Experts needed! Should I take the LSAT to get into an MBA?

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I'm applying this fall. I have a great profile all around: 760 GMAT, great job, unusual and interesting extracurriculars, speak 4 languages and I'm a minority. I've got really good stories to write compelling essays.

However my GPA is dismal. I mean really bad. About 78/100, which I guess it's the equivalent of a 3.0/4.0 GPA. (It's a tough engineering major, though, but still terrible).

My question is: since I'm very good at standardized tests, I figured I could take the LSAT and add that to my high GMAT so as to prove that intelligence wasn't the problem during my college years -I actually did have a particular circumstance out of my control that affected me, which I'll be sure to mention.

Do you figure that taking the LSAT (assuming I get a great score, 174+) will help me further prove to the adcom that my college years were just a bad phase? Or do you figure that they'd think I'm an idiot for taking that test since I don't really wanna go to Law school?

I already managed to get a 99% GMAT, but I'm wondering if the LSAT could help any further.

PD. I'm aiming for H/S/W/Columbia/Chicago and taking "extra college courses" isn't a possibility in my country -people just don't do that, no college would take me just to take "a few courses".

Thanks for your help!
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by paulsbodine » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:32 am
hijinx85,

I would not take the LSAT just to demonstrate your intelligence if you have no interest in law school. It might add a question mark to your profile, and weaken your Why an MBA argument by making it seem like you don't know what you want to do.

If there were specific factors that affected your GPA (especially if they were external factors) then explaining those factors will go a long way toward eliminating your GPA as an obstacle for your application. This is especially true if, as you say, the rest of your profile is very strong. You could also start building an 'alternate transcript' in which you retook some of the courses that brought your GPA down (especially if these were 'pre-MBA' quant type courses). Feel free to send me your resume for further feedback.

--Paul
Paul Bodine
Author, "Great Applications for Business School," "Perfect Phrases for Business School Acceptance," "Perfect Phrases for Letters of Recommendation"
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