URM profile evaluation

[jaw5xs]

I'm only in my last year of college, but I'm pretty sure I want to get an MBA. I know I need work experience before an MBA program. I'm a black male and will graduate with a BA in Economics with a minor in Global Culture & Commerce from UVA with a 3.1 GPA. My major GPA is around a 3.0 as well. I had a huge upward trend in my GPA, with a 2.5 gpa my first year of school and Dean's list my last two semesters. I have good grades in my Quantitative classes and upper level Econ classes as well.

So far, I've had internship with Capital One, Pepsi, and a government organization for 4 years.

My last year of college I will be a Loan Officer for undergraduate and graduate students at UVA as well, and manage a $100,000 fund.

I've gotten around a 710 GMAT on my practice tests.

What do I need to do to get into a top MBA program?

Thanks

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear jaw5xs,

It sounds like you are already on your way to building a competitive foundation for your future applications. The best things to do between now and your applications is to graduate with a 3.0+, take your GMAT and score well, and gain some quality work experience. In addition, you will want to have a life outside the office, so find some community or extracurricular activities to be involved in as these can be great leadership/teamwork experiences outside the office. When you feel you are ready to apply, then you will want to give yourself plenty of time to put together a strong application package and aim for round 1/round 2 deadlines. Finally, I encourage you to continue to research MBA programs and the MBA degree in general. There are many great resources out there that will be helpful to you. In particular, I encourage you to look into the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management (www.cgsm.org).

Best of luck,
Lisa

[jaw5xs]

Thank you for the advice Lisa. I was researching the Consortium and it seems like a great way to go for applying to Business School as it can significantly reduce the fees of applying. Is the Consortium a program that you have to be accepted into and is it competitive to get into?

Thanks again

[Lisa Anderson]

The Consortium is competitive, but well worth the effort. The scholarship money is great, but the professional development activities are truly valuable. I encourage you to contact The Consortium directly for more detailed information and answers to your questions. From what I understand, you apply to one or more of the member schools through the Consortium application and one of those member schools must admit you as a Consortium scholar to be part of The Consortium.

Good luck,
Lisa