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Can i get into a MBA program with a LOW GPA?

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Can i get into a MBA program with a LOW GPA?

by Hayley » Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:26 am
Hi all,

I really want to get into the USA MBA program in the 2nd tier grad schools or UCLA etc.
However, my college GPA is really low.
Here are my details:-

1) From one of the top Singapore college, GPA is 3.2/5
(basically didnt' do well for the hard classes)

2) Work experience for one year as an auditor

I am getting letters from the firm partner and manager.
I am studying for my GMAT and plan to get at least 700 for it.

Do you think i'm even qualified to apply or am i just wasting my time and money?
Are there some ways i can boost my application?

Please help !!
Thanks.
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by Anurag@Gurome » Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:46 pm
3.2/5 is certainly on the lower side. Generally, you can make up for your low GPA through a high GMAT score and an extraordinary career profile. Because you have only 1 year of work experience, the latter will be hard to show (unless you worked while you studied and did very well). My recommendation is to try to get as high a GMAT score as possible and play up your differentiated background as a Singaporian applicant. (Singapore is at a unique juncture in global economy - I can elaborate further if you need me to). Do you have any other accomplishments (extracurricular or otherwise) to add another dimension to your appplication?

I would not lose heart. Just make sure you get a high GMAT score and put together an outstanding application.

Hope that helps.
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by Phd guy » Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:13 am
I have an low gpa in Undergrad(74%) and around 3.5 in PG(MBA) .. the main reason for my low score is that my university just gives low marks. even though i was one of the toppers , i Have just 74% . but my MBA is 89% .. with high GMAT score can I get good Ivy league colleges for my PHD. will my GMAT do the trick?
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by Phd guy » Wed Apr 20, 2011 5:28 am
i want to get in to phd in marketing to top colleges like
Berkeley(haas)
texas at austin (mccombs)
carlson
univ of maryland
smeal(penns state)

my score is gmat 770
undergrad 3.5/4
MBA 3.75/4


can u suggest me any other colleges , i would get into. ? and do i have a chance in colleges mentioned above??
just safety type. not high ranking colleges. but colleges i will have 100% chance of getting into.?

must be good too?

suggest me colleges in ranking from 20-50...
and i have good recommendation letters..
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by rrrhhh » Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:38 pm
Low GPA are not an issue at all as long as you have an interesting experience (4+ years of work experience don't hurt) and a high GMAT.
Good luck!

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by Iceman1294 » Thu May 05, 2011 11:56 pm
Hi All,

Since we are talking about GPA here, here are my concers:-
1) My Entire University Average is 60% ( I did my undergrad from India)
2) My university is Indira Gandhi National Open University, this is India's largest university, it is an open university and was formed with the vision that people can get education via correspondence. Now, i studied full time, coz my college (Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai; one of the best colleges in India & Asia for Hotel Management), My college and IGNOU had signed a MOU, which gave us a degree by doing some IGNOU coursework
3) My degree is a B.Sc. in Hospitality & Hotel Administration, duration was 3 years
4) We had two components to get our degree, College coursework component & IGNOU courework component
Now the college coursework part was pretty intensive, but the IGNOU part was very easy. My average for all 3 years of both is 60% (60% is also considered as an average score)

My questions:-
1) Approximately what will my GPA come out to be? High or Low on a scale of 4?
2) Is my 3 year degree equivalent to a 4 year degree (All U.S. Colleges including Cornell, recognize my degree as equivalent to a 4 year degree, I'm worried about others)?
3) My coursework was quite intensive, can i also ask b-schools that don't accept a 3 year degree to make an exception? will they(considering the details above)?

My GMAT score is 650, work ex of more than 5 years (Varied areas)

Would appreciate any help


Cheers!!
Cheers!!
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by yoyoyong » Wed Oct 19, 2011 3:27 pm
Hi everyone,

I unfortunately I have a very very low GPA (2.5) Mostly due to the fact I transferred schools during my junior year and was left with tougher courses in a new environment to round out my GPA. In my original school I was around 3.3. I graduated with an economics degree and worked for 1.5 years at Merrill Lynch. I have since quit there and am wondering what my chances of MBA are realistically. Any advice?
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by Jon@Admissionado » Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:46 pm
Hello everybody with GPA issues!
First of all I'd like to say that thankfully, usually GPA issues is something you can deal with.
The first thing is to recognize what a low GPA really is, to know whether or not you have to deal with it in an essay. So for example a 3.4 is NOT really a low enough GPA that you want to deal with it head on by writing about it with an essay. It would only bring unnecessary attention to what is in fact a pretty darn good GPA, and will make you seem like a nitpicker. I would put the cutoff at about 3.2, maybe 3.3. although it depends on the school and the program.

Now if you DO really have a low GPA, the important thing is to address it head on! If you have a 2.7 you can;t go around hoping that the Adcom won't notice!

They will.

So write about it in an essay. And usually I find that the best approach to take is a doulbe one: First, write about your REASONS for your low GPA. Here first we are looking for things like:
Family issues,
Working while you are in school
Double majoring
participating in lots of ECs
being unsure about your major
etc.

i.e. any factual "excuse" you can present.

Secondly and simultaneously, you want to PROVE them that you are "smart" that you DO have the academic capacity to succeed. How do you do this? By showing other intellectual areas in which you have excelled, esp. studies and tests: So an amazing GMAT is a HUGE plus, as are the CFA, passing your Bar, doing well on any other standardized test. But also any other reward for what would be "intellectually demanding work" (Say for example, coming up with a patentable idea)


Hope this helps you all!
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by throughmba » Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:17 am
To all who have less GPA, the punch line is "You have to demonstrate that there is something different now, that you will be able to meet the academic rigors of an MBA."

you can highlight the fact that your GPA in major is higher.

you can take classes as a non-degree student at most universities, not just community college.An alternate transcript can give solid evidence to show how you have changed since undergrad.Calculus, stats and accounting with a few A's in these classes will build this alternate transcript for you. Take a few first and second year business courses at night and through correspondence.

Optional essay route : You can describe how you have changed and why you think you are now better motivated and can do better in grad school. Avoid excuses. Tell them that you made some mistakes in your undergrad educational experience, you regret them, and you have done x, y, and z to demonstrate how responsible and prepared you are to enter graduate school now. State the digression and say subtly that you have improved(improving)

A high GMAT score can definitely help answer the aptitude question.
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by Bosterinsky » Wed Nov 30, 2011 6:34 pm
Need some tips about gpa. I am senior, completing BBA, and I will have gpa about 3.0 by the time I apply. The main reason of low gpa is tenage things like changing the worldview and etc. which affected second year of ctudy and pulled down my gpa. I will apply to MS/MBA and I am not sure if I should state it in my essay. I want to show mature side of my personality, but above mentioned reason seems too childish. Thank you in advance
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by streetpunkstar » Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:36 am
I've been down this route... ways to migate a low GPA?

1. Work experience (around 5 years is good, 5 years shows admission boards that you might have matured since undergrad)
2. High GMAT (650+)
3. An optional essay, most universities will have one, that explains why you did so poorly AVOIDING EXCUSES! (i.e. I was immature. I was more concerned about my fratnity, girlfriend, working, etc.)
4. Really good professional recommendations
5. Really good essays
6. And if you get the chance, a good interview

Its an uphill battle, but you can do it! :)
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by thuongedudn » Sat May 03, 2014 12:59 am
Would you mind telling me the way I could get high score in GMAT?
Thank you very much.
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by annavanevska1 » Sun Sep 28, 2014 4:29 am
Hi Friends,
Last edited by annavanevska1 on Sun Sep 28, 2014 4:35 am, edited 4 times in total.
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by annavanevska1 » Sun Sep 28, 2014 4:30 am
Last year i had the same issue at that time one of my friend suggested me online school. It is a complete resource for online school. Go through this Link https://www.onlineschool.com/
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by annavanevska1 » Sun Sep 28, 2014 4:32 am
Thanks
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