MBA Crystal Ball

Are MBA Admission Consultants worth it in 2026? Find out here: www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2025/12/16/are-mba-adm…

5 days ago | [YT] | 3

MBA Crystal Ball

New video out! This VIT Vellore engineer was told by an expert that she had no chance to get into an M7. Sumedha explains how she turned the tide. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1i5g...

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 4

MBA Crystal Ball

ESG and sustainability is a focus area where European business schools blow away American b-schools in the international rankings. Among the top 10 rankings in this category, there's only one US MBA program.

You might think money-minded MBA grads wouldn't care too hoots about this. But GMAC's survey shows an interesting trend.

Over 63% of the students said it was a high priority factor for them that their school actively invested academic hours into issues related to environmental, social, governance and climate issues.

France has 4 schools in the top 10. Spain & UK have 2 each. Incidentally, the 2 biggest names in the Europe are missing.

Here's the full list: www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2025/12/01/top-mba-esg…

Think you can guess which American program makes the top 10 list?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

MBA Crystal Ball

Challenge accepted! And why stop at the caption, here's a full-blown script of the interview...

NK: Welcome to my podcast!
EM: Whatever
NK: You look prettier in person than on social media.
EM: The eyes are up here bud!
NK: What do you think of MBAs?
EM: Useless idiots.
NK: That's what I said and all I got was backlash.
EM: Stop making outrageous comments then. You are not Mr Murthy.
NK: What can I do to inspire people?
EM: Inspiring thoughts should come from Mars, not Uranus
NK: Biz is going well, but I always fear 'What if it fails?'
EM: Get an MBA.
NK: Won't that go against my earlier stand?
EM: What stand? You told everyone not to buy a house and you did just that.
NK: I don't want an MBA. Can I get into politics?
EM: Don't. You are not Mrs Murthy.
NK: Sigh! Ok, you win. How do I build my profile for an MBA?
EM: I don't have a crystal ball. But there's this other Kamat guy who can help.
NK: Thank you for your time. I enjoyed this conversation.
EM: I didn't.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 7

MBA Crystal Ball

What is the average GRE scores for the top MBA programs? Would it hurt my admission chances if I submit the GRE score instead of the GMAT? Check out the answers here: www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2025/11/24/average-gre…

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 4

MBA Crystal Ball

That's 13X return on the admissions consulting fee. Not too shabby, right? The more interesting question is...

What did this applicant with an over-represented tech background do that resulted in an admit with scholarship?

The candidate who worked with MBA Crystal Ball shared some perspectives and feedback with us. I felt this would help others in a similar boat.

"The questions you posed in your essay edit helped me introspect and bring out the best in my work. They allowed me to consolidate my thoughts and gain clarity on what truly matters.
As techies, we often focus so heavily on the technical side that we tend to overlook the broader impact, especially the financial and organizational outcomes of our work. Your questions in that area pushed me to think deeper and articulate the real value and impact I have created within the organization."

1 month ago | [YT] | 2

MBA Crystal Ball

This happy graduation day picture from INSEAD hides more than it reveals.

What we see is the pride and happiness in eyes of the MBA grad's parents.

What we don't see is the years of struggle the family has endured and the values they inculcated in their children, that eventually helped them get the best education in the world.

For Indian families, graduation day means much more than the culmination of their kid's education. It symbolizes a generational leap, where the child accomplishes something that the earlier generations could only dream of.

When this candidate first approached MBA Crystal Ball for help with his MBA journey, like many who work with us, he came across as a sharp, articulate and driven candidate aiming for the best.

When we reconnected with him after graduation, we found out that he had casually bagged a role in a super-competitive industry he wasn't even originally targeting when he was working with us. More on that later.

For now, a big shout-out to all the parents who've stood by their kids as their headgear evolved - from the cute clown hat on their first birthday to the prestigious graduation hat decades later.

They'll go on to experiment with different hats in their life and career, but the crown belongs to you.

1 month ago | [YT] | 11

MBA Crystal Ball

What's the difference between GMAT vs GRE vs EA (Executive Assessment)? Here's a comparison of the three along with applicant profiles that are best suited for each.
www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2025/11/17/gmat-vs-gre…

1 month ago | [YT] | 5

MBA Crystal Ball

The top 10 MBA programs in the UK offer a good alternative to the American options. Check out the list here: www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2025/11/10/best-mba-pr…

1 month ago | [YT] | 6

MBA Crystal Ball

This musician with zero 'corporate' experience got into INSEAD + Cambridge with scholarship as a reapplicant with a 680 GMAT score. He explains how he did it and what worked the second time around with the same modest score: www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2025/11/03/indian-musi…

1 month ago | [YT] | 2