Ask Stacy Blackman

Dear Mehmet,

I think you meet the requirements for the program. However, whether or not you are admitted will greatly depend on how well you present yourself in your application. For instance, you will need to have a solid rationale for wanting to do the MFin program after you have done an MBA. If you do not finish the MBA, you will need to explain that as well. I think it will also be important for you to have a solid rationale for why you want to attend the program at Princeton versus somewhere else.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear ajghost,

Yes, one way to mitigate a low GPA and demonstrate your ability to do well in the classroom is to take 2-4 courses. It is best to take them from an accredited school where you will earn a grade as you will want a transcript to submit with your applications. It can be a community college or even an online course, but universities are also options; pick what seems to work best with your schedule. Most business school professors feel the best preparation in terms of coursework is math courses like college algebra, finite math and calculus. These are also great choices if you did not take many and/or did not do so well in your quantitative coursework as an undergraduate. Other good options are a finance, statistics or economics course.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear TheCloakedMonk,

You can't change the B, so I would not worry about it as I don't think it will have a large impact. Your calculus grade will be more valuable, so I am happy to see it will be an A. I don' t know that it is necessary to take the statistics course for application purposes, but if you feel you will benefit from the course in terms of preparation, then it might be worthwhile.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear mahantaa,

Your GPA, alone, will not result in a rejection from any business school. It is a potential weakness for you, so you will want to take appropriate measures to mitigate that weakness. Your GMAT helps in that endeavor, as will a successful track record in your professional experience. Your chances for admission will be affected by all application components, so you do have the essays, recommendations and interview to use to your advantage to make your case for admission.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear MBAslacker,

Based on your post, it appears you have the foundation for a competitive application to any MBA program. You have built a solid alternative transcript and scored above average on the GMAT and LSAT to mitigate your GPA. You have quality professional and volunteer experiences, and hopefully some outstanding recommendations from those experiences. At this point, you need to put the effort into your essays, resume and interview preparation to distinguish you from the competition. I think a top 15 is within reach, but applying to a couple of schools outside the top 15 is probably the prudent approach to ensure you are in a JD/MBA program next fall.

Best of luck,
Lisa

Dear hiddenname,

Your X and XII years in school are not a factor in your MBA admissions evaluation. MBA programs will only be looking at your transcript from college and GMAT score. Depending on where your performance in college was lacking, the quant score on your GMAT may or may not help to mitigate that. Likewise, your total GMAT score is a factor along with the skills gained/honed in your professional experience. Essentially, you need to be providing evidence you have the aptitude and motivation to succeed in the classroom.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear stanfordtree,

Thank you for your kind words. I am glad you find my comments helpful. For your situation, I do think the admissions officers will understand, to some degree, the nature of the banking industry over the past couple of years. The key is for you to be ready to provide the reason one position ended and how you moved to the next. How these gaps are perceived depends greatly on why you left the previous job and what you did until the next one began. For instance, if you were part of a layoff, then you were searching for a job until the next one, that is understandable. If you quit a job without another opportunity to go to, and then did nothing for awhile before deciding to look again, then that says something else.

For any applicant who is currently unemployed, you must demonstrate what your plan is between now and entering business school, as well as have solid detail on the actions you have taken towards that plan. If you are having a hard time finding work in the finance sector, perhaps use this as an opportunity to gain skills from a new industry that is somewhat related to your post-MBA goals. There are micro-finance opportunities and nonprofit opportunities--you just might not get paid much, or at all. Even if you take on some pro bono work, it is showing that you are gaining experience towards your future goals and being creative about getting the experience.

Best of luck,
Lisa