Last visit was: 21 Apr 2026, 16:56 It is currently 21 Apr 2026, 16:56
Home
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
Add a Tag
User avatar
Which schools accept students with no work experience? 28 Jul 2013, 01:25
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I'm attending Darden in the Fall and my younger brother is interested in exploring an MBA right out of Undergrad. What top schools (especially Consortium Schools) tend to accept undergrads directly into their programs? Especially interested in: Berkeley, Tuck, Stern, Darden, Yale, UCLA, Ross, Johnson?
User avatar
CobraKai
User avatar
Joined: 23 Oct 2012
Last visit: 30 Nov 2022
Posts: 785
Own Kudos:
329
Given Kudos: 175
Status:Too close for missiles, switching to guns.
Location: United States
Schools: Johnson (Cornell) - Class of 2015
WE:Military Officer (Military & Defense)
Schools: Johnson (Cornell) - Class of 2015
Posts: 785
Kudos: 329
Which schools accept students with no work experience? 28 Jul 2013, 06:06
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Johnson does, but they tend to be Cornell undergrads: https://www.johnson.cornell.edu/Dual-Degree-Programs/5-Year-Bachelors-MBA.aspx

I would really encourage your younger brother to have some work experience, because even if you can get into one of these programs without work experience, his ability to contribute to the classroom learning environment is going to be limited.
User avatar
Which schools accept students with no work experience? 01 Aug 2013, 02:59
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
CobraKai
Johnson does, but they tend to be Cornell undergrads: https://www.johnson.cornell.edu/Dual-Degree-Programs/5-Year-Bachelors-MBA.aspx

I would really encourage your younger brother to have some work experience, because even if you can get into one of these programs without work experience, his ability to contribute to the classroom learning environment is going to be limited.
Show more

Thanks for the response and good luck at Cornell. I personally feel like if you can get accepted to one of these programs early on, you should do it. Work Experience is overrated in my opinion because at the end of the day you can get the same job as anyone else in your class regardless of experience. I've researched the schools and the following are open to Undergrads: NYU Stern, UVA Darden, Yale SOM, UCLA Anderson, Cornell Johnson, Texas McCombs, and Carnegie Mellon Tepper. I'd be interested in hearing from any early career MBA admits or people from these programs that have experience with direct to MBAs.
avatar
Dakells
avatar
Joined: 25 May 2012
Last visit: 26 Jan 2016
Posts: 187
Own Kudos:
88
Given Kudos: 42
Location: United States
Concentration: Strategy, Marketing
Schools: Wharton '15 (D) Kellogg '15 (WL) Duke '15 (A) Stern '15 (A) CBS '15 (M)
GPA: 2.99
WE:Investment Banking (Finance: Investment Banking)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Wharton '15 (D) Kellogg '15 (WL) Duke '15 (A) Stern '15 (A) CBS '15 (M)
Posts: 187
Kudos: 88
Which schools accept students with no work experience? 07 Aug 2013, 07:42
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
MassApplyer
CobraKai
Johnson does, but they tend to be Cornell undergrads: https://www.johnson.cornell.edu/Dual-Degree-Programs/5-Year-Bachelors-MBA.aspx

I would really encourage your younger brother to have some work experience, because even if you can get into one of these programs without work experience, his ability to contribute to the classroom learning environment is going to be limited.

Thanks for the response and good luck at Cornell. I personally feel like if you can get accepted to one of these programs early on, you should do it. Work Experience is overrated in my opinion because at the end of the day you can get the same job as anyone else in your class regardless of experience. I've researched the schools and the following are open to Undergrads: NYU Stern, UVA Darden, Yale SOM, UCLA Anderson, Cornell Johnson, Texas McCombs, and Carnegie Mellon Tepper. I'd be interested in hearing from any early career MBA admits or people from these programs that have experience with direct to MBAs.
Show more

I wouldn't necessarily say that at the end of the day you get the same job as everyone else regardless of experience. An employer is likely going to be more interested in hiring someone with some work experience (even if it's not in the same field) than someone who has no work experience at all. I think you make it harder for yourself to get hired by not having any work experience. Also, with no prior work experience, you run the risk of pursuing a career that you may come to find you really dislike. Just having an MBA on your resume is not a guarantee to get hired. Especially for the top jobs, the campus hiring is really competitive. It would be a shame to shell out all of the money for an MBA and then not get the job you were hoping for because you rushed going to MBA. There is a reason the schools don't hire right out of MBA often.
User avatar
MassApplyer
User avatar
Schools: CBS '15 (D) Booth '15 (D) Cnsrtm-Darden '15 (M) Cnsrtm-Hass '15 (D) Cnsrtm-Marshall '15 (A) Cnsrtm-Stern '15 (WL) Cnsrtm-Anderson '15 (D) Cnsrtm-Yale '15 (D) HBS '15 (D) Stanford '15 (D) Wharton '15 (D) Kellogg '15 (D) Tuck '15 (D) Sloan '15 (D)
GMAT 1: 730 Q47 V42
Posts: 37
Kudos: 19
Which schools accept students with no work experience? 07 Aug 2013, 17:48
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Dakells
MassApplyer
CobraKai
Johnson does, but they tend to be Cornell undergrads: https://www.johnson.cornell.edu/Dual-Degree-Programs/5-Year-Bachelors-MBA.aspx

I would really encourage your younger brother to have some work experience, because even if you can get into one of these programs without work experience, his ability to contribute to the classroom learning environment is going to be limited.

Thanks for the response and good luck at Cornell. I personally feel like if you can get accepted to one of these programs early on, you should do it. Work Experience is overrated in my opinion because at the end of the day you can get the same job as anyone else in your class regardless of experience. I've researched the schools and the following are open to Undergrads: NYU Stern, UVA Darden, Yale SOM, UCLA Anderson, Cornell Johnson, Texas McCombs, and Carnegie Mellon Tepper. I'd be interested in hearing from any early career MBA admits or people from these programs that have experience with direct to MBAs.

I wouldn't necessarily say that at the end of the day you get the same job as everyone else regardless of experience. An employer is likely going to be more interested in hiring someone with some work experience (even if it's not in the same field) than someone who has no work experience at all. I think you make it harder for yourself to get hired by not having any work experience. Also, with no prior work experience, you run the risk of pursuing a career that you may come to find you really dislike. Just having an MBA on your resume is not a guarantee to get hired. Especially for the top jobs, the campus hiring is really competitive. It would be a shame to shell out all of the money for an MBA and then not get the job you were hoping for because you rushed going to MBA. There is a reason the schools don't hire right out of MBA often.
Show more

You both make great points, but given the right guidance and the right opportunities, I think a direct MBA grad can have great levels of success. Nowadays, the market is tough for students graduating out of undergrad. I think there are a few people out there that are exceptionally driven, intelligent, and mature enough to be successful. I would say that if you know what area you are interested in right out of undergrad, but know you need an MBA to reach your potential--it is worth it--especially with some guidance.

With that all being said, is there anyone who has experience with direct to grad MBAs? Any success stories out there? Any advice? I found out that Rochester Simon is also pretty open to undergrads as well. Anyways, we want to explore the option and if he can get it and is ready--I say why not?
User avatar
aerien
User avatar
Board of Directors
Joined: 06 Feb 2012
Last visit: 21 Dec 2022
Posts: 1,593
Own Kudos:
594
 [1]
Given Kudos: 347
Status:Yale SOM!
Products:
My Reviews
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 1,593
Kudos: 594
 [1]
Which schools accept students with no work experience? 08 Aug 2013, 16:23
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I really should make some sort of "stickied" post on this subject ***mods, make sure I actually do this, please!

Every school will accept applications from someone with no work experience. No school turns down an easy $100-200. The likelihood of acceptance varies widely though.

Most people who ask this question are looking at top 20 schools (as most people on GC are, either applying directly from undergrad or not). Out of the generally accepted top 20 schools, the only ones with official programs (that I know of) geared towards applicants in their senior year of college are Stanford GSB, Harvard 2+2, and Yale Silver Scholars. Note that GSB and HBS 2+2 are not programs where you enter bschool directly from undergrad. They are both effectively 2 year guaranteed deferrals where you apply (and are accepted) in your senior year of college, work full-time for 2 years, and know that you already have a golden ticket to bschool following those 2 years (assuming you continue to show strong performance in your position(s) and complete all the associated paperwork). Yale Silver Scholars is a program where you take the first year of bschool courses right after college graduation. You then work for at least 1 year (not sure if there's a maximum number of years, possibly 3) and then come back to Yale to complete your second year of bschool coursework.

As I've said, all schools will accept your application regardless. But most other schools who do accept people with no full-time work experience post-college graduation accept people who have done something extraordinary (eg. created the next Facebook/Google) or had a leading role in a family business (this mostly applies to international applicants). Schools in the 20+ range tend to favor students who were high academic performers at the associated undergraduate college.

I think you (general you) need to think really hard about how much bschool will benefit you in the short and long term. Some people go to bschool right after undergrad because it's the logical/easy thing to stay in school and you feel you're ready. However, some people I know wish they wouldn't have gone so soon, since after working for a few years they realize their career could have taken a different path if they'd chosen to attend school later. YMMV.