Does coming from a small business school limit your MBA options?

Hey guys,

I've got a question regarding admissions to a 10 MBA program. I want to know how much of an impact your undergrad institution has to do with getting into a prestigious program. Does where you get your undergrad have a significant influence on your chances of getting into one?

Additionally, I am currently completing my 3rd year in business (i also have a minor in computer info systems) at a small university here in Canada and have a 3.91 GPA. I also just completed an 8 month internship with one of the largest energy companies in the world and will be joining a B4 next summer in their strategy consulting practice. Prior to this i ran 2 startup companies in the data analytics space. Reason i list the additional info is because id like an honest evaluation on the strength of my application for both a top 10 and top 20 program. Please point out any weaknesses you see here so i can work on them!

Regards,

Slightly lost & confused undergrad.

 
Best Response

undergrad 101,

The reputation of your school for rigor is important. Obviously you are doing extremely well (congrats! keep it up.) That is critical. If your school is not well known or is known or easy grading, the bschools may put a little more weight on your test score or any post-bac coursework that you have to gain confidence that you can really handle the academic demands of a top MBA program. They'll also look at the demands of any future full-time work experience. Certainly what you've done to date inside and outside the classroom is top MBA material.

You might be interested in Prep for B-School: A 4-Year Guide for College Students & Recent Grads,. It's a free download.

Linda

Linda Abraham President, Accepted | Contact Me | Admissions Consulting
 

I suspect that's more a function of work experience and the type of people admitted to those undergrads than anything else. Brighter people (using SAT scores as a proxy for intelligence) tend to go to top undergrads. These people tend to work hard and they tend to have strong OCR. That leads to strong work experience. I suspect that undergraduate prestige only matters at the margins compared to GMAT, work experience and essays.

 

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