Another week, another Wiretaps!  As usual, this episode begins with Alex and Graham discussing activity on LiveWire (which is now slowing down as the 2022-23 admissions season gets closer to its end). Next week, Chicago / Booth will be releasing its decisions for its Booth Scholars program. Graham highlighted two events Clear Admit is hosting: The first is a 'Real Humans' event which brings students and alums together to discuss their experiences with candidates. It will be held on June 20 at 12 pm ET, and you can signup here: https://bit.ly/realhumansmba The second is a set of events focused on MBA admissions essay insights, where leading MBA programs will discuss each of their admissions essays. This is a very popular series, signups are here: https://bit.ly/cambaessay

In broader industry news, Graham highlighted a piece that looks at Forte Foundation's recently published research into gender pay gaps for MBA students. It appears that the boost someone gets from the MBA is not dependent on their gender, but women still start from a lower base. Graham then noted two Real Humans Alumni Stories: a Georgetown / McDonough grad at McKinsey, and an INSEAD grad at Amazon. Graham and Alex then had two pretty interesting discussions: one on the recent announcement of the shorter form GRE, and the other on the announcement from Columbia about eliminating their Early Decision round, and moving to a more-standard three rounds of admissions.

As always, this episode of WireTaps includes three reviews of candidates.  This week's applicants are drawn from three different ApplyWire entries:

This week's first candidate works in asset management and has a strong GMAT (760), but will only have three years of experience upon matriculation, if they apply this upcoming season. This led to a discussion regarding whether this season makes sense, or should they wait for another year. The second candidate featured in this episode is a data scientist from India, with a very poor undergraduate record (due to ill health). Their GMAT is decent (710, 51 quant), but Alex and Graham think it might make sense to try to boost the score further. And even with a higher score, it could still be prudent to undertake some more remedial work (Business Fundamentals, MBA Math, or equivalent). Of course, Alex and Graham are assuming this candidate's work experience is strong. They also have some additional non-profit experience to share. Candidate #3 is also from India, and appears to have a strong marketing background, which includes several awards for campaigns they have developed. Their numbers are decent, but not outstanding. Their goals are in the streaming space, whether in the U.S. or in Europe. They also have two years of volunteer experience. Like the second candidate, they should target the first rounds, where they can.

This episode was recorded in Cornwall, England and Paris, France. It was produced and engineered in 'always sunny' Philadelphia by Dennis Crowley. Please remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen and to 'stay safe everybody'!