Clear Admit: MBA News, Admissions Advice & Trends

26 year old white male in doing research at a pre-clinical biotech, and I want to switch into the business aspect of the life sciences indsutry. Post-MBA I hope to pivot into IB to learn how pre-revenue life science companies are financed, then thinking long term doing corp dev at a biotech.

3.4 GPA from a top 30 college in the US. Less than ideal GPA, not sure if I should talk about it in optional essays; I'm hoping my GRE will offset this.

329 GRE (165Q/164V)

Two promotions at current company, I think I will have strong recommendations from here.

ECs are mostly fitness based. I have run 4 half marathons and volunteer coach youth soccer.

June 21, 2025 8:10am ET

Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2026

Pre-MBA Career: Public

Post-MBA Target Industry: Technology

GMAT: 685

GPA: 3.0

Years of Work Experience: 10

Location: South Korea

Notes:

I'm concerned about my lower GPA and a GMAT score that isn't particularly high compared to the average.

In the public sector, I was responsible for planning, introducing, and operating new technologies, applying robotics, AI, and cloud services to my organization.

I think a key differentiator for my role is that I frequently planned, procured, and managed projects typically ranging from $10~50million, which is quite different from a traditional revenue-generating role.

My top choice school is Stanford—do you think these unique aspects of my profile could be a strong differentiator when I apply?

June 20, 2025 11:16am ET

Applying: Duke / Fuqua, Harvard Business School, Johns Hopkins / Carey, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, UCLA Anderson, UPenn / Wharton

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: Research Project Manager, Top 10 Academic Hospital

Post-MBA Target Industry: Pharmaceutical Companies: Merck , Pfizer , Roche

GPA: 3.86

Years of Work Experience: 5

Location: San Francisco, CA

Post MBA Location: California

Notes:

Looking at 2 year full time MBA programs & MS/MBA programs in biotech/life sciences/etc.

MBA Internship Goal: Target hospital administration or health system consulting, prioritizing large medical centers on the East or West Coasts
Short-Term Career Goal: Director of Patient Services / Quality Improvement lead OR Project Manager / Strategy Analyst for Executive Office - Both roles in either a public or private hospital system. Hopes to get involved with the hospital's ethics committee during time in role.
Long-Term Career Goal: Senior leadership in hospital administration (e.g., Chief Ethics Officer, Chief Operating Officer) with a strong foundation in bioethics, influencing institutional policy, and patient-centered decision-making at the intersection of ethics, strategy, and care delivery.

Extracurriculars: Research Conference Planning Committee (2+ years, current); Mentor for first-gen high school students (2+ years); Pickleball League Captain (7 months, current); Therapeutic Riding Instructor / Fundraising Committee Member (3.5 years, past)

June 18, 2025 5:57am ET

Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Columbia, Cornell / Johnson, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: Army Officer

Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Other Companies: Booz Allen Hamilton , BCG , McKinsey , Amazon , Google , IBM , Microsoft , Oracle

GPA: 3.74

Years of Work Experience: 7

Location: Hartford, CT

Post MBA Location: NYC Metro or NE Area

Notes:

Currently working through time as an army recruiting commander. I am very adaptable since I have managed teams across combat arms, IT/communications, as well as recruiting. I have higher education in the form of a M.S. in International Relations from Liberty University as well as cybersecurity certifications such as CompTIA SEC+ and CySA+. Involved in community with Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion aiding veterans and military outreach. My desired post-MBA career paths include project management, IT/cybersecurity management, or consulting in those two fields.

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MBA Livewire

June 22, 2025 6:04am ET

Rejected from Waitlist at USC / Marshall

Round: Round 2

Received via portal June 22, 2025

Standardized Test: GRE

GRE: 306

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Marketing

Note:

This has been by far THE WORST admissions team handled horribly by the admissions team. And I had a good interview in February, since then I have been waiting, it’s insane, they asked me to send up to 5 documents and still a rejection. I am beyond angry that they dragged this on for so long.

By far the worst team I’ve ever encountered with.

June 21, 2025 10:58am ET

Accepted from Waitlist to Columbia

Round: Round 3

Received via portal

Standardized Test: Executive Assessment (EA)

GPA: 3.62

EA: 157

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

June 21, 2025 1:17am ET

Accepted from Waitlist to UCLA Anderson

Round: Round 2

Received via phone June 20, 2025

Standardized Test: Granted Waiver

GPA: 3.29

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Finance

Note:

Missed phone call twice but received official letter on 6/20.

June 21, 2025 12:37am ET

Applying to All Schools

Round: Round 1

Received via phone

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: 2.77

GRE: 318

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Consulting

Application Location: Nashville, TN

June 20, 2025 9:24pm ET

Accepted from Waitlist to UCLA Anderson

Round: Round 3

Received via phone June 20, 2025

Standardized Test: GMAT

GPA: 3.3

GMAT: 725

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Other

Application Location: United States, Los Angeles

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MBA DecisionWire

UVA

June 14, 2025 5:27am ET

Enrolled: UVA / Darden

Admitted: Michigan / Ross $

$100,000

, UCLA Anderson , USC / Marshall $

$60,000

, UVA / Darden $

$169,000

Applied: Berkeley / Haas, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, UCLA Anderson, USC / Marshall, UVA / Darden

Entering Year: 2025

Post MBA Career: Consulting Companies: AT Kearney, Bain, BCG, McKinsey

GRE: 321

GPA: 3.1

Location: San Francisco

Notes:

Applied to programs that would allow me to return out west, UVA really impressed me by showing up multiple times to San Francisco. Applied to 5/8 schools in r2, interviewed at 3, admit only at Marshall & WL at Fuqua. Retooled my strategy for r3 and went 3/3 including a full ride — glad I abandoned a nonviable strategies.

Yal

June 10, 2025 11:39am ET

Enrolled: Yale SOM

Admitted: U. Chicago Booth $

$50000

, Dartmouth / Tuck $

$60000

, Yale SOM $

$60000

Applied: Dartmouth / Tuck, Yale SOM, UPenn / Wharton, MIT Sloan, Columbia, U. Chicago Booth

Entering Year: 2025

Post MBA Career: Pharmaceutical Companies: Astra Zeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Pfizer

GRE: 340

GPA: 3.5

CMU

June 9, 2025 11:05am ET

Enrolled: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper

Admitted: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper $

$100000

, NYU Stern , UT Austin / McCombs $

$30000

Applied: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, NYU Stern, UT Austin / McCombs

Entering Year: 2025

Post MBA Career: Technology, Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship

GMAT: 720

GPA: 3.44

Location: New York City

Notes:

Like that Tepper seems more focused on tech and entrepreneurship than Stern (more consulting and finance focus), and slightly more than McCombs. Tepper also gave me much more in scholarships than the other programs. Chatted with several students and faculty to come to this decision. #1 advice is a clear set of goals during/post MBA and why X school

Mic

June 8, 2025 5:10pm ET

Enrolled: Michigan / Ross

Admitted: Michigan / Ross $

$80000

Applied: Duke / Fuqua, Harvard Business School, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, NYU Stern, UPenn / Wharton, Columbia

Entering Year: 2025

Post MBA Career: Technology, Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship Companies: Apple, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Andressen Horowitz, Draper Fisher, NEA, Sequoia Capital

GMAT: 695

GPA: 2.91

Location: New York City

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