<p>I was wondering how the top B-Schools decide who to admit (i.e. Harvard, UP, Columbia, MIT, Stanford). In the undergrad process, these schools look for people that seem to be very passionate about something and not just laundry list extracurriculars and awards; something that seems to be distinctive and not just perfect scores. But for B-School admissions, do these top schools value ECs as much? Does anyone know of any specific acceptances to such schools and why they were accepted, or is college gpa/gmat score/working experience the main factor in decisions..Apparently all the top 5 B-Schools have average GMAT scores of 710 and GPAs of 3.4-3.5 for admits and most applicants, so what distinguishes someone out enough to be admitted? I cant believe that everyone accepted to Harvard BS started a Fortune 500 company or had some sort amazing achievement like that, so what have they done that is so appealing?..I feel that grad school is more about life in general and preparation for the end of attending school than undergrad is because undergrad is 4 more years of somewhat generic education still but gives students a chance to pursue their ambitions. What are the "hooks" for B-Schools? Since these programs are all oriented towards business, would having a variety of ec's help much like they do for undergrad admissions (i.e. A long time involvement with a science related extracurricular during undergrad). Thanks!</p>
<p>Keep in mind what average means in this case where these schools are 30% international and very diverse. They take different people for different reasons. Many internationals will not have a good enough command of English to get much above the 710 even with great quant scores. </p>
<p>I have watched my employees leave for top 5 B schools for decades. The typical white American student has much higher stats than the average. We hire very few with GPAs as low as 3.4 and we like much higher SAT scores than what correlates with a 710 GMAT, yet these guys sweat making a top 5. The people I see getting in are top 15% grads of top colleges with very high scores.</p>
<p>So most of the American admits to these schools mainly get in because they have near-perfect GMAT scores and undergrad GPA’s? Also, do you know how big a factor working experience is in becoming admitted to such schools?</p>
<p>I think you were pretty much on the right track with your thoughts about passion and being distinctive. You can convey these things in your resume, your interviews, and most importantly your essays. Graduate business school is far less GPA and test scores than other graduate schools.</p>
<p>However, if you are a top candidate with good work experience, you really shouldn’t be relying on experiences and ECs from undergrad. Talking a lot about undergrad gives the impression that you are inexperienced.</p>
<p>The essays (and interviews) give you the opportunity to really sell yourself. You should have a goal and you should be able to express how an MBA will help you reach that goal (and how your past experiences will help you). Once you are admitted, you will have plenty of time to figure out what you really want to do. However, during the admission process it’s best that you show a passion for something.</p>
<p>One thing I did was look at resumes of students at top business schools. That should give you a better idea of the type of experiences they look for and also how to best present those experiences on paper. Btw, those resumes are more polished than the ones seen by admissions committees. So, if your resume/accomplishments are already up to par then you are at least ahead of the game in one respect.</p>
<p>Also, I know there is at least one book that is a collection of essays that helped students into top business schools. That is a great asset.</p>
<p>Thanks, do you happen to know where I can find resumes like that?</p>
<p>There’s something wrong with this picture. Call the schools and ask point blank why you were not accepted.</p>
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<p>Agreed. However, i think you are talking about the CPA’s thread and not this one.</p>
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<p>I just searched on the internet. Some MBA organizations post them (I’m in real estate, and I searched real estate orgs and found a lot). Also, some schools have pretty descriptive student profiles.</p>