What "makes" a MBA application?

<p>So I'm a complete newbie when it comes to MBA. I've been thinking about it (along with law school), but what do MBA schools really look for? Like I know law schools are pretty much just a number game, and med schools look for medicine-related ECs/MCAT scores/GPA, but are there specific things MBA schools look for?</p>

<p>I don’t think there’s any single thing that will “make” an MBA application - unless of course you’re Donald Trump/Barack Obama’s son/daughter - though there’re many things that will “break” an application. It’s my understanding that they look for a mixture of academic excellence, experience/leadership potential, and a good fit for their school, not necessarily in that order. So although a high GPA/GMAT score will help you, they’re not the only deciding factors.</p>

<p>An MBA is a different animal than other graduate school. The most important factor is post-graduate work experience. There are very few students that enter top MBA programs without work experience.</p>

<p>Harvard has a 2+2 program, which accepts undergrad students. After being accepted, the students work for 2 years prior to starting their MBAs. However, most admitted students have at least 3 to 5 years of work experience.</p>