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Hi,

I'm just wrapping up my undergraduate degree in computer science at Binghamton University, and pursuing an MBA is the next step I'd like to take in my education. My grades are relatively good (3.7) and I'm scheduled to take the GMAT this December (I'm banking on getting at least a 700); however, I'm worried that I won't be able to get into a good school.

I spoke to advisers from NYU and Columbia about the importance of work experience, and both told me it wasn't "required", but the incoming class demographic is contradictory.

I have no full time work experience, but I have worked full time hours during unpaid summer internships. In addition, I was the project leader for a team of 22 students that entered and won first place in a design competition put out by the Federal Aviation Agency (https://www.faa.gov/airports/runway_safe ... mpetition/).

Do you think it's possible for me to get into a prestigious MBA program at this time in my life (assuming I do well on the GMAT)? The schools I've been considering are:Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, and Rochester - NYU and Columbia are my top choices.

Thanks for the advice,

Justin

Hi, Justin--

Thanks for the note and apologies for the delay in getting back to you --my client load picks up as the busy season really gets going.

To answer your question, my observation has been that it is possible to straight into business school but that the vast majority of folks who do that either have very strong undergrad quant and / or finance backgrounds or already have a master's or doctorate (PhD, MD, etc.).

So...it is conceivable that you could get in but it is still pretty unlikely.

More to the point, there is the question of how much you would fit in and how much you would get out of the program if you went now. You will be in the minority and you will be competing / collaborarting with folks that are:

a) Going to be a lot more seasoned and savvy than you;

b) Going to be a lot more focused on what they want after business school than you;

c) Able to bring a lot more to classroom discussions and group work than you;

d) Going to be applying for and competing for jobs that are probably not going to be available to you.

None of these things are the end of the world but they make your business school experience less than it would be in a few years.