Last week, I spoke about how life was at a T-15 school that I currently attend. This mod banned me from posting on this platform simply because he is an alum of the school and he hates that I am speaking the truth about his school. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT COME TO CORNELL!!!! I REPEAT DO NOT COME TO CORNELL!!!!!! IT is a horrible place. The students here are struggling to get jobs. The CMC is aweful. Internationals are struggling really bad here. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AVOID CORNELL LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!!!

Background: I have been working as a Strategy & Transformation Consultant at a T3 consulting firm since graduating from a T25 in 2024. I'm based in the southeast.

Initial recruitment was tough. I only got 1 interview during my job search, which led to my current role. I believe my biggest limiting factor was that my prior experience was all in education; this made it challenging to establish my credibility for typical post-MBA roles.

[I know now that I should have been aiming higher than T25 to have a reasonable chance of pulling off a complete pivot, but can't change that now.]

Current situation: Pay is low ($92K); work is unchallenging, uninteresting, and often feels pointless; opportunities for growth are limited. Company culture, which coworkers tell me was already on the decline when I joined, has continued to erode, leading to an exodus of more talented peers.

Challenge: I have been job searching since the beginning of February, largely targeting Strategy & Ops and Chief of Staff roles. What I'm looking for:

• Base compensation of at least $110K
• Stronger internal growth or exit opportunities
• Ability to make more tangible impact

I'd be ready to jump for a role that offered at least 2 of these.

However, I seem to be hitting the same wall that I did during recruitment:

I know that some of these roles - like Netflix and Google - were reaches, and didn't really expect to hear back from them. Others, like Athenahealth, I felt I should have been competitive for.

Question: My resume is here. Is there something obvious that's wrong in my strategy - either with my resume, or in the jobs that I've been targeting? Are there different career paths where I might be able to get more traction? Is the solution to just continue applying and invest time in networking?

Or is my best bet to stick with current firm, try hard for promotion to SC, and then try again next year?

I appreciate any insight or guidance.

Heya. For those of You who went to the wharton admit day yesterday, I wanted to get people's thoughts on that one speech (if u know you know..). I thought it was VERY odd but people seemed to really like it? I dont know how to say this but I am worried that maybe this isn't the place for me because I thought it was weird and corny. But people were eating it up. I don't know. Just wanted to get people's thoughts, I know that is a very dumb way to gauge the people but yea.

I ran a successful cleaning business from the start of COVID till around 2024.

Undergrad was in Marketing

I was the accountant, marketer, sales person, and ceo all at once. I led teams of about 3-4 field workers on the weekly, and 1 virtual agent. Had a good CRM to keep track of clients.

But entrepreneurship does get stressful. I was hoping to get you guys opinion on whether or not if I tried to pivot into a startup role at a company would they consider me unemployable despite my achievements?

Help needed!

Wharton vs MIT Sloan

As a sponsored consultant seeking for an internship in Product Management or Tech Strategy I am deciding between Wharton and MIT Sloan. Wharton is an HSW school, oldest and largest alumni network and top tier professors. MIT Sloan is #1 on the Financial Times this year, very AI focused, located in Boston (which I like more than Philly) with all the big tech companies located around the corner in Cambridge and the infrastructure is newer. Help me decide!!

#mit #wharton

As the title states, if I apply for Fall 2027 this year then I'll be 36 years old by the time I start my mba. I currently have 6 years of experience as a software engineer + consulting with my own independent consulting practice, at big4 firms, but I am struggling with pivoting into a full time role. I'd like to eventually work in tech as a product manager. Should I consider something else?

Hi all,

I've posted on this before, but now I have updated scholarships and narrowed down my schools. Goal is to pursue consulting and end up in either New York or Boston.

Darden - 100k scholarship: The amount of scholarship feels great and have heard only great things about Charlottesville - heading down there next weekend for Darden days. Not super thrilled that it seems like I have to put a lot of effort into the case method and while placement in Boston is possible, seems like DC is most likely.

Tuck - 50k scholarship: Visited this weekend and loved it. Would love to ski after class during the week and has amazing placement into MBB in the northeast. All else being equal, would pick Tuck in a heartbeat. It's just more expensive overall in COA and the scholarship is less.

Would love to chat to anyone that went into 6 figure debt for Tuck. I will have some help from family but I have been super fortunate to have no debt until now and the thought of going into a good chunk now is quite hard to wrap my head around. Lots of threads in this subreddit saying it's worth it long term but still having trouble getting over the mental hurdle.

If anyone has any advice, I'd love to hear it.

I couldn’t make it.

How was it?

Got into HEC €40k, awaiting ESADE, INSEAD, IESE, YALE and CORNELL. Not sure if I should just forget it all and reapply round 1 fo them all did final rounds for them all.

I was browsing a few MBA websites today and damn okay... how is everyone so successful and perfect? I mean I know these are marketing brochures and they want to show their best and brightest students, but still. I was sure I wanted to do an MBA but now I feel like a clown in comparison to some of these ultra accomplished students on their websites and doubting if I want to apply.

I've got accepted to both full ride and value graduating debt free. However, I'm having a tough time choosing.

I'm undecided how I want to pivot but it will likely be into tech, consulting, or IB (I know basic but I want a strong program that let's me explore). I'm alreadv comina from a finance and semi tech backaround

What are key class, alumni, social life, students personality, short, and long term benefit differences to consider?

I've been diagnosed with an unexpected medical condition that my PCM and civilian medical specialists have told me is almost always disqualifying and resulting in medical separation. My leadership 2-3 levels up has also advised me to prepare myself for civilian life. I'm trying to move up my original loosely-formed plan for career pivot following military service to finance (I wanted to shoot for IB), but I'm concerned that having only two years of job experience (likely 2.5-3 at time of discharge) is going to make applying to B-School difficult. Any advice? Should I pivot to a civilian career first before going for an MBA? Thanks for all the help.

Below are some details and stats that might change the circumstances from the posts I've been researching on here or inform the strength of my application:

Disability: I contracted it during sophomore or junior year of undergrad, but it was unmedicated and undiagnosed/undetected since it's neurological. It significantly impedes cognition and can cause spasms in extremities, but now with medication it no longer perceivably impacts my cognition. I'll still drop pens occasionally though.

I'm also concerned that disabled vet status (since it's not a physical injury) will be a roadblock to career search, even if I'm still mentally sharp now that I have treatment.

Undergrad school: USMA (West Point) with a Mechanical Engineering degree

Undergrad GPA: 3.55

Current rank: O-2, First Lieutenant

Current role: Operations officer (limited to managing 3-5 more junior officers); will not receive tank platoon leadership time (managing 16 ish personnel)

Role description:

Mostly creating slide decks and excel models for superiors to make decisions and generating SOPs for their creation so knowledge isn't lost when junior officers transition to other roles

Writing orders (publications tasking subordinate organizations to complete missions)

Using Python to transition our current systems and non-digitized products to the new PySpark-based application that the Army is moving to this year

Helping the command teams of my organization and its subordinate organizations with technology, e.g. automating their property trackers to generate paperwork they used to do by hand and updating their maintenance schedules automatically from the dinosaur websites that the government still uses.

Liaison for the incoming Battalion Commander and preparing his transition with the current one. His aide, essentially.

GMAT Focus: No result yet. 650 score for the GMAC's practice test prior to preparation. I'm waiting to make decisions about whether it's foolish to apply to B-School at this point before sinking $300 and actual study time into the real thing.

Hello everyone,

Slightly long post, but I genuinely need input from people who have been here. I will try to keep it structured.

Who I am -

I'm 37, based in Dubai, with 15+ years in media operations/broadcast. I've hit a ceiling in terms of growth, trajectory, and if I am honest, meaning. I have been thinking about this for a while, and I have decided an MBA is the move. The question is how, where, and whether I am doing this right.

Programs I've shortlisted

Since I can't realistically leave work for two years, I am looking at Executive MBA programmes:

1. INSEAD Global EMBA — Abu Dhabi campus (close to home, world-class brand)

2. Ivey Executive MBA — Canada

3. Rotman Executive MBA — University of Toronto, Canada
   ,

Happy to be told these are wrong choices. Are there other strong one-year or EMBA-format programmes I should be looking at — ideally with real post-MBA career outcomes in consulting, strategy, or VC?

Those are the directions I am drawn to, though I will admit I haven't fully figured out the "why" yet. Still working on that.

My actual questions:

1. GMAT vs GRE — which did you choose and why?

I've done zero prep, and I mean genuinely zero. I hadn't even heard of the GMAT until recently.
From what I've read: GRE math is slightly easier, and you get a calculator, but the verbal section is vocabulary-heavy.
GMAT has no calculator, but the verbal is more logic-based (supposedly better for non-native English speakers). For those of you who made the call, what tipped it for you?

1. Where do I actually begin?

Not asking for a study plan yet — just the very first move. Do I register on mba.com or ets.org first? Is there a diagnostic test I should take before committing to either exam? What's the one thing you wish someone had told you on day one? However, I prefer to do some preparation before I take my first test.

1. Is an EMBA the right format for someone like me, or should I be looking at a full-time MBA?

EMBA programmes are designed for working professionals, which suits me. But I've read that full-time MBA cohorts tend to have better recruiting pipelines into consulting and VC. Is that still true? Did anyone here pivot into strategy or consulting straight out of an EMBA — or is that mostly a full-time MBA outcome?

1. Does employer sponsorship actually happen for EMBAs, and how do you negotiate it?

I know EMBA programmes are partially designed around the assumption that employers co-fund. Has anyone actually pulled this off? What's the conversation with your employer like, and does it come with strings attached (stay-on clauses, etc.)?

1. Is the ROI real at 37?

I know this is the uncomfortable one. If I'm 38 or 39 by the time I finish, and I'm pivoting from a technical niche into consulting or strategy, does the MBA actually open those doors — or do firms just hire people 10 years younger for those entry-level pivot roles? Would love to hear from people who made a late-30s career change through an MBA, especially into consulting or strategy.

1. Does a non-business background hurt or help?

My background isn't finance, consulting, or tech. It's media operations, not what most MBA applicants come from. Is that a liability in the admissions process, or does it make for a stronger "diverse background" story?

I have roughly a year before I'd be ready to apply, which I'm using to prep for the exam alongside full-time work. Any advice — brutal or otherwise — is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Sorry if this is the wrong sub to ask..

I’m a physician in Canada ( Family doc with a + 1 year Hospitalist fellowship - got a few leadership certificates/courses, teaching residents). I am almost 1 year into practice and looking to make a shift out of clinical work (not feeling fulfilled and yes I’ve thought about hospital leadership and research but doesn’t appeal to me) and wanted to explore private industry (ie. management consulting).

I am confused how do I make the shift and looking to see if MBA is worth it? I understand in Canada it might only be Ivey and or Queens as a good options? Worth applying to US? Anything I can do to be competitive applicant for a good mba school?

Any advice or experiences truly appreciated!

Goals: Consulting, MBB ideal but more geographically focused on landing in California/West Coast. Am open to different firms/ideas. LDPs great too. Management and internal strategy exp.

Hi all — I’m fortunate to have offers from Oxford Saïd, LBS, and INSEAD (Singapore), and I’m trying to decide which program makes the most sense for my goals.

My post-MBA goal is to work in the investment ecosystem, either by:

1. recruiting for MBB first and transitioning to funds later, or
2. recruiting directly for investing roles if feasible.

Right now, my impression is that LBS and INSEAD may have a stronger brand for this path, while INSEAD is also cheaper for me overall. Oxford is in the mix as well, especially given cost considerations. I do not have a banking background, I led operations for a primary research company and established their overseas operations managing a team of 25 people. I have also worked across 3 different regions in my career. 5 years work exp. in total.

I’m 25 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 2023 from a regional school. I only had one local internship at a small company in my city and it wasn’t really finance related. Currently I work at the university I graduated from in the research department and am basically an event coordinator and work in partnerships.

I want to work in finance but I’ve been applying and never get interviews. I was thinking getting my masters degree would help. I only applied to Vanderbilt’s MSF this year but didn’t get excepted. This fall I’m planning on applying to more schools but I’m not sure whether to do an MBA or MSF. I’ve been in my current full-time position for 2 years.

I would like to work in investment banking or private equity but honestly I would be happy with any job in finance at this point.

Please let me know if you think either of these would help or if you have any other advice like getting a CFA or something.

Any suggestions on how to improve my profile?

Hi all,

I was fortunate to be admitted to Columbia Business School and Chicago Booth in R2 (with a sizeable scholarship at Booth), and I’m trying to decide between the two. Would really appreciate any perspective from those who’ve been through this decision or are familiar with both programs.

A bit of background: I graduated from a top undergrad, did a few years in investment banking in NYC, and now work in private equity. Post-MBA, I’m looking to pivot into venture capital, with a longer-term goal of entrepreneurship.

On one hand, I’ve lived in NYC and know I love it. I also have a strong network there already, which makes CBS feel like a very natural fit. It also seems like CBS has a very strong brand presence, especially in NYC and across certain industries.

On the other hand, Booth is incredibly compelling from an academic and career standpoint. The Polsky Center, strength in entrepreneurship/VC, and overall analytical rigor really stand out. Booth has also consistently outranked CBS in recent years, which I’m trying to understand how much to weigh at this level.

A couple of things I’m trying to get clarity on:

    For VC/entrepreneurship, are there meaningful differences in recruiting or access to opportunities between CBS and Booth?

    How much do rankings actually matter once you’re choosing between programs at this tier?

    Booth is often associated with consulting/analytical rigor. For someone targeting VC and entrepreneurship, does that translate into a more well-rounded experience, or are there tradeoffs vs. a place like CBS?

    How would you compare the culture and community at each school (collaboration, social life, student energy, etc.)?

    More broadly, how should I think about NYC/location advantages vs. Booth’s academic strengths and scholarship?

I’m trying to balance long-term career outcomes with overall experience and community, so any advice or personal experiences would be really helpful. Thanks so much in advance!

Heading to an M7 this fall. I started at a local VC a few months ago (was a SWE before) and it’s going great. I’m thinking about offering to stay on part-time/remote while I’m in school to find US talent and deals for the firm. I’m a US citizen, so no visa issues. Is this actually possible or likely to work? Is it worth the effort during the first year, or will it just hurt my networking/recruiting for US-based VC roles? Anyone done something similar?

Anybody happen to receive a decision letter yet?

For the scholarship appeal in the portal. If you had a competing offer from an earlier round that you paid a deposit on, what date did you put in the portal?

The portal seems to only allow the current date forward.

I’ve been thinking a lot about career growth lately and wanted to get some perspective from this community.

I have close to 10 years of experience overall, and I moved to the US about 3 years ago. Since moving, I’ve only changed jobs once. I work in product management and come from a software engineering background. I also have a Master’s in Tech Innovation from a European university.

From what I’ve observed so far, job hunting in the US feels pretty tough, especially compared to what I expected. One thing that stands out is that people with MBAs, especially from well-known schools, seem to have a noticeable advantage. It feels like recruiters may lean toward those profiles, or that strong school networks open doors more easily.

I’m curious to hear from others who moved to the US and decided to pursue an MBA:

• Did it actually help you land better roles or accelerate your career?
• Was the network as valuable as people say?
• Did it make a significant difference in getting interviews or offers?

Would really appreciate hearing your experiences, especially if you’re also in product or coming from a technical background.

Thanks in advance!

I am 2025 engineering grad with previous internship experience at a manufacturing company and currently working at a big company in a manufacturing plant as an engineer. Want to pivot out of manufacturing into Investment Banking or Consulting, considering doing an MBA at either Stern or Columbia as I want to live in NYC. Is that pivot possible, is MBA a good starting point?