The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

What do MBA applicants need to know about MBA careers in investment banking? Darren invites his friend Scott to share his experience, both as an MBA student looking to break into investment banking and as an MBA recruiter for Wells Fargo Securities. Scott has worked in investment banking for 7 years after his MBA – don’t miss his hard-earned insights into the industry! This is Part 2 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here. Questions Scott's background (3:40) The 2 paths to entering investment banking (6:46) What do investment bankers do? (8:50) Common roles for recent MBA graduates (10:58) What is the recruiting process? (15:02) Bulge bracket vs. boutique investment banks (24:39) How b-schools help with recruiting (28:40) The Wharton alumni network and how to stay connected (30:10) What investment banks are looking for in new MBA hires (33:00) Interviews and dealing with technical questions (43:20) Scott's recommended resources for interview prep (49:35) The role of office locations and ìcore b-schools in recruiting (51:05) Investment banking opportunities for international students in the US? (59:20) Best part of job? Worst part of job? (1.01:05) Scott's final thoughts on succeeding in investment banking (1.07:25) About Our Guest Scott Dragicevich played professional baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays before going to business school. After getting his MBA from Wharton majoring in Finance and Entrepreneurship, Scott joined Wells Fargo Securities in New York City covering transportation and logistics. He currently works as Vice President - Investment Banking and Capital Markets, for Wells Fargo Securities in Los Angeles. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-investment-banking Episode Sponsor Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development. Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today. Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

What is the difference between Full-time, Part-time, Online and EMBA degrees? Which one makes most sense for you? A number of you coming to Touch MBA for school selection help are considering multiple MBA program formats so I thought it would be good to dedicate one short episode to covering key differences from an admissions, curriculum, career and reputation perspective. Dirk is involved in all 4 MBA programs for IE Business School so I played the role of “applicant” and asked him common questions I get. About Our Guest Dirk Hopfl is Director, IE Center Singapore for IE Business School. Dirk got his MBA from IE in 1999 and done admissions and development for IE's graduate and undergraduate programs for over 15 years. Episode Sponsor Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development. Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today. Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

What do MBA applicants need to know about MBA careers in management consulting? Darren invites his friend Sandra to share her experience, both as an MBA student looking to break into consulting and as an MBA recruiter for McKinsey & Company. Sandra worked in management consulting for 5 years after her MBA - don't miss her hard-earned insights into the industry! This is Part 1 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here. Questions Sandra’s background (3:42) The role summer internships play in the recruiting process (6:12) Common types of consulting jobs for MBA grads (11:06) The recruiting process for management consulting (12:52) What McKinsey is looking for in hires? (16:00) What if you don’t go to a top-ranked b-school? (20:00) What do applicants need to know about succeeding in consulting? (21:41) Misconceptions about management consulting (27:16) Best part of job? Worst part of job? (32:24) Consulting opportunities for international students in the US? (38:08) The role of locational offices in recruiting (44:18) Recommended resources for breaking into management consulting (48:36) About Our Guest After getting her MBA from Northwestern Kellogg, Sandra worked for McKinsey & Company for 5 years. She currently lives and works in New York. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-management-consulting Episode Sponsor Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development. Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today. Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

How can you make a memorable impression on MBA Admissions Officers at MBA recruiting events? Drawing on his experience recruiting at MBA Tours and information sessions, Darren shares 3 tips for how you can stand out. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/interacting-with-mba-admissions-officers Episode Sponsor Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development. Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today. Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

Why did an American Ivy League graduate decide to pursue an MBA in China? In 2015 Jesse Miller decided to pursue his MBA at CEIBS, ranked #11 worldwide by the Financial Times in 2017 and China's top-ranked program. Jesse discusses the pros and cons of pursuing a top-ranked MBA in Asia, his experience as a minority American student at CEIBS (Shanghai) and ISB (Hyderabad) where he studied one semester, and how he jumped from working in fashion to the entertainment industry. Jesse also shares his thoughts on the startup and entrepreneurship environment in China. Listen to one applicant's take on using the MBA to chart your own path. Questions Jesse's background  (4:06) Why Jesse chose to study in China after graduating from a top US university (7:14) The case for and against getting an MBA in China (9:06) How Jesse secured his internship and job  (14:50) CEIBS' alumni network and student clubs (17:26) Jesse's thoughts on CEIBS' reputation inside and outside of China (21:00) Exchanging for 3 months at the Indian School of Business (23:00) Jesse's thoughts on the startup and entertainment industry in China (27:20) Jesse's final thoughts on who should pursue MBAs in China (33:16) About Our Guest Jesse Miller graduated from Brown University where he majored in Political Science and Government. He then led the expansion of his family jewelry business into China. At CEIBS, Jesse was President of the CEIBS MBA Energy and Environment Club and played an active role in CEIBS eLab Incubator. Jesse speaks fluent Chinese and recently started working as an International Development Manager at Shanghai Media Group, one of China's largest media conglomerates. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/charting-your-own-path-in-china-ceibs Episode Sponsor When three MBAs struggled with student loans, they knew there had to be a better way – so they created one. Now, CommonBond is a leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans.   Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA. CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900.  

Stephen Huber discusses his MBA experience at USC Marshall, from what he did to get off the waitlist, to preparing his wife for an intense first year, to leading the High Tech and Interactive Gaming Associations, to landing internships and jobs in tech and the hard-to-break into entertainment industry. After listening to this talk, you'll have a good idea of what it takes to make the most of your MBA experience, especially as a career switcher. Stephen is also open to answering your questions about the the USC Marshall experience on our Ambassadors Forum. Questions What Stephen did to get off the waitlist  (9:31) Preparing significant others for the Full-time MBA experience (14:06) How to prepare for your first semester (21:13) Recruiting and Internships at USC (22:06) How USC Marshall has transformed Stephen (32:35) The importance of professional clubs at USC (38:07) What most applicants don't know about USC (46:10) Stephen's advice on what applicants should look for in an MBA program (49:20) About Our Guest Stephen Huber got his B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the UC Berkeley and worked as a Nuclear Engineer for General Dynamics before starting business school. Stephen recently completed his first year at USC Marshall's Full-time MBA program and will graduate in Summer 2018. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/usc-marshall-mba-insights-real-time/ Episode Sponsor Ever wish there was an easier, more affordable way to get your MBA loans? Well now there is. CommonBond is leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans.   Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA. CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900.

Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t It's not that admissions officers (or readers, movie-goers, consumers) are mean or cruel. They are just busy. How can you reward your application readers for their gift of time and attention? By telling an interesting story. How do you do this with your MBA applications? Inspired by Steven Pressfield's book, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, Darren offers 3 pillars to frame your MBA story: concept, theme, and structure (hook, build, payoff). Darren also dissects 3 successful applicants' positioning through the lens of these core story elements. By choosing what to focus on, represent something bigger than yourself, and using a story structure embedded in our collective unconscious, you make your application more memorable, and easier for admissions to process. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/nobody-wants-to-read-your-shit Episode Sponsor When three MBAs struggled with student loans, they knew there had to be a better way – so they created one. Now, CommonBond is a leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans.   Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA   CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900

Your LinkedIn profile could be the first thing business schools see. Darren draws on his admissions experience and shares 7 tips to make a good first impression, reinforce your MBA story, and highlight additional qualities not in your application. MBA programs are looking at your social media, especially your LinkedIn profile. Take 15 minutes to follow these guidelines, optimize your LinkedIn presence, and represent yourself well to b-schools, MBA students & alumni, and future employers. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/linkedin-tips-mba-applicants Episode Sponsor When three MBAs struggled with student loans, they knew there had to be a better way – so they created one. Now, CommonBond is a leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans.   Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900

Many MBA applicants are interested in entrepreneurship, but have trouble reconciling the cost of an MBA with their goal of starting a business. Darren invites 2 recent Wharton MBA graduates, Alex Kubo and Renata Arauz De Stefano, to discuss if an MBA helps you become a better entrepreneur. Alex currently works at Burrow.com, a Y Combinator backed startup in New York City, and Renata started Mwayi, a fashion social enterprise that brings customized, African-print apparel to US consumers. How helpful is an MBA for starting your own business? For joining startups? How can you make the most of your MBA experience if you have entrepreneurship goals? Is it tough to go this route when your peers are getting high paying jobs? Can entrepreneurship be taught? Listen on to get the perspective of 2 students who started organizations during their MBA. About Our Guests Alex Kubo graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He then worked as a Project Manager and Project Engineer for ExxonMobil before attending Wharton, where he majored in Entrepreneurial Management and Marketing. After a summer internship and consulting role at Andela, Alex joined 2 of his Wharton classmates in the Fall of 2016 to help lead Burrow. Renata Aráuz-DeStefano majored in International Relations and French at Tufts University and worked for 4 years at FINCA International in microfinance before heading to Wharton. In her second year, she started Mwayi, a fashion social enterprise. This summer, she will be investment banking for Bank of America - Merrill Lynch. Alex Kubo, Burrow (4:50) Renata Arauz DeStefano, Mwayi (39:15) Episode summary, links and more at http://touchmba.com/mba-for-entrepreneurs-worth-it/ Episode Sponsor Ever wish there was an easier, more affordable way to get your MBA loans? Well now there is. CommonBond is leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans.   Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA. CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900.    

Caroline Diarte Edwards and Darren cover best practices for securing great MBA letters of recommendation. Don’t miss this detailed and open-ended discussion between 2 former Admissions Directors so you can sidestep common mistakes and understand what top b-schools consider an excellent letter of recommendation. Questions Why recommendations are important (3:16) Who to select as your recommender (6:06) How to prepare and what to give your recommenders (19:06) Last tips on to get great MBA recommendations (37:00) About Our Guest Caroline Diarte Edwards is Co-Founder and Director of Fortuna Admissions. Caroline was Director of Admissions for the Insead MBA from 2005 to 2012. Caroline got her MBA from Insead in 2003 and is a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Episode summary, links and more at: http://touchmba.com/great-mba-letters-of-recommendations Episode Sponsor Ever wish there was an easier, more affordable way to get your MBA loans? Well now there is. CommonBond is leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans.   Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA. CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900.