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Where Should I Apply? Low GPA, Great Work History,

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Where Should I Apply? Low GPA, Great Work History,

by GMATSparts1 » Mon May 19, 2014 3:07 pm
I plan on pursuing an MBA and would appreciate thoughts on gaining admission to some target MBA programs despite a low undergrad GPA (~2.75 in Real Estate @ an average state school in the US). Ideally, I believe I can score 720 or 730 on the GMAT. Here are some soft factors that I hope will help my chances of admission:
- Co-Founder/Exec of startup that has raised $6MM+ in angel and venture funding
- Admitted to the top Silicon Valley startup accelerator
- Demonstrated upward movement (promotions) in early career prior to startup
- Earned J.D. at top 40 law school w/3.4 GPA (~top 25% of class) while working full-time
- Passed California Bar Exam
- At time of application, I will have ~8 years of work experience
- Played two D-1 varsity sports in college (All-American, multiple team conference championships and national championships) (partial explanation for the low GPA)
- ADHD diagnosis post-undergrad (partial explanation for the low GPA)
Last edited by GMATSparts1 on Sat Jan 10, 2015 8:46 am, edited 3 times in total.
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by CriticalSquareMBA » Wed May 21, 2014 4:11 pm
Hi there mate,

With the GPA you have, your GMAT is super important. Have you set a date for when you're going to take it?

There are definitely aspects of your profile I like but, without your GMAT score, it's close to impossible to tell you what your chances are. Also, I'd prefer a lot more info to be able to really hone in on not only your chances, but also which programs might be right for you. It seems you've just gone down the rankings and pulled the top programs but they're really different from one another.

So first things first, when do you plan on crushing the GMAT? :)

Bhavik
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by GMATSparts1 » Wed May 21, 2014 6:37 pm
Thanks for your response @CriticalSquareMBA! I plan on taking the GMAT around the September time frame. I would be happy to provide more detail on ideas regarding schools/planning/background via private message. :) I know my school list looks strange, but there is actual reasoning behind the names on the list.
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by CriticalSquareMBA » Thu May 22, 2014 6:30 am
Sounds great - looking forward to it!
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by sultana199 » Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:24 am
For MBA admission, GPA is very important. You should have to have it. But you have a low
GPA and great work history. Now you have a chance to show your work experience and the quality to the admission authority. A good statement of purpose can solve this problem. Write a high quality sop with the information of your GPA, work experiences, choice and the reasons, and your extra curriculum activites so that you can prove yourself eligible for the program. And send it to the top schools, hope you will get chance into a good one. This link https://www.statementofpurposeformba.com ... g-service/ may help you.
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by Kaneisha Grayson » Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:02 pm
Hey GMATSparts1,

I've had some pretty good success with low GPA candidates in the past few years.

From my experience, your two best bets are London Business School and Cornell Johnson (I know they weren't on your original list).

I would also recommend that you strongly consider applying to business school through the Consortium (more info here: https://www.cgsm.org/), and YES, you can apply even if you aren't a U.S. minority (as long as you are a U.S. citizen/permanent resident).

If any of your schools have an optional essay, you need to rock it and explain to them why your GPA is so low (be sure to mention ADHD) and why they shouldn't worry about admitting you to their school.

Your situation definitely isn't hopeless, though I personally would not steer you toward H/S/W if you were my client. I'd try and snag you a spot (hopefully with a fellowship) at a place like Tuck, Darden, LBS, or Cornell.

Best of luck with your application process!

Kaneisha
Harvard Business School MBA 2010, Harvard Kennedy School MPA 2010
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Re: Where Should I Apply? Low GPA, Great Work History,

by alishakihn » Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:32 pm
Having a good undergraduate grade point average is certainly an important factor that admissions committees consider; however, GPA isn't the whole story. A strong GMAT score and evidence of relevant work experience is also very important.
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