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Published: June 28, 2026
MBA Wire Taps 498: 330 GRE, from South Asia. No test score, should they waive? Sloan vs Columbia and Booth
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the current state of the MBA admissions season. While activity for this season is winding down, UPenn / Wharton is scheduled to release their deferred admissions decisions this upcoming week. We do still anticipate a little more waitlist movement in the weeks ahead. Graham noted that the MBA Essay Workshop series has expanded to five events, scheduled for July 21, 22 and 23, and July 28 and 29. These events will bring together an increasing number of the top MBA programs to Read more
Published: June 28, 2026
The Week Ahead: IMD Deadline & Wharton Deferred Enrollment Decisions, June 29-July 3, 2026
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Deferred Enrollment Decisions We are moving closer to the end of the 2025-26 application cycle. Wednesday, July 1, Wharton is scheduled to release their deferred enrollment decisions. IMD has its Round 4 deadline. How “The Wires” Can Help Visit MBA LiveWire for the latest “buzz” about MBA admissions, including interview invitations and decision notifications. There are 5 Ways MBA LiveWire Helps You Navigate Admissions. Access MBA ApplyWire to explore the application strategies of fellow candidates. Add your plan and Read more
Published: June 25, 2026
MBA in the USA: What International Students Need to Know Right Now
If you’re an international student considering a US MBA, the current immigration climate probably has you asking hard questions. This webinar answers them — with an immigration specialist and students who went through the process in 2025–2026. Join Travis Feuerbacher of ZF Visa and Immigration — an immigration specialist working with international students — and current international MBA students for an honest, expert-led conversation on what the process actually looks like in 2026. Date and Time: July 16th — 10:00 AM Paris · 4:00 PM Taipei · Read more
Published: June 25, 2026
Weekly Refresh: MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Questions
Welcome to Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site. We continue with updates for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle with some deadlines and essay advice. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Harvard Business School Michigan / Ross NYU / Stern Stanford GSB UPenn / Wharton Deadlines Released See the Read more
Published: June 25, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Katy Radoll of UNC Kenan-Flagler
We welcome back Katy Radoll, Director of MBA Admissions at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, for this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A. With roots in the Pacific Northwest, Katy has been part of the UNC Kenan-Flagler team as Director of MBA Admissions for the past two years. During her tenure, she has helped bring admissions back on the road to connect with candidates in their own communities, strengthened collaboration and shared purpose across the admissions team, and deepened relationships throughout the MBA admissions landscape. Her approach centers on Read more
Published: June 25, 2026
Real Humans of PepsiCo: Brianna Hoelting, Yale SOM MBA ’25, Finance Associate Manager
Long term, Brianna Hoelting aspires to be in the C-suite and eventually start her own business or nonprofit, and knew she needed a broader toolkit that included management, communication, and organizational strategy. In this installment of Real Humans: Alumni, she shares how the MBA program at Yale School of Management (SOM) was the right investment to accelerate her career and provide the perspective and confidence to lead in new settings, including in her current role at PepsiCo.  Brianna Hoelting, Yale SOM MBA ’25, Finance Associate Manager at PepsiCo Age: 29 Read more
Published: June 24, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Rupal Gadhia of Harvard Business School
The Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at Harvard Business School, Rupal Gadhia, joins us for this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series. Rupal Gadhia graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2004. Her post-HBS career began in brand management with Sara Lee and Campbell Soup Company, followed by a move to Booz & Co as a management consultant. Leveraging her passion for brand and consulting, she joined the Brand Union, managing North American strategy and research for consumer and corporate clients and was recruited to Interbrand Read more
Published: June 23, 2026
Real Humans of BCG: Apeksha Atal, Dartmouth Tuck MBA ’25, Consultant
After gaining experience in the Indian startup ecosystem, Apeksha Atal realized the next phase of her career required tackling a broader range of challenges, international exposure, and working across industries; to achieve those abilities, she would need an MBA. In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni, Atal shares how the most important elements she sought in a business school – small class size, distance from the city, community-driven environment, strong core curriculum, proven career services results in consulting, and culture – she found at Dartmouth Tuck. Read about her journey to the Tuck Read more
Published: June 23, 2026
MBA Admissions Tip: Defining Your Post-MBA Career Goals
Having clear and realistic post-MBA career goals is essential to the business school application process. Though essay prompts tend to vary year to year, the two things that nearly every prospective student can count on being asked are “What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals?” and “How will Business School X help you achieve these goals?” Even if this sort of question doesn’t appear in the essay portion of the application, rest assured that you’ll be asked this question in the data forms and/or during your interview. Identifying clear post-MBA career goals will help in everything from Read more
Published: June 22, 2026
More Than a Credential: How the MBA Builds the Consultants at Bain, BCG, and Accenture
Strategy consulting remains one of the most popular post-MBA destinations, and the alumni now working at Accenture, Bain & Company, and BCG offer some of the clearest testimony for why. Their stories share a common arc: a desire to move from execution to strategy, a structured environment to build the skills that move, and a network that opens doors execution alone never could. Below, ten recent graduates explain, in their own words from our Real Humans: Alumni series, what the MBA gave them on the way to Read more
Published: June 22, 2026
Admission Director Q&A: J.R. McGrath of Carnegie Mellon Tepper
In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back J.R. McGrath, Executive Director of Masters Admissions at the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business. J.R. has been at the Tepper School for more than five years and accepted the role of Executive Director in October 2022. He has previously served in leadership roles at SMU Cox, TCU, and Syracuse. In addition to his professional responsibilities, J.R. and his wife have a young daughter that keeps them busy. J.R. also enjoys running, golf, and anything to do with Pittsburgh sports teams. Read on for Read more
Published: June 22, 2026
UVA Darden Appoints New Dean, First Woman to Fill the Role
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business has named Yael Grushka-Cockayne as its next dean, marking a historic milestone for the school. Yael Grushka-Cockayne, the next dean of UVA Darden Grushka-Cockayne, a longtime professor and current vice dean at Darden, will become the school’s 10th dean and the first woman permanently appointed to the role in its 70-year history. She will assume the position on August 1, succeeding Scott Beardsley, who stepped down from the deanship earlier this year to serve as president of the University of Virginia. “Yael is exactly the kind Read more
Published: June 21, 2026
USC Marshall Dean Geoffrey Garrett to Assume New Role
The USC Marshall School of Business will see a leadership transition this summer, as Dean Geoffrey Garrett prepares to step into a new university-wide role focused on global strategy and engagement. Garrett has agreed to serve as Special Advisor to the President for Global Strategy and Engagement at the University of Southern California, effective August 1. In order to dedicate his full attention to this position, he will step down as dean of Marshall after six years of leadership. In his new role, Garrett will work closely with university leadership to deepen USC’s relationships with business Read more
Published: June 21, 2026
The Week Ahead: Esade Deadline, INSEAD & Deferred Enrollment Decisions, June 22-26, 2026
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Deferred Enrollment Decisions We are moving closer to the end of the 2025-26 application cycle. Wednesday, June 24, Esade has its final admissions deadline for the 2025-2026 season. Thursday, June 25, Harvard Business School and Chicago / Booth are scheduled to release their deferred enrollment decisions. Friday, June 26, INSEAD is scheduled to have released Round 2 decisions for their January 2027 intake. How “The Wires” Can Help Visit MBA LiveWire for the latest “buzz” about MBA Read more
Published: June 21, 2026
MBA Wire Taps 497: Brazilian at Big 4. Indian Armed Forces Officer. Darden vs Yale and Tuck
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the current state of the MBA admissions season. While activity for this season is winding down, HBS and Chicago / Booth are scheduled to release their deferred admissions decisions, this upcoming week. We do still anticipate a little more waitlist movement in the weeks ahead. Graham noted that Clear Admit is planning its MBA Essay Workshop events series that is scheduled for July 21 and 22, and July 28 and 29. These events will bring together the majority of the top MBA programs Read more
Published: June 18, 2026
Webinar: The UC Irvine Merage MBA: Why Now Is the Time to Apply
The UC Irvine Merage MBA: Why Now Is the Time to Apply Date: June 30, 2026 Time: 12pm Pacific / 3pm Eastern Location: Online Still thinking about applying to business school this year? There may still be time to take the next step. Join Clear Admit and the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business for a timely admissions webinar designed for MBA candidates who are considering applying in the next few weeks. This session will give you a closer look at the UC Irvine Merage MBA experience, what makes the program distinctive, and how applicants can Read more
Published: June 18, 2026
Real Humans of L.E.K. Consulting: Sam Ederle, Vanderbilt Owen MBA ’24, Consultant
In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Sam Ederle shares his professional journey. After leaving an acting career, he knew he faced a challenge: He was capable of succeeding in business, but nobody was going to hire him. Business school was the solution. He chose the MBA program at Vanderbilt Owen based on its strong career outcomes, small, tight-knit community, and the quality of life in Nashville. Read his story here. Sam Ederle, Vanderbilt Owen MBA ’24, Consultant at L.E.K. Consulting Age: 30 Hometown: Duxbury, MA Undergraduate Institution and Major Read more
Published: June 18, 2026
Weekly Refresh: MBA Deadlines & Essay Questions, Analyzed
Welcome to Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site. We continue with updates for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle with some deadlines and essay advice. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Berkeley / Haas INSEAD Northwestern / Kellogg Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Georgia Tech Scheller Harvard Business School Read more
Published: June 18, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Charlotte Russell-Green of Cambridge Judge
We welcome back Charlotte Russell-Green, Head of MBA Recruitment and Admissions  at Cambridge Judge Business School for this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series. After training in Drama and Theatre at Goldsmiths, University of London, Charlotte transitioned into marketing and has now worked in the MBA sector for over a decade. She began her MBA career at QS, managing marketing for the World MBA Tour events across North America, before joining Cambridge Judge Business School, where she has held roles spanning marketing, recruitment, and admissions. As Head of MBA Recruitment and Read more
Published: June 17, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Steve Thompson of Northwestern Kellogg
We take our Admissions Director Q&A to Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management for a conversation with Steve Thompson, Senior Director of Admissions. In his role, Steve Thompson leads talent acquisition strategy to draw the best and brightest candidates to Kellogg’s portfolio of eight Full-Time MBA programs. Prior to his current role, Steve gained broad experience across both student and academic experience at Kellogg, serving as Director of the Executive MBA Program on the Miami campus. Before joining Kellogg, he served as Executive Director of IE Business School’s International MBA Program. Keep reading Read more
Published: June 16, 2026
Real Humans of Bain & Co.: Paul Gennett, Yale SOM MBA ’25, Consultant
As an engineer, Paul Gennett understood that the barriers to progress in solving problems like clean energy, transportation, and housing are not technical; they are financial, legal, and human. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Gennett shares how he wanted to play a larger role in helping to build great things as well as how the Yale School of Management (SOM) MBA and other courses at Yale prepared him to achieve his goals at Bain.  Paul Gennett, Yale SOM MBA ’25, Consultant at Bain & Company Age: 27 Hometown: Charlotte, NC Read more
Published: June 16, 2026
What’s the MBA Really Worth? Alumni from Goldman, JPMorgan, Carlyle, and More Weigh In
Is an MBA worth the time, the cost, the commitment? Rather than answer with statistics, the voices of those who’ve lived it may provide the most convincing case of all. Many graduates featured in our Real Humans: Alumni series joined the financial services industry and we take a close look at their accounts to assess the value of the MBA. Across industries and institutions, recent business school graduates who joined some of the world’s most prestigious firms offer a remarkably consistent answer: Yes, the MBA Read more
Published: June 16, 2026
MBA Admissions Tip: Addressing Unemployment or Gaps in Employment
Given the emphasis that MBA programs place on a candidate’s work experience, it is important to be proactive in addressing unemployment or gaps in employment. When applying to business school, many candidates worry about how the adcom might perceive gaps in employment. Gaps in Employment It’s not unheard of for an MBA candidate to have a gap in employment, and this will not necessarily make a negative impact on someone’s candidacy. Gaps might be due to anything from Covid to lay-offs to periods of travel. As a rule of thumb, MBA applicants should explain gaps in employment that are three Read more
Published: June 15, 2026
GMAC Introduces GMAT Superscore
Starting in August, MBA applicants can put their best GMAT score forward with a new feature from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC): the GMAT Superscore. The GMAT Superscore is an automatic calculation of a test taker’s best aggregate performance across their GMAT attempts. With no additional cost, this feature presents a more holistic view of the applicant and ensures admissions sees their strongest performance.​ According to GMAC, the GMAT Superscore is calculated using a candidate’s highest section scores from all valid attempts of the latest edition, whether taken at a test center Read more
Published: June 15, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Denise Pu of CEIBS
Today we meet Denise Pu, Head of MBA Marketing and Admissions at CEIBS, who joins us to talk about admissions in this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A series. Denise Pu leads the same programme from which she graduated in 2012. She returns to the school after a career spanning banking and wealth management, entrepreneurship, and leadership advisory across the United States, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Shanghai. Denise holds a BSc in Management Science from the University of California, San Diego and an MBA from CEIBS. Read on for Read more

MBA Applywire

21
June 29, 2026 11:59am ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Cambridge / Judge, Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, ESADE, Harvard Business School, HEC Paris, IESE, INSEAD, London Business School, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, NYU Stern, Penn / Wharton, Stanford GSB, UVA / Darden, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: Quant/ Software Engineer at top Investment Bank
Post MBA Career: Private Equity, Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, Management Consulting, Technology, Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Facebook/Meta, Google, Microsoft, Uber, Nomura, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, Jefferies Group, Barclays, Investment Banking, Finance, McKinsey, Kearney, BCG, Bain, Consulting
GRE: 322
GPA: 7.45
Years of Work Experience: 3
Location: India
Post MBA Location: US, UK, Middle-East
Notes:

Background:
24F, Indian
GPA - 7.5 from a Tier 1 Indian college

Participated in CBSE Swimming nationals, and won medals in relay

Took part in badminton clusters

Was part of the prefectorial body in which we welcomed delegates from all around the world

Took part in a NASA program wherein we visited the Johnson Space Centre in Houston

College:

Not good GPA but can defend it

Part of college badminton team and won many laureates

Got bronze in an inter-collegiate tournament as the women’s badminton team captain. And created history as this wasn’t achieved before by any woman’s badminton team

Was the sportswoman of the year for my college

Was part of the incubation center management team of the college. Was part of the strategic relations team (where we almost got Steve Wozniak to deliver a speech) and was the event management team lead

Work Experience:

3yrs Software eng/ quant experience in a top investment bank (front office and back office Eng roles)

Got a promotion

Lead a 2months intern project

What are my chances for the above colleges for a MBA and can I expect any scholarship?

Should I retake the test? Planning to apply in R1
3
June 27, 2026 6:22am ET
Applying: Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Stanford GSB
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: 2x Founder & Management Consulting
Post MBA Career: Consulting, Finance, Management Consulting, Technology
GRE: 301
GPA: 2.93
Years of Work Experience: 6
Location: Dubai
Post MBA Location: USA
Notes:

Two-time founder (marketing agency during undergrad, then a fintech post-graduation), ex-Kearney consulting, currently on the founding team of a boutique financial consulting firm. Based in Pakistan, 29. Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Undergrad from LUMS (top business school in Pakistan) with a 2.91 GPA, which I know is my main weakness.
Targeting HBS, Stanford, and MIT Sloan for R1. I'm aware these are reaches given my GPA. GRE is in progress, currently retaking to push into the 315 to 320 range with a strong quant score to offset the academic profile.
Post-MBA goal is to scale into senior operating or founder roles in fintech and financial services, building on my consulting and startup background.
6
June 24, 2026 12:12pm ET
Applying: Emory / Goizueta, Georgetown / McDonough, Georgia / Terry, UNC Kenan-Flagler, UVA / Darden, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: United States Marine Corps Logistics Officer
Post MBA Career: Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, McKinsey, Other Industries, Consulting
GPA: 3.23
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: North Carolina
Post MBA Location: Virginia/North Carolina
Notes:

GMAT/GRE waiver, realistically what are my chances? I have 4 major exercises and 1 deployment. The reason for the waiver is time constraints as I am currently deployed.
2
June 22, 2026 9:40pm ET
Applying: HKUST, Nanyang
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: Healthcare
Post MBA Career: Health Care
GMAT: 620
GPA: 7.0
Years of Work Experience: 4
Location: India
Post MBA Location: Europe
Notes:

I'm a dentist from India exploring international MBA programs and would appreciate some advice from people who have either gone through a similar transition or have experience with MBA admissions and outcomes.

My long-term goal is to move into the healthcare/healthtech ecosystem, potentially in areas such as healthcare consulting, product management, healthcare strategy, or healthtech startups. I am particularly interested in leveraging my clinical background rather than moving into a completely unrelated field.

I'm currently evaluating MBA programs in Europe and Asia (Singapore, Japan, HongKong)

For context, I have a GMAT Focus score of 575 with 4 years of work ex within the clinical and corporate side of the healthcare sector
7
June 22, 2026 9:03am ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Columbia Business School, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, NYU Stern, UVA / Darden
Intake Year: 2027
Pre-MBA Career: Consulting
Post MBA Career: Consulting
GRE: 320
GPA: 3.76
Years of Work Experience: 4
Location: Boston
Post MBA Location: NYC
View or Submit Entries

MBA LiveWire

June 29, 2026 7:40pm ET
Interview Invite to Columbia Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email June 29, 2026
Standardized Test: Executive Assessment (EA)
EA: 162
Program Type: January Intake
Juno Member: Not yet
June 29, 2026 1:39pm ET
Rejected from Waitlist at Columbia Business School
Round: Round 2
Received via portal June 29, 2026
Standardized Test: GRE
GPA: 3.21
GRE: 339
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Post MBA Career: Finance, Investment Banking
Application Location: Vienna
Juno Member: Not yet
June 29, 2026 12:10pm ET
Accepted to Harvard Business School
Round: Early Decision
Received via portal on June 24, 2026
Standardized Test: GRE
GPA: 3.9
GRE: 323
Program Type: Deferred Enrollment
Application Location: Utah
Juno Member: Not yet
June 28, 2026 5:48pm ET
Rejected from Waitlist at Columbia Business School
Round: Round 2
Received via portal on June 24, 2026
Standardized Test: GRE
GPA: 3.9
GRE: 322
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Application Location: UK
Note:

Frustrating that no feedback is given. Felt like I had a great profile/ fit for the program. Good luck to anyone else still waiting
Juno Member: Not yet
June 27, 2026 4:08pm ET
Accepted from Waitlist to MIT Sloan
Round: Round 2
Received via phone on May 21, 2026
Standardized Test: GMAT
GPA: 3.1
GMAT: 675
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Post MBA Career: Other Industries
Juno Member: Not yet
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