The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

Latest episode

2 Oct 2026 · 27 min

#241 The Paramedic Method: Revive Your MBA Essays & Beat the Word Count, Too

“Deleting prepositional phrases and replacing “is” forms with active verbs energize your prose.” – Darren, Touch MBA Darren edits an applicant’s essay using Professor Richard Latham’s Paramedic Method, an editing exercise to reduce your word count and energize your prose. Use the paramedic method to keep your essays action-oriented and concise. The Paramedic Method Circle the prepositions Circle the “is” forms Find the action Put this action in a simple (not compound) active verb Start fast – no slow windups Read the passage aloud with emphasis and feeling Write out each sentence on a blank…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

1. 

   5 Sep 2026 · 21 min

   #240 What Does "Holistic" Mean?

   Just about every top-ranked MBA program says they evaluate applicants “holistically” i.e. no single factor, whether GMAT score, GPA, work experience or background – can make or break an application. Top MBA programs almost like to brag about high GMAT scorers that didn’t get in to prove this. As a former MBA admissions director, I know “holistic” can be confusing and vague. That’s why I created a 15-point rubric to help you understand where and how you can improve your profile. My view is that top business schools evaluate applicants along 3 dimensions: Academic Aptitude – can you get…

2. 

   S1 · E239 · 30 Jul 2026 · 16 min

   #239 How to Capture the AdCom's Attention (Repost)

   Capturing your reader's attention is the most important goal of your MBA application. You want the admissions officer to remember you after reading 20 applications that day. The longer you can keep his or her attention (in the right way!), the better your chances are of landing an interview. In this episode, we take the core principles from Oren Klaff's Pitch Anything , and discuss 4 ways you can get and keep attention in your application. The primal "croc brain" that hears a pitch is very different from the logical "neocortex" that designs a pitch. The "croc brain" is intrigued by pleasant…

3. 

   S1 · E238 · 30 Jun 2026 · 17 min

   #238 Feel Ordinary? Try "The J.D. Vance" Positioning Strategy

   "So I didn't write this book because I've accomplished something extraordinary. I wrote this book because I've achieved something quite ordinary, which doesn't happen to most kids who grow up like me." - J.D. Vance, Hillbilly Elegy J.D. Vance's memoir - Hillbilly Elegy, written when he was 31 years old - launched him into the national spotlight and eventually the Vice Presidency of the United States. But in the book's first paragraph, Vance writes "... I'll be the first to admit that I've accomplished nothing great in my life, certainly nothing that would justify a complete stranger paying…

4. 

   S1 · E237 · 16 Jun 2026 · 27 min

   #237 3 Storytelling Strategies to Power Up your MBA Application (from Storytelling Champion & Author Matthew Dicks)

   Almost two years ago, I heard 10-time Moth GrandSLAM winner and novelist Matthew Dicks share his storytelling secrets on the Knowledge Project Podcast with Shane Parrish. Then, I listened to entire the 2-hour podcast again, it was that good! I've now listened to this interview three times! I wanted to share 3 storytelling tips from the episode to help you craft compelling stories for your MBA applications. Topics Introduction (0:00) Story is Change over Time (3:00) The Architecture of Story: How to Structure your Stories (12:45) Beginnings: Give Them a Reason to Listen (15:10) How to…

5. 

   S1 · E236 · 19 May 2026 · 26 min

   #236 Get Ahead Before You Apply with MBA Pre-Assessments

   Many top-ranked MBA programs in Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia actively encourage applicants to connect with admissions teams before submitting an application. But most applicants don't know this - or are too nervous to reach out. Should you contact admissions before you're ready? What if you haven't taken the GMAT yet, or your resume isn't polished? And how do you make sure the conversation is actually useful for both sides? In this episode, Darren invites Admissions Directors from three top-ranked programs - IESE (Spain), CUHK (Hong Kong), and AGSM (Australia) - to guide you on how to…

6. 

   S1 · E235 · 12 May 2026 · 1 hr 16 min

   #235 EDHEC Global MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Sandra Richez

   Sandra Richez has spent two decades overseeing each aspect of the EDHEC Global MBA - from admissions and curriculum to career outcomes and alumni relations. As Program Director, she has a clear view of what distinguishes the program, and she didn't hold back in this conversation. We cover a range of topics: EDHEC's history, reputation and location in Nice, France, how the program's 10-month format attracts a more experienced and collaborative cohort, and why the MBA consistently ranks among the top 10 worldwide for return on investment. Sandra also walks through EDHEC's scholarship…

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