#232 IESE MBA Admissions Insights with Patrik Wallen

Oct 30, 2025

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What does IESE look for in MBA applicants? How do they evaluate your academic aptitude, post-MBA career goals, leadership potential and fit? In this episode, IESE MBA Admissions Director Patrik Wallen shares candid insights into what makes candidates stand out — and what makes IESE’s two-year MBA unique.

Program Highlights - What Makes the IESE MBA Unique?

Introduction (0:00)
What Makes the IESE MBA Unique? (3:30)
IESE's Reputation with Employers (11:30)
IESE MBA's Two-Year Course Structure (14:27)
Living, Studying & Working in Barcelona, Spain (18:37)
The Importance of Speaking the Local Language: Spanish (25:10)

IESE MBA Admissions & Scholarships - How to Improve Your Chances?

What IESE MBA Looks for When Building a Class (28:00)
Patrik's Thoughts on Post-MBA Goals (37:00)
GMAT/GRE Scores & GPA (41:45)
Resumes (48:00)
Written Essays & Video Essays (52:45)
Letters of Recommendation (55:35)
Interviews & IESE MBA's Assessment Day (57:45)
How IESE MBA Admissions Views Scholarships & How Applicants Can Win Funding (1:03:35)

Career Opportunities at IESE - What to Know & How to Prepare

Has AI Affected Recruiting for Consulting? (1:10:55)
IESE MBA's Grading System (1:17:30)
What Applicants Need to Know about Landing Jobs in Spain & Europe (1:20:05)
Structured Recruiting & Unstructured Recruiting: What Applicants Can Expect from IESE's Career Services (1:27:45)

About Our Guest

Patrik Wallen is the MBA Admissions Director at IESE Business School. Previously, he was Director of IESE's Career Development Center. Before joining IESE, Patrik worked as a general manager in hospitality, founded a fish importing business and worked as a software consultant. Patrik got his Masters in Science in Computer Science from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and his MBA from IESE in 2007.

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