30-year old Elec Engineer, 710 GMAT, 2.9-3.0 GPA

Hi Jliu,

Thanks for posting. With regards to retaking the GMAT, a 710 is a strong score. I would be very realistic about how much higher of a score you could attain. To answer your question about your low GPA, there are ways to address this issue.

I'll use an example of a client we had to illustrate this. This example is also relevant to you. We had a client who had a strong application, however he had a below average GPA that could have derailed his entire application.

For out strategy, we decided that ultimately this client’s story was a personal one that chronicled how he developed and pursued an intense interest in martial arts. That interest actually took him away from school for two semesters and became a distraction that contributed to a very low GPA. But it also helped him develop certain characteristics and unique abilities that strengthened his character, and made him a much stronger leader and team player. In his essays he discussed his renewed commitment to academics and explained how he had developed qualities that would enable him to excel in business school and in the business world.

As a result, he was admitted to Columbia and Chicago. For your application, look for reasons why your GPA was low and how you can develop a story around these points.

I hope this was of help. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions.

Best,

Conrad and the Stacy Blackman Team