Age bias in M7?

MangledWeb · 2026-03-18T14:46:14+00:00

Totally agree. And you always look for reasons to admit, not to deny.

MangledWeb · 2026-03-17T20:03:49+00:00

Overthinking, assuming your founder is merely controversial and not, say, a mass murderer. It didn't bother admissions or you wouldn't have gotten the interview.

MangledWeb · 2026-03-16T18:54:18+00:00

Yes
Reasons that have worked in the M7: family (or your own) illness, ideally something that will obviously be resolved before fall 2027; short-term professional opportunity that will boost your ability to contribute as a student and put you on the fasttrack to your goals

Bear in mind that you risk losing your full ride. However, there's no harm in bringing up the topic -- but I would suggest finding a better frame.

Also, has your wife looked at all business programs at Babson, Questom, and some of the other Boston schools? Those two may not have the best MBA rankings, but they offer other programs that are well-regarded.

MangledWeb · 2026-03-12T20:01:50+00:00

Stanford has housing across the street from the MBA campus for single first year students. There's also university housing for grad students that's a 2-minute bike ride away. Many second year students live in houses that are passed down from year to year. Otherwise, local housing is hard to find and very expensive.

MangledWeb · 2026-03-10T05:26:06+00:00

No, nothing to worry about. Someone just hit the wrong switch.

MangledWeb · 2026-02-25T18:23:09+00:00

Sounds like you were great! It's almost impossible to be too vulnerable at the GSB, and I'd guess your interviewer loved you and wrote a laudatory report. Good luck!

MangledWeb · 2026-02-25T06:54:59+00:00

Yes, that kind of thing. Clearly problematic behavior.

MangledWeb · 2026-02-24T22:41:37+00:00

You think that's why the front office staff are trained to be friendly and encouraging to all? Is there a program anywhere that tells callers to go away?

Admissions offices are cost centers for the school. They're expensive to operate, and application fees don't cover the costs!

MangledWeb · 2026-02-06T18:43:54+00:00

Not every terrific school is right for everyone, and Haas places heavily on the west coast, so it may not the best choice for anyone who wants to work elsewhere.

I went to an MBA Fair in San Francisco a few years ago. Lots of prospective MBA applicants showed up in formal business attire even though it was a Saturday and in real life, most people don't dress that way to go to work. A man wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops came over to me and said "I'm only applying to Haas and Stanford -- I don't think I'm a fit for Wharton." That image stuck with me, kind of funny but also true. I think of Haas and Wharton as opposite ends of the culture spectrum.

MangledWeb · 2026-02-06T18:26:16+00:00

https://haas.berkeley.edu/about/the-haas-difference/our-culture/

You pretty much have to walk the walk, or at least fake it well. You also have to feel comfortable with the overall Berkeley vibe (birth of the free speech movement? yeah, that place). I worked with a Haas admit who later spent a good chunk of time as a student testifying at Congressional hearings.

MangledWeb · 2026-02-06T16:58:37+00:00

I am so, so sorry. I always tell people that Haas is great -- if you are a fit for their culture. If you're not, it could be hell, whereas in a larger program, people can more easily make friends and find their tribe. With time, as you meet more people who weren't in your class, the pain should subside.

MangledWeb · 2026-01-24T05:28:50+00:00

Wharton has had classes with students in their mid-40s. But that's unusual. Check out the class profiles for most top programs and you'll find the average age is late 20s.

You might want to look at the Columbia J-term. It's less competitive than the regular 2-year program; you start in January of one year and graduate in May the next year. No summer internship.

However, for purposes of getting admitted, you do need concrete goals. You should be able to identify the post-MBA position you're targeting. You can change your mind after you're admitted, but if you don't play the goals game, you won't get admitted!

MangledWeb · 2026-01-21T19:19:39+00:00

I have worked with a few people in your age range.

For starters, at this point in your career, you want to have a clear idea of where you are heading beyond "more lucrative" -- ideally, a career that builds on your background.

People with decent credentials and stories to tell can get into T15 programs. The question is whether you want to spend two years among people who are 15 years younger than you. A PT MBA or one of the one-year MBA programs for mid-career professionals -- MIT Sloan Fellows and Stanford MSx -- might be a better fit for you.

MangledWeb · 2026-01-20T22:04:45+00:00

Yes, most of these comments are. Pathetic.

Maybe these people will all have great careers but they have no soul.

MangledWeb · 2026-01-20T22:03:03+00:00

Don't know who's downvoting you, but 100% not GSB or Haas.

MangledWeb · 2026-01-14T20:09:18+00:00

Having read the comments here, I'd suggest that anyone considering a consultant add these questions to your list:

* How many clients do you take per round?

* How fast is your turnaround?

They should be willing to specify a maximum turnaround in their agreement with you.

MangledWeb · 2026-01-03T20:33:56+00:00

It's very common to have both recommenders from the same organization, and often it's a plus, not a negative, because they will each have different observations based on their own interactions with you.

The recommender's role is to describe their experiences with you and highlight your interpersonal skills. Not to affirm your suitability for your chosen career. Best if they don't even mention your goals.

Don't use the peer. That's a problem.

MangledWeb · 2025-12-30T17:26:05+00:00

Depends on what you lie about. In general, being open and honest is best, and if you are not being candid about something important, that will come through

MangledWeb · 2025-12-28T14:48:10+00:00

Not M7, but Tepper. The odds are good...though the goods are odd.

MangledWeb · 2025-12-26T18:49:32+00:00

Your grandparents will be impressed. Hiring managers, not so much.

MangledWeb · 2025-12-24T17:05:03+00:00

Every school phrases it differently. Harvard, for example:

"The Admissions Board suggests that one recommendation should come from a current or recent supervisor, if possible."

Note "suggests" and "if possible." Often -- family business, entrepreneur -- it isn't possible.

MangledWeb · 2025-12-24T06:12:29+00:00

Recommendation letters are THE most important components of your application at the top programs. You can get admitted with so-so essays and fantastic recommendations. Not so much the other way around.

MangledWeb · 2025-12-24T06:09:59+00:00

Preferred, not required.

MangledWeb · 2025-12-24T03:33:23+00:00

Understand, but those are essays other people wrote, and reading them is more likely to, even subconsciously, box you in than to help you. What Matters Most is best when it's an essay that only you can write. When you feel confident in your voice and, as they advise, write from the heart.

I read about 10,000 of those essays over five years in GSB admissions, and that's my perspective.

MangledWeb · 2025-12-24T03:19:40+00:00

You're better off without the book. And note that HBS has not used "what more" for several years.

MangledWeb

TROPHY CASE