Retired Moderator
Joined: 28 Jul 2009
Status:Darden Class of 2013
Posts: 1768
Schools:University of Virginia
Re: 3.0 GPA, 720 GMAT - Realistic Expectations?
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11 Feb 2011, 00:37
I think longhorn brought up some very important questions that you (Corona1) should contemplate about. As you mentioned, you didn't follow the typical corporate ladder footstep and took a less traditional route. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that as everyone has different passion. At this point in time, you need to really clarify for yourself who you are, what have you learned, and what can you bring to the table. It's less about what your title is, but more about your experience. B-schools need to know that you can work with people and have the employability post-MBA. With that said, you'll need to come up with strong reasons as to why you think you're able to regain entry into the finance world. Once you have your reasons, then it's all about finetuning and conveying the message on a couple pieces of online webpages of applications.
edit: to answer your question about schools, I'd look at any of the top 8 schools that interest you (i.e. Wharton, Booth, Columbia), granted that any of the top 8 schools will be able to get you to where you want to be in terms of recruiting, so it's really just about legwork. Beyond the top schools, you can also check out Darden, which has a very strong field in finance/ibanking. NYU is another good one for the mere fact of its great location. UCLA Anderson is also pretty strong in the finance field. Your GMAT score is good enough for any school that it's a check in that box for GMAT. Your GPA isn't as strong, but definitely not terrible. I wouldn't harp too much about your GPA, but I'd focus a lot of the energy on conveying your ideologies to the AdComs when you apply.