<p>I am a freshman who definitely wants to go to a top business school after undergrad. I know that job experience is an important factor during the admission process, so I was wondering if people could give me some advice about getting a decent internship even though I don't have any prior experience. Also, any general advice about getting into business school will be helpful. thanks</p>
<p>You're going to need a few years of quality work experience after graduation.</p>
<p>Internships won't really meet that requirement...but I guess the internship may lead to a full-time offer after school.</p>
<p>To get into a TOP MBA program, you probably need about 3-5 years of work experience (preferably in a leadership role) to have a really great chance.</p>
<p>GPA isn't as important to MBA programs. It has its place. Work experience, leadership (management, etc) is definitely what they are looking for. That way you can contribute to the discussions and in class....often times people work in cohort groups through the entire MBA program, so relating coursework to previous job-related experiences is ideal.</p>
<p>but evidently people do get into top mba programs right after senior year of undergrad. How do they do it?</p>
<p>Honestly, I don't know.</p>
<p>I would highly advise AGAINST it. Most employers don't want to hire a guy with an MBA that's had no work experience. Why pay someone more money because he has an MBA when a BS could do the same stuff for less pay?</p>
<p>Also, they say that it's more meaningful as a student when you have a few years of work experience. You have more to contribute to the program and classes.</p>
<p>some people can if they graduate at the top of their class (top 5 students), with plenty of EC's and leadership, high test scores, and strong work experience. they are usually still expected to work full time 2-3 years even after getting accepted before enrolling</p>
<p>
[quote]
but evidently people do get into top mba programs right after senior year of undergrad. How do they do it?
[/quote]
less than a dozen of the ~900 new MBAs each year at Harvard B-school came directly from undergrad. To a man, they all started their own (Successful) businesses while an undergraduate student. The two I spoke with at College Day last year were the entrepreneurial sort, and they really already had what you could consider "work experience" despite being a full-time student. They are somewhat unique cases, and make up barely 1% of a top MBA program's students. That's really just not something you should consider unless you've started a successful business as an undergrad. Go get a few years' work experience and then think about Business school.</p>
<p>Ditto, exactly, what Denzera said and add that some of the started really successful businesses in high school. This kind of animal -- the entrepreneurial type -- is really identifiable, and if you don't think of yourself as strongly that, then you probably aren't.</p>