MBA Candidates: Low GPA success stories?

[7jai]

Hey Guys,

Just thought I start a thread of low GPA success stories to a good MBA school. If anybody experienced this success, please share in this thread for others :)

Also, when schools issue the minimum requirements (final 2 years, or final year at least a "B" average); are they firm with this requirement? If a person had a B- or a C+, but has other things in his application to offset this mark (ie. High GMAT, or Lots of experience), would the candidate still be considered at all, since he doesn't meet one of the requirements? I'm hearing two sides of this story.

Thanks!

[AJXIII]

Good Posts

I too would like to get some input on this, I'm in the B- range for my final year and overall a C+/B- student with really good extra curriculars, with really good work experience. Provided that I score well on the GMAT, what are my chances?

[Mulder and Scully]

Not to be a poo-poo head, but for you people with low GPAs do you really think grad school is the best thing for you at this point? Because if you're only pulling a C+/B- average (67%-73%) then what makes you think you'll be able to cut it in an MBA program?

Would you tell a C+/B- student with butterfingers that they should be going to med school?

You really should be realistic with yourself.

[march9]

Not to be a poo-poo head, but for you people with low GPAs do you really think grad school is the best thing for you at this point? Because if you're only pulling a C+/B- average (67%-73%) then what makes you think you'll be able to cut it in an MBA program?

Would you tell a C+/B- student with butterfingers that they should be going to med school?

You really should be realistic with yourself.

This is ********.
Many B-/C+ engineering students have had amazing co-op/internship experiences during their undergrad years. I am talking about interning at the likes of Hydro One, IBM Global Serivces, Honda Canada Manufacturing Ltd, and so on. Well I do not think they should get MBA right after finishing their undergrad, I see them more qualified for graduate education in business than someone with 3.7 GPA who studied Geography during their undergrad and have no relevant experiences in the real world.

[7jai]

Not to be a poo-poo head, but for you people with low GPAs do you really think grad school is the best thing for you at this point? Because if you're only pulling a C+/B- average (67%-73%) then what makes you think you'll be able to cut it in an MBA program?

Would you tell a C+/B- student with butterfingers that they should be going to med school?

You really should be realistic with yourself.

This is ********.
Many B-/C+ engineering students have had amazing co-op/internship experiences during their undergrad years. I am talking about interning at the likes of Hydro One, IBM Global Serivces, Honda Canada Manufacturing Ltd, and so on. Well I do not think they should get MBA right after finishing their undergrad, I see them more qualified for graduate education in business than someone with 3.7 GPA who studied Geography during their undergrad and have no relevant experiences in the real world.


Hey guys,

Could you please stay on topic? I'm trying to get students who just entered into a MBA program with a low GPA to share their stories on how they did it.

Thanks,


7jai.

[TenzoR]

I did an orientation at Queens regarding their MBA program. I attended one of the classes and got to have lunch with several MBA students. They each shared with me their stories on getting into the MBA program and selecting the right school.

If I were you, I would take some time and go around each school and get a general idea from the students themselves.

I'm planning to go to other schools for orientation as I have more time and develop a sense of what I want to accomplish in my career.

[Sylvestre]

This is ********.
Many B-/C+ engineering students have had amazing co-op/internship experiences during their undergrad years. I am talking about interning at the likes of Hydro One, IBM Global Serivces, Honda Canada Manufacturing Ltd, and so on. Well I do not think they should get MBA right after finishing their undergrad, I see them more qualified for graduate education in business than someone with 3.7 GPA who studied Geography during their undergrad and have no relevant experiences in the real world.

perhaps, but doing well at a job doesn't equate to handling the rigors of school. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who don't do well while in undergrad and somehow believe that things get easier in <whatever> masters program. It's just not the case in most circumstances.
Sure, experience and maturity do bring a lot to the table, but if after 4 yrs of undergrad you still haven't figured out time management and proper study habits, why would you assume you'll do well starting an MBA?

I'm not saying it's impossible to do well, but let's not trivialize the amount of work required to maximize the benefit of the investment of a MBA. A mediocre student going into a mid-level school and doing marginally well until graduating is likely not going to see a good return on the time/money invested to get the degree.

[skyline518]

if you are not obssessed with tier 1 school MBA, there are plenty of decent MBA programs out there that offer better value for the money in Canada. They may be more lenient in terms of grade requirement.

[miffysc]

go to gmatclub.com and you will find lots of successful stories with low GPA.

I got accepted into Rotman class 2010. personally, i think experience (volunteering, sports, working) along with good essays and GMAT score can compensate for low GPA. Admission committee members love diversity and they look for balance in all four pillars (GPA in last two years, GMAT, working experience and extracurricular), not just one pillar.

I say low GPA is not an issue.

[march9]

go to gmatclub.com and you will find lots of successful stories with low GPA.

I got accepted into Rotman class 2010. personally, i think experience (volunteering, sports, working) along with good essays and GMAT score can compensate for low GPA. Admission committee members love diversity and they look for balance in all four pillars (GPA in last two years, GMAT, working experience and extracurricular), not just one pillar.

I say low GPA is not an issue.

most grad schools/business schools say they look at the last two years' grades, but don't people apply during their 4th year? and ideally admission would have been granted before they finish their 4th year, so essentially they only look at one year of your marks(3rd year)?

or are their offers conditional as well?

[march9]

perhaps, but doing well at a job doesn't equate to handling the rigors of school. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who don't do well while in undergrad and somehow believe that things get easier in <whatever> masters program. It's just not the case in most circumstances.
Sure, experience and maturity do bring a lot to the table, but if after 4 yrs of undergrad you still haven't figured out time management and proper study habits, why would you assume you'll do well starting an MBA?

I'm not saying it's impossible to do well, but let's not trivialize the amount of work required to maximize the benefit of the investment of a MBA. A mediocre student going into a mid-level school and doing marginally well until graduating is likely not going to see a good return on the time/money invested to get the degree.

perhaps this applies to someone who is barely passing or in academic probation by the time he/she graduates.
getting C+/B- doesn't mean you are not doing well. It's often the class average at UofT Engineering.

[affy]

most grad schools/business schools say they look at the last two years' grades, but don't people apply during their 4th year? and ideally admission would have been granted before they finish their 4th year, so essentially they only look at one year of your marks(3rd year)?

or are their offers conditional as well?

The majority of people apply for MBA programs after they've graduated and had a few years experience in their field. So in that respect they do look at your 3rd and 4th year marks.

I'd think that barely anybody applies for an MBA right after getting their bachelors degree anymore. If you did apply as a fresh grad...you'd have bigger problems with admission then just your 4th year grades.

[march9]

The majority of people apply for MBA programs after they've graduated and had a few years experience in their field. So in that respect they do look at your 3rd and 4th year marks.

I'd think that barely anybody applies for an MBA right after getting their bachelors degree anymore. If you did apply as a fresh grad...you'd have bigger problems with admission then just your 4th year grades.

Yes I understand that. (most MBA applicants have worked for a few years)
My question was regarding to grad schools/MFin programs, although I guess that is for another thread!

[OS44]

go to gmatclub.com and you will find lots of successful stories with low GPA.

I got accepted into Rotman class 2010. personally, i think experience (volunteering, sports, working) along with good essays and GMAT score can compensate for low GPA. Admission committee members love diversity and they look for balance in all four pillars (GPA in last two years, GMAT, working experience and extracurricular), not just one pillar.

I say low GPA is not an issue.

so what was your gpa and how confident were you when you were applying to the bschool before you got accepted.

[BMW_7]

read this... this will help you out.

Its a student resume book published by the MBA school Tuck University in the US.

http://www.filecrunch.com/fileDownload.php?sub=7a3d4d2919bde9dfdb8d606489be3 02c&fileId=149713

[cube11]

read this... this will help you out.

Its a student resume book published by the MBA school Tuck University in the US.

http://www.filecrunch.com/fileDownload.php?sub=7a3d4d2919bde9dfdb8d606489be3 02c&fileId=149713

its not workin

[miffysc]

so what was your gpa and how confident were you when you were applying to the bschool before you got accepted.

I am a Queen's graduate and were not very good at converting percentage (that's what we have in queen's) into GPA. I am in the dean's list in my forth year and with lots of volunteering experience. Gmat score wasn't great (660) but enough to get me into rotman.

I only applied to two school, Rotman and Schulich. Got admitted to both school, despite the scholarship I got from Schulich, I choose Rotman at the end.

[Repooc]

I only applied to two school, Rotman and Schulich. Got admitted to both school, despite the scholarship I got from Schulich, I choose Rotman at the end.

As I'm reading the grammar in this sentence, it boggles my mind how you got accepted to both MBA programs.

[brucemeng]

If you go to Facebook and look at the Rotman groups. You'll notice the "Rotman MBA Chinese Class", or something along those lines. So that probably explains it.

rofl.. u guys r so mean

[Mulder and Scully]

Well no, come on :lol: I'm just saying that English may have been his second language, so that could explain why his sentence was a little lack-luster.

The secret for getting into Rotman and Schulich is to pretend English is your second language.

[Paranoidandroid]

My MMPA/CA friend told me that there's no point getting into MMPA if you don't plan to pursue CA.. is this true? I thought Rotman is just an equivalent of MBA.

[sardaukar]

My MMPA/CA friend told me that there's no point getting into MMPA if you don't plan to pursue CA.. is this true? I thought Rotman is just an equivalent of MBA.

Your friend is dead right. MMPA is designed specifically for people who want to pursue accounting (ie. CA). If you are after anything else (eg finance, marketing...), stay away from MMPA and do an MBA.

"Rotman" is just the name of the business school / commerce department at U of T. MBA and MMPA are programs offered under the Rotman School. However, I believe in the near future MMPA will no longer be under the Rotman umbrella.

[george benjamin]

Your friend is dead right. MMPA is designed specifically for people who want to pursue accounting (ie. CA). If you are after anything else (eg finance, marketing...), stay away from MMPA and do an MBA.

"Rotman" is just the name of the business school / commerce department at U of T. MBA and MMPA are programs offered under the Rotman School. However, I believe in the near future MMPA will no longer be under the Rotman umbrella.

MMPA is no longer under Rotman.

Every year there are a few students from the MMPA who go into finance = not CA route. But if that's your goal, then MBA would be better suited. There's like 2 finance courses in MMPA.

[yucksta]

Quantify a low GPA?

This post is giving me anxiety!

[KevC]

Quantify a low GPA?

This post is giving me anxiety!

Under 3.0 is probably a low GPA.

Under 2.0 I don't even know if there's hope.....

[the_fm]

Under 3.0 is probably a low GPA.

Under 2.0 I don't even know if there's hope.....

wait, can you even get a degree under 2.0?

[nhui06]

The secret for getting into Rotman and Schulich is to pretend English is your second language.

LOl best tip so far! Rotman loves their international students, including worldwide exposure and their $$

[nhui06]

IMO everything is relative, you want to get in a good MBA school then you need to have a great application, including GMAt, GPA, Essay, Recommendation etc.. You can probably still get into a decent MBA program with a decent application and GPA... I think OP is looking for the rare story of someone with a 'low' GPA can still get into a good MBA program as inspiration maybe? Not sure those rare exceptions is something you can bank on... Just do your best on your app and whatever happens happens

[Silverdart]

The schools really look at a range of criteria, not just GMAT scores. I thought I'd have a problem with my quant score as I did quite badly on that part of the GMAT (although I got extremely high scores on the other parts). I made the entire decision to do an MBA and took the GMAT within 2 weeks, so I wasn't really prepared for the exam, except for a couple intensive tutoring sessions. Other than that, I hadn't even looked at anything mathematical since high school and didn't even do any OAC math courses.

I wouldn't even have applied, except that I was invited to. I was actually planning to go to another school originally and was pretty sure I'd get in there, so I figured I had nothing to lose and at least would have my application essays written. To my surprise, I was accepted and I graduated in the top 10% of my cohort.

[Sheek]

wait, can you even get a degree under 2.0?

I graduated from U of T (BBA) with a 1.8 cumulative GPA.

/hides in shame

[sng622]

Hello All,

Ive been skimming the Careers forum for awhile now and I find all of the industry knowledge on RFD so interesting!

Anyway, I was hoping I could get some of you to give me your thoughts on my situation?

I am currently working as BA. I have been in this role for just under a year now. I graduated from the Ryerson ITM program and did the co-op option.
With my co-op experiences included, I have worked as a BA or an IT Analyst for 2 major banks, BCE and a Crown Corporation. I am currently working for a NPO Org.

I am looking to apply for my MBA in a years time (when I have the minimum of 2 years work experience post grad.). My GPA is fair, but that is up for interpretation. My grades have been mainly As and B's through out, with the exception of 1 failed course in 2nd year and 1 D in 3rd year. I graduated with a CGPA of 3.0, however if only the last two years are calculated, I think my GPA would be significantly higher.

Anyway, I am hoping to bolster my MBA application with great GMAT scores (obviously), and thinking of getting my CAPM during this year that I am accruing business experience. I already meet the qualifications for the CAPM due to my Commerce undergrad, so it would just be a matter of studying and passing the exam. How do you all feel that the CAPM will look on my MBA application? Is it worthwhile to do?

With a failed class on my transcript, are my chances at MBA shot?

Any other methods anyone can think of to make myself more attractive to an MBA school?

[yuri_c]

Hello All,

Ive been skimming the Careers forum for awhile now and I find all of the industry knowledge on RFD so interesting!

Anyway, I was hoping I could get some of you to give me your thoughts on my situation?

I am currently working as BA. I have been in this role for just under a year now. I graduated from the Ryerson ITM program and did the co-op option.
With my co-op experiences included, I have worked as a BA or an IT Analyst for 2 major banks, BCE and a Crown Corporation. I am currently working for a NPO Org.

I am looking to apply for my MBA in a years time (when I have the minimum of 2 years work experience post grad.). My GPA is fair, but that is up for interpretation. My grades have been mainly As and B's through out, with the exception of 1 failed course in 2nd year and 1 D in 3rd year. I graduated with a CGPA of 3.0, however if only the last two years are calculated, I think my GPA would be significantly higher.

Anyway, I am hoping to bolster my MBA application with great GMAT scores (obviously), and thinking of getting my CAPM during this year that I am accruing business experience. I already meet the qualifications for the CAPM due to my Commerce undergrad, so it would just be a matter of studying and passing the exam. How do you all feel that the CAPM will look on my MBA application? Is it worthwhile to do?

With a failed class on my transcript, are my chances at MBA shot?

Any other methods anyone can think of to make myself more attractive to an MBA school?

which school are you thinking of applying to?

applying to brock MBA compared to ivey MBA or harvard MBA, will give you different answers to your question.

i personally know someone who got into Rotman with a 75 final year average, and 600 range GMAT score. but i also met a person with also a 75-80 average and got a 720 but did not get into Rotman. so something tells me that its not just about numbers.

i suggest you call the schools you are interested in and ask. only they can provide you with a good insight of your chances of admission.

good luck.

[sng622]

Thanks for the input, I should have been more clear.

I am looking to do my MBA in GTA hopefully.

Ideally I'd like to do Schulich or Rotman, however, I have seen many accelerated MBAs being offered downtown GTA by schools such as Ivey and Queens. Does anyone know anything about those?

I am open to going away to school, however, with the cost of obtaining an MBA being so high, I will need to continue working in order to pay for school I think.