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Chances of MBA admissions with low grad gpa.

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Chances of MBA admissions with low grad gpa.

by smock » Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:09 pm
Hi,

I plan on applying to various MBA programs this year. I am yet to take the GMAT and I plan on taking the GMAT in early September.

I have 2 years of work experience and an undergraduate GPA of about 3.65. However, I am currently in engineering graduate school at UCLA. I am a little worried about my chances of getting admitted into a top B-school. I was working full-time while going to school and had other personal issues; as a result, I got a C in one class. Unfortunately, my GPA for my first year is below below a 3.0. I've been given another opportunity to bring it up in my second year and I know that I will bring it up. How does my low graduate gpa affect my admissions chances? I've asked various people and no one seems to know.

If I get a mid to high 700 in my GMAT. Will that help? I'm really worried. I have various extracurricular activities, 2 years of work experience, a 3.6 undergrad gpa...

Please help!

Thanks.
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by JanaBlanchette » Thu Jun 23, 2011 1:13 pm
Hi there! You are asking a very good question and one that I get from my clients quite often. Of course, your GPA is always an important indicator. Ad com's will look at many facets for key indicators of success - grades, career progression, leadership, etc. However, regarding your specific case - the undergraduate GPA is what most admissions committees look at (and track for reporting purposes). So - thankfully, you have good undergrad GPA.

With that being said, I would still encourage you to keep working hard and make sure you get the best grades possible. Also - your GMAT score will be very important as well. They will be looking for recent academic data points - so if you have a good undergrad GPA and a high GMAT score - you'll be in good shape.

My clients face these kinds of obstacles all the time during the application process. To address some of these concerns, we are conducting a free webinar on the MBA admissions process. This session will focus on the application evaluation criteria, inside tips for the different application components, how to differentiate yourself, and how to navigate various weaknesses. If you are interested in attending - just register at our website: www.insidembaadmissions.com
Jana Blanchette
President
Inside MBA Admissions
734-709-6997
www.insidembaadmissions.com
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by PrepMBA.AlexLeventhal » Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:00 pm
Hi Smock,

I think it's premature for you to panic. One fallacy is that applicants need to be perfect in every facet of their profile/history. Many accepted candidates to top schools have had issues with an academic year. Of course you will need to proactively address this tough year in likely an optional essay section, and certainly having to work full time while doing an advanced engineering degree will provide some understandable context. Your strong GPA from a great school will help, so will a strong GMAT, and so will your reference letters if they underscore your analytical firepower.

I see a number of my clients every year overly worried about one aspect of their application. The key is not having too many red flags, and also applying to a balanced slate of schools.

Do well in year two of your studies and forge ahead without fear!
Alex Leventhal
Harvard MBA, 1998
Prep MBA Admissions Consulting
www.prepmba.com
[email protected]
(323)424.3178
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by Kavita_Singh » Tue Jun 28, 2011 2:28 am
smock wrote:Hi,

I plan on applying to various MBA programs this year. I am yet to take the GMAT and I plan on taking the GMAT in early September.

I have 2 years of work experience and an undergraduate GPA of about 3.65. However, I am currently in engineering graduate school at UCLA. I am a little worried about my chances of getting admitted into a top B-school. I was working full-time while going to school and had other personal issues; as a result, I got a C in one class. Unfortunately, my GPA for my first year is below below a 3.0. I've been given another opportunity to bring it up in my second year and I know that I will bring it up. How does my low graduate gpa affect my admissions chances? I've asked various people and no one seems to know.

If I get a mid to high 700 in my GMAT. Will that help? I'm really worried. I have various extracurricular activities, 2 years of work experience, a 3.6 undergrad gpa...

Please help!

Thanks.
Hello


You might need to prove to the admission committee that your GPA won't be an issue. If you can tell in your application about the skills that you gained at work and beyond in the areas you had scored low would put you in better position. You need to indicate a positive learning from your bad experience. If you took any extra classes or courses in the subjects that you din't do well and highlight your zeal to learn and improve it could also improve your low GPA situation.

Make sure you follow the 'show rather than tell' principle so that the admissions committee could really understand your strengths and differentiating factors."

Although a score above 700 sia dvisable when applying to leading schools.
Thanks!
Kavita Singh
FutureWorks Consulting
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by smock » Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:49 pm
Thank you for your replies. Based on the given profile, I am now thinking of applying in round 2 instead of round 1 as I had originally planned. I'm hoping to do well in the fall quarter..that way, I can show that I have improved my gpa and I am learning from failure.

Do you think it is advisable to apply in round 2. I'm afraid that I may not get in if I wait too long. Is it bad to apply in round 2 as opposed to round 1?

I really appreciate your help.

Thanks
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