MBA Advice really appreciated! :) (Stanford)

Hi shreya210599,
First, let me congratulate you on having a very competitive GMAT score and a track record of leadership in your extracurricular activities. I also like your work experience at a top investment management firm in Southeast Asia. As a GSB alum, I think your profile looks promising for Stanford. Of course, there are also a lot of factors that the Admissions Committee evaluates.

To answer your questions -

1. While your undergrad GPA is below the average at GSB, I don't think it's necessarily a deal-breaker. If there were any circumstances that affected your grades, do consider explaining them in the optional essay. Beyond that, if you can identify the classes in which you didn't do well, you could take a course to (1) show improvement and (2) prepare yourself for b-school. The key is to find a reputable program that is graded.

2. Most applicants apply to b-school with 3-6 years of full-time work experience under their belt when they apply. The Admissions Committee doesn't look simply at the length of work experience, but more at the impact you have made, and the achievements you have had at work. To decide whether to apply this fall or next fall, it's more important to assess the impact you have made at work.

3. To strengthen your profile, I think addressing your GPA would be helpful as discussed in #1. Also, do continue to show leadership both at work and outside. It looks like you're pretty active in your community outside work. To show leadership at work, if there are leadership or recruiting committees that you can join, that would also help.

If you would like to discuss your profile in more detail, feel free to schedule a 1:1 consultation with us. Wishing you the best in your MBA journey!

Sincerely,
Debbie