The mbaMission Podcast
Every Tuesday, The mbaMission Podcast delivers expert, unfiltered insights into the world of elite business school admissions. Hosted by Senior Admissions Consultant Harold Simansky alongside mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald, the show strips away the guesswork of applying to top-tier MBA programs. Through candid conversations, timely market updates, and exclusive interviews with top admissions directors and industry insiders, Harold and the team break down every piece of the application mosaic—from essay drafting and resume optimization to interview preparation and post-MBA career mapping. Whether you are a traditional candidate aiming to differentiate yourself or a unique applicant navigating the process for the first time, The mbaMission Podcast is your definitive, go-to resource for actionable strategies, data-backed advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to get accepted to your dream school.
Episodes
122 episodes
MIT Sloan Fellows MBA: A One-Year Career Accelerator | Ep 122
Which MBA candidates should choose the MIT Sloan Fellows MBA over a traditional two-year MBA or executive MBA program?In Episode 122 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky speaks with Ricardo Her...
Inside Cornell Tech’s One-Year MBA: Innovation, Careers, and Impact | Ep 121
The Johnson Cornell Tech MBA offers an accelerated path for professionals who know they want to work where business and technology intersect.In Episode 121 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky ...
What Strengthens an MBA Application? (Your Questions Answered) | Ep 120
Which admissions test should you take? Can you overcome a lower GPA? How should reapplicants choose their recommenders, and how much clarity do business schools expect applicants to have about their career goals?In Episode 120 of The mb...
How Duke Fuqua Helps MBAs Build Lasting Careers | Ep 119
In this episode, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Shari Hubert, associate dean of admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, about MBA career outcomes and the school’s approach ...
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Finding MBA Programs Outside the Top Ten That Fit Your Goals | Ep 118
The perfect MBA program to get you closer to your goals might be outside the top ten.In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky, mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald, and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya di...
HBS Online Core Business Essentials for MBA Applicants | Ep 117
Can Harvard Business School (HBS) Online’s Core Business Essentials program help MBA applicants prove they are ready for the classroom?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and M...
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Why “Team Fuqua” Is More Than a Motto and How It Turns Culture into Leadership | Ep 116
What does Team Fuqua mean for Duke MBA students once they arrive on campus?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald continue their conversation with Sha...
AI in MBA Admissions: Your Unique Voice Beats Polished Sameness | Ep 115
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya discuss how MBA candidates can use AI responsibly when preparing their applications, without losing their un...
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What Duke Fuqua Looks for in MBA Applicants When Building “Team Fuqua” | Ep 114
What does Duke Fuqua’s admissions team want candidates to understand before they start working on their application to the school’s MBA program?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Siman...
Is an MBA Worth is in 2026 and Beyond? | Ep 113
Is an MBA still worth the investment in 2026? What about in the years ahead?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky, Founder Jeremy Shinewald, and Managing Director Gavriella Semay...
From Waitlist to Startup CEO: Clyde Anderson’s MIT Sloan Story | Ep 112
What does starting a company during business school really demand beyond a strong idea?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and Gatehouse Founder Liza Weale sit down with GrowthFactor CEO and MIT Sloan...
Beyond the Essay: How Top Consultants Guide Candidates to Strong MBA Applications | Ep 111
How do MBA admissions consultants help their clients beyond editing their essays?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky sits down with two highly experienced admissions consultants, mbaMission Managing D...
The Future of Work and Reinventing Work | Ep 110
The old deal with work is broken. Leaders today are looking for a way to get their company’s culture back, but an expert in the consulting space argues that rather than returning to old ways, we should be reinventing work from scratch.In...
How to Avoid Business School Application Mistakes | Ep 109
In this episode, listeners learn how to optimize the formatting of their resume, strategically handle issues with their transcript, and make their short-answer responses effective.Host and mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald talks with E...
Understanding the Case Method with HBS Professor Joshua Margolis | Ep 108
What is the case method, and how does it work at Harvard Business School (HBS)? Plus, what should MBA applicants know before they enroll?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Executive Di...
Real Estate as an MBA Career Path with Frank Cohen | Ep 107
Is real estate a feasible career path for MBA students? And how can one break into the industry?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Frank Cohen, a Bo...
Why “Nontraditional” MBA Applicants Don't Exist (And What Does) | Ep 106
Are any MBA applicants truly “nontraditional” applicants?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Harold Simansky is joined by Jeremy Shinewald, the founder of mbaMission, to examine a common notion in MBA admissions: that of ...
The Truth About Informal Business School Endorsements | Ep 105
What role do informal letters of recommendation play in business school admissions decisions? Host Harold Simansky is joined by Melissa Blakeslee, an experienced MBA admissions consultant and former admissions director, to clarify w...
MBA Networking That Leads to Referrals | Ep 104
How can MBA applicants and business school students network effectively?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and Jessica Shklar, mbaMission Executive Director, speak with Jeff Yolen, CEO and founder of...
How to Define Your Post-MBA Career Goals | Ep 103
How do you figure out what your post-MBA career goals should be when you only know you want change but do not yet understand what that change entails?In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Harold Simansky speaks with Melissa...
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Reapplying to Business School: MBA Admissions Strategies for Reapplicants | Ep. 102
Many successful MBA applicants were not accepted the first time they applied.In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by mbaMission Executive Director Jessica Shklar and Senior Admission...
From Rejection to Partner: 32 Years at Boston Consulting Group | Ep. 101
What does it really take to make partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and stay with the firm for more than three decades without losing yourself? Debbie Lovich, BCG managing director and senior partner, joins host Harold Simansky and mbaMis...
100 Episodes Later – Reflections, Lessons, and What Comes Next
In this milestone 100th episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission founder Jeremy Shinewald reflect on more than two years of MBA admissions insights. They share favorite moments, discuss what sets applicant...
Product Management as an MBA Career Path | Ep 99
Think product management is just a Silicon Valley thing? Think again. In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Managing Director Rachel Beck and host Harold Simansky break down one of the most in-demand post-MBA career paths that mos...
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HBS Professor on AI, Leadership and the Future of the MBA | Ep 98
What does the future of business school look like? Harvard Business School Professor Joshua Margolis joins host Harold Simansky and MBA Admissions Executive Director Jessica Shklar to explore how AI is reshaping the MBA experience.Joshu...
