Is it true that someone who graduated from a more prestigious school have a higher chance of getting admitted than a person who got an undergraduate from a poorly ranked school? Is the school you obtain your undergraduate a factor in MBA admission process?
Not at all, admission is based on GPA, GMAT and post bachelor’s work experience.
As TomSrOfBoston says, it is your work experience after college, your GMAT and your GPA that matter most. Do they consider where your undergraduate degree is from? possibly, if it’s a super-elite college, but it wouldn’t be enough to get you in, and once you get outside the super-elite it won’t make any difference.
I think it generally goes GMAT, GPA, work experience, quantitative coursework, reputation of institution; but that’s just my take.
Your work experience would matter a lot, but opportunities of where you get to work may be influenced by where you went for undergrad.
Of course, why not?
Other factors the same, kids from more prestigious schools usually have the advantage, even if they have a slightly lower GPA.
If you are asked to choose between a GPA3.3 MIT student and a GPA 3.7 northeastern student, other credentials similar,which one do you pick?
The key phrase is ‘other factors the same’…business schools do weight your work experience. If that MIT student has had an entry level job for Big Corp in the IT department and the Northeastern student who also started at Big Corp has gone from entry level job to a position with line management responsibilities, the name of the UG school won’t make up for it. And the Northeastern kid may have moved up faster b/c of Northeastern’s internship program that they got while the MIT kid was doing research internships. Never mind the kid from State U who started a company that is profitable and has 6 employees.
I was going to ask a very similar question. How much does attending undergrad at the school you want to apply for your MBA at help?
Attending undergrad at the same school is not a big help when applying to grad school, especially if we’re talking about business school. Top MBA programs like to see diversity in their class, both in terms of background, professional experience, but also undergrad schools. Harvard business school even lists the undergrad institutions that are represented in their incoming class. Here it is : http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/class-profile/Pages/undergraduate-institutions.aspx
The one benefit you will get from going to undergrad at the same location is being familiar with the personality of the school and what the school and location can offer to you. Top MBA programs like Columbia, NYU Stern, Stanford, Kellogg, etc. often ask students why they want to attend their b-school. So, if studied there for undergrad you are more likely to come up with good reasons on why you want to go there again. You still need to do your homework when you apply for the school as students are very likely to get the “why Columbia/Stanford/Harvard” question. Here are a few tips on how to get ready for such MBA interview questions. http://admit1mba.com/2011/03/interview-tips-know-the-school-why-stanford-columbia.html
Business schools do look at your undergrad institution as they evaluate your candidacy. This is also about selectivity - if you got into Harvard/Yale/Princeton/Stanford in undergrad, it means that these top tier schools saw something in your profile - a potential. This is especially true for younger candidates who have less work experience, and therefore their academic experience carries more weight that for average MBA applicants.
I think that competitive business, medical and law schools consider undergrad GPAs in the context of the institution and the major. For example, a 3.6 from Princeton and a 3.6 from Temple are not the same, nor is a 3.6 in classics or English from University X equivalent to a 3.6 in math/physics/engineering from the same institution.
Sure. Top MBA programs do admit more applicants who have an undergrad from their school. It does help some.
Just my view, but I think a good GMAT / GRE score and strong work experience are more important to b schools than the reputation of your undergrad college. Lets face it, if you have been out of college for more than two years, then your undergrad performance is kind of old news.
The top business schools consider many factors one of which is definitely the reputation of the applicant’s undergrad school.