How I cracked HEC Paris and ESSEC with a 645, 3.08 GPA

Question

Hi everyone,
I’ve been a long-time reader and viewer of the GMAT CLUB forum and YouTube channel. I wish to give back to this amazing community now! I was fortunate to receive MiM admits from HEC Paris, ESSEC, and ESCP this cycle with a 645 GMAT and a 3.08 GPA.
I wish to help my fellow members here understand how even without the best academic record one can achieve their dreams.
If anyone has questions about applications, essays, interviews, or how I prepped to improve my GMAT score from a 535 to a 645 too, feel free to reach out to me.
I’ll be more than happy to help and guide you

Also I’m very grateful to every member who has helped me some along the way.

facilisofficia · Answer

Hi Jaival,
Congratulations on your admits to HEC Paris, ESSEC, and ESCP — that’s an amazing achievement 👏
Your journey from a 535 to a 645 is especially motivating. Many applicants here struggle with confidence because of GPA, so your story really shows how strong GMAT improvement, essays, and overall profile strategy can change outcomes.
I had a quick question: during your GMAT prep phase, what was the  single biggest change  that helped you break past the mid-600 plateau — was it mocks analysis, quant fundamentals, or verbal consistency?
Thanks again for giving back to the community and best of luck for MiM ahead!

Edskore · Answer

Congrats, Jaival — this is a genuinely impressive result and exactly the kind of debrief this forum needs more of. A 110-point GMAT improvement alongside three MiM admits at top European programs says a lot about how you managed the full picture, not just the test.

One thing worth highlighting for others reading this: your trajectory from 535 to 645 is arguably more convincing to adcoms than someone who started at 620 and stayed there. It shows self-awareness, work ethic, and adaptability — traits that matter in an MBA classroom. European programs like HEC and ESSEC also tend to evaluate the full profile more holistically than some US programs, so a strong application narrative can genuinely offset a lower GPA or score.

For anyone in a similar boat — sub-650 GMAT, below-3.5 GPA — this post is proof that targeting the right schools and building a compelling story around your growth matters enormously. Would love to hear more about how you approached the essays, Jaival. Looking forward to your follow-up posts!

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi Jaival

Congrats! on your admit achievement and thank you for offering your help to the fellow members.

Wish you best of luck!

EssiaC · Answer

Hi Jaival,
First of all, congratulations on your admits! It's genuinely inspiring to see your journey, especially how you secured admits to HEC Paris, ESSEC, and ESCP despite not having what many would call a "perfect" academic profile.
I'm currently in the same position you were once in - working on my applications and trying to put together the strongest possible profile. Because of that, hearing from someone who's been through the process would genuinely mean a lot to me.
I wanted to ask about your SOPs and LORs because I feel they must have played a huge role in helping your application stand out. I also think your work experience added a lot of value to your profile.
If you're comfortable sharing, I'd love to know:
 
 Did you write your SOPs entirely by yourself, or did you work with a consultant or mentor to refine them? 
 How did you approach your recommenders for your LORs? 
 If you're open to it, would you be willing to share your SOPs and, if possible, the LORs (or even the drafts/guidance you provided to your recommenders)? I'd only use them as a reference to understand how strong applications are structured and to draw inspiration while writing my own.  
I'd really appreciate any insights you can share. It would honestly mean a lot to someone who's currently walking the same path you once did. Thanks in advance, and thank you as well for giving back to the community!

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How I cracked HEC Paris and ESSEC with a 645, 3.08 GPA

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