Profile Evaluation Request

Question

Hi All,

Just want to thank you all in advance for evaluating my profile - looking forward to hearing anyone's and everyone's perspective.

- 25-29 year old male in Toronto
- BComm. with finance specialization from a non-target Ontario university; crappy GPA because I didn't take school seriously (I know I'm an idiot for doing that); CGPA is 2.19, last 2 years is 2.26, and final year is 2.64
- Worked my butt off for the next 5 years of my life; accumulating work experience as described in the next bullet
- 5 years total work experience; including 3 years as an investment banking analyst at a Toronto boutique shop and 2 years working in the corporate strategy group at a large north american real estate private equity firm
- Have not attempted the GMAT yet, but would be open to suggestions on how high I need to score based on my crappy GPA and work experience

Looking to apply to Ivey, Schulich, Rotman, Queen's...

Happy to provide more info if needed! Thanks again!

GeneralEducation · Answer

Hi there,

You have an average profile with average academics. Your work experience is good enough to get into B-Schools you have mentioned above. The list of B-Schools you have listed are good ranked B-Schools in Canada. Based on your profile, you have fair chances of getting admission in B-Schools like Ivey, Schulich, Rotman, Queen's, but you need to submit a strong application. I would strongly suggest you to take some professional help for your essays to make your application strong. And also suggest you to target 700+ GMAT Score to get into above mentioned B-Schools.

You may also gauge your chances of getting admission to top business school by trying this amazing tool  https://bit.ly/1C9o2Md

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

I will guess that you are 27 based on your five years of experience. The 25-29 is a bit of a range and the four year difference could have an impact, i.e. harder at 29 to get in. Given your low GPA you will really want to do as well as you can in the GMAT and target the low 700s at a minimum.

What else have you done outside of work? What is your background? Your uniqueness which could come across in various forms may counteract the lower GPA to some extent. Are you restricted to those geographies and schools?

Good luck!

ARINGO · Answer

Hey Freshnoodles,

I'm Zooey from Aringo. From our experience at Aringo consulting, applicants with below average GPAs can compensate for their grades with their GMAT scores or by highlighting their work experience, which in your case is definitely an option, as well as other qualities that set them apart. You can emphasize quantitative achievements at work as well as any business related skills you possess (analytical, leadership etc). As you’ve said, you haven’t yet taken the GMAT, but Aringo specializes in helping clients with scores below 720 get accepted to their choice schools. A great GMAT score will obviously improve your chances, but about 70 to 80 percent of your chances for acceptance relies on other aspects of the application and even top schools like to focus a good chunk of the admissions process on the distinct qualities of the applicant and what he/she can contribute as an individual. A unique profile can make all the difference and so knowing how to make yourself stand out is key.

I welcome you to try our “Admissions Chances Calculator” (https://www.aringo.com/MBA_admission_cha ... ulator.htm), browse our website, and email Chrissy, our CEO, at Chrissym@aringo.com, to set up a free assessment (with no attached commitments) and to begin shaping an attractive and individualized profile.

Best of luck,
Zooey

CriticalSquare · Answer

Hi there! Thanks for sharing your background. While your GPA is certainly a weak spot, you can overcome this with a stellar GMAT. I’m going to go ahead and assume that you’re in the middle of the provided age range and that you’ve got some decent involvement and extracurriculars. With that said, your work experience is strong, but that just means you’ll be compared to other bankers/strategists. So, for the schools you listed you’ll want to flex your analytical skills with a GMAT in the 700+ range. In addition, your application should definitely address your GPA to a certain extent, so you’ll want to carefully think about how to do that. If this is something you have questions about, we can help you think about and structure this portion of your application.

Best of luck on your GMAT!

Bhavik

Best of luck on your GMAT!

Bhavik

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