Profiles - Admitted to Top B-Schools w/ Low GMAT or Low GPA

In the craziness of the last couple of days, I haven't had time to post. But I am taking time from my vacation in Boston so that I can post my experience with application with a GPA. My hopes is that this gives people with Low GPA some hope, since I think hope was really what the strength to do this not once, but twice.

First off I will first say, I have a 2.109 GPA. So anyone with above that probably is in ALOT Better shape than I was. Another thing is that I have no trend up or down. It peaked my 3rd year to a wowing 2.4 and I have 2 more A's than F. I'm being very candid because whoever is looking at this post, I want you to know that if someone can get Waitlist at a top 3 school and accepted at a top tier school (Ross) than you can too.

Background of what I did to mitigate, I took my GMAT's seriously and scored a balanced 760. Then I made sure I moved up in my career, I took opportunity in leadership such as taking on side projects. Took classes, (I actually did a MS however I would not recommend it because it's more intense than I feel needed to prove academic proficiency). And lastly I made sure my essays reflected who I was.

I think the most important thing I did was that I didn't give up and that I made sure I aimed for schools I wanted to go to. Basicly I took that attitude as, They are gonna like me for everything else, or reject me because they couldn't get over my grades. Either way I was not gonna be the person holding myself back. I think for all the low GPA and low GMAT people that is the most important thing. Don't limit yourself, be realistic yet shoot for the stars.

As for Results:

First year: With 3 classes toward my masters
Ding w/o INT: Chicago, Columbia (Columbia was my first school, and I realized I just submit crap since one of my reason for attending columbia is I liked the cohort system, Lame)
Ding After INT: Ross (bad Interview)
Waitlist + Summer Waitlist: Kellogg

Second Attempt:
Ding: Kellogg (mistake interviewing with Adcom, did bad, worst part was that it was optional)
Admit: Ross (Pretty decent Phone Interview, No Visit, pretty sure it was good enough for a Yes vote)
Waiting: UCLA PT, INSEAD JAN 2011

PS another word of advice, don't apply your favorite school first. Each one of my essays was better than the last. Also reading the essay topics before you apply is good, since Kellogg and ross's essay topics were also better places for my stories since Ross as a "time you struggled in life" and Kellogg as like 3 essays about "why you are special"

BTW, I HATE WRITING, so hopefully this post gives some people hope. ARIEL, You're NEXT to POST!!

WoW! Congrats man. I am also in a same boat you were before but my transcript is all messed up. once I got 2.51 and then it's been low . Your post did boost me and I am trying to take some courses like Calculus,Statistics and Accounting. Problem is we don't have community colleges but Linda from Accepted.com suggested online course so will try that and also have to ace GMAT. I am aiming Haas, Ross, and UCLA or Cornell so do pray for me guys. And best of luck with your future ahead.

I remember starting a thread on this very same topic a while back before I even started working on apps and I've come a long way since. It hasn't been easy but I, among others, am proof that a low GPA can absolutely be overcome. Just hit me up on PM if there's anything I can do to help anyone who is in the same situation as I was. I'll be happy to share what I have learned and hope that my experience can be of help to someone. Best of luck!

Congrats ariel! I believe you initially were planning on applying for Class of 2011 with 3 years of WE at matriculation but it looks like you ended up pushing back to Class of 2012 with 4 years WE?

Do you think this had a big or small impact on your awesome application results?

gentlemen, and ladies, can you still take online course when youve miserably graduated from college?
i would think about that too taking 100 calculus and economics courses to raise my stupid grade up
and how much is each course?
if its not too costly, then i'll definitely go with that

gentlemen, and ladies, can you still take online course when youve miserably graduated from college?
i would think about that too taking 100 calculus and economics courses to raise my stupid grade up
and how much is each course?
if its not too costly, then i'll definitely go with that