Would a SUNY school help prepare me for these grad schools??

Graduate School Business School - MBA
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<p>I am an accounting major at the University at Albany - SUNY. I have another two years until I receive my degree, and have been giving a lot of thought to where I will continue my education after UAlbany. </p>

<p>My questions:</p>

<p>-Do grad schools consider the college in which a person received their Bachelors degree?
-Will a graduate school deny you if you received your degree at a "non-prestigious" university? (Even if you have a strong GPA, ECs, etc.)
-What do graduate schools look for in a student? Specifically the ones I've listed (see below.)</p>

<p>I've decided to commute to open my options for grad school by saving money. If I really shine at UAlbany for my undergrad, will I have a chance at these business schools for grad school?</p>

<p>NYU Stern
UPenn, Wharton
University of Virginia
University of Illinois
Arizona State, Carey
University of Texas, Austin</p>

<p>Also just another question... I was admitted into Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management. I thought that for an undergrad degree, SU would be perfect but I was looking for a better college for grad school. Obviously I decided to save the money and commute to UAlbany. Would a masters in accountancy from SU be good, or should I aim higher?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>Grad schools are concerned least about alma mater. They care about GPA, GMAT score, letters of rec, writing skills, etc. Your SUNY degree won’t make much difference to a grad school. It really is about what you do, not where you do it. The same applies to getting a job post-masters education: what have you done? how well have you done it? what experiences have you had and how do they match what an employer wants for this particular position? School name matters very little before or after grad school. You were wise to save your money for grad school, and you would be wise to really shine if you are to be admitted to any of those grad schools.</p>

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<p>I-Do grad schools consider the college in which a person received their Bachelors degree?</p>

<p>Yes, but to the extent that they are concerned that someone went to an accredited college or university with a good, solid educational program. SUNY Albany fits those requirements, so don’t worry about this.</p>

<p>-Will a graduate school deny you if you received your degree at a “non-prestigious” university? (Even if you have a strong GPA, ECs, etc.)</p>

<p>No. If you look on the websites of MBA programs that list them, you will see that MBA students come from all kinds of colleges and universities.</p>

<p>-What do graduate schools look for in a student? Specifically the ones I’ve listed (see below.)</p>

<p>I’m assuming that you are looking to get an MBA, so</p>

<p>-Strong work experience with evidence of progressive growth in responsibility
-Good reasons to get an MBA, especially at the particular point in time you choose to apply and at that particular university. These will be expressed in your personal statement
-Good grades (3.5+ at some of the more competitive ones, although a lower GPA may not keep you out with an otherwise outstanding application
-Strong letters of recommendation that show that professors have faith in your ability to achieve in the program and also in the workforce
-High GMAT or GRE scores</p>

<p>I’ve decided to commute to open my options for grad school by saving money. If I really shine at UAlbany for my undergrad, will I have a chance at these business schools for grad school?</p>

<p>Yes. There are no guarantees, but having gone to UAlbany won’t keep you out.</p>

<p>Also just another question… I was admitted into Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management. I thought that for an undergrad degree, SU would be perfect but I was looking for a better college for grad school. Obviously I decided to save the money and commute to UAlbany. Would a masters in accountancy from SU be good, or should I aim higher?</p>

<p>Well, that depends on what you want to do. Do you want to work at a Big 4 firm and rise quickly through the ranks to become a high-flying financier? Are you thinking that you may want to branch out of accounting into consulting or management? In those cases, an MBA or accounting degree from a top degree program may be your ticket. Many top firms are prestige-conscious and recruit only or mainly at top schools, and you increase your chances by getting an MBA from there.</p>

<p>But if you just want to be an accountant in general, then no, you don’t have to get a degree from Wharton or Stern to do that. Syracuse would be more than fine!</p>

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<p>Thanks for the responses!</p>

<p>I know it was a silly question, but there just seems to be this general thought about SUNY being inferior to other state universities. I am not sure why this has become the case, but I was concerned that grad schools would also have this mindset and therefore it would limit my possibilities for the next step after my bachelors. </p>

<p>juillet, thanks for the informative response! It put a lot into perspective, especially the last question about SU. Thanks also, jkeil911. Makes me feel a whole lot better about UAlbany!</p>