Two business‑school accounts highlight a continuing strategy among top MBA programs: intensify practitioner access and real‑deal experiences. Kellogg’s Advanced Private Equity Experience (APEX) markets sustained mentorship, deal exposure and practitioner access to accelerate finance careers. Students cited hands‑on mentorship and long‑term relationships with active investors as central to placement outcomes. At Harvard Business School, a student reflection framed the case method as training in judgment rather than technical certainty, arguing that FIN1 emphasizes decision‑making under ambiguity and ethical tradeoffs. Both narratives underline schools’ emphasis on applied learning to differentiate MBA outcomes in a tightening labor market. Administrators and alumni say these deep practitioner ties and case‑driven pedagogy are meant to build reputational and placement advantages in a field where relationship capital is decisive.