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In need of assistance regarding my MBA path....

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hfbamafan
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In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink] New post   05 Feb 2014, 02:48
Quick Facts:
College: University of Alabama
Bachelors: Accounting
GPA: 2.4 Something
Age: 29
Work History:

2008-2011
Upon graduating from college I worked for a hospice in Georgia for four years. I started as an accountant/bookkeeper, made the CFO extremely happy by assisting in extremely aggressive cost cutting techniques. In 2009 I received a title change to Senior Accountant, and I took on a multitude of other responsibilities including IT and other tasks. In my third year I was promoted to Controller where I was in charge of compiling the un-audited financial packages to the CFO/CEO and the Board of Directors, as well as all other necessary tasks associated with the title. In my final 10 months I initiated and managed our first ever external audit of our financial statements. And finally, throughout my last 6 months I played a pivotal role in the sale of the company to outside venture capitalists.

And then I was laid off......

I was out of work for a majority of 2012, and was deeply saddened and depressed throughout most of the year.

Starting in 2013 I started working as an accountant for a Fortune 50 company where it is exceedingly difficult to gain any type of management experience, or gain any rapid promotions. Plus, it does not help that my boss is not willing to write me a letter of recommendation because we have not worked together long enough.

To make a long story short, I do not want to work in accounting for the rest of my life. As of right now it is nothing more than a paycheck to pay the bills.

I currently reside in the energy capital of the world, and throughout the past several years I have become deeply passionate about the oil/gas industry and corporate finance.

I have kept putting off taking the GMAT throughout the course of this year due to fear of failure, again, but I am bound and determined to score +680 because I know that is what it will take in order to overcome my terribly weak GPA.

I am putting a lot of this effort to get into my dream school, which is, Rice University.

Since I am going on 30 would it be a good idea for me to go on a full time program? Or should I stick to a professional MBA.
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fergsonfire
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GPA: 2.47
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Re: In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink] New post   05 Feb 2014, 07:22
I wish you the best of luck. Overcoming a GPA like that from a state school without management experience will be very difficult, but it is doable. Do not be discouraged if your top choice does not work out. If an MBA is what you want and will give you the chance to change your career then by all means stop being afraid and get to work. Confidence, drive, and work ethic will get you everywhere in life.
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Re: In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink] New post   05 Feb 2014, 09:35
I think that even if you were to get 700+ it wouldn't be enough to overcome such a low gpa, even if you went to a top university, a 2.4 GPA shows that you barely tried. I know people who got over 700 on the gmat and had a 2.7 GPA and got denied admission.

With that said the best thing for you would be to go to recruiting events and get to know the adcoms so they know your story. You have to have solid essays and write a compelling story as to why an MBA would help you. Not being in accounting isn't a great reason alone.

Also take some classes at a community college to boost that GPA, even 3-4 classes with an A will put you in the right direction. If you don't have time, then make time, that is your best shot.

Sorry to sound harsh, but if I were in your situation those are the things I would do.

If you do them, it shows adcoms that you are committed, good luck!
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hfbamafan
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Re: In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink] New post   05 Feb 2014, 09:47
ipaq101 wrote:
I think that even if you were to get 700+ it wouldn't be enough to overcome such a low gpa, even if you went to a top university, a 2.4 GPA shows that you barely tried. I know people who got over 700 on the gmat and had a 2.7 GPA and got denied admission.

With that said the best thing for you would be to go to recruiting events and get to know the adcoms so they know your story. You have to have solid essays and write a compelling story as to why an MBA would help you. Not being in accounting isn't a great reason alone.

Also take some classes at a community college to boost that GPA, even 3-4 classes with an A will put you in the right direction. If you don't have time, then make time, that is your best shot.

Sorry to sound harsh, but if I were in your situation those are the things I would do.

If you do them, it shows adcoms that you are committed, good luck!


But there are people that have just a slightly better GPA and were admitted to McCombs.

Im sorry but college was a very long time ago, and one semester of a .57 GPA made it nearly impossible to get anything above what I got. And that was one freaking semester.
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Re: In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink] New post   05 Feb 2014, 14:08
Expert Reply
You can overcome the low GPA and there are threads dedicated to that (here is one example: low-gpa-what-you-can-do-144002.html

The reality is that you will have to do an extra step as compared to someone with a 3.5 (average for top 20)
1. Explain why you had it a low GPA and why that is not you today
2. Demonstrate why it is not you today

P.S. The reason GPA is important is that it is a long-run projection of your performance. It is possible to fake essays, LOR's, and even prep for an interview, but faking GPA is not easy and it reflects the "true" though outdated nature of the invidual.

You can do it but will take 2 extra steps. Other suggestions were good as well. I have not thought about coming out and meeting the adcom and establishing a relationship - that's a good idea. I would also run your plan for "fixing" your low GPA by them and ask them if that has validity for them and if they would have any other recommendations.
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hfbamafan
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Re: In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink] New post   05 Feb 2014, 17:15
Yea, I have been thinking about taking a couple classes through California's online program.

And I was always planning to write an extra essay to at least elaborate on my low gpa.

I am going to an event at Rice in a couple of weeks.

Past always comes bacteria to haunt you, does it not.
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Re: In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink] New post   05 Feb 2014, 23:03
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hfbamafan wrote:
Yea, I have been thinking about taking a couple classes through California's online program.

And I was always planning to write an extra essay to at least elaborate on my low gpa.

I am going to an event at Rice in a couple of weeks.

Past always comes bacteria to haunt you, does it not.



Rice has a great program! You should definitely stop by and show your commitment. As to the past - it depends. Slightly different perspective here - It seems that a certain amount of "blood" or payment is required by life. You can pay it right away or it will haunt you to collect it later with interest ;-)
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Re: In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink] New post   06 Feb 2014, 14:33
hfbamafan wrote:
ipaq101 wrote:
I think that even if you were to get 700+ it wouldn't be enough to overcome such a low gpa, even if you went to a top university, a 2.4 GPA shows that you barely tried. I know people who got over 700 on the gmat and had a 2.7 GPA and got denied admission.

With that said the best thing for you would be to go to recruiting events and get to know the adcoms so they know your story. You have to have solid essays and write a compelling story as to why an MBA would help you. Not being in accounting isn't a great reason alone.

Also take some classes at a community college to boost that GPA, even 3-4 classes with an A will put you in the right direction. If you don't have time, then make time, that is your best shot.

Sorry to sound harsh, but if I were in your situation those are the things I would do.

If you do them, it shows adcoms that you are committed, good luck!


But there are people that have just a slightly better GPA and were admitted to McCombs.

Im sorry but college was a very long time ago, and one semester of a .57 GPA made it nearly impossible to get anything above what I got. And that was one freaking semester.


I hear you, I wish I would have done some things differently too. The reason I suggested taking additional classes is because it at least shows the adcoms that you are making an effort, similar to when your get a bad gmat score once and take it again (even if you improve slightly), it shows that you made an effort to improve.

Wish you the best of luck!
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Re: In need of assistance regarding my MBA path.... [#permalink]
06 Feb 2014, 14:33

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