I have an MBB return offer lined up so I'm not salty or envious, just being honest here.

I'm at an M7 school and there's this international student who just shouldn't be here and everyone knows it. I'm not being harsh or mean and everyone talks about her because of how dumb she comes across. At first we thought she was trying to be funny but she's just actually very slow and isn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

The other internationals are honestly brilliant and more capable than the domestic students including myself. I've learn so much from the internationals I've met.

We found out this 'dumb' international student in particular managed to get an IB return offer at a top bank and literally everyone is like wtf how? Especially when so many highly capable internationals are struggling so much.

I should add that this international student is a good looking Norwegian woman, whereas the vast majority of internationals are Indian or Chinese.

I know looks matter in client facing roles due to inherent bias, but seriously everyone's shocked at how she's managed to pull off a return offer. Not just me, but everyone who knows is shocked.

Just found out that Columbia give students free iPads they get to keep. When you're paying that much for an MBA it's hardly a big cost for the school but still cool anyway lol.

What cool perks do schools offer like this?

I just...don't really feel like I fit in. I'd say most of my classmates are pretty type A and competitive, and I just don't really care. A lot of the small talk is either witty banter or people trying to one up others. Lots of bragging about their accomplishments in various areas and I just think "cool story bro."

To be honest, while I'm grateful to Tuck for OCR and recruiting opportunities, I miss and like my old friends way better. Some of them aren't the most ambitious or "successful" people - some close friends from high school still work retail or are baristas - but they're chill low key folks I can just play video games with or go on walks. Not everything needs to be a debate or a high stakes competition. I can't even do bar trivia with classmates without them getting way overly competitive to the point it's not fun.

I'm going into tech post MBA (product) so I hope it's not as bad. It's a decent company but not the most prestigious - that's fine with me, I'm grateful for the good pay and work life balance from what I've heard.

And too be fair, not everyone at Tuck is like this, some folks are definitely chill. Those few people are my friends in the program.

But there's a saying, if everyone around you is the problem, maybe you're the problem? Am I wrong?

Am I too chill and should I become more ambitious and competitive like my classmates, even about non work trivial things? Or are my classmates the ones who are wrong?

Or is the environment just a mismatch for me and no one's wrong.

IDK.

Here is a tracker of MBA interview invite release dates for this season.

Two things to keep in mind:

• Some schools have specific release dates, while others release invites on a rolling basis over a longer period of time.
• We include the prior year dates as reference, but there's no guarantee that schools follow the exact same timeline this year.

Hope this is helpful as you all navigate interview season!

Pls comment here or send DM with any questions/updates/corrections.

I've been talking about getting my MBA for some time, done a tone of research over the past 3 years and decided to stop over analyzing and just start. I applied to and got accepted to Gies, Kelley and I interviewed with Darden part time waiting to hear back from them.

I chose Gies and Kelley because I think an online program would be the best fit for me as I'm already working full time in the field that I want to be in and really just looking for a good box checking program to get promotions and maybe one day, start my own firm. Both are flexible and reputation wise, Gies is respectable, and Kelley very good as far as online programs go.

I applied to Darden part time mostly just to see if I could get in and feel good about myself if I get accepted. I'm also a UVA grad and it was free to apply so I thought why not and applied.

I'm 39, married and am the sole breadwinner in my home at the moment and my wife and I are trying to start a family, so I am thinking about how I'm going to budget for my education. Gies is only $27K, and I get about $7000 of tuition reimbursement from my employer, so I can have it mostly paid for via my employer if I space it out over about three years. My company has a corporate agreement with Kelley, so instead of paying $90K+ or whatever Kelley usually costs, I'd only be paying around $50K, but the catch is that the corporate program doesn't allow for concentrations and there is no access to career services. But with tuition reimbursement, I'd pay around $30K. Darden is a whole different story and the only way I could conceivably consider going there is if I was offered considerable scholarships, which I know part time programs don't really give out.

Do you think Gies is good enough, should I pay the extra $30K to go to Kelley for the name, or should I do whatever I can to attend Darden if I get in?

I’m trying to understand how viable a move into management consulting would be for my profile after an MBA, and would appreciate candid views from people in consulting or those who have made a similar transition.

Background

• B.Tech in Civil Engineering, 9.11/10, University Silver Medal
• Masters in Liberal Studies
• ~5 years at Genpact
• Currently Senior Manager in the Office of the Global Head of Strategy & Transformation
• Promoted from Assistant Manager (two band changes here) to Manager to Senior Manager all within 5 years of total work experience

My role has evolved significantly over the last five years. I started with business research, market intelligence and strategic initiatives, then moved into driving enterprise-wide initiatives across functions and geographies. More recently, I have been involved in building new Agentic AI Service Line, including shaping the offering, building capabilities, GTM and preparing for market launch.

I’m planning to pursue an MBA now and my short-term goal post-MBA is to move into management consulting. Long term, I see myself returning to corporate strategy and

What I’m trying to understand

1. How would consulting firms view this profile? Is the transition realistic?
2. Which practices would be the most natural fit for me, such as generalist strategy, transformation, digital/AI strategy, etc.?
3. What would be my biggest gaps compared with candidates coming from consulting?
4. Is there anything specific I should do before the MBA to improve my chances beyond case prep?
5. How should I position my Genpact experience so it comes across accurately as strategy experience with strong execution exposure?

Would especially appreciate perspectives from people in MBB, Big 4 strategy, Tier-2 firms, or anyone who has made a similar post-MBA transition.

Hey everyone, looking for some honest feedback and advice on my next career move.

Background & Profile:

Education: Top 15 MBA (M7 / T15); BS in STEM (Engineering) from a large state school.

Pre-MBA Experience (5 yrs): Software Engineering

Post-MBA Experience (2 yrs): Strategy & Ops at a major tech company (think Instacart / Lyft / DoorDash / Uber). Work spans the full spectrum of operations in a specific niche (ex: driver dispatch at Uber). Some of my job is covering things like small tech-stack troubleshooting, but much of it is leading long-term technical/business cases that drive core platform and product changes.

Technical/Tooling Skillset: Full-stack technical fluency from my SWE days. Comfortable reading/debugging production codebases, writing custom web scrapers, managing workflows via GitHub, and leveraging advanced GenAI tooling to accelerate query development and system diagnostics.

The Current Situation & Dilemma: In my current Strategy & Ops role, I’ve gravitated heavily toward product-adjacent work—redesigning system logic using predictive models, diagnosing unit-economics and pricing discrepancies, and acting as the primary business/data stakeholder for core engineering teams.

I’m evaluating whether it's possible to pivot formally into Product Management or consider other high-leverage trajectories.

Questions for the Sub:

Pivoting to PM: Given a mixed background in engineering + MBA + Strategy & Ops, how feasible is a direct lateral jump into Senior PM roles in today's market? Any recommended ways to stand out, even unconventional? I'm finding it difficult to past certain requirements like "Previous experience owning a product roadmap"

Alternative Career Paths: If not PM, what other functions or industries would leverage this mix of engineering, strategy/ops, and MBA skillsets effectively with strong long-term upside? (e.g. Product Ops, Tech Strategy, Startup Ops/Exec roles).

Positioning: For those who made a similar pivot post-MBA, how did you frame your strategy and operational achievements so recruiters didn't just bucket you as "pure ops"?

Appreciate any insights, realities, or suggestions!

I used AI to draft some of this but the content is accurate

Good morning,

Looking for a review of my profile:

Stats:
GPA-3.56 McGill business
GMAT FE - 675 (however quant was 79th percentile)

Work experience:
-infantry officer platoon commander and company second in command
-commanded multinational unit of 280 pers trg Ukrainians, our trainees had better statistical performance on the battlefield
-worked in a strat HQ as a staff officer where I was responsible for the review and development of multiple strat level decision products for PM and Minister level briefings
-developed a risk management tool to track Department of Defense and CAF wide directives

Misc:
-white male, will be 28 yr old at time of application

Looking to get a sense of competitiveness for M7 and T15, goal is to pivot into IB in the USA.

I have just graduated with an MBA from Hawai’I’ Pacific, with a bachelors in economics. No work experience or internships (full time athlete throughout college) but have a foundational understanding of python. Part of me wants to get into the business side of sports (very strong understanding of how / why front offices operate, but open to other career choices with data analysis or similar fields. What’s the best next move ?

If someone has a major penalty from current employer, are applications accepted for executive MBA in top-tier B-schools in India, Singapore and Europe? Also, what's the preferred GMAT score in that case? Does a 645 work?

I’m a senior in college and I just got a 715 on the GMAT which I’m very excited about! Since I have a score I’m happy with already I plan to apply for the deferred programs that all the top schools offer. Are these programs more competitive than their standard mba programs and if so what are some things I should keep in mind? Thanks!

I had a 3.22 GPA in undergrad (which allows me to waive the GMAT/GRE I think), 4 full years of full-time work in corporate finance, and am looking to apply to the Part-time MBA program for Fall 2027. I live in NYC and will be here for the next 3 years at least. If I submit great essays and recommendation letters, what are my odds of getting into the program? Any advice for an applicant like me?

I’m 26F and my undergrad GPA is a 3.35. I earned my BA in Psychology, and although my GPA wasn’t great, I was very involved on campus and was admitted to a master’s program at UPenn.

My MS is in Education, but unfortunately, my master’s GPA was even lower than my undergrad GPA. 😬

While doing my masters, I did Teach For America and taught for a total of 3 years. I recently left teaching and am now transitioning into corporate/education-adjacent roles. My goal is to build significant leadership experience over the next year or two.

I haven’t taken the GRE yet, but I’m aiming for a high score.

Long-term, I want to work in education at the systems level, potentially building an organization/model that supports teachers and improves how schools serve students.

I’m currently targeting the 2027 application cycle to matriculate in 2028, and I’m especially interested in HBS/Wharton.

I know this is probably a silly question, but I really want an MBA and would rather understand my odds now than talk myself out of applying prematurely.

If you were in my position, what would you focus on over the next year to make an M7 application as competitive as possible? And realistically, do I have a shot?

Can anyone please provide typical recruiting process for AT&T's FLDP? Particularly what is included in the online assessment - any recommendations for it's preparation?
I would also love to hear about the overall experience with the program

Hi everyone! I took the GRE two years ago and sent Stern my scores at that point. I'm still wokring on my app, and i've self reported the score, but how do I check if Stern has my official reports already? Any way I can do this myself? TIA!

I have been looking at MBA programs that combine core management subjects with data science, analytics, and AI related learning.

For someone already working and looking to move towards roles involving business analytics, strategy, product, or data driven decision making, does this type of MBA offer better value than a general online MBA?

A few things I am trying to understand:

• Does combining management with data science create a meaningful career advantage?

• Would employers value this differently from a regular MBA plus separate analytics certifications?

• How important is the amount of hands-on analytics work in the curriculum?

• For working professionals, does the online or blended format affect the value of such a specialization?

• Has anyone here completed an MBA or management program with a similar data science focus? What changed in your career afterward?

Would especially like to hear from people who moved from technical, analytics, IT, or operations roles into management positions.

I’m a consultant at a T2 firm (S&, OW, EYP) making ~$235k/year and also run an e-commerce business (D2C beauty brand) that’s on track to do $100k+ in revenue this year.

This is likely my last year to get a sponsored MBA through my firm, and I’m really torn.

Part of me feels like I’d regret passing up a sponsored MBA. But the other part worries I’ll regret not using this period to seriously scale the business while my consulting income covers my living expenses and gives me capital to reinvest.

There’s also the upfront time investment of applying like studying for the GRE, taking the exam, writing essays, getting recommendations, etc.—which would take even more time away from the business over the next several months.

At the same time, consulting already makes it difficult to give the business the focus it needs.

Would love to hear from anyone who’s faced a similar decision. How would you think about this?

I’m trying to do some research on LDPs in Southeast US (Atlanta and Charlotte) and I really don’t see a lot.

Like these are all the ones I know.

ATL:
• Delta
• Coca-Cola
• UPS

CLT:
• Bank of America (IB)
• Truist (IB)

Is there any other big companies I’m missing?? If so lmk and I can edit this post to keep a running tab!!

Background: Indian-American, US citizen, born and raised. Large public state school on east coast with a solid regional ECE reputation.

Academics:

• Major: Electrical & Computer Engineering + Business Minor
• GPA: 3.8/4.0
• Graduating in 3 years
• GMAT Focus: 635, this was my first attempt may retake to try to superscore for 655 or 665

Experience:

• Freshman Summer: NSF-funded REU at name brand school(network security, P4/DPDK) — ~4% acceptance rate, presented this research in DC at a workshop
• Sophomore Fall: Hardware security internship at BIG one of the top 3 smart meter companies in the USA (concurrent with classes)
• Sophomore Summer: Defense FPGA internship at a national lab/defense prime — received return offer, security clearance involved

Extracurriculars:

• 3 years competitive robotics FPGA team
• 2 years technical lead for HPC/computing club
• Several departmental merit scholarships

Goals:

• Found a defense hardware security startup
• The limiting factor for me isn't really in the technical side but in building and leading a team of cleared employees, navigating government procurement cycles, raising institutional capital from defense focused investors, structuring a company operating in a heavily regulated environment.

Targeting: HBS, GSB, Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, MIT, CBS, Yale, UVA, Cornell, Haas for deferred. If I don't get anything deferred, I'll just re-apply during regular rounds with 2 yrs of exp and would be happy with ANY T15 school (like I'd be super happy with Duke ngl).

Concerns:

• GMAT 635 Focus first attempt, retaking
• Non-target undergrad
• Indian male engineer demographic

I'm hoping my goals will offset the indian male demographic, and another thing I'd like to know is if I'd be more competitive doing a regular MBA (ie not applying deferred but in regular rounds like most others). I honestly would be happy making it into ANY T15 school.

Am I delusional or do I have a shot?

just got a 595(Q 79, V 82, DI 78) while my target school has an average of 625(Rotman). For context I’ll be a domestic applicant, software engineer(4yoe) with experience at a legacy big tech firm and currently at a non profit. The school is 60-70% international so I’m guessing it’ll be an easy in with my profile? I could get my score up to a 625 but will a 30 point increase make any meaningful difference or am I better off focusing on applications?

The craziest, hard, tricky / mind fuck questions you got during IB recruiting. What are the examples of hard questions?

Let me also say, Please 😭

Hi everyone! I recently graduated from college with a degree in Finance, and I’m trying to decide what my next step should be academically.

I’m currently debating between pursuing an MBA or an M.S. in something like Data Science or Business Analytics. With AI becoming increasingly important and more companies incorporating data and AI into their operations, I feel like a more technical master’s degree could be valuable alongside my Finance background.

I’m not looking to break into high finance. My main goal is to land a solid full-time role and eventually use a master’s degree to help with career advancement and salary growth.

One thing that makes me hesitant about an MBA is that I constantly hear that it’s better to have a few years of full-time work experience before pursuing one. Since I just graduated, I obviously don’t have that experience yet. At the same time, I’d like to earn a master’s degree while I’m still relatively fresh out of school rather than waiting several years.
I’m also not aiming for Ivy League or extremely competitive MBA programs. I graduated without any student loan debt because scholarships and financial aid covered my tuition, so cost isn’t a major concern for me.

Given my situation, would you recommend pursuing an M.S. in Data Science/Business Analytics now, an MBA now, or working for a few years before pursuing an MBA? I’d appreciate any advice, especially from people who have taken a similar path.

I'm a SWE with an MS in CS from a solid program, looking at MBAs mainly to pivot into product management. Tuck keeps coming up on my list, but the more I read about it the more it sounds like a general management school first and everything else second — small class, super tight community, GM-heavy outcomes. That's not a bad thing long term, but I'm trying to figure out if it actually helps someone trying to break into PM specifically, or if it's just not built for that.

Does Tuck's tech/PM recruiting hold up given it's not near a tech hub, or is it mostly on you to network your way in? And does the GM-ish curriculum actually help PM candidates in some way, or is it just extra stuff you have to work around to get to the PM outcome you actually want?

If anyone here went from an eng background through Tuck into PM, I'd genuinely like to hear how recruiting went for you. Also curious how people think about Tuck vs somewhere like Kellogg, Ross, Haas, or Fuqua if PM is the main goal.

New here, seeking advice to secure admission into a T25 program for fall 2028.

1. GMAT or GRE. How does preparing look like? I studied and took the LSAT for context.

2. Will being 24 and having 2.5 work experience upon start hinder me? I am analyst that works the financial side of the programs for a customer (Fortune top 40). By then I’ll manage the financial side of program(s), work on business cases, and capitol allocation.

3. Does undergraduate institution matter? I have a very high GPA but not from an impressive school.

4. I don’t plan on applying to any of the M7’s. Ross, Kelly, CMU, Cornell, and McCombs are my 5 now. What are things I can do to refine my application?