Because you spend so many of your waking hours working, and the MBA is the vehicle you are choosing to use to drive your career forward, you may naturally believe that your professional experiences are all that matter to the admissions committees. Do not get us wrong: you need to have strong professional stories to share, but top-tier business schools are looking for much more than just examples of professional excellence. If you discuss only your work experiences in your application, you will present yourself as a one-dimensional character, and today’s managers need to demonstrate that they can handle a multitude of tasks, situations, and personalities—both inside and outside the workplace.
In Episode 123 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Jim Caruso, chief innovation officer at Elevate and a graduate of the Michigan Ross Online MBA program. Before pursuing his MBA, Jim had already founded companies, sold a software business, and spent years leading product development. So why did he feel the need to obtain the degree? And why was an online program ultimately his preference? His experience illustrates how an online MBA program can serve a professional who wants to deepen specific capabilities without leaving the workforce.
Emory University’s Goizueta Business School requires applicants to respond to three short-answer questions, craft two relatively brief written essays, and record a one-minute “small talk” video essay. Two of the three short-answer questions address common MBA essay topics: one’s short-term professional objectives and how the school can help in achieving them. The third, however, asks candidates to share a “fun fact” about themselves. Applicants must also respond to two prompts with essays not exceeding 300 words each. The school’s video essay element might cause some candidates a bit of anxiety, given that Goizueta provides no advance information about what question they will be asked, thereby requiring candidates to be ready to respond extemporaneously. If needed, applicants can use the optional essay to provide clarification about any unclear acpects of their candidacy. Read on for our full analysis of these elements of Goizueta’s 2026–2027 application.
With many MBAs actively engaged in job searching right now, we are fielding a lot of questions about how to be more effective in that search. One key element is knowing how to talk about yourself, including responding effectively to the prompt “Tell me about yourself” in both casual networking and formal interview settings.
Individuals working in traditional, highly represented fields such as consulting and finance—as well as those in less-conventional areas, such as science, engineering, healthcare, and operations—sometimes reach a point when their existing expertise no longer provides every tool they need for the next stage of their career. Pursuing an MBA from a full-time, two-year program is certainly an option to facilitate advancement, but it is not the only one.
In Episode 122 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky speaks with Ricardo Heredia, a biotech scientist, life sciences investor, and recent MIT Sloan Fellows MBA graduate. Ricardo explains how the program helped him combine his deep scientific and pharmaceutical experience with finance, entrepreneurship, and life sciences investing.
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