No. A good GMAT and Essay, together with the other components, will be necessary, but they can’t supplement the short experience. The only things that can supplement the short experience are: - A deep and worthwhile experience in that short time. One year doing something fantastic can make up for 4-6 years doing something less than exciting. - A joint degree candidate i.e. JD/MBA, MD/MBA, etc. - Sponsorship from a great company where you have worked. It is especially bad if you are currently out of work. That said, too much experience can also be a bad sign. After a while, you begin to look more like an Executive MBA applicant instead of an MBA applicant.