Ph.d. Admissions Question

[cerealbowlwithstuckspoon]

It is hard to find information about what truly is a competitive mix of GPAs and GMAT scores, school prestige and experience for most Ph.d. programs. I have been looking into the possibility of entering a Ph.d. program for about a year or so, largely because of my interest in research on the subject of HR and OD. I appreciate any advice you could give me based on some of my information.

UGPA - 2.9 (BBA - Accounting)

Grad GPA -
MBA - 3.4
MS (Human Resources & Organizational Development) -4.0

GMAT - 720

Professional Certification Exams
Completed 2 of 4 portions of CPA
Waiting to take PHR exam

Undergrad and Grad were all at the same 3rd tier school. I would have had a higher GPA, but I had to work to support myself and I was not capable of working a full time job and taking full time classes. It was my fault for overloading my schedule, but I learned how to organize my time much better as a Grad student.

I have no professional experience relevant to my degrees (thanks Michigan! )

In all honesty, I honestly know I would not stand a chance trying to crack into a top 25 or top 50 school. Based on this information could I get into a lesser known, smaller school such as Wayne State or North Texas, or maybe Mississippi or Mississippi State?

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear cerealbowlwithstuckspoon,

PhD applicants are evaluated very differently from MBA applicants. As such, there is some variance from school to school. Generally speaking, the academic component (transcripts, test scores) and rationale for the PhD (research interest) are critical components. I think you have a shot at a PhD program with your profile as your GMAT and MBA/MS GPA are really strong. If your research interest is well-defined and you can present it effectively, then you should be able to put together a compelling application. Thus I would encourage you to apply to a mix of PhD programs that you feel offer you the right support for your HR/OD interest. Don't sell yourself short! Apply to some top programs as well as a safety option or two.

Best of luck,
Lisa

[cerealbowlwithstuckspoon]

Hi Lisa

I appreciate all the information you have given me on Ph.D. programs. I was wondering if there was any additional extra curricular activities that could make myself a more attractive candidate. I was thinking along the lines of maintaining a blog or writing an article and having it published in a respected periodical. My interest is to study employee motivation, retention and engagement and either help in developing new ways of applying models or possibly helping to develop new models or methods.

Could my low UGPA and borderline MBA GPA be poison pills to my candidacy? Or can displaying a strong knowledge and ability for conceptual thinking help excuse past mistakes? Your advice is greatly, greatly appreciated. Have a great day!


CBWSS

PS aside from the aacsb and the docnet site, do you or does anyone else know of any other website with information on Ph.D. programs? Thanks!

[Lisa Anderson]

If you can show you have been published in a journal, then that will always help a PhD application. There are some journals that are more respected than others in the academic community; however, just showing you have been published before will be an advantage.

Unfortunately, I am not aware of any other websites out there than the ones you note. Perhaps someone else reading the forum has?

Best of luck,
Lisa