Hello,
How much does class size impact the difficulty of getting into a program? For example, are schools with larger class sizes such as Wharton/Columbia/Chicago/Kellogg (class sizes range from 550-800) any "easier" to get into than a Berkeley/Tuck (class size ~250) despite the fact that the former group is generally ranked higher? Maybe the better question is are the larger schools more likely to take a chance on an applicant with a glaring weakness such as low GPA or GMAT but great extracurriculars (or vice versa) because they have the room in their class to take such a chance?
Let's assume all other factors are equal (demonstrated interest in the school, fit, and how the school's unique characteristics/programs align with your goals)....I realize it's impossible for a candidate to fit perfectly with all schools, but am interested in your opinion nonetheless.
Thanks
GMAT Forum
3 postsPage 1 of 1
- MBAApply
Bigger schools get more applicants (except for Stanford). And different schools attract a different kind of applicant.
Schools like HBS, Wharton or Stanford will attract a certain pool of applicant that will only apply to these three (or even only two or one) - these are typically the blue chip candidates and/or highly accomplished individuals (pro athletes, certain military officers, filmmakers, etc.). You won't be competing with these people at Haas, Chicago, Tuck or anywhere else.
And small schools like Tuck, Haas or Sloan are self-selecting. Because they are smaller, they tend to have a stronger culture so that people who aren't into that culture simply won't apply. Even though Stanford gets tons of applicants, they still get substantively less than HBS or Wharton because of this self-selection (but it's an exception because it gets so many that it's very hard to get in).
There is no back door into a top school. Regardless of whether they're small or large, it comes down to whether you're competitive vs. the applicants that apply. Haas isn't harder to get into than Kellogg simply because Haas is smaller (in fact, Haas is probably a little easier to get into than Kellogg because Kellogg will on the margins attract higher caliber applicants).
Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com
Schools like HBS, Wharton or Stanford will attract a certain pool of applicant that will only apply to these three (or even only two or one) - these are typically the blue chip candidates and/or highly accomplished individuals (pro athletes, certain military officers, filmmakers, etc.). You won't be competing with these people at Haas, Chicago, Tuck or anywhere else.
And small schools like Tuck, Haas or Sloan are self-selecting. Because they are smaller, they tend to have a stronger culture so that people who aren't into that culture simply won't apply. Even though Stanford gets tons of applicants, they still get substantively less than HBS or Wharton because of this self-selection (but it's an exception because it gets so many that it's very hard to get in).
There is no back door into a top school. Regardless of whether they're small or large, it comes down to whether you're competitive vs. the applicants that apply. Haas isn't harder to get into than Kellogg simply because Haas is smaller (in fact, Haas is probably a little easier to get into than Kellogg because Kellogg will on the margins attract higher caliber applicants).
Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com
3 posts Page 1 of 1