rezje wrote:
Hi! I was hoping to get help with the following inquiry.
I am a recent honors graduate (finance and accounting) from New Mexico State University with a 3.59 GPA. I was an international student (Mexican national) at that institution and very involved in extracurricular activities during my college experience such as being the senator for the college of business in student government, a delegate for model united nations (won 1st place in the NYC Conference out of 300 universities worldwide), business manager for the student radio station, and a member of the dancesport team (competitive ballroom and latin dance), etc.
I am really interested in applying to a top MBA program in 4 or 5 years when I get enough work experience. One of my big concerns regarding the application process is how much do Admissions Committees discriminate applicants based on the ranking of their undegradute institution? Assuming a good GMAT score (let's say 700+), and decent work experience, would I be competitive enough to get admission into HBS, Wharton, Stanford, or Chicago considering that I graduated from a lower ranked university?
Also, I'm looking into getting a part time Masters in Finance from one of the best universities in Mexico (ITAM) while working full time. My question was, does it help having another graduate degree in the MBA admissions process?
Any advice is welcome! Thank you!
Thanks for your inquiry. To address your questions:
1) While the reputation of your undergrad schools is a factor, you performed well there. Probably your GMAT will carry slightly more weight. In addition, coming from Mexico will likely help your chances. The fact that you graduated from New Mexico State is not a deal-breaker.
2) The graduate degree will help if it fits with your long-term goal, you earn good grades, and does not duplicate the course offerings of an MBA. As long as you do well, it sounds like your MS in Finance will do all the above. In addition, it will confirm that can perform in what is probably a more competitive environment than New Mexico State.
Best,
Linda
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01 May 2010, 21:13
