Business School - Meh grades+work experience+good GMAT+extras=Good school?

[scarfase99]

I've been back and forth on this topic before, and read every thread i could find...but here's my basic question.

I graduated with a Bachelors in Communications back in 2002, with a not so hot GPA, i think around 2.9. I've been working full time since even before then, but for arguments sake lets say i have 7 years of real work experience (a mixture of Product/Project Manager and Sales Manager jobs). And then i've got some extracurriculars in regards to doing some trainings, blogs, and am an MS MVP.

So now the big question...assuming i got a good GMAT score (which i'm assuming 😛), would all of that outweigh my poor GPA from 7 years ago, and get me into a good quality business program? Or am i just totally screwed?

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: scarfase99
I've been back and forth on this topic before, and read every thread i could find...but here's my basic question.

I graduated with a Bachelors in Communications back in 2002, with a not so hot GPA, i think around 2.9. I've been working full time since even before then, but for arguments sake lets say i have 7 years of real work experience (a mixture of Product/Project Manager and Sales Manager jobs). And then i've got some extracurriculars in regards to doing some trainings, blogs, and am an MS MVP.

So now the big question...assuming i got a good GMAT score (which i'm assuming 😛), would all of that outweigh my poor GPA from 7 years ago, and get me into a good quality business program? Or am i just totally screwed?

Is the part of your post that I bolded "retail experience" scarfase99?

 

[scarfase99]

hahaha, no no no 😛 I did retail stuff during college, so not counting that. Those above jobs were legit (well, a mixture of startups and established companies)

 

[skim milk]

which good schools are you looking at?

based on your background, you would really have to nail the GMAT to get serious consideration.

 

[scarfase99]

i haven't started looking at all, but would like to stay in california. I don't want to get the MBA just to have one, so hence the importance of being at a good school. In california, so preferably staying here. I went to UCSD...so would love to go to USC, UCLA...i'm sure Standord/Berkley isn't going to happen...not sure what other good business schools are here. Pepperdine?

 

[Babbles]

Originally posted by: scarfase99
i haven't started looking at all, but would like to stay in california. I don't want to get the MBA just to have one, so hence the importance of being at a good school. In california, so preferably staying here. I went to UCSD...so would love to go to USC, UCLA...i'm sure Standord/Berkley isn't going to happen...not sure what other good business schools are here. Pepperdine?

I just got accepted into what I think is a respectable program (Case Western Reserve) which seems to be about the Midwest/East Coast version of Pepperdine in regards to their MBA ranking. In other words it is a very solid program, but it is not a top 30 (Businessweek) program.

I had a real shitty GPA - lower than yours in fact. I graduated in 2000 so I have about 9 years of full-time work experience doing analytical chemistry and project management. My GMAT was reasonable, not mind-blowingly awesome, but I did a bit better than the mean score at Case Western and I was right at the mean for a couple of other programs I applied to (haven't heard back from them yet).

I think you have a shot at a decent program, but realistically depending on your GMAT score a top 20 or so program may not be doable, however if you have a 700+, though, I would say to go for it!

I think time does sort of diminish one's GPA but I think you need to do things to demonstrate your ability. For instance even though I had a crappy GPA, a year after getting my B.S. I took a couple of classes while working full-time (was nearly working full-time in college and hence the shitty GPA) but I aced them and have a 4.0 on my transcript for that college. In summary I was able to demonstrate, albeit in only a couple of classes, that I had the intellectual ability to do coursework. As such you may want to consider taking a statistics course (or whatever) at a local college just to demonstrate that you can do the academics.

Also write some crazy good essays! My fiancee is an 'all-but-dissertation' ABD PhD who teaches quite a few undergrad classes so she was an absolute blessing to help proofread my essays - that and as a doctoral candidate she has written one or two over her academic career. As such my suggestion to you is to see if you have some academic friend that can proofread your essays. I spent weeks writing a handful of them - every single word was carefully chosen - and having somebody proofread them for you is invaluable.

I think if you can write great essays, have valuable work experience, and a reasonable GMAT you can make up for your lackluster GPA - it worked for me.

 

[TecHNooB]

DO YOUR FREAKING BEST

:Q:Q:Q:Q:Q:Q:Q:Q:Q:Q

 

[Schfifty Five]

Originally posted by: scarfase99
I've been back and forth on this topic before, and read every thread i could find...but here's my basic question.

I graduated with a Bachelors in Communications back in 2002, with a not so hot GPA, i think around 2.9. I've been working full time since even before then, but for arguments sake lets say i have 7 years of real work experience (a mixture of Product/Project Manager and Sales Manager jobs). And then i've got some extracurriculars in regards to doing some trainings, blogs, and am an MS MVP.

So now the big question...assuming i got a good GMAT score (which i'm assuming 😛), would all of that outweigh my poor GPA from 7 years ago, and get me into a good quality business program? Or am i just totally screwed?

It's very possible.

I have a pretty bad GPA as well, but I was able to submit a good enough application to UT's MBA program that I got an interview. I choked on the interview unfortunately and didn't get in, but it shows that GPA isn't everything. My GMAT was also below UT's avg (which is like 700), so I'm guessing my essays or rec letters were the ones to help me get past the first round of weeding.

 

[sactoking]

I had a 2.3 GPA, 700+ GMAT, 5 years of experience, and good letters of recommendation (My COO, a retired Insurance Commissioner, and the guy who created our local 'Secret Witness' program) and got into the local "top-15" program.

 

[skim milk]

Originally posted by: sactoking
I had a 2.3 GPA, 700+ GMAT, 5 years of experience, and good letters of recommendation (My COO, a retired Insurance Commissioner, and the guy who created our local 'Secret Witness' program) and got into the local "top-15" program.

where did you get in?