individual tutoring. Other services focus on group courses, and if they offer tutoring, it’s an extra. At Next Step, individual tutoring is the entire business – so even their publications are built around that model (customizing for individual needs).

NSTP offers both content review and test strategy. [4:50]

Most students want to focus on test strategy, but NSTP also provides content review. Everything is customized to the student’s needs. 

How have they changed for the new MCAT? [6:20]

The cornerstone of good MCAT prep is AAMC practice exams, and with the new exam, that resource was going away, so Next Step revamped and created new materials, including full length practice exams. They also developed new materials for the new exam sections (biochem, psychology).

How much time should students budget for MCAT prep? [8:20]

It depends on the student.

On average, 2-3 months at the low end, 3 ½ to 4 months at the high end. So about the length of a college semester. And the time per week can vary from about a part-time job (20 hours a week) all the way up to a full time job-level commitment.

A really strong student who scored high on their first practice test will need less time to prepare. And some students – such as non-traditional students who haven’t taken as many courses, or people who struggle with standardized tests – will need more time.

The new MCAT [11:15]

The new exam has more material you need to be familiar with, especially in fields like biochem and psychology. He’s started advising people to take a year of psychology before taking the exam.

His recommended timeline for students [12:40]

Start MCAT prep right after New Year’s (before spring semester starts). Then you can take the exam in April. It takes a month to get the scores back – so you’ll be ready to apply in the spring.

Many people used to take the exam after sophomore year, leaving a fallback option for a retake if needed. Now that it’s necessary to take biochem, that timeline has moved – the window would probably be closer to January of junior year, which would give a fallback to retake in the spring if necessary. [13:55]

Will the additional coursework lead to more people taking gap years? [15:10]

Potentially – they’re seeing a trend at Next Step with their tutor applicants taking gap years.

Is it too late to apply in the current cycle if you haven’t taken the MCAT? [16:55]

It depends! Take a diagnostic test and see where you’re starting from. If you have a strong starting point (say, at least 507) and only need to raise it a couple of points, then that’s reasonable.

They get a lot of calls in June/July from applicants saying they rushed and got a disappointing score,

With Mother’s Day coming up, this week’s show features a mother, MBA student, and entrepreneur.

Meet Divinity Matovu, founder of MBA Mama [1:04]

Divinity grew up in Wisconsin, attended USC (where she majored in Political Science and African American Studies), and got bit by the social impact and start-up bug. She’s now studying at Wharton as a member of the class of 2017. Her writing has appeared on Forté Foundation’s Business 360 Blog, Fortune Online, the Wharton Journal, and of course the MBA Mama blog. Welcome!

What did she do in between USC and Wharton, and what was her path to b-school? [1:55]

She moved to Africa! While an undergrad, she studied in Kenya – her first time living abroad. When she graduated, she moved to Uganda, planning to work for a youth foundation there and ultimately look for jobs in Kenya. As it turned out, she stayed in Uganda, co-founded a youth development organization, met and married her now ex-husband, and ran a non-profit with him. Her experience leading the non-profit there is what ultimately made her decide to pursue b-school: she realized she needed to develop her skills. She returned to the US (pregnant with her daughter), worked for a while, and then started the process of applying to b-school. She started MBA Mama during her application process.

What is MBA Mama? [5:47]

It’s an online platform to empower women to navigate family and career strategy. They provide tools and resources to help women be successful in the workplace and at home.

Why did she start MBA Mama? [7:50]

She did a couple of pre-MBA programs: the Forte Foundation’s MBA Launch Program and the MLT MBA Prep Program. In the MLT program, a male colleague commented that he felt inspired by watching her go through the process as a single mother. She realized that there isn’t a lot of visibility: you don’t often see mothers on campus. So she bought the MBA Mama domain name, envisioning it (originally) as a blog. She met her cofounder (now an MBA student at Duke) and they’ve been continuing to work on the site and the business model.

What products are they planning? [10:40]

Some ideas are partnerships, such as test prep and loan financing. But they’re also designing an innovative childcare solution – it will be tech enabled, taking advantage of the sharing economy. And they’re working on a paid coaching platform matching senior women with younger women (around career and family issues). They also want a coaching platform for aspiring entrepreneurs. They hope to launch these over the next 18 months.

What did she hope to get out of her MBA? [13:00]

She wanted to develop her finance knowledge. Also: boost her emotional intelligence and leadership skills.

The hardest part of the application process? [15:10]

The GMAT. She took it 3 times. Partly this was because she was going through a difficult time – going through a divorce – and it was difficult to find time to study.

Wharton’s TBD- her experience [16:45]

She found it hard to prepare, because she wasn’t sure what to expect, but the interview itself was smooth sailing. Who you are comes out.

The most difficult aspect of the interview process? [17:35]

In her personal interview, she had a hard time reading the interviewer.