Possible? 2.7 GPA (OUCH!), 720 GMAT... Columbia or sloan?

[left field]

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer any help/advice.

Profile evaluation - Planned start: Fall 2010

27 year old, white male from the US.
Graduated from a top 30 U.S. university with a degree in Genetics in 2005 – GPA 2.7

Extracurricular activities:
Scholarship athlete and MVP in NCAA Division I program.
Worked for a large grocery chain approximately 30 hours per week for the last 3 years of undergraduate. Included line management of 20 employees.

Work:
Went into management for the same grocery chain after graduation. Managed 13 department managers, responsible for over 150 employees, set sales targets, forecasted labor needs, trained and mentored employees - 2 years experience

Started small tutoring business in 2007 – 1 year.

Moved to China in early 2008 to quench my cultural curiosity. Taught English, developed educational materials, mentored employees and implemented a CRM program to increase satisfaction among new customers - 1 year.

Promoted to HR department, specializing in recruitment - current.

GMAT: test date – Oct. 26, 2006 – 720 (96th percentile overall, 90th Q, 90th V)

Obviously my GPA suffered as a result of work and NCAA athletics, but I had a fairly unusual college experience. Unfortunately, my grades in math classes were across the board, depending on how heavy my workload was outside of school. One post graduate bright spot is that I passed the EIT/FE (specializing in Civil Engineering) in 2005, one of the prerequisite exams to the professional engineer’s license.

I am currently taking Chinese lessons and should have 4.8 years of full time work experience by the time MBA programs start in 2010.

I’m hoping to get into a top 10 school (preferably Columbia or Sloan), what are my chances?


Side questions –

Should I mention anything about my previous application from when I applied in 2007 to Columbia?

I was helping a former student prepare for the GMAT a few months ago and agreed to take the GMAC CAT if the student reached his goal. (Kudos o the student for crushing his target of 700) I took the practice test and scored 760 with no preparation beyond what I had done for the student. Should I consider retaking the test?

Thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions.

[Paxton Helms - Kaplan]

Hello and thanks for the question. You have a very interesting background and are right to be thinking carefully about how to get into a top program.

Overall, I think you have a chance at Columbia and Sloan. Here's how I see your strengths and weaknesses, breaking them down in roughly the same way you did:

Grades:

- Graduated from a top 30 U.S. university with a degree in Genetics in 2005 – GPA 2.7

A few thoughts:

1) A 2.7 is not ideal but not insurmountable given your extracurricular activities and your major. If you were a 2.7 in, say, Underwater Basket Weaving then you might have a problem. My take from this? You took on a hard major in spite of all the other stuff you had going on and somehow still got through it. There is something to be said for that.

2) You obviously went to a fine university and you were obviously in a very demanding (and probably quantitative) field. There might have been grade deflation and you might have been graded on a curve. Sometimes science majors are graded more rigorously than humanities majors.

3) That you were able to even graduate with your various XC commitments is amazing to me and will probably amaze the admissions committee, too.

4) Your passing a step in the PE exam should eliminate doubts about your quant experience and skill.



Work Experience:
This is extraordinary work experience.

College:

One thing that I don't think gets enough attention is how work during college directly informs how much you get out of the classroom. You will also be able to make the case that you have more work experience than just your post-college experience which will make your GPA less important.

You also had direct reports which is a WONDERFUL thing to have and will give you rich material for essays and interviews, either directly or indirectly. You have MANAGED rather than just consulted, etc.


GMAT:

GMAT: test date – Oct. 26, 2006 – 720 (96th percentile overall, 90th Q, 90th V)

This is a great score. Normally, I would say leave it but my guess it that, with a bit of prep, you could do even better. So, I would say spend a months master what I call "core knowledge" (the ratios of triangles, etc.) and learning question types. That, plus your obvious natural ability, should help you get an even higher score. With your GPA, anything that tips you into a "superstar" category is a good thing.

Side questions

Should I mention anything about my previous application from when I applied in 2007 to Columbia?

If they ask (and they probably will) then "yes". Otherwise, I wouldn't. Be sure, though, to make sure that you are not technically "re-applying."



In general, and as I have mentioned elsewhere on this site, the fundamental challenge is to tell a coherent and compelling story. Your challenge (and you may need a bit of help with this) is to weave all your parts together in a way that makes a compelling case for why business school is the natural next step for you given where you are coming from and where you want to go. Your grades are your weak point but I think you will be able to make a pretty compelling argument for why they should not be a deciding factor (in the negative) in your case.

Please stay in touch and keep me abreast of your thinking and decision making. You've got me interested!

Cheers--

Paxton

[left field]

Paxton, thanks for responding to my post. I was beginning to think that no one wanted to touch my unusual profile.

It’s good to hear that admissions might be willing to overlook poor undergraduate performance if I can weave a good story. I’ve had a bit of experience fielding questions about direction and goals while interviewing, but the stakes are significantly higher this time around.

I thrive on challenge and as a result I’ve got an eclectic mix of experiences. Developing – mentally, professionally, physically, culturally, spiritually – has always been important to me. However, I don’t think that is exactly what the admissions folks are looking for. I have already started working on my essays for Columbia because I realize how important it is that I have some sort of direction.

I am going to take your advice and retake the GMAT. You are the first person who has told me to consider going after a higher score. Thanks.

I do have one more question, when should I apply? Columbia has the option to apply early (which would lock me into that program if I was accepted) and MIT has two rounds. I’ve read quite a few posts about when people should apply, but I’m neither a “shark” nor a run of the mill applicant.

Thanks again for your reply. I will definitely keep you posted.

[Linda Abraham]

Paxton, thanks for responding to my post. I was beginning to think that no one wanted to touch my unusual profile.

It’s good to hear that admissions might be willing to overlook poor undergraduate performance if I can weave a good story. I’ve had a bit of experience fielding questions about direction and goals while interviewing, but the stakes are significantly higher this time around.

I thrive on challenge and as a result I’ve got an eclectic mix of experiences. Developing – mentally, professionally, physically, culturally, spiritually – has always been important to me. However, I don’t think that is exactly what the admissions folks are looking for. I have already started working on my essays for Columbia because I realize how important it is that I have some sort of direction.

I am going to take your advice and retake the GMAT. You are the first person who has told me to consider going after a higher score. Thanks.

I do have one more question, when should I apply? Columbia has the option to apply early (which would lock me into that program if I was accepted) and MIT has two rounds. I’ve read quite a few posts about when people should apply, but I’m neither a “shark” nor a run of the mill applicant.

Thanks again for your reply. I will definitely keep you posted.

I would like to add a little Paxton's comments and answer your last questions. While I agree that a 2.7 in genetics is not like a 2.7 in underwater basketweaving, it is still a 2.7, a GPA well below MIT's and Columbia's average GPA upon acceptance. I think you should also show them that you know how to apply yourself in an academic setting. If you are earning A's in your Chinese courses, that will help, if they are graded. Your PE will help. However, recent A's in business-related classes will be most effective in saying that you not only have what it takes to do well academically, but you know how to do well academically.

I also agree that you have great experience and you should have a fascinating story to tell.

Regarding when to apply, only apply to early decision if you would be happy to attend CBS. If it's not a clear first choice, don't apply ED. MIT has had a distinctly higher acceptance rate for its first round than for its second and final round. So I recommend you apply first round.

With all questions of applying R1 or R2, please keep in mind "Linda's Rule":

Apply in the earliest round possible PROVIDED you don't compromise the quality of your applications.

There are sharks in all rounds. Apply when YOU are ready.

Best,
Linda

[left field]

Linda, thank you for your reply. It's great to get multiple perspectives.

I would really like to enroll in a business class before I apply, but I'm a little apprehensive about taking lectures that are delivered in Chinese. (I'm still in China.) Hopefully when I transfer to one of China's major cities I can get into a class that is taught in English. (Fortunately, there are quite a few universities that are offering English based classes) Do you think that a significant improvement in my GPA over the last three semesters of undergraduate will eliminate some doubt?

In regard in your comment about R1, I appreciate the advise. I am confident that I will have everything ready in time, so I will definitely apply early. Now I have to decide if I Columbia is truly number one in my book.

Thank you again.

[Paxton Helms - Kaplan]

Good question. I generally encourage people to apply earlier rather than later but, as mentioned above, the "alpha criterion" for ANY application is that it should only be submitted when ready.

You, of course, are not waiting until the last minute but you should still feel more pressure to get it right than to get it in in a certain round.

I'd love to help you think this through further so stay in touch and keep me apprised of your thinking--

Paxton

[left field]

Thanks Paxton.

I'll be spending a lot of time preparing my applications. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Best Regards

LF