Author: darren

#202 Inside the National University of Singapore MBA with Tilla Caveng, NUS MBA ’24

[quote style=”5″]”Being in the [NUS MBA] program is like traveling every day… The people I meet here everyday – my co-MBAs, my professors, the program office – they are from many different countries and interacting with them is like traveling the world, it’s a very amazing and warm experience.”[/quote] Tilla Caveng, a full-time MBA student…
#201 Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Jochem Kroezen and Maria Tsachli

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.
#200 The 3S’s of Scintillating Storytelling

Inspired by The Moth, Darren highlights three tools you can use immediately to improve your stories, so you can show adcoms who you really are and draw them closer to you. Darren also shares over a dozen questions that will help you identify your most compelling stories.
#199 10 Application Lessons from 10 Years of Touch MBA

We’re nearing 200 episodes of Touch MBA. Feeling nostalgic, Darren reflects on 10 lessons for applicants from 10 years of Touch MBA!
#198 Inside the London Business School MBA & Honing your Story with Chris Tran, LBS MBA ’22

Chris Tran, London Business School (LBS) MBA ’22, shares lessons learned from applying to and attending LBS, as well as how he landed his first post-MBA consulting gig in London.
#197 Pivoting to Vietnam & Breaking into EdTech with Tony Ngo, Harvard Business School ’08

Tony Ngo, HBS ’08, shares how he used the MBA to explore a career in Vietnam, first in finance, and then as an edtech entrepreneur with Everest Education.
#196 How I Got Into UC Berkeley Haas MBA (and HBS, Wharton, UCLA too!) & Breaking into Product Management with Bridget Pujals

Bridget Pujals shares lessons learned from her MBA application journey, culminating in admits to Harvard, Wharton ($70K scholarship), UCLA Anderson ($100K scholarship), and Berkeley Haas ($175K scholarship).
#195 Business School Selection Simplified: How to Shortlist MBA Programs You’re Excited About AND Competitive At

What if you could figure out MBA programs you’re excited about AND competitive at, that would be a great investment in your future? And do this with the least time and effort?
#194 Building a Professional MBA Network with Nicolle Lee, Wharton MBA ’22

Nicolle Lee, Wharton MBA ’22, shares how building relationships helped her reach her MBA goals – including breaking into the real estate industry.
#193 Hiring Trends & Salaries for Business School Graduates from GMAC’s Corporate Recruiters Survey

What are corporate recruiters looking for from business graduate students? And how do median MBA salaries compare to those of specialized business masters programs? Darren shares 3 interesting findings from GMAC’s Corporate Recruiters Survey. This way, you can think more like an admissions officer, and put forward your strongest application.
#192 MBA Coffee Chats: Thoughtful Advice on How to Get the Most Out of Your MBA with Adam Putterman, Kellogg MMM ’19

How can you make the most of your MBA experience? Adam Putterman, co-author of MBA Coffee Chats, shares why coffee chats are essential and key lessons learned from hundreds of successful MBAs.
#191 Inside Harvard Business School – An Introvert’s Experience with Graciela Brewer, HBS MBA ’22

As a UX Designer and mother in Kansas City with no MBA network, Graciela Brewer wasn’t sure if she “had a sliver of a chance” at her targets: HBS, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern and Cornell Tech. Four months later, she got into all four programs. In this episode, Grace shares how she shortlisted schools, submitted…
Our Favorite MBA Application Tools

After 11 years advising over 4,000 MBA applicants, we recommend the following providers for GMAT prep, admissions consulting, student loans, and more.
#190 3 Timeless Application Strategies from MBA Admissions Strategy (2005) by Avi Gordon

Darren shares three foundational application strategies from Avi Gordon’s MBA Admissions Strategy: From Profile Building to Essay Writing (2005) that have stood the test of time. It’s always advantageous to master the fundamentals of any art form – including constructing a winning MBA application. Listen on to review the basics!
#189 Breaking into Healthcare (as an MBA) with Veeral Desai, HBS ’07

Veeral Desai, Chief Strategy & Development Officer at Agilon Health and HBS MBA ’07, shares what you need to know about breaking into healthcare industry as an MBA.