LOW GPA - PROFILE EVALUATION NEEDED !! PLEASE!!

Question

Hi,

I graduated from Texas Christian University (TCU) in May 2009 with a BBA in finance and entrepreneurial management. I graduated with a 2.75 GPA. There is no specific reason for my low GPA. I would say i was not mature enough and i didnt even know i wanted an MBA. Also, english is not my native languague.

After graduating I returned to Panama, my home country, where I started my banking career as a portfolio manager who overseas a fixed income mutual fund with AUM of more than US$275MM. By the time i want to start the MBA (fall 13), i will have 4 years of full time work experience I also enrolled in Law School at ULACIT and I´m expected to graduate in April 2013 with a degree in Law and Political Science (Current GPA: 3.5). Even though this is considered an undergraduate degree in my country, it would be the equivalent of an American JD degree. I am also involved in several organizations suchs as Junior Achivement, where i have been an advisor for the last 3 years.

Additionally i can mention that I am a certified real estate and stock broker / analyst in the Republic of Panama.

I haven´t taken the GMAT yet, but in the practice tests ive taken, i always score around 650. With this score and my profile, can someone please tell me if i have a chance to attend a good MBA?

Dream Schools: NYU, University of Virginia, Notre Dame. Do i have a chance to a better program?
Desired Schools: Babson College, Bentley University, American University.
Suggestions: i need suggestions. should i apply to a particular school with this profile?

Desired concentrations: entrepreneurship, finance, general management. 
Desired career change: go into the "corporate" world (non-financial)

Please find attached my resume for more clarification on my "extracurricular" activies so you can asses the situation.

Thank you for your help!!

bryantmichaels · Answer

You have some interesting profile attributes and even though your academics and GMAT are low for top schools, I think your targets are realistic, especially if you apply across the spectrum. You will need to tighten up your post MBA vision and speak to how your cultural diversity offers a unique perspective. Panama would be considered an under-represented country in most if not all b-schools, so you should leverage this to your advantage. I would say targeting a couple more schools in the 10-25 range would be a good idea, based on where you think you would like to go to school. HB1Visa status will help if you have that.

secerusso · Answer

Bryant,

Thank you for your response!!!

secerusso · Answer

Good afternoon Bryant

I had a couple of questions.

1. Does my transcript from law school represent (for the AdCom) an "alternative" transcript? Are they going to take the GPA from that degree or the one from TCU?
2. Do you recommend any specific schools in the top 25 list that i should apply to? Or do you think i have a better chance to get accepted at a particular school?

Thank you!

bryantmichaels · Answer

They will take and also consider all your transcripts--it all gets figured in. I think your target schools are fine. The key is going somewhere that you think you will fit in with the culture, curriculum and environment of the school. Best way to get a feel for that is to visit, which may not be practical in your case. You might also look at Duke, UNC, Rice, and McDonough at Georgetown.

LOW GPA - PROFILE EVALUATION NEEDED !! PLEASE!!

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