Category: Touch MBA Podcast

#123 ESSEC Global MBA Admissions Interview with Vivien Koh

Vivien Koh from Essec Business School joins the show to discuss what makes the Essec’s MBA unique, the school’s admissions process and career opportunities for Essec MBA students.
#122 Breaking into Data and Business Analytics (as an MBA)

What do MBA applicants need to know about MBA careers in data and business analytics? Darren Shane Rai, Co-Founder of TenPoint7, to share his experience breaking into data and business analytics and as a recruiter in the industry. Garret has worked in venture capital and related jobs in San Francisco for 7 years – don’t…
#121 21 MBA Application Questions Answered

7 senior MBA Admissions Directors from Berkeley Haas, Cornell Johnson, Virginia Darden, Duke Fuqua, NYU Stern, Michigan Ross, and Yale School of Management came to Vietnam this Fall for an MBA admissions panel. Darren shares the questions asked and lessons learned from the event.
#120 Breaking into Venture Capital (as an MBA)

What do MBA applicants need to know about MBA careers in venture capital? Darren invites his friend Garrett to share his experience, both as an MBA student looking to break into venture capital and as an interviewer for Hewlett Packard Ventures. Garret has worked in venture capital and related jobs in San Francisco for 7…
#119 Breaking into Investment Banking (as an MBA)

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 –…
#118 Full-time vs. Part-time vs. Online vs. Executive MBA – Which is the Right MBA for You?

What is the difference between Full-time, Part-time, Online and Executive MBA (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…
#117 Breaking into Management Consulting (as an MBA)

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…
#116 Interacting with MBA Admissions Officers at Events

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 his best tips for how you can stand out.
#115 Charting Your Own Path in China with Jesse Miller, CEIBS MBA ’17

Why did an American Ivy League graduate decide to pursue an MBA in China? Jesse Miller, CEIBS MBA ’17, discusses the pros and cons of pursuing a top-ranked MBA in Asia. Listen to one applicant’s take on using the MBA to chart your own path.
#114 Stephen Huber, USC Marshall MBA ’18 on Getting Off the Waitlist, Preparing Significant Others, and Breaking Into a New Industry

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…
#113 Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t

Inspired by Steven Pressfield’s book, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, Darren offers 3 pillars to present a memorable MBA story: concept, theme, and structure (hook, build, payoff).
#112 LinkedIn Tips for MBA Applicants

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…
#111 MBA for Entrepreneurs – Worth It?

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…
#110 Great MBA Letters of Recommendations with Caroline Diarte-Edwards

Caroline Diarte Edwards, Director of Fortuna Admissions and former Director of MBA Admissions at Insead, 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…
#109 Crafting Your Best Story & Applying Through the Consortium with Sabaina Kamara, Michigan Ross ’19

Sabaina Kamara, a Touch MBA listener and Admissions Edge Member, details what she did each step of the way to craft her best story – one that got her admitted to 4 top 20 US b-schools, including Michigan Ross, where she will head to this Fall. Sabaina also shares the benefits of applying through the…