The most valuable part of a competitive B school is the networking- with other students, with faculty, with visiting CEO’s, with corporate leaders who lecture on various topics, with heads of state who visit campus and participate in roundtables to discuss long term economic trends, issues around workforce participation in their countries, the relationship between the corporate sector and political entities. The top schools have tons of this. The curriculum across schools- pretty much the same. Nobody has figured out the “secret sauce” to teaching operations research or supply chain management or managerial accounting- everyone is teaching pretty much the same core. But the top schools will likely have better networking opportunities.
Does every student take advantage of these opportunities? No. Some walk in, get their tickets punched with a degree, and walk out. But the value is there for an ambitious student who can take advantage of them.
Is an adcom going to bet on a 19 year old with limited work experience? Who knows. But the likelihood that your work experience will illuminate a class discussion, or add to a seminar taught by a corporate expert on M&A, or contribute something tangible and valuable to a Q&A on monetary policy and the EU…???
My tips for your application- study hard for the GMAT and blow the cover off the ball. Graduate and get a job. Work like a demon for two or three years, and have your boss write you a strong recommendation.
It’s not rocket science.
you don’t need to work for ten years- 2-3 will do the trick.