What GPA/GMAT is needed to get into a top 5 school?

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Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Tue May 03, 2011 9:28 am

Dear Abhishek,

Based on the information in your post, you have the foundation for a competitive application to any school. However, admission decisions are made on more than a profile. Your essays, recommendations, resume, and interview are critical pieces of your evaluation and ones that you need to use to your advantage in making a case for a seat in the class. The top 15 schools are highly competitive and your profile is very common in their applicant pools. Thus it is imperative you distinguish your application from others and identify 2-4 programs outside the top 15 to add to your target list to increase the likelihood you are in business school by 2012.

Good luck,
Lisa

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Pawan_K_Saini: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 2; Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 2:17 am

by Pawan_K_Saini » Fri Jun 10, 2011 2:32 am

Dear Ms Lisa

I must appreciate your efforts in answering almost every single query raised by students, which shows your commitment towards students.

Now i also i have similar query with little distinct background,

My Score are:
1.Bachelor of commerce (UG) GPA 3.0-completed in year 2000
2. Master of Science(Computers) GPA 3.5 in 2003
3. Chartered Accountant with GPA 3.5 in 2010
4. GMAT score: 730
I have full time work experience of 8 years as Internal Auditor, currently designated as Senior Manager.i am planning to apply next year.
Now i have 2 queries as follows
1. Given the competitiveness of Indian MBA applicant pool, what are my chances of getting into top five schools
2. As i have master equivalent both in Accountancy and computers, will it adversely impact my candidature.

Thanks & warm Regards
Pawan

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Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:42 pm

Dear Pawan,

It is hard to comment on your chances with the limited information you provided. Admissions decisions are made on more than numbers. Your academic performance, GMAT score, and quantity of work experience are a solid foundation for a competitive application. However, you will need a strong overall package to truly compete at a top 20 school. Thus you want to give considerable effort to your essays, resume, selection of recommenders, and interview preparation. With regard to having both a Chartered Accountancy and MS in Computers, there is nothing negative in having both. You do want to show how the two complement each other in your work and how they are a good foundation for your future career goals.

Good luck,
Lisa

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bisu18: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 1; Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:51 pm

by bisu18 » Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:57 pm

Dear Lisa,

I have just graduated from Illinois State University with a double major in Finance and Insurance with a gpa of 3.3. I was wondering how many years of work experience I should complete before applying to get my MBA. Also what GMAT score should I be trying to aim for if I would like to try and go to either the University of Illinois or Vanderbilt University to get my MBA? or will I even have a shot at getting accepted into either of these schools?

Thank you very much!

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Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Thu Jun 16, 2011 8:38 pm

Dear bisu18,

Most schools prefer applicants to have worked at least two years full-time after completing a bachelor's degree before applying to business school, but it is not usually a requirement. You should apply at the point in your career when you feel you are ready and need the MBA to advance your career to the next level. It might be after two years or it might be after four. For the best chance at any school, you want to be in that school's mid-50% range for the GMAT to be competitive and over the GMAT average to be in the best position. When you are ready to apply, look at the current statistics for Illinois and Vanderbilt to get a sense of where your GMAT needs to be. In the meantime, I encourage you to continue researching MBA programs and what business school is all about so that you will put together the strongest application possible when the time comes.

Good luck,
Lisa

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Moto2688: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 12; Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 6:22 am

by Moto2688 » Mon Jun 27, 2011 5:32 am

Dear Lisa,

It's been great reading your comments. I have about 5 years of work experience. First three years were spent as Corporate Finance Analyst at McKinsey & Co. I am currently working with a hedge fund as a Financial Analyst. I am not sure, but I think my scores are at best average and my undergrad GPA, which is ~3.0 just barely meets the top B schools criteria. However, i would like to highlight that I have a good story to tell with regards to the essays. Given that few people are able to break into the investment management industry and that it is a sought after one, do you think my work experience will be enough to make up for the average academics performance? I am thinking of applying to three schools, LBS, ISB and Insead.

I understand these schools are tough to get into and "they are much sought after". However, as I asked earlier do you think goods recommendations and my work experience will be able to iron out the not so good academics performance. In short do you think I have good shot at these schools?

Some other important information is as follows:

Gender: Male
Work Ex: 5 years
Country of Work: India
Undergrad Studies: a top 10 University in Canada, GPA ~3.0

Regards,
Moto2688

Last edited by Moto2688 on Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Mon Jun 27, 2011 11:21 am

Dear Moto2688,

While below average for your target schools, your GMAT and GPA are within range for a competitive application. To be competitive, you will need a strong set of essays and recommendations, not to mention interview. In essence, you need to provide a compelling reason to offer you one of the few seats to an applicant with your profile over the many others with a similar profile. If you believe you can craft a strong, compelling overall package, then you have a shot. However, it is always prudent to have some backup schools identified.

Good luck,
Lisa

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abhi6136: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 3; Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:03 am; Location: Kolkata; GMAT Score:710

by abhi6136 » Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:41 pm

Lisa Anderson wrote:Dear Abhishek,

Based on the information in your post, you have the foundation for a competitive application to any school. However, admission decisions are made on more than a profile. Your essays, recommendations, resume, and interview are critical pieces of your evaluation and ones that you need to use to your advantage in making a case for a seat in the class. The top 15 schools are highly competitive and your profile is very common in their applicant pools. Thus it is imperative you distinguish your application from others and identify 2-4 programs outside the top 15 to add to your target list to increase the likelihood you are in business school by 2012.

Good luck,
Lisa

Lisa ,

Thanks for the pointers reg my apps. However, could you please tell me schools which you think I have a high probability of getting admitted to? I mean what schools could be safe schools for me? I need to get into a B school by 2012 so that I am in time for my career goals!

Thanks,
Abhishek

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Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:04 pm

Dear Abhishek,

Schools where you have a better chance of being admitted will be those that are a good match for you in terms of curriculum and resources (i.e., student programs, alumni & industry connections) and where your profile is above average. However, you will still need a strong package to be admitted--having a high GMAT & GPA is not enough for any program. Identify schools in the 15-40 range with solid ties to your desired post-MBA industry and where your GMAT & GPA are significantly above average; then research them further to determine which are the best matches. For additional tips on identifying programs, please see our sticky on school selection.

Regards,
Lisa

Lisa Anderson
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Stacy Blackman Consulting

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energyray: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 1; Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:04 pm

by energyray » Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:17 pm

I recently graduated from a top university with a top undergraduate engineering program.. I have a 3.23 GPA (wish it were higher but it wasn't actually bad for my engineering major which was very competitive). I also recently scored a 740 on the GMAT. I have a great job that I love with a large fortune 500 energy company.

PS- While I'd love to go to a top five, my reasonable goal is top 10. Tuck, Columbia, Chicago, Kellogg, MIT etc. I'm also not interested going to a school that caters to energy only, because I'd like to get a more well-rounded, highest-quality-possible education.

Last edited by energyray on Tue Aug 23, 2011 12:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:43 am

Dear energyray,

It appears from your post you are on your way to building a competitive profile for your future applications. You will want to put in significant effort to the essays and other pieces when the time comes, but your GMAT, GPA and work experience are in range. I think you can apply when you are ready as entering with at least two years is a preference, but not a requirement. The main areas to focus on between now and then will be building a quality resume of contributions and accomplishments both at and outside the office.

Good luck,
Lisa

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Stacy Blackman Consulting

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Bshlom: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 2; Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:03 pm

by Bshlom » Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:14 pm

Hi Lisa-

I took the GMAT for the first time today and recorded a 690, which was disappointing for me. I am hoping to attend a top 10 school next fall and am curious as to what you think my chances of admission are. My profile is as follows:

3.9 GPA from the University of Maryland
BS Accounting, 2007
CPA obtained in 2009
CFA program completed in 2011
2 years in the audit practice at big four firm (Deloitte)
2 years as a risk management analyst at a long-short equity hedge fund
I'm 26 years old and hold dual citizenship in the US and Israel. Does that even factor in?

I'm planning on retaking the GMAT next month but would prefer (obviously) to focus on my application essays instead of studying again.

Any advice/opinions you can offer are greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Bshlom

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lennybruce: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 2; Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:23 am

by lennybruce » Wed Aug 31, 2011 12:11 pm

Dear Lisa,

Thanks for taking up this wonderful initiative. Please find my profile below:

Age: 24, Male
Education: B.Tech, Civil Engineering (IIT Bombay, India)
GPA: 7.2/10 (2008)
GMAT: 690/5
Work Exp: Total of 3 years. 2 years as Associate Business Analyst, 1 year as Business Analyst in a Fortune 500 software firm. The work is selling software using Data Analytics.
EC: Decent in college and workplace
Community work: Nil

Do you think I stand a chance at any of the following schools?
1) Indian School of Business
2) Virginia (Darden)
3) Duke (Fuqua)
4) Dartmouth (Tuck)
5) Michigan (Ross)
6) Cornell (Johnson)
7) CMU (Tepper)

I know if I had included HBS, there is no chance of me of cracking that, similarly I would like to understand my chances at the above schools based on your experience.

One other thing I would like to understand from you is that I like to watch and understand a lot of tennis, stand up comedy etc but I'm neither a good player/comedian. Is their a way I can include these things/create a story about them in my app?

Thanks in anticipation

--
The truth is what is, and what should be is a fantasy - Lenny

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Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Wed Aug 31, 2011 5:37 pm

Bshlom wrote:Hi Lisa-

I took the GMAT for the first time today and recorded a 690, which was disappointing for me. I am hoping to attend a top 10 school next fall and am curious as to what you think my chances of admission are. My profile is as follows:

3.9 GPA from the University of Maryland
BS Accounting, 2007
CPA obtained in 2009
CFA program completed in 2011
2 years in the audit practice at big four firm (Deloitte)
2 years as a risk management analyst at a long-short equity hedge fund
I'm 26 years old and hold dual citizenship in the US and Israel. Does that even factor in?

I'm planning on retaking the GMAT next month but would prefer (obviously) to focus on my application essays instead of studying again.

Any advice/opinions you can offer are greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Bshlom

Dear Bshlom,

You have many positives in your profile and your 690 is in the competitive range for top programs. Your high GPA in accounting demonstrates your academic ability, as well as your professional success indicates a good skill set. I think it is possible your 690 is enough with a compelling, strong application package. Your dual citizenship might help to distinguish you from similar applicants, but you will also want to highlight other unique experiences. If you have to sacrifice your essays for a GMAT retake, I'm not sure that is the best course of action. You will need to weigh the likelihood you can increase your score against how much it will hurt the rest of your applications. A higher GMAT score will be meaningless if your essays are poor.

Good luck,
Lisa

Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

Learn more about me

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GMAT/MBA Expert

Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Wed Aug 31, 2011 5:44 pm

lennybruce wrote:Dear Lisa,

Thanks for taking up this wonderful initiative. Please find my profile below:

Age: 24, Male
Education: B.Tech, Civil Engineering (IIT Bombay, India)
GPA: 7.2/10 (2008)
GMAT: 690/5
Work Exp: Total of 3 years. 2 years as Associate Business Analyst, 1 year as Business Analyst in a Fortune 500 software firm. The work is selling software using Data Analytics.
EC: Decent in college and workplace
Community work: Nil

Do you think I stand a chance at any of the following schools?
1) Indian School of Business
2) Virginia (Darden)
3) Duke (Fuqua)
4) Dartmouth (Tuck)
5) Michigan (Ross)
6) Cornell (Johnson)
7) CMU (Tepper)

I know if I had included HBS, there is no chance of me of cracking that, similarly I would like to understand my chances at the above schools based on your experience.

One other thing I would like to understand from you is that I like to watch and understand a lot of tennis, stand up comedy etc but I'm neither a good player/comedian. Is their a way I can include these things/create a story about them in my app?

Thanks in anticipation

--
The truth is what is, and what should be is a fantasy - Lenny

Dear lennybruce,

I think it is possible you might get into at least one of your target schools, but it will take a compelling, stellar application package. While you have some positives in your profile, you have an over-represented profile in the applicant pool and a GMAT score that is below average, both for your target schools and relative to applicants with similar profiles. Your essays, recommendations, resume and interview will need to positively resonate and push you to the top of the pool. I would encourage you to consider altering your target list to have more programs where your profile is above average. With regard to your love of tennis and comedy, I'm not sure how you can turn that into a compelling story in your applications--if you do, then it will be quite compelling indeed.

Good luck,
Lisa

Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

Learn more about me

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