Dropped/Repeated UG- hurt chances for top MBA program?

I have a 3.98 GPA from mid-tier school and 760 GMAT, solid recs/essays

Double-majored in finance and physics

In a 2-year IBD analyst program at a BB bank

PROBLEM: During undergrad, I withdrew from three courses (none in the same semester), leaving me with three W's on my transcript. Also, I repeated two courses that I received B's in, to increase my GPA since I had some extra room in my schedule.

How bad will these W's/repeats negatively affect my chances at a top MBA program? I am hoping for Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, NYU, etc.

14 Comments
 

You'll probably be grilled by others for lumping Stern with HWS

looking for that pick-me-up to power through an all-nighter?
 
ApplyingToBSchooli went to GWU

Sorry I didn't mean to put Stern in there with WHS.

Any thoughts on if this withdrawal/repeat situation is very bad?

You'll also probably get flamed for putting W before HS. Blasphemy on these forums my friend.

 

In all B-School apps there is an optional essay where you have opportunity to address issues such as you're describing. Address your academic record head-on rather than leaving it open for admissions folks to figure out. Also, most schools are interested in where you are going, how the MBA helps you get there, do you fit in (this is HUGE) with the culture of the school, and do you have the brains to keep up. Sounds like you can meet these criteria, just make sure your application is cogent.

Best of luck.

Professional Bro, J. Cans
 

I'm actually curious about this as well since I've withdrawn from some classes and taken a couple pass-fail. I hope this won't kill me even more because I'll be fighting an uphill battle as is coming from a non-target.

Non-target person with high finance dreams
 

absolutely not. 3.98 GPA w/ science major- 760GMAT? Your academic qualifications ARE tip-top. Don't draw attention to anything that would make your academic qualifications sound less than tip-top.

e.g. don't write a paragraph explaining how you grade-grubbed, withdrew from classes to avoid Bs and retook classes to turn other Bs into As. That would sound bad.

 

You could retake courses and your previous class grades get wiped out? I wish my school has that :( and I agree, 3.98 with 760 GMAT and your experience at BB sounds solid enough.

 

Just for clarification, a student can only repeat courses taken during freshmen year. I received two B's my first semester, retook those classes, and my original B's are still on my transcript, though are not calculated in my GPA.

I received another B my sophomore year (non-repeatable since it was after freshmen year), and hence my final GPA was 3.98 instead of 4.0

 
qweretyq

What the ..!
I don't know of any top school that allows you to retake Bs for increasing your GPA
much easier to get a 3.98 that way...

I know of many schools that allow this. Depends on OPs def of top schools I suppose.

"We're not lawyers, we're investment bankers. We call you for the paperwork. We didn't go to Harvard, we went to Wharton, and we saw you coming a mile away."
 

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