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

In this episode, we sit down with Simo Mohamed Senhaji Rhazi (WG ’22) to unpack his journey from Morocco to Boston College, Wayfair, and ultimately Wharton. Simo shares how he navigated the challenges of being an international student, built an authentic narrative around making a difference in the world through entrepreneurship, and found community in the Lauder Institute’s MBA/MA joint degree program. He reflects on the ups and downs of the GMAT, his experience as a Leadership Fellow, and his transition from McKinsey Canada to the startup world at Clutch.

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.

(00:00:00) M7A Sponsor: Juno

(00:00:34) Opener

(00:00:57) Introducing Simo Mohamed Senhaji Rhazi

(00:06:18) Discovering the MBA

(00:09:05) Crafting an MBA Application Narrative

(00:11:28) Why MBA?

(00:13:10) GMAT Challenges

(00:16:25) MBA Prep Courses vs. Tutors

(00:17:11) MBA Program Selection

(00:18:47) MBA Welcome Weekends

(00:19:17) Impact of COVID

(00:20:48) MBA/MA Lauder Joint Degree Program

(00:23:33) Wharton Leadership Fellows

(00:26:09) Recruiting for MBB

(00:28:57) McKinsey Canada

(00:30:01) Strategy & Ops at Clutch

(00:31:12) Advice for Future Applicants

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Choi (WG ’19, HKS ’19) to unpack his journey from the US Air Force to Wharton and Harvard Kennedy School – and ultimately to entrepreneurship. Alex shares how he built a standout narrative as a veteran applicant, the risk of leaving active duty before knowing he’d been admitted, and how his time at Wharton and HKS shaped his perspective on leadership, service, and career design. He reflects on the transition from the military to big tech, his roles at Instagram and Alchemy, and how those experiences led him to co-found YourNegotiations.com, a consulting company helping job seekers earn more by mastering salary negotiations.

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

(00:00:00) M7A Sponsor: Juno
(00:00:34) Opener
(00:00:49) Introducing Alex Choi
(00:03:01) Decision to Attend B-School
(00:03:36) Military Background
(00:05:13) Why MBA?
(00:07:21) Finding Mentors
(00:08:31) Crafting a Compelling Narrative
(00:11:15) Career Highlights Recap
(00:12:32) MBA Application Challenges
(00:15:04) School Selection
(00:16:20) Working with an Admissions Consultant
(00:17:13) Going All In
(00:17:39) GMAT Strategy
(00:19:08) Applying for a Dual Degree
(00:20:13) Opportunity Cost of the Dual Degree
(00:20:54) Value of the Dual Degree
(00:21:27) Was It Worth It?
(00:21:58) Why Wharton
(00:23:10) Time Management as an MBA Candidate
(00:24:45) Post-MBA Career Update
(00:25:28) Founder Journey
(00:26:54) Launching YourNegotiations.com
(00:28:08) Wharton Resources for Entrepreneurs
(00:30:03) Bootstrapping vs. Raising VC
(00:32:22) Long-Term Goals
(00:33:45) How to Get in Touch with Alex
(00:34:19) Advice for Future Applicants

In this episode, we sit down with Brian Willis (WG ’23) to unpack his journey from Notre Dame to Deutsche Bank, GTCR, and ultimately the Wharton MBA. Brian shares how he built his foundation in finance and private equity, what led him to step back and pursue business school, and how the experience reshaped his perspective on career, community, and balance. He reflects on his time at Wharton – from organizing Penn Fight Night to navigating personal loss – and offers candid advice on slowing down, staying grounded, and making space for what matters. Today, Brian is part of the Alpine Investors team, where he focuses on building and scaling services businesses alongside founders – combining the discipline of private equity with a people-first approach to investing.

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

(00:00:00) M7A Sponsor: Juno

(00:00:34) Opener

(00:00:45) Introducing Brian Willis

(00:02:07) Decision to Attend B-School

(00:03:56) Why MBA?

(00:05:48) Application Timeline

(00:06:35) Writing the Application Essays

(00:08:09) How to Stand Out in a Competitive Pool

(00:09:28) Essay Tactics

(00:10:04) LOR Strategy

(00:10:47) Developing Extracurriculars

(00:11:48) Making Time to Build a Well-Rounded Profile

(00:12:22) Time, Treasure, and Talent

(00:13:32) How to Craft a Cohesive Narrative

(00:15:21) School Selection

(00:16:30) MBA Application Challenges

(00:17:06) Retaking the GMAT

(00:17:49) Taking PTO to Finish Applications

(00:18:56) Leveraging Your Network

(00:20:53) Wharton MBA Highlights

(00:22:35) Family Illness and Loss

(00:23:29) Learnings from Wharton

(00:24:59) Post-MBA at Alpine Investors

(00:26:15) Hard and Soft Skills Development

(00:27:02) Favorite Classes at Wharton

(00:31:07) Long-Term Goals

(00:32:38) Advice to Future Applicants

In this episode, we sit down with Bethany Rolan (HBS ’22) to unpack her journey from small-town Texas to UT Austin, McKinsey, and ultimately Harvard Business School. Bethany shares how she discovered consulting, why she took the GMAT during finals week, and what made her pursue an MBA. She dives into her application strategy – including how she managed feedback, selected recommenders, and leaned into her unique background. We also explore her biggest takeaways from HBS – from classroom insights with Professor Ryan Buell to building lifelong friendships during the pandemic. Today, Bethany is focused on people and organizational performance at McKinsey, with an eye toward eventually “getting the ball” as an operator.

Kelsey Roberts’ path to Harvard Business School was anything but typical. In this episode, she shares how she applied through the 2+2 program as an engineering student at Georgia Tech and used her deferral to explore manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. Kelsey discusses her unique application strategy, the decision to wait four years before starting at HBS, and how her MBA has shaped her impact at Forage. Whether you’re an early-career applicant or exploring nontraditional MBA paths, Kelsey’s story offers inspiration and insight.