Dear Stacy

I'm from India & have a low GPA of 2.7-2.8 with break in engineering degree due to some explainaible reasons. I've full time experience of 6 years as an entrepreneur & a good amount of community leadership experience to add to. Further, I feel that early managerial experience & extensive display of leadership skills couldn't hve been better in any other job. I also undertook training in some internationally well known companies.

I also have international business exposure & linked to an American trade organization.

I recently gave my GMAT & scored 740. I'm not targetting top 5 schools but yes top20/top30 schools. I'm willing to major in finance coupled with Health care management or Intl. Business or Strategy mgmt.

Please do comment as to what are my chances & if their is something else I could do at present to offset my weaknesses or further fortify my strengths.

Hi Stacey/Lisa,

I have a 2.9 overall GPA because I bombed my first year. I switched programs and then my GPA in 3rd and 4th year is 3.8. I just did my GMAT today and got a 660. I would like to aim for University of Chicago, any advice on whether I should retake my GMAT?

I know the 660 is not high enough, but I don't know what to do to improve my score. Therefore, I am not confident that I can improve much.

Please help, thanks!!

Hi Lisa,

Thank you very much for the advice!

I just realized that I forgot to include the breakdown on my score: Q:48 and V:33. More details on my undergrad too - I bombed Computer Science in my first year, so I switched to Mathematics and Business (GPA: 3.4).

Just have a couple more questions after reading your advice.
1) For my second option, will Queen's University/University of Toronto (Rotman)/York (Schulich) be good, or am I still below?
2) How would my application look if I get 660 on my GMAT again?

Good thing is that I am not planning to apply until next year (I won't be ready to go back to school until 2010), I still have some time to think about it.

Thanks so much Lisa! =)

Lisa,

I had a 2.5 GPA from Lehigh in Electrical Engineering, class of 2000. I now work for Lockheed Martin as an engineer. Next May I will finish a part-time M.S. in Systems Engineering (part quantitative/part engineering management) from George Washington University. I expect to have a 3.7 or 3.8 when I graduate.

I plan to apply for fall 2010 or latest 2012 top b-schools. I am busting my butt at work and am advancing within my company. I will be a Sr. level shortly. I am also contemplating applying for the Advanced Technology Leadership Program next year.

I did not have good study habits in college, and was also on the track team. Now I have much more focus, and want to fulfill my dream of a top tier MBA. What GMAT score should I hit to mitigate my undergrad GPA? How much weight would my Master's GPA have over my undergrad? What else could I be doing?

Kindly,
Scott

Hello,

Please recommend suitable MUST apply schools. My brief profile is as under -

1. B.Tech (chemical) - IITB ( top 3 in India) - GPA 6.9/10 == 2.8/4 (2004)
2. Extra curr - school & college - debate, singing, dramatics, essay, direction, script writing - recieved several awards/ prizes including - Organization citation & Cultural citation from IITB hostel.
3. Held several key posts in school & college hostel admin body
4. Good grades in final yr project, course seminar, electives, 3 mnths scholarship + internship at Max Plank Germany ( summer 2003)
5.Aug 04 - March 05 - manager trainee (De Nora India Ltd) - technical aspects of pdt
6. Apr 05 - Mar 06 - Manager tech ser - handling service engineers across India, tech support to customers/ engineers/ distributors
7. Apr 06 - Mar 07 - Mgr tech ser - tech serv + marketing + business development, exensive traveling, recruting new engineers, distributors, meeting customers, particiapating in tenders in public sector. Co size - 40+, Sales - 9 mill USD, my div sales - 1 million USD
8. June 07 - till date - Honeywell, India - Engineer - Sales - S&M, project selling, proposals, traveling, internal sales process of Honeywell, identify new business etc. Co size - 2500 +, Sales - 200 m USD, my div sales - 10 m USD
9. Extra curr after college - mainly passive - novels, blogs, photography, singing, movies, organized a small reunion of schoolmates
10. GAMT on 5th Oct, Age - 28, Married, Indian

My list - Insead, Kellogs, HEC. I want to add 2-3 more b schools from US. Please advice if Rotman/ Cambridge/ Oxford are good choice or rather opt for somethng else in US !!

rgds
nitin

Thanks Lisa...

Just to summarize

- I have 50 months of Industrial S&M experience as on date and almost 40 months of it in managerial position wherein I can and I have influenced decisions/ policies/ strategies of the co./ division
- So by next Aug I will complete 5 yrs of exp which is avg in b schools
- If I manage a 720 in GMAT, considering inputs provided above which B Schools in USA according to u should be must apply, where I stand a good chance

Thanks & Best Regards,

Nitin

Dear Lisa

I am a 2008 graduate from North South University, Bangladesh. I did Bachelors of Business Admin with a major in Finance & Accounting with overall CGPA of 3.47 and 3.30 in major area. However during my Bachelors years I didn't like the accounting courses much. But Finance was always fun for me. Now I'll be seating for GMAT in November and targeting atleast 650. I want to get admitted to MS in Finance program in US/ Canadian universities.

I have 3 months of internship experience.

Could you pls. tell me which are the universities should be of my target? Where can I get the education that would be good value for money?

Thanks.

Lisa Anderson wrote:Dear rabab,

I encourage you to visit our sticky on school selection for tips and suggestions.

Good luck,
Lisa

Thanks Lisa. Will take a look at it.

Hi Stacy,

I need your opinion on how to proceed....

I took the GMAT back in the beginning of December and got a 650. While I scored in the 95th percentile for verbal, I got some test anxiety during the Quant portion and got a much lower score than I had been getting on my practice exams. So I decided to retake it today. Although I was much more prepared, I think the pressure of having everything finalized for my applications which were due this week, just prevented me from being able to get any sleep the night before, and I ran into the same anxiety problem during quant, and just cancelled my score. (trust me, I knew it wouldn't be better). It's really frustrating because I know the material very well and typicallly I do not get test anxiety. Ugh.

I have a 3.9 from Notre Dame, and 4 years of sales experience (and promotions) at a well known consumer packaged goods company, so I am confident in my GPA and work experience. I also am confident in my interviewing skills. But am concerned my GMAT will be an issue. My goal was to apply to 2nd round to Kellogg and Darden. Now that I did not improve my GMAT, I am wondering if I should reevaluate. Should I apply 3rd round? My fear is they are so selective then, my chances will be hurt. Should I proceed with a 650 and just explain my Quant should be higher? Is there any chance they would accept my applications for 2nd round and then consider my GMAT score if I took it later? Thoughts? Thanks!