My .02c

Question

If your looking to to to B school, you can get into a decent one with a 530 and decent gpa and work experience. 

For example, I live in the metro NYC area and with that you could probably get into...

Averages for part time MBA-

I.E. - Seton Hall, St Johns, Pace, NJIT, Montclair... 500-600

Stretch schools- Fordham, RU, Baruch... 550-700

See if your looking for a top NYU rep, or just a good education with a high paying job. Remember, it not "cool" to be 100k in debt by going to a top school, also, most of my friends who went to NYU MBA ended up dropping out. Get something and move on...

Good luck!

popew626 · Answer

Who wants to be average? 

I think this website is for those who strive to get into the best school they can, not settle for a decent school. Helping each other out and working together, we can all improve our chances to get into our DREAM schools. 

I fully believe that anyone of us here can get into a "decent" school.

Anyways, I don't remember anyone saying that being in debt was cool. 

It's the experience and how it changes you as a person and as a professional that counts, not the framed degree on the wall. 

EDIT: posted before I was done typing.

spliff97 · Answer

My evidence...

Now a days, schools are pumping out MBA's left and right (U Phoenix, LOL), so called "managers". I understand not wanting to be average, but taking the gmat 4 times (250x4 = $1000) plus wasting a year is DUMB! If you take it twice and still dont get a 700, focus of something else. 

In years to come, the largest line of unemployment will be MBA grads. They have paper skills on management, but no actual "blue" collar skills. 
Remember, a large percentage of grads dont go to Harvard, nor care to hire a them. For your info, I have a MSEE from a top 10, no preference from Pace U vs NYU. Itâ€™s the person, not the piece of paper. I know too many MBA grads working in the mail room. And more who never finish, spending more time on the gmats than actual school I also know many who are doing well, and its not because they got an MBA, they would have been fine with either way.

My point is to START SCHOOL! Stop taking the testing making the B schools rich! This is the first lesson of B school, seems nobody has learned it...

Good luck, and good luck to the suckers...

-NYC

omomo · Answer

Excuse your language...and please don't put "NYC" to represent our NYC folks. 

Not everyone has the same idea...Why insists everyone to follow your point of view and call people name? Are you a kid or a republican?

spliff97 · Answer

My point was for those who are going bald studying for the gmat was simply to start school and get a good education. Life is too short to worry about little things. 

If the average gmat is a 500, that means a lot of people are just average "gmat" test takers. This exam has nothing to do with your ability to suceed in B school or in life, it means there just good at the gmat. I do respect hard work put into studying however but...

I was hoping to help some people realize that the objective is to get into B school, not to necessarily ace the gmat. A good friend of mine just got into NYU with a 630 on his gmat, so its can be done...

Good luck!

kook44 · Answer

Hysterical!

Spliff97-
you're right in saying that you dount  need  a degree from a top B-school to be successful. There are plenty of quailty schools that plently of succesful people attend.
You seem to be contradictory, however. You say that you "know too many MBA grads working in the mail room". Where are their MBAs from? I would bet dollars to donuts they arent from Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton. That's not to say that an MBA from a 2nd tier schools will only get you into the mailroom, just that it won't  guarantee  you success the way a degree from a top-teir program almost certainly will. 
 
how do you figure? How about some logic?

Chapman · Answer

Spliff, I think I see what you're saying and I agree with you.

MA466 · Answer

Splittoff,
I agree with you man.
ma466

Paul · Answer

spliff, this is an interesting discussion as long as we keep it within a reasonable tone.

I agree with you for the most part. For one, a top MBA will not make you an MD nor a CEO. Plenty of people go to top business schools and are not CEOs; it could be because of either a lack of leadership skills, which is indeed harder to be taught on paper, or different priorities, one for a more balanced life for instance. I would also like to add, as many time pointed out, that many successful leaders did not have a top b-school degrees (eg Bill Gates(given that he nonetheless was accepted at Harvard undergrad though), Sam Walton and many others). Thus, a top MBA is not a sine qua none for success.

Nonetheless, as harsh as it might sound, we have to admit that there is indeed a difference b/w a Harvard MBA and a less known local MBA. The realities of a top MBA are manifolds: (1) The drop out rates is pretty low given the students' dedication to higher education as demonstrated by higher GMAT scores, GPA scores and better work experience (2) Better networking opportunities given the large network of successful alumni who are more than likely to help fellow students. (3) Better networking opportunities also because your flatmate, classmate might very well be the next CEO who will help you out later on in your career. Remember that later career jobs are usually obtained through the social network rather than any type of head hunter (4) Better brand recognition from top tier firms who will offer better career advancement, which is definitely tied with reason #2

Furthermore, there is no point in attending a top B-school just for the sake of it. If you are already having a great job and simply need an MBA for career advancement, then doing a more reputed MBA, an study in an unreasonable fashion for the GMAT, might be a waste of time (and bad for your baldness). That is why people have to weigh the pros and cons and hence the overall intention, I believe, of your message.

Thus, although I do see your point about not being reasonable to overdo the GMAT or about having an unreasonable debt of 100k after graduation, I do have to make a distinction between a top mba, and why people seek such a degree, and a local less known mba.

spliff97 · Answer

Paul,

Thank you for clearing that up, you hit the nail on the head...

My objective was not to bring anyone down, I do believe an MBA in invaluable, but not to over do the GMAT or neglect other advanced degrees, (EMBA,MS,MA,MPH,MD...). I too battled with the GMAT (2004), I finally got into the low 600 range after 3 attempts but in the ended up going a different path, MS engineering. Just want to help some people out there who are in the situation I was, there are plenty of other people out there who cant get a 700 or above, that there are just some people who cant (for time, money, education, focus) get into Harvard\Penn.

Sorry if I offended anyone, I hope I helped others! Even if it was only one...

Cheers!

GMATT73 · Answer

Spliff,

I am in a similiar situation. After having studied hard (but not intensively to the point of premature baldness) for half a year I just couldn`t seem to score over a 600, at which point I lowered my expectations and realistically started looking at lesser known programs that fit my background and Japan related career goals. Needless to say, a 600 is good enough for admissions at a reputable top 50 school (provided other aspects of your application are in line), but the admissions director at the school I am targeting point blank told me during a face-to-face consultation last December that a 650+ is required for a 25-50% tuition grant.

Herein lies the dilemma, I actually HAVE to score higher to be able to make pursuing an MBA, or at least one that will have an impact on my career, economically feasible. Essentially, not all of us can afford the $100K price tag, even if it is in the form of a Sallie Mae loan.

True, it is the practical knowledge and insight acquired during a business education that will make the greatest difference in what you do with the rest of your life. Connections and networks are nice, but would you really be able to count on such people to "save" you during desparate times?? I actually graduated from a tier 3 (lowest) undergrad school (University of Hawaii), but because of a fierce passion to master my major I ended up working with (and making the same salary as) people who studied at much better known institutions.

If you have a solid business plan of your own, then why not just take a few UC-online courses from Berkeley and get some personalized feedback from knowledgable instructors or retired corporate CEOs? Berkeley doesn`t require any admissions test whatsoever in order to take their online business courses.

https://explore.berkeley.edu/UCExt/subdi ... dis_level=

What matters most is making the decision to better yourself and sticking by that decision. Dedication commands respect, period.

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