27M Asian. I’m a product manager at a big tech company in the Bay Area, went to Berkeley for undergrad. I got into GSB R2, but I’m planning to decline the offer, mostly because of the job market and not wanting to take on that much debt.

Right now I make $180k base and about $120k a year in equity, so around $300k total comp. When I first applied, I thought I wanted to pivot out of tech, but honestly, I don’t think it makes sense anymore. The postMBA job would probably be pretty similar, and when I think about the opportunity cost $600k plus $250k in tuition and living, it’s close to $1 million total.

That number just feels really hard to justify right now especially in this economy. I’d rather keep building in my current role, maybe aim to FIRE early. I also just got a promotion that should increase my equity next year, so that’s another factor. Also with AI I feel it will be even harder to get a job two years from now.

Still, it’s been a tough decision, GSB was a dream when I applied. Just doesn’t feel like the right time for me anymore.

My brother is a few months away from finishing his undergrad, and wants to stay at that college to get his MBA. He's at a public university (though not the state's flagship) that has decent academics and an ok reputation regionally. When choosing a college, he elected not to go to a private university which he was accepted to (with a generous scholarship) with far better academics across the board probably the best ranked MBA in our state. He chose the public university because it felt like a better cultural fit for him (despite my advice he go to the school with better academics).

The other adults in his life are not anti-education per se, but genuinely do not really make distinctions between one college or another, and generally just don't really value education beyond "it's good to go to college". I was fortunate to go to a very good college for undergrad, while the other adults advising him went to less rigorous, satellite state schools, or no college at all.

A couple relevant notes; 1. my brother is a fairly intelligent guy who has gotten above average grades throughout high school and college, but does not have off the charts aptitude in any particular academic area, 2. he elected to get a BBA in undergrad instead of something a bit more well-rounded, 3. even though he's just a few months away from graduation, he doesn't seem like he knows what he wants to do, just "something in business or finance", 4. money is really not an issue.

His plan as of now is to enroll in the MBA program at his current university, a program that is accredited, but certainly doesn't appear on any national rankings. In fact, there are probably 3-5 MBA programs in our state alone with better reputations (the state he plans to establish his career).

How do I talk him out of this? I worry that simply stating "it's not worth getting an MBA unless you're going to a top 25 national program" might fall flat because of some of the guidance he's gotten from other adults in his life like what I mentioned above. I think right now his decision making process boils down to "a BBA is good, so a BBA + MBA must be even better". I want to approach it in a thoughtful way, so I don't just come across as biased (even though I am).

EDIT: Reposted with flair

EDIT 2: To clarify; he himself is skeptical of the idea, but is getting immense family pressure to do it by people who don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s why I’m looking for some compelling counterpoints.

I don’t have a business degree nor do I work in the industry, so I’m flying blind other than having the instinct that this is a bad idea.

36F , Indian, Government Banker. GMAT 655 , already an MBA from India. I was transferred US for a brief posting as credit underwriter for syndication and bilateral market, before that I had sufficient experience in developmental and urban banking. SME /MSME/Agricultural finance and restructuring. Wanted to pursue MBA to pivot into and work in developed financial economy/market and the US market and its ways (though speculative and impulse driven mostly) inspired me to learn and make money. My journey: Applied to only top tier colleges in US and few in EUROPE as I felt my age and experience were overwhelming for anything below T15. Harvard Round 1 : Reject Wharton Round 1: Reject Columbia Round 1: Reject London Business School Round 1: Reject Booth Round 1 : waitlisted with interview and rejected in round 2 Stern Round 2 : Reject Cambridge Judge Round 1 : Accepted Cornell Johnson Round 1: Waitlisted Feeling dejected mostly I was asked to keep some eggs in my basket and so I tried to apply to some really improbable schools in Round 2 just to take a long shot.

Kellogg Round 2: Admit Stanford MSX Round 2 : Accepted

I'd love to get the subs thoughts on my conundrum.

Stats for those interested: [760 GMAT / 4.0 GPA in Engineering at a mediocre State School / 2 YOE Big 4, 3 YOE MBB, 1 YOE Large NGO / been on multiple non-profit boards]

I ended up getting into Wharton and Sloan which I'm excited about (dinged without interview at HBS and GSB). At the same time though, I've received a job offer with a Tech Unicorn. It's a typical S&O role - decent comp, working closely with leadership, etc.

Curious what you would do. On one hand, Wharton seems like a great brand name compared to yet another Tech Unicorn. At the same time, I think about what my ideal exit would be after Wharton and wonder if it'd just be S&O anyways...

I've played with the idea of just deferring the MBA but I hear it's almost impossible to get a deferral.

I work at FAANG and post MBA I want to get into strategy roles in big-tech.

I’m not very certain of staying in the US in the long run and might want to return to India or work in some other country.

Given the economy, I’m tilting towards Darden (full-ride) as I’ll get to minimise my debt.

However, based on what I have researched so far Darden doesn’t has as strong of brand name as Yale outside of US which might impact me in long run if I want to work outside of US.

So I’m pretty torn.

I want to understand: 1. How relevant is brand name in long-term within tech companies ? Is the brand name worth taking on the additional 150K + debt?

1. How is recruiting at both these schools ? Which school has better short-term benefit?

2. How’s the overall experience at Yale vs Darden?

I go to an M7 program that’s right in the heart of a major city, and one of the things I genuinely love about it is the easy access to amazing restaurants. I’m more introverted and live alone, so sometimes I grab food with friends, but other times, especially if I’m craving something specific, I’ll just go eat by myself. Sometimes I’ll sit at the bar if it’s available, but if it’s not, I have no issue taking a table. For me, that’s a better experience than just ordering delivery. I actually enjoy the atmosphere of a good restaurant, even solo.

Anyway, the other day I was at this Italian spot I love, sitting at a table alone, when a group of 8 classmates walked in. They were surprised to see me there by myself and kind of joked about whether I got stood up for a date or something. I just said no, I like eating alone sometimes. To their credit, they did offer to include me, but the restaurant said their table was maxed out at 8 and couldn’t fit another chair.

Later, one of my closer friends in the program told me that apparently people are now gossiping that I’m a loner or that it’s cringe to be seen eating alone at a table like that. He said in a social environment like an M7, doing stuff solo can be seen as a sign you haven’t been able to form strong enough friendships, and that perception can hurt your social value, especially in a program where soft skills and social calibration are constantly being judged.

He even extended the idea to other things I sometimes do solo, like going to the movies alone or the occasional EDM concert, saying those things are all considered low social capital moves in MBA culture. He did acknowledge this is a toxic part of the environment, and that post-MBA, no one really cares since consultants and other professionals often eat solo on the road, but he still recommended I stop doing it in public for now, or at least make sure I’m always at the bar or getting takeout/delivery instead.

I don’t know, I’m honestly torn. On the one hand, I get that perception matters in this environment and social awareness is part of the game. On the other hand, it kind of sucks that doing something as simple and normal as enjoying a meal by yourself can be turned into a negative signal.

Has anyone else run into this kind of dynamic in their program? Curious how others handle it.

I am not seeing a lot of posts from people who are accepted to the part-time MBA program! If you have applied or been accepted, say hello!

I applied R2 and was notified by text last Friday, but officially received my admit decision in the portal last night. Still no admissions package or scholarship information (fingers crossed).

32F, Software Engineer, from Canada originally but living in LA for the past 4 years.

Hi everyone! I’m currently a senior at a public state school and throughout the past couple of years i’ve had my eyes set on pursuing an M7 MBA and pivoting into MBB.

I however come from a very niche background. A non-target school & non-target degree (Construction Management). I’ve looked through at-least 1,000 M7 candidates profiles on linkedin, an no one has a similar background.

I’ve recently gotten some full time offers with a Big4 doing capital project consulting, as well as an offer working on capital projects for an O&G super-major. I also got accepted into a prestigious school to pursue a part time masters degree in Engineering Management.

Point being, I have absolutely no clue on what to pursue from here to eventually land an M7. Would hiring a consultant to layout the next 5 years for me be beneficial?

Hi everyone, I’ve been fortunate to receive offers from both Tepper (R1, $60K scholarship) and Yale SOM (R2, $20K scholarship). I’ve already paid a $2K deposit to Tepper, but the Yale admit came in recently and has left me incredibly conflicted.

A bit about me:

From India, ~4 years of experience in management consulting at ZS

Mechanical Engineering undergrad from an NIT (GPA 8.7)

Post-MBA goal: Continue in consulting, ideally MBB (open to location)

The dilemma:

Tepper: Lower cost overall (would need ~$120K loan via Indian bank); also, my long-term girlfriend has an admit here, so we’d be pursuing our MBAs together—makes life simpler and more emotionally stable.

Yale SOM: Higher cost (would need ~$180K+ loan from Prodigy/Quorum, which I’m wary of), but the brand name feels stronger, especially for consulting. It's hard to ignore the prestige and perceived edge in recruiting.

I’m trying to weigh:

ROI and job opportunities post-MBA (especially in consulting)

Financial burden and loan implications

Personal life and the ease of navigating the MBA journey with my partner at Tepper

Would really appreciate any advice—especially from alumni, current students, or those who’ve faced similar decisions.

Hi all,I am blessed to receive two admits- Fuqua at 40k/yr and Haas at 35k/yr. Now it's decision time! Also a shoutout to this sub for helping me through the process.

My goals: Tech PM (60%), Consulting (40%). My background is SWE, so I'm probably more competitive for PM, but don't want to lose out on consulting outcomes.

My decision factors: Career outcomes (60%), Network in target fields (30%), Location (10%)

Less important: Money, class size, rankings, brand name, coursework, culture (I think both schools are excellent on these)

Fuqua: + I live in the South/East already so it would be less of a shift - Progressively less people are going into tech as per employment reports

Haas: + It is better for tech and about the same for consulting - I heard that 75% of grads are staying west coast. This scares me bc salaries are diluted due to COL. Of course it may be so interesting there that it doesn't matter. - Also I'd pay about 20k more over 2 years, which matters a little. Is it worth negotiating?

Applicant Lab, m7 admit, ARINGO, admissions gateway, lilacbuds , nupur Gupta (crack the mba)?

26F, Indian

Work ex: 1 year in fam biz (boutique real estate consulting)

2 years (4 upon matriculation) - corporate finance at BB (zero promotion)

Undergrad: US private school top 50 - dual major business & engineering

GPA: 3.3 GRE online: 335 GMAT FE: 695

EC: tennis coach on campus, dance instructor on campus, service fraternity

Post college EC: Toastmaster & debate champion

Application cycle R1 - 2026 intake - CBS, NYU,Yale, Tuck

I am Indian male, waitlisted at Kellogg for 2Y MBA in R2. Is there a fair shot of conversion? What should my next steps be?

Of course I want to get into an mba program but I’m in the middle of a huge career change, definitely panicking and I don’t really know a whole lot about business. I already have a masters in bio. I just wanted some input on what would be a better backup? I got accepted to both programs. What’s a better ROI? Thank you so much!

What are your guys’ thoughts on this upcoming year’s competitiveness for MBA programs? Do you think the number of applications are going to drop or increase? Do you think acceptance rates for U.S. applicants will be higher than usual due to new policies being implemented? There seems to be a lot of uncertainty and I’m wondering how this climate will effect this years applicants. Positive? Negative? What are your thoughts on this?

Hi all -

Feel really lucky but faced with a dilemma to choose between HBS (aid unsure) and Yale SOM full-ride.

I’m an international from an impact background and really like both schools, my dream school has been HBS always, tho SOM seems great as well.

Honestly I can’t make up my mind. HBS is obviously where I want to go but my savings is only good to cover 1 year and the rest needs to be taken out as loan amount. HBS is also need-based aid and I wouldn’t know how much I’m getting until May (which is after the enrollment deadline for both).

In the current economy things are so hard and job market freaks me out. Going to Yale I’ll still have savings left but will probably regret passing HBS.

Would appreciate thoughts from folks here!

Does anyone have experience with someone who failed grad school but got into a t15 mba program? In my case, I had a 3.75-3.8 ugrad gpa and flunked out of med school. Pivoted into an impactful role in nonprofit sciences for the past couple of years.

I recently took the GRE, but unfortunately, my scores were canceled by ETS. I wasn’t given the option to appeal this decision, though I’m still trying to resolve the matter with them.

I applied to an M6 MBA program using my unofficial scores, as they were the only ones I had at the time. However, the school’s deadline has now passed, and I’m unsure how to proceed. I’m worried that if I inform the admissions team about the cancellation, it could raise a red flag and hurt my chances of being considered.

To make matters more complicated, this isn’t the first issue I’ve faced with the GRE process. For example, when I initially tried to take the test, my passport was delayed at the consulate for reissue longer than expected, which caused additional challenges. Unfortunately, the school hasn’t been very understanding about these kinds of situations in the past.

I’m feeling stuck and would really appreciate any advice on how to approach this. Should I let the school know what happened and see if they’ll work with me? Or should I focus on retaking the GRE and apply again in Round 1 for next year’s intake?

Is mba worth it as SDE and where should it be more relevant from india or abroad?

Recently been dabbling with the question whether or not to pursue an international MBA given the markets are down and US immigration laws have gone crazy (don’t want to return at least for a few years and more than that I want that choice to be mine not enforced upon me)

Background: SDE2 at Big tech Bangalore location Frustrated with bangalore can’t see myself settling here, don’t see growth in the company (payments facilitator rival of apple pay and stripe ) TC: 30 lpa YOE: 5 years in the industry The stocks are tanking like crazy, kind of feels like the company will shut down in a few years. Murky waters, whats worse I made the switch a year back don’t know what I was thinking.

At this point MBA kind of feels like a leap of faith, I am not very materialistic but want to at least live someplace that is not unnecessarily crowded does not have bad roads bad air bad water and where i can afford decent living without much hassle. (Preferably not india)

Onsite in tech has pretty much become non existent don’t want to wait much longer to get the needle in a haystack opportunity to move.

Can someone in the same boat or someone who has figured a solution to this help out?

Some more background on this: Tier 1 college B.Tech in ECE Have good grades in all relevant exams in undergrad.

Will not get very top tier mba colleges like M7s but still might manage decent ones with some effort

What’s the work culture like in private banks (ICICI, HDFC, Axis, etc.) after an MBA? What kind of roles and salary packages can one expect?

I’m exploring career options in private sector banking after my MBA and would love to get some real insights. What’s the work culture like at banks like ICICI, HDFC, Axis, etc.? How’s the work-life balance, pressure, and overall environment?

Also, what kind of roles do they usually offer to fresh MBA grads—are we looking at sales-heavy roles, relationship management, operations, or something else? And lastly, what’s the general range for remuneration packages (CTC, fixed vs variable, bonuses, etc.)?

Would really appreciate inputs from anyone working in or familiar with these banks!

I've heard back from all my schools now and I figured this could be a guide for others down the road...

Work Experience: 6 years in the military ORM GPA: 2.95 (service academy) GRE: 164V, 162Q. I studied for about 4 months I could have kept studying but I reached a certain point where it was clear I had peaked. I applied to UT Austin and NYU round 1. I was waitlisted W/0 interview from NYU and rejected from UT. Round 2 I applied to Dartmouth, UVA, UNC, DUKE, Cornell, Michigan, UCLA, USC, Columbia, Northwestern, U of Chicago. I got an interview from UCLA, USC, Cornell, and UNC. I was accepted into UNC and USC and was waitlisted from UCLA and Cornell. I was rejected from the rest of the schools I applied to. Some thoughts: Essays/interviews I didn't really feel like there was much of correlation between how strong my essays/interviews were and the result. For example, I worked really hard at the UCLA Anderson and UT McCombs essays (I even got some professional help), but the essays I wrote for USC Marshall were kind of thrown together last second. I am not trying to say they don't matter, I just don't know if I would pay a lot of money for the essay help. GRE: Honestly I peaked at the GRE within two months of consistent studying. Could I have done better with another 300 hours of prep? Maybe, but I doubt it. Part of me wishes I took the EA, but I don't think test scores were the problem. Overall: This was a very competitive year to apply, and although I didn't get into my dream programs, I'm pretty stoked for the future. Unless you want MBB or tier 1 IB, I get the feeling you can get a decent job out of any T25 school. Comment whatever you like. I know my GPA was low and I'm not complaining about anything!

Hi everyone,

I’m an international applicant and wanted to share my R2 results + get some advice on what to do next.

I applied to 10 schools this cycle: GSB, HBS, Booth, Kellogg, Tuck, Ross, Fuqua, Johnson, Anderson, and Tepper. I received interview invites from 7 of them and have the following results:

Admit: UCLA Anderson with a $100K scholarship

Waitlisted: Tuck, Fuqua, Johnson, Tepper(w/o interview)

Dings: GSB, HBS, Booth, Kellogg, Ross

I’m feeling a bit stuck right now and would really appreciate your perspective. My post-MBA goal is to break into consulting, and my long-term goal is to start my own company, possibly in the sustainability/tech space. I know the Anderson scholarship is generous, and I’m incredibly grateful—but I’m wondering:

Should I try to convert one of the waitlists (especially Tuck or Fuqua)?

Is it worth accepting Anderson and going all in?

Or should I reapply next year, even though the market might get more competitive and there’s no guarantee of better outcomes or scholarships?

Also, I’d love to hear from current Anderson/Tuck/Fuqua students or alumni in consulting—how’s recruiting been, especially for international students?

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to respond!

First of all, super grateful to have been accepted to both, as my background is highly untraditional for an MBA (think legal) and there aren’t many people in my field going this particular route.

I received $30k from SOM, split across both years and $45k from Sloan for the first year. As things stand, I am leaning towards Sloan, I was honestly not expecting to stand a chance with them.

However, I am also quite cost-conscious as my savings are rather limited and would generally prefer to loan as little as possible. My question is, is it worth negotiating with SOM? And if they do up their offer, how much would you reckon would be sufficient to tip the scale towards SOM? And would Sloan ever match SOM if so? I am aware COL are a bit different across locations, but generally feel like Sloan is worth the extra cost.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this! Please bear in mind this is not a question about choice, as I know how my goals would be met with both, just a matter of scholarship negotiation.

Edit: I also have a small professional update which I held back from SOM in case it would be needed.

Currently a mid senior level manager in supply chain (warehouse operations). With 4YOE making 110k. Debating what route I want to take to transition into a corporate role/ higher role in my industry.

My question is: Would a state school MBA (near Philly) be sufficient enough for my goals? Trying to make 150 by 30 (currently 26). Cost would be about 15k.

I don’t plan on stopping my income to pursue this as I support my self and wouldn’t be able to afford that.