Rice / Jones MBA News

Published: October 11, 2026

The Week Ahead: MBA Deadlines, Interview Invites & Decisions, October 12-26, 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! Deadlines Continue, Invitations Roll Out Along with the deadlines below, we are predicting that Chicago / Booth and UCLA / Anderson will begin releasing interview invites. Tuesday, October 13: The Ohio State / Fisher has its Round 1 application deadline. Thursday, October 15: Duke / Fuqua is scheduled to release its Early Action Round decisions. Texas / McCombs, USC / Marshall, Indiana / Kelley, Arizona / Carey, UC Irvine / Merage, and Florida Read more

Published: September 15, 2026

Webinar: Unlock Your MBA Future: Exploring Top Texas MBA Programs

Join admissions leaders from Texas McCombs, SMU Cox, and Rice Business (Jones Graduate School of Business) to explore the Texas advantage. We’ll break down how Austin’s booming tech, AI, and clean-energy scene; Dallas–Fort Worth’s Fortune 500 HQs, private equity, consulting, and real estate; and Houston’s energy transition, healthcare/life sciences, and global trade translate into internships and post-MBA roles. Learn how each program leverages experiential learning, alumni networks, and regional recruiters across the Texas Triangle (ATX–DFW–HOU). Bring your questions for candid admissions insights, scholarship pointers, and a live Q&A. Date: October 27 Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & Read more

Published: September 10, 2026

Webinar: Unlock Your MBA Future: Clear Admit Regional Spotlight Series

Unlock your MBA future with our Regional MBA Spotlight Series: six live webinars that show how location shapes outcomes. Hear admissions leaders explain recruiting pipelines, internships, and alumni networks across the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, West Coast, Great Lakes, Texas, and Northeast. Schools include: Georgetown McDonough, Johns Hopkins Carey, Wharton, UVA Darden; Duke Fuqua, Emory Goizueta, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Georgia Tech Scheller, Vanderbilt Business; Berkeley Haas, UCLA Anderson, UC Irvine Merage, ASU Carey, Washington Foster; Chicago Booth, Northwestern Kellogg, Toronto Rotman, Michigan Ross, Carnegie Mellon Tepper; Rice Business, Texas McCombs, SMU Cox; MIT Sloan, Dartmouth Tuck, NYU Stern, Yale SOM Read more

Published: August 27, 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. Most updates–deadlines, essay advice, and recommendation questions–are now out for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle. 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: ASU W.P. Carey Babson / Olin Boston College / Carroll CEIBS Florida Warrington Indiana / Kelley Rochester Simon Read more

Published: August 20, 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, essay advice, and recommendation questions. 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: Esade ESMT Berlin Georgia Tech Scheller Georgia Terry HEC Paris IMD (January 2027 Entry) Imperial Read more

Published: August 13, 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, essay advice, and recommendation questions. 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: Georgetown / McDonough IE Business School Indian School of Business Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Babson Olin Read more

Published: August 4, 2026

GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation Analysis for MBA Applicants and Recommenders

Applying to business school entails a great deal of work for prospective students – and almost as much effort for the people writing their letters of recommendation. An effective MBA recommendation provides rich information about the candidate’s strengths, key accomplishments, and leadership abilities. It’s also important that a recommendation fully address every question that is asked by the admissions committee. So, when an applicant is targeting six schools that ask different questions across their recommendation forms, this can translate to a great deal of time and effort for already-busy recommenders. To alleviate some of this pressure, Read more

Published: August 3, 2026

Early & Round 1 MBA Deadlines 2026-2027

To help you stay organized, we’ve compiled a chart of the earliest deadlines, including Early Action and Round 1, of the top business schools in one place. For schools that have announced their essay topic(s), you’ll find links to our corresponding Essay Topic Analysis in the “Essay(s) Released” column. We will continue to update this table as more Round 1 MBA deadlines and essay topics are announced. Deadlines are for Round 1 (unless otherwise noted). Last updated: August 27, 2026 School Deadline Decision Essay(s) Released? Application Live? Cambridge / Judge 8/24/2026 Yes Read more

Published: July 30, 2026

Inside the MBA Admissions Process Webinar Series 2026

Explore Top MBA Programs: Free Admissions Webinar Series Join Clear Admit’s exclusive MBA Admissions Webinar Series, a must-attend virtual event for prospective MBA applicants! Get first-hand admissions advice from 30 leading business schools, including HBS, GSB, Wharton and more (full list below). This six-part series is your chance to gain actionable insights and tips to strengthen your MBA Application before you hit submit. Dates: September 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, & October 1 Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & 1 pm-1:30 pm Breakout Q&A with Individual Schools (all times Eastern) Read more

Published: July 30, 2026

Weekly Refresh: MBA 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 recommendation questions. Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: ASU Carey Esade The Ohio State / Fisher Oxford / Saïd Rice / Jones Vanderbilt / Owen WashU Olin You can also bookmark our deadlines page for reference. Recommendation Questions Let your recommenders know, the following MBA programs have released their 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 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: May 24, 2026

The Week Ahead: Late Round Decisions & Rice Deadline, May 25-29, 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! Application season is slowing down Application deadlines do continue, but we are moving closer to the end of the 2025-26 application cycle. Wednesday, May 27, Rice Business has its Round 4 application deadline. Thursday, May 28, Stanford GSB is scheduled to release its Round 3 decisions. Friday, May 29, Ohio State / Fisher and SMU / Cox are scheduled to release their Round 4 decisions. How “The Wires” Can Help Visit MBA LiveWire for the latest “buzz” Read more

Published: May 20, 2026

Rice Business Dean Departs for Wake Forest Presidency

After roughly ten years of service to Rice University, as dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business, Peter Rodriguez is set to take on a new role, becoming 15th president of Wake Forest University as of July 1st. Rice Dean Peter Rodriguez. Photo courtesy of Rice. The news of this change came with high praise for the near decade-long leader: “Peter Rodriguez has been a transformative leader for Rice Business and our university,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches said. “Under his ambitious, steady guidance, the school significantly expanded its Read more

Published: April 15, 2026

Real Humans of Barclays: Kyle Zarosky, Rice Business MBA ’25, Investment Banking Associate

In this Real Humans: Alumni, we meet Kyle Zarosky, who chose Rice Business as his next step after serving in the United States Marine Corps. After consulting with other recently separated veterans, he understood that an MBA would enable him to pivot into and succeed in the civilian world. Here he shares his valuable insights into pursuing a career in business as a veteran. Kyle Zarosky, Rice Business MBA ’25, Investment Banking Associate at Barclays Age: 30 Hometown: Houston, Texas Undergraduate Institution and Major: Southwestern University, B.S. Read more

Published: March 29, 2026

The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions & Late Round Deadlines, March 30-April 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! MBA Decisions & Late Round Deadlines Leading MBA programs are releasing their Round 2 decisions and have Round 3 application deadlines. Monday, March 30, Cambridge / Judge has its Round 4 application deadline. Tuesday, March 31, UPenn / Wharton is scheduled to release its Round 2 decisions. Berkeley / Haas has its Round 3 application deadline. Wednesday, April 1, London Business School is scheduled to release its Round 2 decisions. NYU / Stern has its Round Read more

Published: March 22, 2026

The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions & Deadlines, March 23-27, 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! Decisions & Deadlines for Rounds 2 & 3 Leading MBA programs are releasing their Rounds 2 & 3 decisions, and have Round 3 application deadlines. Monday, March 23, Rice Business is scheduled to release its Round 2 decisions. Michigan Ross and London Business School have their Round 3 application deadlines. Tuesday, March 24, Washington Foster has its Round 3 application deadline. Wednesday, March 25, Harvard Business School and Northwestern / Kellogg are scheduled to release their Read more

Published: February 26, 2026

Real Humans of Bain & Co.: Sameera Bhamidipati, Rice Business MBA ’24, Consultant

Sameera Bhamidipati was looking to have a more direct professional impact in her career in biotechnology research. She pursued an MBA to transition to a business role where she could make a more significant impact much faster. She chose Rice Business for its small class size, tight-knit community, and extensive network. In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, read her story to learn how she achieved a successful career transition and landed at Bain & Company. Sameera Bhamidipati, Rice Business MBA ’24, Consultant at Bain & Company Age: 31 Read more

Published: February 15, 2026

The Financial Times 2026 Global MBA Ranking: MIT Sloan Surges to the Top

The Financial Times (FT) rolled out their Global MBA ranking for 2026 and we review where their top 100 programs landed. To start, here is a quick look at the top 10 of The Financial Times 2026 Global MBA rankings (2025 positions are in parentheses): Ranking School 1 MIT Sloan School of Management (6) 2 INSEAD (4 tie) 3 The Wharton School (1) 4 (tie) Iese Business School (3) 4 (tie) London Business School (7) 6 HEC Paris (9) 7 Esade Business School Read more

Published: January 26, 2026

U.S. News 2026 Online MBA Rankings: Indiana University Kelley School Continues to Reign.

The 2026 Best Online Programs rankings are out from U.S. News & World Report, including online MBA programs. Once again, Indiana University’s Kelley Direct Online MBA program tops the U.S. News online MBA ranking. The top five overall are familiar as well–Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper Online Hybrid MBA program and UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA@UNC Online MBA program traded places compared to last year, with Tepper moving back to second place and UNC taking third. The University of Washington Foster Hybrid MBA program laid claim to fourth while the Read more

Published: December 14, 2025

The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions & BC Carroll Deadline, December 15-19, 2025

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Decisions continue to roll out! Several more leading MBA programs are releasing their final Round 1 decisions this week. Monday, December 15, Columbia, USC / Marshall and Rice Business are scheduled to release their Round 1 decisions. Maryland / Smith has its Round 3 deadline. Tuesday, December 16, Texas / McCombs is scheduled to release its Round 1 decisions. Boston College / Carroll has its Round 2 application deadline. Wednesday, December 17, UNC / Kenan-Flagler and Read more

Published: December 11, 2025

GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation Analysis for MBA Applicants and Recommenders

Applying to business school entails a great deal of work for prospective students – and almost as much effort for the people writing their letters of recommendation. An effective MBA recommendation provides rich information about the candidate’s strengths, key accomplishments, and leadership abilities. It’s also important that a recommendation fully address every question that is asked by the admissions committee. So, when an applicant is targeting six schools that ask different questions across their recommendation forms, this can translate to a great deal of time and effort for already-busy recommenders. To alleviate some of this pressure, Read more

Published: October 29, 2025

Real Humans of the Rice Business MBA Class of 2027

In this Real Humans: MBA Students, we head to Houston to meet some new members of the MBA Class of 2027 at Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business (Rice Business). Rice Business’s MBA Class of 2027 is a tight-knit cohort of purposeful career-switchers anchored by Houston’s opportunity and a collaborative culture. Licensed architect Leighton Douglass arrived intent on translating design rigor into real estate development and is already tapped into the Real Estate Association and Rice’s mentor-rich alumni network. Former Baker Hughes supply-chain pro Taylor Smith chose Rice for its Southern-rooted community, diversity, and #1 graduate entrepreneurship Read more

Published: October 21, 2025

Round 2 MBA Application Deadlines 2025-2026

To help you stay organized, we’ve compiled all of the Round 2 MBA application deadlines (and other Rounds taking place between November 1st, 2025, and February 1st, 2026) in one place. You’ll find links to our corresponding Essay Topic Analysis in the “Essay Analysis” column. School Deadline Decision Essay Analysis Application Live? WashU Olin 11/1/2025 12/12/2025 Yes Yes Maryland Smith 11/1/2025 12/15/2025 Yes Yes Oxford / Saïd (R3) 11/3/2025 12/12/2025 Read more

Published: October 12, 2025

The Week Ahead: MBA Deadlines, Interview Invites & Decisions, October 13-17, 2025

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Deadlines, Interview Invites & Decisions The new season of full-time MBA admissions is underway with application deadlines, interview invites and final decisions forthcoming. Monday, October 13, Ohio State / Fisher has its Early Round application deadline. Tuesday, October 14, Notre Dame / Mendoza and Boston College / Carroll have their Round 1 application deadlines. Wednesday, October 15, NYU / Stern has its Round 2 application deadline. Texas / McCombs, USC / Marshall, Indiana / Kelley, Arizona Read more