High GPA, but not from a prestigious school

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Avinash_Tyagi: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 29; Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:29 pm

High GPA, but not from a prestigious school

by Avinash_Tyagi » Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:21 pm

I graduated Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA) from my school with a BS in Technical Management, however my school is not at all prestigious, so I was wondering how badly will this affect my chances of getting into top tier B-School.

And will it help at all that my classes there were mostly accounting, business operations and management?

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Ask Stacy Blackman | Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:21 pm

GMAT/MBA Expert

Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pm; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times; Followed by:148 members

by Lisa Anderson » Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:16 am

Dear Avinash_Tyagi,

The rigor and competitiveness of your undergraduate institution is considered in your evaluation as an MBA applicant. However, your 4.0 indicates academic achievement and aptitude, which is always a strength in your application. Going to a school that does not have a recognized name or prestigious reputation will not result in an automatic shuffling to the waitlist or reject stack. It just means your school is not viewed the same as those that do have the reputation. This is why your MBA application is evaluated holistically, to give the admissions committee a well-rounded view of your background and experiences. Likewise, having taken business courses previously is also not an advantage (or disadvantage) in and of itself. What having this coursework does convey is that you are familiar with the subject matter, and if you earned high marks in those courses, then it further conveys an aptitude for business.

Good luck,
Lisa

Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

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