What it takes to get into an M7 MBA?
Rising fourth year in college. Curious how I should chart my path ahead to get into an M7 MBA. Thank you.
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Get a GMAT above 730 to ensure that GMAT isn't the factor that holds you back.
Get top tier work experience (MF PE, FAANG PM, MBB, Tiger Cub, etc). Or as close to top tier as you possibly can since occasionally people from MM IB, or LMM PE do get in, but their odds are almost always quite lower.
There are lots of small factors like write a good essay etc but the two things i just listed are by far the most important
Whoever gave me MS is a dumbass. It is incredibly competitive getting into an M7 MBA and having elite work experience and high test scores are the two most likely ways to secure a spot.
did you forget race?
MF PE, Tiger Cub, FAANG PM, MBB would all make an applicant competitive for HSW, so yes you're not wrong that it helps your chances but for the rest of M7 you can be at MM PE or even BB/MM IB and get into M7 schools.
Not really that much frankly. at my M7 theres tons of people from all kinds of random corporate roles.
for the millionth time, you're better off thinking about what kind of career you'd like to have and pursuing that RIGHT NOW... there are very few careers that just arbitrarily require MBAs
without an MBA you can become:
a banking MD
a consulting partner
a tech startup CEO/big tech PM
VC partner
PE partner at many firms
you might need an MBA for:
-partner at some PE firms
why not figure out whether you want to do one of the many business careers above and try your best to kill it at that before worrying about an MBA?
This is the best post in the thread. Planning for an MBA when you're still in undergrad is absolutely asinine. Focus on pursuing a career that you're interested in and actually good at. Then kick ass in that field and you likely won't even need an MBA.
This is something I would very much agree with. You really should not be planning for an MBA now. Think more about your career today.
I work in Long Only Asset Management, which is also a field where MBAs are arbitrarily required at some companies. However, this is changing, and my hope is that this will no longer be the case later.
MBA for branding
Not all M7 are the same. HSW are consider the hardest to get into, and even among those, it's generally understood that S > H >W (in terms of selectivity). If you're just trying to get into something like Columbia or Sloan, get decent grades, a 730 GMAT, and decent (doesn't need to be amazing) work experience.
How important is undergrad gpa compared to things like GMAT and WE?
I've heard that GMAT and work experience matter more, but GPA has higher weight than usual in deferred admissions. It's all just guesswork though.
It is hard as well as competitive. Especially in a year like 2020 where applications shot up.
With that said, it is nowhere near as elite as an above poster made it seem.
Good gmat and good work experience is all it takes. Doesn’t have to be elite (although it helps). it is less about the name of your employer and more about how meaningful the WE is in terms of trajectory, responsibilities, promotions, impact. I’ve seen people from elite places get in as well as folks who’ve been back office their entire career but had a big impact/influence within their role and got promoted early, etc. Also a big boost if you’re a URM.
Gotta remember the $150k price tag already filters out 70% of potential candidates.
Give 2+2s a look since you are a senior. Give the GMAT NOW and prepare for your application NOW. If accepted - you get out of college, work for 2-3 years, and go back to Business school for an MBA (with already an acceptance in hand).
The second path would be typical - get out of college, work, give GMAT, apply.
Doesn't take much to get into M7 if you have a decent profile. Good work experience, academics in under grad, GMAT score, essays, LORs, extracurricular activities. All colleges are different - even within the M7. Some weight the GMAT more, some weight undergrad academics more.
While I agree with the posters who wrote that your focus next year should be on finding a job that you will enjoy and that you will grow in, if you want to prepare yourself to possibly apply for an MBA, here are a few steps that you should take both as a senior in college and after your graduate:
For more tips and advice, please download Prep for B-School: A 4-Year Guide for College Students & Recent Grads at https://reports.accepted.com/mba/guide/mba-4-year-guide . It's free.
Good luck!
well said
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