I just finished sophomore year at Pepperdine(Top 50 ranked school) and I have basically a 4.0. I have the opportunity to transfer to a top school for my Major (NYU, UNC, UVA). Money is not a factor but I definitely want to go to one of the top MBA programs so I need at least a 3.85+ GPA. Should I stay where I’m at and know my grads will be pretty much the same here on out, or go to a better school and get a better undergraduate education but risk my grades slipping?
You chances of getting into a top MBA program will be increased w WORK EXPERIENCE. A fresh college grad with zero real world work experience (an internship isn’t a real job) can’t bring much to the classroom discussion.
Graduate from Pepperdine. Go work for 5 years, then apply.
FYI
Harvard Business School
http://www.hbs.edu/recruiting/data/Pages/at-a-glance.aspx
Avg post-college work experience: 49 months
Avg entering age: 27
A 3.85 from any of these three schools will be hard to achieve, but will have the same effect as a 4.0 fom Pepperdine, and a 3.85 from Pepperdine.
You don’t get into an MBA program on GPA. You get into an MBA program thanks to everything else that shows experience. So, ask yourself: will any of these three give you better internship opportunities than Pepperdine?
A 3.85 will not bar you from any MBA program. However you’ll need to have consistent professional experience, preferably a rotational with a “name” company, and leadership experience freshman year, then a summer internship after sophomore year is the way to start on that path.