Manager
Joined: 20 May 2012
Posts: 82
Given Kudos: 0
Detail: MBA admissions help
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Strategy
Schools: Northwestern (Kellogg) - Class of 2000
GPA: 3.9
Re: Uphill Battle to Top MBA (Poor GPA)
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18 Jun 2012, 05:32
hey venividi...you're right in that your UGPA is a high priority and it's often times difficult to overcome a low GPA. if i were still on the adcom, here's how I might have looked at your situation:
+ while the absolute UGPA is most important, the trajectory is also important. the fact that your grades improved over time is very positive.
+ if you really did go to a "top northeast school", that will also play a part. in particular, if the school is known for hard grading, etc.
+ your post-grad grades will def help you. i doubt anyone will hand count the # of credit hrs, but it's def a good sign and even more positive since you took some quant classes.
- going for you MSW, then moving to accounting, then going to finance feels like it's all over the place. you'll get dinged on focus.
- overall, a low number is a low number and there's not a lot you can do
IMO, there are some schools that don't give a break to candds like you who had just a bad couple of years and then turned things around. schools like H or S are very harsh in this respect (from what I've observed). there are other places, however, that aren't as focused on that, and are more concerned with career progress, focus, and other skills, such as kellogg, tuck, etc.
while you're focused on your UGPA with this post, my advice is to also be just as focused on your career story. it feels a bit disjointed, so you'll want to make sure it's plenty tight by the time you apply.
hope that's helpful,
-james young