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Mitigate low gpa

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by bschoolbound » Tue Nov 04, 2008 1:29 pm
Hi, I am planning on applying to business schools in 2010 and I desparately need your advice. My top choices are columbia, stanford, harvard, wharton, (cornell and yale possibly).

Asian male, currently 26.
GMAT score 730, 96%, M:49, V:41.
Engineering B.S. from Northwestern University, GPA: 3.04
3 years as a trading software analyst at a large universal bank (ex: citigroup, jpmorgan, boa)
2 years as a business systems analyst at a rival universal bank.

I plan to take the level 1 CFA next June and have a good amount of leadership exp in college and post-college.

I would like to offset my poor GPA by getting A's in some night classes. Does it matter what school I attend for these night classes? For instance, a friend referred me to a guest student program at a top tier business school nearby, however it will cost almost 5k a class. Is it worth paying for these classes to show I am capable, or going to a local community college for minimal cost?

Thank you so much in advance.
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Source: — Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant |

by Lisa Anderson » Wed Nov 05, 2008 1:33 pm
Dear bschoolbound,

If you are just taking courses to gain quant skills and demonstrate you can succeed in the classroom, then a community college or other local school will suffice. Your GPA is not poor, by the way, as it is an engineering degree from a good school.

Good luck,
Lisa
Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

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