School Recommendations Please - GMAT 700, Low GPA

[grace123]

Hello,

I am a 27 year old Asian Canadian Female.
GMAT Score: 700 (44Q, 40V - unbalanced 70/90%)
GPA: low cumulative 3.0, higher in last 2 years 3.4 (fewer extracurricular activities) at The University of Western Ontario, Canada. Also, not sure if relevant but won a Canadian Strategic Management Award in 4th year.

Work Experience (upon matriculation)
-3 years in advertising at DDB Canada and Crispin Porter & Bogusky progressing into more senior positions. Won a Canadian Marketing Award for work I've produced.
-2 years in non-profit health charity, the Heart and Stroke Foundation as an Associate Manager

Career Goals:
After a life changing experience, I'm compelled to pursue a career in non-profit management & health care management. My mission is to help Canadians/Americans lead healthier lives through health research and advocacy.

Extracurricular Activities:
Undergrad: several elected student activity positions: Resident Council President, Residence Orientation Commissioner, Charity Ball Committee, Orientation Leader, Women's Issue Network committee member

Post-grad: mostly recreational dance, fundraising events and advocacy work related to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and facilitating group bereavement sessions with Bereaved Families of Ontario.

Target US Schools - What are my chances for some top US b-schools? Which schools would you recommend? I would apply R1 for 2012.

Target CDN Schools -I'm submitting apps to Rotman & Schulich on Feb 1 (early deadline). What are my chances?

Thank you!

[paulsbodine]

grace123,

Assuming you don't retake the GMAT to lift that quantitative score, you should still be competitive at Ivey and Rotman. Maybe tell both schools that you are willing to retake and enroll in MBAMath.com or take calc or stat classes now if you haven't taken those courses or got lower than a B in them in school.

For U.S. schools, you may a shot at the following schools: Texas, Darden, UNC, Duke. You should be competitive at schools like Notre Dame, Georgetown, Indiana, Washington Olin, BYU, and Wisconsin. All of these are good schools.

Hope this helps,

[grace123]

Thanks for your reply Paul. If I were to retake the GMAT with the intention of aiming for better US b-schools, what score would counter my GPA? I've reached 740 in practice tests but if my GPA will still be an issue with a score like that, I will likely stick to Canadian schools. Also, my undergrad was in commerce and all my quant courses were Bs and higher. I'm not sure if that matters. I took some philosophy courses that did not help my GPA.

Would Yale and Cornell be too much of a stretch?

Thanks
Grace

[paulsbodine]

Grace,

A 740 would certainly go a long way toward removing ant concerns you have, as will your comment about Bs or higher in all quant courses. Yale and Cornell are not too much of a stretch though the latter will be more doable than the former. I do think you could apply to both even with a 700. I get the sense that your 'story' may be strong enough to overcome the blemishes in your numbers. But by all means attempt the GMAT again. Feel free to shoot me your resume/CV for a closer look ...

--Paul

[bizschoolprep]

Grace,

If you think you can do better in GMAT, don't just let this piece spoil your candidacy. You will probably do your MBA just once, give it the best you can and get into the best school you could get into. Other than GMAT/GPA, you have a solid profile.