Comparing London School of Business to US Universities

[deeptideepti]

I am looking into applying to LSB (full-time MBA). I would like to know how does LSB compare to schools in the US. How competitive is LSB compared to Duke or Ross?
My profile:
Age - 30
Gmat - 730
Undergrad from Carneige Mellon in Engineering. GPA - 2.87
Grad GPA (tpplk 5 years to complet emy grad school while working full-time) - 3.77 at a local univ
Gender - Female
Work Exp - 8 years with steady promotions

Is LSB good for applicants who are 30 years of age? I hear that european schools tend to be more receptive to older candidates.

Thanks for the help.

[mbaMissionBrianE]

Hello deeptideepti, thanks for your question.

I consider LBS a top European program, but I have to admit that I am not as familiar with international programs as I am with US ones. To your comparison question, specifically, let's look at some stats:
"¢ One recent ranking of global MBA programs has LBS at #1, Duke at #20, and Ross at #24.
"¢ Comparing recent acceptance rates: LBS - 13% , Duke - 24%, Ross - 25%
"¢ Most recently, 15-20% of LBS's class (about 400 per year) came from North America (you did not say where you are from, so this number might vary based on your location).
From those numbers, I'd say that LBS might be potentially more competitive than Duke and Ross.

Generally, European programs are more open to older, more experienced applicants. I am happy to give you more feedback on your profile, but I would love to know more! I would say that your GMAT is solid, and your GPA is on the low side, but not necessarily a dealbreaker, especially if you improved over your time in undergrad or had an extenuating circumstance.

Otherwise, it really depends on what kinds of stories you have from your 8 years of work experience. This is where you can differentiate yourself. Also, what are your post-MBA goals? How do they fit with the experience you have? Without this information, I cannot really say with certainty how strong a candidate you are.

Sincerely,
Brian