In this week's MBA Admissions podcast Graham began by discussing our September MBA admissions event series; several top MBA programs are scheduled to participate. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/insidemba

We than had a thoughtful conversation about the value of a top MBA, weighed against the risk of the investment in pursuing the degree.

The pros of pursuing an MBA, in a world where things are changing in quite extraordinary ways due to AI, geopolitical challenges, climate change, and other large shifts, are substantial. Learning from the best faculty, learning with similarly motivated peers, and seeking to understand the challenges that lie ahead, is a critical advantage of a top MBA program.

Combine this with the network of candidates in the MBA program, and alumni who have come before, and these networks can really help foster valuable connections - whether for long-term friendships or career opportunities.

Finally, the career resources that these MBA programs have available to help candidates pursue their post MBA goals, are very substantial and form a critical aspect of the overall MBA experience.

So, the cost of the MBA, and its opportunity cost associated with leaving a career, is substantial. But the payback can be very rewarding, especially when viewed from a longer term perspective.

For this week, for the candidate profile review portion of the show, Alex selected three ApplyWire entries:

This week’s first MBA admissions candidate is from Argentina and is seeking an MBA from Spain’s top MBA programs. This is not unusual for candidates from Argentina. They have a super GPA, their GMAT is a decent 710. They appear to have had a strong career to date and were also a track and field national champion.

This week’s second MBA candidate already has some deferred admissions options from when they were an undergraduate student. They have now worked for several years in what appears to be very decent experiences. They are planning to apply to more MBA programs, but we are concerned about their reluctance to take the GMAT or GRE.

This week’s final MBA candidate is a military candidate, who is looking to pivot into renewable energy, post MBA. They had a mechanical engineering undergraduate degree, with a 3.1. Their GMAT score is 645, but they also have an EA of 161.

This episode was recorded in Paris, France and Cornwall, England. It was produced and engineered by the fabulous Dennis Crowley in Philadelphia, USA. Thanks to all of you who’ve been joining us and please remember to rate and review this show wherever you listen!