trustmeimanengineer wrote:
Caucasian Male
Age - 23 (now)
Planning to apply for Fall 2017.
GMAT- 710, AW 6.0
Undergrad - University of Oklahoma, BS Industrial Engineering, GPA 3.09
Graduate- University of Oklahoma, MS Industrial and Systems Engineering, GPA 4.0
Work Experience :- 2 years (when I apply, 3 when I will attend) as a Test Engineer for a DOD contractor
note: Working full-time during MS degree (45+hours/week)
Currently writing a thesis over risk management
Extracurriculars : Sports, Volunteering at local Food Shelter, Programs on campus
Schools of Interest:- Harvard, MIT, Columbia, NYU, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Yale, Duke, UCLA
My main concern is my undergraduate GPA and my lackluster school. There were some extenuating circumstances with my family during 2011, during both semesters that caused me to miss pretty much all of my classes and only score a 2.5 and 2.6, pretty much without studying, just showing up to take exams. I know. Sounds weird. It is what it is, and I will write a supplemental essay explaining how my GPA got to where it is. Since I am currently working towards a 4.0 on my MS, does the undergrad still carry as much weight?
I only want to leave my current position for a quality school. Otherwise, why bother leaving?
How can I strengthen my application to top schools? I only need to get into 1, that's why I am apply to all of the top schools.
I think you have an outside chance at these top schools if you apply this year - you may or may not realize this, but being a white engineer in a sea of Asian/Indian engineers will help you to some degree. It's like being a white running back in football. Again, your ethnicity isn't going to be a huge thing, but it's certainly a positive in this circumstance.
What I think you may be misreading is what aspects will impact your candidacy. The biggest hurdle for you now isn't your GPA, but your work experience. Simply put, most engineers have around 5-6 years of experience at these top schools, and it doesn't look like there's anything in your background to compensate for that (you seem to have a solid work history so far, you have some extracurriculars - but so does your competition, AND they have more experience on top of that; the only thing that could compensate for it is something unusual or unique, such as if you were on a football scholarship at OU). Your GPA isn't great, but the good news is that adcoms do account for the fact that engineering programs grade on a much harsher curve than other disciplines - so it's not the deal breaker you think it is. Furthermore, your GPA becomes less of an issue the more work experience you have (as the older you are, your GPA becomes more the ancient past rather than a very recent thing).
Your GMAT is okay but ideally it should be higher given your GMAT and lack of experience. It's not absolutely essential with your current score, but if you are willing to retake it, it may be worth shooting for an additional 20+ points.
Here's what I suggest. If you really want to go, by all means give it a try this year and see what happens. If you get in, great. If you don't, don't be surprised - and then maybe consider reapplying in 2-3 years' time.