Hello All,
Can you please review my profile, and let me know if have a legitimate shot at any of these schools?
Top choice: UCLA Anderson
USC Marshall
UCI Merage
Boston University-Questrom
Georgetown-McDonough
Major: B.S. Economics from state school in California
GPA: 2.9, I have a handful of fails on my transcript but retook them all and received no less than B scores. I did average a 3.5 my last 3 quarters and got on the Deans List.
GMAT: 720
Work Ex: 5+ years working in Aerospace/Heavy Manufacturing ( I barely graduated this past June, but I have been in the industry since I was 17 years old)
Past Ex: Held an internship doing Business Development with NASA's Jet Propulsion's Laboratory during the Summer of 2016.
Current Job Title: Process/Development Engineer
Projects:
-Worked on numerous improvement projects, in which I saved the company over $100,000, while I was a senior in college.
-Was in charge of two departments (Shell Room, Foundry), while still in school and improved productivity and throughput by over 25%.
-Worked on developing new parts, reduced defect/rework rates in old parts, performed internal audits, lead continuous improvement projects with teams of 8-10 people.
Extracurriculars:
-None, school full time and working 30-35 hours a week during school and 40+ hours during the summer.
Volunteering:
-Volunteered for 3 years with the American Red Cross.
-Volunteered for 2 years with The Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Autism Society of LA.
Other Accolades:
-Obtained my Six Sigma Black Belt Certification during the summer of my Junior year
-Obtained Project Management Certificate from UCLA extension
Thank you.
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2.9 GPA, 720 GMAT; Need Advice
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MargaretStrother
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First, the good news: you've got some great stuff here -- professionally, in the community, and it looks like you've got a great personal story as well. Now, that GPA is a challenge: tough sell for numbers-driven schools like UCLA. It's somewhat mitigated by your GMAT and the upward trajectory in your grades, but we'd need to craft a strong explanation to support your assertion that despite the numbers, you will thrive in a full-time, rigorous MBA program.
Frankly I'm not sure UCLA would buy it, but many of the other schools on your list would be more open-minded. My advice would be to apply to UCLA anyway, just because you love it, making sure that you take full advantage of your location to invest a lot of time and energy into getting to know the campus, the students, and everything the school has to offer.
Georgetown and Marshall are stretch-safer schools -- Georgetown in particular often shows impressive visio in placing interesting quality above numbers in creating their incoming classes -- and the other schools on your list could potentially be persuaded. 2.9 is a stretch for any top school, but as it appears that you've got a great personal story to go along with it, that might be enough to put you over the top. Personally, you're just the kind of client I enjoy working with.
Good luck,
Margaret Strother
Frankly I'm not sure UCLA would buy it, but many of the other schools on your list would be more open-minded. My advice would be to apply to UCLA anyway, just because you love it, making sure that you take full advantage of your location to invest a lot of time and energy into getting to know the campus, the students, and everything the school has to offer.
Georgetown and Marshall are stretch-safer schools -- Georgetown in particular often shows impressive visio in placing interesting quality above numbers in creating their incoming classes -- and the other schools on your list could potentially be persuaded. 2.9 is a stretch for any top school, but as it appears that you've got a great personal story to go along with it, that might be enough to put you over the top. Personally, you're just the kind of client I enjoy working with.
Good luck,
Margaret Strother
