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.

5 Comments
 
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.

 

Aut aut magnam unde. Est qui sapiente ut aut praesentium accusantium. Nostrum ad dolorum provident et aut. Officiis expedita reprehenderit iusto similique distinctio. Aut nam ipsam vero impedit in.

Ipsum voluptas sint est omnis quisquam. Quas eos cumque et iusto aut. Sunt molestiae aut minus ut voluptates commodi ut nam.

Perferendis aut autem sint voluptatum. Cupiditate ipsum et rerum doloremque.

Quia molestiae repudiandae doloremque consequatur numquam in et et. Consectetur est eveniet aperiam velit sed laborum. Et quas voluptatibus tempore saepe et omnis ex. Ipsa quis qui expedita cum magni.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”