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Profile evaluation - specific GPA issue

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by anon67 » Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:29 pm
Hello,

Hope you are well and thank you very much for your help. I figured it was appropriate to post here given this seems to be the most helpful section.

I will be applying to business schools next fall and had a question about grades on the impact on the application chances, and if there is anything I can do about it.

I did my undergrad in Computer Science and a master's in a business degree concurrently in my senior year, graduating in 4 years from one of Stanford, MIT or Harvard (don't want to be too specific). However, while I maintained a 3.65 undergrad GPA until junior year, the combination of recruiting, and the master's workload all in senior year really overwhelmed me and my undergrad GPA fell to 3.4 by the end, and my master's GPA was a 3.1.

Otherwise, I went on to work at McKinsey for 2 years, and am now at a reasonably well known middle-market private equity firm.

My GMAT was a 760, and SAT/SAT IIs were 1560/800/800/780. I am also engaged in pretty extensive volunteering work outside of work and am working on a small-scale startup (for fun).

I was wondering then if 1. I am completely out of the running of a HBS / Stanford GSB / Wharton and the grades will severely hurt or not so much? And 2. if so, is there anything I can do to explain the senior year specific sort of mess-up on my part / make it up in any other way?

Many thanks for your help, really appreciate it again.
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Source: — Ask Stacy Blackman |

by anon67 » Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:28 am
Would be very helpful if anyone can provide some color?
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by Stacy Blackman » Thu Nov 22, 2012 1:38 am
Hi anon67,

Thanks for posting. You have a very strong application and I do not recommend you be overly concerned regarding your GPA. There are a number of ways you can address your senior year in your personal essays. We have a case study of how one candidate did this here: https://www.stacyblackman.com/comprehens ... ies/case5/

If you'd like, we provide free 30 minute phone consultations here: https://www.stacyblackman.com/contact/

We also provide free school overviews for the programs you have listed here:

Harvard: https://www.stacyblackman.com/business-s ... ss-school/
Stanford: https://www.stacyblackman.com/business-s ... -business/
Wharton: https://www.stacyblackman.com/business-s ... n-wharton/


I hope this was of help.

Cheers,

Conrad and the Stacy Blackman Team
Interested in a free 30 minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Sign up here: https://stacyblackman.com/contact
S T A C Y B L A C K M A N Consulting
Admissions Strategy
323.934.3936
www.StacyBlackman.com

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