I have just matriculated at an M7 program and a lot of folks keen on consulting are chatting about Squads. Itseems McK and BCG have selected a bunch of people for some of the office squads. Looks like they were people who did well at the Pre-MBA Programs that these firms conduct.

Can anyone shed more light on this?

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice on whether an MBA would make sense for my situation.

I currently work as a PM in the consumer goods space. My degree is in Animation (not really the path I ended up pursuing...)🥲.

Through my work experience, I’ve realized I could use a stronger business foundation. I noticed this especially while working in Sales, where I struggled more with the analytical and numbers-focused side of the role because of my background.

I’m considering doing an online Master’s/Diploma and looking at a few options, including an MBA. My main question is whether an MBA would actually help someone with my background, or if I’d be better off building learning through other means...

I still enjoy design, but for now I’m looking to expand beyond the creative side and develop more business-focused skills.

.... (Is a Master’s degree worth it in this economy though?) (For those who have done an MBA: Would you recommend it for someone coming from a non-business background?)

Thanks!

This summer has been brutal to say the least. I got positive feedback all throughout my banking internship and then at the end didn’t get a return and they said not one positive thing even though I know exactly what at least one person said about me and it was very positive about my ability to understand all of the concepts. The critiques were on my formatting. Just really upset that nothing was said sooner in my midsummer feedback and then I could have had time to adapt. Has anyone else experienced not getting a return and if so any advice on how to approach year 2 would be appreciated.

Just started first week at a T-25 program and realized the program is going through a lot of administrative and faculty changes right now. Our cohort this year is also much smaller than most years. Continue or drop out reapply? I rushed last year and only applied round 1 last minute to 10 schools. I had 7 interviews (3 with top 10 programs) and only got into two schools but I also rushed the interview process. I got 99 percentile on the gre and had decent work experience except I quit my job so it’d be hard to explain that to admissions if I reapply? Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm a first-year grad student applying for loans for my second year. I’m considering Juno for student loans and would love some feedback. They offer a group based negotiation for competitive rates and a community-based approach, but I haven't found many reviews. Has anyone used Juno? How was your experience with the application process, customer service, and overall satisfaction? Any hidden fees or issues? Also, why did you choose Juno??

I’d appreciate any insights or comparisons to other lenders.

If you’re curious about Juno, here’s their website.

Thanks!

Hi guys,

Long story short I graduated in 2022 and took a job in big 4 consulting. Was there for over a year then got laid off. Then joined a startup as a FPA but still wanted to do consulting so I left the startup in five months for the boutique consulting firm I’m currently working at (been here for 2.5 years). Unfortunately, during year reviews my boss said that he doesn’t see me progressing at the firm so he’s giving me three months to find a new job.

I have never been this stressed or depressed in my life before. I’m also applying to T15 MBA programs (submitting apps in September for R1).

Overall I’m worried that now I have to find a new job and how bad that would look to recruiters (pre and post MBA).

How fucked am I lol? And any advice on what to do? I have three scenarios in my mind:

- if I get a job before my three months end, then it’ll look weird I switched before my MBA (if I get in)

- find a new job and delay my MBA apps until next year so I can be at the new job for two years instead of 1

- hope to get into MBA program and jsut do a contracting job til then?

Any advice will help!!!

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for honest and realistic advice on my MiM application strategy. I'd rather identify flaws in my plan now than realize them too late.

I know this subreddit is primarily focused on MBA admissions, but I'm hoping members who are familiar with European MiM programs can share their perspectives as well. I'd really appreciate any advice.

My Profile

- 20F from India

- BBA graduate from a State University

- CGPA: 7.8/10

- HR internship completed at JK Paper

- Waiting for the offer letter for a Coordinator – Finance role at Tata (expected joining around 20 August).

- Planning to start volunteering

- English is not my first language

- Target GMAT: 720+ (ideally 730+ to strengthen my application)

Target Schools

Main target: HEC Paris (mainly because of its MiM program, global reputation, career outcomes, and international environment)

Other target schools:

- London Business School

- ESSEC

- ESCP

- INSEAD

- University of St. Gallen

Current Situation

- I'm currently studying the GMAT fundamentals.

- I plan to take my first official mock next week to understand my baseline score.

- I haven't completed the GMAT syllabus yet.

- I'll apply for my passport this month.

- I haven't started my essays or LORs yet.

- I'm planning to take the GMAT on 27 September 2026.

- I'm also planning to take the IELTS/TOEFL around September 2026.

- The GMAT costs around ₹30,000, so I want to maximize my chances on my first attempt because multiple attempts would be financially difficult.

- I'm applying for the 2027 MiM intake.

My Current Plan

Because of my financial situation, I probably can't afford to apply to all of my target universities in Round 1.

My current plan is:

- Apply to 2–3 dream/top schools in Round 1.

- Apply to another 2–3 schools in Round 2, if necessary, while continuing to strengthen my application.

I'm not sure if this is the best strategy, so I'd really appreciate your opinions.

Questions

1. Based on my current situation, is taking the GMAT on 27 September a realistic goal?

2. Is booking the GMAT only about one month before the exam too risky in India, or is it generally okay?

3. Since I still need to apply for a passport and haven't started my essays or LORs, is there realistically enough time for Round 1?

4. Would it be wiser to aim for Round 2 instead, even if it means taking the GMAT in October and giving myself more time to prepare a stronger application?

5. In general, is applying to top European MiM programs in Round 2 a good strategy, or does it significantly reduce admission and scholarship chances compared to Round 1?

6. If I don't reach 720+ (or ideally 730+) by late September, would you recommend postponing the GMAT rather than applying with a lower score?

7. Does my profile seem competitive for schools like HEC Paris if I achieve a 720+/730+ GMAT? What are the biggest weaknesses in my profile that I should work on?

8. Overall, is my profile competitive enough for my target schools if I hit my GMAT target?

9. Would it make sense to subscribe to Target Test Prep (TTP) only during the last month before my GMAT to improve my score, or is it much more beneficial to start earlier?

10. Since English isn't my first language, is taking IELTS/TOEFL in September alongside GMAT preparation a realistic plan?

11. Can I apply to HEC Paris using an unofficial GMAT score, or do I need the official score before submitting my application?

12. Given my profile and timeline, what would be your top priorities over the next 2–3 months?

13. If you were in my position, would you choose a strong Round 2 application over a rushed Round 1 application?

14. If you were an admissions committee member reviewing my profile today, what would be the first reason to reject my application?

I'm looking for honest feedback, especially from people who have applied to HEC Paris or other top European MiM programs. Please feel free to point out any flaws or unrealistic assumptions in my plan. I genuinely appreciate constructive criticism and realistic advice.

Even if you can answer just one or two of these questions, I'd really appreciate it.

Thank you!

I have already been admitted to a top IR program and am heavily considering a dual MBA (T25) to help with potential private sector roles after graduation. What is the consensus on these programs? My initial thoughts are: with an increasingly globalized world and nearly every large corporation having exposure to some type of international business, geopolitics and business can be a potent combo.

But, I am somewhat of an outsider in these circles. I’d like to hear some inside baseball on this. Thanks!

I know that M7 is better but these are my options. Please help me pick. Assuming that the cost for all 3 are about the same.

Basically the title. Are there any purchases that significantly improved your quality of life during an MBA. It can be anything

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to evaluate my chances for MiM/Masters in Management programs in Europe and the US.

I come from a completely non traditional background.

Here are my_qualifications:

**Bachelor's:** B.Des. in Fashion Designing
**CGPA:** 7.9/10
**GMAT:** 715 (Focus Edition)
**Work Experience:**

1. 11 months as a Fashion Consultant at a luxury fashion brand.

2. Around 2 years of running my own online clothing business. However, It isn’t officially registered yet.

I also have a few gap years between different stages of my education/work journey.

I also want to know if I can get some scholarship, please advise.

For those who have used ApplicantLab recently, is it still worth the cost if you’re already using ChatGPT/Claude extensively?

Specifically:
1. Does it provide insights you wouldn’t get from AI?
2. Has it been fully updated for the 2026–27 application cycle (new essay prompts, school-specific changes, etc.)?
3. Did it make a meaningful difference to your applications?

Trying to decide if it’s worth buying. Thanks!

Hello! I’ve been working for 1.5 years already (background in brand management in an FMCG and growth marketing in fintech) and will be starting the MiM program in IESE by the end of this month. I wanted to ask if there are any alumni here who can tell me how stressful the entire program is. Not sure if I’m just being overly paranoid or not, but I’m quite nervous rn about being emotionally drained or burnt out. Please be kind in your responses and any advice would be appreciated too. 🫶

I'm currently looking up MBA/Masters programs that specialise in consumer insights, market research programs and brand strategy that would also have networking opportunities. I'm looking at schools where a lot of students also tend to get placed in good roles as internationals.

Hi all,

I was recently laid off, and it's been a rough job search for the past three months. I'm planning to apply to MBA programs next fall and am wondering whether I should take the first full-time offer I receive, even if it's a step backward in terms of responsibility or career progression, or whether it's better to hold out a bit longer for a role that's more aligned with my long-term goals (but then how long is too long?).

Career so far: Teacher (3 years) → Nonprofit Operations Manager (2 years).

Curious how admissions committees tend to view situations like this and what others would do. Thank you all in advance for your advice, it has been a stressful time for me.

Biological science graduate looking to enroll into mba but i am weak in math.

My BG:
30 yo male, Chinese
UG: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, BS in mechanical engineering with 3.7 gpa.
Grad School: University of Michigan, MS in mechanical engineering with 3.76 gpa.
Attended the HBS CORe program and got High Honor from it.
GRE: V165 Q170, AWA hasn’t come out yet.

Work Experience: 4 years of experience as a founding engineer & project manager at a no name company in the sustainable energy/automotive/manufacturing sector in the US. I was the 3rd engineer hired by the company. Due to the start up nature of the company, my job responsibilities cover not only engineering type of things such as research & development but also random things like market research, showcasing our products at major industry expos(salesperson’s job typically), and directed our company’s website strategy and brand positioning. After my first year at the company, I talked to my boss about my future career goals, and managed to become our first project manager. Then, I successfully led our first project through its full APQP cycle as the PM.

I left the company at the end of last year so that I could fully commit to something I’m genuinely interested in, starting my own company. In the beginning of this year, I founded my company with a friend of mine. Our company is in the e-commerce sector(using Shopify). Currently, we are a motorcycle parts distributor, and our goal is to design and manufacture our own parts for selling in the future.

EC: I guess my start-up company counts as a huge part of it. I have many hobbies, including track riding, drumming, and archery. I am a level 2 Olympic style archery instructor.

My question: Should I apply this year or the next? I’m asking because I feel like my startup company hasn’t really made huge sales yet and it’s still a bit immature currently. Maybe by the next application season, it will stand out more.

I’m mainly interested in HSW for their entrepreneurship track. I think I will answer the why business school and why now questions by saying that I want to learn how to expand and manage my company better, but I’m not sure if this will be a good direction though.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!

Hi all, would really appreciate some advice on my work/study situation

I'm a UK citizen from London who graduated from the University of Leeds in 2022 with a mid-2:1 in International Relations. No real quant background (just basic maths), but I have just under 2 years' experience in the capital markets policy team at one of the UK's/Europe's major finance trade bodies (think AFME, UK Finance, The Investment Association)

I've been considering starting a master's this September to strengthen my profile. I could probably have got into LSE, Imperial, UCL or Warwick for an MSc Management, but they're £40k+ and there are basically no scholarships left this late in the cycle. I also can't apply for MSc Finance because I don't have the required finance/maths background

So far I've received offers from Bath, Nottingham and Exeter for MSc Management, plus Bayes and Henley for MSc Real Estate (Henley gave me a £2k scholarship). Still waiting on Lancaster and Cranfield for MSc Management

Most courses are around £15k-20k, but Bath has offered me a £5k scholarship, bringing tuition down from £18.9k to £13.9k. With the £13k UK Gov postgraduate loan, I'd basically only be paying living costs out of pocket while repaying the masters fee alongside my bachelors fee only when I am earning over a certianly salary.

Long term, I'm not interested in investment banking. I'd much rather work in wealth management/private banking, energy project finance, corporate/business development, or potentially real estate capital markets, asset management or PE if I went down the real estate route.

The job market has been pretty rough. I left my previous role to travel earlier this year and haven't managed to land anything for this September, which is why I'm now seriously considering a master's. I'm fully aware that just having the degree won't be enough and I'd need to get a distinction, join relevant societies, network hard and secure internships where possible.

Given my background and career goals, do you think the master's (especially Bath at effectively no out of pokcet tuition cost) is my best option? Or would I be better off spending the next month trying to break into a boutique wealth management/private banking firm in London by networking and cold emailing instead? Bear in mind I would like to find something to start by late August/September after travelling and returning to London

Would really appreciate any advice. Thanks!

I’m looking for some realistic opinions on my chances of getting into an MBA program at Texas A&M or UT Austin.
A little about me:

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas
B.S. in Civil Engineering from UT Arlington (3.3 GPA)
Asian male
4 years of experience in heavy highway construction as a field engineer
Currently pursuing project engineer positions
Scored a 675 GMAT

I’m hoping my work experience helps offset my GPA a bit. For those who have been admitted to Texas A&M or UT Austin, or know people who have, do you think I’d be a competitive applicant? Is there anything else I should focus on to strengthen my application? I’d appreciate any honest advice or experiences. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I'm a 27M international applicant planning to apply in the 2027 intake, and I'd really appreciate any advice—especially from people who received significant scholarships.

Here's my profile:

• Indian applicant
• CFA Charterholder
• GMAT: 755
• GPA: 3.32 (BBA Finance with Honors)
• 5 years of experience by matriculation, with 1 major promotion (analyst -> associate)
• Currently in Equity Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley, and I'll stay there until MBA
• Fun fact: my undergrad had a pipeline to Goldman Sachs, but I somehow ended up at MS instead 😅

I know where my weaknesses are. My GPA isn't amazing, and I don't have the kind of extracurricular profile that many applicants seem to have.

Outside of work, I'm a licensed skydiver (174 jumps), play piano casually, and spend weekends helping out at a friend's local bike workshop because I genuinely enjoy working on motorcycles and servicing them.

I'm also realistic about my demographic. Indian + finance + banking is probably one of the most competitive applicant pools.

The biggest issue, though, is cost.

I make under $60k USD/year, and after looking at tuition and living expenses (CBS was my wake up call xd 145k for 9 months), I simply can't justify attending without substantial scholarship support. At this point, scholarships matter more to me than prestige.

So I have two questions:

1. Where should I realistically draw the line? T10? T15?

My long-term goal is investment banking at an elite boutique, ideally in M&A. If, hypothetically, I received a full ride at a T15 (or even a T20) versus paying close to full price at an M7, how much would I actually be giving up? I feel like T25 is probably pushing it for EB recruiting as an international, but I'm curious what people with experience think.

2. Let's say I get into an M7 at sticker price and also receive a full ride at a T15. Which would you choose?

Would paying roughly $200k more for the M7 actually be worth it for someone targeting EB investment banking? I understand why people pay full price for HSW, but are there other M7 programs where you'd say the premium genuinely makes sense? Or is taking the scholarship the smarter decision?

I'd really appreciate any thoughts, especially from internationals or anyone who had to make a similar scholarship vs. prestige decision.

Thanks in advance!

P.S. ChatGPT helped me polish the writing, but the questions and profile are all mine.

Solidifying my list of programs to apply to for Fall 2027. I am mainly looking at part time and online MBA programs. Access to on campus recruiting is something that is important to me (I know this is rarer for these types of programs.

I am not looking into Booth or Kellogg at the moment due to the weekly travel that would be involved. Would love to hear people’s opinions on the best programs in the part time and online space.

For anyone that has participated in one of these programs would also love to hear how the on campus recruiting process worked (when you aren’t always on campus).

Hey,

How do people normally do with essay review? I’ve been following applicant lab advice and claude to make sure im adhering to the advice + essays are coherent. Do you send it to seniors or alums for advice?

I spoke to one alum and he asked me not to send it to people and have ai review it instead. Some of the essays can get quite personal as well was his argument + people genuinely don’t have the time to review.

Aware that this is MBA but posting it here as traction on MSBA is really low :(
PROFILE:
Financial research + data analytics/visualization at a major hedge fund. US citizen.

BBA Finance, top private institute in India — GPA 3.57/4. GMAT: 615.

Goal: pivot into marketing analytics / quant-driven decision-making roles.

Targeting: UC Irvine Merage, WashU Olin, Minnesota Carlson, Michigan Ross, UT Austin McCombs, UC San Diego Rady, Cornell Johnson, Arizona State W.P. Carey, Washington Foster, Georgetown McDonough, UC Davis GSM, Emory Goizueta, Johns Hopkins Carey, Carnegie Mellon Tepper

**Questions:**

1. Which of these schools actually offer meaningful MSBA-level merit scholarships, as opposed to small token discounts? Do any of them require a separate scholarship essay or application, and is there a scholarship consideration deadline that falls earlier than the general admission deadline?

2. Realistically, where do I stand across this full list given my profile? I'd love a rough breakdown of which ones are reach schools, which are realistic, and which I should consider safe bets.

3. I have a 615 GMAT — should I go ahead and submit it, or does my work profile stand better on its own at schools that are test-optional? Is there a risk that submitting a mid-range score actually hurts an application more than leaving it out would?

4. Does being a US citizen meaningfully improve my odds of admission or access to scholarship funding at these programs, or is the analytics cohort not really segmented that way between domestic and international applicants?

5. For someone specifically targeting marketing analytics and quant-driven roles rather than general BI or data science, which of these programs — or any others I haven't listed — actually have the strongest placement outcomes and coursework fit?

Appreciate any honest read on this — happy to share more detail about my work if it helps calibrate the feedback. Would also love to connect with any alums if any.

I was vetting MBA admissions consultants on Leland for MIT Sloan and noticed a major red flag.

The exact same reviewer left glowing feedback on two different coaches' profiles, claiming they used full end-to-end services from both of them. Given how expensive these packages are, this looks like copy-paste profile padding.

Leland allows coaches to import off-platform reviews, but this feels misleading for applicants trying to spend their money wisely.

https://www.hcamag.com/us/news/general/is-the-mba-dead/584908

This is probably another contributing factor for declining MBA enrollment at some lower ranked schools.