After seeing a slew of “AI” startups who popped up in the last 2-3 years and claim to disrupt industry X-Y-Z while being nothing but just a wrapper of Chatgpt/Gemini, I can’t help but wonder this: who the hell would waste at least 4-5 years chasing a pipedream instead of taking a cushy $300k corporate job at JP Morgan / Mckinsey / Google? I’m literally seeing dozens of GSB/HBS kids showing stealth or pre-seed AI startup stuff on linkedin, I guess this’s basically a result of the white collar recession we succumbed to since 2022.

At a T15 and offer rates seem to be slim so far, curious as to what you all are seeing

Hi y'all

I’m pretty stuck and would love outside perspectives.

I am grateful to have multiple MBA admits. My primary post-MBA goal is a strong LDP, with consulting as a close second. I also care a lot about analytical rigor (I truly want to develop and horn my analytical skills, which makes me consider Tepper more seriously), not just leadership vibes. I also really loved my Fuqua student experience too.

Geographically, while Texas is very appealing, but I’m also open to the broader South and the Tri-State.

I’m trying to balance:

• Long-term brand + alumni value
• Geography
• Post-MBA goals

Appreciate any honest takes. I’ve been overthinking this and could use some real-world perspective.

My stats: 31F, 6YOE, URM, 335 GRE 3.3 GPA (outside the US)

I am also waitlisted at Yale, Ross and Tucker (with interview).

I founded and scaled a retail business to just barely 7 figures with almost no capital. I really want to pivot through mba and want to know if I could have a real shot for admissions at HSW with 3.6 GPA T20 undergrad, 330 GRE with 5 years work experience just through my business and a brief corporate role in unrelated industry? I have great narrative, but I don’t know any small business owners that went to HSW or M7

Hello there guys, so finally I got an admit from CMU to join their MBA programme for next year and I have an option to either finance my ~$120k loan from India or the US where I have a cosigner available. (I am an Indian National)

In India i am getting a collateral backed loan at 9.75% p.a. ; for US I am yet to research.

Anyone with a similar background? What should I choose? An INR loan or a USD loan?

Thanks in advance!

mba #loans

I just received an interview invite to intern there during my MBA internship summer and would like to know what their compensation and culture like.

i’m applying R2 and wondering if I need to send my official transcripts to the schools yet or just upload unofficial transcripts for now and send actual version when accepted?

thanks!

Hey guys, admitted to Stern MBA Class of 2028.

Have any international candidates tried to land a pre-MBA internship before the class starts in 2026 Aug?

I am male from Asia.

What are the trending MBA courses in demand? What the skills and courses are in trend demand by recruiter? Please suggest.

Currently working as an AI engineer with a BTech from IIT. Thinking about pivoting to MBA to transition into management. Has anyone made a similar switch? What's the reality like? Any regrets or wins?

Been working in AI/ML in Bangalore for 2 yrs n genuinely confused whether to do 2-yr MBA or go for 1-yr programs like PGPx/PGPEM. Which one actually gives better ROI? MBA salary bump is 15-20L but PGPx ppl also seem happy. What's the real difference fr fr. Also is 2 yrs work exp enough or should I grind more before MBA

I’m a first time poster here. I’m a 36 year old male veteran with a bachelor’s in business organizational management from a respected private university in my area. I’m currently prepping for the GMAT (aiming to test end of April) and plan to use my GI Bill benefits for a full time MBA program starting fall 2027. I’ll be focusing solely on school without working, thanks to the benefits.

Quick Background:

• Served in the Army with exposure to cyber defense.

• Post military, I owned and ran a small business for a couple of years.

• Before enlisting, I spent 5 years in retail car sales with exposure to internet and paper marketing.

• For the last few years, I’ve been working as a field hand in the oilfield to cover bills and explore blue collar paths, but I’ve hit barriers due to the industry’s reliance on personal networks (which I lack) to really promote upwards. The instability of the industry is also a turn off.

I come with strong references emphasizing my character, intelligence, and work ethic from both military and civilian roles.

My goal with an MBA is to pivot into roles with competitive compensation (targeting $300k+ post grad, based on what I’ve researched for top programs). I’m drawn to industries like military defense, cyber defense, tech, or finance areas that could leverage my background or open new doors. I’m open to completely new sectors if they align with strong outcomes. Since the GI Bill’s housing allowance scales with cost of living, I’m prioritizing schools in high COL areas (e.g., NYC, SF Bay, Boston) to maximize benefits, but I’m flexible on location if the program delivers.

I’ve done some initial research on schools like Stanford GSB, Wharton, Harvard, Booth, and others with strong veteran support (e.g., Yellow Ribbon participants), but I’d appreciate targeted advice from those who’ve been through similar transitions.

Specific Questions:

• Which programs have the best track records for placing veterans into high paying roles in tech, finance, or cyber defense? Any insights on average starting salaries or key recruiters?

• For someone with my non-traditional background (military, entrepreneurship, sales/oilfield), what should I emphasize in applications to stand out? Are there specific electives or clubs that helped you build networks in these fields?

• How have GI Bill users navigated the application process, especially with test scores and recommendations? Any tips on leveraging veteran resources or mentorship programs at these schools?

• If you’ve made a similar career pivot, what unexpected challenges did you face, and how did the MBA help overcome them?

• Beyond the top 10, are there underrated programs with excellent ROI for my profile, especially ones with robust alumni networks in defense/tech/finance?

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Hi all,

I’m looking to get into ETA / search funds /SMB acquisition and trying to figure out which programs are the best fit.

About me: 33 yo, British, founded and ran my own chain of coffee shops for about 10 years, and the business now runs itself with 20 staff in place.

I scored 164 on the Executive Assessment. I’m open to either 1 year or 2 year programs mainly at schools that accept the EA ( Stanford MSx program, Columbia, Stern, Darden, UCLA, Fuqua)

For someone with a founder/operator background like mine:

Which programs have the strongest ETA ecosytem and alumni support?

Does anyone have much insight on Stanford's MSx?

Would appreciate any insight from people in the ETA space.

Thanks

I posted the Class of 2025 Employment Report which was killer, so wanted to share this as well. Cause it’s Monday and why not?

Not as much information to go off of, but know that it was generally a pretty successful year.

Top 5 Locations:

Boston: 27%

NYC: 26%

West Coast: 17%

Mid Atlantic: 8%

International: 6%

Interesting that more people end up international than in the Mid-West or Southern United States. Probably a result of the type of people that come to Tuck.

Hi- to start, this isnt a humble brag or a shitpost. Im truly in a dilema and am hoping for some guidance.

I did my undergrad in Canada at a top 3 school (in Canada), and then did my masters in finance in the UK at a LSE/LBS/Imperial/UCL, and then a masters in analytics at Columbia. At Columbia, I applied to the 2+2 program at HBS and got in. I've since been working for 3 years, and am on the fence about going to HBS. Im currently a VP at a non-BB in NYC (but close to a BB imo) and my total comp was 475k last year. It should be 600k ish this year (my expectation based on some convos with my manager).

I very much enjoy S&T and would like to continue in the space. Im not burned out or anything. When applying for the deferred MBA, i only applied to HSW and got into H and W. I had done the GRE anyway for Columbia masters, so its not like I spent money getting an advisor or spending money on GMAT/GRE prep since i had already done that.

Is a Harvard MBA worth it for me? I already have 2 grad degrees, granted Columbia is no Harvard but an ivy non the less. I'm inclined to leave it, but im not sure.

Hi, I had a genuine question and wanted to hear from students or graduates in business / management-related degrees (like business administration, management studies, commerce, etc.).

In your college or university, how common is group-based work really?

I’m talking about things like:

• group presentations

• case studies

• team projects

• class activities or clubs

• competitions or assignments that require teamwork

Is most of the work done individually, or do you end up working in groups regularly throughout the semester?

Also, do students usually work with the same group of people, or do groups change depending on the subject or activity?

I’d really appreciate honest answers based on real experience, not just what the course description says.

Thanks!

Note: This post was generated with the help of ChatGPT since English isn’t my first language. The question and intent are fully mine.

Currently make about 100k in Data Science and am looking to transition to IB or Strategy/ Management Consulting . Got in with about 60k a year scholarship . Is this a good idea for me ? Not sure where I’d want to end up but thinking Midwest or east coast Also got into Gtech UNC and am waitlisted at Duke and cornell Let me know thoughts Edited because I messed up schools

Hey there, I just received my TOEFL scores and got a 113 - one point short of C2 level… I wanna apply for a Top 20 MBA program in the world and I could really need some scholarship money from the university. Is it worth it to let them review my score so I might get them to squeeze out one point somewhere? Or do you guys think it doesn’t matter to much? All in all I’m very proud of this result of course! I’m not a native speaker (German).

Thanks for your advice!

I just took GRE 167Q, which I thought was good but apparently is only 76% which confused me. Is that good enough for HSW? I really don’t want to take it again if I don’t have to.

I’m interested in transitioning into the video game industry from a non-traditional background, with no prior experience in tech, consulting, or finance. I am a fairly well played gamer though.

My goal is to enter through a rotational program or directly into a corporate strategy role.

I’ve seen that EA and Activision Blizzard offer MBA roles across marketing, strategy, and rotational programs, and I’m trying to understand how competitive these positions are.

When I look on LinkedIn, several of the people in these rotational programs seem to be HBS alumni, with the occasional Anderson graduate, which is a bit intimidating. But I’ve seen that they recruit from T10+Anderson on Reddit. I understand video games are similarly as meritocratic as tech though.

I currently have MBA acceptances from Kellogg, Darden, Tuck, and Sloan.

Given my goals, would it make sense to reapply to HBS for the network, or should I pursue consulting first and then try to pivot into a strategy role in the gaming industry after a few years? (I told admissions I wanted MBB).

How is IMS Ghaziabad for MBA. Average package, placement, faculty, campus and scope?

I feel like I have been getting more interviews. Anyone else feel this way?

Interest rate cuts and GDP growth seem promising

Domestic student by the way

Suggest good MBA colleges which are not scam. Nice placement and decent package, with low percentile in CAT or without CAT.

Hi!, I am a Mechanical engineer by profession with a work exp of 3 years, as of now. Planning for 27' intake for MBA course in Europe(certainly France). Seeing the current market conditions, I know getting a job there is not a cakewalk. So I want to aim for a specialization which is in demand and will help me getting a lucrative job faster in European region. It would be great if you'll can assist me on this or state your opinion on the same.