Admission worries!

[kbharadwaj.1987]

Hello Sir,
I have just graduated from my college. I have done my Engineering. I have a GPA of 2.5. I do not have any functional experience as I have just graduated. I'm giving my GMAT on September 10th 2009, and I would like to apply for the schools in the round 1. I can get strong essays and strong letters of recommendations. And also I have few extra curricular activities, which I would pin down on the application. Would that help me in getting into a school which is on top 100 list as mentioned by the Financial Times. I am not looking for top 10 or top 20. I would be elated if I get an admit from a school which ranks below 50. Could you provide me a rough estimate of any school which accepts people without any functional experience? And also would getting a higher score on the GMAT(720-750) help me in the acquiring weight age for my application? Please help me out with this query of mine.

[Paxton Helms - Kaplan]

Hi and thanks for your note.

At this point, given both your GPA and your lack of any real work experience, I'm not sure that applying to business school this year is your best bet, even if you are not applying to a top-twenty school.

Now...a few other thoughts (even though you didn't ask for them):

- Business schools, I think, are doing a smart thing by asking people to have a few years of experience before applying. You really do have a different perspective after a year or two. So...even if you could get into business school this year, I'm not sure that it would be totally wise for you to go.

- I'm afraid I can't really provide you a list of schools that accept people with no work experience. They don't keep that kind of records, obviously, and it is so contrary to the nature of business schools that an acceptance of this would be very unusual. There are a few cases of super-genius types going straight into MBA programs but they are the strong exception.

Maybe a bit more information could help me help you. What is the urgency of applying to business school this year? Is there some reason that it has to be now?

Kepe me in the loop about your thinking--

Paxton

[kbharadwaj.1987]

I agree, and there isn't any issue as such that I don't want to work. I'm looking forward for working 2 years which would provide my profile some quality. I've a job in my hand which I'd be joining after I give my GMAT or after I'm done with my application process. I feel that if I apply now and I get an admit from a school in the top50, I would work for 6 months and then fly in August 2010. If not, I'd be working for an year or two, and then applying. My main aim has always been an MBA! That has been since my second year of engineering. And I reckon, my options would sure increase in number by that time(I mean with 1-2 yrs work ex). And for your question that why do I want to go to the business school next year, I want to complete my MBA by 2012 because I somewhere feel that I could get an admit and also I'd like to complete my MBA when me and my family are financially well off, because you never know what might happen in 2-3 yrs.
But just for that sake I wouldn't go for an average school, I would go if and if it were in top 50.
Thank you.

[Paxton Helms - Kaplan]

Ahh....I'm not sure I totally follow your reasoning and planning here. But, one think I will point is that you will get the highest-paying jobs after an MBA if you have work experience and you get into the best possible program that squares with your interests and needs.