Profile Evaluation: non-traditional background with low GPA
Hi there,
I am recently contemplating my options regarding bschool choices and can really use some help from fellow WSOers here. I use my burner account to stop revealing too much info about me.
My background:
Over-represented group in late-20s (will be close to 30 in matriculation)
Top 50 non-target US econ UG with ~ 3.1 GPA (major 3.6, upward trend). Target MSF with even lower (still above 3.0)
Did close to 2 years REPE at ~ $300MM fund. Closed two deals (large enough for press coverage). Decided that RE wasn't for me.
1 year at a large FoF/co-investment platform (Megafund LP).
Here is the non-traditional part: I joined a F500, originally recruited as a fund manager. However, due to the restructuring of our company on group level, I failed to resume my role. Long story short, I was ultimately running our "innovative product group" (about 5 people) and designed from 0 to 1 two products. They are the first products to be launched and received huge press release. I was also interviewed by major press and etc.
These past months have taken a lot from me (I have been with the firm for 1.5 years, will be 2 years when I apply for school) and I have been pretty exhausted since then. I feel like I could really use some break time and perhaps switch back to VC/growth investing.
Letter of rec: one from an executive director at my old fund, and one from VP/Principal Scientist at my current firm who I spent time building my product with.
GMAT: have not started taking them, but I took it for my past MSF and had 760. I doubt my score now will deviate too much.
Others/ECs:
1. Part of a project assembled by college professors using AI to solve mental health problems. Also big press coverage and I am part of the team building the proprietary chatbot. Two provisional patents on the aforementioned products under my name.
- Co-founder of a military company (kinda like Blackwater w/o the contractor services). Good run-up of revenue and I sold my shares to my partners but still stay very active.
Goal is H/S (I know it will be a stretch considering my GPA but I have my eyes set on them)+rest of M7 (def Sloan). I am still hesitant on whether I should go with W/CBS or some traditional "finance" schools. Other school may include Haas+Tuck+LBS. I have been troubled by my low GPA and perhaps I would take Harvard Core to balance my grade.
Thanks guys. This forum has been huge help and I hope that I could get some feedback.
HBS CORe is a good idea. CFA may also help. A current 760, or something similar would help too, but you are going to need to address the causes of your low GPA both as an undergrad and grad student. Were there extenuating circumstances that contributed to it? You need to let them know. For more on this topic, please see 5 As for Your Low GPA
Your experience is good, but most of the schools you are aiming for are stretch programs. LBS may be a little bit easier because it would like to have an American.
Best, Linda
Thank you Linda. I am actually an international and all my experiences are international.
Regarding my GPA, I did have some illness during school coupled with some family reasons, but I am just not certain how helpful this can be in terms of helping my case.
Is there anything I should do to improve my chances? I understand that GPA can be a major obstacle in my path to a top MBA but I think my entrepreneurial experience will help to some extent, although I am not sure to what degree it can be helpful.
Thanks again
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