The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

Former Head of MBA Admissions for Wharton, Thomas Caleel, discusses how Wharton reviews applicants, crafting standout applications, evaluating GMAT/GRE scores, and advice for international students. Topics include holistic admissions, finding authentic voices, and MBA ROI. Should entrepreneurs pursue an MBA also explored.

You’ve heard about US News & World Report and Financial Times Global MBA Rankings, but did you know Financial Times also ranks business schools’ alumni network and career effectiveness? Or that QS ranks business schools worldwide according to specialization? After updating Touch MBA’s school matching algorithm, Darren shares his top 5 “undercover” subrankings that can help you shortlist best-fit MBA programs. Darren also shares 3 ways to shortlist business schools that could lead to a better MBA experience and investment. Topics Understanding Rankings & Subrankings (0:00) Darren’s 5 Favorite Subrankings for MBA Applicants (7:30) A Process to Quickly Evaluate Schools (23:45) Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/undercover-mba-subrankings Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

Wedad Sunny, Deputy Director and Head of Marketing and Admissions of MBA Programmes at National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, discusses what makes the NUS MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more. NUS is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top universities by QS (#11 in 2023), Times Higher Education (#19) and US News & World Report (#26). Its MBA programme, run by NUS Business School, was ranked #1 in Asia by Poets & Quants and #25 worldwide by the Financial Times in 2023. Topics Introduction (0:00) Program Highlights – What Makes the NUS MBA Unique? (3:30) NUS MBA Admissions & Scholarships – How to Improve Your Chances? (19:30) Career Opportunities at NUS – What to Know & How to Prepare (38:40) Show Notes NUS MBA Get your profile assessed by the NUS MBA admissions team before you apply Episode write-up and snapshot/stats of NUS MBA: https://touchmba.com/nus-mba-program-admissions-interview-wedad-sunny Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com  

Nikhil Agarwal, Co-Founder of Juno, shares optimal strategies to minimize your MBA student loans in 2023. Nikhil shares everything you you need to know about the following variables to secure the best financing package for your situation: Loan terms Repayment schedules Variable vs. fixed interest rates Federal vs. private loans Juno has helped thousands of students access over $700M in loans at preferential rates and terms. Take advantage of Nikhil's deep experience in this space to secure the most favorable rates and terms for your MBA student loans. About Nikhil Nikhil Agarwal is Co-Founder of Juno. Nikhil got his Bachelors of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his MBA from Harvard Business School. Nikhil validated the Juno business model his first year at HBS when he helped 700 MBA students from 10 business schools save over $14,000 USD on their loans through collective bargaining. Topics Introducing Nikhil Agarwal & Juno (0:00) Optimal strategies to minimize your MBA student loans (12:30) Nikhil's thoughts on maximizing long-term net worth (30:00) How international MBA students can minimize their MBA loans (33:00) How students can join Juno & negotiate with lenders for better rates (37:00) Nikhil's thoughts on optimizing your MBA experience (45:00) Show Notes Juno (support Touch MBA and Juno by signing up here) Touch MBA's Guide to Financing Your MBA and the Best MBA Student Loans Episode write-up and links: https://touchmba.com/strategies-optimal-mba-student-loans-nikhil-agarwal-juno/ Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

Rebecca Loades, Director of MBA Programs at European School of Management and Technology (ESMT Berlin), discusses what makes the ESMT Berlin MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. ESMT was founded in 2002 by 25 leading companies - including Bayer, Daimler, and McKinsey - who wanted to develop management talent in Germany. The school is the fastest in history to be triple accredited by AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA and was ranked the #1 German business school by the Financial Times in 2022. Topics Introduction (0:00) Program Highlights - What Makes the ESMT Berlin MBA Unique? (2:30) ESMT Berlin MBA Admissions & Scholarships - How to Improve Your Chances? (22:00) Career Opportunities at ESMT Berlin - What to Know & How to Prepare (44:05) About our Guest Rebecca Loades is Director, MBA Programs at ESMT Berlin. Previously, she worked for the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) for over 10 years in numerous roles, including as Director of Masters Programs and Director of Next Generation GMAT. Rebecca studied mechanical engineering as an undergraduate at University of Bradford and got her MBA from the Rotterdam School of Management. Show Notes ESMT Berlin MBA Episode write-up and snapshot/stats of ESMT Berlin MBA: https://touchmba.com/esmt-berlin-mba-program-admissions-interview-rebecca-loades Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

Paula Amorim, MBA Admissions Director at IESE Business School, discusses what makes the IESE MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Topics: Introduction (0:00) IESE MBA Program Highlights - What Makes IESE Unique? (5:10) IESE MBA Admissions & Scholarships - How to Improve Your Chances (33:50) Career Opportunities at IESE - What to Know & How to Prepare (59:55) About Our Guest Paula Amorim is the MBA Admissions Director at IESE Business School. Before joining IESE, Paula worked as a Project Manager for Grupo Marista, a non-profit in Brazil. Paula got her Bachelors in Industrial Engineering from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and MBA from IESE in 2016. Show Notes IESE MBA Get feedback on your profile from IESE MBA's Admissions Team before you apply Episode write-up and snapshot/stats of IESE MBA: https://touchmba.com/iese-mba-program-admissions-interview-paula-amorim Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

Renowned admissions consultant Paul Bodine shares how he helps clients uncover their unique stories to stand out in MBA applications. He emphasizes the value of personal narratives over test scores, showcasing the power of hidden gems in profiles. With a success rate of 60% at top schools, Paul's process for identifying game-changing assets is a game-changer.

Tilla Caveng, a full-time MBA student at National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, shares her top application tips and lessons learned from her first 6 months at NUS. Questions Introducing Tilla (0:00) Tilla's Pre-MBA Career & MBA Application Journey (2:52) Tilla's Best Application Tips (12:45) Tilla's NUS MBA Experience - What She Has Learned So Far (34:20) Applying for Internships/Jobs & Networking as an International Student in Singapore (54:50) About Tilla Tilla Caveng is currently attending the Full-time NUS MBA program in Singapore, where she was awarded the NUS MBA Dean's Award. Prior to NUS, Tilla worked for Kaiser Partner Wealth Advisors, a family-owned wealth advisor operating in Liechtenstein and Switzerland, as a business analyst and chief of staff for the CEO. She was a trainee lawyer at Baker McKenzie Switzerland. Tilla received her Masters and Bachelor of Law from University of Zurich. Episode write-up and links: https://touchmba.com/inside-the-national-university-of-singapore-mba-tilla-caveng-nus-mba/ NUS MBA: https://mba.nus.edu.sg/  Consult 1-1 with NUS MBA Admissions Team before you apply and get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

Jochem Kroezen, Academic Director of Rotterdam School of Management's (RSM) Full-time MBA Program, and Maria Tsachli, Recruitment & Admissions Manager, Americas, discuss what makes the RSM MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Introduction (0:00) | Program Highlights (4:00) | Admissions (25:00) | Careers (50:55) About Our Guests Jochem Kroezen is the Academic Director of RSM's Full-time MBA Program, and Associate Professor of Organization Theory at RSM. Before joining RSM, Jochem worked as an Associate Professor in International Business at Cambridge University's Judge Business School. Jochem got his Masters in Business Research from RSM. Maria Tsachli is Recruitment & Admissions Manager, Americas, for RSM's International MBA Program. Previously, Maria worked for booking.com as a commercial advisor. Maria got her Bachelors of Arts in Communication and Mass Media from Ethnikon kai Kapodistriakon Panepistimion Athinon and her Masters in Social and Cultural Anthropology from VU Amsterdam. Show Notes RSM MBA Episode write-up and snapshot/stats of RSM MBA: https://touchmba.com/rotterdam-school-of-management-mba-program-admissions-interview-jochem-kroezen-maria-tsachli/ Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com  

Learn how to craft compelling stories for your MBA application by applying the 3S's of storytelling - Shift, Scenes, and Stakes. Gain insight on creating engaging narratives that show adcoms who you really are. Explore the power of storytelling in enhancing MBA applications through emotional depth and personal reflections.