Is getting a Top 10-15 MBA the secret for those that can't get in from undergrad?

For all those people that can't get into ibanking out of undergrad either because of the school they attend, their grades, lack of a Wall St. network etc... would the best option be to just go to industry for 5 years and aim for a top 15 MBA.

The average gpa for the top 10-15 MBA programs is a 3.5 including the very top schools such as HBS, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg. The GMAT average is between 700-715 and the avg. work experience length is 5 years.

If you look at the top 10 or 15 MBA programs, in no particular order of rank:

Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, Columbia, Darden, Anderson, Haas, Stern and maybe a few more that I'm missing off the top of my head all get heavily recruited from the all the BB ibanks.

So for those that just can't get in from undergrad, it seems that working at a Fortune 500 company in finance or even in a non-finance related role then playing then switching fields card would be your best option.

What do you people think?

4 Comments
 

Some material at Kellogg says banks typically take about 1000 MBA students every year and that those who are really interested generally get a spot. This is at Kellogg, which might be ranked at the top side of the top 15, but probably is in the middle for getting into banking.

I'd guess the GPA/GMAT scores need to be higher for a white male doing finance.

 

Recusandae fugiat id repellat enim voluptatem id asperiores. Eveniet dolor facere at consequatur ut. Cumque necessitatibus quibusdam sunt libero laboriosam et. Incidunt eum in quia fugit.

Illum ab veritatis asperiores voluptatem ipsa. Aut maiores fugiat at sed quisquam commodi et culpa.

Veniam fugiat voluptatem voluptatem unde. Eligendi autem qui repellendus repudiandae.

Vel repellendus nam tempora harum saepe voluptatem. Praesentium dolores unde amet explicabo. Sapiente consequuntur explicabo veniam nulla maxime odio rerum nesciunt. Beatae sequi facilis ipsum error quis sit. Eum voluptas voluptatibus nulla alias non aut placeat temporibus. Eaque autem impedit provident. Voluptatum laborum animi sapiente.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”