<p>Hello everyone. I am Berkeley Haas School of Business undergrad. I expect to graduate with a 3.5-3.6 GPA. I have several years of work experience and plan to work for about another 3 years after I finish my undergrad degree. What are my chances of getting into Harvard or Stanford's MBA programs? What kind of score would I need on the GMAT to even have a shot at getting into these schools?</p>
<p>You have no chance in hell! Sorry, but just telling the truth... You HAVE to have work experience to get into a good MBA program. Don't worry, there's always community colleges with MBA programs for students who are too lazy to work on the street for 2-3 yrs.</p>
<p>DaNDHSIrishGuy...did you miss the part that says "i have several years of work experience and plan to work for another 3 years after i finish my undergrad degree"?</p>
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Hello everyone. I am Berkeley Haas School of Business undergrad. I expect to graduate with a 3.5-3.6 GPA. I have several years of work experience and plan to work for about another 3 years after I finish my undergrad degree. What are my chances of getting into Harvard or Stanford's MBA programs? What kind of score would I need on the GMAT to even have a shot at getting into these schools?
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It's really hard to give you chances at business schools since the majority of the admissions criteria is in the intangible factors (work experience, leadership, etc).</p>
<p>JSR, you have done what needs to be done from an undergraduate point of view (graduate with a pertinant degree from a reputable undergraduate institution with a good GPA). </p>
<p>Now, you must do what it takes from a professional point of view. That usually means good work experience with frequent promotions eventually getting you in a responsible and managerial position.</p>
<p>As far as GMATs, Harvard and Stanford generally look for scores over the 700 mark. </p>
<p>Then you have to write good essays and get good recs.</p>
<p>Candidates with all of the above stand a chance, but when we are talking about top 10 MBA programs, the odds are never good.</p>
<p>Well so many people as the same question, so I figured it was another "DO I HAVE TO ACTUALLY WORK???" question... I didn't read it all..</p>
<p>Thanks Alexandre, leo187um, and Cards4Life. I just thought I would ask the opinion of those that are likely more experienced than me. It has probably been asked before, but I was being a bit more specific to my own situation as the details I included are from my own experience. As for DaNDHSIrishGuy, wow, I just don't know what to say.</p>
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As for DaNDHSIrishGuy, wow, I just don't know what to say.
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Yeah, no prob man... Happy to help... anytime...</p>
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<p>Do you need to be in a managerial position prior to applying for business school?</p>
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Do you need to be in a managerial position prior to applying for business school?
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<p>No. Obviously it helps. But the fact is, most people who get into the top B-schools will not have actual management experience. For example, the majority of people entering the top B-schools will be investment banking or consulting analysts, and they, by definition, will have no true management experience (in the sense that nobody reports to them). </p>
<p>What really matters is management * potential *. This can be evidenced by actual management experience, but it doesn't necessarily have to be so. Furthermore, not all management experience is created equal. For example, having strong analyst experience in a top consulting or banking firm, but no actual management experience, is certainly more valuable than having been a manager at a low-level job, i.e. being crew-chief at McDonalds. That's obviously an extreme example, but I think you get my point. Strong management potential is more valuable than low-level management experience.</p>
<p>Managerial experience is not necessary. Many successful applicants come from IBanking or MC backgrounds. Typically, those applicants have 3 years of work experience and never reached management levels. But a measurable increase in responsibility as a result of good performance is a big plus. Above all else, MBA programs want to see leadership and managerial potential.</p>
<p>Re the nature of the incoming classes at the top MBA schools, please recognize that there are many routes available other than going the I-banking or consulting route after undergrad. Yes, these programs do provide large quantities of students into the top schools, but the top schools would LOVE to have more diversity in their student (diversity of work experience). For example, if you are a top producer in pharmaceutical sales at one of the top companies, then you would be an interesting addition to the classroom discussions that take place at case-study oriented schools. Or some other non-standard field of work (something entrepreneurial or in a less frequently seen industry) where an applicant has had some management exposure. Such applicants have an appreciation for business mechanics that is very different than those with Wall Street or consulting backgrounds. Perhaps most important is that this applicant understands where he/she is weak and what the business school experience will do to help fill the gaps. Furthermore, applicants from these types of backgrounds frequently compete with a less academically focused group and, oftentimes, come from less prestigious undergraduate institutions. I remember my class being filled with Ivy types from Harvard, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, etc but the two smartest students were from BC and UVA. One ended up in venture work and the other in a super position on Wall Street at one of the premier I-banks.</p>
<p>JSR -- Why not find out if your school has an alumni mentoring program? If yes, find out if there are alums from the top 10 business schools (there is life beyond HBS!) who can advise you on achieving your goals. Who knows -- they might even help you get on a great professional track! Ask for fairly recent alums. The MBA market dynamics have changed over time, so older alums won't know the new rules of the game. As an older MBA from a top school, I know this is true. BTW, I agree with dajada07. Good luck!</p>
<p>Haha, okay thanks, that makes me feel better!</p>
<p>Hi, I am wondering whether work experience at the Big 4 (with promotion) and 3.5 GPA any good when applying at Ivy Schools…foreign student as well?</p>
<p>Yes, work experience at the Big 4 is a good thing for MBA admissions, and a 3.5 is high enough to be admitted. However, you’ll be competing with thousands of other young professionals who also have work experience at the Big 4 (plus top consulting, private equity/investment management, tech, manufacturing and other firms), so you won’t be unique nor does that ensure you’ll be admitted.</p>