Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant

I have a quick question. I graduated UCI in 2009 with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and a GPA of a 3.27. I worked for a very large biotech firm for a year and then went to work as a business development consultant for a local company. Last year, I started my own business and its been more than successful. I took the GMAT over the Summer and got a 620. I was planning on retaking it, but my business has been doing so well, I didn't want to put the time and energy necessary to really increase my score. I was looking at the USC program the other day and their night program matches VERY well with most of my scores. The one huge setback is I have 2 years work experience (minimum) and I'm only 23 (minimum). I have 2 amazing letters of rec (1 from my old boss at the big biotech company and the other from one of the vendors I work with in my business) and have pretty good essays. What are my chances? What can I do to improve my chances?

Your age and experience are light for USC. Apparently you have a year with a biotech company, a few months with a consultancy and a year or less with your own company. The accepted students average 28, which means they have 6 or 7 years' experience. You are also looking at third round, which generally has a lower admit rate than do the earlier rounds. Your successful entrepreneurial experience may make up for the difference. It depends to a great extent on who else is in the applicant pool.

You ask how to improve your chances - the obvious answer is to wait a year. I recognize that you are impatient, but another year would make you a very strong applicant. You would also have time to raise that GMAT, possibly into financial aid territory. As for taking time to study for the GMAT, that will be far less demanding than studying for your MBA!

Your chances are decent, but certainly not outstanding. Much will depend on the quality of your essays and how well you tell the story about your start-up.

Good luck,