Help with Undergraduate Dilemma

uaprophet
Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:54:23 +0000

I plan on getting an MBA from an ‘elite’ school myself. I didn’t make that decision until last year or so during my junior year. I was worried about how being at UA might hinder my chances but the great thing about MBA programs is that unlike law school or especially medical school, it is not solely based on undergraduate academics. Med/law school aspirants pretty much rely on their GPA and test scores. As you research various MBA programs you will see that an applicant’s chances are based on GPA, GMAT, Work Experience (99% of the schools require work experience, not internships but actually graduated from school work experience), essays and letters of recommendations. You truly have to paint yourself to the admissions councils and they look at the entire picture.

The great thing about UA is that we are an undergraduate researched based university. That means you do not have to be a professor or grad student to assist with actual research in any field. A classmate who was in the CBH program with me was just accepted to Harvard Business School. He was granted deferred admission, meaning they guarantee him a spot after he works for 2 years. He graduated a year early with an MIS degree. The MIS program is excellent because the students work with top companies on projects (Walmart, Proctor and Gamble, etc). Also by him being in the CBH program he was able to do research from his sophomore onward. All this helped him gain admittance. I won’t deny that going to a more prestigious school may strengthen your application but it is so small that it would only matter if two applicants had the exact same credentials - which will never happen.

Finally, I don’t know your family’s financial standings but $30,000 a year is way high in my book. Imagine what that $30,000/yr could be used for if you decided to go to UA. Graduating with minimal debt is always a great idea. Besides, you may be able to convince them to use that money to pay for your MBA school. The 2-year MBA program at Harvard is $46,000 a year for tuition. They estimate about $75,000/yr total (tuition + everything else).

If you graduate with a 4.0 and a high GMAT from UA, you will stand just as good a chance of gaining admission to any MBA program.