The Third Quadrant Applicant: Thread for Low GMAT/GPA Apps

Super helpful points, you are a gem Threestars. Especially loved this pointer:

"Quantify, quantify, quantify! The best way to illustrate your impact to your company’s operations is to let them know how many people you have managed, or the dollar amount that your group earned over a certain time frame, or the percentage of increase in a certain process’s efficiency because you took the initiative to research on how to make things better."

I've been wondering how to show that impact and this makes the most sense.

Thanks, Aximili85. I'm glad that you thought so highly of my essay that you decided to change my name to Threestars.

Please feel free to continue posting here if you have any other questions or concerns.

P.S. I took a 30-second break to post this. Now, it's time to watch the Giants-49ers OT! Let's go Giants!

Threestripes! haha, my apologies for that!

That was a story that touched me. I think you are underplaying your exceptional story telling skills which actually might have been the clincher for you in securing the adcom's approval.
Inspiring stuff. Thanks for sharing.

No worries, buddy! If anything, you made me look more like a superstar with the new name.


Thanks, Anasthaesium. I did mention that I feel that I wrote exceptional essays, so I wouldn't go so far as to say that I underplayed it. Thanks for making me look modest though.

I am sure that there are plenty of better story tellers on these boards. And so, as much as I really do appreciate the kudos (please don't mistake this for me telling you guys to stop giving me kudos because it isn't ), it would be swell if more people started sharing their own stories.

Awesome post threestripes. Normally when i see the post this long, I move on. But for your post, I kept coming back to read more. Really thanks for writing. Inspiring stuff.

threestripes, thank you so much for writing this all out. After staring at the graphs on school app threads, reading the profile evaluations on poetsandquants, and just seeing countless 750/3.8/Ivy profiles, its great to see something like this. Although my gpa is 3.32, its from an unknown school, and I've been fighting with myself over weather to even apply to any top 15s, and just assume that I'm destined for a region school.

This is really coming at a perfect time, as I start to whittle down where to apply for next year, and plan where I'll be dragging the fiancée on road trips for visits. Fuqua is quickly rising up the list, and if the students I interact with on campus are as passionate about the program as you are, I have a feeling it'll also be on top of my list.

Thanks again, so many great tips!

Good luck this fall.

Thanks, jamifahad. That's why I waited a couple of days in between each post. I didn't want to overwhelm the readers with all 5,000+ words at once.


Thanks, highwyre237. It would be awesome if you ended up applying to Fuqua, but regardless of what list you come up with, please keep in mind that you can always come to us for advice.

Good luck!

threestripes,

I am completely inspired by your experience!!!

I, myself, am currently in the third quadrant. I have taken the GMAT once and received a score of 610 (V31/Q44/AWA6.0). My undergraduate GPA was 2.91, with an overall upwards trend and an average GPA of about 3.6 in the last two years. As if that isn't bad enough, I am 30 years old without any significant work experience. I worked a few jobs for a few years right out of high school, then enrolled in college at the age of 25 to complete my BA in Art History. (And yes, this means I do not have classwork completed in business or finance).

I am scheduled to retake the GMAT in May. I'm hoping, praying, crossing my fingers... whatever it takes... that I will score above 700. I'm really going to focus most of my studying on the Verbal, since I did so poorly.

My dream school, at this point, is Marshall (USC) because I don't want to be too disappointed if I were to aim too high. I would even be jumping for joy if I was admitted at Merage (UCI - where I attended undergrad). Honestly though, I would love to go to Fuqua or Tepper. I am just terrified that with my low GPA, low GMAT (which won't be as low after the retake), age, and lack of substantial work experience, I'm just chasing an unattainable dream by trying to pursue an MBA degree.

I hope that next year, at this time, I will have a similar story to share!

Hi elleesie! I know I'm not threestripes, but I am an older applicant with a low GPA (2.7). I'm 31 (will be 32 at matriculation) and was admitted to Kellogg in R1. You can definitely get into the schools you are aiming for. You are on the right track by retaking the GMAT. While a 700+ GMAT will definitely help, it's not the end all and be all. Even if you got a 680 you'd still be in a much improved position.

As for your work experience, thinking quality over quantity. You graduated college later so obviously you won't have the 7-8 years of experience that other 30 year old candidates have. Depending on your employer and professional achievements you might even be stronger than a lot of candidates with more years of experience. I don't know your full story but I do think that you should aim as high as you want. You may get denied or waitlisted at Fuqua or Tepper but you'll definitely never get in if you don't apply.

Hi cheeterah! Congratulations on getting into Kellogg and thank you for your encouragement!!

I have been so inspired by this thread knowing that while I do have an uphill battle ahead of me, getting accepted to a great program isn't impossible. I am not afraid of the hard work I need to put in studying for the GMAT... in fact, I welcome it!

I will own the GMAT... I will apply confidently to great programs... I will get in! (and, I will repeat this mantra to myself, everyday!)

Hi elleesie,

I am glad that this thread has inspired you. This is why I shared my story, and I look forward to reading your story soon.

In my opinion, your GPA and age can definitely be addressed. So long as you focus on the upward trend of your GPA and the 3.6 in the last two years, you should be okay. My upward trend was a 3.1 in my senior year, but I still got in. As for your age, you really just have to be able to explain why you feel you need to go back to school at this stage in your life. You can definitely say that you weren't ready a couple of years ago, so you decided to wait a while so you could gain more experience that would help you contribute more in class now.

As for the GMAT, I absolutely support your decision to retake the test. The great thing about the GMAT's verbal portion is that it can be studied. Don't completely ignore the quant concepts though as I believe that with enough effort, one can get a raw score of at least a 46 in Q. While a two-point increase in the raw score may not sound very impressive, going up to 46 will bring you much closer to the 80th percentile that can convince the Admissions Committee that your lack of quant background should not worry them.

Good luck! Please do let us know if you have any other questions.

Thank you for the advice threestripes! I will definitely try to raise my quant score as well as my verbal. I really need all the points I can get, especially because I will be a very non-traditional applicant, in almost every aspect: age, work experience, low GPA, and hopefully not a low GMAT score.

Hopefully, 3 months of dedicated prep will raise my score to 700+.

three cheers threestripes......u made my day. I would count myself in this forum....though have not cleared GMAT yet, but our stories pre application pretty much matches....ur experience sure energizes me!i feel refreshed to apply this year.cheers

Good luck again! I'm sure you'll do well!


Glad to know that this thread has inspired another person. Wish you all the best as you start this amazing journey!

Threestripes,
This is really a gem of a post. Though our friendly forum is full of great advice, countless GMAT and app strategies, and a whole bunch of supportive people (like you and Cheetarah) - it's also a place where people compare themselves to impossibly high standards and start doubting. Every Ivy+3.8+Miracle Worker makes you wonder if you've got what it takes. Before I was contributing regularly, I was immensely proud of my own GMAT score, now in comparison some of the sheen is gone. I think this type of doubting runs rampant among us high-achieving hyper-anxious applicants.

But then there's your story - focused, results-oriented, and overwhelmingly POSITIVE. I'm glad to see people posting about how they've learned from their experiences (I won't say mistakes) and are setting high goals and then reaching them. All-quadrant applicants can see the value in your story and how easy it must have been for the admissions committee to see what you'd bring to your class.

Congrats on your well-deserved admits and thank you for helping to remind us to let go of all of the comparisons and focus on what we want and how we can contribute.

Very inspirational one. Thanks Threestripes for this wonderful post.