jw wrote:
Hello.
I am only a freshman in college right now, but I am trying to plan a little. I go to a non-target but top 50 school (state school). I would like to gain admission to a top business school in a long time.
I am concerned that graduating from a state school will hinder my admission chances. I realize that the school itself is not that important, but the work experience is. My work experience will probably be worse experience than that of someone coming from a target school and a top company. I have some questions about how I can stand a chance against all the competitive applicants from esteemed pedigrees. It seems like a large percent of MBA class profiles are from banking and high finance - is this because more apply or b-schools favor them?
1. Other than earn a high GPA and GMAT, are there other areas of my application I could think about at this point?
2. Does my major matter? I am studying accounting at the moment. My school also offers finance and economics (BA or BS in economics). It seems business schools favor social sciences applicants.
3. If I completed a program where I graduate with an MSF at the same time or shortly after my undergraduate degree and use it to land a better job, will business schools view getting an MBA as redundant?
4. Is the reason MBA classes often are made up of many people in the industry "consulting" because many of these individuals apply or because the business schools like these applicants?
I realize my questions are kind of persnickety, I am sorry for that. I am the anxious, nervous type.
Thanks.
Hi,
It's great to see that you're already thinking way into the future (I wish I had done that!). I graduated from a state school and have a very non-flashy job record. Don't worry about the names of schools you've studied in or places you've worked at, just focus on your story.
1. High GPA/GMAT is important, and they can offset each other. If you have a quant heavy degree and a good GPA (and a quant related job), you don't have to worry as much about the quant section of GMAT. If you studied Art History, your quant score better be really good. Besides the GPA, do tons of extra-curricular activities in and out of school. This will help you a lot!
2. Your major doesn't matter as long as you've done something good (with it) post-graduation. If you study art history and then open up a very successful art gallery, the fact that you had an unrelated undergrad degree won't matter at all. There are also other folks who have art history backgrounds, who did not get involved in business, and who get into top business schools because they tell a great story and the business schools want a diversified class.
3. No.
4. Consultants tend to be picked because they are exposed to a number of industries/companies/experiences, so they probably have good stories to tell. At the same time they tend to be more flexible people since they deal with great variance in their careers. (Also a lot of them have been in good schools, work for good companies, and b-schools want to maintain relationships with those companies so they have to hire these folks (same as IB)).
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Updated on: 10 May 2011, 13:23
