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obeysel
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760 gmat, 3.16 gpa from ivy 23 Jun 2015, 04:59
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hi all,

I just took my gmat test, and I'm fairly happy with the result (q49 v44); it's more or less what I got in gmat prep tests.

however, my low gpa of 3.16 (albeit with a *slightly* upward trend - last 2 years was ~3.3) is a problem. I studied quite a bit for the gmat to offset it, but I want to understand just how much of a problem it would still be. I won't apply to stanford/hbs (which would only be a waste of time for me :)), but I'm thinking about booth/columbia/sloan level - would that be realistic? the company I work for is fairly well known, I'm 29, etc., so I don't think there are any other dealbreakers.

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760 gmat, 3.16 gpa from ivy 23 Jun 2015, 05:06
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It sounds like you've got a lot of other great qualities and aspects of your application to help offset the lowish GPA. Keep in mind the adcoms consider the difficulty of your major and your school when they look at it.

Personally I think you're in a pretty good spot as long as you can come up with some excellent essays and do well in the interviews.

P.S. I'm gonna move this to the ask admissions experts forum. You'll probably get more/better responses there.
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760 gmat, 3.16 gpa from ivy 24 Jun 2015, 01:11
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obeysel
hi all,

I just took my gmat test, and I'm fairly happy with the result (q49 v44); it's more or less what I got in gmat prep tests.

however, my low gpa of 3.16 (albeit with a *slightly* upward trend - last 2 years was ~3.3) is a problem. I studied quite a bit for the gmat to offset it, but I want to understand just how much of a problem it would still be. I won't apply to stanford/hbs (which would only be a waste of time for me :)), but I'm thinking about booth/columbia/sloan level - would that be realistic? the company I work for is fairly well known, I'm 29, etc., so I don't think there are any other dealbreakers.

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Hi,

You have a great GMAT score and this with the Ivy name should help underplay the low GPA. Here are some suggestions that can help. Use them based on your situation.

1. Address the upward trend in the undergrad marks. If there is a valid reason for the lower grades, then explain that in the optional essay.
2. Your recommenders can speak to your quant/ analytical capabilities. A good GMAT score also points towards this.
3. Use examples in your essays that show your analytical capabilities.
4. Your resume should show impact at work. I guess you are about 4-5 years into your career so let your work speak of your capabilities louder than the GPA.ored
5. If you have done any quant courses / certifications and scored (well) in them, include them in your application. If you have the time to do something about it now, then that's an option as well.
6. Having an otherwise well rounded application will also help to mitigate the low GPA.
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760 gmat, 3.16 gpa from ivy 24 Jun 2015, 08:43
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What else can you tell us? Demographics? Work ex? Involvement? I mean, a 3.16 could sink your application if the rest of your profile is weak. Or it could turn out to be not an issue if you're a rock star? Nothing gets assessed in a vacuum. So what else do you bring to the table?

PS - awesome GMAT score! Congratulations!
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760 gmat, 3.16 gpa from ivy 24 Jun 2015, 12:00
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obeysel
hi all,

I just took my gmat test, and I'm fairly happy with the result (q49 v44); it's more or less what I got in gmat prep tests.

however, my low gpa of 3.16 (albeit with a *slightly* upward trend - last 2 years was ~3.3) is a problem. I studied quite a bit for the gmat to offset it, but I want to understand just how much of a problem it would still be. I won't apply to stanford/hbs (which would only be a waste of time for me :)), but I'm thinking about booth/columbia/sloan level - would that be realistic? the company I work for is fairly well known, I'm 29, etc., so I don't think there are any other dealbreakers.

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Yes, gpa has become more important than it was 5 years ago, but you are still in the running. But nobody could fairly evaluate your chances with the limited info you have provided. We don't know how your work has progressed/promotions and where you are working. We don't know what extra curriculars you have done at school and post grad.
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760 gmat, 3.16 gpa from ivy 25 Jun 2015, 14:19
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Congrats on a great GMAT score! Any higher than that and it likely wouldn't have been worth your extra time studying to get there. In terms of the GPA, as mentioned above it really depends but overall I would not worry about it too much. Your GMAT shows your academic ability and now it comes down to everything else which will be more important than the GPA. That said, provide some additional info for a better evaluation. Feel free to post here or contact me directly if any of this is sensitive and I would be happy to give you specific advice: scott@personalmbacoach.com

- Where did you go for undergrad?
- What do you do for work? Both company / title
- How has your career progressed? Would you rate yourself far above your peers ie. top 5%, top 25%, top 50%?
- Leadership experiences at work? Outside of work?
- Demographic info

While your age won't make it impossible to get in, it will work against you for two year full-time programs as you are above the average.