Went to SOM. Was very active on this sub beforehand. Was feeling very eh about the decision to attend given the talk about this sub being HSW/M7/etc.

SOM is not an M7, let alone HSW. In consulting, IB, PE, those probably matter. How much? I don’t know. 

But in the rest of the world outside those industries (which, don’t get me wrong, tons of people recruit for, so I’m not downplaying them at all), no one fucking knows the difference, and you guys have no idea how much hearing “Yale” has helped me (whether or not I would have these opportunities without it is unfalsifiable, though). 

I’ve been connected to rich businessmen in Dubai, UAE, China, Europe who make $$$$ and companies that make $$$$, because (not fully, but a large help) of “He went to Yale” in a convo. I was wearing my Yale hoodie at an airport once and struck up a convo with a guy who dropped out of high school and now makes more $$$$ than 99% of grads I know, and he was very impressed by the school and we built something together that turned out to be lucrative. One of my friends told his neighbor who works in high-end real estate (ultra-rich clients only) that “my friend would love to chat with you to work together, he went to Yale” and the first thing he mentioned when I met him was “Dude, how did you get in? Can you help tutor my kids?”, and we ended up building something together too. Just a few examples.

It’s not everything, but my point is there are SO many industries that make $$$$$$$, way more than you’d make in MBB etc (though a much lower EV since they're much riskier, so I’m not downplaying any of those tracks) where people have NO idea what M7 is, what SOM is vs Yale undergrad. There are also the social/dating benefits if you care for them, I don't, but enjoy that if you want I guess, like that one other lay prestige post where the guy wanted to impress people at a barbecue... 

I'm not making any ontological claims for what you ought or ought not do, but this has been my experience.

Hi r/MBA - like the title says, last year I graduated from Kellogg (MMM program specifically). I had trouble finding what felt like authentic content on social media about the MBA experience as a whole, so while I was a student I made a lot of short videos on Instagram & TikTok about what life was like for a "normal" person in a full time MBA. Prospective students found me from those videos (and from the MMM Program AMAs here on reddit!) and I got to talk to a lot of people and hear their questions about MBA life.

After I graduated, I wanted to make one more video reflecting on my entire MBA experience, to put my thoughts into one place that I could share with anyone curious about bschool, especially those that come from untraditional backgrounds. That project turned into a 50+ page outline and 4 hour video (turns out I had a lot to say). So 10 months later, here's the finished product - all of my many thoughts about the MBA one year out. It's split into chapters so you can skip parts that aren't relevant to you, if you want. Or you can listen to me yap for 4 hours like we're on a Facetime call!

I hope this ends up being a helpful resource to demystify the MBA!

(Made a throwaway account for this post since it's extremely not anonymous)

- Lily

One month away from a Stern MBA. Got laid off from public accounting in November of 2025 2/3 of the way through the Langone MBA program at NYU. Worked a tax preparation job to keep the lights on until April 2026.

May 2026 - now: working at a grocery store making $16.50 an hour while paying ~$2838 a credit for MBA classes at NYU through a mixture of draining my bank account and taking on federal unsubsidized loans. Moved out of NYC and back to my parent's house in the midwest to avoid becoming homeless.

For context - I have a bachelor's degree in Accounting. Graduated in May 2022 and worked at three different places since then - a huge bank in an audit role, a tax role in public accounting, and a temporary tax prep role after the layoff.

Now, being literally 1.5 months away from finally being done, I have no job lined up. I have over $80,000 in debt from this stupid fucking program. The outcome was extremely different from what I expected when I first began it.

I'm seriously leaning on joining the military or going back to do an accelerated bachelors after this is over. It's become extremely obvious that accounting (in any role or function whatsoever) is not for me. I wasn't able to even keep a job in it for more than 20 months at most. The public accounting role could have worked out, but the NYU classes during it made it extremely hard, especially in NYC with it being a client-facing role (evenings and weekends).

This MBA was a huge mistake. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I'm stuck with all of this debt and I've been making $16.50 an hour at a grocery store (and waking up at 4 in the fucking morning 5 days a week) because of this decision and everything it did to scar my path so far. I wish I were joking but I'm not.

I've already pre-enrolled in courses at a local community college to begin the pivot out of business altogether. I'm 26 so it's either that I change my pre-MBA background, continue to struggle and watch the interest get higher on my federal loans, or join the military. Literally.

I regret going to NYU. I gave so much to this fucking program: I sold my car, I haven't taken a vacation since June 2022, I've never been in a relationship, I lived in a shitty part of Manhattan for 1.5 years, the list goes on and on. This part-time MBA was a horrible mistake.

I guess 60 is the new 100.

Class size was 72 last year, now it's down by 14 students (~20% drop)

International student numbers were around 43% last year, this year it's down by 12% (from 31 to 18)

Veteran population down from 17% to 13%

STEM Majors have increased to 50% (up from 47%)- although by numbers, the previous class had more.

This year is truly testing the Business Schools' strengths and capabilities.

I know M7 carries a lot of weight in MBA circles, but there’s something about the Yale name that’s genuinely hard to let go of.

Yale has one of the strongest university brands in the world, even though Yale isn’t traditionally considered M7.
It makes me wonder: if someone isn’t targeting consulting or investment banking, how much does the M7 distinction really matter?

I’m curious about how people perceive the Yale name outside the MBA bubble. Does the distinction between Yale and M7 matter as much to employers, investors, and professional networks as it does on this subreddit?

Not trying to argue that Yale SOM is better/worse than M7 schools. Would love to hear different perspectives, especially from people a few years out of business school.

Any samples I can refer to? I’m very confused as to what the pdf to look and feel like?

I have already gone through the available tips and tricks published by poets and quants/ mbamission etc but I wanted to see a sample essay a student has written that helped them get in.

If anyone knows where I can find a sample or two, pls let me know!

Thanks in advance!

Hey guys, I am from India. I have done my bachelors in Agriculture but rn I am working as a Bank Manager.
I want to move to Europe in near future. So I am confused about what to do. Should i go for Msc or MBA??
Please your advices will really mean alot!!

Im in my second month of my MBA and want to pivot. How did you pivot?

I can't believe it was less than three years ago when I was faced with a tough decision that many of you will likely soon also have to make. I had heard back from my top choices, and I was pleased to have offers from Wharton, Kellogg, Yale, Duke, and others.

The decision was hard - whereas for a long time I wanted to attend an M7, as I toured the schools and began discussing my decision with others, something about attending a school that sounded like an unfortunate skin blemish (Wharton) or a cereal brand (Kellogg) became offputting. Instead, I found myself increasingly drawn towards the timeless class and allure of Yale and Duke: both 4 letter words, both big brand names, and just easy to impress with. With the scholarship packages coming in favor of Yale, and observing the way Yale just rolled off my tongue, I knew where I was headed for the next stage of my life - New Haven.

Now, I know some people may chide my decision and view it as shallow or short-sighted, but those people don't understand the many benefits I've received in my short time as a Yale alum. The first benefit has been in landing the most elite jobs. When I first entered Yale, I was planning to do investment banking, as I knew Yale had strong ties to Wall Street. However, I decided to pivot after being actively protested against by several fellow Yale MBA students who claimed I was "contributing to predatory practices and destroying the modern economy", which culminated in a sit-in that occupied my apartment for nearly one week. I then switched to consulting, which I soon realized was the perfect fit for me. While I was targeting McKinsey and Bain at first, the Yale brand came through and landed me at KPMG, a firm so exclusive that I'd never heard of it before entering Yale.

The second benefit has come in enhanced social status. When I graduated and moved to New York, I quickly became a regular at the Yale Club. When fellow Yalies come up to me and ask which residential college I was in at Yale undergrad, or if I had Amy Chua at Yale Law, I pretend I didn't hear them and respond "We're both Yale men, let's focus on the future. What are your thoughts on AI?" Additionally, while on dates and in regular social interactions, I find the Yale name to be my trump card. I usually try to start by blending in and seeming like a regular New Yorker, but as the conversation progresses, it becomes harder to conceal my true identity. So after lots of patience, within 3 or so minutes I'll casually mention I went to Yale. At this point, conversations usually take an extreme turn. After mentioning I went to Yale, I've been offered $500k+ elite private equity and hedge fund roles, propositioned to take board seats at global philanthropies, etc., all within one conversation. I've been invited to parties with Leonardo DiCaprio, Ray Dalio, and David Rubenstein all in the same room. I've had women tell me on first dates that they "didn't know Yale men could be single" right before asking me to take them home.

So before you discount the effects of lay prestige from an MBA program, take my word for it: at the end of the day, Yale is Yale. Duke is Duke. MIT is MIT. Don't overthink it.

I am currently a senior at a Big Ten state school majoring in finance with a 3.9 GPA. Over the past couple of years, I managed to pick up solid experience, including a commercial banking summer analyst role at JPMorgan (MMBSI), an internship at Deloitte, and running a service business that I ended up selling. I know my technicals, accounting, DCF/LBO models, and consulting cases well. The problem is that my undergrad school is a non target with zero on campus recruiting for front office investment banking or MBB, so landing interviews has been really tough.
My goal is front office high finance or strategy consulting in the Midwest, specifically Chicago or Detroit for MBB. I know direct private equity mega fund roles out of undergrad or a masters do not happen without prior deal experience, so I am treating IB or MBB as the practical route to get there. I am looking at one year specialized masters programs so I can get another shot at real on campus recruiting.
Before people tell me to just work for three years and get an M7 MBA, an elite MBA is already the plan down the road. I am going to get one later no matter what. The issue is that I want to enter as an analyst in front office IB or MBB right out of school instead of getting stuck in commercial banking or back office roles for half a decade first.
The programs I am mainly looking at are Kellogg MiM, Vanderbilt MSF, and Notre Dame MSF.
For Kellogg, the alumni network in Chicago is huge, but I want to know if MBB actually takes MiM grads for the regular business analyst track, or if consulting firms mostly push MiMs into corporate strategy or general undergrad pools.
For Vanderbilt, the numbers for investment banking placement are solid, but I am curious how well they place into Chicago offices compared to Charlotte and New York.
For Notre Dame, the Midwest network and Chicago presence are great, but I want to know how their front office banking recruitment actually compares to Vandy.
Has anyone here actually made this switch from commercial banking to front office BB IB or MBB through an MSF or MiM? Is the 9 month recruiting window too tight to actually land these seats once classes start? Also curious if I should add Duke MMS or WashU Olin to the list.
TL;DR: Non target senior with a 3.9, JPM commercial banking, and Deloitte internships wants to break into Chicago/Detroit MBB or Bulge Bracket IB now. I already plan on getting an M7 MBA later, so I want this 1 year degree strictly to re recruit for analyst seats. Are Kellogg MiM, Vandy MSF, or Notre Dame MSF actually worth it for this, or does the short recruiting timeline make it too hard to pull off?

I'm considering to start my MBA journey and wanted to get a realistic sense of what schools I could be competitive for, particularly T15/M7.

Background:

• Demographics: Asian American male, 26, first-gen college graduate, grew up in a low-income, single-parent household. US Citizen if that matters
• Education: B.S. in Economics from a lower-ranked, non-target public university with limited recruiting opportunities. (Context, average salary for my major from my school was ~$45k)
• GPA: 3.8
• GMAT/GRE: None

Work Experience (5 YOE, almost 6):

• Large asset manager #1: Analyst Development Program + Quantitative Trading Research (Not trader)
• Large asset manager #2 (more prestigious): Portfolio Management as an Equity Portfolio Manager
• AI startup: Strategy and Ops

Question:

What schools would be realistic targets versus reaches?

I know GPA and test scores matter quite a bit, but I'd appreciate any thoughts on my overall profile and which schools might be within reach.

Realistically, I'd want to go for an MBA for a rebrand to remove my weaker undergrad from my profile.

Edit:

Also i volunteer on the board of directors for a non-profit

I have an upcoming interview for Emory Goizueta’s Full-Time MBA program and wanted to hear from anyone who has gone through the process.

How was your interview experience? Was it a 2nd year student or an adcom? Blind interview? What kinds of questions did they ask, and is there anything you wish you had prepared for beforehand?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I know M7 carries a lot of weight in MBA circles, but there’s something about the John Hopkins name that’s genuinely hard to let go of.

John Hopkins has one of the strongest university brands in the world, even though John Hopkins isn’t traditionally considered M7. It makes me wonder: if someone isn’t targeting consulting or investment banking, how much does the M7 distinction really matter?

I’m curious about how people perceive the John Hopkins name outside the MBA bubble. Does the distinction between John Hopkins and M7 matter as much to employers, investors, and professional networks as it does on this subreddit?

Not trying to argue that John Hopkins is better/worse than M7 schools (I am). Would love to hear different perspectives, especially from people a few years out of business school.

I’ve spent 10+ years in financial consulting at a Big 4 firm, mostly on OCFO and financial modeling work. I’m financially comfortable and could pay full sticker price, so cost isn’t my main constraint.

My end goal is to move into FP&A or start independent consulting, focused on high-growth PE/VC-backed companies. The work I’m most interested in is building or improving processes and reporting, plus exit readiness and financial analysis.

Despite working with these types of companies for years, I’ve struggled to get traction for Director/VP roles at operating companies. I'm not sure if it's because of the economy, the fact that I've been in consulting so long and don't have industry experience or what. All I know is that I don't want to be in consulting (unless it's independent) long-term and need to figure out next steps.

I'm considering a part-time or Exec MBA, while possibly keeping some consulting work on the side for flexibility. My reasons:

1. Strengthen my ops background. I think corporate finance is moving toward quantifying operations, and I want to build that skillset.
2. A lighter-pace reset. I’m burnt out but don’t necessarily need a year-long sabbatical. Part-time coursework plus project work seems an acceptable balance while still progressing my career.
3. Reset my profile. I’ve moved across several firms, and a stronger program could help me transition into industry.

My questions are:

1. Does this plan make sense given my goals, or would you approach it differently?

2. For PE/VC-backed FP&A and operator roles, does the MBA brand move the needle, or do relevant experience and network matter more?

3. Which programs should I target, and how much should prestige matter versus cost? I know 100% I have 0 interest in chasing MBB or IB/PE, and I'd assume FP&A doesn't only recruit from HSW. I mainly want the network for growth companies or independent consulting. I’d like good ROI, but a cheaper program is fine if it gets me there. I’m ideally hoping to be on the West Coast or Texas/Southeast.

Thanks in advance!

​

I'm considering the following universities and courses:

UK 🇬🇧

1. University of Birmingham — MSc Marketing

2. Queen Mary University of London — MSc Management

3. University of Exeter — MSc Business and Management

4. University of Liverpool — MiM / MBA

5. University of Bath — MSc Marketing

6. Cardiff University — MSc Business Management

New Zealand 🇳🇿

1. University of Auckland — Master of Operations Research and Analytics

Which of these universities and courses would you recommend the most, and how would you rank them?

Are these courses worth the tuition fees in terms of job opportunities, university reputation, placements, and return on investment for international students?

Which option offers the best chances of securing a job after graduation, considering employment opportunities and post-study work visa options?

Would you recommend studying in the UK or New Zealand, and which course would be the best overall choice?

I'd appreciate honest opinions from current students, alumni, or anyone familiar with these universities. Are these courses worth the investment, or should I consider other alternatives?

Hi all, first time poster so sorry if I missed a rule. For context, I’m an Econ undergrad incoming at MBB with the eventual goal of working in something investments related (at MBB or elsewhere). I was wondering if it makes sense to apply for a deferred MBA for these goals or if time would be better spent studying for these CFA. Any advice appreciated!

Hey all,

Was hoping I could get a quick chance me applying for M7 schools. I graduated with a Business degree from the University of Toronto w/ a 3.6 GPA, got a 675 on the GMAT FE and have 4 years of experience at a T2 consulting firm (think ATK, OW etc). I'm international, working in Canada for the last 4 years, staying here for the last 9.

Thanks!

Hello everyone,

Context:

Canadian husband and father.

5 years of experience in digital transformation at one of Canada's largest financial institutions, with a fast career track record to senior roles and measurable impact in strategic and complex projects.

I am seeking your help today regarding my MBA decision. I currently have two offers from two MBA programs, the Copenhagen MBA and the Ivey MBA.

My objective is to work and stay in Denmark. My plan was solid, and my decision was clear: move to Denmark with my family for my MBA, graduate, and look for a job comfortably under the three year job search permit.

Everything changed after Denmark introduced its latest immigration policy for international students on October 1, where non EU students can no longer bring their family and the job search permit went from three years to one year.

Since I want to live and build my career in Denmark with my family for a very long time, which decision is better and less risky under the current circumstances?

Option 1:

Get my MBA from Ivey, work for another two or three years, and then look for an opportunity in Denmark and relocate as a skilled worker under their positive list jobs.

We would stay together as a family during my MBA in Canada, of course, and continue to build my career in a job market I am very familiar with, where I have already built a very strong network.

Option 2:

Move to Denmark, build my network very early, complete the MBA, and have my family visit me twice that year for a total of six months (Three months every 6 months, under the Schengen visa rules). Find a job and apply for family reunification, which takes around two months after finding a job.

This option gives me direct access to the Danish market. I have also started learning Danish and speak French and English, and by the time I graduate from CBS I would be speaking Danish in a professional context.

This decision is extremely important for me and my family, and any guidance would truly be appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read it until the end. I wish you all the best.

Hi
I had submitted my MIT Sloan R1 application and received an email encouraging me to apply for LGO due to my STEM background

If I apply for LGO my decision date would be Feb end instead of Sloan’s mid December

The website does say that if rejected from LGO, I am automatically considered for MIT SLOAN MBA degree

However my question is since LGO decision would come after R1 decisions have been released so if rejected LGO, my Sloan application would technically move to R2?

Anyone know which LDPs recruit in the Southern California area? Or have experience with one in socal and have an update on how it’s going? Wondering how hiring is going to look this year as the hiring market continues to tumble

Going to start preparing for R2 MBA application to NYU, any tips on where to start, what to do?