Pretty sure I take the cake w/ low GPA. However, I'm going to an Ivy MBA next year so anything is possible! Below are my stats and story;
GPA: 2.5 Horrible, was just unfocused during college but matured a ton in 4 years. Also, I went to a school you've probably never heard of unless you live in the midwest.
GMAT: 670 Passable but not exactly killing it.
W/E: 4 years at a fortune 50 company
Recs: Very strong from my managers
Matriculating to an Ivy (not Harvard or Yale)
My advice:
-You won't get in to a top tier with grades/scores like mine without a great story and good work experience. (I was lucky to land a great job through a fraternity brother. I grinded it out there, reaping a lot of accolades and responsibility in the process) If you don't get as lucky, do your best to take on as much responsibility at work and move up in the process. Its worth waiting a year till you get promoted or go to a better company than just rushing into the mix when you're 4 years out b/c your friends are.
-Know exactly why you want an MBA and prove that you are taking steps to mitigate that bad mark on your transcript (take finance and stats classes to prove you'll hit the ground running). Write good essays and make sure your recs know that you've proven yourself during your tenure at work.
-Don't be intimidated by the boards when you see people with 770 GMATs and 3.5 GPAs freaking out, take comfort in a strong profile. Make sure your optional essay tackles the bad grades head on and tells a persuasive story about your transformation into a student they would want. To be honest, I wasn't mature enough to tackle another round of school after graduating (as if my grades don't prove that) however, I grew up a lot and that was reflected in my essays and work experience.
-
Most importantly, pick your schools wisely; don't waste time applying to Stanford or Harvard. Plan for AT LEAST 2 safety schools, if nothing else maybe you can get some $.
Good luck! Work hard, spend time on the essays and good things will happen...don't let anyone tell you otherwise!