Can MBA candidates get into top B-Schools despite low GMAT or GPA?

Dan Bauer(The MBA Exchange): Fortunately for applicants with less than ideal academic profiles, the MBA admissions decision process is subjective enough to give them a chance for success. At The MBA Exchange, we’ve helped some applicants with GPAs in the low 2’s or GMATs below 500 to gain admission to top 15 schools. Four of our clients who had not even completed their degrees made it into stellar MBA programs, so it’s definitely possible to overcome sub-par grades and test scores with a strategic approach.

The Ad Comms certainly analyze the GPA (final, in major, trend over four years), academic major (quant vs. qual), university (selectivity, ease of grading), and GMAT (quantitative vs. qualitative balance, 80% threshold, total number of testings). But it’s important to consider why they are so concerned about academics. At a minimum, the school wants to know if the applicant will be able to complete the MBA curriculum. More importantly, will he or she be confident and talented enough to contribute to the learning of classmates in case discussions and study groups? And, given the wide range of professional and personal profiles in the applicant pool, MBA ad comms view the GPA and GMAT as providing a “common denominator” for comparing and ranking applicants, and then eliminating some.

So, in order to mitigate a less than stellar academic profile, the applicant needs to provide other convincing evidence of competence and potential. At the very least, he or she needs to explain – clearly and convincingly – why the academic profile is what it is. Personal circumstances? Work demands? Poor planning? Excessive course load? Immaturity? If it’s the last of these, then it becomes critical to convey current maturity to keep Ad Comms from questioning his or her probable performance in business school.

Following this, the next priority is optimizing the GMAT. Nothing overcomes a soft GPA better than a GMAT score that’s above the median for the targeting MBA program. Taking the test up to three times is generally acceptable. An improved score on a fourth or fifth try is far less impressive because it may appear that the applicant gamed the test –engaged in rote learning or just learned to be a better test taker. Or if the score does not improve, that could raise questions about why the applicant was so obsessed with the GMAT vs. other “imperfect” areas of the candidacy.

A second option is to build an “alternative transcript” with fresh coursework and higher grades. This can be important because it shows improved academic performance as well the discipline and desire to demonstrate true potential. We’re not talking about just any course from any institution, however. It should be determined only after analyzing the original transcript. If the original grade was, say, a “D” in art history from a third-tier college, that’s much different than a “C” in 400-level biophysics from an Ivy League school. Building the alternative transcript means choosing the right (and sufficiently rigorous) course from the right (and sufficiently credible) program.

A third tactic is to portray professional duties and achievements as a proxy for academics. Using the resume, recs and essays, the applicant can demonstrate skill  – quantitative  and/or qualitative – in areas that neutralize academic flaws and relate most closely to MBA course topics (finance, marketing, statistics, etc.).

All of these possible actions require time for planning and action. So, if you’re an applicant who has a less than ideal academic profile, the time to start is today. Round 1 deadlines are less than six months away. It’s not too late for a “do over” but it does take a thoughtful plan and focused effort to make it happen.
 
About The MBA Exchange®

Comprised of experienced graduates and former admissions officers from top-tier MBA programs, The MBA Exchange has helped a CPA-reported 97% of its clients to gain admission to leading business schools worldwide. Founded in 1996, the firm’s expertise has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, BusinessWeek.com, and PoetsandQuants.com.

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Dan Bauer is the founder and managing director of The MBA Exchange. His career includes management positions with Citibank, MasterCard International, and DDB Needham Worldwide. Mr. Bauer has served on the Board of Directors of the Harvard Business School Club of Chicago, and provided leadership for organizations including the American Marketing Association and Sales & Marketing Executives International. He is a member of the Association of Independent Graduate Admissions Consultants, Independent Education Consultants Association and the Higher Education Consultants Association, and an affiliate member of the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals.

If you have questions about today’s changing MBA admissions marketplace, or would like a free, expert evaluation of your MBA candidacy in light of these and other trends, please visit www.mbaexchange.com