r/MBA • • Aug 11 '25

Community Update: Rules, Scope, and Best Practices

41 Upvotes

Hello everyone, The mod team would like to share a quick update regarding our community guidelines and best practices. Our goal is to ensure r/MBA remains a welcoming, professional, and highly relevant resource for all members.

1. Upholding a Respectful Community

First, a reminder of our commitment to maintaining a constructive environment. We strictly adhere to Reddit's Content Policy, and we want to draw special attention to Rule 1: Remember the human. Reddit’s primary rule is to not promote hate based on identity or vulnerability. Hate speech and harassment have no place here. This includes, but is not limited to:

Sweeping negative generalizations about any nationality, race, or ethnic group.

Xenophobic, racist, or derogatory commentary.

Using slurs or engaging in targeted harassment of any kind.

Content that violates these rules will be removed, and users who post it will be banned. We count on the community to help us maintain a high standard of discourse. If you see a comment or post that violates this policy, please use the report function so the mod team can review it.

2. Guiding India-Specific MBA Discussion

We have seen a wonderful increase in participation from prospective applicants around the world, including many from India. To ensure everyone gets the best possible advice, we want to clarify the focus of this subreddit. Our community's expertise is primarily centered on MBA programs in the US, Europe, and other non-Indian global programs. For applicants seeking information specific to Indian institutions (such as the IIMs, ISB, FMS, etc.), a dedicated and knowledgeable community exists at r/MBAIndia. They are the best resource for those discussions. Going forward, to provide applicants with the most specialized advice, we will be directing posts seeking information solely about Indian domestic MBA programs to r/MBAIndia. To be clear: Discussions from Indian applicants regarding applications to US, European, or other international programs are absolutely on-topic and encouraged here. This change is only to ensure that questions about Indian schools are answered by the community best equipped to handle them.

3. A Reminder to Search Before Posting

The MBA application journey involves many similar questions and challenges. Over the years, our community has built an incredible archive of high-quality discussions. Before creating a new post, please take a moment to use the search function. There is a very high probability that your question about GMAT strategy, profile reviews, a specific school's culture, or post-MBA career paths has already been answered in-depth. Utilizing our collective history is often the fastest way to get the information you need and helps keep the main feed fresh for new and unique conversations.

Thank you for your understanding and for your help in keeping r/MBA a valuable and respectful community.

Sincerely, The r/MBA Mod Team


r/MBA • • 11h ago

Admissions Kellogg is interviewing less than 50% applicants this cycle and I have hard-facts to prove it

23 Upvotes

Is what I would say if I had the facts..

But, most of my friends have not gotten an invite yet even with stellar profiles and GMAT/GRE scores, so this is true ok.


r/MBA • • 7h ago

Careers/Post Grad MBA -> Entrepreneurship? Need advice!

4 Upvotes

Q: Pros and Cons of an MBA for Entrepreneurship?

I got accepted to a T15 MBA and I’ll matriculate Fall 2027.

I’ve got about 10 years experience in the military, and I’ll be using GI Bill / VR&E, so between that and the scholarships I received I won’t be in really any debt.

I’m currently considering doing something in defense tech or technology (would probably need to raise venture funding or go to a venture studio). I have a couple ideas, but not much tangible civilian work experience.

I know I’m not interested in IB or Consulting, and I wanted opinions on pros/cons of going in with the intention of starting a new venture.

School has a pretty good engineering program and I’m not going to be a technical co-founder.

I enjoy the fast-paced ambiguous environment of startups/entrepreneurship - it’s similar to the environment I came out of. I’m of the mindset I’d rather work 80 hours for myself a week than be told which 80 hours to work.

Would love your advice ! Also please be brutally honest thanks!

Edit: Also willing to consider looking at Series A and beyond startups


r/MBA • • 1d ago

Articles/News The ROI of an MBA Hasn’t Changed Much, But Costs Now Top $300,000

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142 Upvotes

r/MBA • • 17m ago

Careers/Post Grad MBA ROI?

• Upvotes

I am a big 4 consultant (international student) hoping to use the MBA to pivot to MBB in the US. Given the rising costs of an MBA, would you still say it is worthwhile to pursue the MBA? Would using a masters program which is often 50% cheaper be an easier way to simulate a post-MBA role? What is the value prop of a US MBA now for international students, especially given the immigration climate.


r/MBA • • 38m ago

Admissions The HBS interview is unlike other interviews

• Upvotes

Someone here posted that "Darden interviewers never read your resume." Someone else responded "in most schools they don't read it". Let me tell you something about HBS: your interviewer already read everything. The essays, the resume, the recommendations. Alumni interviews at other schools start from zero. HBS starts from your file, and a specialized adcom member across from you is testing whether the picture holds together.

It moves fast. Ten to twenty questions in thirty minutes. They will cut you off mid-sentence and move on. That is not rudeness. The pace is the test. Can you be precise when you have forty-five seconds? Can you structure an answer and demonstrate a trait when you have zero time to improvise?

The prep is not rehearsing answers. Read your own application like someone trying to poke holes in it. Find the three places where the story is soft. The job change that looks sideways. The promotion that took too long. That person you mentored a decade ago. The goal that doesn't quite follow. Have a thirty-second version of each, because you will never get the two-minute version out.

One more thing people miss. Within twenty-four hours you write the reflection. How well did we get to know you. It is the last word of your application and most people waste it summarizing. Don't summarize. Say the one thing the conversation didn't quite get to.

Questions welcome in the comments or DMs.


r/MBA • • 8h ago

Careers/Post Grad Deloitte Full Time MBA Decision

3 Upvotes

Anyone interviewed with Deloitte for full-time MBA roles? How long did it take to hear back?


r/MBA • • 3h ago

Careers/Post Grad Assistance regarding MBA in europe

0 Upvotes

Hello everyone , I need some assistance regarding mba in europe someone who experienced or been there can guide through processes i have 1.5 years of experience after completing my graduation , Looking ahead for positive responses,Thanks


r/MBA • • 3h ago

Admissions Got a deferred admission to Darden, should I drop it and reapply again?

1 Upvotes

When I applied for deferred programs I had no full time work experience, didn't write my essays as well as I could now, and had a worse score.

Now I retook my GRE and got a 340 (170, 170, 6.0W). Also have a 3.8 undergrad GPA/3.95 masters GPA in Computer Science. I also got a promotion to Senior Software Engineer I in 1.5 years and have experience showing clear leadership. I have a lot of substantive stories to tell in my essays now compared to before when I was applying with with the stories from the few internships I had.

I think deferred was much more competitive than the normal cycle so I should have more success in the normal cycle. I am interested in IB so my dream schools are Wharton/Harvard/Booth/Columbia + Stern as a safety

Should I just drop it and reapply again (planning to reapply next fall at 2 YOE/hopefully matriculate at 3 YOE).

Would really appreciate any advice


r/MBA • • 4h ago

Admissions Consortium applicants - have you received portals for all your schools?

1 Upvotes

I still haven’t received portals for Stern, Anderson, Marshall or Foster?

(I received the video essay for Foster, but not the log in portal)


r/MBA • • 10h ago

Admissions How to Answer 'Walk Me Through Your Resume' in an MBA Interview

2 Upvotes

One common mistake in MBA interviews is explaining every job, role, and responsibility in order. The interviewer has already seen your resume, so repeating it doesn’t add much value.

What they really want to understand is your career journey, the choices you made, and why an MBA makes sense for you now.

A few simple tips:
1. Focus on the main points. Talk about the key moments that shaped your career instead of explaining every job in detail.
2. Explain your choices. Why did you change roles? What did you learn? What made you interested in your current field?
3. Use real examples. Instead of saying you are a good leader, share a short example of when you led a team or solved a problem.
4. Connect it to your goals. Explain how your past experience has led you to your next step and why an MBA fits into that plan.

Try to keep your answers short and direct. Practice speaking naturally rather than memorizing a script.

The goal is simple: when the interviewer finishes listening, they should understand not just what you have done, but why you want to take the next step.

What part of this question do you find most difficult to answer in MBA interviews?


r/MBA • • 6h ago

Careers/Post Grad How do I get a finance internship as an MBA student?

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone! 👋

I’m an MBA student interested in finance-related internships for next summer, but honestly, I have no idea where to start. 😭

What skills should I learn, where should I apply, and how can I build my profile with little to no experience?

Also, is it too early to start preparing now, or am I already behind?

Any advice, resources, or personal experiences would be really helpful. Thanks! ❤️


r/MBA • • 1d ago

Admissions "Walk me through your resume" is not an invitation to read your resume out loud

29 Upvotes

I've sat through a lot of mock interviews with candidates applying to top programs, and the same thing sinks strong people in the first five minutes.

Asked to walk through their resume, they start at their first job and narrate forward. Dates, titles, responsibilities. Four minutes later they are still on job two, the interviewer has stopped listening, and the one thing that makes this candidate different from the other forty strong files that week never gets said.

Your interviewer has read your resume. They know what you did. The question is really asking why. Why this path, why those turns, why an MBA, why now.

The answers that work land as a sound bite. One sentence an interviewer can repeat about you when your file comes up later. Something like "she's the engineer who kept getting pulled into the business side until she decided to make it official." That sentence is what they remember. Nobody remembers a chronology.

A few things that help get there.

Pick the through line first. Every career has two or three real turning points where a choice was made. Build the story around those choices and what drove them, and let the rest compress into a line each. A job you held for three years might deserve fifteen seconds if nothing changed there.

Show, don't claim. If you say you are a leader, I hear an adjective. If you tell me about the night your team was falling apart and what you actually did, I believe you. One short story with a real detail in it beats five claimed traits.

End facing forward. The walkthrough should land on the gap. What you have done so far, what you want to do next, and the specific thing this program gives you that you cannot get where you are. When the story ends there, the MBA sounds inevitable instead of convenient.

And keep it tight. Two to three minutes, spoken out loud, not read. If you cannot say it comfortably at kitchen-table speed, it is not ready.

Happy to answer questions in the comments, including on specific situations if you want a second pair of eyes on your through line.


r/MBA • • 9h ago

Careers/Post Grad Confused between MBA vs Business: Need realistic career

0 Upvotes

I am a 21-year-old BBA graduate who isn't very interested in pursuing an MBA. However, business owners and shopkeepers around me keep telling me that doing an MBA and taking up a job is necessary because running a business is full of frustration nowadays.

Since I mainly hear one side of the story, I want to hear from people who actually pursued an MBA and are working jobs: What has your real experience been like? What are the frustrations and rewards of your corporate journey, and what would you recommend to someone in my position?

myquals: BBA graduate


r/MBA • • 9h ago

Admissions LBS R1 interview

1 Upvotes

Does anyone know if there are case studies in the interview this year? There was nothing in the invitation email so I’m not sure, thoughts?


r/MBA • • 1d ago

On Campus Current MBA Experience

27 Upvotes

Hi Everyone,

Thought I would hop on here to give me opinions on MBA programs. In August 2026 I started my MBA Program with high hopes of making great connections, learning a great deal of knowledge and working together with amazing people on projects. However only one of those three things came to reality. So far I haven’t made any meaningful connections with my classmates. All of them barely want to be there. Secondly everyone is lazy and unwilling to do any work. The project teams I’ve been placed in so far lack communication and everyone procrastinates. I had to be the one to step up and do all the work. As stated earlier only one thing came true. I have learned amazing things pertaining classes I am enrolled in. But I keep noticing my classmates lack dedication and just use AI to do assignments.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

NYU Stern MBA


r/MBA • • 20h ago

Ask Me Anything How do you know when it is the right time to do an MBA in your career?

6 Upvotes

I’ve been working for a few years now and lately I’ve started thinking more seriously about what the next step should be.

I’m doing fine in my current role, but I’m not sure if I should keep building experience, switch jobs, or study again.

For people who were in a similar situation, what made you feel that it was finally the right time to do an MBA?


r/MBA • • 12h ago

Careers/Post Grad Confused between MBA vs Business: Need realistic career

1 Upvotes

I am a 21-year-old BBA graduate who isn't very interested in pursuing an MBA. However, business owners and shopkeepers around me keep telling me that doing an MBA and taking up a job is necessary because running a business is full of frustration nowadays.

Since I mainly hear one side of the story, I want to hear from people who actually pursued an MBA and are working jobs: What has your real experience been like? What are the frustrations and rewards of your corporate journey, and what would you recommend to someone in my position?

myquals: BBA graduate


r/MBA • • 12h ago

Articles/News Schellar interview!!

1 Upvotes

Just woke up and checked mail, as it has become a habit! Any tips guys for interview? 🫠


r/MBA • • 1d ago

Careers/Post Grad Indian Interviewers vs Indian Applicants

71 Upvotes

Tried banking- struck out. Tried Consulting- struck out. Fortunate to get F200 FPA. Worst experience interviewing was when I was at the table with people from my own country. Entitled, arrogant, judgmental to the neck. Fish for a weakness and tear you apart either with expression or words.


r/MBA • • 19h ago

Careers/Post Grad Stuck at hiring manager rounds. Any PM hiring managers open to doing a mock interview with me?

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’ve been getting a few callbacks lately (thankfully), but I can’t seem to get past the hiring manager rounds.

I’ve had coffee chats with a few people who gave me good (but similar) advice, and the only way forward seems to be practicing with mock interviews as much as possible.

In my interviews I’ve been able to answer most of the questions, but I think I’m falling short on selling myself, or I’m just sounding like a robot trying to repeat the answers I learned. I think a genuine mock with someone who actually hires PMs will help diagnose the problem much better.

A bit about me: 4 years of experience, 3 of them in India working on a compliance platform, and now I’m an AI Product Manager at an ed tech startup. I also have a master’s from Duke.

If you hire for product management and can take my mock interview, I would love your help. I’m happy to keep it to 30 minutes and work around your schedule. Even if you can’t do a mock, any tips on what you look for in the hiring manager round would help a lot.

Feel free to comment or DM me. Thank you!


r/MBA • • 14h ago

Profile Review Pre-MBA Program Work Experience

1 Upvotes

I’m curious how MBA programs like CBS, Booth, Sloan, and Wharton view candidates on the younger side. I have 3 years of experience (4 by matriculation) in real estate investment/finance and recently started working in my family’s real estate development business.

For context, I have a 3.8 GPA / 715 GMAT Focus along with a hair care business and alumni involvement in student organizations.

Are the relatively limited years of experience a concern? I’m wondering how best to frame my background in the interview.


r/MBA • • 14h ago

Careers/Post Grad Title: MBA Finance fresher looking for career advice and underrated finance niches

1 Upvotes

​

Hey everyone!

I'm currently pursuing an MBA in Finance in India. I've been involved in my family business, so I have no formal corporate work experience. But lately, finance has started getting really interesting to me, and I'm trying to figure out which career path to pursue.

I'm confused about which jobs I should apply for as a fresher and whether I should focus on areas like equity research, investment banking, credit risk, corporate finance, etc.

At the same time, I'm curious about emerging finance careers that could have huge potential over the next 5–10 years but aren't overcrowded yet. Something that could become the next big thing, where getting in early might be an advantage.

I'd love to hear from people working in finance:

Which entry-level jobs would you recommend for someone in my situation?

Are there any underrated or emerging finance niches worth exploring?

What skills or certifications should I focus on to get started?

Which fields have good long-term growth and opportunities in India or abroad?

I'm not looking for shortcuts or overnight success. I just want to choose the right direction instead of blindly following the crowd.

Would really appreciate honest advice, especially from people working in these fields. Thanks!


r/MBA • • 14h ago

Admissions CBS MBA Interview - Weight & Post-Interview Acceptance

0 Upvotes

What are CBS alumni interviewers generally looking for? And does anyone know how much weight the interview carries in the final admissions decision?

Also, does anyone know the post-interview acceptance rate for CBS?


r/MBA • • 22h ago

Profile Review GMAT vs GRE, what’s the current meta?

3 Upvotes

I’m planning to apply R2 to Columbia and NYU, but I’m having trouble deciding between the GMAT and the GRE. I’ve always done well on standardized tests, and I’m confident I have enough time before the deadline to get a score I’m happy with.

Took each practice cold, got a 319 on the GRE with 168/151 V/Q, and a 545 GMAT with 66/87/78 Q/V/D splits. I’m super rusty on quant (obviously), but I haven’t had time to study yet.

I have 4 years WE at a boutique IB with promotion from assoc to VP, former D1 athletics captain ranked 6th in the country. My GPA is below average at both (3.3) in IT.

Given my verbal scores are 98-99th percentile, where is it better to focus my quant efforts?