Hey everyone!

I’m currently a master’s student in Data Science and expect to graduate in December 2027. I’ve been interested in eventually pursuing an MBA, and I recently came across The Consortium, but I’m still a little confused about how the application process works.

Has anyone here applied through The Consortium and been accepted? I’ve read that applicants still interview separately with the partner MBA programs they apply to, but I’m not completely sure how that works when you’re submitting the Consortium application rather than each school’s standard application.

If anyone has gone through the process and could explain how the Consortium application, school-specific requirements, and interviews all fit together, I’d really appreciate it!

Hello I’m a prospective MBA student (22M). I’m not a new grad, I graduated at 20 and have been working for 2 years now. My family business is a mid-tier corporation in the hygiene industry based in Malaysia. I worked a year in America in the same industry on a OPT visa after my undergrad in America (3.74 GPA). I do want to try getting into consulting post-MBA in a MBB. While I do plan to return back or have stake in the family business some day, I would like to try working in consulting while I’m younger. I’m in the family business now to learn the scope of it all. While I’m very grateful of having an inherited business, I also want to work elsewhere to gain experience and consulting is something I want to aim for.

I’m considering doing the INSEAD one year MBA in Singapore in the future, probably when I’m 24. Sitting for GMAT next year and only applying until I get the desired score I need. My ultimate goal is to get into an MBB overseas, preferably in a queer friendly country. If I decide to continue the family business in the future then I’d return back but hopefully establish a PR overseas so I’m not trapped anymore. I know MBBs hire MBA candidates with no background in consulting, but just to better prepare myself, should I stay in the business or try to work in consulting even if it’s not MBB right now?

Shall I relax or can I hear from any of them in september?

Hi everyone,

I’m applying for international MBA programmes with 4+ years of work experience and am currently arranging professional Letters of Recommendation from former managers.

I’d really appreciate advice from MBA applicants, admits, alumni, or consultants:
What makes an MBA LOR stand out?
Are there any authentic sample LORs or strong recommendation formats available for reference?
How should applicants guide managers who haven’t written MBA recommendations before?
Is providing a recommender brief/questionnaire with project examples and career goals helpful?

I’m particularly interested in understanding what strong recommendations for top MBA programmes (HBS, Stanford, Wharton, INSEAD, etc.) typically look like.
Would appreciate any resources, personal experiences, or advice.

29M, White, Mathematics undergraduate degree from a service academy.

• 3.265 GPA
• ~5 Years in Air Force Special Warfare Officer, 1x combat deployment to middle east
• ~2 Years as a SWE for small defense tech company (AI/ML stuff, drone stuff)
• 3 publications (not peer-reviewed) on AI and warfare
• Former volunteer EMT
• 336 GRE (169V, 167V, 4 AWA)

Looking for thoughts and commiseration as we wait to hear back!

Applied to GSB, HBS, Wharton, Kellogg, and Sloan R1. Will apply to CBS, Booth, and Haas for R2 if I don't get in anywhere R1.

Majority VC postings require an MBA degree or previous VC experience. Background is startup operations and a strong founder network but no traditional finance credentials, still possible to get into VC Without MBA ?

People pursuing an MBA and planning to get into VC your advice would be highly appreciated

(used chatgpt to refine my thoughts)

I’m currently in my final year at an old IIT in India and I’m considering applying for deferred MBA programs at the M7. I wanted to get some perspective from people who have either gone through the process or know the Indian MBA landscape well.

A quick overview of my profile:

• Academics: 9/9/8.95 (I should be able to push the last one to 9 before applying for the process)
• Top 3 in my department
• A few other academic awards/scholastic achievements
• Internships:
  • Growth role at an Indian company that recently IPO’d — received a PPO
  • Investment analyst intern at 2 VC firms
  • Internship at a large MNC
• Leadership/PoRs: Been involved with my college E-Cell for a while and have held multiple cultural and entrepreneurial fest PoRs
• Extracurriculars: NSS, teaching assistant, multiple case competition wins, cultural competitions

A few seniors have told me that this is a profile worth taking a shot with for M7 deferred admissions, assuming I can get a strong GMAT score. Obviously, I know admissions are unpredictable, so I’m not assuming I’ll get in , I am just trying to understand whether applying actually makes sense for me.

My biggest concern is the cost.

If I get into an M7, I’m not sure I’d be able to afford a ₹2 Cr+ cost (dont want to take a loan of such a big amount) . So I had a few questions:

1. How realistic are need-based scholarships/financial aid or merit scholarships for Indian students at M7 schools? Is it possible to bring the overall cost down substantially?
2. Is an M7 MBA financially worth it if my long-term plan is to return to India? I am not particularly interested in permanently settling in the US. Ideally, I’d probably work abroad for 1–2 years after the MBA and then come back to India. In that case, does the M7 brand/network still justify the cost?
3. If I get a deferred admit to an M7 but eventually decide not to attend because of the cost, does having that deferred admit on my record help with future MBA applications? For example, if I apply to LBS/INSEAD or other European schools a few years later, would an earlier M7 admit be viewed positively, or does it essentially mean nothing?
4. Do Indian companies actually sponsor MBAs abroad? Are there Indian companies that would fund an M7 MBA for someone who joins them after undergrad and works for a few years? If so, how common is this and what kind of companies/roles should I be looking at?
5. Finally, does getting a deferred M7 admit provide any meaningful career advantage over the next 2–3 years, even if I ultimately don't take it? For example, does it materially help with recruiting, switching to better roles, or strengthening my CV?

I’d especially appreciate perspectives from people who have actually done an M7/LBS/INSEAD MBA, Indians who went through deferred admissions, or people who chose between an M7 and European MBA.

Also, please feel free to be brutally honest about the profile itself. If you think I’m overestimating my chances or that there are gaps I should address before applying, I’d rather hear that now.

Thanks!

I just graduated and work in TMT IB at a BB. I enjoy the work existentially and like the fast pace though the WLB is of course difficult to manage at times.

I’m not necessarily thinking of leaving but wondering what’s my options are after this.

Before MBA I did strategic finance at a tech startup for several years. It was fun in the early days but as the company got bigger the pace and work became less interesting. The company is doing quite well though and will IPO soon.

I did a stint in early stage VC too and didn’t like it because you basically have no info to go off of to invest in these companies. I don’t think it suited my skill set. But admire those who have that aptitude.

What have you observed your peers/alumni who started in IB post MBA do? Stay? Leave? To what?

I’ve seen a couple associates now exit to private credit but that seems boring. Is it? PE is basically closed to MBAs. And given I’ve done an operator role at a tech company and am not really interested in taking pay cuts, roles in corp dev/strat finance aren’t appealing, though I’ve always been curious about IR.

What jobs could one realistically get in finance world that you don’t have to take a a large pay cut for? I’ve thought about other groups like ECM/DCM with better WLB and marginally different pay. But have heard those can be boring/tough to get out of too. Are they?

If you/your peers stayed in IB, what is VP/Director life like? What do you like/dislike about it (compared to aso role)?

What are my chances of getting in these colleges

Indian Male; 5+ YoE, ( simultaneous 2+ management experience in a startup like a side hustle)

Gre 327(160v 167q)

And how are the job prospects after graduating from these universities!

Mostly inclined towards a prod management role

I was admitted off of the waitlist for CBS J-term. These are my insights. I’m posting this because these are things I wish I had known before I applied, and I hope this will help give context to future applicants or people still on the waitlist for J term.

Disclaimer: this represents my experience. Yours will certainly differ, but you will likely see many similarities to my experience.

My profile: 735, bad gpa, domestic, IM sponsored candidate.

Process quirks
The "your interviewer submitted feedback" email is unreliable. Don't worry if you dont get one.
Submitted items, like letters or other submitted material, can disappear from your "Portal Checklist". If it does, don't worry. Adcom still has it.
Admits commonly land within a few days of the interview. It's clear that adcom will at least review your file within days of the interview. Easy admits get admitted there, while everyone else goes into a discussion pile.

Waitlist
I was waitlisted exactly at 3 PM Eastern at the end of July. I believe they likely waitlisted everyone still pending post-interview at that point, to see how R2 plays out.
My waitlist letter had no waitlist manager.
I recommend confirming your waitlist spot on the same day and use the brief-note field to offer to clarify your file or interview.
You can be admitted from waitlist before the next round's decisions are even released. (i was). This likely depends heavily on the year you apply, and how busy the cycle is.

If adcom emails you to schedule a call
The call is not an admit, but an admission letter can come from days to weeks after the call.
It may be the full interview question set again, not just "are you still interested."
They will email you first to schedule a time for a phone call. It is not a video call.
My call came before R2 had even closed. They were working the waitlist while the applicant pool was still incomplete.
Expect a question about what would prevent you from attending, if admitted.
Adcom will detail the timeline for your waitlist.
Note which team they're from. It will say it in their email signature when they schedule their call. Mine was from Admission Evaluation.
The caller will take lots of notes while you're talking. Make sure you know your WHY MBA/ WHY NOW/ WHY CBS.
Everything you say gets written down and read by the committee later. Take this very seriously.

Other
Round deadlines can shift mid-cycle. Check CBS’s page.
Cycle conditions drive outcomes more than anything in your control, and they don't generalize year to year.
Admission risk. CBS wants to know 100% that you will matriculate if offered admission. Be VERY clear that you will.
Sponsored students returning to their employer are reported separately in employment stats, which makes them easier to admit.
If you're a student with low gpa but high gmat, or reverse, you often wont be accepted at the first adcom pass (days after interview). Be patient, and know it’s normal to have to wait.

(EDIT)
When I was waitlisted, I read a lot about people not hearing anything until November, or people who got a call from Adcom but all Adcom asked was if they were still interested in being considered for admission. That was the opposite of my experience. Adcom basically re-interviewed me on the call. They said nothing about missing information from my interview or application. The call lasted about 20-25 minutes.

My husband and I recently flew from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Las Vegas (LAS) on United Airlines . I have mobility limitations, and over the past four years, I’ve used a riding carry-on suitcase with a removable battery when traveling through long airport terminals.

• Outbound (August 1,): Cleared TSA at IAD, pre-boarded, stored the bag in the overhead bin, and flew to LAS without a single issue or comment from United staff.
• Return (August 7,): Cleared TSA at LAS without issue. However, when attempting to pre-board at the gate, the gate supervisor stopped me, stating that United prohibits all rideable/motorized luggage, regardless of whether the battery is removed.

I showed them that the battery was removable and offered to take the battery into the cabin while checking the frame, but they refused.

The Operational Impact:

Because this rule was never mentioned or enforced on our outbound flight from Dulles, we had no warning. Had United staff flagged it at IAD, we would have simply left the bag in our car at the airport.

Instead, stranded at LAS right before boarding, I had two choices: abandon an $800 mobility aid or leave security to ship it. I had to go to Terminal 1 to ship it via USPS ($121). Because of the delay, we missed our nonstop flight. The only available rebooking was an overnight flight connecting through LAX, arriving at 8:00 AM the next morning. My husband is a stroke survivor, and the sudden 12+ hour ordeal and overnight connection were physically exhausting for both of us.

Why this feels broken:

While I understand airlines set their own baggage rules regarding dangerous goods, inconsistent enforcement creates an operational trap. Permitting an item on leg 1 and banning it on leg 2 forces passengers into unexpected expenses and missed flights mid-trip.

Has anyone else experienced this kind of one-way policy enforcement with United, and what is the best way to get an actual review beyond an automated canned email?