Posts by Peggy Hughes

About

Peggy Hughes is a writer based in Berlin, Germany. She has worked in the education sector for her whole career, and loves nothing more than to help make sense of it to students, teachers and applicants.

Published: August 5, 2025

MBA Professor Profiles: Spotlighting The Wharton School

Welcome to MBA Professor Profiles, in which we spotlight two standout professors from each of the M7 business schools, exploring their research, careers, and the ideas that define their work. In this article, we’re taking a look at two professors from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania: Katy Milkman and Adam Grant. Katy Milkman Katy Milkman, James G. Dinan Professor at Pennsylvania Wharton, teaches in the department of Operations, Information and Decisions. She also holds positions in UPenn’s Perelman Read more

Published: July 23, 2025

A Look at English Language Tests for MBA Applicants

MBA programs tend to require proof of English proficiency from their non-native-English-speaking applicants. This proof is necessary, not just to ensure that applicants will be able to succeed in English-language exams, coursework and classrooms, but often for student visa applications, too. English language tests play an important role in securing this proof of English proficiency, providing a standardized way for admissions committees to compare applicants’ English language abilities. Lindsay Loyd, Admissions Director at NYU Stern, explains that any candidates who have “not completed a prior undergraduate Read more

Published: July 22, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: Adcoms are Impressed by Jargon and Fancy Language

Welcome to another edition of MBA Myth Busters. This is the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: Adcoms are impressed by jargon and fancy language. Can you improve your application essay by using technical jargon and corporate language? Of course not. The points that disprove this myth are many; in this article, we’ll explore the main four. The first is that MBA programs are full of people from diverse backgrounds. Applicants will hail from jobs that required a high level Read more

Published: July 16, 2025

MBA Mythbusters: All MBA Roads Lead to Consulting, Tech or Investment Banking

Welcome back to MBA Myth Busters: the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: All MBA graduates join consulting, tech, or investment banking. Now, there’s no doubt that these industries are popular, consistently comprising the top three choices across most MBA classes. However, these three industries are by no means the only ones into which graduates funnel. Take a look at the following MBA Class of 2024 employment reports, based on industry, to get a sense of the myriad opportunities for MBA graduates: Industry Read more

Published: July 14, 2025

Johns Hopkins Carey Expands MBA to D.C. & Launches New Programs

“The Carey Business School is growing globally,” says Carey Dean Alex Triantis. “[We are] building on our commitment to Baltimore while we expand access to world-class business education.” The expansion of which Triantis speaks will take place in fall 2026, when the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School will offer its Full-time MBA program at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. Carey will also launch a new hybrid Executive MBA at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center. In addition to Read more

Published: July 9, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: Only the M7s Promise Success

We’re back for another edition of MBA Myth Busters in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: You must attend an M7 school to have a successful post-MBA career. This is a myth! For reference, the M7 schools (“M” for “magnificent” or, sometimes, “magic”) are as follows: Columbia Business School Harvard Business School MIT Sloan School of Management Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management Read more

Published: July 8, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: Tailor Your Essays to What the Adcom Wants to Hear

Welcome back to MBA Myth Busters: the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: Candidates should tailor their essays to fit what admissions committees want to hear. This is a myth of two parts: the first being that a “what they want to hear” exists when it comes to admissions committees (adcoms), and the second being that applicants should pander to it in their essays. Busting this myth comes down to what adcoms are actually looking for. A huge part of this is Read more

Published: July 2, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: Honesty in Applications Requires Sharing Your Weaknesses

Welcome back to MBA Myth Busters, the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: In order to be completely honest in their application essays, candidates must detail and demonstrate their weaknesses. This is, of course, untrue. When writing your MBA application essays, your primary goal should be to show your best self. You should put your best foot forward, plant seeds of potential success, and showcase past accomplishments. Unless explicitly asked to dive into the details of your weaknesses, you should stick to the Read more

Published: July 1, 2025

Harvard’s SEVP Restored, Social Media Screening Expanded: Trump’s Latest Actions Against International Students

As the Trump administration continues to obstruct the progress of foreign nationals seeking student visas in the U.S., we take a look at the latest updates affecting American universities and visa applicants. Student Visa Interviews Resume—With Increased Applicant Screening The end of May saw the State Department temporarily pause any new scheduling of visa interviews for foreign students; a move named as “the latest in the Trump administration’s crackdown on international students.” The suspension was intended to halt visa proceedings while in-the-works guidance on expanded social media Read more

Published: June 26, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: Top MBAs Are Not for the Over-30s

Welcome back to MBA Myth Busters: the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: Top MBA programs are not for professionals over the age of 30. This is untrue—candidates over the age of 30 are more than able to secure a place at a top business school. In fact, many business schools are looking for candidates to bring a sizable chunk of work experience with them. Most MBA students at top schools tend to have between three and six years of professional experience Read more

Published: June 25, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: Successful Professionals Shouldn’t Bother with an MBA

We’re in for another edition of MBA Myth Busters: the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: An MBA is not worth it for those who already have a successful career. We have three reasons why that’s false! The first is career advancement. Yes, you may have a successful career now, but what comes next? Even as a high-flying professional, the career that you are in right now may have some form of ceiling. If you would like to progress past that, an MBA program, with its Read more

Published: June 24, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: Round 1 Gives a Huge Advantage Over Round 2

Welcome back to MBA Myth Busters: the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: Applying to MBA programs in Round 1 will give you a massive advantage over applying in Round 2. Truth: Each Round has its own advantages. Round 1 and Round 2 offer different things to the candidates that choose them. Round 1, for example, allows candidates to rest easy in the early knowledge that they have secured their spot in an MBA program. They can take a step back from Read more

Published: June 17, 2025

Chicago Booth’s New Venture Challenge Awards Record-Breaking $2.267 Million to Finalists

At the 29th Annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), 10 finalist teams were awarded a record-breaking $2.267 million. Launched in 1996 at Chicago Booth and led by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurships and Innovation, the NVC held its first finals in 1997 with just $20,000 in prizes. Today, the NVC ranks as one of the best accelerator programs in the U.S. More than 600 startup companies have graduated through the NVC and the Polsky Center, which in turn Read more

Published: June 17, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: All M7 Admits Come from Finance or Consulting Backgrounds

Welcome back to MBA Myth Busters: the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: Only MBA applicants with a background in finance or consulting can secure a place at an M7 school. True? False! The M7 schools are an elite group of U.S.-based private business schools. The “M” stands for “magnificent”, or “magic.” The schools boast a stellar reputation, high employability and earnings, and a consistently high quality of education. Across the business world, M7 schools are considered as having some Read more

Published: June 16, 2025

MBA Myth Busters: You Need a Perfect GMAT/GRE Score

Welcome to MBA Myth Busters: the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education. Myth: In order to get into a top MBA, candidates need a perfect score on their GMAT or GRE. Is it true? Of course it isn’t! This isn’t to say that a high GMAT or GRE isn’t a good thing—having one will help you stand out in the admissions process, demonstrate your quantitative and verbal abilities, and nudge your application further towards success. Plus, GMAT averages influence how a school ranks, which means they Read more

Published: June 15, 2025

Mary Tolan Commits $12M to Chicago Booth’s Healthcare Initiative

University of Chicago trustee Mary Tolan, MBA ’92 (XP-61), and her husband, Edward Grzelakowski, have committed $12 million to advance the work of Chicago Booth’s Healthcare Initiative. The Healthcare Initiative, newly named “The Tolan Center for Healthcare” in recognition of the gift, examines the healthcare sector’s challenges from both medical and business perspectives. It was founded in 2020, and has since become a beacon of collaborative effort between diverse disciplines, faculty members, students, alumni, policy makers, industry leaders and more. The Read more

Published: June 8, 2025

Resisting the Trump Administration’s Efforts to Curb International Students

Over the course of 2025, the Trump administration has taken a series of actions that impact higher education institutions across the U.S., with a particular focus on elite universities such as Harvard. Escalating Efforts to Curb International Students This spring saw the revocation of many, many international students’ legal status. According to international education non-profit NAFSA, nearly 1,300 international students and scholars had their “visas revoked or their records deleted on SEVIS,” the U.S. government database covering nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors. Secretary of Read more

Published: June 5, 2025

AI, Management, and Innovation Insights from a Stanford GSB Professor

Stanford GSB’s If/Then podcast features an interview with one faculty member each episode. Hosted by Kevin Cool, the podcast dives into the findings of researchers and considers how they might apply to today’s big business-world questions. We’re taking a look at one particular episode, titled “The Data-AI Train Is Leaving the Station,” in which Cool interviews Amir Goldberg, a Professor of Organizational Behavior from Stanford GSB. Why? Because Professor Goldberg’s findings have astonishing implications for the world of business and management. Read more

Published: June 3, 2025

Business School Recap: Commencement Ceremonies in May

Commencement season is in full swing. Business schools are beginning to host ceremonies to mark the hard work, dedication, and achievements of their graduates; to give you a glimpse into the celebrations, we’ve collected the highlights of those that took place in May. Berkeley Haas Berkeley Haas hosted its MBA commencement ceremony on Friday May 23rd. Manish Chandra The ceremony’s keynote address was given by Haas alumni (’95) Manish Chandra. Chandra is the founder and CEO of Poshmark—a company born of Chandra’s Read more

Published: May 31, 2025

What to Do Before You Start Your MBA

It can be hard to know what to do before you start your MBA. With a spot secured and the hard work of the application process complete, the upcoming MBA experience can evoke mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation. How, you might wonder, can you prepare for it? In this guide, we’ll walk you through the academic and personal steps needed to do so. An MBA program is rigorous and intense, and preparation such as that which we have outlined below helps ensure you seize the opportunities that it offers. Academic Readiness: Brushing Up Read more

Published: May 28, 2025

Carnegie Mellon Tepper Announces Inaugural Cohort for Golub Capital Board Fellows Program

Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business has officially launched its first cohort of the Golub Capital Board Fellows Program. The program places 13 MBA students on the boards of nonprofit organizations throughout the Pittsburgh region, where they serve as non-voting members. First-year students make up the Golub Capital Board Fellows’ first cohort. Each student was selected based on their dedication to social impact, their desire to apply business skills in service of the community, and their leadership potential. Golub Capital Read more

Published: May 27, 2025

The Cost of the MBA Application Process

If you’re looking to pursue an MBA, you have probably already considered the costs. You may have thought about tuition, for example, the fees, or the cost of relocation. You may have even gone so far as to add up the price of new attire, hoping to look sharp and make a good first impression. But have you considered how much it might cost you to apply in the first place? The fees and associated costs of the MBA application process are numerous, and often overlooked. Almost every element of Read more

Published: May 24, 2025

Examining the Changes in MBA Testing Policies and Waivers

The GMAT and GRE have long been flagships of the MBA admissions process. Due to the Covid pandemic, schools adapted their policies around these tests–particularly with flexibility and accessibility. For many, this looks like the introduction of test waivers—or even test-optional policies. Throughout this article, we’ll explore the changing landscape of MBA testing, looking at the schools that offer waivers, the schools that don’t, and the schools that are bringing in test-optional policies. We’ll take a look at why these test changes are occurring and what they mean, and share our advice on whether a test Read more

Published: May 23, 2025

Completing an MBA While Working: The Whys and the Hows

For some MBA hopefuls, the possibility of pausing all work and committing full-time to a program is low. They might instead choose to pursue an MBA while working, holding onto their full-time job while completing their MBA. In this article, we’ll explore the advantages of doing so, the programs that make it possible, and the factors to consider when deciding if they are right for you. Why Work During an MBA? There are several reasons why someone may pursue an MBA while working. The first relates to the job market. With Read more

Published: May 21, 2025

John and Fran Edwardson Commit $14 Million to Chicago Booth’s Civic Scholars Program

The University of Chicago Booth has announced a transformative $14 million in philanthropic commitments from University of Chicago trustee and Booth alumnus John A. Edwardson and Fran Edwardson to support and expand its Civic Scholars Program. In recognition of their generosity, the school will rename the program the Edwardson Civic Scholars Program. Students within it will now be known as Edwardson Civic Scholars. Established in 2016 with seed funding from the Neubauer Family Foundation, the Civic Scholars Program provides full-tuition scholarships to Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students. Students who are pursuing careers Read more

MBA Livewire

December 4, 2025 11:55pm ET

Rejected at Yale SOM

Round: Round 1

Received via portal December 4, 2025

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: 7.8/10

GRE: 336

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Technology

Application Location: India

Note:

9 YOE

December 4, 2025 10:49pm ET

Accepted to Michigan / Ross

Round: Round 1

Received via phone December 4, 2025

Standardized Test: Granted Waiver

GPA: 3.81

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Technology

Application Location: United States, Texas

Note:

Admitted with 40k scholarship

December 4, 2025 10:47pm ET

Accepted to Carnegie Mellon / Tepper

Round: Round 1

Received via phone

Standardized Test: Granted Waiver

GPA: 3.81

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Technology

Application Location: United States, Texas

Note:

Admitted with 90k scholarship

December 4, 2025 10:26pm ET

Waitlisted at U. Chicago Booth

Round: Round 1

Received via portal on December 03, 2025

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: 3.61

GRE: 333

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Consulting

Application Location: India, New Delhi

December 4, 2025 10:12pm ET

Accepted to U. Chicago Booth

Round: Round 1

Received via portal December 4, 2025

Standardized Test: GMAT

GMAT: 710

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Application Location: Canada

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