P&Q’s Must Reads: Big Brand B-Schools Tiptoe Into The Online MBA Market

 

Hello everyone  –- Welcome back to Poets&Quants’ Must Reads, a quick, digestible recap of the top business school news, sponsored by CentreCourt, P&Q’s virtual admission events.

I’m your host, Kristy Bleizeffer, and I’ll be highlighting the most important P&Q stories you might have missed. So, Let’s get to it. 

No. 1: How They Got In

Some of our most popular features at Poets&Quants are stories about how MBA candidates navigated the complicated application process to get into their dream schools. These provide invaluable dos and don’ts for people just beginning their MBA journey.

This week, we’ve got several of these inspiring stories to share. There’s this enterprising candidate who got into six elite MBA programs – including Harvard, Wharton, and MIT Sloan. And this first-generation college student, son of Pakistani immigrants, who just graduated from Chicago Booth at the ripe old age of 22. 

You’ll also find a swath of other student stories in our Friday’s With Sandy series. In these weekly videos, HBS guru Sandy Kreisberg offers advice to prospective MBAs on getting into their dream schools. Find the videos on our homepage.

No. 2: Harvard Portrait Project

For 20 years, Tony Deifell has asked 712 MBAs graduating from Harvard Business Schools to reflect on a question simple to ask, somewhat harder to answer: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Their responses, along with with Tony’s striking black-and-white photos, make up the Harvard Portrait Project, a beloved HBS tradition since Deifell started the project in 2002. 

Says former HBS dean Kim Clark: “The mission of HBS is to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. That’s what you read when you go through these essays.”

In honor of the 20 year anniversary of the project, we spoke with the creator about the project’s lasting legacy. We also featured 10 of the portraits and essays from this year’s graduating class. You can find both stories now on our homepage.

No. 3: News You Can Use

This past week, we’ve published several great stories in the News You Can Use category. If you’re at any point in the MBA journey, take a minute to check them out.

First, Melissa Jones of Fortuna Admissions, walks you through the steps of choosing the right MBA admissions coach. And Sia Admissions founder explains the power of stories in your MBA application. 

Next, for those at the end of their journey and looking to embark on their new careers, P&Q author Greg Lang offers a great collection of advice from the faculty of Harvard Business School.  

All of these stories–and much more tips, advice, and resources–can be found in our admissions hub, accessible from our main menu.

No. 4: Santa Clara Leavey — The Other B-School In The Heart Of Silicon Valley

Finally, Poets&Quants editor Marc Ethier takes a deep dive look at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University – one of three business schools located in the worldwide hub of entrepreneurship. The school is enjoying some of its best rankings ever for several of its programs and is looking to capitalize.

“Many people call us a hidden gem,” says a senior assistant dean of the school. “I’d like to take the word ‘hidden’ away from that. I’d like us just to be the gem.”

Read the full feature in our MBA news tab from our main navigation menu.

And, that’s it for this week’s Must Reads recap. But, before I go, I want to alert all the school seekers out there to CentreCourt’s upcoming MBA Festival events. These events connect prospective students with admission experts, alumni, and career development teams at the top MBA programs around the country – and the world. 

Our next series, MBA Voices, is happening June 7-8, and you can register for free on our events tab at Poets&Quants.com. 

For online MBA prospects, our next Backstage event is July 12. This is your chance to hear from current students, admission teams, and alumni from some of the best online programs around. Register on our events page

Thank you for listening. Again, I’m Kristy Bleizeffer with Poets&Quants, and you can join me next week, right here, for a recap of what’s important in the world of business education. Stay informed!

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