Last visit was: 28 Apr 2026, 02:52

It is currently 28 Apr 2026, 02:52

Toolkit

Practice Tests

Business School and MBA

MBA Archive

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Back to Forum

Create Topic

Feb 21 Chat with UCI Paul Merage School of Business admissions

1 2 3

Nikhil

Current Student

Joined: 22 May 2017

Last visit: 26 Apr 2026

Posts: 13,440

Own Kudos:

10,105

Given Kudos: 3,345

Affiliations: GMATClub

GPA: 3.4

Products:

Posts: 13,440

Kudos: 10,105

17 Feb 2022, 00:40

Kudos

Bookmarks

Ask Us Anything. Live Chat with UCI Paul Merage School of Business Admission Directors and students.

Monday, Feb 21, 2022 8 AM Pacific | 11 AM EST | 9:30 PM IST
Add this event to your Google calendar

Signup to get email reminder of this chat.

Join Link: mchat.php
Event Description:
This online chat will provide all of the insider tips and advice you need to help you prepare to submit your best application!

------------------------------------ Panelist details ------------------------------------

Levi Eastwood - Director, Marketing & Communications
Melanie Coburn - Director of Admissions

Archived Merage Discussion

Hi there,

You've stumbled upon an old discussion from our Merage Forum that's now outdated and has been archived. No more replies are possible here.

Interested in current discussions? Feel free to dive into our dedicated Merage Forum for all fresh things related to the Merage MBA program.

Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!

Nikhil

Current Student

Joined: 22 May 2017

Last visit: 26 Apr 2026

Posts: 13,440

Own Kudos:

10,105

Given Kudos: 3,345

Affiliations: GMATClub

GPA: 3.4

Products:

Posts: 13,440

Kudos: 10,105

Updated on: 21 Feb 2022, 09:01

Originally posted by Nikhil on 21 Feb 2022, 08:55.
Last edited by Nikhil on 21 Feb 2022, 09:01, edited 3 times in total.

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi everyone, we will start the live chat session with the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business adcom and students at 8 AM PST | 9:30 PM IST.

We will start the chat session in about 5 minutes!

Hi Everyone, Welcome to the chat session.

We have UC Irvine adcom and students with us in this chat today.

Welcome, Levi and Harshita. Thanks for joining us. Can you introduce yourself for our audience?

harshitauci

Current Student

Joined: 18 Feb 2022

Last visit: 06 May 2022

Posts: 15

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Location: India

Posts: 15

Kudos: 1

21 Feb 2022, 09:01

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hello everyone, thank you for joining us today! I am Harshita Pal, a first-year full-time MBA student at Merage. I come with 8 years of experience in the technology industry, mainly in the FinTech and e-commerce and plan to pursue Product Management after my graduation. Happy to be here to answer your queries and share insights about the school!

Nikhil

Current Student

Joined: 22 May 2017

Last visit: 26 Apr 2026

Posts: 13,440

Own Kudos:

10,105

Given Kudos: 3,345

Affiliations: GMATClub

GPA: 3.4

Products:

Posts: 13,440

Kudos: 10,105

Updated on: 21 Feb 2022, 09:04

Originally posted by Nikhil on 21 Feb 2022, 09:02.
Last edited by Nikhil on 21 Feb 2022, 09:04, edited 2 times in total.

Kudos

Bookmarks

Thank you harshitauci, for joining us today.

Everyone, if you have any questions about UC Irvine, you can send them in.

harshitauci, Do we have some from the admissions committee as well today?

I have a few questions that we have received from the signup form.

I will send them in.

harshitauci

Current Student

Joined: 18 Feb 2022

Last visit: 06 May 2022

Posts: 15

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Location: India

Posts: 15

Kudos: 1

21 Feb 2022, 09:05

Kudos

Bookmarks

Nikhil

I will send them in.

Sure

Nikhil

Current Student

Joined: 22 May 2017

Last visit: 26 Apr 2026

Posts: 13,440

Own Kudos:

10,105

Given Kudos: 3,345

Affiliations: GMATClub

GPA: 3.4

Products:

Posts: 13,440

Kudos: 10,105

21 Feb 2022, 09:05

Kudos

Bookmarks

A question from the sign up form: How many of the class consists of people with GMAT waiver?

anon192837

Joined: 19 Nov 2018

Last visit: 11 May 2023

Posts: 40

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 6

Location: United States

GPA: 3.67

WE:Engineering (Computer Software)

Posts: 40

Kudos: 24

21 Feb 2022, 09:07

Kudos

Bookmarks

Is MBA stem credited?

harshitauci

Current Student

Joined: 18 Feb 2022

Last visit: 06 May 2022

Posts: 15

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Location: India

Posts: 15

Kudos: 1

21 Feb 2022, 09:08

Kudos

Bookmarks

Nikhil

A question from the sign up form: How many of the class consists of people with GMAT waiver?

Only 10% of my class waived GMAT but that was during phase 2 of covid. The GMAT waiver was previously applicable only to domestic students and is now extended to internationals as well. However, admission committee encourages students to take GMAT as it helps with financial aid.

anon192837

Is MBA stem credited?

Yes

Nikhil

Current Student

Joined: 22 May 2017

Last visit: 26 Apr 2026

Posts: 13,440

Own Kudos:

10,105

Given Kudos: 3,345

Affiliations: GMATClub

GPA: 3.4

Products:

Posts: 13,440

Kudos: 10,105

Updated on: 21 Feb 2022, 09:09

Originally posted by Nikhil on 21 Feb 2022, 09:08.
Last edited by Nikhil on 21 Feb 2022, 09:09, edited 1 time in total.

Kudos

Bookmarks

As an international applicant, can I apply still for fall 2022 intake ?

Nikhil

As an international applicant, can I apply still for fall 2022 intake ?

From the sign up sheet.

harshitauci

Current Student

Joined: 18 Feb 2022

Last visit: 06 May 2022

Posts: 15

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Location: India

Posts: 15

Kudos: 1

21 Feb 2022, 09:09

Kudos

Bookmarks

Nikhil

As an international applicant, can I apply still for fall 2022 intake ?

I’d suggest against it. The class is almost filled for international students.

anon192837

Joined: 19 Nov 2018

Last visit: 11 May 2023

Posts: 40

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 6

Location: United States

GPA: 3.67

WE:Engineering (Computer Software)

Posts: 40

Kudos: 24

21 Feb 2022, 09:10

Kudos

Bookmarks

What proportion of the cohort receives a grant/scholarship?

harshitauci

Current Student

Joined: 18 Feb 2022

Last visit: 06 May 2022

Posts: 15

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Location: India

Posts: 15

Kudos: 1

Updated on: 21 Feb 2022, 09:11

Originally posted by harshitauci on 21 Feb 2022, 09:10.
Last edited by harshitauci on 21 Feb 2022, 09:11, edited 1 time in total.

Kudos

Bookmarks

But if you feel you have an exceptional profile, please go ahead.

anon192837

What proportion of the cohort receives a grant/scholarship?

It is case by case. But, Merage is very generous with the scholarship and most of the admitted students get it.

aryangmat

Joined: 14 Mar 2021

Last visit: 19 Dec 2022

Posts: 30

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 45

Location: India

GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V36 Verified score

Posts: 30

Kudos: 4

21 Feb 2022, 09:12

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi! As an international with very low gpa, how can I mitigate it? Except with a good gmat is there any coursework that helps?

Nikki4221

Current Student

Joined: 03 May 2018

Last visit: 24 May 2022

Posts: 19

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 8

Location: India

Schools: WashU Olin '24 (A)

GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V34 Verified score

GPA: 3.7

Schools: WashU Olin '24 (A)

GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V34 Verified score

Posts: 19

Kudos: 6

21 Feb 2022, 09:12

Kudos

Bookmarks

Can you throw some light on the kind of financial aid someone with a 670 GMAT female candidate can expect?

harshitauci

Current Student

Joined: 18 Feb 2022

Last visit: 06 May 2022

Posts: 15

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Location: India

Posts: 15

Kudos: 1

Updated on: 21 Feb 2022, 09:16

Originally posted by harshitauci on 21 Feb 2022, 09:14.
Last edited by harshitauci on 21 Feb 2022, 09:16, edited 1 time in total.

Kudos

Bookmarks

aryangmat

Hi! As an international with very low gpa, how can I mitigate it? Except with a good gmat is there any coursework that helps?

Undergrad GPA is used by the admission committee to gauge your academic performance. But it can be mitigated with GMAT and good work experience. Good recommendations are very helpful in such cases. Once you are in the b-school, no one really looks at your undergrad GPA. You won’t need any coursework for it.

Nikki4221

Can you throw some light on the kind of financial aid someone with a 670 GMAT female candidate can expect?

GMAT is only one of the parameters that is considered while evaluating the aid. Your work experience plays a major role. I have seen people getting a 50% scholarship and more with that score.

anon192837

Joined: 19 Nov 2018

Last visit: 11 May 2023

Posts: 40

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 6

Location: United States

GPA: 3.67

WE:Engineering (Computer Software)

Posts: 40

Kudos: 24

21 Feb 2022, 09:18

Kudos

Bookmarks

Is it possible to come into the program with a specific career path in mind, but later switch, such as from marketing to investment banking for example?

harshitauci

Current Student

Joined: 18 Feb 2022

Last visit: 06 May 2022

Posts: 15

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Location: India

Posts: 15

Kudos: 1

21 Feb 2022, 09:21

Kudos

Bookmarks

anon192837

Is it possible to come into the program with a specific career path in mind, but later switch, such as from marketing to investment banking for example?

Absolutely! The admission committee understands that some students are still trying to find their calling and most of the experiences within the school are also identifying your best fit. A lot of students realize that some other industry/function interests them and change their goals while in the program. In fact, the career team will help you with this transition.