Hi All,

Looking for some worldly advice from the gmatclub experts!

I have read a ton of threads on building alternative transcripts and low uGPA solutions, and was hoping for a little more focused advice for a guy like myself.

Background:
- Civil Engineering Grad from Top 20 Engineering Public U. 3.04 Cumulative GPA....3.5 in major (Avg GPA over last 3 semesters...3.7)
- Bunch of EC's bot in school and post-grad
- Good WE in Real Estate and Capital Project Construction industry
- Pretty good b-school application theme (or so I think!)
- Looking to go back into Major Construction/Real Estate finance and business after b-school
- GMAT: Taking in March '13, expecting 720ish (hopefully and capable of better)

I consider myself a pretty bright person, but suffered for the same reason of most others early on in school. So I am planning on taking 2 or 3 cont. ed classes to build an alternative transcript prior to my Rd1 apps in 2013. I actually have one under my belt that I took during undergrad.

Completed Alt. Transcript Courses:
- Real Estate Principles - UCLA Extension - A

Quant Undergrad Grades:
- Calc I - C
- Calc II - B
- Microeconomics - A-
- Advanced Stat - B-


All of that being said, I was hoping for some direction to the following questions:

- How many, and what, extra classes should I take?
- Do I need to retake Calc or Stat?
- I was thinking of doing finance/econ/accounting since that is what I am looking to go into after b-school.
- 2 or 3 Classes? More? Less?

- Does the institution matter? Is in-class better than online? I'm in Philadelphia. I could do UCLA Extension, but would Penn State World Campus be better? Is the local community college sufficient? (This matters because of cost and availability of courses)

- I am planning on taking these course as accelerated courses post-March and throughout the Summer to have completed for Rd1 deadlines next year. Is this a feasible endeavor while working full-time?


Thanks for taking the time to response. IT's always appreciated.

Looking forward to the conversation!

smp - I have many of the same questions as you re: retaking calc, online v. traditional classes, ect...

Not much here of course - did you ever get any answers elsewhere?

Awesome info, thanks! I'm looking at a traditional class or two at UCSD and maybe 1 online course through UCLA extension. I have the same reservations about retaking calc as you... it's been a long time and I'm not sure I was ever really a whiz in the first place.

Looks like a "low" gpa didn't hold you back - where are you headed in the fall?

Wait I just noticed, 3.5 GPA? I'm not sure you really need to take any extra courses, unless you don't have a quant background or did poorly on all quant classes in college. But, can't hurt! Looks like you've got some good options around you though.

Still undecided about withdrawing from the Kellogg waitlist, but I've deposited at Columbia so will be heading there next year!