What are my chances - Like to know what range of MBA programs
Hi!
I'm very new to this. I'd like to know what range of MBA programs I have a chance of getting into, so I can choose where to send apps.
I am not an URM, have a 3.84 from a very low-ranked state school (philosophy), have very little math coursework (I'm assuming that's somewhat relevant), and only have one year of post-grad work experience (some leadership roles in a small e-commerce start-up that has doubled revenue every year since its' inception). Also, I was a volunteer firefighter for three years. I haven't taken the GMAT yet, but let's assume I'll score around 720. Lastly, I'll probably have to apply to all schools very close to their deadlines.
Thanks
You need a lot more work experience, at this point you'd be better off targeting MSFs and MiMs
Yeah, I figured WE is my weakest point. Assuming I NEED to enroll this fall (due to personal circumstances, this actually may be the case) which range of schools do you think I have a chance at getting into?
Edit: Also, wouldn't it be difficult to get into a MsF with my lack of math coursework?
Tough to say, most schools target people with a lot more work experience, Bentley has the emerging leaders MBA, Rollins has a similar program, as does drexel. I'd say apply broadly, target top 50 MBAs and look for programs aimed at recent grads. Where are you interested in geographically? I will say that you would probably be much better off waiting two or three years to apply.
Thanks for the insight. That's actually another question I had. I'm interested in Houston, West Coast, or East Coast. However, there's a small possibility I'll have to leave the country in two to three years. I'm assuming that, if I'm not at a top-10 B school, it would be nearly impossible to get a job in another country. Is this correct? Would schools in the 30-40 range (e.g., Rice) give me any shot at placement in England, Australia, N.Z, other English-speaking countries? I know this is a lot of stuff I'm asking for... any insight is appreciated.
If international work interests you, consider Thunderbird School of Management. Here is a list of schools in TX and on the coasts where you have a shot also I'm including the Poets and Quants Rank: Reach East Coast: Carnegie Mellon (16), UNC (19), Emory (20), Georgetown (22) Target East Coast: Maryland (31), Penn State (34), BU (35), Rochester (37), Wake Forest (38), Georgia Tech (40), Boston College (44), Babson (45), Georgia (49), Northeastern (50) Safety East Coast: GW (52), UF (53), Pittsburgh (54), South Carolina (55), UConn (62), Temple (63), Fordham (64), William and Mary (65), Syracuse (67), Rutgers (69), Miami (70), NC State (73), Rollins (74) Reach TX: McCombs (18), Rice (30), Target TX: Texas A&M (32) Safety TX: TCU (59), Houston (97) Reach West Coast UCLA Anderson (17), USC (25) Target West Coast: Washington (33), UC Irvine (48) Safety West Coast: UC Davis (58), Pepperdine (80), Willamette (86), Claremont (89)
My suggestion is to go through this list and quickly pare it down, maybe leaving only two or three in each category to give serious though to, you're an interesting case to the average ad com, great GPA, good GMAT (getting it up a bit would do wonders though), but little work experience. I could see you winding up anywhere from 25 to the 60s or 70s. Apply broadly and early.
Seriously, I kind of love you right now. Thanks so much for your advice!
also since you brought this up earlier, most masters in finance programs do not require a substantial background in math. many programs only require having taken calculus and maybe statistics. also, you should look into programs that offer an international component. many MBA programs require you to spend a semester abroad or build in substantial International experiences via treks. all of which are things to consider when choosing which MBA program to attend
Gotcha. I'll look into some master of finance programs then. I'm also looking into Thunderbird. Given my lack of work experience and possible need to move in a few years, it seems like a good choice. U. of Washington, according to FT, also places a lot of students outside of the US, so I'm glad you consider that a target for me (I just discovered all the awesome global portability data on FT). Thanks again for all your help.
Look into UVA's Master of Commerce program. It's specifically for non-business majors and I'm pretty sure it has an international element as well
Thanks!
You may also want to take a look at poets and quants, they have some nice profiles on some of the schools I listed.
Hi Imago,
I think you've got bit more research to do on the broad range of programs. Very few name MBA programs will be willing to consider seriously someone with one year work experience. They are looking for leadership, and in one year, it's normally hard to come up with stories that really make you stand out, although I recognize that you mentioned that you have had some leadership at your e-commerce startup. They also will look to see if you can do the work, and one way to measure that is math, since all MBA programs have a significant quantitative element. If you can get over 70% on the GMAT, mid-tier schools will consider you, but the rest will require that you show you can do the numbers. Some will require that you get at least a B in a prerequisite calc and/or stats class.
The most important, and easiest thing you can do is look to see the range of the student profiles at some of the schools that appeal. If you are interested in Texas schools, say, take a look at the tab on the site called "class profile" and see where the years of work experience and type of work experience add up.
As for the Masters' in Management (one-year) programs, such as at Duke (the MMS) or Darden, or even LBS (MiM), there might be some possibility, because as one of the previous posters mentioned, they actually expect the students to come from non-quant backgrounds. But you will not receive an MBA. They do require that you have LESS than one year of work experience in some cases.
You really have many things to consider, and it's not as linear as we all wish it would be, sad to say. If you have any more questions, check out my thread and please ask! There are plenty of ways for you to make your search more efficient.
Best regards, Betsy
Thanks for your response! At this point, I would not mind a masters in management. My only concern is, if I want to work for 2-3 years afterwards and then apply to MBA programs, I will still not have the sufficient background in math to get into a top school. I'm assuming MiM programs aren't very math-intensive, and when they are, it seems they contain pseudo-math courses instead of full-on math courses (which I've read that top MBA programs don't like).
If you want to do finance and don't mind London, the LBS MiF is a great 1 year program and you will get to use those math skills!
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