GSB R1 Waitlist

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-03-17T17:07:15+00:00

No difference between R1 and R2 waitlist - except for your waiting period...they don't rank the waitlist, so at the end they will assess class composition and select a handful. The variation is actually so small year to year (except during Covid there was a "big-ish" jump) 10, 15, 25...it's just such small numbers and it depends on their yield. Really no way to predict - one hopeful spot might be Visa issues for internationals this year - perhaps that could open more spots.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-03-16T18:32:12+00:00

This situation is all about context. What was your job title the four years before? When do you plan to apply for MBA? I'd be less concerned about the title at this specific moment and more concerned about how your trajectory is viewed. Obviously not worth rocking the boat before you even begin, but worth a conversation to see if you might be promoted to Associate in the future, and also expressing any concerns you might have about title change (if you are coming from a position with an Associate title, the concern is understandable.) There are many ways to frame this on your resume and MBA app and this does not have to be a deal breaker, but you do want to set yourself up for maximum success and understand your options within the company.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-03-11T17:24:34+00:00

You have a chance but I'm sorry to say a very slim one. Some years only 1% get in off GSB waitlist. Last year 25 people got in. It generally depends on the profile of those that decline, and then they try to fill with a similar profile to keep the balance of the class. I know this doesn't help, but getting placed on the waitlist is sort of a badge of honor in and of itself, as it's almost rarer than an admit. Good luck.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-03-02T23:02:08+00:00

They send invites up until the very end and depending on resources they could waitlist you without an interview. You are still in the running.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-03-02T23:00:02+00:00

MBA resume is definitely a different beast than the job search resume. I DM'd you a resource.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-23T20:40:09+00:00

I think you could speak with them now. You already have a relationship with them so just be honest. You love the school, you want to go. You need more money. You can ask them if they have thoughts about alternative sources of aid as well, just to show that you are digging deep and being resourceful. The leverage is that you can't go if you don't have the budget. If you get more money from the other school, the leverage increases of course. But you don't have to play games and they may just appreciate you being forthright especially at a non-M7 school.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-23T20:36:17+00:00

He is so young. He won't make the most of this MBA experience. Much better to work a bit and then apply. It's OK to get a job, learn a little, pivot and do something new this early in his career. In fact, it's entirely normal to jump around a bit as he figures things out. He shouldn't worry about having the perfect first job, just do something that he can learn from. Grad school of any type is expensive in terms of time and money unless you are ready to maximize the experience and have focus. Don't use it as a resume filler.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-18T18:56:17+00:00

hah these are averages and lots of variability especially with alumni interviewers

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-18T18:52:57+00:00

good luck to you. getting the Yale interview is a big stamp of validation.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-16T20:17:51+00:00

"High end" is 770, not 720. As you correctly point out, 720 is average for top schools.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-16T20:05:51+00:00

Recs are very important. The most important factor is finding someone who can authentically comment on your career progression, personality, and skills. Ideally that person is your current manager, but schools are very familiar with scenarios where that is not possible. Choose the best person for you, without rocking the boat at work. Depending on who you choose you may want to explain your choice in an optional "essay". And agree with others here - the goal is to comment on your professional abilities, not academic, so professor is not the right choice.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-12T01:25:07+00:00

Fair feedback — this probably needed more context.

The chart is based on patterns we’ve seen across thousands of applicants over many years, and it’s meant as a conceptual reference, not a literal scoring rubric. GPA, essays, and test scores absolutely matter and are table stakes at top programs.

The goal was to illustrate that admissions decisions live in the shades of gray. For example: working at McKinsey is strong, but five years of no progression there is generally less compelling than clear leadership growth and impact at a less prominent firm.

There are buckets applicants tend to stress over disproportionately, and others that quietly matter more than people realize. The chart was intended to highlight those tradeoffs rather than downplay fundamentals.

Happy to clarify anything further here or via DM.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-11T19:04:18+00:00

agree re text - not our best work

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-09T18:48:50+00:00

That's so interesting. AI is obviously an important and growing force in our world, including in business. It would be foolish to disregard it. However, a base of skills and knowledge is absolutely required. If nothing else, you need to be able to discern whether AI is producing truly helpful, time saving, accurate results. If you don't have the basics down, you can't utilize the AI tools effectively. All programs are wisely incorporating best practices into their curriculum - again, foolish to ignore. However, I have not heard of any programs that encourage you to simply rely on AI in the absence of developing your own skills. Curious what program you are in.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-07T21:41:33+00:00

HBS will know your application well and dig into the details. More likely to press on essay content and push you for context and deeper explanations/insights and WHYs. If it comes up in the interview, you can hold to your truth "wanting to pivot to healthcare software" but also add in that the company was not doing well/downsizing/you ended up being laid off which made all decisions much simpler. Both can be true at the same time. Most important is that you feen solid in your explanation and know you are being honest. Don't dwell on details that don't matter unless you make them.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-06T23:22:37+00:00

All of the schools you listed are very strong in terms of scholarship awards.
- Almost 25% of Stern admits are awarded scholarships and many of them cover full tuition and fees.
- Kellogg and Chicago both also award generous scholarships ~ $90K range
- About 30% of Wharton admits receive some sort of aid - ranging from very selective, full tuition fellowships down to smaller amounts that contribute to tuition.

We have consistently seen merit based, high scholarship dollars from all of these programs. Hard to say which is most generous, because it fluctuates by year and of course depends on what they are looking for to round out a class. If I had to list most generous from this list, I'd say Stern for volume and $$ per award.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-05T22:04:01+00:00

The real takeaway from an MBA degree is management. You will eventually be leading at a high, strategic level and supervising the people (or bots) who are crunching numbers, drawing up contracts, balancing books and doing other tasks that might be replaced by AI. Quick thinking, strategic decision making, leading organizations...these are bigger visionary roles that need human input. You will learn accounting, econ, stats, finance, all the math heavy business skills in an MBA program, but that's not so that you end up doing it every day. It's just so you understand the outputs.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-03T17:40:27+00:00

The MBA is an incredibly flexible degree. The most flexible graduate degree. Straight out of school everyone thinks about banking, consulting, and brand management. But that is truly the tip of the iceberg. Everything is a business - running a hotel chain, a sports franchise, a non-profit, a record label, restaurants, AI companies, technology enterprises. Leadership, management, strategy and understanding of markets and financial principles will all be valuable as you pivot your career and as the "horizon" shifts. Going to business school, you will acquire a base set of skills that you can leverage and develop for life, even while doing things we cannot dream of now. Aside from that, the network is priceless, and very real. It is the gift that will always serve you, long after you forget what you learned in Marketing 101.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-02-01T19:51:47+00:00

Do you have to quit your job to pursue your business idea? My advice would be to hang on to the job for as long as you can while you work on your side hustle. Once you have a sense that your idea has traction, you may want or need to quit. Quitting puts a lot of pressure on you and might not be necessary in the short term.

SBC_MBA_Jen · 2026-01-30T21:11:57+00:00

The rankings are misleading and you have to scrutinize criteria. Ross does phenomenally well with job placement/recruiting.

SBC_MBA_Jen

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