tiv333333 wrote:
Please evaluate my profile. Thanks in advance.
Born outside US, now US citizen working in Europe/Male/23
Education: UCLA, accepted as high school valedictorian with full 4-year scholarship
Major: Business Economics
Minor: Accounting (Undergraduate program at Anderson School of Management)
Minor: Political Science
I went undergrad to UCLA and graduated in 2006. I had full scholarship at UCLA and was accepted there as a high school class valedictorian. Since I was born outside the United States and immigrated to the US when I was 13 (now US citizen), English is not my native language. I also had to work full time during all 4 undergrad years to support my family because my parents do not speak English, are immigrants and were low income at that time. I believe my profile is currently perfect, except for my GPA. I maintained 3.2 at UCLA. GMAT is 740. I am currently working for an international financial organization. I believe I will have excellent recommendations, good company, a lot of international and leadership experience (already meeting with CEOs and high-rank government officials in different countries). How will my low GPA hurt me at top-20 schools?
Do the schools know how difficult and competitive UCLA undergrad is with grading curves compared to many schools? Do they take into account that I have been working full time and English is not my native language? I'm worried that my GPA is lower than average GPA at most top schools. While it is in 80% range, it is below average. How will it affect me? Can I still be competitive at top schools or should I go get some classes or second undergraduate degree to get higher GPA?
I am mostly looking at schools such as Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, UCLA, NYU, Duke, Cornell, Columbia. Do I have any chance?
tiv333333,
Your GPA is not all that low and your high GMAT goes a long way toward erasing any concern top 20 schools would have with your GPA. Yes, B-schools are acutely aware of the differences in quality among universities and will give you 'points' for studying at UCLA. And, yes, the fact that you also had to work will also be taken in account and will weight in your favor. I don't know enough about your work and community profile to evaluate your chances at these schools. Based on what you gave me, I'd say your chances at Duke and Cornell are very good, at NYU and UCLA perhaps are good, and at HBS, Stanford, and Wharton are fair to decent. If you don't get into H, S, and W it won't be because of your undergrad GPA.
Good luck,