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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 31 May 2016, 09:53
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The Goizueta Business School at Emory University has announced the MBA application deadlines for the 2016-2017 admissions season. They are as follows:
Round 1
Application due: October 14, 2016

Decision released: December 1, 2016
Round 2
Application due: November 11, 2016

Decision released: January 26, 2017
Round 3
Application due: January 4, 2017

Decision released: March 3, 2017 (Domestic) / March 10, 2017 (International)
Round 4
Application due: March 10, 2017

Decision released: April 28, 2017

For more information, please visit the Goizueta MBA admissions website.

***

If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 22 Jun 2016, 10:01
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The Goizueta Business School at Emory University has announced the four required essay topics for the 2016-2017 MBA application season.
Essay Questions
  • Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)
  • The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth. Mr. Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise. Provide an example of your leadership – professional or personal – and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 word limit)
  • Complete one of the following statements. (250 word limit)
    • I am passionate about…
    • The best piece of advice I’ve received is…
    • The best day of my life was…
    • A personal goal I want to accomplish is…
  • Share with the committee and your future classmates a fun or noteworthy fact about you. (25 word limit)

Optional Essay: If you have additional information or feel there are extenuating circumstances which you would like to share with the MBA Admissions Committee (i.e. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance issues or areas of weakness in application). Please limit your response to 250 words.

For additional information about applying, please visit the Goizueta MBA admissions website.

***

If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 28 Apr 2017, 12:01
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A $3.5 million gift from The Delta Air Lines Foundation to Emory’s Goizueta Business School will endow the Delta Leadership Coaching Fellows Program, an experiential and peer-to-peer education initiative, the school recently announced.

A portion of the gift will also go toward the creation of the Delta Leadership Hub, a teaching and reception space at the school. According to Goizueta administrators, the gift will allow the school to serve more students, expand coaching opportunities and increase interaction among leaders.

“As a top-20, but small, business school our relationship with industry has historically centered primarily on recruiting relationships,” said Erika James, the John H. Harland Dean of Goizueta Business School. “With Delta’s support, we have more opportunities to create meaningful experiences for our Evening and Full-Time MBA students.”

While all MBA students receive leadership training at Goizueta, Full-Time and Evening MBA students can apply to become coaching fellows for additional instruction and chances to practice more interpersonal leadership skills.

Coaching fellows receive instruction in behavioral, relational, cognitive and emotional tools. The program is anchored on academic, experiential and reflection learning. Fellows complete workshops beyond the MBA curriculum, practicum experiences and have one-on-one sessions with executive coaches.

“Roberto Goizueta once said, ‘Leadership is one of the things you cannot delegate. You either exercise it, or you abdicate it,’” said Ken Keen, Associate Dean of Leadership Development. “We seek to provide students as many opportunities as possible to exercise leader skills, receive feedback, reflect on those opportunities and grow as leaders. The fellows program is one of those unique opportunities.”



***

If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 31 May 2017, 11:12
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The Goizueta Business School at Emory University has released the following MBA application deadlines for the 2017-2018 admissions season.
Round 1
Application due: October 6, 2017
Decision released: December 1, 2017
Round 2*
Application due: November 17, 2017
Decision released: January 26, 2018
Round 3**
Application due: January 3, 2018
Decision released: March 9, 2018 (domestic and one-year international)/
March 16, 2018 (two-year international)
Round 4
Application due: March 9, 2018
Decision released: rolling (one-year)/May 4, 2018 (two-year)

* Preferred deadline for One-Year MBA applicants, international applicants, and applicants interested in consideration for top named scholarship.
** Final deadline for general merit-based scholarships.

For more information about the Emory MBA program, please visit the Goizueta admissions website.



***

If you are looking for guidance on your Emory MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 23 Apr 2019, 09:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: A little team building with the MBA admissions team…

A little team building with the MBA admissions team…
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 23 Apr 2019, 09:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: Top 5: Ways to stand out in an MBA Admissions Interview
One of our favorite parts of being a member of the admissions team is the application interview....
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 29 Sep 2019, 23:50
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: Why I chose to pursue the MS in Business Analytics Program at Goizueta


Imagine this, a few days later it is going to be Christmas. You are working in this ridesharing company and your boss is asking you to figure out how many ride requests there will be on Christmas Eve. Your common sense is telling you there will be more people who need a ride home from the airport while there will be much fewer commuters sending ride requests during rush hours (not sure if Santa is going to use your services or not, though). Then you figure if you should pull up the historical data from the fancy database your company has already spent millions of dollars on and try to find out the certain pattern during last year’s Christmas.

This is the predictive analysis project I ran into when I was an intern at this ridesharing company in China. What would usually happen next was I found several predictors — temperature, humidity, hour of the day, if it’s weekday or weekend, if it is holiday or not, discount, etc., and I built a regression model to explain how and how much these factors would change the number of requests we received every day. With the predicted number of requests on hand, now we can adjust the coupon strategy to balance the demand and supply accordingly.

Problems like this are everywhere in today’s business world — how Facebook recommends to you people you may know, how LinkedIn finds someone who has the similar career path, how FedEx knows when your package will be delivered, how Uber designs the best route for carpool. Business analytics is the key to all these unconventional business questions. Business data scientists use data programming as a tool in addition to their business understanding to better explain the past and predict the future. From the seemingly chaotic data, we disclose hidden business growth opportunities.

The human brain’s bandwidth is limited — we just cannot process too much information at the same time. Human judgment is always biased as well. As technology reshapes every aspect of our life and causes information overload, let’s just ask computers for help. Coming from a business background, I’m glad I found this MSBA program at Emory University that opens up a world of opportunity in the analytics field. This 10-month STEM designated program perfects my technical skills for a future business data scientist. Meanwhile, the business nature of this program ensures me I can seamlessly apply these skills in real-world practices.

Join us on the journey of translating data into insights.
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 29 Sep 2019, 23:50
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: Natural Products Expo West: Food as a driver of social, environmental causes

Over 3,600 companies exhibited the newest and greatest in natural and organic foods and products at one of the world’s largest trade shows.

“There’s no business to be done on a dead planet.”

I thought about this quote a lot in the last couple weeks. In early March, I traveled to Anaheim and attended the 39th annual Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest trade show focused on natural, organic and healthy food and products. Though Expo West was a whirlwind of people (over 86,000 people from 136 countries attended!) and programming over five jam-packed days, one clear theme emerged from all my conversations: that business could — and should — be used as a force to advance social and environmental causes.

Consider the quote above. I heard it from Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, who delivered the keynote address on the first day of Expo West. During his talk, he urged attendees to consider the role that business could play in combating climate change. “All of us have resources and we need to use them. What resource do I have? I have this company. I thought to myself, ‘I’m not doing enough.’”

I was fortunate enough to attend Expo West and meet leaders like Chouinard through the support of the Social Enterprise @ Goizueta (SE@G) and a program called MBArk. Now in its eighth year, MBArk (pronounced “embark”) brings together cohorts of progressive business school students and sends them to large trade shows to explore careers in sustainability, entrepreneurship and food.

A jam-packed schedule of educational and professional programming

This year, I met up with 53 other students from top MBA programs around the U.S. for a full suite of programming centered at Expo West. The MBArk program included networking opportunities, including dinner with MBArk alum, happy hour with General Mills executives and breakfast with 40-plus CEOs. With other MBArk participants, I attended numerous booth visits, which were designed-for-us opportunities that allowed deep-dives into specific companies such as Zupa Noma, KeHe, Honest Tea, Beyond Meat, Daiya, Clif Bar and Zevia. Finally, we also attended themed panels around e-commerce (hosted by Thrive Market) and sustainability (Dr. Bronner’s and General Mills).

In between these MBArk sessions, the other participants and I would take advantage of the programming Expo West had organized directly. A few highlights included daily morning yoga, Climate Day (a full day of panels focused on climate change and the approaches companies are taking to reduce packaging, use renewable energy and support regenerative agriculture), and of course, exploring the booths and sampling new products from the 3,600 companies present.


Each day of Natural Products Expo started with optional morning yoga outside the Anaheim Convention Center – a great way to warm up the body before full days of sampling foods, networking, and hustling from one hotel to another!

The schedule was packed, but I didn’t feel exhausted during the conference, despite being on my feet all day and talking to what felt like hundreds of people a day. This is because at this point in my business school career, I found the conversations I had at Expo West to be very refreshing and inspiring. Stories shared by industry executives, as well as my MBArk fellows, brought my MBA classroom learnings into real-life. Walter Robb, former CEO of Whole Foods, reminded me of the importance of knowing your customer, knowing them well, and not trying to serve a nonexistent “average” customer. “People are breaking into food tribes: we have paleo, keto, Whole30, etc.,” he said. “Retailers are thinking about how we can communicate with and connect with each of those segments.”

Sheryl O’Loughlin, CEO of REBBL, maker of super herb beverages, echoed this key lesson when she shared this piece of advice, “Focus on your niche audience, don’t focus on the mass at first.” As the former CEO of Clif Bar, she introduced LUNA Bars as the first nutrition bar aimed at women. “I noticed that women were not being served by this industry. Grow the pie: find out who is not going or participating in something, and invite them in.”

More broadly, Expo West showcased real-life examples of businesses that yielded both financial profits and a wider societal impact. For instance, co-founder and co-CEO Nick Green spoke to the MBArk program about his vision for Thrive Market, positioning it as an online platform meant to expand organic and healthy food access to more Americans. CEO of Zevia, Paddy Spence, explained how his products provided people with a healthier soda alternative that was naturally sweetened and contained zero calories.


Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, the husband and wife co-owners of Clif Bar, speak with MBA students about building capacity in sustainable supply chains by funding organic research and sharing best practices with other CPG companies.

Reflections on 5 days in Anaheim

After Expo West, I’m left with a sense that business leaders can and should take a larger, systemic view around the impact they have on social and environmental issues. I’m also left with questions around the limits of their role. As someone with academic and career experience in public policy, I’m aware of the critiques around conscious capitalism and its assumptions of privilege: you still need a fair amount of education, disposable income, and leisure time to understand, research and buy organic products.


Jennifer Garner, co-founder of cold-pressed, organic baby food brand Once Upon a Farm, stopped by the expo floor to greet fans.

Most thought-provoking for me, though, was the limited conversations at Expo West around the role of policy in creating lasting, systemic change. A few companies referenced how they used their platforms to encourage their consumers to support progressive political causes and/or pressure government to take action; these included Brenna Davis, VP of social and environmental responsibility at PCC Community Markets (a Seattle grocery store), who spoke during Climate Day about using store newsletters to educate consumers on local political campaigns.

In the future, I’m hoping to further explore (1) other companies’ initiatives in this policy-influencing arena and (2) a policymaker’s perspective (whether local, state, or national) on the role of business. For instance, I’d love to see a one-to-one conversation between an executive and policymaker who have worked together on regulations pertinent to the natural foods and product industry, or a stand-alone policymaker talk that highlighted how a business changed their mind about advancing certain policies.

In the end, I came away from Expo West with new friends, industry contacts, enough samples to last me the month (how could I not mention that?!) and plenty of food for thought (pun completely intended). I’m eager to use my newfound knowledge and relationships to be that much more aware of not only what I consume and what I see on grocery shelves, but also the opportunities to reformulate conventional business structures and assumptions to advance social and environmental causes.
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 23 Oct 2019, 14:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: Boot Camp: Establishing a common baseline

When I was looking for an MSBA program, I wanted a program that had students from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. Diversity meant that we tackled problems from various perspectives, but it also meant that we would have various skills and no common baseline before we started an intensive program. Emory’s MSBA program had found a great way to solve this discrepancy—a summer boot camp aimed to review concepts in business, technology, and math.

The summer started with the business boot camp that Professor Ram Chellappa, Associate Dean and MSBA Academic Director, termed an “MBA in two weeks.”

In those two weeks, we covered topics in economics, finance, operations, strategy, and marketing. Before we immersed deeper into the tech and data part of the program, this boot camp helped us frame the problems we will be solving in a business context and identify the need for analytical problem-solving in a corporate setting. The business understanding developed during the bootcamp has already been helpful as we apply the CRISP-DM process in our projects for the Business Analytics class.

After brushing up on business concepts, we started the math boot camp, where we reviewed calculus, probabilities and distributions, sampling, matrices, and Bayesian approach. As someone who had not taken a math class in years, I found Professor Michael Miller’s explanations of random variables and their distributions very helpful. I also enjoyed learning about the Bayesian approach to statistics and applying the theorem to various problems. The understanding of eigen values and vectors that I developed during the bootcamp has also aided my learning in classes like Machine Learning.

As someone with a business background, I was looking forward to honing my technical and coding skills in the technology boot camp. The boot camp started with a tech overview that focused on the history of programming and understanding the data generation process in organizations. Through this, I learned how data is stored and retrieved via cookies and how analytics has enabled organizations to make real-time correlations between customer’s needs and shopping patterns to target them with very relevant ads. During the boot camp, we learned to code in bash terminal and familiarized ourselves with the AWS platform. Both bash and AWS were new to a lot of us, hence, we aided each other’s understanding by working through code labs and playing games such as Bandit and Terminus. The boot camp taught me that a coder’s best friend is Google. Most coding issues we struggle with have already been solved by someone and have been explained in websites like Stack Overflow.

In addition to developing our skills in business, technology, and math, we had a problem-solving boot camp where we were taught how to structurally break down complex business problems and work collaboratively towards solving them. “Do not smash and grab the watermelon”, Professor Noonan would say to emphasize that a holistic understanding of a business problem is crucial before the members break out individually to solve the problem. Problem-solving sessions such as these will continue throughout the year as we work through our class projects and eventually work on a capstone project.  

The boot camp had something for everyone. It provided us with a chance to identify our areas for improvement and hone our strengths. Besides learning, we also had plenty of time to explore Atlanta, participate in Toastmasters, get to know our classmates better and relax before the Fall classes started.
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 25 Mar 2020, 09:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: “When life gives you lemons, turn them into an awesome margarita and leave the whole world wondering how you did it”

“Dear Students, we have decided to cancel the physical visit to the West Coast. It was very hard to make this decision after all the work that went into it and the potential benefits to you and our program.” My heart sank into my stomach as I read Dr. Chellappa’s email. As I sat back in my ride and gazed into the San Francisco cityscape, my mind slowly began to process the ramifications of the message. Little did I know my whole senior second semester was going to be turned on its head.

The West Coast trek has been the most anticipated event of my year of Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) studies at Emory Goizueta Business School. Having grown up on the West Coast and being a huge consumer tech fan, visiting the companies at the heart of innovation in the US was something I have long waited for. To maximize the trip, I even arrived in SF a few days early to visit family and friends, and to have coffee chats with Emory alumni. Sadly, almost as if fate were playing a terrible prank, the trek was canceled while I was on my flight to SF.

West Coast trek goes virtual

Being naturally resourceful and optimistic, I decided to not let despair get the best of me and instead see how I could maximize the options I had. Luckily, MSBA Director of Career Services Renee Bourbeau, who always does a wonderful job, was already working on turning our in-person trek virtual. While not ideal, it was undoubtedly much better than nothing at all. As the COVID-19 conditions were getting worse on the west coast, I decided to return home early. In my remaining one and a half days in SF, I was able to meet up my relatives in the US for the first time ever, visit a high school friend who is building a startup, as well as reconnect with Rohan Bansal BBA19 and Tom Gordon BBA19, who are great friends and even greater mentors.

Ride sharing lessons


Over the next few days, Renee, with her professional networking wizardry, was able to convert our entire trek into virtual meetings. Monday came in a blink of an eye, and it was time for our first virtual meeting with Uber. Our meeting was hosted by alumnus Shubha Rao MBA13, who is currently the strategy lead at Uber’s Customer Experience & Support division. The MSBA students were all able to make meaningful connections with the diverse panel of speakers. We had a wonderful time learning about how Uber leverages the power of data to build predictive models to both better serve its customers and maximize business success. From John Wolter’s Analytics & Insights team that develops courier pricing strategy for Uber Eats to Shanshan Gong’s US & Canada Community Operations team that focuses on Uber’s Customer Support network, the MSBAs on the call all appreciated the opportunity to peer into Uber’s internal operations. It was fascinating to see how such an innovative company was able to get the whole world moving.

While some students were still hesitant about the viability of virtual meetings on day one, all doubts were gone after our stellar experience with Uber. Needless to say, all the students were very enthusiastic about our second meeting with Lyft. Rahul Kadian MBA14, who hosted us, certainly lived up to our expectations. The MSBAs had a terrific time learning about Rahul’s background, from his consulting days to his current work using data to minimize fraud at Lyft. In Rahul’s view, all data analytics are geared towards problem-solving and fall under two categories. On the one hand, you are building algorithmic models, automating, or some other highly technical analytic work. On the other hand, you are modeling decisions, helping make very human decisions that cannot be fully encapsulated by just ones and zeros. In Rahul’s words, the true value of our MSBA education is our ability to find that balance between the two extremes. This balance can be drastically different depending on the company, department, and purpose. Regardless of where the final balance lies, performance is ultimately defined by the size of the business impact that the analytical process creates. All the MSBAs present really appreciated Rahul’s thoughtful insights and departed the meeting with newfound wisdom.

A towering force


Salesforce’s meeting was next, and the streak of terrific sessions continue to hold. Our host, Marysol Nemsak, prepared a fantastic presentation that outlined how Salesforce leverages its suite of tools to service countless crucial companies around the world. It was also a pleasure hearing from Marysol’s Salesforce ‘Ohana’ (Hawaiian for family), who come from different backgrounds but share a wonderful Salesforce family. Jon Fee, the head of Global Marketing at Salesforce, touched upon how Salesforce continuously innovates both organically and inorganically, to maintain its leading positions in the enterprise software solutions space. Others, like Genesis Fleary, highlighted how the Salesforce leadership goes out of their way to connect and listen to all parts of the Salesforce Ohana. Overall, the MSBAs were all impressed by the way Salesforce leverages the power of analytics and data to better service its customers across its entire suite of products and services, and how Salesforce maintains an agile and a flat leadership structure despite its impressive size.

A sweep through Creative Suites


The last meeting on Tuesday was at Adobe, and our host, Satish Mohan MBA10, a director of growth strategy & analytics, was a treat to listen to. As Satish puts it, Adobe is a very data-heavy company that services a very creative client base. As the one-stop solution for all creative needs, Adobe has to continually leverage the power of data to make decisions. With our society becoming increasingly digital, creativity and the means to express it are on the rise. Adobe is very well poised for future success as long as it follows its current data-driven business problem-solving approach. While many other human processes like accounting and stock trading are slowly being replaced by machines, creative work is probably the last thing that computers will ever be able to learn. Lastly, Satish highlighted the importance of building a ‘T’ shaped skillset, where an individual gains a broad a set of experiences across many domains, but has one specific domain where they have deeply expertise. Overall, the MSBAs present each walked away with their own take on Satish’s wisdom, which will undoubtedly serve them well down their career.

Googling Google


With the dawn of Wednesday, a particular mix of excitement and nervousness hung in the air. After all, we were going to speak with people from Google, one of the largest tech companies in the world. Everyone has heard of how unique yet challenging Google’s recruiting process is, so many MSBA students were noticeably tense. However, the tension in the air rapidly dissipated as Kristen Tripp eased us into the conference with an engaging and fun round of introductions. As Kristen broke down the recruiting process and provided personal tips along the way, the MSBAs’ analytical side started to take over. We began to see the Google recruiting process as a methodical, challenging, yet rewarding process designed to attract and select the best and brightest from all walks of life. Kristen then invited a panel of data scientists, product strategy and operations managers, and analysts to speak with us, each of whom shared their own journey to their current roles at Google. A common piece of advice from the panelists was to not get discouraged by setbacks. When Lisa Fischer, one of the panelists, first joined Google, she was not sure what she wanted to do or even what team she would be on. The company appealed to her because it provided the opportunities and room for her to grow and integrate into a role that she really liked, whatever it might be. The MSBAs walked away with new insights into Google’s culture and its vast array of opportunities, as well as an appreciation for its rigorous recruiting process.

Lessons from a leader in digital transactions


To top off an already excellent Wednesday, we had the privilege of speaking with a panel from PayPal, led by Carrie Dao MBA13. From how Michael Gilbert and his team minimize losses by reducing the risk on PayPal’s debit card products to how Christy Lin and her team continuously fight fraud using the power of data, the common theme was leveraging data to minimize loss. As fraud continues to shift from the physical to digital space and drastically increases due to payments becoming more and more fragmented, PayPal continues to invest in being the first line of defense for consumers and businesses in the digital transaction space. PayPal is also heavily invested in the privacy of its clients, especially in the current environment, where data breaches are daily news. The MSBA cohort is very thankful for the panelists’ unique insight into the future of digital payment and transaction security and gained appreciation for the analytical work behind this constant fight against fraud and risk.

A SnapChat chat


And in a blink of an eye, we reached the final virtual session of the trek. As a longtime fan of consumer tech and the AR space, our meeting with Snap was without a doubt the most fascinating presentation to me. Our host, Alexis Garcia, took us on an engaging Snapchat trip over two-and-a-half hours filled with interactive filters and empowering stories. Alexis started off with a brief introduction and showed us a custom filter created just for Emory. The students and faculty alike had a great time taking silly selfies with the filter. Jean Luo and Pete Horgan then continued the journey with their introduction into the work of product managers at Snap. The constant interaction with various other teams and the ability to fully own a feature are highlights of the product manager internship position and really show the care and thoughtfulness Snap puts into fostering future talent. Christopher DiFeliciantonio then took over with a crash course on how Snap leverages the power of data science for all of its departments, whether it’s for improving revenue, helping to make product decisions or understanding consumer insights. These uses are all too familiar to the MSBA cohort, who have spent the past nine months working on numerous analytical projects across all disciplines and on a wide variety of business problems. We then had an opportunity to speak with Jeff Miller MBA10, a well-known Emory alum and a creative visionary at Snap. He took us through a magical journey, from how he gave life to the Taj Mahal with vibrant colors and humorous animations through one of SnapChat’s Landmarker filters during his trip to India, all the way to the touching story of how his team partnered with Glade to create new filters for use by women who wear traditional dress that obscures everything but their eyes. Finally, Jeff described Snap’s culture of willingness to make educated bets on the future, gaming, augmented reality, and content and not being afraid to innovate and trythemes I strongly resonate with on a personal level. The presentation then passed onto Laila Forghani and Ryan McDaniel, recruiters for Snap, who spoke about the full range of upcoming opportunities at Snaps and how we, as MSBAs, can leverage our diverse backgrounds and skillsets in both business and technical positions. Lastly, Alexis concluded our meeting with a fast-paced game of trivia. Luckily, the questions all revolved around Snap and the presentation, and were right up my alley thanks to my inherent interest in Snap and augmented reality. As if the day couldn’t get any better, I won first place and, beyond my wildest dreams, won a pair of Spectacles.

This is a story of how the MSBA cohort and its program office were able to make the best of an unfortunate event and enjoy a magical week of virtual dates with some of the leading tech companies on the West Coast. Disney, Riot Games, and Live Nation were unfortunately rescheduled due to bad timing and the growing Coronavirus pandemic, but I am sure those meetings will be just as stellar. Staying optimistic and using all the resources available to make the best of any situation is an important skill, and something I strive to practice in any undesirable scenario. This is especially important now that the remainder of our semester has turned digital, and social distancing is encouraged. When lost, stay positive, keep your eyes on the future, and keep walking. You will either find a new path or be the trailblazer that many others follow.

When life gives you lemons, turn them into an awesome margarita and leave the whole world wondering how you did it.

Dr. Ram Chellappa, Renee Bourbeau and the MSBA Program Office wish to also thank Julie R. Barefoot, Associate Dean of Engagement & Partnerships and Aditya Rao, President of the Goizueta Alumni Board, for their collaboration and special partnership.

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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 02 Apr 2020, 10:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: Everything happens for the best
The coronavirus outbreak required changing the annual West Coast Trek to a virtual trip this year. While I still wish that we had had the chance to visit the tech giants in San Francisco Bay Area during the spring break, the virtual West Coast Trek still gave me and my colleagues an opportunity to witness the spirits of rigor, courage and innovation that prevail in the field of technology and encouraged us to think about how we could leverage the skillsets we have to create value for businesses.



During the virtual session with Uber, I was fascinated by John Walter’s description of his experience building the Analytics & Insights team from scratch. Back then, it was much harder to spread the idea of data analytics because “big data” was merely a concept. However, he managed to stick to his heart and developed the team step-by-step to achieve what they have become today. As the head of courier pricing strategy at Uber Eats today, John Walter has only spent a few months in his new position but has continued to drive business insights based on data and his past experiences, which is very inspiring.

Shanshan Gong, the A&I manager of US&C CommOps S&P, had professional experience in consulting and analytics before joining Uber. With a job focused on customer support, she is able to integrate her previous experience with data science to deliver insights and actionable results. Almost every one of the panelists who spoke with us noted how fast time flies, which is especially true in the analytics field. Regardless of whether it is the programming languages themselves or the packages and libraries associated, they are all being updated and improved constantly, creating new challenges and possibilities. As future business data scientists, my colleagues and I have all become well-aware of the process and are all committed to bringing our passion and professionalism to the field.

The Google virtual session was also exceptionally helpful to me. Many panelists shared their thoughts on how to find the right job at the right company, one that has an encouraging culture and that empowers individuals. We were fortunate to get an insider’s look when Kristen Tripp, global recruiter at Google, talked about the qualities that Google seeks when screening candidates. She told us that first, Google looks for candidates with organized thinking and strong problem-solving capabilities. Secondly, it looks to hire individuals who are aligned with Google’s mission of organizing information for everyone, and have leadership and coordination abilities, which are essential to continuing the tech giant’s global impact. Third, a job candidate’s role-related knowledge demonstrates how well they know about the position they’re applying for and their self-awareness of suitability. Last but not least, “Googleyness,” which refers to teamwork in Google, is a measure of a candidate’s ability to cope with challenging teams and tasks. We MSBAs all appreciated the information and will use it as a guideline for personal development and career advancement.

Thanks to ever-evolving technologies and humans’ enthusiasm for information sharing, we had the opportunity to learn about the careers, routines and aspirations of data science professionals in the age of social distancing. Though we did not have the chance to speak with the experts face-to-face or experience the innovative vibes in the most successful tech firms, through our computer screens, we were still able to feel the power of data and how it has transformed the way people think and work.

Everything happens for a reason. Everything happens for the best. Bearing that in mind, the current MSBA cohort is more confident than ever to combine their business knowledge and technical skills to make a difference.

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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 20 May 2020, 15:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: Goizueta’s 3rd Annual Business Analytics Conference demonstrates virtually anything is possible

The Goizueta Business Analytics conference is one of the most awaited events of the year for MSBA students, staff and graduates. It marks the culmination of the rigorous 10-month program focused on producing industry-ready business data scientists. It is a great opportunity for the MSBA cohort to present the findings of their capstone projects and learn from industry experts about developments in the analytics and data science industry. This year’s conference was a special one since it was completely virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Quite fittingly, this year’s theme was “How Business Analytics has helped organizations adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.”


Our esteemed dean, Dr. Ram Chellappa, welcomed all our guests to the conference, introduced the MSBA program and described the relevance of the conference in these challenging times. Scott Radcliffe, managing director of our program introduced the speakers, agenda and logistics for the conference. This year’s conference featured 11 industry professionals who spoke on how enterprise companies and sectors are dealing with the current pandemic using business analytics.

Our first speaker, Dr. Aleksander Lazarevic, vice president of advanced analytics and data engineering at Stanley Black & Decker spoke about “the role of advanced analytics in better organization planning around COVID-19.” It was fantastic to see how the trends and forecasts for COVID-19 were analyzed and interpreted from his point of view. His observation that, “all models are wrong, but some are useful” highlighted what we’ve learned multiple times in class – it is important to consider and understand statistics in the proper business context. He went on to highlight how new online trends that were a result of the pandemic were affecting different product categories at Stanley Black & Decker.

Our student team then got the chance to present their capstone project work “Using digital customer feedback for analysis of brands, products and features” that they created for Stanley Black & Decker. Their text mining models were able to assimilate huge datasets of product reviews and provide relevant insights and user sentiments towards certain products and categories to drive business value. This team consisted of: Stella Guo, Mayur Kumar, Anuraaj Sonawala and Robert Wei.

MSBA Director of Admissions Allison Jacobs, who spoke next, has been part of the MSBA program from its inception. She screens more than 800 applications every year to pick the brightest prospects from all over the world with backgrounds as diverse as liberal arts to engineering. She said the best part of her job is seeing how these students evolve into business data scientists through the 10-month MSBA journey.

We then got the opportunity to hear from a panel of experts consisting of Jon Ambler, senior vice president and director of retail analytics and business at Truist, Neeti Gupta – business analytics thought leader, Eric Hagen 06BBA, senior director supply chain at The Home Depot, Bala Vaidyanathan, director of advanced analytics and industry research at FedEx, and Eric Clepper 02MBA, director of analytics at US Xpress Ventures on “Enterprise response to COVID-19.” It was interesting to hear how the current situation is driving digital transformation in a lot of the companies. They went on to discuss how analytics is helping identify the new opportunity areas and the ability to combine existing models and business strategy to adjust to changing times.

Our second speaker, Yaron Haviv, founder and CTO of Iguazio gave a talk on “MLOps in the times of Coronavirus.” He began by describing how analytics has matured moving from BI to AI to proactive business value driven machine learning. He highlighted how current predictive models had to be tweaked given the massive change in trends and preferences among consumers in the pandemic situation. He also underlined the importance of building and optimizing machine learning models with a consideration of real-world data sets to make sure models do not fail in production environments.

Christine Battle, associate director of student services for MSBA spoke about how she works with the MSBA cohort and the university to make sure the students have a smooth and enjoyable experience at school. She is the touch point for all student services-related activities and holds regular meetings with students to hear them out and address any queries.

Our second student showcase, “Resource allocation through pothole predictions” for ATL 311 – City of Atlanta addressed how students combined client data with publicly available data like weather forecasts to predict by geography possible pothole filling requests. This would give the service team a proactive way to allocate their resources to provide better service to the residents of Atlanta. This team consisted of: Dipeeka Bastola, Susie Bai, Fei Hou and Alex Yang.


We then heard from healthcare industry professionals, including Angela Fusaro M.D. 17MBA, cofounder and CEO at Physician 360, Kumar Kantheti 02MBA, head of customer insights at Regeneron, Aneesh Mehta M.D., associate professor of medicine at Emory School of Medicine, Dinamarie Stefani, global quality leader at Abbott on “Biotech and pharma response to COVID-19.” It was inspiring to hear how each of these companies were using data and analytics to come up with probability-based estimates to help speed up testing and vaccination development for COVID-19. The panel was moderated by Director of Career Services at MSBA Renee Bourbeau.

Renee also spoke about how she helps groom students for data science careers. She brings her tremendous industry experience and connections to help the MSBA students ace the interview process and land their dream jobs.

The conference concluded with the final student showcase “Claim Loss Reserve Prediction” for our capstone partner Cogitate. This project was great example of applying analytics in the insurance space. The student team tackled a difficult challenge: they used machine learning models to incorporate accident attributes to make more accurate predictions on claim cost and in turn improve financial statement forecasting. This team consisted of: Daniel Byun, Ricky Chen, Jayson Faulds and May Shao.

Overall, the virtual conference was a great opportunity for students and guests to learn about the transformational work through the MSBA capstone projects and understand from industry professionals about cutting edge analytics in the enterprise to quickly adjust to dynamically changing environment around us. I eagerly look forward to attending next year’s conference, hopefully at the business school.

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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 27 Aug 2020, 10:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: GMAT or GRE: What’s an MBA Applicant to do?
When you decide to pursue an MBA degree, you are also deciding to prepare for and take a standardized test (GMAT or GRE). This may be your first test in some time. Combine this with performance pressure and the high expectations from yourself and others and you have a recipe for anxiety.

Years ago, business schools started accepting the GRE in addition to the longtime business school standard test, the GMAT. While this optionality can be positive, having a choice can also lead to additional questions and/or anxiety.

So what is an MBA applicant to do? 

Goizueta Business School and the vast majority of business schools accept both the GMAT test and GRE test and have no preference for which test you submit. You may wonder if that is just what schools say while something else goes on behind closed doors. My experience at two, top-20 ranked business schools and conversations with many colleagues at other schools says that is not true. It really does not matter to MBA admissions directors which test you take. Business schools do not have a GMAT or GRE preference and consider your test performance along with other materials such as transcripts to assess if you will be successful in the classroom. 

Every school is looking for academically well-rounded students, but success in an MBA program also requires a level of quantitative skill not all undergraduate majors or disciplines require. Standardized tests provide a way for schools to collect information about your academic readiness especially in the quantitative area. Of course, a significantly low verbal score will also raise a flag to an MBA admissions committee. 

Again, well-rounded, academic readiness is what we are looking for. 

Since schools do not have a GMAT or GRE preference, it is in your best interest to take the test on which you will perform best. A quick Google search will yield tips on figuring out which test suits you.

If you aren’t sure if an MBA degree or a different type of graduate program is right for you, the GRE might be a better bet. It is accepted at a wider variety of graduate programs. If you know an MBA program is in your future and you have a group of friends or co-workers also planning to apply, you might lean toward the GMAT and leverage group study and/or tutoring each other to stay accountable and improve your performance.

Whether you choose the GMAT or GRE, take some time to get acquainted with the test. Plan to study on your own and consider some kind of test prep or tutoring. Practice tests are helpful to get a feel for the questions and style, but do not be surprised if your score varies from how you do on the practice exams. And don’t let a low score derail you. If you believe you can do better, prepare some more and take it again.

Business schools love perseverance. 

If you sit for the GMAT or GRE a few times and don’t see improvement, you may need to accept your score and focus on the other application materials. My advice to someone with a low score is to be so strong in the other aspects of the application that I forget the low score. Remember, it is a holistic process. I’ve denied perfect scores and admitted sub-600 scores. No matter your GMAT or GRE score, the rest of your MBA application is just as important.

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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 02 Sep 2020, 11:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: GMAT or GRE: What’s an MBA applicant to do?
When you decide to pursue an MBA degree, you are also deciding to prepare for and take a standardized test (GMAT or GRE). This may be your first test in some time. Combine this with performance pressure and the high expectations from yourself and others and you have a recipe for anxiety.

Years ago, business schools started accepting the GRE in addition to the longtime business school standard test, the GMAT. While this optionality can be positive, having a choice can also lead to additional questions and/or anxiety.

So what is an MBA applicant to do? 

Goizueta Business School and the vast majority of business schools accept both the GMAT test and GRE test and have no preference for which test you submit. You may wonder if that is just what schools say while something else goes on behind closed doors. My experience at two, top-20 ranked business schools and conversations with many colleagues at other schools says that is not true. It really does not matter to MBA admissions directors which test you take. Business schools do not have a GMAT or GRE preference and consider your test performance along with other materials such as transcripts to assess if you will be successful in the classroom. 

Every school is looking for academically well-rounded students, but success in an MBA program also requires a level of quantitative skill not all undergraduate majors or disciplines require. Standardized tests provide a way for schools to collect information about your academic readiness especially in the quantitative area. Of course, a significantly low verbal score will also raise a flag to an MBA admissions committee. 

Again, well-rounded, academic readiness is what we are looking for. 

Since schools do not have a GMAT or GRE preference, it is in your best interest to take the test on which you will perform best. A quick Google search will yield tips on figuring out which test suits you.

If you aren’t sure if an MBA degree or a different type of graduate program is right for you, the GRE might be a better bet. It is accepted at a wider variety of graduate programs. If you know an MBA program is in your future and you have a group of friends or co-workers also planning to apply, you might lean toward the GMAT and leverage group study and/or tutoring each other to stay accountable and improve your performance.

Whether you choose the GMAT or GRE, take some time to get acquainted with the test. Plan to study on your own and consider some kind of test prep or tutoring. Practice tests are helpful to get a feel for the questions and style, but do not be surprised if your score varies from how you do on the practice exams. And don’t let a low score derail you. If you believe you can do better, prepare some more and take it again.

Business schools love perseverance. 

If you sit for the GMAT or GRE a few times and don’t see improvement, you may need to accept your score and focus on the other application materials. My advice to someone with a low score is to be so strong in the other aspects of the application that I forget the low score. Remember, it is a holistic process. I’ve denied perfect scores and admitted sub-600 scores. No matter your GMAT or GRE score, the rest of your MBA application is just as important.

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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 02 Sep 2020, 11:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: 5 ways to sink your chances of getting into a top-tier MBA Program
Make mention of MBA studies at work, your next family gathering, or next time you are hanging out with friends and you are likely to get plenty of advice. A quick Google search will provide plenty of additional tips and suggestions for crafting a great application and setting yourself apart on an MBA application. So, with so many resources cracking the MBA admissions code, how do great candidates get denied from top-tier business schools?

Through my experience and conversation with colleagues, I have identified five key things that will torpedo your chances.

Here they are:

  • Looking to check a box: Top tier MBA programs are not interested in churning out as many MBAs as possible. The faculty and administration at these business schools have carefully curated a full experience for you to be a part of and grow from. At Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, this includes activities like the advanced leadership academy featuring sailing in the Virgin Islands, real-time consulting projects with Fortune 500 companies, career treks to New York City, and much more. No matter what type of MBA program you are considering—full time, part time, or executive— do not expect to get credit for just showing up. The experience at Goizueta and other top-ranked MBA programs is about engagement in and out of the classroom. You won’t get far with an admissions committee if you hint at not being invested in the whole experience or doggedly asking how fast you can get through the program.
  • Well, everyone else is doing it: If you work in a traditional business industry, your peers could be spending the lunch break comparing MBA plans. And you don’t want to be left behind. Truth is, there is not one golden timeline for MBA studies. Every school out there publishes an average years of work experience because people arrive with varied years of work backgrounds. Maybe you took a little longer to find your groove at your first job. Maybe you are on a really great project right now and want to see it to completion. Maybe you have a major personal event coming up—getting married, having a baby, dealing with personal or family illness. All of these are legitimate reasons to postpone MBA studies. As long as you are progressing in your career and continuing to grow, don’t rush to do an MBA because those around you are. Each year we admit another great class, we infuse new content in the curriculum and introduce new experiential learning opportunities. We will be here when you are ready. Don’t rush or apply because someone else thinks you should. Only you know when the right time is and the experience will be better because of your discernment with when to start.
  • Don’t prepare: Even if you are smart and successful, applying to business school is likely to be unlike anything you’ve done before. Thinking you can work through the application, write the essays, and schedule the interview in a weekend or two is a mistake. Admissions committees read thousands of applications per year and they are fine-tuned to recognize an essay someone has spent some time on versus one someone has rushed to complete hours before the deadline. We regularly receive phone calls, emails, and additional essays about how someone could have done better on a standardized test, but they didn’t have time to retest before the deadline. Rushed applications are a signal you might not prepare for class like you should or you won’t prepare for on-campus recruitment like you should; both are red flags for MBA admissions committees. So give yourself plenty of time for application, GMAT or GRE test, and interview preparation.
  • The “insert school here” mentality: As you begin your research, it may seem that business schools are all the same. As you continue to interact with schools, differences will emerge. Business schools have different personalities and through a confluence of history, location, and faculty influence have developed unique characteristics. They are more challenging to recognize if you conduct all your research online and limit interaction to one or two people associated with the school. Meet as many current students and recent alums as you can. Reach out via LinkedIn, ask the admissions team to connect you to a current student, and do structured and unstructured activities. Take advantage of the provided school tours and class visits, but also take the time to sit in common areas or grab a coffee on campus and watch how people treat each other. Talk to some people who are not officially representing the school. This is the best way to know if a school’s personality is a match with yours. It will help you pick an environment in which you can thrive. Not knowing a schools personality or if you will fit makes your application less compelling.Goizueta is known for its small-by-design classes. Intentionally having small classes and our commitment to collaboration means every student has to show up. There’s no crowd to get lost in here and no way to coast through. We look for people who want that type of environment and are ready for the responsibility of being a part of a smaller community. And we notice if an applicant doesn’t acknowledge that very distinctive quality of our MBA program.
  • Consider it just a place that will get you a job: Goizueta does an incredible job of helping students prepare for their next career move as well providing skills to rely on for the rest of their careers, as do other top MBA schools. But make no mistake, students get their own jobs. Career Management Centers are wonderful facilitators and can help introduce students to the right people for a job opportunity, but they do not wave a magic wand or guarantee jobs for students. The hard-working professionals in career services are counselors, confidantes, and coaches and enjoy helping students but the most successful students put in more work than their coaches. Be thoughtful about your career change and what will be involved in your next step. The bigger the pivot the more hustle required to make it happen. Admissions committees are reluctant to admit candidates who have an unrealistic idea of how much the career management office can do for them.
Applying to an MBA program is a great opportunity to reflect on your professional career to date and where the future might take you. Understanding your motivations for pursuing an MBA degree, how you will fit into your preferred business school, and what you will contribute to and get from the school will allow you to overcome some of the common pitfalls listed above. 

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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 04 Sep 2020, 08:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: It is not what happens to you —it is how you respond to it
This year will most likely be remembered as one of the most memorable years for the entire MSBA program staff and the class of 2020 and 2021 cohorts. The COVID-19 pandemic and its ongoing consequences on the economy and public health guidelines has profoundly changed the way the MSBA program delivers its curriculum to its students.

What has been the most heartbreaking aspect, to all of us, is that almost half of the accepted students from overseas either couldn’t join the program on time or, unfortunately, have inevitably decided to defer their enrollments to next year, all of which majorly attributed to the suspension of Routine VISA Services.


The picture was taken at one of the Bootcamp sessions in pre-fall term.

Even in this challenging and chaotic time, to best accommodate the experiential learning experience for those who have taken a leap of faith to pursue what the MSBA program will offer this year; the program’s office decided to adopt some flexibility into this curriculum by delaying the program start-date to mid-August, instead of mid-July.

Additionally, for those who may not feel safe being in the campus setting, the program has been delivering a hybrid version of both in-person and online learning via Zoom.

Though I consider myself a realist who sees the world as it is, I feel quite optimistic about what is to come as a result of the change we all are going through in this current time.

My ultimate motivation to apply for the MSBA program at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School came primarily from my desire to achieve the state of personal autonomy. And that is the case for most my fellow cohorts. The encyclopedia defines autonomy as, “A person’s sense of self-determination, of being able to make choices regarding the direction of her or his own actions, including the freedom to pursue those choices.”

Rather than seeing ourselves as victims who have been lost to the external circumstances of which we have no control, I believe we can create what is the best for us by proactively going after the outcome we want from the seed of positive mental attitude and visualization. Even Zig Ziglar says, “It is not what happens to you that matters. It’s how you respond to what happens to you that makes a difference.”

It is not that pretending to be positive all the time is the solution to a happy life, but it suggests that when we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.

I strongly believe that developing my intellectual and leadership capability is key to achieving a state of autonomy and self-actualization. There is no doubt that this firm belief has led me to a sense of commitment in learning the skills that are not only in high demand in the world we are currently live, but also extremely valuable when I embark on my endeavor as an entrepreneur.

I am an extremely blessed individual because I have been given an opportunity to embark on my American dream as both a first-generation Korean-American and a first-generation college student in my family. I attribute this blessing to my father, who has sacrificed more than I can ask for, to ensure that I am able to develop my intellectual capability to be more valuable to the world at large. It was his autonomy that enabled all things to be possible.

In the same regard, we, Emory University Goizueta Business School MSBA class of 2021, also desire the personal autonomy for the reason that we can give back to our loved ones, our community, and our world.

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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 08 Sep 2020, 09:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: How to crush your MBA interview
Given the amount of information you provide in application materials, there must be something special about face-to-face interaction to make business schools include an interview as part of the MBA admissions process, right? Admissions is a holistic process, so how much does the interview really matter, and how can you make sure you do your best during the face-to-face time?

From a logistics point of view, coordinating any volume of interviews and orchestrating schedules under a short, specific time frame is a challenge most MBA admissions offices would give up if they didn’t add value to the evaluation process. So, the short answer is yes, your MBA interview matters. How much it is weighted is a question each admissions team could answer differently. Be sure to ask if you are curious.  No matter the weight, it is important to do well. 

I have seen MBA applicants who are very strong on paper sink themselves in the interview.

Treat this like you would any other important interview. Even if the school positions it as a casual conversation or just a way to “get to know you,” do not walk in cold. Being prepared in this context is similar to an important job interview. Some additional ideas and points:

  • Reflect on how you will talk about yourself. Spend some time reflecting on your journey so far especially as it relates to professional goals. Consider what you have accomplished, how you accomplished it, and why it matters. Think about when you’ve demonstrated leadership, how you did it, and why it matters. 
  • Reflect on how you will talk about the school. What makes you want to go there? How will you contribute to the culture? What makes you and the school a good fit?
  • Reflect on what questions to ask. This is your opportunity to learn something new you can’t find on the website. Ask something that will provide you more insight to the program. 
  • Reflect on the impression you want to make. Consider what you will wear and what kind of small talk you will engage in while you wait with others who are interviewing and with the interviewer before and after the formal interview. Be prepared. Bring a resume, business cards, and double check travel times and the address of where you are going.
Now for a couple things about the list above you might not have noticed, but were intentional. Each item started with reflect; you should reflect but not rehearse. Over-preparing or memorizing your answers can impact the interview in a negative way.

Think about why your experience matters and be able to answer an unasked “so what?” Business schools see many candidates with similar backgrounds at similar points in their careers. If you talk about a project you worked on or a cool idea you implemented but you don’t tie it back to your reason for an MBA or future goals, you are missing an opportunity. Every candidate competing for a spot has professional experience and had successes. That isn’t nearly as differentiating as what you learned, how you developed, and how it has informed your future goals and aspirations.

Interviews often are used to gauge “fit.” Before the interview, reflect on the culture of the school and think about how you would fit into that culture and ways you would be an asset to the community. At Goizueta, our classes are small by design and we look to infuse as much diversity as we can into every class. Every member of the community is expected to add value and have an impact. With a small class, everyone is noticed. If you are interviewing with us, we would love to hear about how you will be a contributor and are ready to collaborate with your diverse cohort.

It seems too obvious to even mention, but no MBA admissions committee appreciates someone who makes bad choices. Here is my quick “don’t do” list (and yes, these are all real examples):

  • Don’t “get lost”
  • Don’t be late (if weather or other acts of God impede you, call)
  • Don’t hit on the receptionist or ask the alum interviewer if they would like to continue the conversation over a drink
  • Don’t take your shoes off
  • Don’t tell the interviewer you would really like to go to “School X” but their school is cool too
  • Don’t be surprised by a question about the gap on your resume
  • Don’t swear
  • Don’t be rude
MBA interviews are a part of the application experience, and with preparation, they can help you differentiate yourself and demonstrate your value as an incoming member of a class. 

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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 10 Sep 2020, 09:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: Top 5 things I learned during remote learning

  • On a cruise heading to Jamaica (pre-COVID-19)

    It’s important to create and stick to a routine to stay “sane.” When school went virtual after Spring Break, I went about my days as if nothing had changed. I still got up early, had breakfast and got dressed (as if I were actually going to school). After classes, I would workout using videos I found on YouTube, instead of going to the gym. Of course, after a long day of classes and assignments, I would relax by either bingeing some reality TV show or reading a book. Sticking to a routine made life seem more “normal” than it actually was.
  • It’s important to make the effort to connect and find creative ways of doing so. I found myself reaching out to friends, whom I had only been texting prior to the pandemic, for Zoom and FaceTime calls. These calls were exactly what I needed at the time to feel connected to others while being home. One of these calls with my best friends actually lasted five hours! On the same note, a critical part of the business school experience is building a network, so it’s also important to make an effort to connect with classmates. I’ve been doing that over Zoom and recently saw a few classmates in person (don’t worry! We all wore masks and took them off for a quick picture, below).
  • I learned that the Goizueta Business School faculty sincerely cares for the students. This was clear before, but it became even more evident during the pandemic. First, our professors were well-prepared to transition to virtual classes. I found my virtual classes to be just as engaging as the in-person ones, though, I would’ve preferred to be in-person the entire time. Additionally, the program office kept us informed every step of the way through emails and Zoom calls. I took this for granted until I started my internship and spoke to peers from other programs who didn’t have the same experience.

  • Doing my own gel manicures

    Though the life of a business school student is extremely busy, it’s important to take the time to focus on the things we enjoy doing (interests outside of work/school). For me, that’s cosmetology, specifically manicures. A few weeks into the pandemic, I invested in a gel manicure system and started doing my own gel manicures (pictured).
  • Last, and most important: this pandemic may not have been what we wanted, but perhaps it would be more manageable if we look at it as something we needed? We are resilient and we will be better for it when it’s over (and it will end!). I’ve spent time reflecting about what it is that I want to learn from this experience and take with me when we’re on the other side. I think that’s something we can all do to make this strange time (that’s so drawn out at this point) more meaningful. Some things I want to take with me out of this are: patience and hopefulness.
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Emory Goizueta MBA Admissions and Related Blogs 16 Sep 2020, 13:00
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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: 5 ways millennials have improved MBA programs
Of the many changes in MBA programs over the past decade, one of the most significant has been the generational shift of the student body. The Millennial generation began entering full-time MBA programs in large numbers in the late 2000s and has since grown into the predominant student population.

Most of what is written about Millennials is not exactly high praise. However, like all large populations, we understand them better when we segment them. There is a segment of high-achieving Millennials who deserve substantial credit for the re-inventing of the MBA experience. Here are five ways Millennial students have made MBA programs stronger:

  • Technology: Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. These smart students brought their smartphones with them, much to the chagrin of the faculty…at first. As these devices and applications became more than just tools for texting and taking selfies, students became the drivers of faculty willingness to embrace personal technology in enhancing learning experiences in the classroom.

    Swiping and tapping now give us real-time data on everything from attendance to student satisfaction scores. Simulation and gamification exercises no longer require painful, synchronized software downloads or the dreaded CD/ROM installation. The examples are plentiful, and while technological advances make these things possible, Millennials have made them integral to the MBA experience because of the very thing about which we complained–they are inseparable from their devices.
  • Experiences: Everyone knows Millennials value experiences. As MBA programs compete to attract and yield these high achievers, more experiential elements have been added to our curricula, and co-curricular experiences have been integrated into our offerings. At Emory’s Goizueta Business School, finance lessons might include a visit to the Federal Reserve Bank with an alumni speaker. Lessons in leadership include a day at Fort Benning’s Leaders Reaction Course led by U.S. Army veterans who are often also alumni. These experiences have become part of our value propositions as prospective MBA students have made clear they prefer to learn by doing and want to participate in activities with their peers.

    It may be a stretch to say Millennial MBAs value experiences more than employment and compensation, but the gap is closing. By providing more experiential learning elements into our programming, we have gotten better at delivering courses and developing leaders who learn through direct engagement with the real world.
  • Feedback: While it is generally true Millennials expect a lot of feedback, what distinguishes the high achieving segment is they actively solicit it. The desire for constant feedback can be tied to their digital upbringing. However, the delivery of feedback does not need to be technological. Finding time and forums for face-to-face conversations (such as after-action reviews) with students who request them has been an important effort at many business schools.

    Research by Gallup and others highlights the positive correlation between feedback and engagement, and most educators can clearly speak to the value of an engaged student body.  MBA faculty and administrators have become better at providing meaningful feedback with more frequency and creativity, and we have Millennials to thank. Office hours and coffee chats, for example, are heavily used by some students who just want to “check in” for general feedback, rather than focus on specific content questions.
  • Teaching: Combine immediate access to limitless information via smartphones with a few years of work experience and a willingness to challenge authority and you get the MBA classroom environment of the past decade.

    Thankfully, many MBA faculty members have adapted their teaching methods to address these dynamics. We have become better communicators of “the why behind the what.” We have become more inspirational when connecting theory to practice. We understand that we will be fact-checked in real time, so we are diligent about the details we use while working to incorporate relevant cases and examples into our discussions. Gone are the days of, “Trust me, I’m a professor.” They have already Googled you. They know.
  • Career Counseling: As generations have shifted, so have post-MBA career interests. Traditional roles such as finance, marketing, and consulting are still critical to our students and employer partners. In addition, Millennial interests vary widely and include emerging sectors, social enterprise, and entrepreneurship. Millennial students actively seek roles and organizations that relate business to society in direct and indirect ways.MBA Career Management Centers have become more nimble and better networked to meet these student needs. Companies founded and/or led by Millennials often rely less on the on-campus recruiting model, so we have evolved in our flexibility on how to connect them with our students. Newer roles, companies, and sectors now exist so our alumni networks are often more valuable than our databases when helping students explore those opportunities. High achieving Millennials have been on both sides of this improvement—student and employer. When we look at all-time high MBA employment, Career Management Centers deserve credit for adapting as much as delivering.
At Goizueta, we make no secret of striving to be the best MBA environment for high achieving Millennials. This is not only because of our high-touch, transformative experience, but also out of respect for how we have been transformed by them. Millennials have challenged us in ways that have enabled us to create a better MBA experience, and in return, we have been able to deliver better MBA graduates into the market.

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FROM Goizueta Emory Admissions Blog: Graduate school looks different in 2020
Starting graduate school under normal circumstances can be intimidating; starting graduate school during a global pandemic is another story. Many questions were running through my head during the months leading up to the start of the MSBA program. Would I be able to meet my classmates and professors in person? How will Emory University be able to adapt to the constantly changing state of the pandemic? Will I get the same quality of education that I would get during more stable times? After spending a few weeks in the MSBA program, I feel confident that there is no better time than 2020 to take time to develop personally and professionally. We are learning to be adaptable, to roll with the punches, and to make the best of a sticky situation. My classmates are resilient and passionate, and I cannot wait to continue to grow with them throughout our 10 months together. 


My home setup for a Zoom informational session about leadership opportunities in the MSBA Program.

Before COVID-19 changed all our lives, the 2021 MSBA cohort was set to begin boot camps in early July. After Emory announced their decision to suspend in-person instruction for the summer due to COVID-19 concerns, many students voiced a strong preference for in-person instruction. Emory’s small class sizes and personalized instruction were major factors in my decision to join the MSBA program. The program office took our concerns to heart and found a way to make the boot camps work for us, which meant postponing instruction until the pre-fall term in August. Consequently, we needed to fit seven weeks of instruction into a three-week period with the same number of contact hours. I knew that these few weeks would be intense and fast-paced, so I took the extra month of summer to prepare by learning new skills through Data Camp, working on personal data science projects, and getting some extra rest.

Before beginning any of our coursework, the program office thought outside the box to find ways to socialize the incoming MSBA students. Through happy hours and tech boot camp study sessions on Zoom, I got to know each one of my classmates before meeting them in person. During this time, I also had the opportunity to virtually chat with MSBA alumni about their careers and experiences at Goizueta Business School. These experiences would not have come to fruition if the pandemic hadn’t pushed us to find new ways to socially connect while isolated.

After spending months in various phases of quarantine, I was unsure what it would look like to interact with professors and other students in a safe way. Luckily, during our first day of onboarding, my concerns were quickly alleviated. The MSBA program and the entire Goizueta Business School was well-prepared for our arrival and made for a smooth transition to in-person instruction for the semester. Although it feels a bit strange to sit six feet away from your classmates or refrain from shaking hands with a new acquaintance, our cohort has been quick to adapt to our new normal. By going through intense graduate coursework together in these unprecedented times, our cohort instantly bonded and built camaraderie.

Our boot camp sessions have been a hybrid model of in-person and online sessions, which has led to a sense of comfort and familiarity among the students and professors. Some students are taking courses fully online, and although we haven’t met in person, I already feel that I know them on a personal level. Everyone in the MSBA program knows that living through a pandemic inflicts different stressors on each of us, and I know that I have a strong support system in my classmates, professors, and program office.

While there is still much uncertainty as to what the future holds, I know that I made the right decision to join the MSBA program. Through the few short weeks that I have been a part of the program, I have already developed drastically as a business data scientist and as a person. As I wrap up my boot camp coursework, I am eager to dive into the core courses in the fall semester and continue to learn and grow.

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