Hi zmc2011 -- very sorry to hear about the disappointment with the GMAT - that test is hard!!

We're unfortunately not able to be encouraging with regards to your chances at either Columbia or NYU, not just due to the GMAT, but more importantly, with the GPA. Although you have a potentially interesting story around starting the company while you were in school, Columbia in particular has a REAL tough time getting past the low GPA. Even a high GMAT isn't enough. NYU is a little more forgiving, but we have some concerns there too. We would rate yur chances at Columbia quite low, based on the academics -- very sorry to give you this news!

No matter what, you need to:

a) increase the GMAT, as you have already planned
b) do more to offset the GPA - a GMAT score alone isn't enough.

The CFA helps some but the best way to "fix" the low grades is to take a class or two.

This article has some suggestions for that: https://essaysnark.blocked/2011/09/ ... w-gpa.html

You're still on the young side for these programs, so they may be even LESS receptive to a less-than-perfect profile right now... Both Columbia and NYU prefer somewhat older students. If you had everything lined up, then you could possibly get into one of these schools this year -- but we're afraid that you have a lot going against you right now.

If you can enroll in a quant class to boost the GPA, and retake the GMAT and get it closer to the 700 mark, then you could try for admissions in this application season... however that's a LOT to bite off in a relatively short time. We've seen people do it, but it is a lot.

We're worried about how discouraging we are here and that's totally not the intent!! You do have some interesting elements in your profile, too, particularly that entrepreneurship story. And it's less competitive to try for an asset manager role - plus you already have industry experience - so these hurdles are not nearly so great for you (if you were an IT guy trying to do this, it would be even worse!! you actually have a lot going for you already).

We don't think that Georgetown or UNC would be able to look past these two issues either.

We do think you need to take time to bolster the main 'stats.'

The other approach would be to go into it with what we call a "reapplicant strategy" -- go ahead and apply with what you've got (though hopefully with a stronger GMAT at a minimum) and see what happens, knowing full well that you may end up in this boat again next year. It's tougher to get in as a reapplicant, but many schools are quite friendly and open to reapps, so it can still work out -- and you never know, EssaySnark might be totally wrong in all this!! You don't know till you try, right?

But our guess is that you're not gonna have much luck with the current setup.

Again, sorry to be so negative - our approach is to be a straight shooter and call 'em as we see 'em -- always easier to regroup and set a stronger strategy from the beginning than to try to recover from a disaster... right?

We're happy to entertain any follow-up questions -- or you can tell us to buzz off!

EssaySnark