#108 How to Finance Your US MBA with Phil DeGisi, CommonBond

“I’m In – Now How Do I Pay For B-School?”  Most applicants are 100% focused on getting IN a top MBA. Then after the euphoria of getting in, the hard reality of financing the MBA hits them in the face. Darren talks to Phil DeGisi, Chief Marketing Officer of CommonBond, about what US applicants can do to get the best MBA loans for US MBA programs. Darren and Phil also talk about the Dartmouth Tuck MBA, the MBA's usefulness in the marketing industry, and what US applicants should look for in an MBA network. Questions What should applicants think about (strategically) to secure the best MBA loan (6:16) What is the common financing path for most US MBAs? What federal and private loan options are available? (8:40) Federal loans vs. private loans (12:28) Estimating your MBA costs and last financing tips (19:40) What applicants can do now (tactically) to secure a great loan (21:30) How Phil has benefited from the Dartmouth Tuck MBA (30:08) How to gauge the strength of MBA alumni networks (32:36) Phil's thoughts on the MBA's value in the marketing industry (34:50) About Our Guest As Chief Marketing Officer at CommonBond, Phil DeGisi oversees the marketing, business development, and creative teams. Prior to joining the CommonBond team, Phil held ecommerce and digital marketing roles spanning startups and large organizations, including Quidsi (a subsidiary of Amazon), littleBits electronics, and Walmart.com. Across these roles, he led direct response marketing, customer retention, and site merchandising/optimization efforts. Phil received his MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and his BA from Vassar College with a degree in economics. Episode summary, links and more at: http://touchmba.com/us-mba-loans Episode Sponsor Ever wish there was an easier, more affordable way to get your MBA loans? Well now there is. CommonBond is leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans.   Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA. CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900.