MBA straight from undergrad. How much will senior grades cou

Question

i'm going straight to the mba from undergrad (yes i have sufficient work experience). my question is if i apply in the next couple weeks will the admissions people see and consider the grades from my first semester of the senior year? I know they will ask for the full transcript but will that be only after they make the decision to accept me in which case only a huge drop will matter or will that be part of the admission criteria?

Ludacrispat26 · Answer

I'm in a similar position and would appreciate an answer to this

pf884 · Answer

I'd like an answer as well, and some advice on whether my situation will help or hurt me in admissions.

I left college at 20 and started working professionally (everyone else in my position in the company has a degree, it's systems engineering type work). I went back to college at 24 and am now finishing up at 26. I have a 3.9 GPA since I returned and have continued working in my career, so that should show them my success. I won't graduate until May, though, so I just sent the transcripts that I do have. I used my non-traditional career and college path as a major focus of my essays. I told the story of my growth and new appreciation of the learning environment and how I'm driven to continue my education. I'm just hoping they don't look at me leaving college originally and ding me for it.

method · Answer

fstep: I don't believe they would retract an admissions offer. One, you might have a legal case if you declined admission elsewhere to accept their offer, and two, they know your degree is unfinished and are accepting the risk of a lower GPA by the time you matriculate.

pf884: Your story seems like a plus to me.

pf884: Your story seems like a plus to me.

fstep · Answer

i know they won't retract the admission offer unless i flunk the classes which i won't, my gpa should be lower maybe a very low 3.0 but not that bad. my question was if i request my school to send the transcripts now will the grad school request an updated transcript with this semester's grades before making their decision?

marsilni · Answer

Just wondering, how can you have sufficient work experience if you are coming straight out of undergrad? Did you work full-time before/during school? Do you have your own business?

uprightcitizen · Answer

pf884, I did not go to college right after school. I spent a few years working, then a couple years at community college, then finally finished up a couple months ago. There are also some breaks in schooling over that period (and some poor grades). My last year's GPA was very strong, so I assume that is helping my application.

I haven't received any admits yet obviously (just sent most of them in during the last month), but I did receive an interview invite from HBS (a good sign that my profile is at least competitive). That being said, some schools will not like your path (or mine). Cambridge would not accept an application from me after I inquired on the necessity of "post-graduate" work experience. Kellogg, in comparison, said to make sure that I specify my unique path. It sounds like you've done that already.

It seems to me that an unusual application can both help and hurt you, depending on the school's opinion. I would not make it something you lose sleep over, though; it's out of your control and is part of who you are. If you have a good story and show potential, that may be all you need.

uprightcitizen · Answer

You can go to school at night while working full-time.

jordanhendrix · Answer

Some schools will give conditional offers requiring a certain GPA, its usually low though.

fstep · Answer

i have a business, i left school before my junior year and came back to finish 9 years later while working full time

MBA straight from undergrad. How much will senior grades cou

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