The mbaMission Podcast

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Why would an experienced entrepreneur and product leader decide to attend business school—and choose an online MBA program?

In Episode 123 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Jim Caruso, chief innovation officer at Elevate and a graduate of the Michigan Ross Online MBA program. Jim explains how the program fit into his career, which already involved product leadership, company building, and the sale of a software business.

Their conversation examines the Ross program’s blend of live classes, asynchronous coursework, collaborative learning, and in-person residencies. Jim describes how his finance and statistics studies broadened his technical foundation, while some of his most enduring lessons came in the areas of leadership, change management, and organizational design. He also discusses the reality of entrepreneurship, the importance of learning from one’s classmates, and the reach of the University of Michigan alumni community.

The practical takeaway of the episode is that applicants should evaluate an online MBA program by assessing whether its structure, curriculum, and community address their professional and personal needs.

00:00 Why Would a CEO Choose an Online MBA Program?

04:27 Why Pursue an MBA After Studying Business as an Undergrad?

06:36 What Does Entrepreneurship Really Demand?

12:04 Why Attend Business School Mid-career?

16:35 Why Choose the Michigan Ross Online MBA Option?

19:26 How Does the Ross Online MBA Program Work?

20:32 Which MBA Courses Surprised Jim Most?

25:14 What Value Has Lasted Beyond the Degree?

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Which MBA candidates should choose the MIT Sloan Fellows MBA over a traditional two-year MBA or executive MBA program?

In Episode 122 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky speaks with Ricardo Heredia, a biotech scientist, life sciences investor, and recent MIT Sloan Fellows MBA graduate. Ricardo explains how the immersive, 12-month program helped him connect his scientific and pharmaceutical experience with finance, entrepreneurship, and life sciences investing.

The discussion delves into the program’s customizable curriculum, experienced global cohort, accessible faculty, and opportunities to study throughout MIT and even beyond the school. Ricardo also highlights an important trade-off that applicants should not ignore: Although the accelerated structure offers extraordinary access, it allows less time to explore one’s career options. As a result, candidates should enter the program with a strong sense of what they want to learn, which communities they want to join, and how the degree will support their next decade or more of work.

00:00 How Can MIT Sloan Fellows Support a Biotech Career?

05:07 Why Is Business Education Important for Scientists?

08:02 Who Should Consider the MIT Sloan Fellows MBA?

10:31 How Is the 12-Month Program Structured?

13:24 What Can Fellows Study Across MIT?

19:26 What Surprised Ricardo About MIT Sloan?

22:03 Who Benefits Most from the Program?

25:07 How Should Applicants Prepare for the Experience?

Related Resources

MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Program

MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Curriculum

MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Admissions

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The Johnson Cornell Tech MBA offers an accelerated path for professionals who know they want to work where business and technology intersect.

In Episode 121 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya welcome Corey Laffel Solon, Gavi’s classmate in the inaugural Johnson Cornell Tech MBA cohort and currently the associate director of growth for Grubhub. Corey and Gavi explain how the program’s Studio curriculum, multidisciplinary teams, practitioner access, and New York City setting prepared them to work across business and technology.

Their experiences also reveal the trade-offs of the one-year format. Cornell Tech can suit professionals who already know they want to pursue technology or technology-adjacent work and who learn best through rapid, hands-on experimentation. Candidates seeking more time to explore industries or build a broader business foundation might prefer a traditional two-year MBA or Cornell’s 1+1 option. 

00:00 What Makes Cornell Tech Feel Future Focused?

00:40 How Does Cornell Tech Compare to a Traditional MBA?

01:09 Why Did Corey and Gavi Choose a New One-Year Program?

03:09 What Are the Trade-Offs of a One-Year MBA?

05:32 How Does Cornell Tech Combine Business and Technology?

09:34 Which Skills Continue to Matter After Graduation?

10:25 Who Is the Cornell Tech MBA Right For?

13:35 How Has Cornell Tech Shaped Alumni Careers?

16:08 Should Applicants Choose Cornell Tech or a Two-Year MBA?

21:50 How Strong Is Cornell Tech’s Alumni Network?

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Which admissions test should you take? Can you overcome a lower GPA? How should reapplicants choose their recommenders, and how much clarity do business schools expect applicants to have about their career goals?

In Episode 120 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya explain how candidates from varied backgrounds can make strategic choices, address weaknesses, and present a stronger, more focused MBA profile.

The episode offers a practical framework for evaluating what every part of an MBA application communicates—and for crafting a submission supported by clear reasoning, concrete evidence, and an authentic story.

00:00 What MBA Admissions Questions Do Applicants Ask Most?
00:56 Should Applicants Take the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment?
02:50 Do Reapplicants Have Options for Strengthening Their Candidacy?
05:55 What Do Business Schools Look for When Evaluating Military Veterans?
08:04 How Can Professionals in Specialized Industries Frame Their Experience for an MBA?
09:52 Can Applicants Mitigate a Lower GPA and Limited Leadership Experience?
13:21 What Might Applicants with Common Professional Profiles Do to Stand Out?
16:30 How Should Applicants Explain Candidacy Issues in the Optional Essay?
17:55 Why Do Focused Career Goals Strengthen an MBA Application?
19:25 How Should Applicants Approach Timing, Personal Branding, and Credentials?

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In this episode, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Shari Hubert, associate dean of admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, about MBA career outcomes and the school’s approach to long-term professional development. Shari explains that Fuqua’s Career Management Center assists students with increasing their self-awareness, building relationships, and developing adaptability, then supports their job searches through sector directors, career fellows, employer partnerships, and alumni connections.

The conversation also explores Fuqua’s breadth across industries, longstanding strength in healthcare and life sciences, social impact resources, entrepreneurship growth, and alumni reach across the United States and beyond. If you are wondering whether Fuqua can support your post-MBA career goals, this episode offers insight into how the school helps students pursue professional paths that match their ambitions.

00:00 What Fuqua Career Outcomes Reveal About MBA Fit

00:50 How Fuqua Supports MBA Career Transitions

03:03 Professional Outcomes Show Breadth Across Industries

05:56 Why Relationships Matter Beyond On-Campus Recruiting

08:30 Sector Directors Coach Students for Long-Term Success

11:21 Duke Fuqua’s Deep Strength in Healthcare

14:01 How Social Impact Shapes the Fuqua MBA Experience

16:52 Fuqua’s Alumni Network Reaches Far Beyond Durham

19:58 How Entrepreneurship is Growing at Fuqua

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

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The perfect MBA program to get you closer to your goals might be outside the top ten.

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky, mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald, and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya discuss how applicants can build a more appropriate list of target MBA programs by looking beyond the top tiers of the rankings. Their conversation starts with a simple question: What do you want your MBA to help you do?

From that point, the discussion moves into employment reports, regional recruiting patterns, industry specialization, scholarship opportunities, one-year MBA formats, alumni networks, and quality of life. Harold, Jeremy, and Gavriella explain why a program outside the top 10 or 15 can often be a better fit for someone when it has deep ties to their target industry, strong access in a specific region, a lower debt burden, and/or a curriculum built around the career path they want to pursue.

This episode offers a practical way to evaluate an MBA program’s true fit, return on investment, and long-term career value, particularly for candidates who have thus far only been considering the most elite options.

00:00 Why Overlooked MBA Programs Deserve a Closer Look

00:47 Start with Career Goals and Employment Reports

02:52 A Region’s Role in Recruiting Access

05:42 Finding Specialized Strengths Beyond the M7

08:10 How Scholarships and Debt Change ROI

11:42 Matching Geography to Long-Term Career Plans

13:24 Choosing Industry Hubs for Healthcare, Energy, and Startups

16:45 When a One-Year MBA Program Makes Sense

21:17 What Emerging Innovation Hubs Can Offer

26:15 Weighing Quality of Life, Cost, and Alumni Networks

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

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Can Harvard Business School (HBS) Online’s Core Business Essentials program help MBA applicants prove they are ready for the classroom?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya speak with Simeen Mohsen, senior managing director of HBS Online, about the program’s origins, structure, rigor, and value for MBA applicants. They discuss how Core Business Essentials, which demands a serious commitment from its students, grew out of pre-MBA preparation and now serves college students, early- and mid-career professionals, entrepreneurs, and aspiring MBA students.

Simeen explains that the program combines courses in financial accounting, business analytics, business strategy, and workplace dynamics, along with a capstone project, into a 17-week online experience. The conversation offers a useful framework for deciding whether Core Business Essentials can strengthen a one’s readiness and confidence, particularly for applicants with a modest academic record, limited quantitative preparation, or a less-conventional professional background.

00:00 How Core Business Essentials Can Help MBA Applicants

03:29 The Program’s Origins as MBA Preparation

05:09 Who Takes Core Business Essentials Today

07:17 What Core Business Essentials Includes

10:09 How the 17-Week Online Experience Works

14:55 Enrollment and Credentialing Explained

17:04 Why Rigor and Application Matter

20:53 Using Individual Courses to Fill Specific Gaps

22:55 Keeping the Curriculum Current

Related Resources

• HBS Online Core Business Essentials
• HBS Online leadership team
• HBS Online courses and program

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What does Team Fuqua mean for Duke MBA students once they arrive on campus?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald continue their conversation with Shari Hubert, associate dean of admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. This time, they move beyond admissions to explore Fuqua’s paired principles, leadership development model, student-led community, alumni culture, Duke University connections, and Durham setting.

Shari explains how Fuqua turns values into practice through C-LEAD teams, COLE Fellows, peer coaching, admissions fellows, career fellows, and other student leadership roles. She also discusses why Fuqua emphasizes IQ, EQ, and DQ—Decency Quotient—how students use Duke University’s broader academic ecosystem, and why Durham and the Research Triangle Park region often surprise students with all they have to offer.

For applicants comparing Duke Fuqua with peer MBA programs, this episode offers a closer look at the school’s collaborative environment, diverse perspectives, and give-and-receive culture.

Part one of mbaMission’s interview with Shari Hebert.

00:00 What Team Fuqua Means Beyond Admissions

01:22 How the Paired Principles Shape the Community

03:51 Why Fuqua Teaches IQ, EQ, and Decency Quotient

06:40 How Fuqua Students Benefit from Duke University Access

10:06 What Durham and Research Triangle Park Add to the MBA Experience

12:44 How Alumni Carry Team Fuqua Forward

16:15 Why Student-Driven Leadership Defines Fuqua

18:42 How C-LEAD Turns Teamwork into Practice

25:10 Why Diverse Perspectives Matter to Learning

29:28 What Applicants Misunderstand About Durham

Related Resources

• Duke Fuqua Daytime MBA
• Fuqua paired principles
• mbaMission’s Duke Fuqua essay tips 

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

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In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya discuss how MBA candidates can use AI responsibly when preparing their applications, without losing their unique voice. They explain that AI detectors are unreliable, offer guidance on responding to schools’ AI disclosure questions, and share that programs are increasingly using spontaneous video components to get a clearer sense of who applicants truly are.

Although AI can help with tasks such as checking grammar, performing surface-level research, and brainstorming, crafting a strong, compelling application requires judgment, perspective, and details that only the candidate can supply. To conclude the episode, Harold and Gavriella offer a straightforward way of testing whether your essays reflect your authentic self.

00:00 Why AI Can Make MBA Essays Sound Generic

01:12 Admissions Readers Notice AI Right Away

02:28 Specificity Always Beats Polished Sameness

04:32 AI Detectors Are Often Wrong

07:37 How to Describe Your AI Use for the Admissions Committee

09:29 AI’s Strengths and Shortcomings

10:44 Why Video Essays Are Increasingly Popular

12:14 How to Stress Test Your Voice

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

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What does Duke Fuqua’s admissions team want candidates to understand before they start working on their application to the school’s MBA program?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Shari Hubert, associate dean of admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, about the MBA program’s collaborative philosophy, distinctive essay prompts, and behind-the-scenes admissions process. Shari explains that rather than focusing on the simple notion of “fit,” Fuqua looks for applicants who will thrive in the school’s community because of their intellectual curiosity, resilience, self-awareness, and willingness to work with others.

The conversation digs into Fuqua’s well-known “25 Random Facts” essay and why Shari believes that it is especially resistant to the use of AI. She explains that the goal of the distinctive prompt is to make applicants more knowable, which makes the prompt hard to game: AI can help with clarity, but it cannot identify someone’s fundamental personal experiences or their unique voice. She reminds applicants that no one can tell their story better than they can and that Fuqua’s admissions team can recognize when essays and interview responses seem overly polished or inauthentic. 

For candidates trying to understand how a top MBA program weighs its applicants’ academics, character, judgment, and community-minded leadership, this episode offers a clear look at what Fuqua values and how you can present yourself to its admissions committee with more confidence and authenticity.

00:00 What Fuqua Means by Thriving in Its Community

06:15 How Fuqua Admissions Functions as a Mini Business

07:37 What Applicants Misunderstand About MBA Admissions

11:52 The Qualities Fuqua Looks for in Its Candidates

12:06 What Kind of Applicants Thrive in the Fuqua Community

14:54 Why Fuqua’s “25 Random Facts” Essay Is So Valuable

19:40 Highlighting “How” Rather Than “What” in Your Fuqua Essays 

23:09 How to Build Your Understanding of the Fuqua MBA Program

25:45 The Fuqua Admissions Committee’s Evaluation Process

28:37 Proving Your Readiness for the Fuqua Curriculum

30:55 The Concept of “Durable Skills”

33:42 Why (and How) You Should Prepare Your Fuqua Recommenders

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

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