Applying to Business School from Serious Non-Target

I am senior student at a small private liberal arts college in Minnesota. I am pursuing degrees in economics, finance, and Spanish. In addition, I have advanced competency in python, SQL, Java, and R. My GPA is fairly poor, hovering around a 3.6. Largely, this is due to my first year of college, in which I was a biology major and dealt with some personal issues. Since my major switch I have been much improved, but obviously the cumulative GPA is all that matters. I have two internship experiences: one in finance in Colombia, and the other at U.S. bank. My defining factor is that I dropped 770 on the GMAT. However, what concerns me is that my school is going to lean against me too much. It's somewhere around the middle 50% of schools in Minnesota.

I am applying for finance. Am I really in trouble or am I blowing this out of proportion?

(I graduate in December, not May.

2 Comments
 
Best Response

Definitely blowing it out of proportion - your school shouldn't hurt you that much. While most students at top programs come from at least decently ranked schools, there are still plenty who do not. Additionally, your GPA is not low - it is actually higher than the average at just about every top program. Add to this your stellar GMAT score and you're looking at a competitive applicant profile. At this point you should focus on your work experience and community involvement over the next few years. Your job (type of work, company brand, leadership responsibilities, promotions, etc.) will play a large role in your application.

 

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