<p>What's the usual route for someone interested in going to a top graduate business school (Kelogg, Wharton, Harvard, etc)?</p>
<p>Undergraduate school ==> n years in the job market ==> graduate school?</p>
<p>Do people usually go straight from undergrad to these top business schools?</p>
<p>Go to a good university (top 20 private research university, top 25 LAC or top 10 State University), get good grades (at least a 3.3, preferably a 3.6+), be pro-active about getting internships and finding a good job upon graduation, do well at work and get a couple of promotions over the course of 4 or 5 years, score over a 680 on your GMAT (preferably over a 700), have a great reason for wanting to get an MBA and comunicate it well in your application essays. That ought to do it! LOL</p>
<p>And going staight from undergrad to MBA is pointless. Most top programs will not accept fresh college grads, and even if they do (very rarely), chances are, they will be at a serious disadvantage when competing with their far more experienced classmates.</p>
<p>Do I have to have a business major as an undergraduate?</p>
<p>Of course not. Most MBA students majored in subjects other than Business.</p>
<p>Do I have to go into a business type position after undergrad?</p>
<p>For example:
I'm going to Carnegie Mellon University for engineering, hoping to get a nice job when I come out in the engineering field and after a few years of hard work, apply to the top business schools and work for my MBA. (I like to plan ahead, and am well aware that this has a high probability of changing).</p>
<p>So, that would work?</p>
<p>Yes it will work. Many MBA students were former engineers...</p>
<p>... and don't worry about planning ahead, I do that too.</p>