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

Thank you very much for the quick response Lisa and for the encouragement! I'm very motivated to score high on the GMAT!

Thanks again!

Ronnie882

Dear Lisa,

I am an Indian applicant. I did my undergrad from Washington University, St. Louis - 3.81 CGPA with three majors (finance, economics, management). I have a strong entrepreneurial experience (in India) of almost 10 years now. However, I stumbled on my GMAT with a 670. I appeared for GMAT in 2008 and then this month, Sep 2010. The latter and higher score is 670. I firmly believe that it is not representative of my abilities but then if I look at a GMAT re-take then I would not be able to make it for the R1 deadlines of top schools. Also, do you think my GPA and work ex can cover me up on the GMAT front? Now here comes my question - Do you think my profile is competitive for the top 5? Harvard, Kellogg, Tuck, Stanford and Ross? I understand that nobody can be 100% sure but still please do let me know your opinion. Or would I be better off applying to more safer schools than targeting the top 5? IS a high work ex considered a strength or a weakness? Should I go ahead with this GMAT and apply in R1 or should I retake the GMAT and apply in R2? Again I can only try to increase my GMAT score. I would be grateful for your valuable feedback.

Thankyou

Dear Lisa,

I appreciate your assistance. Thank you very much.

When you ask that I consider schools outside the top 10, would I still not be below the average GMAT even for those schools? For example - Darden, Carlson, Olin, Duke, etc. - all have an average GMAT of around 700. How would it make any difference in applying to the top 10 or the next 10 when in both cases I am below the GMAT average? My feeling is that the top 10 would rather have a more holistic approach to the application as compared to the next 10 schools, for example Olin which seems to have become more "GMAT centric" lately. Please correct me if I am wrong. Please advise if I should move further down to schools ranked between 30-40 so that I meet their average GMAT scores. Please advise.

Tejbir

Dear Lisa,

I have recently graduated from the Otto Von Guericke University (OvGU) in Magdeburg, Germany, with a bachelor's degree in Management and Economics. I managed to achieve a German GPA of 2.9. Though I was unable to find an exact conversion scale from German to American grades, according to https://www.wes.org/gradeconversionguide/germany.htm (a scale used by Michigan State University), a German 2.9 is equal to a B average (American).

I have yet to take the GMAT and I have no professional work experience. On the other hand, what I do have, is experience in an academic position, as I was a scientific assistant to one of the professors at the university for more than 3 years. I was promised a job by an insurance company in Damascus, Syria, where I will first begin work as a trainee a few weeks from now. Soon after starting that job, I will have already taken the GMAT and applications for the fall semester of 2011 would have begun; that is what I intend to apply for (no particular schools in mind at this point, as I have no idea about my chances, given the fact that I have not yet taken the GMAT).

I read about the importance of qualities differentiating one's own application vs. the bulk of the other applicants in your previous posts. I was hoping I can get feedback on what I believe separates me from the rest of the pack.
I was born in Dubai (UAE), however, I am an American citizen. I lived in Dubai for a total of 9-10 years (on and off) and a total of 8 years in the U.S. For the last four years, I attended the OvG University in Germany where I picked up the language and, as a result, I am able to speak 3 languages (English, Arabic, and German).
I was in various forms of martial arts since the age of 3, winning numerous national championships in karate, prior to my most notable achievement of winning a world kickboxing championship in 2005. I was also a member of my high school's varsity swimming and basketball teams, winning a few awards for achievements in each sport respectively. Finally, I played football for a German city's team for a few months.

Barring my diverse cultural, educational, and athletic background, I fear I may not have a whole lot to offer. Hypothetically speaking, if I manage to knock on 700's door on the GMAT, how high do you think I should aim in terms of top schools (given the information I have provided)?
I am a very mature and down to earth person so please answer me frankly without fear of hurting my feelings. I'm looking for realistic advice so that I can minimize the opportunity cost of applying to, and getting rejected from, schools that I never had a chance of gaining admission to in the first place.

*Perhaps I should have mentioned this sooner, but my goal is to get into a full time MBA program.

Looking forward to hearing your response.

Thank you in advance,
Mo.

Dear Lisa,

Im currently a final year undergrad at lse and hoping to get enrolled into one of the top MiM courses (2011 entry). it is going to be helpful if you will evaluate my profile and address issues with that.

undergrad: bsc econ, expecting 2:1-2:2 (i.e. low gpa if it is to be converted to US system)
eca: president of a student society, self-founded an career related association
work exp: wealth management internship at an ibank, insight program at a consultancy firm, internship with a fund in Beijing. Part time advisor to a sizeable tea-manufactor in China
gmat: 680 49Q 33V 5.5 AWA (first attempt)

Target programs:
LSE: Master in International Management
LBS: Master in Management
Imperial College : Master in Management
Duke: Master in Management

Thank you very much!

N

Dear Lisa,
my question is similiar to that of N.However I have yet to give the gmat so could you please tell the kind of range i'd have to score in

my profile

bachelors in computer science2010(51%)
cisco certifed network associate
microsoft certifed professional
trained in the customer care department of an org.(3 months-part time)


extacurriculars:
involved in an underground podcast radio,
school music festivals etc.

target programs:
escp(masters in management)
esade(masters in management)
hec(masters in management)
ie(masters in international management)


thank you !!

Hello Ms. Anderson,

I obtained a bachelors degree in Marketing from The Leeds School of Business @ University of Colorado at Boulder, with a 2.5 GPA. I have been working in the marketing field successfully for a few years, since graduation, and I haven't yet taken the GMAT. I'd like to enter a graduate program at a top school, and while my academic success isn't as competitive as many schools would like, my professional, real-world record is great. I have two questions:

With a sub-competitive GPA, what would be the lowest score I can get, and still have a good chance to get into a good MBA program?

Will my undergraduate GPA weigh me down significantly, or do several years of work experience have more leverage, when my application is reviewed?

Thank you for your time.

- M.

Hi Lisa,

I can't thank you enough for taking the time to answer all these questions. I have one more for you.

I'm in the process of applying for Fall 2011. I have 3.5 years of work experience (government) and received my BA from a top 15 University, albeit with a 3.2 GPA (econ minor).

I'm interested in pursuing an MBA with an international business/econ focus - potentially even a 3 year dual degree program with an IR MA program like SAIS, SIPA, or Georgetown. Given my unimpressive GPA, I feel like I really have something to prove with my GMAT - in particular the quant section of my GMAT. Unfortunately, the other aspects of my resume don't scream "quant skills" either.

I've taken the GMAT once (earlier this month), and ended up with a 700 (90%). I'm fairly sure I can raise the overall score, but in reality I'm most concerned with the breakdown. I scored a 92% (41V) in the verbal (which I can definitely raise - my practice tests have all been higher), but only a 68% in the Quant (44Q). I have another month to study and take the test again (although I'll also be focusing on application essays).

My question for you is this: do schools of all rankings give equal emphasis to the 80th percentile mark on the quant? I'm considering schools with a range of acceptance rates (all with an international or econ bent) from Wharton, Columbia, and Cornell, to Georgetown. At this point in time, I'm working under the assumption that I don't have much of a chance at attending my dream school (Wharton) until I can raise my quant score closer to the 80% mark. Would you agree? Do you think this is the case for all the schools I'm applying to?

I'm going to have to fight tooth and nail for the higher quant score. Your answer will help me determine what percentage of my time I need to dedicate to studying quant over the next month (as opposed to working on other aspects of the application).

Thank you in advance for your time. Your help is very much appreciated!