Profile evaluation/chances of success

[matt7898]

I am applying to a seemingly unique program being offered at Dalhousie University in Canada this year. It is called the Corporate Residency MBA and is designed for people with little to no work experience.

I am graduating in May with a BSC in Biology with a double major in Philosophy from Dalhousie.

The GPA requirements for the program are 3.0 in final two yeas of study, I have a 3.45 GPA in those years. However, my overall GPA is a 2.7. I was wondering how this will affect my profile. Also note that my GPA increased steadily throughout my undergrad and I took almost all of my core courses in the final two years because I started out as a Physics major.

My GMAT score is 660 42Q 39V AWA 6.0, the min requirement is a 550.

Any help is appreciated

[Cindy Tokumitsu]

Hello,

First, congratulations on the strong GPA in your last two years. The requirements emphasize these last two years for a reason: the adcom understands that people are often not incredibly mature and focused and often (perhaps usually!) have not learned great time management or effective prioritization at ages 18-19. In other words, they’re still growing up! So the earlier GPAs are not as likely to reflect a person’s true abilities or the attitude they’ll bring to graduate work. The last two years do more accurately reflect both of those attributes. So while a higher GPA is always better, the 2.7 with the last two strong years simply reflects the above pattern. If you have the other strengths and qualities the program is seeking – and it appears that you do, including a rigorous academic program – then I would consider you a competitive applicant for this program.

Good luck with Dalhousie!

Cindy Tokumitsu
Senior Editor, Accepted.com
www.Accepted.com