Low Gpa Mba Essay Text

Jonathan Friesen - Writing Coach

First, are your numbers really so bad? low numbers for the purposes of this article, and for most applicants, are gmats and gpas at the lower end of or below the mid 80% range for a given school. It may be difficult to find average gpas, but if you have a 2.6, you know it's low for almost any mba program. Roughly, except for the most elite schools, a gpa below 3.0 warrants a deliberate effort to counterbalance. Which numbers are low gmat, gpa, or both? if only one of these numbers is low, at least the other number demonstrates your academic ability. Then the question becomes why is the gmat or the gpa low? some people are simply not great standardized test takers. A low gpa often is attributable to the simple fact that college students are still growing up. In fact, a 3.0 gpa that starts out below 3.0 and trends upward consistently, with the final semester or two in the 3.5 range or higher, is not nearly as worrisome as a gpa that trends in the opposite direction.

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If both numbers are low, how do they break down? for example, if your gmat quant score was high and you had solid grades in quant courses in college, that's a plus, because mba adcoms always look for evidence that the applicant can handle the mathematics involved basic calculus and statistics. Low numbers vary significantly in the impression they create, depending on the details. It's the worst case scenario, low quant scores on both the gmat and the transcript. Register at your local community college asap for calculus and/or statistics if you haven't taken them or if you took them and earned below a b and earn an a! if you earned a d or f in other quant oriented courses, consider re taking them as well. If you have time to take additional quant oriented courses, such as finance or accounting, it will help even more.

Finally, if you have some say in what your recommenders write, ask them to confirm your quantitative ability. Both written and spoken communications skills are essential for mba students, especially given the emphasis on teamwork. You also should select examples and anecdotes that highlight your communication skills.

The opportunity the essays offer is also a pitfall, however mediocre essays will only confirm concern about your verbal skills. Looking beyond the essays, ask recommenders to comment positively on your verbal skills. Finally, you can take a course at a local college that involves substantial writing, either business related or other and earn an a.

To really understand the impact of your numbers, you must first understand your demographic profile vis a vis the mba applicant pool for your chosen school s. Regardless of how rare a demographic profile may be, an adcom will not admit an applicant if it believes he cannot handle the coursework. Demographics encompass your ethnicity, nationality, gender, and industry background. It is well known that indian engineers and computer scientists with high numbers are over represented in the applicant pool, as are white and asian male investment bankers with high numbers. Thus, a gmat in the lower 80% range and a 3.3 gpa may be a problem for them in applying to, say, wharton, whereas a female peruvian corporate finance associate with a 650 gmat and 3.3 gpa from a good national university would be a viable applicant.

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If this peruvian female had a 590 gmat and a 2.7 gpa, that might not be the case, as questions would arise as to her ability to master the coursework. In a sense, understanding your demographic profile is part of looking closely at the numbers and reading the nuances. Your low scores may now be understandable, but they won't excite the adcom, so your work experience must. Mine your work experience for all evidence of accomplishment, leadership, and impact. Show through anecdotes and examples that you are a person who makes a difference on the job beyond what's expected.

Exceptional contribution and leadership as a volunteer or in another non work activity also serve this purpose, though with the low numbers, strong work experience is still essential. All schools do not give the pillars of your application gmat, gpa, work experience the same weight. Some, such as columbia and stanford, will put more weight on the gmat and/or gpa than others. Some will be more interested in the specific qualities, experience, and demographic factors you bring than will others.

Then focus on those that take a more holistic view of applicants and/or those that favor your distinguishing characteristics. If your numbers are below the 80% range, they warrant an acknowledgement and an explanation. Similarly, if extenuating circumstances caused the low numbers, those circumstances are an important part of your profile. Provide a brief explanation, take responsibility, and focus on evidence of your talents that counters the impression made by the low stats. Also, explain or, ideally, show through example and anecdote that either you have dealt with the problem causing the poor grades, or the circumstances no longer apply. Creating a thoughtful strategy to counteract the effect of low numbers can transform you from a non viable to a viable applicant at the schools of your choice. Accepted senior consultant for information on how accepted can help you, please see our mba admissions consulting and application services.

07 aug 2013, 0 hey there, i think you should use the optional essay but be careful. Unless, of course, you had a really good reason you got a 2.7 but generally most applicants don't. Additionally, i'm sure they could piece it together but why take that risk? spell it out in a clear and concise manner. Show admissions officers that you’ve grown and matured in an essay to counteract a low undergraduate gpa.

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Mba candidates have anxiety over many facets of their applications, from less than stellar gmat scores to weak quantitative profiles to blemishes on their academic records. Keep in mind that a 3.5 or better undergraduate gpa isn't considered low for the purposes of most mba applications, so look at the mean gpa for admitted students at your target programs to determine whether you have an issue to overcome in that area. Our client spencer came to us for assistance with his applications to three top five mba programs. He had a successful track record as part of a business development team at a health care company, as well as great leadership examples on a nonprofit board. The main issue with spencer's application was his 2.9 gpa from boston university. When we discussed his gpa in detail, spencer said he was passionate about economics and did well with that subject and a few other classes that interested him.

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But he wasn't able to muster enthusiasm for his communications or literature classes – a reality that his grades reflected. When mba programs look at academic records like the gmat and gpa, there's a question of aptitude – if the applicant can do the work? – as well as application – if the applicant will work hard. Unfortunately, it wasn't clear that he would dedicate himself to his mba course work.

He made no excuses and admitted that he had lacked the wisdom to see the big picture during his undergraduate years. He demonstrated that he had since developed the maturity to work hard in all classes, not just those he found intellectually interesting. He explained that he was a high achiever at work, had achieved a's in a set of pre mba classes and was prepared to dedicate himself to his mba studies. Ultimately, spencer's candor paid off and he was admitted to columbia business school. Another client, joe, had a fairly solid 3.4 gpa from his days as an undergraduate at university of california berkeley.

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