Undergraduate students are often surprised to learn that approximately 20 MBA programs across the US will consider their applications even before they graduate from college. These business schools range from prestigious Harvard and Stanford to under-the-radar UC San Diego. A few minutes of Googling will produce a surprisingly impressive list of attractive MBA options for you to consider.
Some business schools have formal, dedicated processes in place for evaluating college seniors, while other MBA programs simply include college seniors in the overall pool of applicants. A few universities limit consideration to only those applicants currently enrolled their own undergrad programs. And several business schools even waive application fees and offer special, merit-based scholarships to these young candidates.
Interested? So, what should you do now to maximize your chances for admission at these MBA programs? Based on our nearly two decades of advising b-school applicants, The MBA Exchange suggests the following 6 steps:
1. Push yourself to earn top grades, especially in rigorous, relevant courses.
2. Study for required admissions tests (GMAT or GRE) while your “academic” skills are fresh.
3. Round out your MBA candidacy with part-time jobs and organizational leadership roles.
4. Bond with your professors to use them as mentors, advisors and future recommenders.
5. Interact and converse with business school students recent grads – even if just online.
6. Request a free, expert evaluation of your future MBA candidacy.
