Should I even bother?

[Tim7332]

If I'm able to pull off a 720+ on the GMAT should I even bother applying to Wharton or Harvard business school with a below 3.0 gpa?

I thought I'd do it for the outside chance of getting accepted but would I just be throwing my application money away?

[gothedistance]

I am not Stacy but I will say my DH got rejected from harvard w/ a 760 gmat, a 3.1 from Boston Univ. 4 years of decent finance work exp and good essays/reco's. But he got full rides everywhere else he applied.

Danielle

[Tim7332]

Thank you for the input. What are your thoughts about the Univ. of Pennsylvania?
Tim

[aim-wsc]

Thank you for the input. What are your thoughts about the Univ. of Pennsylvania?
Tim

first off -
no application goes to trash without being read.

H/S/W are top ranked and ''out-standing''
so if you've out standing profile & story to tell, I dont see any problem.

for school specific discussion you can start a thread at sister forum- b-school mba.

[gothedistance]

Thank you for the input. What are your thoughts about the Univ. of Pennsylvania?
Tim

no opinion- (since it wouldnt have any intelligence or experience behind it) dh's next highest ranked school he applied to was univ of rochester, (#21 at the time) and he got a full ride there. He never even considered the other 20, which I bet he would have had a good shot at.

[Stacy Blackman]

We have had clients admitted to both schools with below average numbers, but they do seem to be more flexible on GMAT than GPA. You did not tell us how far below 3.0, nor do we have additional info about your background. In general, it is true, no app goes to the trash, but if you are far below 3.0, and the rest of your app is not outstanding, it may be a futile effort.

[Tim7332]

my gpa is a 2.7 for my undergrad work. I went to a private school near where I live and majored in business. I am taking a bunch of courses before I'm applying though, including calculus.

I anticipate a 720 or thereabouts on my gmat.

My school choice would be(in order of preference):

Harvard
UPenn
Stanford
Columbia
USC

[Stacy Blackman]

You don't have "no chance", but your GPA will hurt. I would definitely apply to Columbia and USC, and Wharton as well. I think HBS will be a stretch.

[Tim7332]

Wow Stacy, it had never occured to me that I even stood a chance of getting into Wharton.

If you had to name 4 schools worth applying to with my low GPA and high GMAT scores, that were good enough to lure me away from USC and relocate, what would they be?

And do I have a strong chance of being admitted to Wharton? That'd be incredible!

[Stacy Blackman]

It's not just about the scores. But I am basing my answer on the fact that I have seen individuals with your GPA admitted to almost every school, except maybe Stanford and HBS. But I did have a client waitlisted at Staford with a 2.6. So my point is that you should not rule out top schools just because of your GPA, assuming that the rest of your app is strong (not JUST the GMAT). Apply to a couple of top schools if you are truly excited about them, and apply to a couple that are not quite as competitive, like maybe a USC and then a Pepperdine.

[Tim7332]

Well I'm taking calculus and a few other acct/econ courses right now so I'm hoping that will add something to my app.

Other than good essays and my resume, what else can I do to compensate for my GPA? I know extra curricular activities are always good but I'm so busy. Is there any you know of that looks good on paper that's easy to sign up for?

Do you remember when I emailed you my resume? You think upenn will laugh at me after seeing it?

[Tim7332]

Well I'm taking calculus and a few other acct/econ courses right now so I'm hoping that will add something to my app.

Other than good essays and my resume, what else can I do to compensate for my GPA? I know extra curricular activities are always good but I'm so busy. Is there any you know of that looks good on paper that's easy to sign up for?

Do you remember when I emailed you my resume? You think upenn will laugh at me after seeing it?

P.S. if I can only get into pepperdine I probably won't go to any school

[Stacy Blackman]

It's not easy to "fake" this process. With regards to extracurriculars, you should become involved with something that is meaningful to you. Most applicants are pressed for time but you need to find a way to incorporate something into your schedule. It's not just about volunteering one day. You should do something ou care about and enjoy and use this involvement as a way to highligh leadership.

The interview and recs are other asects of the application process that are very important. Don't disregard the recs as being secondary to essays.

[Tim7332]

I understand. With regards to your clients who were admitted with low gpas to top programs..

What was it about their app that made them valuable you think?