Ask mbaMission

I am looking to apply for admissions in Fall 2011 to a good, reputed MBA school in the USA. It should preferably be in the top tier. Please give your feedback after looking at my profile. I want a realistic view of whether I have a chance of getting through or not. I am also considering applying for the January 2011 sessions at Columbia and NYU.

Indian Male Age 23
Major : B.S. Engineering (Concentration : Mechanical Engineering)
Minor : Mathematics
Andrews University, Michigan
CGPA : 2.97
GMAT : 760

Work Exp : From May 2009 to Present (14 months)

Worked from May 2009 to May 2010 as a Management Trainee in an FMCG firm.

Presently working as an Operations Executive in the same firm.

Have been actively involved in Community Service right from my school days. Primarily visiting orphanages and teaching sports to children. I have also helped out certain rehabilitation centers with volunteer work.

Extra Curricular : Was in my high school cricket and basketball team. Was in my university cricket team. Was the captain of the cricket team of my company in a sports event.

My main concern is that will my undergrad CGPA and my limited work experience be an issue while applying? If the top tier seems unreachable, what level of colleges seem within my reach?

Thanks,
Anuj.

Anuj -

Thanks for submitting your profile. I am going to answer the questions you raised at the conclusion of your profile.
In short, yes, your low GPA and limited work experience will be obstacles to gaining admission at a top business school in the U.S. Generally a GPA below about a 3.2 from anything from a top tier undergraduate program can be difficult to overcome. Your very strong GMAT score helps a bit, assuming it is well balanced and both scores are over 80%. Regardless, you would be a reach candidate for NYU and Columbia. UNC, Emory, and Texas are relatively less competitive, but they typically want more work experience and higher GPA as well. Maryland or Vanderbilt might be good options.

However, the best way to bolster your application will be through professional experiences. A trainee program generally prepares one to assume pretty cool roles within a company. If you can work a couple of years after that and really achieve some accomplishments, I think this will help you explain to an Admissions Committee what unique experiences you will bring to their program and why you are a fit with their MBA program as well. You could also seek out some additional finance or statistics classes at a local university; strong grades in those may help balance out your undergraduate GPA. Lastly, you do not mention your career goals. These are very important, and I am sure more time spent working will help you hone in on your longer term ambitions.

Lastly, I commend you for a track record of volunteerism. See if you cannot assume a real in-depth, personal relationship with a nonprofit organization. It can be a wonderful opportunity for personal growth and provide an interesting additional angle to your profile.

I hope this helps,
Jennifer