Ask mbaMission

What do you rate my chances for getting into one of the top 5 MBA programs?

I'm UK graduate in 2005 with a BA in finance, a GPA of 3.0
GMAT score of 700 (47Q, 40V)

My story comprises of two elements:

- 7 years of work experience with 1 spent working in Dubai. I've co-founded a management consultancy in 2009 in Libya and managed to position it as the leading local consulting firm with major clients including: AECOM (fortune 500), Central Bank of Libya, World Bank, African Development Bank, World Economic Forum, and other local organizations. I've also recently co-founded a nonprofit Think Tank working on developing Development Policy Papers and we should be securing funding from the Open Society Foundation or the African Development Bank.

- I'm from Libya, a country that has seen an uprising against its previous dictatorship in 2011. I was active in the uprising and my humanitarian aid efforts were recognized by the new government and was thus chosen to be part of a National Stabilization Team with my self heading the humanitarian aid operation and acting as a representative of the Libyan government in UN Food Security cluster meetings.

I want to go to a top 5 program with a goal of either getting strategy consulting experience in developed economies OR moving into Real Estate Investment, as i spent one year in Dubai (2008) working with a Real Estate Developer and i very much enjoyed my work there. I guess i need to work on clarifying my goals and choosing one before i submit any applications.

I think my GPA is a weakness and am not sure if i should take the GMAT a third time to push up my score?

But anyway, how do you rate my chances? any advice?

Hello Mohaned, thanks for your question.

It's hard to handicap odds on these things! I'll give you my best feedback.

I think your GPA is slightly low, but not an insurmountable obstacle! Was there an extraordinary circumstance that caused your low mark? Did your GPA rise as you progressed through undergrad? If so, you might try to explain these factors in the optional essay. Better yet, do you have any other analogue that is a better representation of your academic ability and potential? These are ways to potentially mitigate your GPA, but after all a 3.0 is not a disaster!

Your GMAT is right on the border. Ideally, I recommend clearing 80% on both quantitative and verbal scores, but your 77% on the quant side could be close enough.

Reading your profile, the strength of your candidacy will be your experience/stories, both in starting a consultancy AND a non-profit think thank. I would focus your energies on the essays to call out these strengths. If you have time to devote to GMAT studying, then fine, but if that would take away from your essays, then I'd prioritize your essays over GMAT. You already have a 700 score, which many applicants would be envious of.

I hope this helps!

Best of luck!
Brian