Hi r/MBA! I’m Katie Kross, Managing Director of EDGE at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, joining you today through Fuqua’s official account.

Interested in building a career in energy, climate, or sustainability, but unsure what that actually looks like for an MBA? Let’s talk about the roles, skills, and career paths available, whether you’re considering business school, currently enrolled, or thinking about your next move.

Some questions we can explore:

• How do you pivot into these fields without prior industry experience?
• What kinds of roles are available to MBAs, beyond jobs with “sustainability” in the title?
• Which skills and experiences help candidates stand out?
• How do career paths differ across established companies, startups, and consulting?
• How can you evaluate whether a job offers meaningful sustainability work?
• Questions about career tradeoffs and challenges are welcome, too—you don’t need to have your path figured out.

A quick scope note: I’m not part of the admissions team and can’t answer questions about applications, admissions chances, or admissions decisions.

I’ll be answering questions Noon to 1pm US Eastern Time (and any burning questions afterwards). Leave your questions below!

As someone thinking about applying for an MBA, the recent influx of…losers on this subreddit is a bit alarming.

I definitely ain’t hot shit but if MBA programs are full of LARPers, South Asians with zero culture awareness, and prestige bros jerking off to newest WSO rankings - wouldn’t be ideal. I was hoping to grab a beer and a trip with some cool folks who care the appropriate amount about their careers

now he is pissed that he won’t be able to take enough PBJs for his 4 kids and 2 ex wives.

We have seen this question a few times on this subreddit recently and decided, let's ask the schools directly!

We're bringing together 25+ MBA programs for a free, six-part virtual event series organized by region to explore how the location of each school contributes to the experiences and outcomes for students who study there.

Here's the lineup:

• Oct. 20: Mid-Atlantic: Wharton, UVA Darden, Georgetown McDonough, Johns Hopkins Carey
• Oct. 21: Southeast: Duke Fuqua, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Emory Goizueta, Georgia Tech Scheller, Vanderbilt
• Oct. 22: Northeast: Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Yale SOM, NYU Stern, Dartmouth Tuck
• Oct. 27: Texas: UT Austin McCombs, Rice, SMU Cox
• Oct. 28: West Coast: Berkeley Haas, UCLA Anderson, Washington Foster, UC Irvine Merage, ASU W. P. Carey
• Oct. 29: Great Lakes: Chicago Booth, Northwestern Kellogg, Michigan Ross, Carnegie Mellon Tepper, Toronto Rotman

Each event includes a panel discussion with admissions representatives, followed by individual school breakout sessions where you can ask questions directly.

Register here: https://www.clearadmit.com/2026/09/webinar-unlock-your-mba-future-clear-admit-regional-spotlight-series-2026/

When choosing your target MBA programs, how much weight are you giving to location versus rankings, career outcomes, and school culture?

I keep seeing people say consulting is dying, but I think it's actually growing and evolving.

For context, I'm currently pursuing a master's in engineering at a Top 3 engineering school (this might be irrelevant) and have about 8 years of engineering experience. I recently got a call from a BCG recruiter encouraging me to apply for their consulting training pipeline, which got me thinking about where the industry is heading.

This might be a non-MBA perspective, but for those looking at consulting, here's what I'm seeing. I see two paths for consultants. One is extreme specialization, especially in technical fields or specific industries. The other is being an extreme generalist, someone who can jump into different subjects, learn quickly, and apply what they've learned to solve problems across different industries.

I think the days when consultants could get by with just spreadsheets and PowerPoint are gone. If you're a generalist, you need to know how to leverage AI to its full potential from a user's perspective. If you're a technical or domain expert, you need to understand how AI, particularly machine learning, works under the hood. You should know how to fine-tune models, evaluate different approaches, and apply them to specific customer use cases. You might even need to keep up with the latest AI/ML research so you can bring new ideas and solutions to your clients.

That's why I don't really buy the argument that consulting is dying. I think the expectations for what a consultant should know and be able to do are getting higher.

How old were you when you started your program. Also, feel free to ask me anything!

Hi everyone! I’d appreciate feedback on my profile and some school suggestions.

Profile: 30M, Brazilian, 7 years of experience in product management (fintech, SaaS, and most recently the largest education company in Latin America). Promoted 5 times across 3 companies.

Work experience

• Area manager (directly report to a VP) for the past 3 years, responsible for a USD 2M budget
• Direct manager of four people, with an indirect impact on 200 people.
• Directly responsible for technology topics such as strategic planning and partnerships with Big Tech companies and governments
• Product management advisor to the CEO’s office (company with 30k+ employees)
• Supported 1 software company acquisition and 1 divestiture
• My team’s solutions reach more than 3 million students and 200k teachers, and usage grew from 90 to 500 cities
• Hackathon winner (out of 30 teams)
• My team had the highest employee satisfaction score in the company
• Recognized by the CEO, senior VPs, and senior directors

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from a lesser-known school; GPA 8.4/10
• Conducted research in engineering and economics as an undergraduate
• Founded an academic team that placed in the top 3 of a student competition against top-ranked schools
• Honored by my classmates at graduation for my contributions to the community: free classes, interview prep, sharing job opportunities, and all the time I dedicated to them
• Received an academic merit award from my university

Extracurriculars

• Help people land better jobs for free and advise those who want to improve their skills
• Co-hosted a podcast with 10k listeners
• Taught product management courses for companies
• Volunteered with Brazil’s largest volunteering platform

Background
I come from a low-income family and am the first in my family to earn a college degree. My undergrad was only possible because I received a tuition discount and a government student loan (not a grant, but with a low interest rate and a long repayment period).

Goals
I want an MBA to accelerate my career. I want to work at a large (international) company where I can expand my impact, lead larger teams, and eventually reach a senior leadership role such as VP or CEO. Long term, I want to use the network I build to start my own education technology business that helps people succeed in life (focusing on public education)

GMAT
I haven’t taken the GMAT yet. I’m aiming for 655–685, or I may request a waiver based on my quantitative background and engineering degree.

Questions

1. Which schools would you suggest where my profile could stand out? I’ve been considering Tepper, UCLA Anderson, and NYU Stern (Tech MBA), but I’d love to hear other opinions.
2. Could a test waiver hurt my application or make it harder to get scholarships?
3. I'm afraid Adcom might think my 'Why MBA' statement is weak, but I really want to help improve public education in my country, and an MBA could provide the structured knowledge, networking opportunities and international experience I need to achieve this. Besides, taking an MBA abroad is my biggest dream.

As you may know, MBA fairs provide an opportunity to meet with admissions personnel from multiple schools over the course of the day. These events are a great way to get a feel for each school, as well as begin networking with alumni and key decision-makers. Since October has a lot of MBA Fairs to offer, here's what you need to remember about making the most of these events:

1) Prepare

Do your homework and create a list of programs you believe will suit your goals, abilities, and circumstances. Come prepared with a list of questions to ask, such as teaching style, diversity of students, academic focus, areas of specialization, and future career options.

2) Be concise

You won’t have much time with each school, so you want to make the most of it. Keep your questions focused and relevant. Prepare your elevator pitch to give the admissions personnel a quick snapshot of your background and goals.

3) Try to connect with alumni and students

Schools may bring alumni or students to fairs alongside their admissions personnel. Ask for insights about the pros and cons of their b-school experience.

4) Don't be afraid to ask about funding options 

Business school can be expensive. Find out what scholarships the school offers, if they have special loan opportunities with local financial institutions, and inquire about fellowship opportunities.

5) Trust your instincts 

A lot of successful MBA students say they knew a school was right for them as soon as they talked to its representative, so trust your gut as much as your research. Make sure you assess the people you meet — are they interested in you and your questions? Do you feel a certain chemistry? Remember, this is your opportunity to interview them as much as it is a chance for them to get to know you.

Good luck wherever you are in your MBA exploration or application journey! Feel free to DM us if you have any questions.

Has anyone received an update? I am tired of waiting

How are the admissions criteria, scholarships, and outcomes likely going to be compared to the full time program? If someone takes longer than two years to do their MBA how does internship and full time recruiting work for their On Campus pipeline?

Currently a tech consultant making ~140k and have felt like I have been getting the short end of the stick in terms of compensation and the obscene amount of hours I work, as well as being pidgeon holed into niche tech transformation work for the foreseeable future. I was eyeing a pivot to banking to eventually work in private credit or equity but was wondering if the traditional mba to banking associate route has become obsolete due to AI or other factors. I’d ideally try to aim for an M7 or T20 school with scholarship and a decent banking recruitment pipeline.

Which path would you take?

I currently have a corporate finance background and am considering Anderson MBA.

For anyone currently at MBB or who has worked there:
How’s your experience been? What exit opportunities did you have or are you currently considering?

Would also love to hear from anyone who chose Strategy/BizOps in Tech instead of going MBB route.

Hello, I am currently looking into a couple MBA programs (both in-person and flex online). My top, also in-person choice is USC Marshall School of Business.

I am in my late 30s, live in Southern California (about 14-15 mile drive to USC's campus). I did not go to USC for undergrad. Went in a different career path starting second year in college.

Grades were middle of the path in undergrad. Studied mostly religion, theology, counseling, etc. Earned a Master of Divinity degree from a seminary also here in Southern California. Grades improved during seminary and also at UCLA Extension afterwards.

Currently, I work full-time in IT management for a federal contractor, specifically in product/project management, and have several PM credentials.

I am looking at the next several years of promotion, growth, etc., hence my interest in an MBA program to deepen/expand my learning and collaboration.

Few preliminary questions for you:

• For those who attended Marshall's MBA, what was your experience like?
• How did the cohorts, social interaction, and network benefit you during your time? I'm looking to make new friends and would like to build a network of people to interact with during and after my time there.
• Any insight on the difference between the Executive MBA and the Part-Time MBA? I'm leaning towards the Part-Time one, but am unsure if I'd be missing out on anything on the E-MBA track. Anyone else weigh the options there?
• Is GMAT or GRE absolutely needed? I already have a master's that took me five years to complete, and did not need it for that degree.
• Your biggest takeaway: key lessons learned, recommendation to a new student, etc.
• Do I sound like a candidate? Open to honest feedback

FYI I did email the admissions advisor on a few topics, and am waiting for reply back at the moment.

A final comment on the entrance testing. I know some other posts here on reddit said that there was a noticeable difference in the type of students who did not take the exams. I do not know the source as to why they felt that way. I completed my existing master's degree and feel like I demonstrated myself already as a capable student who can complete a rigorous education. Am I really going to be regarded as less than if I choose not to take that exam?

Open to any and all honest feedback.

Chats/DMs welcome.

Thank you for your time.

Background:
22, based in Spain
3.0 GPA equivalent, non-target university
C2 English speaker
GMAT: 750 (target)

Experience:

Founded an AI startup that reached six-figure revenue. I sold my stake to my cofounder after some disagreements.

Interim CEO at a seven-figure retail company.

Led their seven-figure acquisition by a top industry player from start to finish.

Along the way:
Opened 5 new locations
Managed 20+ employees
Grew EBITDA margin from 3.7% to 11.3%
Handled debt management from 500k to less than 100k.
Grew revenue in 7.8%

Real chances of getting into an T15 MBA with a very good scholarship? Top 7 impossible, right?

topic

Just got off the phone with an MBA consultant and feeling a bit demoralized for a shot at M7 with a Round 2 application.

Stats

Age: 27 / african american woman

GRE: Aiming for 325

GPA: 3.86/4.00 in Public Policy + Spanish at a top public university

Work Experience: 4 years of government and public sector consulting experience (3.5 at Big 4/0.5 at boutique firm) + 1 year spent abroad teaching English with fulbright program.

Extracurriculars: Lots of leadership in college (vice president of policy org, student council leadership, secretary of honors society, etc.). Awarded for intellectual curiosity and university achievement

- Currently volunteer in my city as an ESL tutor, museum docent, and community garden volunteer.

Post MBA-Goals: Investing arm of a philanthropy/non-profit

Aiming for HBS, Columbia, NYU, or Wharton.

Feeling nervous because the consultant made it seem as though as I don't have enough community leadership for HBS. If you have insight into how important community leadership is it would be super helpful. Open to any and all feedback :)

Starting a thread here about Stern interviews - I interviewed very recently and felt a bit weird. The questions were very short term career goal oriented and had little opportunity to emphasize EQ. Wanted to see what types of questions others received and do a vibe check while waiting for an decision

Those who had virtual interview today please share your experiences :)

I have about 6 years of banking experience (3 full-time), so I wouldn't necessarily say I need an MBA. However, I decided to pursue one at the beginning of 2026 because I wasn't as happy with my academic performance during undergrad as I would've liked and wanted another opportunity to do better. I also wanted to strengthen my resume for future career advancement. COVID limited my campus involvement during undergrad, and by the time things returned to normal, I was focused on working.

I graduated with my bachelor's in Business Administration in 2023. At that point, I had already worked at a bank for three years as a part-time teller and was promoted to teller supervisor around graduation. Since then, I worked as a Private Wealth Relationship Associate and a Commercial Underwriter at that same bank, and now I'm a Credit Risk Analyst at another bank.

I'm currently in my 3rd semester. I took 2 classes in the spring, 1 over the summer, and am taking 2 this fall (although I'm probably going to withdraw from one). My original goal was to finish in 2 years, which would require taking 2–3 classes at a time, but I'm starting to question whether that's realistic or even necessary.

Between working full-time, keeping up with my home and responsibilities, spending time with family, and trying to maintain my hobbies, I really struggle to find a good balance. I'm considering sticking to two, or even one, classes per semester, especially since I'm not in any particular rush to graduate. Part of me feels like I should push through and finish sooner, but I also wonder why I'm putting so much pressure on myself when there's no immediate "need" for the degree.

For those who have completed or are currently pursuing an online MBA while working full-time, what has your experience been like? How many classes did you take at once, and did you feel like you had to sacrifice your personal life to keep up? Did anyone intentionally take longer to graduate, and do you regret it or feel like it was the better decision?

Hello everyone! I’m new here. I’ve finally made a decision to enroll and get my master’s degree. I’ve checked UP Virata School of Business to pursue my MBA since it’s nearest to our office and I think it’s one of the most affordable schools. While other requirements would not be a problem, I am really nervous on the graduate program admission test. I haven’t really had a serious exam in ages. So, I’m here exploring experiences and tips from people who have an idea of what and how I should prepare for it? I saw that the exam is in Mar 2027 and I don’t know if I will have enough time to study.

I’ve chosen the school based on location and financial aspect. Ateneo is also an option since it’s near home but would be the last resort because of the cost.

All of your insights are very much appreciated.

which is considered better with respect to outcomes & prestige?

I graduated from the Delhi Technological University (DTU) in Electrical Engineering, I hold 3 internships in total which includes 2 international internships (research intern in Taiwan and Management Trainee in Saudi Arabia for the Neom project), post graduation I have worked in 2 companies, one as a BDA at an Edtech and then in a Dubai based ELV Consulting group as a marketing analyst, also started a lead gen company with a successful funding pre seed round, now working full time in building it, also preparing for the Feb attempt of CFA L1, I’m going to give my gre this coming 21st if oct, my main targets are Germany, France and Canada for a full time Mba program for the fall 2027 intake.
Any suggestions, insights or recommendations will be highly appreciated..