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

Well if you've already graduated, taking a class isn't going to have any impact on your GPA (at least at almost all schools in the U.S.), if that's what you mean. I believe the advantage is that you generate a supplementary transcript that shows you have since done well in particular courses.

There are varying degrees of impact. But generally Alternate Transcript will help to support that you are A) serious about going to b-school, B) getting A's show that you have the capacity to succeed in Bschool.

Just to update my info.

UG GPA 2.1

2009
CBS ED - Ding w/o Int
Chicago - Ding w/o Int
Ross - Ding w/ Int
Kellogg - WL + Summer WL

2010
Kellogg - Ding w/ Int
UCLA PT - Admit
Ross - Admit
INSEAD - WL w/ Int

Happy to report an admit from INSEAD this morning. I really think I got lucky with some of the admits, I'm not that good, but I do think there are a lot of things one can improve about their application and being informed and prepared always helps.

I've been sharing my experience and trying to help everyone who has reached out to me with their predicament and will continue to do so the best I can. I'm honored to be an inspiration to others despite my 1.87 GPA. For the benefit of other readers however, please consider posting on the forum as well. I recognize that not everyone feels comfortable sharing details of their story even in an anonymous fashion, so if you prefer to chat offline, I'm always available.

ok, from now on, if anyone or if you know anyone that's got into top business schools with f'ing low gpa's, i mean ''f'ing''!! someone considers 3.1 low, and hell no, it ain't low for people like us who don't know how many f's they've got.
if somebody has gpa below 3.0, 2.5 or even lower, and got into schools like they listed before, please show ur your gpa, gmat score, or your work experience in more detail. let us know how to defeat the low gpa. and of course, so we can get to understand how these schools evalulate their applicants, thanks a bunch!!!!
i know applying to good business schools is not an easy road, and i know having gpa is bad for your chances, but i wanna know how much i have to do to make it back, thanks really!

Went to a small liberal arts school in iowa, graduated with a cgpa 2.7/2.8 double major business and political scieneces. Relatively active in extra curriculars, RA, political science club, international club, fraternity, tutor for political science and micro/macro 1. 80 % scholarship and worked three jobs on campus. Pretty much everywhere from the cafteria, alumni office, janitorial staff, library
Have approx four and a half years of cross border banking experience, 2 and a half in retail banking ( consumer risk, product management ( asset product- secured and unsecured ), sales in Pakistan and then moved to Dubai for Corporate Banking- trade finance covering the regional markets of Middle East and North Africa.
Contributed over the years for humanity i.e citizens foundation
Just gave my gmat, got a 580.
Possible preferences are UVA, Georgetown, Columbia, NYU, Cornell, Fuqua, Kellogg
Any advice, recommendations, suggestions ?
Thanks

am i too reaching here with my scores?
gpa UG 2.92 Engineering
gpa Grad 3.27 (rounded from 3.267) Comp. Sci
GMAT 720
Decent extracurricular in school (student senate etc.) but out of school job and MS took a big chunk of time...

I am at a place where i just cant "f'n stand it anymore" and i need to get the heck out before i go berserk so i am applying to a lot of schools...
R1:
CBS ED
Guizetta ED
Fuqua ED
Yale
Keenan ED

R2 - as many as i can before R2 deadline...
Johnson
tepper
ross
McDonough
darden
stern
tuck
kellog
booth


The bottom 4 are on my "wishlist" although my goal is still Yale because of the financial incentive (parents work there so some tuition relief). I know Yale and CBS are gonna be far reaches but other schools my gpa is bit on the low scale but my GMAT is on the higher scale so hope it balances out... I didn't get any Fs but I did F up my junior year with trying to go Pre-Med from eng and that failed with Ds Also there was a class that was a pain to take and i took it 3 times and got a C on - mostly because it was at 8am all 3 times i took it due to schedule conflicts... Basically i went from Dean's list fresh-soph to the crapper in jun-sen....

First there are a couple of things, you didn't say how long you've been working and what your work experience.

Second, that is WAY too many schools! Realistically 6 solid apps. On your list you have a pretty good list in that if covers some schools you have a good opp of getting in. Sonibubu has a lower GPA than you and got into kellogg/booth with masters. I was waitlisted at Kellogg my first year and will be going to Ross (with wl at insead and admit at UCLA Pt). So it's definitely possible.

By my perception, johnson, duke, ross. Yale is not known to be low GPA friendly, but since you have support I don't know. (same with stern, Cbs)

But you definitely can get in somewhere. Look at the GPA for me, drsatisfaction, ariel, sonibubu.

Oh, I have been working for 55 months now and doing Software engineering. Didnt get a chance to get into leadership role due to the size of the sites (they are big companies but the site is very small).
I know the school list is quite long but i REALLY want to get the heck out of here! I checked the gpa range and yale is tough but the economics (i think i get free tuition due to parents working there) i just couldn't pass up IF i get in...
Here is part of my spread sheet with some us news gpa (10-90%) range ..
columbia 3.1-3.83
yale 715 3.13-3.85
north carolina kenan 2.82-3.8
duke fuqua 2.96-3.8

R2
cornell johnson 2.8-3.8
georgetown mcdonough 2.96-3.87
Michigan Ross 2.9-3.8
virginia darden 2.99-3.8
carnegie mellon tepper 2.88-3.92

booth 3.14-3.88
kellog 3.12-3.89
dartmouth tuck 3.15-3.87
nyu stern 3.06-3.81

Basically i am in the lower range for all of them but my GMAT hopefully can make it look better.If it werent for Columbia and Yale I wouldve loved to apply to kellogs and booth since they are also both reaches - but too many reach apps is gonna hurt me quite a bit... For my list of R2s - it is more or less if i can get to it i will do it so i most likely wont be applying to them all but hopefully a couple from that list like Johnson,ross etc..
Any suggestions on the order of schools i should apply in R2 after the primary 5? maybe put them in "groups" to pick from? i think if i really try hard i might squeeze in 4 from R2....
thanks!

This is gonna be my 2cents, I would not apply to columbia and apply to either kellogg or booth. The reason I say that is, having applied ED to CBS it might be more difficult since there application does not stress EC's very much. Also since Kellogg you will get at least an interview. Chicago is also a little more generious on grades in my opinion if you can show depth and intellence.

CBS tends to be more stereotypical in admissions.


Pretty much if I was you (I was you, but didn't have the I must leave this year)

I would suggest
R1
Yale
Kellogg (or Booth)
Duke (or Ross)
CMU (or GT)

R2
Ross (or Duke)
darden
UNC

What does applying ED to a school mean? I am really ignorant of the lingo here on forum. Thanks

ED means Early Decision, EA is early action.

for CBS they have a ED and regular application period, which is similiar to most people's R1, R2 except if you apply ED and get accepted you have to go. You need to sign that you will pay 5K upon acceptance and are required to withdrawl all applications. This is why someone people think CBS has an image problem, aka yield whores. Since you have 100% yield for half your class.

Certain schools have ED/EA which have different requirements.

However, my comment with CBS was that looking at the spreadsheets online and the forum post, ED doesn't really help low GPA, low GMAT applicants all that much as opposed to regular applicants.

I see... i think i am in a bit deep with CBS now since i am done with app except the 2nd essay... What school is GT? Is it georgia tech? i think i want to get the EDs in first so i have a "safety net" so maybe:

R1
CBS
Yale
Kellogg
Duke ED
UNC ED

R2
Ross
darden
CMU


also, does it matter if I apply to kellog or booth R1 or R2? Just seems a bit rough with Yale and kellog/booth up there R1...

Since i want to get into a school and Emory seems easier than UNC.. should I go ED emory intead of UNC or i should be *safe* without emory?

GT is georgetown. I am just going off your list.

@wharton there are tons of people with below 670 on their GMATs... albit its mostly white caucasian females..with some other wow factor...

have hope people...GMAT and GPA are important but wont keep you from achieving your goals of getting an admit..just make sure you reflect your accomplishments in the best light and always remember that you are in a horse race..there are several ways to cross the finish line..work hard and achieve big!

GoBruins...huge congrats on Ross...man you made! come down to Philly and we'll celebrate.. I am so happy for you! Shows that leadership is earned the hard way!

for those that got into top schools with low gpa/gmat scores, did you get any scholarships or it is all loans? Just curious since scholarships are merit/app based right?

I only received scholarship money from the non-MBA portion of the joint degree programs to which I applied. Hopefully some other applicants received scholarships with their low GPAs.