Should I wait until Round 2?

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Should I wait until Round 2?

by WilliamWykeham » Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:51 pm
Dear Lisa,

Your advice for other applicants looks fantastic and I was wondering if you could help me. I just took the GMAT yesterday and scored a 750 (47q, 46v), much higher than I had been anticipating. Here's how I expect admissions officers to view my profile, that of a white 28-year-old:

PLUS: GMAT score, essays (I think, this should be a strong point for me, but I've just begun writing them)

NEUTRAL: GPA (3.3, English, top-30 college), Work Experience (research analyst in real estate 4 years, specialty insurance underwriting assistant one year).

NEGATIVE: Not much community service. I've just begun to contribute at a local animal shelter. Another more significant negative for me is that I dropped out of a math class in college, failing. I had done poorly on the first test, and missed the deadline to drop the class without my grade being recorded on my transcript. The most embarrassing part is that it was pre-calc. However, I did get a B in "Mathematics of Powered Flight" that same year.

I would be extremely happy to get into either Duke or UVA. I am thinking that NYU, Chicago, Kellogg and Harvard are long-shots. My plan is to take a statistics class very soon in an attempt to counterbalance that glaring "DF", dropped failing, on my transcript. All other things being equal regarding the quality of my application, would it make sense to delay the application until round two, in order to have time to complete the statistics class? Will the "DF" mark on my transcript be as concerning to admissions officers as I think it will be?

Any comments you have would be much appreciated.

William
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by Lisa Anderson » Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:09 pm
Dear William,

Congratulations on your GMAT--outstanding! Don't let your GPA and one class get in the way of applying to schools you feel are the right fit for you. Your admission decision will not hinge on one class or your GPA alone. Folks are admitted or rejected for several reasons. I think you should be aware that this course will be noted, and you probably should consider writing an optional essay, but there is certainly evidence to suggest you have the academic aptitude to succeed in business school. Your 3.3 GPA is right around the average for most schools, so it is not a large concern. I encourage you to apply to a mix of schools--a couple in the top 15, 2-3 in the 10-25 range and maybe one true safety just for insurance. Remember, you have your essays, recommendations and interview to shape the perception of you in the eyes of the admission committee. Use those to demonstrate how you will be a valuable addition and how business school is the next step for you.

Best of luck,
Lisa
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by WilliamWykeham » Wed Sep 22, 2010 7:48 pm
Dear Lisa,

Top-notch advice. I feel I've got a good plan to reach my goals.

Many thanks,

William