The mbaMission Podcast
- Episódios
- 128
- Publicação
- semanal
- Último episódio
- 10 nov 2026
Sobre o podcast
Every Tuesday, The mbaMission Podcast delivers expert, unfiltered insights into the world of elite business school admissions. Hosted by Senior Admissions Consultant Harold Simansky alongside mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald, the show strips away the guesswork of applying to top-tier MBA programs. Through candid conversations, timely market updates, and exclusive interviews with top admissions directors and industry insiders, Harold and the team break down every piece of the application mosaic—from essay drafting and resume optimization to interview preparation and post-MBA career mapping. Whether you are a traditional candidate aiming to differentiate yourself or a unique applicant navigating the process for the first time, The mbaMission Podcast is your definitive, go-to resource for actionable strategies, data-backed advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to get accepted to your dream school.
Episódios 128
Remembering Mike McKay: A Conversation on Mentorship, Teaching, and a Life in Private Equity
Send us your admissions questions!This episode is presented in memory of Mike McKay. In a conversation recorded before his death, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and mbaMission Founder Jeremy …
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Send us your admissions questions!
This episode is presented in memory of Mike McKay. In a conversation recorded before his death, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald talk with Mike McKay, advisory partner at Bain & Company, about the private equity group he helped establish at the firm, the teaching and mentorship that defined his life, and what he learned across more than 30 years at Bain.
We are grateful to Mike’s family for allowing us to share this conversation.
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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InstagramHarvard Business School’s Online and Executive Education Programs | Ep 127
Send us your admissions questions!Artificial intelligence (AI) is the current focus of Harvard Business School’s online and executive education programs. In Episode 127 of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold …
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Send us your admissions questions!
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the current focus of Harvard Business School’s online and executive education programs. In Episode 127 of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by Patrick Mullane, executive director of Harvard Business School (HBS) Online and Executive Education, and Simeen Mohsen, senior managing director of HBS Online, for a conversation about HBS’s non-degree programs and the role AI is expected to play in their future.
Patrick and Simeen lay out the portfolio—upwards of 35 online programs and approximately 70 in-person programs a year—and discuss blended learning, living groups on campus, alumni status, and the cross-pollination between executive education, online learning, and the two-year MBA program. They close with what surprises participants most and what comes next for both portfolios.
00:00 How Is AI Changing Harvard Business School’s Online and Executive Education Programs?
03:37 Why Did HBS Reverse Course on Online Learning?
04:58 How Many People Participate in HBS Online and Executive Education Each Year?
05:54 For Whom Are the In-Person Executive Education Programs Designed?
07:28 How Do the Online and In-Person Programs Fit Together?
10:53 Can an Online or Executive Education Program Lead to an MBA?
16:32 How Is AI Changing In-Person Programs?
19:43 How Do Online and Executive Education Feed Back into the Two-Year MBA Program?
22:44 What Surprises Executive Education Participants the Most?
24:10 What Comes Next for HBS Online and Executive Education?
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.
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Is AI the Future of MBA Careers? | Ep 126
Send us your admissions questions!In Episode 126 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald welcome back Jim Caruso, chief innovation officer at Elevate …
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Send us your admissions questions!
In Episode 126 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald welcome back Jim Caruso, chief innovation officer at Elevate and a graduate of the Michigan Ross Online MBA program, for a conversation about artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of MBA careers.
Jim teaches AI at Montclair State University and builds AI products every day at Elevate, so he has insight into the technology from both the classroom and the C-suite. He shares that many of his students begin his course fearful of the technology, and explains the shift from a knowledge economy to a relevance economy, why AI applications differ so sharply by task and industry, and the data analytics case he calls one of the most successful applications of large language models. He closes with what an MBA program still teaches that no technology can replace: how to collaborate with people, work for people, and mentor people.
00:00 Is AI the Future of MBA Careers?
03:56 Has the AI Job Apocalypse Been Overblown?
05:52 Why Are Students Not Using AI in the Classroom?
08:35 What Is the Relevance Economy?
09:46 How Should Schools Adapt to AI?
11:50 What Turns a Great Idea into a Business?
16:33 How Can Large Language Models Convert Data into Insight?
19:50 What Does an MBA Teach That Technology Cannot Replace?
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.
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How to Get Off the MBA Waitlist | Ep 125
Send us your admissions questions!In Episode 125 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald discuss a uniquely frustrating stage of the admissions …
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Send us your admissions questions!
In Episode 125 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald discuss a uniquely frustrating stage of the admissions process that some MBA hopefuls must navigate: being placed on the waitlist.
Harold and Jeremy explain why business schools use waitlists, what your odds of being accepted are, and the helpful steps you can take in the meantime, such as retaking the GMAT, completing quant coursework, writing thoughtful monthly updates for the admissions committee, and building a relationship with the waitlist manager. They also address additional recommendations, yield management, international applicant timelines, and how to leave the door open to reapply later if you decide you cannot wait any longer.
00:00 Why Is the MBA Waitlist So Frustrating?
01:22 How Many Applicants End Up on the Waitlist?
04:34 How Can You Fill in the Holes in Your Application?
07:40 How Often Should You Contact the Admissions Committee?
12:48 How Long Can You Afford to Remain on the Waitlist?
14:57 Why Do Schools Refuse to Rank Their Waitlists?
17:53 Should You Submit Additional Letters of Recommendation?
22:21 How Can You Stay Optimistic While You Wait?
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.
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How to Connect with MBA Students and Alumni to Strengthen Your Application | Ep 124
Send us your admissions questions!How do you extend your research on a business school beyond its website? By having authentic conversations with the people who know it best.In Episode 124 of The mbaMission …
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Send us your admissions questions!
How do you extend your research on a business school beyond its website? By having authentic conversations with the people who know it best.
In Episode 124 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald break down how applicants should connect with their target schools and with those schools’ students and alumni. They discuss whom to contact, how to reach out, what questions to ask, and how to integrate what you learn from those conversations into your essays and interviews.
In their discussion, Harold and Jeremy cover how applicants can learn about upcoming school events, how to approach student ambassadors, how to cold email a club officer without being awkward, and how to benefit from one’s professional network—from LinkedIn connections to former colleagues. They also explain what “demonstrated interest” means, why you should not expect any single person to become an advocate for your candidacy, and when visiting campus is worth the effort and cost.
The central takeaway of the episode is that a few thoughtful 15-minute conversations can bring out the kinds of specific, insightful details that can set your application apart—and that no amount of online research could replicate.
00:00 Why Should You Go Beyond a School’s Website?
03:04 What Is the Point of Demonstrated Interest?
09:46 How Can You Find In-Person and Online School Events?
12:45 What Questions Reveal More Than the Obvious?
16:50 Is Finding a Primary Advocate Possible?
18:45 How Can Contacting a Student or Graduate Strengthen Your Candidacy?
22:08 How Do You Cold Email a Club Leader?
25:14 How Do You Integrate What You Learn into Essays and Interviews?
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.
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Why an Entrepreneur Chose an Online MBA Program | Ep 123
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
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Send us your admissions questions!
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?
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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MIT Sloan Fellows MBA: A One-Year Career Accelerator | Ep 122
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
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Send us your admissions questions!
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 Curriculum
MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Admissions
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.
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Inside Cornell Tech’s One-Year MBA: Innovation, Careers, and Impact | Ep 121
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
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Send us your admissions questions!
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?
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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What Strengthens an MBA Application? (Your Questions Answered) | Ep 120
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
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Send us your admissions questions!
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?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.
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How Duke Fuqua Helps MBAs Build Lasting Careers | Ep 119
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
Notas do episódio
Send us your admissions questions!
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.
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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Finding MBA Programs Outside the Top Ten That Fit Your Goals | Ep 118
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
Notas do episódio
Send us your admissions questions!
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.
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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HBS Online Core Business Essentials for MBA Applicants | Ep 117
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
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Send us your admissions questions!
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
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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Why “Team Fuqua” Is More Than a Motto and How It Turns Culture into Leadership | Ep 116
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
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Send us your admissions questions!
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
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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AI in MBA Admissions: Your Unique Voice Beats Polished Sameness | Ep 115
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
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Send us your admissions questions!
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.
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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What Duke Fuqua Looks for in MBA Applicants When Building “Team Fuqua” | Ep 114
Send us your admissions questions!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 …
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Send us your admissions questions!
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
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Is an MBA Worth is in 2026 and Beyond? | Ep 113
Send us your admissions questions!Is an MBA still worth the investment in 2026? What about in the years ahead?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky, Founder …
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Send us your admissions questions!
Is an MBA still worth the investment in 2026? What about in the years ahead?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky, Founder Jeremy Shinewald, and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya discuss the MBA’s return on investment, AI, hiring headlines, scholarship opportunities, and the long-term value of business school. They explain why applicants should evaluate the expense of earning the degree through a broad lens that considers professional direction, leadership development, strategic thinking, workplace confidence, and the genesis of relationships that can shape one’s entire career.
The conversation also addresses practical issues. The hosts explain how to use schools’ employment reports in the decision to pursue the degree and how to weigh the short-term costs against the long-term rewards. They also explore the importance of human leadership skills amid the ever-increasing prevalence of AI and how a softer application environment creates opportunity for strong candidates. For anyone wondering whether now is the right time to apply to business school, this episode offers a thoughtful framework for making that call with confidence.
00:00 Is an MBA Still Worth the Investment?
01:30 The Extended Career Value of Business School
05:13 The Human Skills AI Cannot Replace
07:41 Weighing the Overall Return on Investment
10:12 The Truth Behind the Hiring Headlines
13:02 Critical Thinking, Leadership, and the MBA Network
20:28 How a Softer MBA Application Season Creates Opportunity
22:04 Scholarships and the Decision to Enroll
24:00 Final Advice for Long-Term Thinkers
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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From Waitlist to Startup CEO: Clyde Anderson’s MIT Sloan Story | Ep 112
Send us your admissions questions!What does starting a company during business school really demand beyond a strong idea?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and Gatehouse Founder …
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Send us your admissions questions!
What does starting a company during business school really demand beyond a strong idea?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and Gatehouse Founder Liza Weale sit down with GrowthFactor CEO and MIT Sloan alumnus Clyde Anderson for a candid conversation about the Sloan experience, entrepreneurship, and school fit. Clyde explains how he moved from finance to business school, why Sloan became the right match after a surprising waitlist turn, and how a classroom insight became the seed of a company.
The discussion covers Sloan’s analytical core, its culture of experimentation, the role of co-founders, and the practical resources that supported GrowthFactor, including startup workspace, entrepreneurship classes, faculty guidance, and MIT delta v. Clyde also describes why Sloan remains valuable for students who do not plan to launch a company, from consulting and finance paths to veterans, operators, and students pursuing less linear careers.
For applicants considering MIT Sloan, this episode offers a useful reminder: fit comes from more than a school’s reputation. The strongest match often appears when your goals, your way of learning, and the community around you push you to become more fully yourself.
Guest contact:
Clyde Anderson, CEO of GrowthFactor
https://www.growthfactor.ai/
00:00 From Sloan Waitlist to Startup CEO
05:03 From a Waitlist Update to a Sloan Interview
09:28 The Benefit of Authenticity When Applying to Sloan
13:22 The Birth of GrowthFactor
19:47 Finding Co-Founders at Sloan
22:51 The Sloan Startup Resources That Supported GrowthFactor
25:07 How Sloan Students Champion One Another
28:38 Sloan Career Paths Outside of Entrepreneurship
34:21 How Delta V Helps Launch Student Ventures
35:17 The Post-Graduate Power of Sloan’s Alumni Network
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.
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Beyond the Essay: How Top Consultants Guide Candidates to Strong MBA Applications | Ep 111
Send us your admissions questions!How do MBA admissions consultants help their clients beyond editing their essays?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky sits down with two highly …
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Send us your admissions questions!
How do MBA admissions consultants help their clients beyond editing their essays?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky sits down with two highly experienced admissions consultants, mbaMission Managing Director Rachel Beck and Gatehouse Admissions Founder Liza Weale, for a candid, inside look at what MBA consulting entails.
The conversation covers the brainstorming and experience inventory process that begins every client engagement and how consultants build personal relationships with their clients over months of collaboration. Rachel and Liza also shed light on the qualities that separate successful applicants from candidates whose results are less positive. They explain why the process often feels “messy” in the early stages and why reading your essay out loud is one of the most powerful strategies in the revision process. In addition, the discussion touches on the show-versus-tell principle, why applicants should spend more time on their resume, and how to identify “alignment” across an application when reviewing a final draft.
Whether you are just starting to think about business school or are already fully immersed in the application process, this episode offers a rare look at how experienced admissions consultants work and what you can learn from the process, even if you never hire one.
00:00 Pulling Back the Curtain on MBA Consulting
03:18 The Kicker and the Art of Layering: Storytelling in Essays
06:13 Brainstorming and the Experience Inventory Process
09:40 What Makes a Client Succeed and How Relationships Factor In
14:12 The Messy Middle: Ambiguity, Authenticity, and Trust in the Process
16:08 The Importance of Answering the Question and Reading Out Loud
19:19 Editing Without Attachment
20:41 The Underrated MBA Application Resume
31:14 The Human Side of MBA Admissions
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.
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The Future of Work and Reinventing Work | Ep 110
Send us your admissions questions!The old deal with work is broken. Leaders today are looking for a way to get their company’s culture back, but an expert in the consulting space argues that rather than …
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The old deal with work is broken. Leaders today are looking for a way to get their company’s culture back, but an expert in the consulting space argues that rather than returning to old ways, we should be reinventing work from scratch.
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald and Executive Director Jessica Shklar sit down with Debbie Lovich, a BCG managing director and senior partner with 32 years of experience, for a conversation about the future of work, the collapse of the traditional employment bargain, and why the most successful companies of the next decade will be the ones that learn to make work human again.
Debbie is the author of Make Work Work: The 5 Daily Practices of the Employee-Centric Leader, available for preorder now. She has spent 32 years at BCG advising global organizations, and this book represents a lifetime of lessons she wanted to pass on before retiring at the end of 2026.
Whether you are a current or aspiring leader, an MBA candidate thinking about organizational culture, or someone who spends most of your waking hours somewhere you wish was better, this episode will give you valuable insight into what the future of work could look like.
Preorder Make Work Work today: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/831079/make-work-work-by-deborah-lovich/
00:00 Introduction: The Old Deal with Work Is Broken
01:27 What Is Employee-Centric Leadership?
08:12 Joy Is a Business Value Driver
11:51 The Five Daily Practices: An Overview
12:06 Practice 1: Celebrate People – Be Specific, Be Timely, Know Your Person
14:53 Practice 2: Go See and Help – With the Intent to Assist, Not Judge
16:43 Practice 3: Be Interested in the Person – Curiosity as Leadership
18:51 Practice 4: Co-Create Everything – Take Pride, Not Credit
23:07 Practice 5: Do First – Never Ask Anyone to Do Something You Have Not Done
37:09 AI, the Employee-Centric Imperative
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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How to Avoid Business School Application Mistakes | Ep 109
Send us your admissions questions!In this episode, listeners learn how to optimize the formatting of their resume, strategically handle issues with their transcript, and make their short-answer responses …
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Send us your admissions questions!
In this episode, listeners learn how to optimize the formatting of their resume, strategically handle issues with their transcript, and make their short-answer responses effective.
Host and mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald talks with Executive Director Jessica Shklar and Managing Director Rachel Beck about how admissions committees evaluate applicants’ professionalism. Drawing on decades of evaluation experience, these experts discuss why following instructions, avoiding technical jargon, and setting feasible career goals are so crucial in the application process. Listeners gain deep insights into showcasing collaboration over individual achievement, managing post-submission anxiety, and navigating team-based interview formats.
00:00 Hidden Messages in Your Application and Why They Matter
01:26 Professionalism Basics: Typos, Formatting, and the Wrong School Name
03:51 Word Count Violations and Resume Overstuffing
07:06 Interview Rambling and the Wharton Team Based Discussion
11:30 Red Flags in Extracurricular Activities
15:17 Handling Test Score and GPA Shortcomings
20:49 Identity, Oversharing, and Knowing What Belongs in an Application
29:41 Optimizing Short-Answer Application Questions
31:57 Seeing Every Line as an Opportunity
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.
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Understanding the Case Method with HBS Professor Joshua Margolis | Ep 108
Send us your admissions questions!What is the case method, and how does it work at Harvard Business School (HBS)? Plus, what should MBA applicants know before they enroll?In this episode of The mbaMission …
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Send us your admissions questions!
What is the case method, and how does it work at Harvard Business School (HBS)? Plus, what should MBA applicants know before they enroll?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Executive Director Jessica Shklar sit down with HBS professor Joshua Margolis—a member of the program’s Organizational Behavior Unit and a faculty member in the Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning—for a candid, behind-the-scenes discussion of how the case method works at the world’s most case-driven business school.
Professor Margolis, who helps train the next generation of HBS case method teachers, walks listeners through what a “case” is, how the school’s three-step learning model works (individual prep, study group, full class discussion), and how HBS instructs its faculty to write and teach cases. In addition, he breaks down the infamous “cold call,” including how the classroom is laid out and how faculty keep track of which students have contributed (and which have not). He also explains that the goal of the cold call is to establish a foundation for a robust discussion, not to embarrass the student who is picked.
The conversation also gets practical for applicants: how much time a first-year student should expect to spend preparing for each case (two to four hours individually, plus more as part of their study group), the “learning to learn” curve of the first six weeks, and the “warm call”—when Professor Margolis gives a student five minutes’ notice at the end of class to summarize the discussion, identify three themes, and take a position. In his view, this exercise is the most direct thing HBS does to train future leaders.
00:00 What Is the Case Method (and Why Does HBS Use It)?
01:19 The Three Components of the HBS Learning Model: Case, Study Group, Classroom
03:27 How HBS Faculty Are Instructed to Write and Teach Cases
07:56 What Teaching Using the Case Method Is Like
12:53 How Cases Are Revised After Being Taught
16:10 How the Cold Call Works and How Faculty Pick a Student to Open Class
19:47 Cold Calls in the Middle of Class and the Warm Call at the End
22:30 How HBS Professors Get to Know Their Students
24:42 How Much Time First-Year Students Should Spend Preparing a Case
28:57 Evaluating a Case Class as a Prospective Applicant
36:13 Understanding the First Six Weeks’ “Learning to Learn” Curve
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.
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Real Estate as an MBA Career Path with Frank Cohen | Ep 107
Send us your admissions questions!Is real estate a feasible career path for MBA students? And how can one break into the industry?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission …
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Send us your admissions questions!
Is real estate a feasible career path for MBA students? And how can one break into the industry?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Frank Cohen, a Boston-based real estate developer, co-founder of Sheridan Road Properties, former senior director at Tishman Speyer, and a Kellogg MBA, about how MBA students can effectively pursue careers in real estate, even if they arrive on campus with no industry background.
Frank also co-leads the JL Access Program at Georgetown University’s Steers Center for Global Real Assets, where he partners with the executive search firm Jackson Lucas to help students build the technical foundation and the relationships they need to succeed in real estate recruiting. He is profoundly familiar with what makes MBA candidates appealing to recruiters and what does not.
The podcast conversation addresses the gap between what business schools teach and what real estate firms hire for, what a real estate interview tests, whether a single “real estate type” exists, how regional the industry is, and the networking tactics that consistently produce results. Frank closes with his best advice for any MBA candidate considering the field and provides some candid insight into what still brings him joy in the work, decades into his career.
If you are weighing whether real estate might be a good career path for you or simply curious about how one of the world’s largest and most dynamic industries recruits business school students, this conversation is well worth your time.
Connect with Frank Cohen: https://jacksonlucas.com/frank-cohen/
00:00 Why Real Estate Tends to Be Less Represented in MBA Programs
01:53 Frank Cohen’s Path from Northwestern Kellogg to Tishman Speyer and Rockefeller Center
04:51 What JL Access Does for Georgetown Students
07:21 The Gap Between What MBAs Learn and What Firms Hire For
10:40 What a Real Estate Interview Tests
14:20 Breaking into Real Estate with No Industry Background
17:02 How Regional the Industry Is, and the Importance of School Choice
18:37 The Most Effective Networking Move
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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Why “Nontraditional” MBA Applicants Don't Exist (And What Does) | Ep 106
Send us your admissions questions!Are any MBA applicants truly “nontraditional” applicants?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Harold Simansky is joined by Jeremy Shinewald, the founder of mbaMission, to …
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Send us your admissions questions!
Are any MBA applicants truly “nontraditional” applicants?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Harold Simansky is joined by Jeremy Shinewald, the founder of mbaMission, to examine a common notion in MBA admissions: that of the “nontraditional” applicant. Drawing on more than two decades of experience, Jeremy argues that applicants should not focus on whether or not their background is “traditional” but on identifying and showcasing the personal stories that only they can tell.
The conversation covers what overrepresented applicants such as consultants, bankers, and software engineers can do to stand out, and why Olympic athletes and other less-conventional candidates still have to prove classroom readiness. Harold and Jeremy also share practical advice for applicants who are still three to four years away from applying to business school: Figure out what genuinely interests you, invest yourself in it, and let the rest of the story build itself.
The episode highlights several mbaMission success stories, including a pharmaceutical sales rep who pivoted into healthcare private equity, a European hockey player, a small-town mayor, and a professional baker—all of whom illustrate the same point: What makes an applicant memorable is rarely their title but rather the impact they have had on the people and communities around them.
If you are thinking about applying to an MBA program or just curious about how admissions committees view differentiation, this conversation is well worth your time.
00:00 Why “Nontraditional” Is an Inaccurate Label for MBA Applicants
01:50 What Overrepresented Business School Applicants Should Do Differently
04:00 The Bakery Essay: Authentic Storytelling
06:18 Why a Unique Background Isn’t Enough
10:26 The Three- to Four-Year Applicant Playbook
15:09 What Impact in a Corporate Role Looks Like
17:30 Nontraditional Applicant Success Stories
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.
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The Truth About Informal Business School Endorsements | Ep 105
Send us your admissions questions!What role do informal letters of recommendation play in business school admissions decisions? Host Harold Simansky is joined by Melissa Blakeslee, an experienced MBA admissions …
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What role do informal letters of recommendation play in business school admissions decisions?
Host Harold Simansky is joined by Melissa Blakeslee, an experienced MBA admissions consultant and former admissions director, to clarify what these endorsements are and why most programs discourage them. In this episode, Melissa shares firsthand insight into how admissions committees evaluate external outreach, helping candidates understand when an extra recommendation can add value and when it might instead cause harm.
Listeners will discover how to handle recommendation offers from well-connected executives, what makes a campus visitor endorsement credible, and how to use specific school initiatives such as Chicago Booth’s “Shape the Class.” The conversation also addresses the proper timing for submitting outside endorsements and how to employ the strategy effectively when waitlisted.
This episode is especially valuable for MBA candidates who are still determining their recommendation strategy or have been placed on a school’s waitlist. Listeners will learn how to identify appropriate individuals to provide an informal note, how admissions readers assess fit, and how an unsolicited letter can inadvertently signal a lack of judgment.
00:00 Introducing Informal Letters of Recommendation
02:14 Defining Informal Endorsements Versus Recommendations
05:51 Using Campus Visit Endorsements to Emphasize Fit
07:58 How Endorsements Vary Across Business Schools
09:56 A Strategy for Waitlist and Deferred MBA Applications
13:01 Examples of Helpful Versus Damaging Endorsements
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.
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MBA Networking That Leads to Referrals | Ep 104
Send us your admissions questions!How can MBA applicants and business school students network effectively?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and Jessica Shklar, mbaMission Executive …
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Send us your admissions questions!
How can MBA applicants and business school students network effectively?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and Jessica Shklar, mbaMission Executive Director, speak with Jeff Yolen, CEO and founder of Career Connector, about how to network effectively to advance your career. Jeff explains why cold applications so rarely lead to offers, how referrals can improve your odds of landing a job, and why informational interviews are one of the most valuable tools in the MBA recruiting process.
They discuss how to identify the most valuable contacts, how to write concise outreach messages, what to ask for during a networking conversation, and how MBA students can start building relationships that support both their immediate professional goals and their long-term career growth.
If you are thinking about MBA admissions, MBA recruiting, or your post-MBA career strategy, this episode offers practical advice you can apply right away.
Contact Jeff Yolen: [email protected]
00:00 Networking and Post-MBA Career Opportunities
05:58 Why Cold Applications Fail and Referrals Matter
09:16 Where to Start If You Do Not Already Have a Network
13:20 The Real Goal of an Informational Interview
21:14 How Career Connector Helps Students Network Strategically
25:23 Jeff’s Best Networking Advice for MBA Applicants and Students
Subscribe for more MBA admissions advice and business school strategies from mbaMission.
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.
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How to Define Your Post-MBA Career Goals | Ep 103
Send us your admissions questions!How do you figure out what your post-MBA career goals should be when you only know you want change but do not yet understand what that change entails?In this episode of The …
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How do you figure out what your post-MBA career goals should be when you only know you want change but do not yet understand what that change entails?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Harold Simansky speaks with Melissa Blakeslee, an mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant, and Rachel Beck, an mbaMission Managing Director, about how business school applicants can clarify, research, and articulate MBA career goals that will resonate with an admissions committee.
The admissions experts explain why so many candidates get stuck on the career goals question, how to transition from a vague desire for “more” and a credible post-MBA plan, and why schools care that candidates have goals that are both ambitious and achievable. The conversation also covers practical research tools—such as LinkedIn, school employment reports, student club leaders, and job postings—that can help applicants build a stronger, more realistic story.
If you are struggling to connect your past experience to your future objectives, this episode will help you approach the problem with more structure and confidence.
00:00 Why MBA Career Goals Trip Up So Many Applicants
01:50 Your Story Only Needs to Make Sense—for Now
03:59 What “Ambitious but Achievable” Really Means
06:12 Reflecting on What You Want from Your MBA
08:16 Researching Roles Through LinkedIn and Business School Resources
09:23 Using Business School Employment Reports to Test Your Assumptions
15:30 Frameworks for Narrowing Your Options
24:23 Why Unclear Post-MBA Goals Can Lead to Rejection
26:14 Final Advice for MBA ApplicantsBook 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.
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Reapplying to Business School: MBA Admissions Strategies for Reapplicants | Ep. 102
Send us your admissions questions!Many successful MBA applicants were not accepted the first time they applied.In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by mbaMission Executive …
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Send us your admissions questions!
Many successful MBA applicants were not accepted the first time they applied.
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by mbaMission Executive Director Jessica Shklar and Senior Admissions Consultant Melissa Blakeslee to discuss what MBA reapplicants can do to strengthen their candidacy and improve their chances of admission.
The conversation explores why admissions committees do not view reapplicants in a negative light, how applicants can identify weaknesses in their original applications, and what kinds of growth schools want to see from candidates before a second attempt. Harold, Jessica, and Melissa also share advice on improving one’s essays, recommendations, career goals, extracurricular involvement, and school research.
Whether you are considering reapplying to Harvard Business School, the Stanford GSB, UPenn Wharton, Northwestern Kellogg, or another top MBA program, this episode offers practical advice for moving forward strategically and confidently.
0:00 Why MBA Reapplicants Can Still Be Successful
1:53 How Admissions Committees View Reapplicants
5:46 The Biggest Reasons Strong Applicants Get Rejected
7:25 Improving Essays, Goals, and School Fit
13:01 How to Show Growth Before Reapplying
17:08 Reapplying Strategically and Expanding Your School List
19:17 Why MBA Rejection Does Not Define Your FutureBook 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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From Rejection to Partner: 32 Years at Boston Consulting Group | Ep. 101
Send us your admissions questions!What does it really take to make partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and stay with the firm for more than three decades without losing yourself? Debbie Lovich, BCG …
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What does it really take to make partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and stay with the firm for more than three decades without losing yourself? Debbie Lovich, BCG managing director and senior partner, joins host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Executive Director Jessica Shklar for a candid conversation about her path through consulting.
Debbie became BCG’s fastest-promoted partner, achieving the position in less than six years. She was also the first woman on the firm’s executive committee. She later stepped away from the partner role to find work-balance before returning and making senior partner on her own terms.
This episode covers the unglamorous truth about work-life balance in consulting, why Debbie got rejected by BCG twice before being hired, how the “up or out” culture actually functions, and what she tells every MBA applicant who thinks they want to do consulting.
This episode is must-listen for anyone considering an MBA with consulting as their career goal.
📖 Debbie’s new book, Make Work Work: The 5 Daily Practices of the Employee-Centric Leader, will be released in November 2026. Preorder now: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/831079/make-work-work-by-deborah-lovich/
00:00 Introducing Debbie Lovich, BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner
07:48 The Path to Partner — Speed, Serendipity, and Purpose
16:01 Work, Life, and Finding Balance
24:41 Advice for MBA Applicants
30:49 Retiring from Consulting and Writing a Book
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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100 Episodes Later – Reflections, Lessons, and What Comes Next
Send us your admissions questions!In this milestone 100th episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission founder Jeremy Shinewald reflect on more than two years of MBA admissions …
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Send us your admissions questions!
In this milestone 100th episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission founder Jeremy Shinewald reflect on more than two years of MBA admissions insights. They share favorite moments, discuss what sets applicants apart, and explore how AI and evolving trends are shaping the application process.
They also highlight the long-term value of an MBA, from career outcomes to lifelong connections, and look ahead to what comes next for the podcast.
00:00 Celebrating 100 Episodes and Podcast Milestones
01:15 Growth, Reach, and Impact of the Podcast
02:18 The MBA “X Factor” and What Sets Applicants Apart
03:43 Favorite Guests and Most Memorable Episodes
06:38 AI in MBA Applications: Opportunities and Risks
10:47 MBA Experience Today: In-Person Learning and Global Exposure
15:49 Changing Applicant Profiles and Career Planning Advice
18:19 On-Track by mbaMission, Admissions Strategy, and School Research
21:33 Interviews, Emotional Intelligence, and Final Reflections
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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Product Management as an MBA Career Path | Ep 99
Send us your admissions questions!Think product management is just a Silicon Valley thing? Think again. In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Managing Director Rachel Beck and host Harold Simansky break …
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Send us your admissions questions!
Think product management is just a Silicon Valley thing? Think again. In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Managing Director Rachel Beck and host Harold Simansky break down one of the most in-demand post-MBA career paths that most applicants overlook: product management.
Rachel defines the product manager role as that of a “mini CEO” who sits at the intersection of engineering, operations, marketing, finance, and strategy. She explains why the role has expanded far beyond big tech and where candidates with nontechnical backgrounds can find their footing. The conversation covers the AI era and why strategic thinking gives MBAs a decisive edge, the realistic career trajectory from product manager to chief product officer, which MBA programs best prepare candidates for PM recruiting, and why experiential learning is nonnegotiable for this career path.
If you have ever thought “I want to be a product manager” without knowing exactly what that means, this episode is for you.
New episodes of The mbaMission Podcast are released every Tuesday on all major streaming platforms.
00:00 What Is a Product Manager?
03:52 Project Manager Beyond Silicon Valley
06:59 The MBA as a PM Jumping Point
08:59 PM Career Path to Chief Product Officer
14:11 Programs That Excel in Product Management
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:
[email protected]
Follow Us:
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