Forward Planning for an MBA
Hey monkeys,
I want to get some of your guys' expertise on this. I have a sub par GPA, 3.0-3.2 range, coming out of a semi target school. Currently working at a F500 in the rotation program. Sometime down the line I would like to think there's a chance for me to apply for an MBA at a T14.
I understand that there are many other considerations a recruiter looks for in an application, but other than good recs from my current job and participating in extracurriculars, is there anything I can do in regards to making my GPA look slightly better? Extension programs at schools such as Harvard or Berkely perhaps or is that the wrong approach ? Appreciate any feedback, thanks.
There are admissions consultants who are well versed in these issues. Reach out to one. My personal belief is that you need a stronger than average gmat score to balance out your below average GPA, and that you should look into a part-time non-business/finance related masters program that gives you a high GPA and demonstrates your interest in a new subject. I could be wrong, but I doubt the extension programs will help your cause.
Top 10 will be tough, but you can def get into a 10-15 ranked school if you get 730/740 on the GMAT.
It's not worthwhile unless you go to a T13 program.
Not everyone is a valedictorian from HPY. If you excel at all other areas, no one is going to care that you drank too much and studied too little 4 years ago (except Harvard and Stanford, because they can). Kill the GMAT, become a leader at work or in your extracurriculars, do amazing things and you will have a good shot.
This made me chuckle.
Seriously though, it can happen. I know people (ahem) at M7 schools with worse GPA's than you. Alternative transcript, test scores, and time can help adcoms look past your GPA. GMATClub actually has an awesome thread about Low GPA Success Stories.
Yes, get an alternative transcript. I am not sure you will be able to correct the problems in the time you have to apply for the 2014-2015 cycle. You have time though, right? If you look around and take a course that gives a grade from a real school (yes Harvard and Berkeley, but they are expensive -- believe it or not UCSD is one of the cheapest, as is BYU). You may also look into Coursera, but you need to take the certificate track. Also, you need to take more than one course to really show a pattern. I took 7 courses over 2 years to make up for my own deficiencies, and that was before the invention of the internet. Community college probably doesn't work for what you are trying to do, nor does a non-graded program.
I'll throw in UCLA for a low(ER) cost option as well.
Thanks! It would be great if that information was aggregated. UCLA is added to the list.
If you are talking about the Harvard Extension Program (http://www.extension.harvard.edu/) you will get a grade, as the courses do count for college credit. Just like any extension program, UCLA, BYU, wherever. . The thing about Coursera, which is much cheaper, is that there's a question about whether you get college credit, so you pay an extra (but nominal) fee to have your exam proctored -- I think that's how it works. It's called the "Signature Track" Here's the link: https://www.coursera.org/signature/guidebook
Harvard also has HbX. This is also not cheap, but actually kind of cool. It offers 3 courses in business, put together by the HBS faculty. Here's the link http://hbx.hbs.edu/hbx-core/core-faqs.html thing is, you may have to wait until next year to apply, as this year's July cohort is closed. But it's definitely an option. Also, I think they will be giving other courses down the road -- you may actually be overqualified for the core classes, since they presume no business knowledge.
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