m8a_h0peful 12-28-2005, 04:02 PM Hi,
I have a 3.57 overall GPA (3.17 from jr/sr year - I was a community college transfer student) and a 720 GMAT. 90% math 91% verbal.
I'm applying to HBS, Wharton, Stanford, Berkeley, Columbia, NYU, and Yale. I know these are a bunch of stretch schools for me, but I figured that I have to at least give it a shot.
I've been working in a private multinational corp for the past 4 years in finance, with a rotation/promotion every year. 1 yr mgmt experience.
I'm weak on my undergrad GPA and extracurriculars (none). Since I've started working I've been actively volunteering with several organizations.
What do you think my chances are? How much weight is placed on essays vs GMAT vs GPA etc?
Clear Admit 01-11-2006, 10:14 PM Dear Hopeful,
It sounds as though you could be a competitive candidate at these schools. Your GMAT score and your GPA of 3.57 will both demonstrate that you have solid academic abilities. Please note that you shouldn’t point out that your grades dropped during your last years at college. If you’re concerned about your GPA, you could take an extra graduate level class to bolster your grades.
Because the schools you list above are all very competitive, it will be extremely important for you to get involved in some extracurricular activities and it sounds as though you’ve already taken steps to do this. You’ll be competing with other applicants who’ve been involved in an array of activities and have unique interests. The good news is that it’s not too late to start getting involved. Also, make sure that you’re not discounting informal interests and hobbies, because these could add to your candidacy.
When filling out your applications, it will be crucial for you to include well-written essays. Ideally, these will portray you as a well-rounded candidate; don’t forget to use one to describe an outside interest.
Regards,
Chelsea Ferrell
Clear Admit, LLC
m8a_h0peful 01-12-2006, 05:54 AM Hi Chelsea,
Thanks for the response. I wasn't sure about my grades, so I mentioned it in the optional essay. Hmm...too late now to change. From the info sessions I went to, they said if you're worried about something, it's better to mention it before they ask. Do you think I did any damage? I have one more app to do and may leave it out. What are your thoughts?
Also, I noticed that I have quite a few typos... I think I read the essays so much, I knew what I was saying without reading it. And unfortunately, my reviewers missed it as well. How are these viewed by adcoms? How do they weigh essays vs gpa vs gmat etc?
Clear Admit 01-18-2006, 09:43 PM Dear Hopeful,
My advice about your grades depends upon your reasons for and the manner in which you addressed them. If you had a reason that your grades dropped, other than the fact that you were transferring to a new school from a community college (for example, you were ill or working full-time and this contributed to lower grades), than you may take the optional essay to explain these mitigating circumstances.
If, on the other hand, these circumstances are not applicable, I’d advise you to refrain from drawing attention to the decline in your grades. By doing this, you’d be emphasizing a weakness in your application and drawing the adcom’s attention to something they may not have seen.
While it’s best to avoid typos because these could make it look as though you completed your application last-minute, the adcom also knows that applicants make mistakes. A few typos will most likely not significantly affect how your candidacy is viewed by the adcom.
Keep in mind that each essay is only a part of the whole package. The adcom uses each piece of your application, your GPA, GMAT score and essays, to get an idea of who you are as a person ?what your strengths and weaknesses are and how you would fit into life on campus. Also, adcoms from each school weigh parts of the application differently. Some adcoms might believe that an applicant’s GPA is a better indicator of academic aptitude; others might emphasize an applicant’s GMAT score as a means of predicting performance in class.
Regards,
Chelsea Ferrell
Clear Admit, LLC
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