Ask Stacy Blackman

Dear city_guy_18,

You noted that you are applying to Executive MBA programs, so I think it is important for you to understand that admissions is a little different than for a traditional, full-time program (which is what the majority of the posts are referring to). With the amount of time you have been out of school, your GPA is important, but not seen as significant an indicator of your academic ability as it would be with only 2-3 years experience. Taking a couple math courses would be helpful to not only demonstrate your aptitude, but also to prepare you for business school. Secondly, you do want to do well on the GMAT, but scoring over a 650 will put you in a competitive position for most EMBA programs. Like for other MBA programs, the GPA and GMAT are only part of the puzzle and do not count more than the other parts. As such, it is your professional experience and career goals that are critical to the EMBA admissions process.

You need to convey your successful track record and show that you have gained a breadth/depth of experience in your field. Likewise, you need to show how business school is the appropriate next step in your career and how your future goals relate to your past experience and the EMBA program. Finally, it is important for you to know that making a career change after completing an executive program is not the same as for those in a full-time program. Your search will be longer and be done primarily through networking.

I would encourage you to visit the EMBA programs you are considering and talk with the admissions folks and current students to determine if the EMBA is the right program for you. You certainly have enough experience, but you want to make sure it will meet your expectations.

Best of luck,
Lisa

Finance professors say that the best preparation is math courses like college algebra, finite math and calculus. So, if it has been a long time and/or you did not do well in those courses, then those would certainly be reasonable options. You could also consider an accounting or finance class as a way to get a heads up on the terminology.

Part-time programs are similar to EMBA programs in that both have students who are continuing to work and are not designed for those wanting a significant career change. However, the average work experience for a part-time program tends to be about 5-7 years rather than the 14-16 years for the true EMBA programs. Either way, both of these options expect the applicants to have a strong rationale for business school and a successful, professional track record.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear nickp33,

Assuming I can maintain a 3.8-4.0 GPA while earning my my BBA in Economics. Will this negate my previous GPA and give me a competitive application for Emory or GA Tech's full time program?
It will not negate your previous GPA, but will demonstrate you have the ability and maturity to succeed in the classroom. Since it takes more than a high GPA (or GMAT) to be competitive for a school, you cannot guarantee admission because you do well. However, earning A's in new coursework, especially quantitative coursework, will certainly strengthen your application.

If this is a long shot and a 2nd degree will not help me with one of these top two schools, after 30 hours or so, will I have a competitive application for either of their part time programs?
As stated above, earning A's in some new courses will not necessarily make you competitive for any school, but will certainly strengthen your chances. You must also have a good GMAT score, great essays, outstanding recommendations, and a positive interview. I would suggest visiting Emory and Georgia Tech to get a solid understanding of what they seek in their applicants; then you can work on getting your application as close to that as possible.

Good luck,
Lisa

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Dear fused,

1. If my GPA and transcript would be a major sticking point while I am applying to MBA universities in the US?
Your academic history, alone, will not result in a rejection. However, it will cause concern, so you need to have other parts of your application to mitigate your performance. For example, a high GMAT (>700) will help. Since you are looking to apply within a couple of years of graduating, you might want to think about taking some additional courses if you have not performed substantially better in your last two years.

2. How much importance does the admissions committee give to GPA when looking at the all round application?
The GPA is not viewed as any more or less important than any other part of the application. All parts are viewed significant.

3. Is there a way I could justify the grades in my transcript?
Perhaps, but I don't know enough about you to know if there is a reasonable explanation. Being overly involved in extracurriculars and having your grades suffer is not that uncommon. However, you need to convey your maturity since that time and make a compelling case that your performance in business school will be different.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear iboha,

Whether to do a PhD or a MBA program depends on what you want to do with your career. I think you need to determine your career goals first and perhaps gain some work experience before making a choice between these two degree programs. If you decide you want to go to business school, then a high GMAT will mitigate your undergraduate GPA as will your grades in the MS Finance program. As for how to present yourself in your applications, I encourage you to do some research on business schools to gain a better understanding of both the degree program and the career opportunities post-MBA.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear AAR,

Perhaps. It depends on how well you write your essays, the strength of your recommendations, and how well you do in your interviews. Your GMAT and GPA puts you in range for these programs, but the rest of your application has to make a compelling case for your admission. I would also suggest visiting these campuses and establishing a rapport with an admissions professional at each school.

Best of luck,
Lisa

Dear LF,

Are you sure you need to take this accounting course? I can see why you have arrived at this conclusion, but I wonder if it is truly necessary with your GMAT score and work experience. It certainly won't hurt your application and makes sense if you also want to get a heads up on the terminology and subject matter. Just putting that thought out there...

As for online accounting classes, I am not much help here as I do not recommend any one school over another. I know several strong universities are offering more courses online, so you do have plenty of options.

Best of luck,
Lisa