Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear about your round 3 outcomes. Round 3 is notoriously tough, unfortunately, so I think you're doing the right thing by starting to plan for Round 1. And taking some additional courses to offset your undergrad GPA is a great strategy! To answer your question, where you take your class(es) is going to be much less important than how well you do. I always advise my clients to take classes that will best fit their schedule and lifestyle and allow them to learn the most and most importantly, do their best (i.e. get an A!). So there's really no upside to taking an in-person class at a community college unless you were would prefer the live classroom dynamic vs. a virtual one. Both UCLA and UC Berkeley Extension have extensive course offerings that should be a great option for you. (For what it's worth, I've had several clients take additional courses through UC Berkeley, with great outcomes.)

One last piece of advice as you're planning your re-application strategy for next year - I suggest taking a look at your essays, your goals, etc. and making sure that you've presented a cohesive and logical story. If I were the adcom, I'd want to know why you're looking to move into technology investment banking after a successful career at the "heart" of the tech industry. Articulating your motivations and long-term plan will be key. And maybe you've already done this well but often when I work with re-applicants, they've been quick to identify the more objective weaknesses in their prior application but forget to look at some of the more subjective elements.

Best of luck to you! I'm happy to chat further if you'd like. Feel free to reach out to me directly at [email protected].

Best,
Melody