Here are my undergrad grades....can I get into decent B-school?

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c_hayhurst

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Aquarius Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My
> CGPA was 2.89 however my final two year GPA was
> 3.6. As u can see, i took finance related and
> other quantitative economics courses in my final
> two years and did very well in them. In you
> opinion, based on my grades, what are my chances
> of getting into a decent MBA program..if not the
> top 10. Thank you for your opinions.

A few points:
-Screwed around in school until the fact dawned on you that you gotta get your act together, huh? :D
-You could still possibly get into a good MBA program. Just make sure your GMAT score exceeds the minimum required by your target schools. Also, make sure your essay question kicks butt, if applicable.
-You need to ask yourself whether you are ready to do 1-2 more years of schooling that is even more time-consuming and intense than undergrad ever was. Particularly if you get into a top-tier MBA program.
-Business schools don't necessarily look at grades; play up your role in extracurricular activites which earned you distinction and awards. The more relevant your awards, the better.
-If you cannot get accepted into the MBA programs that you want, then be sure to start your career and bust your butt to achieve awards and distinctions in professional and/or civic groups...Your career achievements can *partially* eclipse your academic shortcomings.
-If you are rejected from a target school, inquire with a school's admissions department as to whether they are willing to accept you, provided that you retake some undergrad classes to increase your cummulative GPA. 3 out of the 4 schools that turned me down were willing to issue a conditional acceptance if I retook 3 classes and got all "A"'s in them.

Good luck!
 
Aquarius,

Now it all makes sense to me. A while back, someone asked this same question. I responded that there are indeed GPA cutoffs with most graduate schools, and this cutoff is typically 3.0. I did say that there could be some exceptions (e.g. huge GMAT, extraordinary work experience), but for the most part, if you don't have a 3.0, you are not likely to get into a "top graduate program." Your response was that I had no clue what I was talking about, and that I was absolutely the most stupid of all the posters.

But, it is clear now that your are simply whining because you have virtually no chance at getting into the program you want to get into. Why? Because 1) you don't have the grades, 2) your work experience is not impressive, and 3) you are not the likely candidate to do well on the GMAT.

Here is the best advice I can give you: Apply to Cal State Bakersfield. Then you can go back to business development.

To be very clear: Yes, grades do matter. Yes, the GMAT matters. Yes, experience matters. Even if you cry about how this isn't fair, those are the rules. Deal with it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at Monday, June 12, 2006 at 10:20PM by finance_machine.
 
finance_machine,
let me begin by first stating that I do have a good work experience so dont make dumb comments when you dont know sh!t. As for my GMAT, I am yet to take one so I will be the first to let you know how i do in it. As far as my grades go, they did improve in my final two years so I still have a shot. And if i can remember, I gave you my word that I will make it in the top 25 B school and u better mark my word I will...remember this post pal, as I mentioned the last time around boy, dont portray your failure on to others...
 
"dont portray your failure on to others"

From what I know about finance_machine, he's not what I would consider a failure. He also makes a lot of good points - grades do matter, GMAT does matter, and work experience does matter. Excellent work experience, leadership and GMAT scores can make up some of your shortcomings in GPA - for example, the middle 80% GPA range at Wharton is 3.1 to 3.9 - so it appears that finance_machine is essentially correct that the GPA cutoff is about 3.0. That being said, if you have a significant upward trend in grades (as it appears you did), the admissions committee will most likely place more weight on your more recent grades, but overall, grades are a significant contributing factor in the admissions process. That's not to say you won't be able to get into a top 25 school, it will just mean that you'll have to have very strong work experience and GMAT score to make up your shortcomings in GPA.
 
darkstar,
i totally agree with you. But that looser finance_machine was talking like a fool and demeaning me so that�s why i had to shut him up. I know that I have strong work experience and few awards/recognitions under my belt that will help me take a shot at the Top 20.

u know people like finance_machine work in the call centre or some lame job and come on AF talking all big and stuff. The matter of fact is that if he was to see me face to face, he wont have the b@lls to say something like that....its easy for him to hide behind his computer and act tough.
 
Aq, I would look up some of F_M's old posts before you go popping off like that.
 
"The matter of fact is that if he was to see me face to face, he wont have the b@lls to say something like that....its easy for him to hide behind his computer and act tough."

If I remember correctly, finance_machine is (or was) really into body building/weight lifting - and is probably not the kind of person that most of us would have the b@lls to insult face to face. I also have the impression from some of his previous posts that he has some sort of graduate degree from a good school (and thus is qualified to speak about the entrance requirements at such a program) and doesn't work in a call centre or some other equally lame job (I think he's an economist or something like that).

I don't know anything about your work experience (and since you haven't taken the GMAT yet I can't comment on it but in your situation you'll probably need at least a 750+ to be competitive), but given your previous academic performance you'll definitely need some VERY STRONG work experience to compensate for your mediocre academic performance (and before you start to give ME a hard time about this as well, I'd just like to point out that my undergrad grades were below average for most top MBA programs, so my work experience and GMAT score will have to both be quite strong to balance out my below average GPA - so we are both in roughly the same situation).

Unfortunately for you, finance_machine has pretty much given you a statement of the way reality is. Don't give him a hard time about it, because he's simply stating the truth.
 
either darkstar is finance_machine or darkstar is finance_machine's little b!tch.
 
Aquarius,

Grow up. I really do wish you well in your academic pursuit. I never once said that you can't do what you want to do, I simply stated the basic constraints. It is up to you to work your way around/through these constraints. Only you know how to do that. If you believe that getting into a top 25 MBA program is the best thing for you, then go for it.

I do have some experience in the admissions process, from both sides of the table. That is why I said what I did about the 3.0 requirement. Instead of getting angry, simply go get a copy of the graduate bulletin of each institution that you would like to apply to. Look and see for yourself if this requirement exists.

With respect to having the guts to say anything to your face, this may be true, but it is a highly unlikely event. Even if you were the starting defensive end for the FSU football team, I would still have the guts to say whatever I want. Unless you were an Olympic wrestler, or have actually appeared in a UFC match, I'd say I still have plenty of ground given my size, strength, and athletic background to give you a run for your money.

Finally, I work for a big firm as a financial economist. Even if you had a PhD from an Ivy league school, you would still have a tough time getting this position. Once you complete the degree you are hoping for, you would still be lucky to get a support role for this type of group. This is a fact, not an opinion.

Honestly, try not to be so bitter. Things will work out, just give it some time. I do believe in the ability to knock down barriers. Go make your own story.

Good luck.
 
finance_machine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Aquarius,
>
> Now it all makes sense to me. A while back,
> someone asked this same question. I responded that
> there are indeed GPA cutoffs with most graduate
> schools, and this cutoff is typically 3.0. I did
> say that there could be some exceptions (e.g. huge
> GMAT, extraordinary work experience), but for the
> most part, if you don't have a 3.0, you are not
> likely to get into a "top graduate program." Your
> response was that I had no clue what I was talking
> about, and that I was absolutely the most stupid
> of all the posters.
>
> But, it is clear now that your are simply whining
> because you have virtually no chance at getting
> into the program you want to get into. Why?
> Because 1) you don't have the grades, 2) your work
> experience is not impressive, and 3) you are not
> the likely candidate to do well on the GMAT.
>
> Here is the best advice I can give you: Apply to
> Cal State Bakersfield. Then you can go back to
> business development.
>
> To be very clear: Yes, grades do matter. Yes, the
> GMAT matters. Yes, experience matters. Even if you
> cry about how this isn't fair, those are the
> rules. Deal with it.


finance_machine,
let me begin by stating that this post sounds more of an insult to me than an advice. Secondly, I do not believe what you say about your line of work. You make yourself out to be some big shoot with exemplary intelligence....but there is not a single hint of modesty in you and hence i conclude that you are nothing more than a run of the mill CFA wannabe. Well, good luck to you in whatever you do.
caio
 
"either darkstar is finance_machine or darkstar is finance_machine's little b!tch."

Wrong and wrong.

Finance_machine gave you his perspective on the way that things work in the admissions process at a top program, and you attacked him because it wasn't what you had hoped to hear. Don't ask for advice if you aren't going to like what people tell you.

In all seriousness, I hope that you are one day able to achieve your goal.
 
Aquarius,
I really do hope that you are able to achieve your goal. You really shouldn't take things so personally. My first post really has to do with the fact that you lashed out at this very same issue quite some time ago. It seems that if you don't get the answer you want, you get pissed. How about this: U of Chicago loves a 2.89 GPA, because of the diversity, and it shows that you don't apply yourself only in one area.

Really, there is no right answer. Either people tell you the truth and you get upset, or people tell you that you will be able to squeek into Yale (which is what you want to hear).

Please don't take this the wrong way, as this is the last thing that I will say on this issue: Barriers are meant to be broken. But, you have to figure it out. Understand the constraints and barriers, then figure out a way to get around or through them. It will just make for a better story down the road if you have more road blocks now.

Again, good luck.
 
and you'd have a better chance being a little less hostile and sensitive
 
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