M7A: How Did You Get In?

In this conversation, Michael Mancinelli (HBS '21) shares his unique journey from Denver to Harvard Business School through the prestigious 2+2 deferred admission program. As a former Harvard undergraduate who studied electrical engineering while playing Division I football, Michael offers valuable insights into how engineers can successfully position themselves for MBA admissions. He discusses his strategic decision to not immediately disclose his HBS acceptance to his aerospace employer, allowing himself to experience life as a working engineer before committing to business school.

Michael breaks down his distinctive essay approach, which eschewed traditional storytelling in favor of a structured, business case-style format that highlighted leadership lessons from college athletics. He explains how he drew on his football experience to demonstrate skills like self-evaluation, coachability, and decision-making under pressure. The conversation covers his pivot from aerospace engineering to entrepreneurship, his academic excellence as a Baker Scholar, and his current venture in sports technology with his former Harvard teammate who played in the NFL.

(0:00) Introduction to Michael Mancinelli

(3:05) Denver Upbringing and Path to Harvard

(5:35) The 2+2 Program Decision

(7:50) Redefining Success at Business School

(9:45) Discovering Entrepreneurship

(13:50) Strategic Essay Structure and Approach

(18:00) Using Real Estate Wisely in Applications

(24:50) The Confidence Mindset

(30:00) Essay Writing Process and Resources

(37:50) Advice for 2+2 Applicants

(40:30) Marriage and Business School Balance

(45:00) Startup Ventures and Career Evolution

(52:30) Current Sports Technology Company

(57:00) Rapid Fire Questions

(1:05:15) Final Words on Defining Success

In this conversation, Linda Li, HBS '21, shares her journey from credit risk analysis at JP Morgan to impact investing at Social Finance, and ultimately to her current role at a mental health startup. She discusses how her unique background in impact investing helped differentiate her application, despite initial insecurities about competing with accomplished colleagues who were also applying to business school.

Linda opens up about her essay writing process, including how critical feedback led her to completely rewrite her application just one week before the deadline. She reads her compelling essay aloud, which weaves together her family's immigration story from China with her daily walks through San Francisco's homelessness crisis to illustrate her motivation for pursuing social impact work. The conversation covers her GMAT struggles (taking it three times to achieve a 710), her decision between Harvard Business School and Yale, and how the COVID-19 experience at HBS unexpectedly strengthened her relationship with her partner while providing valuable frameworks she still uses today.

(0:00) Introduction to Linda Li

(2:25) Background and Path to Impact Investing

(6:00) Decision to Apply to Business School

(8:10) Application Strategy and School Selection

(13:35) GMAT Scores and Application Stats

(15:00) School Choice and Interview Experience

(19:45) Essay Writing Process and Challenges

(27:00) Reading the HBS Essay

(35:40) Application Doubts and Insecurities

(39:00) HBS Experience and Key Takeaways

(46:25) Rapid Fire Questions

(56:40) Final Advice for Applicants

In this conversation, Jeff Simnick (Haas '20) shares his journey from healthcare investment banking in Chicago to pursuing the joint MBA/MPH program at Berkeley Haas School of Business. He discusses his transition from traditional healthcare to digital health product management, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in business school applications and pursuing what you want rather than what you think you should do.

Jeff provides detailed insights into his application process, including his memorable six-word story essay about eating Vaseline during a marathon and his decision to take the GMAT three times to achieve a 730 score. He highlights the value of Berkeley Haas's unique culture, extensive internship opportunities through the dual degree program, and the career coaching resources that helped him navigate his transition into tech. The conversation concludes with his philosophy about following your genuine interests rather than perceived obligations, which he learned during business school.

(0:00) Introduction to Jeff Simnick

(1:10) Background and Chicago Upbringing

(4:10) Discovering Healthcare Interest at UChicago

(6:40) Career Move to Kaiser Permanente

(8:10) Why Business School Felt Inevitable

(10:40) Tech Friends' MBA Skepticism

(16:00) Application Process and Resources

(20:10) Berkeley Haas Culture and Fit

(22:40) The Six Word Story Essay

(30:00) Authenticity in Applications

(34:10) MBA/MPH Program Benefits

(42:00) Rapid Fire Questions

(51:00) Philosophy of Following Your Wants

In this episode, Alex Neuber (HBS '21) is interviewed by her co-host Julia about her journey from marketing at Wayfair to Harvard Business School and eventually to entrepreneurship in the food tech industry. Alex shares how a gallbladder surgery in college sparked her passion for food and nutrition, leading her to pivot her career focus toward the food industry while building entrepreneurial skills at a high-growth company.

The conversation covers Alex's essay writing process, her strategic approach to business school applications, and her current role at a food tech startup called Foodberry. She discusses the importance of authenticity in essays, the value of intentional decision-making, and her philosophy on entrepreneurship that prioritizes autonomy over venture capital backing. Alex also shares practical advice about taking the GMAT early and building a genuine narrative that connects past experiences to future goals.

(0:00) Introduction to Co-Host Alex

(2:30) Family Background and Career Pressure

(6:15) Early Interest in Business and Food

(8:45) Cornell Education and Food Industry Focus

(12:00) Wayfair Experience and Entrepreneurial Skills

(13:25) Reading Alex's HBS Essay

(22:00) Essay Analysis and Writing Process

(29:00) GMAT Challenges and Application Strategy

(33:05) School Selection and Boston Focus

(38:15) Value of Business School Experience

(42:00) Current Role at Foodberry

(53:00) Rapid Fire Questions

In this conversation, Matt Ochalski (Booth '23) shares his journey from working seven years in debt capital markets in New York to pursuing an MBA at Chicago Booth School of Business. He discusses his methodical approach to the application process, including his extensive planning timeline, managing applications while working 90-hour weeks in banking, and his authentic essay strategy centered around bringing kindness to the professional world.

Matt emphasizes the importance of authenticity in applications, detailing how he wrote about kindness as a core value in banking and how this theme helped differentiate him from other candidates. He also covers practical advice on managing recommenders, visiting schools during the pandemic, and making the most of business school experiences. The conversation concludes with insights about Booth's culture, balancing academic rigor with social opportunities, and successfully pivoting within the banking industry.

(0:00) Introduction to Matt Ochalski

(1:10) Background and Chicago Roots

(5:00) Seven Years in Banking

(6:00) Decision to Pursue Business School

(7:15) Managing Applications While Banking

(9:35) Impact of COVID on Applications

(12:25) School Selection Criteria

(14:25) Essay Strategy and Process

(22:00) Writing About Kindness in Banking

(29:30) Recommender Management Strategy

(38:00) Booth Experience and Random Walk

(47:55) Rapid Fire Questions

In this conversation, Jungduk Seo shares her journey from healthcare consulting to pursuing an MBA at Kellogg School of Management. She discusses her thoughtful approach to school selection, the value of working with an admissions consultant, and how she used multiple internships during business school to pivot into product management. Jungduk emphasizes the importance of being open to unexpected career paths, as she initially had no interest in product management but discovered her passion for it through hands-on experience.

The conversation covers her GMAT preparation, application strategy of focusing on just three schools, and the transformative power of MBA internships. She details three different internship experiences in healthcare VC, health systems, and mental health startups that ultimately led to her current role as a product manager at a health tech company. Jungduk also reflects on the lasting value of business school relationships and the importance of having clear goals while remaining flexible about outcomes.

(0:00) Introduction to Jungduk Seo

(2:50) Background and Path to Cornell

(5:45) From Engineering to Healthcare Consulting

(8:15) Decision to Pursue an MBA

(12:05) Working with an MBA Consultant

(16:35) Crafting Application Narrative and Essays

(20:15) GMAT Journey and Test Strategy

(25:00) Application Process and School Selection

(31:45) Kellogg Experience and MBA Internships

(40:25) Transitioning to Product Management

(46:25) Value of MBA and Career Reflections

(51:00) Rapid Fire Questions

In this episode, Julia and Alex tackle three critical MBA application topics that prospective students frequently ask about: handling waitlist decisions, choosing between Round 1 and Round 2 applications, and deciding between the GMAT and GRE. Drawing from their own experiences and conversations with classmates, they provide practical advice for navigating these challenging aspects of the MBA admissions process.

The hosts share personal stories about waitlist experiences, including Julia's journey being waitlisted at Harvard Business School and Alex's sister's experience at MIT. They discuss the emotional challenges of waiting and offer concrete strategies for managing the uncertainty. On application timing, they explain the trade-offs between rounds, emphasizing that readiness matters more than acceptance rate statistics. Finally, they cover test preparation strategies, sharing their own GMAT journeys and providing tips for effective studying, including when to consider tutoring and how to source affordable prep materials.

(0:00) Welcome and Topic Overview

(1:55) Understanding the MBA Waitlist Experience

(5:20) Strategies for Managing Waitlist Emotions

(8:15) How Business Schools Structure Their Classes

(11:55) Personal Waitlist Story from Julia

(14:35) Round 1 vs Round 2 Application Timing

(18:00) When You Should Apply Round 1

(21:25) GMAT Strategy and Preparation Approach

(27:00) GMAT vs GRE Decision Making

(31:20) Study Timeline and Test Taking Schedule

(36:45) GMAT Preparation Resources and Tutoring

(40:20) Final Takeaways and Advice

In this conversation, Tyrel Sulzer (HBS '22) shares his journey from working as a geotechnical engineer in Canada's oil sands to pursuing an MBA at Harvard Business School. He discusses his unique background as an indigenous Canadian and how he crafted his application essay around his experiences bridging corporate and community interests in the energy sector. The discussion covers his strategic approach to the application process, including his decision to apply to only three schools and how he drew on his distinctive perspective on indigenous sovereignty and energy development.

Tyrel provides detailed insights into his essay writing process, which took an entire summer to refine, and explains how he positioned himself as different from typical engineering applicants. He also reflects on how his goals have evolved during business school and shares candid advice about dealing with skeptics during the application journey. The conversation offers valuable perspective on how applicants can authentically showcase unique backgrounds and experiences that set them apart in the admissions process.

(0:00) Introduction to Tyrel Sulzer

(1:45) Background and Pre-MBA Experience

(2:55) GMAT Score and Application Stats

(4:50) Harvard Business School Essay Reading

(11:10) Reflecting on the Essay

(13:20) What Made the Essay Unique

(15:40) Essay Writing Process and Timeline

(19:00) Career Goals and Vision Changes

(21:05) School Selection Strategy

(23:45) Application Resources and Advice

(25:00) The Real Why Behind MBA

(26:15) HBS Experience and Value

(28:05) Rapid Fire Questions

(34:30) Final Application Advice