How To Improve Your MBA Odds If You’re 30+

Overcome the b-school age bias and improve your MBA odds if you’re 30+

Twenty-somethings don’t have a monopoly on talent, energy or the audacious pursuit of world-changing excellence. But to scan the class profiles at the world’s leading full-time MBA programs, you might think they have a monopoly on business school.

On average, students starting their MBA class at most top US business schools are 28. At Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, University of Michigan Ross and University of Michigan Darden, it’s 27. Only a handful of top-20 US schools, including Duke Fuqua, are attracting a slightly older class averaging 29. European schools tend to skew a bit older; INSEAD’s average is 29, with a range of 25–35 years; IMD’s class averages 29.9 and for HEC in Paris, it’s 30, with six years of work experience at both.

Why 20-Somethings Are The Majority

There are a lot of reasons why accepted MBA candidates cluster so closely in their late 20s. Some of that is built into the programs; business schools are looking for candidates who have enough experience to grasp the course material but are not yet so set in their ways that they won’t apply what they learn.

The class demographics are somewhat driven by the expectations of the industries that feed candidates into MBA programs and hire them when they get out. Some of the trend is also self-selection: the bulk of applicants are in their late 20s, because they are at the point in life and in their career where they are ready to gain more business acumen and take their careers to the next level. Still, all of this can feel disheartening if you’re ready for an MBA but are over 30.

But talent is talent, and behind the averages, schools are admitting applicants over a considerable age range. For example, the Class of 2025 at Columbia Business School ranged from 22 to 40. “You’re never too old,” NYU Stern’s longtime Associate Dean of MBA Admissions and Program Innovation Isser Gallogly told us at the CentreCourt MBA Festival a few years ago. “It comes down to work experience, it depends on what your background is and what your goals are.”

My colleagues at Fortuna have noticed that most of the top 10 US schools and some European schools no longer share age statistics in their class profiles on their websites. This could be due to concerns about potential claims of age discrimination; more optimistically, we think it could be a signal that they are indeed open to a broader range of applicants and don’t want to discourage older candidates.

Seasoned applicants who can make a powerful case for why they want an MBA and why now — along with a well-reasoned and compelling career vision, competitive test scores, an impressive track record and a clear sense of fit with the school — are still very much in the running. And if that’s you, then you may be better-positioned than the 20-something wunderkind.

How to Optimize Your Admissions Chances as a 30-Something MBA Candidate:

Explain your timing.

Think about how you will explain why you are applying at age 30 and beyond. There are reasonable circumstances for why you’re applying now to a full-time MBA. You may have been completing a military tour of duty or another advanced degree. Some career paths may lead to candidates applying later than the typical finance or consulting track candidate. For instance, if you’ve been immersed in a start-up for several years and just got it to IPO stage, you may now have time to go back to school. It’s not uncommon for some international candidates to be older because of the educational system in their home country and the age at which they graduated. Many MBA programs make exceptions for these, but you must make sure to communicate these in your application.

Show realistic career plans.

Make sure that your career goals are consistent with what’s realistic for an older student. For instance, don’t expect to work for McKinsey if you already have 10+ years of work experience. The career vision is even more critical for older candidates, as the schools expect you to have an even more solid plan than younger candidates. They’re looking for good reasons to believe that you won’t struggle with your job search. You don’t want the school to have any doubts about how you’ll impact the job placement stats.

Showcase your imminent success.

B-schools are looking for candidates who will be successful, make an impact, and give back to the school and the alumni community in meaningful ways. As an older candidate, you may be a few years closer to that success —and to that stage where you can give back. Find a way to convey your potential for success and your willingness to contribute to the school in meaningful ways.

Show your fit with the community.

You should also focus on how you can convey that you’ll be a good fit for the school’s student community. Turn your extra years of experience into an advantage and underline the value of your additional experience and the deeper perspective that you will bring to the program.

Emphasize your level of engagement in the community. Show how you will get involved and contribute, perhaps by joining or leading a club or group activity around a particular passion or hobby. As noted above, adcoms may have some concerns about how more experienced candidates will fit in with a class of mostly younger students, so look for examples you can share that demonstrate that you collaborate or socialize comfortably with groups of different ages.

Finally, at Fortuna Admissions, we recommend that you talk to admissions representatives at the schools you’re considering, to make sure their programs are a good fit for you. There are plenty of opportunities to attend information sessions for a range of MBA programs, including part-time and Executive MBA programs; taking these steps can help you be sure which program really meets your needs best at this point in your life.

Whether you’re 22 or 40, admissions success comes down to making a great case for who you are, what drives you and why you want an MBA, how you will use it to make an impact, and what unique factors you will contribute to your MBA. For more on what is behind the predominant student age and extra tips on how to position your extra years as an asset, see a blog from my Fortuna colleague Matt Symonds here.

Fortuna’s expert coaches have many years of experience in guiding 30-somethings to business school. If you could use some help making your case for admission when you’re a little bit outside the typical age range, we’re here with the insights and advice you need. Book a free 30-minute consultation to learn how we can help.

Judith Silverman Hodara is the former head of MBA Admissions at Wharton and Co-founder and Director of Fortuna Admissions, a team of former admissions directors and business school insiders from top US and European business schools. For more free advice from Fortuna Admissions in partnership with Poets&Quants, check out these videos and articles,and for a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation.