Category: MBA Application Tips

#85 Why I Got My MBA in Asia with Yuan Lee Chung, HKUST MBA ’15

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 studied at Columbia for one-term and shares her thoughts on how Asian and US programs compare.
#83 MBA Essays that Work – Candid Thoughts on Essays, Authenticity and Being Yourself

With MBA programs shortening their applications and asking for less essays, how can applicants still tell their story? How should applicants approach these MBA essays and what should they write? Darren speaks with Yale SOM MBA Admissions Director Bruce DelMonico and MBA Admissions Consultant and Author Paul Bodine to get 2 different perspectives on this…
#81 How to Make Better Choices When Selecting MBA Programs

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.
#77 Internships, Jobs & Social Life at MIT Sloan

Darren talks to Andrew, a recent MIT Sloan MBA graduate, about his internship and job search experience at Sloan. Andrew worked for Target as a Senior Analyst doing business intelligence and analytics before business school. He landed an internship with Uniqlo (one of the world’s top 5 retailers) in New York City and will be…
#74 How to Overcome a Low GPA

Darren shares 7 concrete ways you can overcome a low GPA and show top-ranked MBA programs that you will perform well in an intense Master’s level program.
#71 How to Apply for Top MBAs with Tyler Cormney of MBA Prep School

Over the past decade, Tyler Cormney and MBA Prep School have achieved a 90% success rate with clients at the world’s top schools. What are the key steps to preparing an application that puts you in the top 10%? Hint: it’s not your essay(s). Don’t miss this value-packed episode and feel free to ask Tyler…
#69 How One Listener Got Into Kellogg, Insead, Ross, Fuqua, Johnson and CEIBS

Many of our podcast listeners come to Touch MBA to get free school selection help. One of them, Li Daming, recently got into Northwestern Kellogg, Insead, Michigan Ross, Duke Fuqua and Cornell Johnson with scholarship funding. How did he do it?
Fifty Shades of Grey: MBA Edition

The MBA application process can be as mysterious as Christian Grey. Here are 50 reasons b-schools will put you in the grey zone i.e. “maybe” or “no” piles. Avoid these grey zone signals to score with your target MBA.
#68 Four Tips to Show School Fit

Top business schools are looking for candidates that would fit with their program, culture, and values. And you should be looking for programs that match your goals too. How can you demonstrate fit in your MBA application without sounding disingenuous or even worse, like everyone else?
#67 MBA vs MSc vs Masters in Management – Which is the Right Masters Degree for You?

What is the difference between a Masters in Management, MBA and specialized Masters degrees? Which one makes most sense for your career? A number of you are considering multiple Masters programs so I thought it would be good to dedicate one short episode to covering key differences from an admissions, curriculum, career, and reputation perspective…
#56 The Value of an MBA with Prof. Franz Heukamp, IESE

Here at Touch MBA we help you find your best-fit business schools. But what about getting an MBA in the first place? How can it help you? Do you need an MBA to become an entrepreneur? What should you consider when choosing between 1 and 2 year programs? And will the MBA be as valuable…
#53 A Quick Guide to Researching School Strengths

What’s the best MBA program for supply chain management? Or entrepreneurship? Or marketing? In this episode, Darren gives a 3-step framework for quickly and effectively researching a school’s academic strengths – “The MBA Physical.”
#52 How Adcoms Rate Your Career Goals

Hundreds of applicants have come to Touch MBA to get profile assessments and find their best fit schools. One of the most common problems we see is weak career goals. Career goals are important – and necessary – for you to figure out your best fit schools AND to improve your chances of acceptance. In…
Learning From Lebron: 4 Ways to Write All-Star Essays

Today Lebron James announced he is returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Being a lifelong basketball fan, I was floored by his announcement. Being a former Admissions Director, I was more impressed by his “essay.” B-school applicants can learn a lot from how this piece is constructed. Here are 4 techniques you can learn from Lebron…
#51 Stalking the Story for Your MBA Essays

Who better to learn storytelling from than a two-time Pulitzer Prize Winner for dramatic nonfiction? This week Darren uses Jon Franklin’s Writing for Story as guidance for “stalking the story” and writing MBA essays that grip and reveal. Franklin pioneered the narrative nonfiction genre, and his book is full of gems for applicants struggling with…