Dear mbrown10012,

Most business schools prefer that applicants work at least two years prior to entering business school. For applicants to be offered admission to enter the fall after graduating from college, those applicants must present a strong case for going straight into an MBA program as well as stellar qualifications. Regardless of where you go to school, successful applicants straight from college are high academic achievers--so they have both high GPAs and high GMAT scores (700+). Likewise, they will have evidence of leadership from extracurricular and other experiences and gained professional experience through internships, part-time work, and/or family businesses. Business schools are not opposed to having some members of the class enter directly from undergraduate studies, but they must be confident these members are mature and able to handle the intensity and rigor of the program. Also, these applicants must have a solid rationale for why they want to go straight into business school as opposed to gaining work experience first. If you are thinking of applying as a college senior, then I highly encourage you to reach out to the schools you are targeting and determine what else might be key for you to include in your application as an applicant without experience.

Good luck,
Lisa