Crack The MBA Show Nupur Gupta
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- Business
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In the Crack The MBA Show, Nupur Gupta talks with a new guest every episode to learn about their MBA journey and beyond, be it admissions, student life, careers. Hear from current students and alumni about their journey to the top MBA programs globally, be it Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, Columbia, MIT, INSEAD, LBS or more. Prepare yourself to Crack The MBA and achieve your dreams, just like the guests on the show did.
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Ep024 How Keerthana Cracked HBS & Wharton | HBS MBA & Entrepreneurship Experience
Welcome to another episode of ‘Crack The MBA’ show. Our guest today is Keerthana Wuppulur who is a first-year student at Harvard Business School. Keerthana completed dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Madras. Joining ITC, she became a member of a start-up like founding team where she setup a first-of-its-kind greenfield US FDA approved plant to cater to nicotine derivatives in smokefree product category. Thereafter, Keerthana joined Unilever, becoming the youngest and first female manager to head the world’s biggest manufacturing unit of Pears soap bars. At HBS, Keerthana has been awarded over $115,000 as financial aid scholarship. Keerthana is a member of sustainability club, food and agriculture club, women’s business association and iLab. In a departure from traditional recruiting efforts, Keerthana is not sitting for consulting or tech placements and is instead applying to become a Rock Summer Fellow and is founding a startup, Next-Zero, where she’s building a carbon accounting software that will cater to the Indian B2B market space.
00:00:00 Episode Highlights
00:00:45 Introduction
00:01:56 Fun Fact
00:04:33 Winning Habits & Influences
00:09:27 Social Entrepreneurship Ventures in College
00:12:03 Experience Working with CTM
00:14:07 How to Approach the HBS Essay
00:19:10 HBS’s Evaluation Criteria
00:21:12 Identifying Key Essay Anecdotes
00:22:35 Approaching Career Goals
00:24:37 HBS Admissions Interview
00:30:36 Wharton Team-Based Discussion
00:33:50 HBS’s Unique Identity
00:35:08 HBS Class Profile
00:37:26 Section X
00:39:43 Dating at HBS
00:40:41 Flagship Events
00:42:51 Boston Location
00:46:56 Food Scene
00:49:05 Extracurricular Activities
00:50:47 Favorite Spot on Campus
00:51:40 Biggest Challenge at HBS
00:52:33 The Case Method
00:57:02 5 Ps of the HBS Classroom
00:58:21 Star Professors & Popular Electives
00:59:37 Speakers at HBS
01:01:16 Entrepreneurship Post-MBA
01:04:59 Rock Summer Fellow
01:07:30 Resources for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
01:09:14 Internship Recruiting
01:11:21 Parting Reflection
Thank you for watching!
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Nupur Gupta is the founder of Crack The MBA (https://crackthemba.com), India's leading MBA admissions consulting firm. Every year, Crack The MBA's clients attend ivy league, M7 and other top MBA programs globally. Nupur is a graduate of the full-time MBA program at The Wharton School. She has been recognized by Economic Times among the 'Most Promising Women Leaders', by Business Insider among the 'World's Leading Admissions Consultants', along with other honors. Nupur served two terms as president and two terms on the board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) - the primary industry association in MBA admissions.
Follow Nupur and ‘Crack The MBA’ on our social media platforms for more updates:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nupurgupt/
https://www.facebook.com/CrackTheMBA/
https://www.instagram.com/crackthemba/
Disclaimer: The opinions shared by guests in this video in no way, shape or form represent advisory provided by Crack The MBA. Each candidate’s circumstances may vary, and our advice is always provided specifically based on an applicant’s specific profile. -
Ep023 How Aishik Cracked McKinsey London | INSEAD MBA & MBB Recruiting Experience
Welcome to another episode of ‘Crack The MBA’ show. Our guest today is Aishik Dhar. Aishik graduated from BITS Pilani with a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. Thereafter, he worked as a Software Developer at Amazon
in their Payments division and then as a Product Manager at Goodera, enabling volunteering opportunities for people worldwide. Aishik was a recipient of the Orange scholarship at INSEAD and graduated with an MBA degree from INSEAD in 2022. Aishik is currently working as an Associate at McKinsey & Company in London. During his spare time, Aishik is an avid theater, photography, chess and football enthusiast. In fact, Aishik has been to nearly 10 Arsenal matches at their stadium in the last one year!
00:00:00 Episode Highlights
00:00:39 Introduction
00:01:29 Fun Fact
00:02:08 Winning Habits & Influences
00:05:38 Experience Working With CTM
00:07:44 Why MBA
00:08:51 Why INSEAD
00:10:32 Essay Advice
00:12:30 International Motivation
00:16:20 Interview Prep
00:18:30 Admissions: Evaluation Criteria
00:19:16 Scholarships
00:21:10 Applying as a Younger Applicant
00:22:36 August vs. Jan Intake
00:24:07 1Y vs. 2Y MBA
00:25:24 Casing in 1Y MBA Program
00:27:00 Flagship Events
00:28:40 Fontainebleau vs. Singapore Campus
00:29:50 Biggest Challenge at INSEAD
00:31:04 Star Professors & Popular Courses
00:32:11 Consulting Recruiting at INSEAD
00:38:35 Why McKinsey London Office
00:39:27 Recruiting Outcomes for Indian Students
00:42:09 Tech Recruiting: INSEAD vs. US Schools
00:43:21 Consulting: Regional Salary Variations
00:45:15 Most Memorable Experience at INSEAD
00:46:02 Consulting: a Day in Life
00:47:22 Consulting: Case Staffing
00:50:11 Consulting: Recruiting Environment
00:50:57 Impact of INSEAD MBA
00:52:11 Final Advice
Thank you for watching!
—
Nupur Gupta is the founder of Crack The MBA
(https://crackthemba.com), India's leading MBA admissions consulting firm. Every year, Crack The MBA's clients attend ivy league, M7 and other top MBA programs globally. Nupur is a graduate of the full-time MBA program at The Wharton School. She has been recognized by Economic Times among the 'Most Promising Women Leaders', by Business Insider among the 'World's Leading Admissions Consultants', along with other honors. Nupur served two terms as president and two terms on the board of the Association of International
Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) - the primary industry association in MBA admissions.
Follow Nupur and ‘Crack The MBA’ on our social media platforms for more updates:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nupurgupt/
https://www.facebook.com/CrackTheMBA/
https://www.instagram.com/crackthemba/
Disclaimer: The opinions shared by guests in this video in no way, shape or form represent advisory provided by Crack The MBA. Each candidate’s circumstances may vary, and our advice is always provided specifically based on an applicant’s specific profile. -
Ep022 How Aanchal Cracked the Dean's Merit MBA Scholarship | Michigan Ross MBA Experience
Welcome to another episode of ‘Crack The
MBA’ show. Our guest today is Aanchal Gupta.
Aanchal is a Consultant at Boston Consulting Group in their New York office. Aanchal recently graduated with an MBA from Ross School of Business, where she was awarded the prestigious dean’s fellow merit-based full tuition scholarship. Aanchal originally hails from India and, prior to pursuing her MBA, worked for four years at Fidelity Investments as a data scientist. During her time at Fidelity, Aanchal managed machine learning based solutions lifecycle across various business units and also acquired a US patent for one of her solutions. She completed her undergraduate degree in computer science and engineering at MNIT Jaipur, where
she was a merit scholar and student placement coordinator. Aanchal has always been actively engaged in extracurricular activities, most recently being a peer coach, student ambassador and being involved with consulting club, Indian
Student Business Association, Community Consulting Club and Michigan Code Academy at Ross.
00:00:00 Highlights
00:00:58 Introduction
00:02:00 Fun Fact
00:02:38 Winning Habits & Influences
00:06:26 Why MBA
00:07:23 Why Ross
00:09:22 Essays
00:11:14 Identifying Career Goals
00:13:14 Overcoming Weaknesses
00:14:58 Interview Prep
00:17:28 Admissions: Evaluation Criteria
00:19:40 Scholarships
00:21:13 Ross’s Unique Identity
00:24:52 Flagship Events at Ross
00:26:55 Life in Ann Arbor
00:29:14 Student Clubs
00:33:18 Biggest Challenge at Ross
00:36:12 Academic Highlights at Ross
00:39:51 Star Professors at Ross
00:41:36 Experiential Opportunities
00:46:38 Consulting Recruiting
00:53:28 Internship Experience
00:55:28 Day in the Life: Consulting
00:59:14 Current Recruiting Environment
01:00:27 Ross’s Impact
01:02:26 Pre-MBA Internships
01:04:33 Final Advice
Thank you for watching!
—
Nupur Gupta is the founder of Crack The MBA
(https://crackthemba.com), India's leading MBA admissions consulting firm. Every year, Crack The MBA's clients attend ivy league, M7 and other top MBA programs globally. Nupur is a graduate of the full-time MBA program at The Wharton School. She has been recognized by Economic Times among the 'Most Promising Women Leaders', by Business Insider among the 'World's Leading Admissions Consultants', along with other honors. Nupur served two terms as president and two terms on the board of the Association of International
Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) - the primary industry association in MBA admissions.
Follow Nupur and ‘Crack The MBA’ on our social media platforms for more updates:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nupurgupt/
https://www.facebook.com/CrackTheMBA/
https://www.instagram.com/crackthemba/
Disclaimer: The opinions shared by guests in this video in no way, shape or form represent advisory provided by Crack The MBA. Each candidate’s circumstances may vary, and our advice is always provided specifically based on an applicant’s specific profile. -
Ep021 Chat with Vivek Varma Sakhineti | Michigan Ross MBA Experience
Welcome to another episode of ‘Crack The MBA Show’. Our guest today is Vivek Varma who is a second-year student at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Vivek graduated from UPES with a B.Tech. in Applied Petroleum Engineering. Thereafter, he worked at the intersection of energy, finance, and technology at Royal Dutch Shell as a data engineer and senior business analyst for almost 5 years. At Ross, Vivek is President of Indian Subcontinent Business Association, International Chair, Open Road Fellow, MTrek
Lead, member of Ross Follies, contributor to Business Beyond Usual Podcast and winner of EY Consulting Case Competition. In the summer after first year, Vivek pursued an internship with LEK Consulting in Boston.
00:00:00 Start
00:00:38 Introduction
00:02:30 Fun Fact
00:04:52 Winning Habits & Influences
00:10:02 MBA Admissions Timeline
00:12:42 GMAT
00:17:25 Letters of Recommendation
00:18:34 Essays
00:19:26 Resume
00:19:57 Interview Prep
00:25:49 Ross Admissions: Evaluation Rubric
00:27:45 Approaching Ross’s Essays
00:31:29 Identifying Essay Anecdotes
00:33:11 Ross Interview Experience & Tips
00:36:09 Overcoming Weaknesses
00:40:15 Financing Your MBA
00:44:38 Pre-MBA Internship Opportunities
00:46:05 Sporting Culture at Michigan
00:51:02 Experience Living in Ann Arbor
00:58:02 MAP Experience
01:00:12 MTrek
01:02:38 Academic Highlights at Ross
01:04:47 Consulting Internship Recruiting
01:07:46 Internship Recruiting for Indians
01:11:43 Final Advice
Thank you for watching!
—
Nupur Gupta is the founder of Crack The MBA
(https://crackthemba.com), India's leading MBA admissions consulting firm. Every year, Crack The MBA's clients attend ivy league, M7 and other top MBA programs globally. Nupur is a graduate of the full-time MBA program at The Wharton School. She has been recognized by Economic Times among the 'Most Promising Women Leaders', by Business Insider among the 'World's Leading Admissions Consultants', along with other honors. Nupur served two terms as president and two terms on the board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) - the primary industry association in MBA admissions.
Follow Nupur and ‘Crack The MBA’ on our social media platforms for more updates:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nupurgupt/
https://www.facebook.com/CrackTheMBA/
https://www.instagram.com/crackthemba/
Disclaimer: The opinions shared by guests in this video in no way, shape or form represent advisory provided by Crack The MBA. Each candidate’s circumstances may vary, and our advice is always provided specifically based on an applicant’s specific profile. -
Ep020 Chat with Shivani Taskar | Kellogg MBA Experience
Welcome to another episode of ‘Crack The MBA’ show. Our guest today is Shivani Taskar who recently completed her first-year at Kellogg School of Management. Shivani completed her Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from BITS Pilani, where she helped end night curfews for women. Thereafter, she worked with Deutsche Bank, working on an intrapreneurial initiative with the CEO’s office, and with Urban Company, pioneering digital
transformation by introducing remote consultations in response to COVID-related lockdowns. At Kellogg, Shivani has served as Director of Content, Gender Equity Network, Director of Alumni Engagement at Kellogg Student Association, and Section Leader for Day at Kellogg. Shivani is actively involved with Kellogg Entrepreneurship and VC Club, Kellogg Cares, and the Games Club. In her second year, Shivani will be Co-President of the General Management Club, and leading KSA’s new alumni engagement division. She will also be Speaker Chair at Kellogg’s first-ever India Business Conference in Spring 2024. This summer, Shivani is scheduled to intern with Baird. Once she returns to Kellogg, she will pursue an in-semester internship at f7 Ventures, which will be her first foray into the world of VC.
00:00:00 Coming Up
00:01:08 Introduction
00:02:40 Fun Fact
00:03:35 Winning Habits & Influences
00:05:50 Experience with CTM
00:07:32 MBA Application Timeline
00:11:10 Advice on Resume
00:12:50 Brave Leaders Essay
00:17:55 Values Essay
00:20:03 Identifying Key Essay Anecdotes
00:23:03 Video Essays
00:24:29 Overcoming Weaknesses
00:25:50 Interview Experience & Advice
00:27:44 Admissions: Evaluation Rubric
00:29:14 Kellogg’s Unique Identity
00:31:12 Flagship Events
00:33:43 Experience Living in Evanston
00:36:01 Global Hub
00:38:08 Winter in Evanston
00:40:57 KWEST Trip
00:45:52 Biggest Challenge Faced at Kellogg
00:47:29 Insider Tip
00:48:35 Student Clubs & Activities
00:58:04 MBA Programs at Kellogg
00:59:09 Academic Highlights at Kellogg
01:01:31 Star Professors & Popular Electives
01:03:53 Recruiting at Kellogg
01:14:38 Final Advice for Applicants
Thank you for watching!
—
Nupur Gupta is the founder of Crack The MBA
(https://crackthemba.com), India's leading MBA admissions consulting firm. Every year, Crack The MBA's clients attend ivy league, M7 and other top MBA programs globally. Nupur is a graduate of the full-time MBA program at The Wharton School. She has been recognized by Economic Times among the 'Most Promising Women Leaders', by Business Insider among the 'World's Leading Admissions Consultants', along with other honors. Nupur served two terms as president and two terms on the board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) - the primary industry association in MBA admissions.
Follow Nupur and ‘Crack The MBA’ on our social media platforms for more updates:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nupurgupt/
https://www.facebook.com/CrackTheMBA/
https://www.instagram.com/crackthemba/
Disclaimer: The opinions shared by guests in this video in no way, shape or form represent advisory provided by Crack The MBA. Each candidate’s circumstances may vary, and our advice is always provided specifically based on an applicant’s specific profile. -
Ep019 Chat with Admissions Ambassador: Nikita Gupta | Yale SOM MBA Experience
Welcome to another episode of ‘Crack The MBA’ show. Our guest today is Nikita Gupta who recently completed her first-year at Yale School of Management. Nikita was born and raised in Delhi; she completed her B.A. in Psychology from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University where she was the class topper. Thereafter, she worked with Invest India, supporting the Startup India program and building bilateral startup engagement with Portugal, France, UK and Australia, helping Indian startups expand to these countries. Nikita is a strong advocate for mental wellness and founded a COVID-19 mental wellness helpline, apart from leading education initiatives at Tulasi Healthcare – a group of mental health establishments. At Yale, Nikita has been involved with the Consulting Club, South Asia Club and Healthcare Club. She is also an admissions interviewer and student ambassador. This summer, Nikita plans to pursue an internship with BCG in the Washington DC Office.
00:00:00 Coming Up
00:01:02 Introduction
00:02:05 Fun Fact
00:02:36 Winning Habits & Influences
00:05:18 Why ‘Crack The MBA’
00:06:22 Experience with CTM
00:07:25 MBA Admissions Components
00:09:06 GMAT Prep
00:11:28 Commitment Essay
00:14:41 Identifying Key Essay Anecdotes
00:16:04 Career Goals Essay
00:18:11 Overcoming Weaknesses
00:20:21 Admissions Interview Experience
00:22:13 Video Essays & Behavioral Assessment
00:25:26 Admissions Evaluation Rubric
00:27:02 Student Ambassador: Great Questions Asked
00:29:53 Yale SOM’s Unique Identity
00:33:25 Flagship Events
00:35:44 Experience Living in New Haven
00:38:00 Experience as an International Student
00:39:35 Biggest Challenge Faced at Yale SOM
00:40:36 Lesser-Known Yale Resources
00:41:57 Academic Highlights at Yale
00:44:59 Star Professors & Popular Electives
00:46:18 Raw Case Approach
00:48:38 Interdisciplinary Learning at Yale
00:51:15 Recruiting at Yale SOM
01:00:12 Consulting Recruiting at Yale SOM
01:10:19 Final Advice for Prospective Applicants
Thank you for watching!
—
Nupur Gupta is the founder of Crack The MBA (https://crackthemba.com), India's leading MBA admissions consulting firm. Every year, Crack The MBA's clients attend ivy league, M7 and other top MBA programs globally. Nupur is a graduate of the full-time MBA program at The Wharton School. She has been recognized by Economic Times among the 'Most Promising Women Leaders', by Business Insider among the 'World's Leading Admissions Consultants', along with other honors. Nupur serves on the board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) - the primary industry association in MBA admissions. Nupur has also served as two-term president of AIGAC.
Follow Nupur and ‘Crack The MBA’ on our social media platforms for more updates:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nupurgupt/
https://www.facebook.com/CrackTheMBA/
https://www.instagram.com/crackthemba/
Disclaimer: The opinions shared by guests in this video in no way, shape or form represent advisory provided by Crack The MBA. Each candidate’s circumstances may vary, and our advice is always provided specifically based on an applicant’s specific profile.