B school entrance with poor gpa but good qualifications

So I am one-year into an entry level analyst position with Deloitte (started right after graduating from CU Denver), considering options for MBA. Here is the issue, I have a really poor GPA (2.9). However, I do have pretty good qualifications; 780 GMAT, passed all 3 CFA tests on first attempt, mensa member, fluent in spanish/russian/french, work/study experience in China, Peru and France, top 1% on ACT's for reading/writing, plus Deloitte experience.
I love management consulting and would like to stay here. My impression is that an MBA from a school outside the top 20 or even top 10 is a waste of time, or at least I could find a more productive way to spend 2 years and $100,000.
Here is the question: Does anyone think I may still have a shot at a top 20? If not, what should I do, keeping in mind I want to do everything possible to continue in management consulting, at least stay with Deloitte or possibly move up the ladder. Is this a feasible goal?

 

Yeah right!

"I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature."
 

How did your GPA turn to worse than shit?

"I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature."
 

I had around a 3.7 but two very, very bad semesters, when I was studying for the CFA and doing the job search thing my senior year, which is when I unwisely chose to take all my upper-division econ courses.

 
kkh611:

I had around a 3.7 but two very, very bad semesters, when I was studying for the CFA and doing the job search thing my senior year, which is when I unwisely chose to take all my upper-division econ courses.

You went from a 3.7 to a 2.9 in two semesters? You either didn't have many credits making up the 3.7 or you got lots of D-'s all at once. Sorry, don't mean to gawk, but yikes.

 
Best Response
kkh611:

So I am one-year into an entry level analyst position with Deloitte (started right after graduating from CU Denver), considering options for MBA. Here is the issue, I have a really poor GPA (2.9). However, I do have pretty good qualifications; 780 GMAT, passed all 3 CFA tests on first attempt, mensa member, fluent in spanish/russian/french, work/study experience in China, Peru and France, top 1% on ACT's for reading/writing, plus Deloitte experience.
I love management consulting and would like to stay here. My impression is that an MBA from a school outside the top 20 or even top 10 is a waste of time, or at least I could find a more productive way to spend 2 years and $100,000.
Here is the question: Does anyone think I may still have a shot at a top 20? If not, what should I do, keeping in mind I want to do everything possible to continue in management consulting, at least stay with Deloitte or possibly move up the ladder. Is this a feasible goal?

Sounds vaguely troll-y, but given the specific nature of your post I'm going to just assume you're a pretty interesting person.

Likely all you'd have to do is add some charity/volunteer/other E.C to your resume and you'd even have a shot at HWS. I'm pretty sure that with a 780 GMAT, top standardized scores, and CFA they will disregard your GPA entirely.

They only care about GPA as a baseline measure to eliminate lazy and stupid people. You're obviously neither, so you should be fine.

 

Not trolling unfortunately, not sure why it comes off that way. And yes, I had a 1.9 average, but I took 17 credits the 1rst semester and 19 the second, and the bulk of my major classes (overall GPA is around a 3.3 but major GPA is lower, which based on what I know is what counts, correct?) Add that in with the fact that 4 other semesters I took all my classes pass/fail (was studying abroad, taking pass/fail is your only option, and took courses online so I could travel), plus I had about a semesters worth of AP courses, so only about half my credits factor into GPA, 2 bad semesters more than enough to tank it. I honestly can't believe I am the only person with decent qualifications who messed up in school, don't think its as uncommon as you make it out to be. I'm a long ways from a genius, the only reason I accomplished a lot of that stuff is because I put as little effort into school as possible and focused on other things. Don't see why this is so hard to believe

 

the 2.9 is going to kill you because schools aren't going to want anything that will drag down the averages. I reviewed a bunch of resumes for people applying for IBD internships at Booth and I don't think I saw anything below around a 3.5. Not to say that the school doesn't admit people with bad GPAs but recruiters will absolutely ask you what happened and you'll need a way better story than "studying for the CFA".

 

This isn't entirely true. They hate people that will bring down their averages only but he will also most likely bring up the average with a 780 on the GMAT.

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
 

It isn't impossible. Write an optional essay explaining that you over extended yourself, and you've learned now (with tangible examples).

However, being only 1 year out of school, you shouldn't worry about MBA programs. Focus on doing your best at Deloitte, getting promoted, etc. That will go a lot farther than a 2.9 GPA will bring you down.

 

You're a mensa member, but have a 2.9? Top 1% of ACT? What the hell. Given your apparent intellect, you should've probably gotten at least a 3.5 by just showing up for the tests. Also, why did you go to CU with those stats?

This just seems weird.

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for freedom of thought which they seldom use.
 

Meh, I know a guy with a GMAT, Masters in something vaguely businessy with a 3.7. It happens. Knew a couple people, crushed interviews, etc.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Yeah, I mean I guess you can retake GMAT/SAT/ACT tests till you do really well and prep properly, but a MENSA member? You have to be in the 98th percentile of global IQ scores to qualify for that society.

Not saying OP is lying, just a little skeptical I guess.

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for freedom of thought which they seldom use.
 

Just want to throw this out there, mensa means next to nothing, I did it for a scholarship and for something to put on the resume. You can study for them like anything else. Take 2-3 practice tests a day for a few months, play around on luminosity in your free time, and then take like 5 different tests. You can only take mensa once but you can submit outside tests as well, meaning you can take as many tries as you can find places to test you. I took 4 tests before qualifying, and took the GMAT 3 times.

 

You need to build an alternative transcript. Take some stat/math and business classes at a nearby college or online to show them that you can do the work academically. MBA admission officers know you are smart from your scores. They know you can be dedicates to work from (hopefully) good letters of recommendation and an impressive resume. What they don’t know is if you can succeed in an academic setting. Some people can’t. They don’t take the work serious, can’t get along with classmates, or simply just don’t show up.

By building an alternative transcript, you can show that you can be successful in a classroom setting. Adcoms are risk averse, so help sooth their fears.

 

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