I'm really unsure of my candidacy

Question

I have a 710 GMAT

My cumulative undergraduate GPA is a 2.8 (I blame on my poor attitude)

I will be applying with 2.5 years of WE, 3.5 years of WE at starting MBA. Hired on full time from a temp role, analyst level material. I will have great LORs but my overall experience has been a support role rather than a leader role.

I have a very unique life story (.0000001%) of which I think makes up for my GPA (Refreshed my poor attitude, turned my whole life around).

I'm putting together my list of schools to apply to this fall.. I'm looking to be in a real estate concentration.

I'm also planning on retaking the GMAT, shooting for a 730+.

My list of schools:

Penn(Wharton)
Kellogg
Cornell
UCLA
UT Austin
UNC
Vanderbilt
Georgetown
UW
USC
SMU

I really just am unsure of where I lie as a candidate. I truly have a VERY unique life story. I got hired on from a temp role and while I do some management type of tasks, my main role is more supportive.

I just feel as though my WE and GPA are lacking. My life story, I think, helps me here, but I'm unsure as to how much. It really is VERY unique and significant, life struggle etc, but I'm unsure as to how much of a role it will play.

Am I being realistic with these schools?

Thanks.

shaarang · Answer

Not commenting on your candidacy, but I'd like to suggest you reflect to address certain inconsistencies in your profile. For instance, Real Estate isn't typically a feeder industry for MBA schools. So, how will an MBA help  you ? Also, your school selection seems off. SMU and Wharton on the same list? I understand your insecurity but you must surely be sufficiently aware to know whether you're a T-15 applicant or a T-50 applicant. Again, I'm not making any judgments, but right now it seems a bit... all of over the place. If you have a unique story and realistic goals (730 GMAT never hurts), you could articulate it effectively to get an MBA admit, but at this point, I believe you must reflect more on your journey for all this to make sense.

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

I would recommend that you retake the GMAT to make up for the GPA issue.

And that you focus your school list on schools that will give you the opportunity to leverage what you see is your biggest strength, your story. As odd as it might sound you might want to think about Harvard and Stanford because they do allow you to give them your story. Whereas Wharton is about goals and teamwork so would that be a good forum for what you see is your biggest Ace in the Hole?

I would also like to see you cull your school list down to schools that are real estate oriented or rather have something of value to offer you so that you could discuss this with the goals and the why the school question.

Make sure to do the proper research and informational interviews with the people who are doing the job that you want to get.

https://mbaprepcoach.com

D3N0 · Answer

My two cents: AS your experience is not much your GPA will be a factor but you can balance it out with high GMAT score. As you mentioned your work profie you said you got confirmed from temp. how much is temp and how much is permanent? Leadership experience is required not specifically from your work ex but also from your life. you can use that. You can even try getting some leadership experience before your application submission. take more responsibilities at work. Skew your schools a bit. focus on less number of application and submit higher quality apps.

kmck357

I have a 710 GMAT

My cumulative undergraduate GPA is a 2.8 (I blame on my poor attitude)

Am I being realistic with these schools?

Thanks.

I'm really unsure of my candidacy

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