Applying to AACSB accredited B-School MBA with a felony

Question

Hello,

I hope to receive an abundant amount of honest feedback from capable people. Thank you in advance for reading.

In 11/2010 I was charged with Marijuana drug charge in AZ. 3/16/2012 I was convicted of  Felony Six Undesignated for Facilitation to Transport Marijuana .  Undesignated  means AZ courts will downgrade the felony charge to a misdemeanor. I also have the option to set aside the downgraded misdemeanor charge and the charge will be communicated as dismissed on my public record. Sounds like a good deal and it is fine, but now I am applying for MBA online. I am required on all MBA Graduate Admission Applications to divulge my felony conviction.  How will this felony effect my chances of being accepted in competitive AACSB Online MBA B-schools?

(My top Online MBA choices include Mississippi State U, South Dakota U, Jacksonville State, Shippensburg U, Frostburg U, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Sam Houston State University, Southeast Missouri State, Kennesaw State University. I like these schools for their affordability and high rankings from several online indicators. Their not the best but still respectable.)

My undergraduate GPA 2.76, I am aiming for a 600 GMAT score, I have good recommendations from highly educated successful people I have worked with, I have worked in sales and business related jobs for 10 plus years, and I plan to write excellent essays. One of my essays I will discuss the charge in a compelling display of motivation.  My hope is that the latter application details along with the felony will be acceptable.

highwyre237 · Answer

As long as you spin it into a story of how you grew, I think you should be alright. This may be a different story with some FT programs, but I think with the list of schools you have, you should be ok... I'm only guessing here of course, but I doubt transporting or possession will keep you out of an online program (selling could be a different story). Good luck!

bmesa · Answer

Thanks for taking the time to offer your guidance. I sure hope I will be okay. I am going to study, pay for GMAT, write essays, pay several app fees. One other problem I have is I have unpaid balance at my undergraduate school so therefore they will not release my official transcripts. I will be sending my unofficial transcripts and hopefully ai will be admitted provisionally until I can pay the old fine with my financial aid refund money.

Do you think my inability to obtain official transcripts will hurt my application?

bartthecartoon · Answer

I think that any accredited MBA program might let you apply with unofficial transcripts, but wouldn't let you actually start taking courses until they got official ones.

bmesa · Answer

I hope they will allow me into the program with unofficial transcripts. The thing about obtaining unofficial transcripts before the first class is I will be relying on my Financial Aid Refund to pay my unpaid balance at ASU. The Financial Aid Refund usually is not disbursed into several weeks after the first coursework of the semester begins. I talked to Mississippi State U and they claimed they would allow me into the school so long as I obtained the official transcripts within the first few classes or at least by graduation. We will see. Thanks for your reply.

rjkaufman21 · Answer

Since your felony was pretty recent, you will need to explain it, and like highwyre said, make sure you talk about how you've grown or what you learned in the optional essay section. If you can get it dismissed or dropped to a misdemeanor that would be ideal. That being said, I wouldn't think that for an online program it would be that big of a deal. I'd guess that for the online schools that you listed will take pretty much anyone who can pay the tuition. That's just my guess.

Now not having official transcripts could be a problem. Did ASU even let you graduate with an outstanding balance? I would try to get that taken care of immediately.

Now not having official transcripts could be a problem. Did ASU even let you graduate with an outstanding balance? I would try to get that taken care of immediately.

bmesa · Answer

ASU did let me partake in Graduation ceremonies, and ASU has conferred my undergraduate degree via unofficial transcripts or by phone call, but they will not release my official transcripts or the hard copy of my Bachelors Degree until past due balance is paid.

I would like to take care of my owed balance at ASU, but I am experiencing financial hardship. My plan is to hopefully be admitted into a graduate program then use my Financial Aid Loans Refund sum to cover past due balance at ASU.

Applying to AACSB accredited B-School MBA with a felony

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