Blog:
The Best MBA Programs for Consulting
April 9, 2025
Back when I was still in the Army, I remember how my MBA application research went. As a nontraditional applicant, I felt intimidated by the post-MBA world and the prospect of having a “real” civilian job for the first time. With droves of leadership experience but not much knowledge about what a P&L was, I…
Ten Tips to Maximize the Value of Your MBA Campus Visits
April 4, 2025
Visiting campus in person is still one of the best ways to research MBA programs, but doing so does require an investment of time and money. So, before you book your trip to HBS, Stanford, Wharton, Northwestern Kellogg, Chicago Booth, Columbia, or MIT Sloan—or any of the many top MBA programs out there—consider these ten…
What Is EQ, and Why Does It Matter for Future Business Leaders?
April 3, 2025
Business schools evaluate applicants holistically. Undergraduate performance—including major, grades, and standardized test scores—provide a glimpse into a candidate’s IQ. These measures allow admissions committees to assess applicants’ ability to handle the rigor of their program. But having a high GPA and a killer GMAT or GRE score doesn’t offer any insight into how a candidate…
Seven Things to Do in April for Round 1 MBA Applications
April 2, 2025
Every spring, I speak to aspiring business school students who are content to wait until the essay prompts are released in June to start working on their applications. However, I find that the most successful candidates take a long view on the application process. Before the weather gets really nice and you can be enjoying…
Best Part-Time MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know
March 27, 2025
As you are thinking about getting an MBA, you might be wondering if a part-time MBA is right for you. Let’s dig into what you should think about! Part-time MBA programs allow (and require) you to maintain your day job and attend classes on evenings, on weekends, or a mix of both. Some part-time MBA…
Five Considerations When Applying to Wharton’s Lauder Program
March 27, 2025
Want an MBA that doesn’t just teach global business but throws you headfirst into it? Wharton’s Lauder Program isn’t just about international exposure—it’s an immersive, 16-month dual degree that fuses world-class business education with deep cultural and geopolitical fluency. As the first program of its kind in the United States, Lauder pairs a Wharton MBA…
Seven Habits of the Most Successful MBA Applicants
March 26, 2025
Although the world keeps changing at an accelerating pace—and the MBA admissions process continues evolving with test waiver options, program delivery models, and both in-person and virtual recruitment offerings—the habits of the most successful MBA applicants have remained constant. Here are the core habits that our most successful Stratus MBA clients have followed on their…
MBA Ding Analysis (or Why You Didn’t Get In)
March 25, 2025
Every year, after business school decisions are released, we at Stratus get an influx of requests for a “ding analysis.” These applicants want to understand why they were rejected by their top-choice MBA programs. To gain acceptance to a highly ranked business school, you need to both be a strong applicant AND submit a strong…
Top MBA Programs for Sports
March 24, 2025
When I worked at ESPN, the MBA was not yet popular outside of the finance and marketing departments. Some of my colleagues had earned a Master of Science in Sports Management (UMass Amherst was the most popular program at the time) to gain insight on managing the business of sports, but that was about it. However,…
Three Things to Consider When Applying to Wharton’s Health Care Management Program
March 24, 2025
Wharton’s Health Care Management (HCM) MBA major offers one of the most prestigious paths into pharmaceuticals, hospital administration, earlier stage ventures, and beyond. It’s also one of the most competitive MBA programs to gain admission to. If health care–related MBAs are on your radar, let’s talk about three things you should consider when applying to…
Top MBA Programs for Social Impact
March 21, 2025
Social impact programs have come a long way since I did my MBA internship in social entrepreneurship with Juma Ventures in San Francisco. This topic has become the cornerstone of many MBA programs, and each time I update this blog post, I am excited to add new schools to this list! While finance, marketing, operations,…
Future Business Leaders: Listen to These Podcasts!
March 18, 2025
Perhaps the very best podcast I have listened to that offers insight for future business leaders is an HBR IdeaCast episode with Guy Raz. In this episode, Raz discusses the three qualities that hundreds of business founders and leaders of successful organizations have in common: they create a culture of collaboration, encourage risk taking, and allow for…