Top 20 admit. Top 10 ??

Question

I have an admit from McCombs full time MBA program for fall 2011. I have applied to two top 10 programs (Kellogg and Columbia) and still waiting to hear from them. If I do not get into any other MBA program this year should I wait and try for a top 10 school next year? My profile

UG: Engineering (Distinction) (India) (3.9/4.0) (top 5 college)
PG: Economics (LSE) (3.0/4.0)
GMAT: 740/5.5
Work ex (as of today): 3.5 yrs. (Consulting) (IT consulting/Energy consulting)
Extra-curricular: average.

Thanks

bakfed · Answer

Hey there buddy, congrats on the admit, first of all.

I think your question is going to be a bit broad for anyone to answer for you. Why did you want to get an MBA? Why did you apply to McCombs? Why did you apply this year, knowing that next year would still be a good time to reapply/matriculate? I think you just have to ask yourself why you're doing all this MBA preparation right now. If you had not wanted to attend McCombs, you really shouldn't have applied. Now that you've applied, my suggestion is that you go (if you don't get in Kellogg or CBS) unless there's some extenuating circumstances. Your numbers are great, but definitely not a shoo-in for top b-schools. If you apply to only top 10 schools next year, you risk the chance of not getting in still. And of course, if you choose a school in the 10-20 range next year and get in, you run into the same dilemma you have today. So this is really something only you can answer for yourself.

LSEguy · Answer

Thank you very much for sharing your views. I am currently located in New Delhi (working for a government energy/engineering consulting firm). Steps that I am taking to mitigate the low GPA

in the optional essay I did mention that I was down will viral fever just a week before the finals at LSE) 1. Since there are no 'community colleges' here in Delhi where I can take additional courses, I have identified UCB extension and Stanford EPGY online courses so that I have an alternate transcript. I did take summer school courses at LSE (in 2009) in macro and micro (introductory level, EC101, EC102) and got A's in both. 2. Moving out of IT consulting into a government (public sector) energy consulting firm was a planned move on my part. I know that the competition within the Indian IT applicant pool is rabid. By diversifying my work ex I am now in a (slightly) better position to stand out of the crowd. 3. I am also looking at getting some international work experience before the next application cycle (though this is not entirely in my hand). There are several energy/water resources projects located in Africa/ SE Asia that my current organization works on. I am trying to get involved with more off shore activities. 4. I believe that this application season has made me a "smarter applicant". I was able to project my "energy" background successfully at McCombs. I was able to pin my long term and short term goals keeping in mind the McCombs MBA program. I did not spend too much time pondering over the essays though. I guess I wrapped up the application essays (I reused my essays at other schools) within a week. I am still weighing my options. Thank you again for your time and views. ps: yes i am 27 yrs old.

LSEguy · Answer

Thank you bakfed for the comments. To be honest, I kind of rushed into my applications for fall 2011. I was a late starter (GMAT in October 2010). I was also apprehensive of the tremendous amount of competition to get into a top b-school. This meant, that I missed the early and R1 deadlines at many top schools (UCLA, UCB, Yale, Duke, CBS, Ross, INSEAD etc...). McCombs was a natural choice for me because I was comfortable at exhibiting my "fit" with the program (I banked upon my energy consulting background). I agree with your POV that if I do not get into a top 10 school next year, then I will pretty much land up where I am right now (or I can still be worst off if I do not even get a top 20 admit). Though my career goal is to work for a top MC firm, I am realistic about my chances of landing up at a top tier MC straight out of b-school ( I was interviewed by Booz and also by GS while I was in London but did not get the final offer). I will need to strengthen my profile and increase my skill set in order to increase the probability of making it to one of the top MC firms. I am trying to get more info with regards to the the career services at McCombs and how they prepare students to face these tricky interviews. I believe that a top 10 school (as compared to a top 20) will be able to groom me better for a career in MC, given their vast resources and experience. It is a tricky situation for me. I will be paying the deposit at McCombs (due by March 15) but will keep exploring other options. Thank you very much for your time, I appreciate it. Please do share your thoughts and opinions, it certainly helps! :-D

Cheers!

bakfed · Answer

I completely see your point. I want to say one final thing, which you probably know already. For top MC firms (M/B/B), any school within the top 16 b-schools will earn you an interview spot fairly easily, as long as you're willing to go to the recruiting events and schmooze with the company reps. For schools in top the 10, most definitely that the possibility of acquiring that interview is extremely high. For schools in the 10-15 (such as duke, uva, michigan), chances are if you want it you can get at least the interview. Then of course, as cliche as it may sound, once you get into that interview room the only thing that matters then is how you do in your fit and case interviews. Being in the top 10 b-schools will not necessarily give you better access into the MC firms, but simply a better access to getting an interview. In summary, as long as the firms that you want to work for (again, most likely M/B/B) recruit at the school you go to, you have a pretty good shot at landing an interview if you put in the work. You can easily check whether or not the firms you want to be with recruit at McCombs by visiting each firm's site. If none recruits directly at McCombs, yes, your chance of getting into the company becomes ever slimmer. But if they do recruit on-campus, know that you have a good shot at landing an interview with them. Once you step into the interview room, whether you went to Booth or McCombs play little role in the final decision.

LSEguy · Answer

Thanks for the prompt reply bakfed. All the top tier MC firms recruit at McCombs. I checked the career services website of McCombs as well as the individual career recruitment page of these firms. Essentially, this means that it will boil down to the interview and also my networking skills.

In a nutshell, what you are saying is that going to a top 10 b-school will in itself not 'greatly' increase my chances of getting through a top consulting firm. It will merely help me get some face time with my interviewer (by allowing me to pass through the 'gate-keepers' which are there to weed out the 'not-so-impressive' applications from the large applicant pool). So, the 'pedigree' will take me as far as the interview room - then I am on my own.

Thanks for your time and inputs!

bakfed · Answer

Yep, whatever happens between you and the interviewer in that interview room has very little to do with where you went to school. How you crack the case is going to be more important.

LSEguy · Answer

I have been trying to get more info from current students at McCombs. There are some student clubs (which are in sync with my goals) which are not open to all the students (Texas Venture Labs for example). Even though these are awesome clubs, and their activities are very focused towards either IB/PE/VC (things that of interest to me, besides MC), there is not guarantee that I will land up in one of these invite only clubs. Will not getting entry to these places hamper my career placements from McCombs?

Any thoughts?

Any thoughts?

bakfed · Answer

Perhaps some current McCombs student can share their thoughts here? I wouldn't know about McCombs' clubs invitation or job prospect all that much.

LSEguy · Answer

I did contact a current McCombs student and came to know that these clubs are very selective. Prior experience in Investment Management, PE/VC is looked upon favorably. Considering that McCombs has a 260 strong batch size and only about 15-20 students are finally selected, the competition is intense. Those who do finally make the cut, have excellent networking opportunities (they have an edge over others who did not make it).

Considering that I would be changing career paths from consulting (energy consulting) into IB/Finance, my chances of making it into these clubs are considerably diminished (given my non-existent of finance/IB/investment management work experience).

I also looked at similar clubs at other top b-schools (Johnson, Anderson etc..) it seems these invite only clubs are pretty exclusive.

Thank bakfed for your time and views.

Cheers!

LSEguy · Answer

@bakfed

The latest update: I decided not to join McCombs and wait another year. This year turned out to be a good one... with admits from LBS, INSEAD, ISB and Oxford!

Thanks for your inputs!

Cheers!

bakfed · Answer

Nice! Congratulations!!! Now just relax and enjoy the last several months before school starts! =D

method · Answer

Crushing it man, congratulations!

Top 20 admit. Top 10 ??

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