Blog:
Top MBA Programs for Sports
March 24, 2025
When I worked at ESPN, the MBA was not yet popular outside of the finance and marketing departments. Some of my colleagues had earned a Master of Science in Sports Management (UMass Amherst was the most popular program at the time) to gain insight on managing the business of sports, but that was about it. However,…
Top MBA Programs for Social Impact
March 21, 2025
Social impact programs have come a long way since I did my MBA internship in social entrepreneurship with Juma Ventures in San Francisco. This topic has become the cornerstone of many MBA programs, and each time I update this blog post, I am excited to add new schools to this list! While finance, marketing, operations,…
Do Business Schools Have “Types”?
March 10, 2025
Do business schools have “types”—meaning, are shared characteristics common among all students? The short answer is yes, but it is more nuanced than that. What you think is a school’s type may not be its type at all. So, how does this play itself out? The most mundane way is that most people who gain…
Five Tips for Oil and Gas Professionals Applying to MBA Programs
February 10, 2025
Given the current state of the oil and gas industry, many professionals in this vertical are looking to refocus their career on a less volatile field, while others want to reform the industry from within. An MBA may be a good option either way. If you are currently working in oil and gas and are…
Finance to MBA: Five Considerations for Applicants
January 30, 2025
Finance is one of the largest industries that business schools draw from. Here, I use the term “finance” broadly, including corporate finance, investment banking, equity research, private equity, asset management, and others. MBA admissions committees like candidates with experience in finance, as they generally have the quant skills needed to succeed academically. The flip side…
Marketing Role to MBA: Seven Easy Tips to Get Accepted
December 11, 2024
More and more candidates with a marketing background are applying to top MBA programs, and the competition to land a spot in a coveted program gets fiercer every year. How can you capitalize on your background in marketing to submit the strongest possible applications? Here are seven tips to consider: 1. Remember, you’re marketing yourself….
Why an MBA for Consultants? And Five Tips for Management Consultants Applying to Business Schools
November 26, 2024
Why an MBA for Consultants? If you’ve had management consulting experience within the last five years, an MBA is a great next step in your career. In fact, historically, management consulting has been considered the perfect pre-MBA training ground for recent college graduates. Working in management consulting provides you the opportunity to spend a couple…
What Is DEI, and Why Do Business Schools Care About It?
November 21, 2024
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a collection of policies and programs within an organization designed to encourage representation and participation of people across all racial, ethnic, gender, religious, and ability backgrounds. DEI has become increasingly important to organizations in recent years, and this is reflected in its elevation within MBA programs. In the United…
CPA to MBA: Conduct a Pre–Business School Audit
November 14, 2024
Every year, thousands of young accounting and audit professionals apply to top MBA programs. However, having a CPA or having been promoted multiple times after successful client engagements is not sufficient to secure a seat in a top business school program. Here are eight areas for assessment and potential repositioning as you prepare to apply…
So, You Think You Want to Go into PE/VC?
November 13, 2024
Private equity (PE) seems to be the holy grail for many MBA candidates and students—or so they think. Many candidates I talk to are interested in PE or venture capital (VC), but they don’t have a real grasp of what that means. Investing in early-stage companies and making a lot of money, right? Maybe. PE…
Investment Banking and Private Equity Professionals: What’s Your MBA Game Plan?
November 12, 2024
If you are an investment banking (IB)/private equity (PE) professional, an MBA is always a natural step to the next level, a pivot, a refocusing, or even a restart of your professional career. Whether you are still an undergrad navigating the recruiting process, within the first several years of your firm’s analyst/associate program, currently applying…
Top MBA Programs’ Fall 2024 Diversity Events for Prospective Students
October 21, 2024
One of the best ways for prospective business school students to learn about how well they might fit with an MBA program is by interfacing with enrolled students who come from a similar cultural background. To facilitate this research, top business schools are offering diversity events this school year to provide aspiring MBAs an opportunity…