Frequently Asked Questions
Please find answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Clear Admit’s MBA DecisionWire below. If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected].
Who should complete MBA DecisionWire?
Anyone who has made a final decision regarding which MBA program they will attend is encouraged to share their information. This includes applicants this year, as well as current MBA students and alumni. The information entered in response to “Entering Year” will distinguish current applicants and their decisions from those of candidates from prior years.
In addition to inputting your own data, MBA DecisionWire is designed to allow users to search their favorite programs and see the decisions made by those who applied, were admitted to and/or enrolled in those programs. It is therefore also useful for applicants who are just starting to research which programs they should apply to, as well as for admitted applicants who are deciding which program to attend.
What if I am having trouble submitting my entry?
If you are unable to submit your complete entry, please e-mail [email protected] and include your data (schools applied, admitted, enrolled, Year of Entry and any other information).
What if one or more of the schools I applied to is not listed?
Please select “Other” to note if you applied to, were admitted to or enrolled in a school that is not listed. In the Notes section, please indicate the unlisted school(s).
What if I have submitted deposits for two schools but am still determining where I will ultimately enroll?
In this case, you are not ready to submit a response via MBA DecisionWire. The product is designed for those who have made final decisions in terms of which school they plan to attend, are attending or have attended.
What if I have changed my mind in terms of where I plan to enroll?
This does happen. During the summer, for example, some schools start admitting more candidates from their waitlists, resulting in some decision changes. If you find yourself in this situation, please add a new entry and contact [email protected] to notify us so that we can remove your existing entry.
MBA Applywire
My plan for a future career is to expand my network (for either entrepreneurship or career pivoting to a higher paying job). Google is my dream but I've never been able to break through. My background is mostly in tech/gaming/AI and I've only been at one major Seattle based company for my entire post-undergrad career. I am open to part time at like Berkeley or MIT Sloan, or quitting (laid off if that happens) to pursue this full time. I plan to study for the GMAT and feel confident I can get 700+.
Uncertain of my low undergrad gpa (from premed classes) and professional career being diversified enough for a strong application. Dream is Stanford > Harvard / MIT > Everything else selected > Foster UW
North african, minority, 32 yo. Moved to Canada in 2022, worked for a startup in the telecom industry and now working for the federal government in geospatial analytics in the housing industry.
Indian Female CA, 5+ years finance/PE, content creator, targeting CBS J-Term. Be brutal.
Throwing this out for honest feedback before I submit. June deadline R1
Stats:
• Indian female (ORM, I know)
• GPA: 3.5/4, Bachelor of Commerce from a decent Mumbai college
• GRE: 321 (156V, 165Q) — considering a retake
• CA (Chartered Accountant, Indian equivalent of US CPA)
• 5+ years work ex by program start
Work Experience:
Current: Investment Analyst at a US-based early stage investment firm focused on EdTech, tech, and franchise investments. Remote role, deliberately chosen to build my startup on the side while maintaining income given family financial responsibilities as a first-gen earner from a Tier 2 city.
Before that: Interned at a specialist fintech-focused PE fund in India, $120M AUM. Got a return offer. Turned it down because the hours were 13 to 14 hours a day in-office and I had a startup I needed to build seriously. Not a decision I second-guessed.
Before that: Six-month stint at a digital assets PE firm managing ~$10M. Honest context: CA to PE is a hard switch in India without a top B-school pedigree. Took this as a deliberate bridging role to get into investment work. It worked.
Before that: Three years at a Big4 in India, audit and assurance for tech clients. Led a team during a review for a $1B+ turnover client. Contributed to a $500M IPO for a well-known Indian AI company.
The startup:
Running a financial literacy platform targeting Indian women. Media-first, early traction stage. 6 million monthly reach, ~25K followers on one platform, partnerships with a couple of well-known Indian fintech brands, early revenue. Held a free workshop that got 100+ registrations with zero paid marketing. Vision is a licensed, scaled media-edtech company combining content, community, and eventually regulated financial guidance.
This is the core of my CBS ask. I want the Tamer Institute’s social venture track and the Lang Fund resources. I have researched specific alumni who built comparable platforms post-MBA. This is not a vague “Columbia will help me grow” pitch. I know exactly what I am going there for.
Education extras:
Pursuing a BS in Data Science and Applications from IIT Madras online, self-paced. Specifically to build the technical infrastructure my startup needs long term. Not a distraction, a deliberate skill gap closure.
Extracurriculars:
• Trained Indian classical dancer, completed a two-year university diploma this year. Over a decade of practice.
• Two years volunteer teaching for underprivileged students
• Student council leadership in college
• CSR leadership at Big4
• International delegate at a leadership conference in Africa
• National topper in 10th and 12th board exams
Why J-Term specifically:
My startup has active traction right now. A two-year program means two years away from something that is growing. 16 months, focused cohort, faster return. That is the logic.
My concerns:
1. GRE verbal at 156 is soft. Composite 321 vs CBS average ~326. Worth a retake with four weeks to deadline?
2. ORM Indian female in finance is a crowded lane. Is my startup angle genuinely differentiating or do adcoms see ten of these a year?
3. Three roles in under two years will look like job hopping to some readers. I have a clean narrative for each transition but worried it won’t land.
4. Revenue on the startup is very early. Does reach and partnerships carry enough weight without strong revenue numbers?
MBA LiveWire
Should I take this versus an MIT offer?
EWMBA program, 9 years post grad experience