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

@threestripe: That is some story dude. U have inspired me so much that i have decided to join this committee just to reply to your post.
Most of all i agree with the last para that you wrote: this is a place for competitive as well as co-operative people who want to help each other. It is good to be a part of this community.
I have some personal questions regarding Fuqua. I will pm you.

Thanks, OjilEye! I'm glad that you bumped this thread up as I hope my story inspires those with less than stellar stats to keep aiming high.

I read through your blog entries, and it seems like you have done a great job digging up valuable information on the MBA application process as well as schools in which you are interested. It also appears that you have gone through some of the peaks and troughs that almost every applicant experiences. And so, I urge you to soldier on.

As for your first question, a lot of things about Fuqua drew me in. The strong global brand, massive alumni network, amazing campus and incredible athletics programs were key factors. The curriculum, student-run clubs and the diversity of the class impressed me as well. However, the biggest contributor to my decision to make Duke my number one choice is the Team Fuqua culture. All schools always talk about the collaborative nature of their programs, but interacting with Fuquans truly made me feel as if I was already a part of the team even before I was accepted to Duke. It is a tight-knit family where everybody absolutely goes out of their way to help each other. Duke was initially just fourth on my list of schools, but after doing my research, I realized that it is the perfect fit for me.

As for your other question, I sincerely apologize for not being able to respond soon enough. According to your most recent blog entry, the infosession occurred a few days ago. It is too late for me to give you some advice specifically for the infosession. And so, I would just like to offer some tips for future inforsessions. When attending these events, make sure that you already know enough about the program so that your questions are not the standard questions that bore the adcom members. Ask them about particular concentrations/classes/clubs/fellowships that are unique to the school and are relevant to your future goals. These adcom representatives will more likely be engaged because they will know that you are genuinely interested in the program. And then, this could lead to them sharing valuable information about the program or offering to connect you with professors/student ambassadors.

I hope I have sufficiently answered your questions. Let me know if you have any others.


Thanks, ninads! I am glad that you have joined the community. I hope you become an active member and inspire others to join as well. In case you have already sent me a message, I would like to let you know that I have not received anything. Please re-send at your earliest convenience as I would like to help out as best I could.

Wow, I lurk on this site all the time, but this post just motivated me to log back in and really focus on my goal of attending b-school. Sometimes this site can be intimidating with the high gpa's and test scores. Sometimes it's nice to hear a story I can relate to! Thank you!

Hi threestripes

I know probably you must be long into a great career after attending b-school almost a decade ago, but discovering this thread has prompted me to log in and simply say that this is one of the most inspiring and down-to-earth application stories I have read on the forum. Personally, I am still at an early stage in my application process, but I think I'll be re-reading this thread a few more times as I go through the grind.

Kudos to you and thank you for inspiring so many others on the way.

P.S. Thanks MBAbot.

Hello from the GMAT Club MBAbot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.