The mbaMission Podcast

In today's episode of the mbaMission podcast, Harold Simansky and Jeremey Shinewald are joined by Devi Vallabhaneni, HBS alum and mbaMission's Interviewer in Residence. Harold, Jeremy, and Devi discuss some of the most challenging interview experiences they and their clients have had. They talk about the human element of interviews, how to tackle some of the hard questions, and why it's so important to practice before your MBA interviews.

00:00 Welcome to the mbaMission podcast
00:43 Questions about your other applications
02:47 Critiques of your goals
03:45 Questions about religion 
04:20 The human element of MBA interviews
04:43 HBS Post-Interview Reflection
06:29 "What other schools did you apply to?"
08:03 When to interview (are you ready?)
10:25 Not knowing your story
11:20 The importance of practicing interviews 
12:47 The stamina needed for interviews

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
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In today's episode of the mbaMission podcast, we're tackling a question that we're hearing more and more often these days: can business school really prepare you to be an entrepreneur? Harold Simansky and Jeremy Shinewald discuss their own post-MBA experiences as entrepreneurs, and whether the skills they developed in business school are necessary for aspiring founders. If you're dreaming of building your own venture, or want to understand how business school can shape a startup journey, this episode is for you.

00:00 Welcome to the mbaMission podcast
02:34 Modern entrepreneurship
06:00 Entrepreneurship through acquisition 
09:18 Can you teach entrepreneurship? 
16:30 What entrepreneurship resources do business schools offers
18:41 When is the right time to start a business?
25:29 Benefits of an MBA for entrepreneurs 
28:36 Best business schools for entrepreneurship 
32:19 Buying a company
35:50 Do you need an MBA if you're already an entrepreneur? 
43:58 The benefit of alumni networks 

Read Malcolm Gladwell's New Yorker article "The Sure Thing" here: 
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/01/18/the-sure-thing

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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As the private equity industry continues to expand, the number of PE associates applying to business school -- and the number of MBA students interested in entering PE post-graduation -- is on the rise. In today's episode of the mbaMission podcast, Harold Simansky and Jeremy Shinewald explore the worlds of private equity, venture capital, and hedge funds. They break down what these roles involve, and how aspiring professionals can successfully break into these highly competitive sectors. If you're thinking about working in PE or VC after business school, this episode is for you!

00:00 Welcome to the mbaMission podcast
01:12 Working in private equity
08:13 Working at a hedge fund
10:38 Working in venture capital
14:39 PE resources at business schools

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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In today's episode of the mbaMission podcast, we're breaking down MBA basics: What exactly do you learn in business school? How is the curriculum structured? And how can an MBA accelerate your career? Harold Simansky and Jeremy Shinewald discuss what business school is all about, and then then walk through each piece of the application process, from program research to essays, recommendations, and interviews. Whether you're just starting to explore the idea of business school or are actively working on your applications, this episode is for you!

00:00 Welcome to the mbaMission podcast
01:16 What is an MBA? Structure and curriculum 
04:20 Pedagogy 
06:50 2-year programs vs. 1-year programs
08:26 Business school application process
12:15 MBA admissions timeline 
14:17 MBA application components 
16:43 Business school interviews
17:50 Making a decision

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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After navigating the rigorous MBA application process, receiving an acceptance from one of your target business school can be a huge relief. But what if you find yourself with offers from more than one of your target schools? Today we welcome back Austin Sandoval to the mbaMission podcast. Austin was accepted to multiple top-15 business schools and offered generous scholarships from each one. In this episode, Austin talks with Harold Simansky and Jeremy Shinewald about his receiving his MBA acceptances and shares his insights on weighing competing offers, negotiating scholarships, and ultimately making his final decision about where to earn his MBA.

00:00 How to choose the best business school for you
01:44 Researching MBA programs and understanding fit
05:25 Austin's use of onTrack by mbaMission
07:46 Comparing academic offerings
09:39 Weighing multiple MBA acceptances and scholarships
13:12 Making a decision 
20:41 Negotiating scholarship offers
22:05 Career outcomes and recruiting 
22:38 Choosing Duke Fuqua

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

Contact Us:
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Send us your admissions questions!

Most MBA applicants are familiar with the M7 -- or "Magnificent Seven" -- a group of seven highly selective business schools that are consistently ranked among the best in the United States. In today's episode of the mbaMission podcast, we're posing the question: If the M7 became the M8, which MBA program would be added to this prestigious list? For this discussion we're joined by Poets&Quants founder and editor-in-chief, John Byrne, who originated the term "M7" and has been covering business education for decades.

01:34 Which business school would make the M8?
01:22 How was the M7 formed?
06:27 Yale SOM
08:02 Dartmouth Tuck
11:42 Berkeley Haas
12:54 Duke Fuqua 
19:01 Michigan Ross
20:12 INSEAD
22:41 London Business School
24:48 NYU Stern
30:12 UVA Darden 
35:43 Cornell Johnson 
39:34 Texas McCombs 
41:37 HEC, IESE, Cambridge Judge, Oxford Said 
43:30 Georgetown McDonough 
44:36 Vanderbilt Owen, Johns Hopkins Carey, WashU Olin 

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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What does it take to gain admission to your target MBA program? What if you have a below-average GMAT or GRE score... can you still earn a spot at a top business school? MBA applicant Austin Sandoval did just that. In the latest episode of the mbaMission podcast, Austin talks with Harold Simanksy and Jeremy Shinewald about his MBA application journey, and how he used onTrack by mbaMission -- our on-demand MBA admissions course -- to craft his business school applications. With the help of onTrack, Austin overcame a 299 GRE score and was offered admission to multiple top-15 MBA programs, along with over $500,000 in scholarships.

01:34 Austin's story 
14:19 Professional progress
16:53 Deciding to pursue an MBA
22:53 Beginning the application process
23:30 Struggling with the GRE 
30:32 Balancing work, life, and applications
33:31 Narrowing down target school list  
39:50 Make a decision and weighing scholarships 
44:38 Post-MBA career goals 

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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With the constantly evolving sociopolitical news about immigration, Visa policies, and international enrollment restrictions at top American universities, international MBA applicants understandably have a lot of questions about applying to U.S. business schools in 2025.  In the latest episode of the mbaMission podcast we invited John Byrne, founder and editor-in-chief of Poets&Quants, to join us for a discussion about the new realities of being an international MBA applicant in 2025.

00:00 Applying to business school as an international applicant 
02:56 Current international MBA students
04:53 Is 2025 a good year for international applicants?
07:06 Responses from business schools
10:34 How politics are playing out in MBA classrooms
12:53 Should you consider non-US programs?
15:55 2025-2026 applicants: What to expect
19:19 How should international applicants approach the 2025-2026 season
21:29 Considerations for recent admits
25:29 Do you HAVE to go to Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton?
28:11 Final thoughts for international MBA applicants

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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The Yale School of Management prepares MBA graduates for a broad range of careers. In our latest episode of the mbaMission podcast we welcome back Laurel Grodman and Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Deans of Admissions at the Yale SOM. Laurel and Bruce discuss the ways in which the SOM prepares students for diverse post-MBA careers, and why firms value having SOM graduates on their teams. They also discuss the Yale SOM Silver Scholars program, which provides a unique opportunity to talented undergraduate students who are interested in beginning an MBA program directly after college graduation.

00:00 Career outcomes at the Yale SOM
01:45 Yale SOM Deferred MBA option
04:36 How selective is the Yale SOM Silver Scholars program
10:03 The current MBA job market 
12:24 Career path trends at the SOM
16:18 Hidden gems of the Yale SOM curriculum 
20:43 SOM integrated curriculum 

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

Contact Us:
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Send us your admissions questions!

Last year Harvard Business School changed it's MBA application essays for the first time in nearly a decade. The changes were significant, and caused anxiety for many business school hopefuls. After working with applicants on the new HBS essays for the last year, we're sharing what we've learned. In our latest episode of the mbaMission podcast, Harold Simansky, Jeremy Shinewald, and Gatehouse Admissions founder Liza Weale share their reactions to the essay changes and discuss effective strategies for tackling each of the Harvard Business School essay prompts.

00:00 How to write the new HBS application essays
01:28 Our reactions to the new essays
02:13 How the HBS essays changed
03:54 HBS Business-Minded essays
07:21 Approaching the essays as a collection
09:34 HBS Leadership-Focused essay
17:47 HBS Growth-Oriented essay
24:41 How should your essays fit together?

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.
 
‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

Contact Us:
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