Manager
Joined: 22 Apr 2015
Posts: 50
Concentration: General Management, Social Entrepreneurship
GPA: 3.08
How real is the URM Advantage?
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01 Jun 2015, 06:56
As we all know, the B-School application process is meant to be (or at least advertised as being) largely holistic. Schools look at a variety of factors including GPA, GMAT, Essays, Work Experience, and Interviews (among other things) to determine not just whether an applicant is qualified to attend their school, but whether the applicant is a "good fit." However, there are plenty of strains of conventional wisdom that emphasize the value of particulars despite this "holistic" admissions process. For instance, a 700+ GMAT is a "must have" for top schools. Work experience like M/B/B is sure to make someone stand out. And so on.
I have read plenty of forum posts and articles where people mention being a URM and whether (or to what extent) that confers an advantage upon the applicant. I wanted to see if people could post suggesting (preferably with evidence) what specific effect URM status can have on an application profile. Again, I recognize that the process is ultimately holistic and designed to determine fit. With that said, is there some regard in which URM status can be said to have a specific effect? Do b-schools have preferences even within the URM class itself? I'd love to see if anyone can provide a substantive take on this question and, ideally, support it with evidence.