Ask Clear Admit: Can I get into a top MBA program?
WSO is excited to have the experts from the Clear Admit team on board to answer applicant questions in the business school forum.
We encourage all of you to check out their great resources:
1) Clear Admit has been providing MBA admissions consulting services for over 10 years.
2) Clear Admit focuses its consulting services exclusively on the MBA admissions domain.
3) Clear Admit counselors are former admissions officers and MBA graduates from the top MBA programs.
4) Clear Admit has been featured in the WSJ, Economist, Forbes, BusinessWeek and more.
5) Clear Admit has a full library of popular e-books that have been applauded by applicants and admissions officers alike.
This thread will also be used by Clear Admit to answer any questions you have about their services. Can you get into that top MBA program? Drop your stats in here and see what the experts have to say!
Good luck to everyone applying to business school!
Patrick






Thanks for the warm welcome
Thanks for the warm welcome to the WSO community Patrick!
We're thrilled to offer our expertise here. Feel free to post your questions about MBA admissions and we'll do our best to offer prompt replies.
As a means of background, my name is Graham Richmond and I am a former MBA admissions officer from the Wharton School. I also completed my MBA at Wharton. As such, I have seen the admissions process as an applicant, a student and an admissions officer. I have also counseled hundreds of successful applicants to Harvard Business School, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, LBS, Columbia, NYU, INSEAD (and more) over the last 10 years.
For more information on my profile: http://clearadmit.com/graham
Best of luck to everyone who is contemplating the pursuit of an MBA from a top program!
Regards,
Graham
Graham Richmond
Co-founder & CEO
Clear Admit, LLC
www.clearadmit.com
http://blog.clearadmit.com
www.twitter.com/clearadmit
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What has your experience been
What has your experience been with applicants from F500 rotational programs (GE FMP etc)?
1. Do you consider them in direct competition with those applicants coming from financial services (IB, PE etc)?
2. Do you see additional experience past the normal 2 years of these programs as vital to admission?
3. Have you noticed a particular trend with those admitted to M7 schools from F500? (ex: higher GMAT, international experience, business development roles)
Thanks!
What is the best thing that
What is the best thing that older applicants (28-30) with otherwise very strong profiles can do to increase their odds at H / S / W? Thanks!
Hi Graham, Thanks for joining
Hi Graham,
Thanks for joining us on WSO.
Stats:
Employer: F100 Tech Company Financial Analyst, has promotions, ( 5 Years )
Undergrad: 3.6/4.0 BS. Finance Large State School, Leadership Experience, Alumni Board
GMAT: Not Taken
Extra: Dual Citizenship, CFA L1, local awards in a sport,
Question:
What MBA programs are best for candidates interested in corporate development, treasury, strategy, for a F500? Do MBA programs value a candidate more or less if they want to go the non-traditional finance route of going into a F500 rather than consulting / IB?
Does the CFA carry any weight? If so, can it compensate for a low GMAT?
How much does volunteer work factor in? Does everyone need SOME volunteer work?
What can someone going into
What can someone going into the middle office at a large/renowned firm do to compete against FO applicants at the M7, whether it be on the job (obviously look for leadership opportunities) or off the job?
Thanks!
Hey Graham quick question on
Hey Graham quick question on my chances for a M7?
Stats:
3.4 CGPA with 2.9 GPA in Econ (Big 10)
Current Position: IT Sales
GMAT: 640
I know my stats aren't t impressive, how can I improve my chances? Thanks in advance mate.
|| But feeling good and enjoying life are prerequisites to success, not by products of it- Midas Mulligan Magoo ||
Hi Graham - thanks for
Hi Graham - thanks for joining.
Some background info:
- CPA at BB PE's arm (here about 2 years, 3 1/2 years total work experience, no big 4)
- 3.6 double major in Finance and Accounting from CUNY
- some volunteer work
- have yet to take GMAT
- kinda all over the place in terms of what I would like to do post MBA, I'm interested in ER but also MM PE because of my current job
All that said, do I have any chance at NYU or Columbia? If not, would you recommend Rutgers or Pace, or NYU part-time?
Thanks
Hey Graham quick question on
Hey Graham quick question on my chances for a M7 (esp Harvard, Booth, Sloan, and Tuck)
Stats:
3.86 GPA from U of Maryland
Current Position: M&A Advisory PWC
GMAT: 730
Extras - Former CEO of fairly successful start-up and Founder of non-profit focusing on education and serve on Exec Board of other Non-profit
how haard is it to get into
how haard is it to get into oxford
ty
BeeGees, Thanks for your
BeeGees,
Thanks for your questions!
My thoughts are as follows:
1) The folks coming from F500 rotational programs are NOT typically in competition with the I-Banking/PE crowd. While it likely goes without saying, this is a major advantage for the rotational crowd.
2) This depends on several factors - like which school you are targeting (even within the M7) and what you have actually accomplished in your two years. I've worked with folks who've managed several rotations (both domestic and international) in just a short period of time and those candidates can often make a compelling case to head right to b-school. Another factor to consider is your post-MBA plan. If you are returning to your current employer, you may have a better case at the two year mark than if you are a career changer who needs some additional experience to facilitate a jump.
3) The main trend I have seen over the years is that people from great rotations (J&J, Amex, GE) usually do quite well in the process - largely because they have a diversity of experience and can often present slightly less common career plans. I would not say that this group has trended towards scoring more highly on the GMAT or having international experience (although neither of these traits hurt). I will say that one of the key differentiators tends to be caliber of experience (exposure to senior leadership, client-facing roles, leading small projects, etc.) - whereas many in IB or consulting often feel more cookie-cutter. It's also often the case that this group has better/more developed outside activities and interests (presumably due to slightly less insane work hours when stacked up against the finance or consulting worlds).
Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] if you'd like to take a deeper dive on your specific profile. Clear Admit offers a free initial phone assessment with one of our counselors to anyone who reaches out to us.
Best of luck and thanks again for the great questions!
Regards,
Graham
What has your experience been with applicants from F500 rotational programs (GE FMP etc)?
1. Do you consider them in direct competition with those applicants coming from financial services (IB, PE etc)?
2. Do you see additional experience past the normal 2 years of these programs as vital to admission?
3. Have you noticed a particular trend with those admitted to M7 schools from F500? (ex: higher GMAT, international experience, business development roles)
Thanks!
Graham Richmond
Co-founder & CEO
Clear Admit, LLC
www.clearadmit.com
http://blog.clearadmit.com
www.twitter.com/clearadmit
www.facebook.com/clearadmit
Just curious, I don't have an
Just curious, I don't have an application question in particular and I don't plan on applying -
How do the MBA applicants of today compare with the applicants from 10 years ago? Specifically, what was the avg GPA/GMAT back then versus today? How about work exp? I am sure there is difference since MBA admissions seem to get more competitive over time, but I want to hear your perspective.
Also, have the criteria for admissions evolved as well? Do adcoms look for a different type of class profile then they did 10 years ago?
No need to get too specific and don't feel obligated to answer. Like I said, I am just curious. Thanks.
Man made money, money never made the man
Ravenous, Thanks for your
Ravenous,
Thanks for your question.
While each of the three schools on your list assess candidates in a slightly different fashion, there are a few things you can do to help your chances across the board as an older applicant:
1) Make it clear that you have a lot to add to classroom discussion (diversity of experience, etc.) without sounding like an 'old dog who cannot learn new tricks'.
2) Convince your admissions reader or interviewer that you are likely to be VERY active as a student (beyond showing up for class and going through the recruiting process). Showcase your capacity to lead specific activities/clubs/conferences on campus.
3) Hit things out of the park on the numbers front (GMAT, GPA).
4) Express a career plan that your target schools' career services office can get on board with. In other words, if you are a 30-year old IT Consultant with no exposure to Wall Street (beyond a hobby of investing in stocks or having taken a CFA exam), don't pin your goals around joining an investment bank or PE fund. Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter at your post-MBA target firm and ask yourself if that firm would be interested in your CURRENT profile. If the answer is 'no' revisit your goals.
There are many other things you could do, but this list should provide a good start! Feel free to reach out to Clear Admit directly if you'd like to learn more about your services.
Best of luck,
Graham
What is the best thing that older applicants (28-30) with otherwise very strong profiles can do to increase their odds at H / S / W? Thanks!
Graham Richmond
Co-founder & CEO
Clear Admit, LLC
www.clearadmit.com
http://blog.clearadmit.com
www.twitter.com/clearadmit
www.facebook.com/clearadmit
Graham, Thanks for taking the
Graham,
Thanks for taking the tme.
BA Economics - Top 25 USA School- 3.4
MSC Finance - UK Based Top 5 school
2 years at a bank, (founded and sold startup on the side)
1 year equity research
2 years in current venture captial role
What is the min GMAT for M7?
Ty, Thanks for your question.
Ty,
Thanks for your question.
On the whole I would say that Oxford/Said has a fairly competitive admissions process. Is it as hard to get into as INSEAD or LBS? Not quite, but the program's small class size means that they don't need the applicant volume of an INSEAD to be highly selective. Of course, the real answer to this question depends heavily on your profile, since some populations are less represented in the pool than others.
Here are some basic stats on the school's class of admitted students:
Class size: 248
GMAT average: 690
Work Exp: 6 years
Avg. Age: 29
Read our insider's guide to the school as well: http://clearadmit.shop.studylink.com/product.cfm?p...
Best of luck!
Graham
how haard is it to get into oxford
ty
Graham Richmond
Co-founder & CEO
Clear Admit, LLC
www.clearadmit.com
http://blog.clearadmit.com
www.twitter.com/clearadmit
www.facebook.com/clearadmit
blastoise wrote: how haard is
how haard is it to get into oxford
ty
hahha
|| But feeling good and enjoying life are prerequisites to success, not by products of it- Midas Mulligan Magoo ||
Graham, Thanks for thoughts.
Can you point me to the
- Bulls make money. Bears make money. Pigs get slaughtered.
- The harder you work, the luckier you become.
- I believe in the "Golden Rule": the man with the gold rules.
Hi YellowRanger, Thanks for
Graham Richmond
Co-founder & CEO
Clear Admit, LLC
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Interested.
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Graham Richmond
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Clear Admit, LLC
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Hi Graham, Was wondering on
Graham, Thanks for taking
Hey Graham, Stats: Undergrad
"Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a Champion" - Muhammad Ali
Hi Graham, really appreciate
Rise early, work hard, strike oil.
Hi Graham, First of all
Hi, I had a quick question.
Thanks Graham. Applied this
Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points
Thanks for you help Graham!
What are the most impressive
Hi Graham, I was wondering
Hi Graham, I have been
Never mind
Thanks for doing this Graham,
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Hey great thread. Just
I am 2.1 Master's Degree
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So I think my strong points
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Dear Inspiredude, Thanks for
Graham Richmond
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Dear GoWithTheFlow, Thanks
Graham Richmond
Co-founder & CEO
Clear Admit, LLC
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Hi Graham. Thanks a lot for
Calling Ron Paul an isolationist is like calling your neighbor a hermit because he doesn't come over to your property and break your windows.
Deleted info as no one
Hi Graham, How much work
Hello everyone! My name is
Kevin Chen
Senior Admissions Counselor
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Kevin, Thanks for taking the
Hi Kevin, I posted this
"Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a Champion" - Muhammad Ali
Hi Graham, I have been
Hello Kevin, Could you please
Kevin, posted earlier...tell
Hi Kevin I posted earlier as
- Ostende Mihi Pecuniam -
I wish the monkey formerly