In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Zhang (WG '24) to hear how she went from investment banking in Hong Kong to tech in Mexico City before landing at Wharton. Hannah opens up about burning out in finance, why she wishes she'd taken the GMAT in college, and how her international experience helped her stand out in a competitive applicant pool. She also talks about choosing Wharton over Booth, navigating the pressure of business school recruiting, and how she built Career Hannah – a personal brand with over 100k followers that landed her a product marketing role at Allium.

This episode is brought to you by Juno, the collective-bargaining platform that helps MBA students secure lower rates on student loans. Learn more at ⁠⁠juno.us/m7a

(00:00) M7A Sponsor: Juno

(00:34) Opener

(00:48) Introducing Hannah Zhang

(01:35) Pre-MBA Background

(02:29) Motivation to Pursue an MBA

(03:26) Why MBA?

(04:41) MBA Application Timeline

(05:55) Preparing for the GMAT

(06:52) B-School Selection Process

(09:17) Crafting an MBA Application Narrative

(10:06) Reflecting on MBA Goals and Career Path

(11:35) How to Stand Out as an Applicant?

(14:43) Deciding Between Wharton and Booth

(16:02) Why Wharton?

(16:50) Wharton MBA Highlights

(18:49) Post-MBA Planning

(21:04) Building a Personal Brand

(22:46) Pursuing a Career in Product Marketing

(24:59) Advice for Future Applicants

In this episode, we sit down with Nicolas Echegaray (WG ’21) to unpack his path from Lima to Wharton – including how taking the GMAT early helped him score a 750, how he built a mission-driven narrative around financial inclusion, and how he navigated interviews as a non-native English speaker. Nico also shares how a viral LinkedIn post led him to an internship at Juno during COVID, why he ultimately chose Wharton, and how the MBA shaped his transition from investment banking to becoming COO of a fast-growing fintech startup.

This episode is brought to you by Juno, the collective-bargaining platform that helps MBA students secure lower rates on student loans. Learn more at ⁠⁠juno.us/m7a

(00:00) M7A Sponsor: Juno

(00:34) Opener

(01:01) Introducing Nico Echegaray

(01:58) Pre-MBA Background

(03:34) Motivation to Pursue an MBA

(04:43) Taking the GMAT Early

(05:36) B-School Selection Process

(07:19) Starting the Application Process

(08:05) Hiring an MBA Admissions Consultant

(08:20) Crafting an MBA Application Narrative

(11:09) MBA Application Challenges

(11:54) Preparing for MBA Interviews

(13:42) Value of an MBA Admissions Consultant

(14:57) MBA Application Results

(16:42) Wharton MBA Highlights

(17:51) Advice for Future Applicants (and Current Students)

(19:08) Post-MBA Career

(24:07) Juno

(25:42) Working as a COO

(26:18) Changes to Federal Student Loans

(27:24) Value of a Wharton MBA

(28:21) Advice for Future Applicants

In this episode, we sit down with Christopher Ghadban (WG ’23) to explore his unconventional path from a 2.7 GPA and initial MBA rejections to earning a 740 GMAT score in just five days and ultimately getting into Wharton. Chris shares how his early experiences founding a synthetic biology lab at 19, working in clinical strategy and innovation at AstraZeneca, and later moving into venture capital shaped his views on resilience, curiosity, and impact in the biotech ecosystem. He reflects on using Wharton as a platform for exploration, the real ROI of an MBA, and the mindset that helped him turn setbacks into success.

This episode is brought to you by Juno, the collective-bargaining platform that helps MBA students secure lower rates on student loans. Learn more at ⁠⁠juno.us/m7a

(00:00) M7A Sponsor: Juno

(00:34) Opener

(00:59) Introducing Christopher Ghadban

(02:13) Undergrad Academics

(03:13) Early Entrepreneurial Ambition

(04:43) Professional Experience at AstraZeneca

(06:19) Why MBA?

(07:55) Crafting an MBA Application Narrative

(11:20) Rejection and Reapplying

(15:24) Scoring a 740 on the GMAT

(16:53) Wharton as a Networking Platform

(18:10) Was a Wharton MBA Worth It?

(19:31) Post-MBA Career in VC

(23:54) Advice for Future Applicants