The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

Ashley Lautzenheiser is Associate Director of Graduate Admissions at Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis, where she has been since 2010. Ashley got her bachelor's degree in marketing from Olin in 2009. Her main role is admissions for Wash U's full-time MBA program. Washington University St. Louis Olin MBA Program Highlights 3:12 Admissions 20:04 Financing 32:00 Careers 35:22 Go to http://www.touchmba.com/washington-olin-mba-admissions-interview for a full breakdown of the program's key advantages and fast facts about admissions, financing, and careers at the Olin MBA program.

Nick Barniville is Associate Dean for Degree Programs, ESMT (European School of Management and Technology), where he has been since 2010. Nick is responsible for the management and development of full-time MBA, Executive MBA and Masters Programmes at ESMT.  Before joining ESMT, Nick was the Director of MBA Programmes at the Smurfit School at University College Dublin for 4 years and at Insead as Director of Communications for 5 years. ESMT MBA Program Highlights 3:38 Admissions 24:35 Financing 36:28 Careers 42:35 Go to http://www.touchmba.com/esmt-berlin-mba-admissions-interview for a full breakdown of the program's key advantages and fast facts about admissions, financing, and careers at the ESMT MBA program.

Kristen Shambo is Associate Director, Graduate Admissions, Carroll School of Management, Boston College. Kristen has been with Boston College for over 10 years in a variety of admissions capacities and got her MBA from Carroll in 2009. Boston College Carroll MBA Program Highlights 4:05 Admissions 16:35 Financing 32:58 Careers 38:57 Go to http://www.touchmba.com/boston-college-carroll-mba-admissions-interview for a full breakdown of the program's key advantages and fast facts about admissions, financing, and careers at the Boston College Carroll MBA program. This episode of Touch MBA is brought to you be Prodigy Finance – the leader in education loans for international postgraduate students. Visit prodigyfinance.com to learn more.

How do you plan to finance your MBA? This can be a very challenging process, especially for students from developing countries who have less access to competitive MBA loans. Ricardo Fernandez, Head of Business Development for Prodigy Finance and Insead MBA '06, discusses financing options for students pursuing their MBA outside their home country, as well as how Prodigy is trying to innovate in this underserved marketplace. Prodigy has processed more than $140m USD of loans for over 4,000 MBA students in 112 countries since it launched 9 years ago. Darren and Ricardo also talk about the value of the MBA 10 years after graduation and whether MBAs are beneficial for entrepreneurs. About Our Guest Ricardo Fernandez is Prodigy Finance's Head of Business Development, working between Madrid, London and New York. After getting his MBA from INSEAD he worked in management consulting for 8 years with Accenture, BCG and KPMG. He then shifted his focus to consult for startup companies in the fintech space, and joined the Prodigy Finance team in 2014. Ricardo got a B.Eng Mechanical Engineering and Material Science from UC Berkeley. QUESTIONS How can students fund their MBA educations abroad? (3:37) Why was Prodigy started? (8:16) Prodigy's rates, investment model and community benefits (15:35) Last tips for financing your MBA (24:50) Looking back at your career, 10 years after you got your MBA, what is the biggest benefit you’ve gotten from Insead? (27:30) Insead's alumni network and what to look for in alumni networks (29:58) At least 50% of Insead graduates start or run their own company at some point in their career - why do you think that is? Are MBAs conducive or even necessary for startups? (34:14) How do investors view MBAs? (40:00) This episode of Touch MBA is brought to you be Prodigy Finance – the leader in education loans for international postgraduate students. Visit prodigyfinance.com to learn more.

Yuan Lee Chung, HKUST MBA '15, discusses why she got her MBA in Asia and the benefits and challenges of attending a top Asian business school. Yuan Lee also studied at Columbia for one-term and shares her thoughts on how Asian and US programs compare. About Our Guest Yuan Lee Chung is from Malaysia and got her Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from the National University of Singapore (NUS) before working in finance for Capital Group and UBS Wealth Management in Singapore. After graduating from the HKUST MBA, where she was Vice President of the MBA Association, she stayed in Hong Kong to work for Hubert Burda Media, where she is Head of Corporate Development.  Learn more about Yuan Lee's HKUST MBA experience at the Ambassadors Forum. TOPICS & QUESTIONS Why Yuan Lee chose HKUST over LBS, IMD, Booth, Insead  What Yuan enjoyed most about HKUST How Yuan Lee's HKUST experience compared to her exchange term in Columbia The HKUST MBA alumni network  The reputation of MBAs in Hong Kong and in the finance industry Clubs & leadership at HKUST The biggest advantage of going to a Asian B-School (opposed to European or US)? Last advice for applicants Hong Kong's visa policy for MBA graduates This episode of Touch MBA is brought to you be Prodigy Finance – the leader in education loans for international postgraduate students. Visit prodigyfinance.com to learn more.

Dr. Ralf Boscheck is the MBA Program Director and The Lundin Family Professor of Economics and Business Policy at IMD, where he teaches courses in economics and industry analysis. Dr. Boscheck has been a faculty member at IMD for over 25 years. IMD MBA Program Highlights 2:55 Admissions 25:32 Financing 41:06 Careers 45:25 Go to http://www.touchmba.com/imd-mba-admissions-interview for a full breakdown of the program's key advantages and fast facts about admissions, financing, and careers at the IMD MBA program. This episode of Touch MBA is brought to you be Prodigy Finance – the leader in education loans for international postgraduate students. Visit prodigyfinance.com to learn more.

MBA admissions director and admissions consultant provide insights on MBA essays, authenticity, and being yourself. They discuss challenges of fewer application essays, balancing authenticity and marketability, leaving a lasting impression, and importance of being yourself in MBA essays.

Ben Parker came to Touch MBA nine months ago for free school selection help. As an Australian government policy maker with little business experience, Ben struggled to understand the MBA world and find the right business schools. In this episode, Ben shares his journey from researching MBA programs to getting accepted to London Business School and HKUST - all this despite having a less than stellar GMAT and GPA and a non-business background. You’ll learn what to ask MBA students, alumni, and admissions to shortlist schools, make your story “glow” and improve your essays and interview performance. This episode is about assembling an army of advocates - friends, students, admissions staff - to support your candidacy and sanity during an emotionally challenging application process. Need help picking the right schools? Go to http://touchmba.com/free-school-selection-guidance/ to get your MBA program match scores and expert advice.

At Touch MBA we believe that school selection is half the battle to having a great (and worthwhile!) MBA experience. In this episode, Darren covers an MBA decision-making process to help you avoid common decision-making biases and choose the right MBA programs. Widen your options - to combat narrow framing Reality test your assumptions - to combat confirmation-bias Attain distance - to combat short term emotions Prepare for the worst - to combat overconfidence Need help picking the right schools? Go to http://touchmba.com/free-school-selection-guidance/ to get your MBA program match scores and expert advice.

Stephen Sweeney is Director of Full-Time MBA Admissions at McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin. Stephen got his MBA from McCombs in 2011. Go to http://www.touchmba.com/texas-mccombs-mba-admissions-interview for a full breakdown of the program's key advantages and fast facts about admissions, financing, and careers at University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business MBA program.