In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky, Founder Jeremy Shinewald, and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya discuss whether MBA students in 2026 and going forward can expect to see a meaningful return on their investment in the degree. The question eludes a simple yes-or-no answer. While the degree can deliver enormous value, applicants must measure that value through the proper lens.
By Jen Kedrowski, MBA Admissions Consultant, mbaMission, and former GMAT/GRE Instructor & Curriculum Manager
If you are planning to apply to MBA programs, you have likely heard about exams such as the GMAT, GRE, and Executive Assessment (EA).
The question is how do you decide which admissions exam to take before applying to business schools?
In this post, we offer insight into the different exam options for applying to MBA programs to help you identify the one you should take to increase your chances of success. Ultimately, you want to choose the exam that is the best fit for you—the one that will most effectively showcase your abilities and add to your applicant profile.
Is attending a modern, innovative, one-year MBA program within a globally renowned historic university of interest to you? Only two business schools uniquely blend cutting-edge innovation with a rich historic backdrop going back more than 800 years, and they are Oxford Saïd Business School and Cambridge Judge Business School.
Whether you are still deciding where to apply to or already have offers in hand, thinking through the similarities and differences between the two programs is helpful.
Yin and yang, two halves of a whole, a bagel and cream cheese—no, these are not philosophical concepts (or breakfast options); they are ways of thinking about how to choose your MBA application recommenders. Nearly all business schools require two recommendations, and rather than viewing the people who will write them as two discrete individuals, each making a separate point about you, you should think of them as two knowledgeable sources whose letters will complement—and not repeat—each other. If you choose two recommenders who both highlight the same strengths they see in you, you will miss a valuable opportunity to make an impression on the admissions committee.
Applicants to the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business must provide two short-answer responses (essentially, mini essays) of just 200 words each. The school’s first prompt focuses on what you believe is an important aspect of your personality or character, while the second demands a clear explanation of your professional goals. In addition, you must submit a video essay in which you respond extemporaneously to a brief question chosen at random. These submissions, along with a space Darden provides in which you can share any key additional information, enable you to offer a well-rounded impression of yourself as an aspiring Darden MBA. Read on for our analysis of Darden’s 2026–2027 prompts.
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