STUDENT2STUDENT

DISCUSSION FORUM

• Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: whartonmylove  Jul 27, 2011 Posts 2

  I have a low GPA of 2.8 and come from a very competitive pool of  MBA applicants. Although have a pretty well rounded application otherwise...760 GMAT, 3.5 Years of Work Experience as a Consultant in a Marketing firm, good international experience and pretty well thoughtout reasons to pursue MBA from Wharton. Unfortunately my poor GPA is a bummer and it kills me that I can not do anything about it now. I am unsure of whether the adcoms would reject my application because they wouldn't want a student with a low GPA in their class or not. I am not loosing hope and applying this year anyways because I have always wanted to but if anyone can please help me in figuring out what I could do to mitigate this low GPA "thing" it will be of great help. Will taking some extra courses in stats to improve the GPA help or will it be a futile effort? Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: victormlee  Jul 27, 2011 Posts 2,531

  In reply to

  AdCom will not reject an applicant solely because of a low GPA. Let me repeat that. AdCom will not reject an applicant solely because of a low GPA. There are several factors that could go into an assessment of a low GPA. One is how that GPA was "composed:" what courses did you take, how challenging were they, in which types of courses did you excel, in which types of courses did you struggle, how long ago was your classwork, etc. A transcript is required to conduct such analyses. A GPA is just a summary of information, but AdCom looks at the details behind the summary and the relevant context, as well. There is a big difference between getting a "lower" GPA in Course 16 (Aerospace Engineering) at MIT and getting the same GPA in Underwater Basket Studies at the Community College of Martians (nothing against community colleges, but just illustrating a point, here). To mitigate your "low" GPA, you need to put yourself in AdCom's shoes and analyze what lies behind the GPA. Are you weaker in one particular area (e.g. - in quantitative courses)? Do you have other evidence in your work life, volunteer life, other academic life, etc. that shows that you can handle that weaker area(s)? How can you demonstrate that you have improved and learned from your previous experience leading to the "low" GPA? Such considerations and the self-awareness and introspection that comes from such analysis are generally more important than the raw score itself. You will want to demonstrate this through your application and possibly also discuss this in an Optional Essay if it bothers you so much. Just make sure that the Optional Essay is factual in explanation and indicates maturation and growth with tangible examples. Just providing excuses will only be looked down upon by AdCom readers. -Victor WG '11 Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: Fanaticalfan  Jul 27, 2011 Posts 1,159

  In reply to

  Adcom aren't making admission decisions based on numerical GPA cut-offs, but they do want to be confident that you are going to apply yourself to your studies at Wharton. But a 2.8 suggests that this hasn't always been the case in the past. One of the concerns with a high GMAT, low GPA combo is 'smart but lazy'. Adcom are aware that people do grow and mature over time, and I agree with Victor that an honest discussion of the reasons behind your prior poor performance may help adcom understand what was going on, rather than leaving them to make their own assumptions. But honestly, when it comes to explanations of low GPA's, talk is cheap, and an explanation accompanied by positive evidence of what you are capable of NOW goes a lot further than an explanation alone. And probably the best thing you can do in terms of positive evidence is to build an alternative transcript by taking additional classes (and getting A's in them). Adcom may also be looking at your professional track record, XC involvement, etc also in terms of evaluating your ability to work hard and apply yourself. FF (who was admitted with a 2.6) Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: whartonmylove  Jul 27, 2011 Posts 2

  In reply to

  Thanks Victor and Fanaticalfan for the insights. Realistically speaking I don't think I have enough time left for building an alternative transcript but I will definitely be more adapt in preparing my application after reading your comments....thanks again Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: victormlee  Jul 27, 2011 Posts 2,531

  In reply to

  You're welcome. Good luck! Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: Fanaticalfan  Jul 27, 2011 Posts 1,159

  In reply to

  While there may not be enough time between now and the R1 deadline, but waiting until R2 and using the extra time to start taking classes may help you submit a stronger application overall? FF Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: ggyy  Jan 15, 2012 Posts 3

  In reply to

  hey,   i want to ask about chances of admission at wharton. I have a poor undergrad result from the LSE in Bsc Economics in 2007 - like 2:2 but boderline on a 3rd. My gmat is 770 though (first try) - immense practise and hard work to achieve it.work experience includes government projects in a developing country, finance in MNC and just started at prestigious consluting practise. Will the low gpa affect my application? how should I address it in this situation?    ggyy Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: victormlee  Jan 15, 2012 Posts 2,531

  In reply to

  ggyy,  Please start by reading http://engage.wharton.upenn.edu/MBA/forums/p/3282/9399.aspx#9399. The first thing I'd recommend - and I don't mean to sound like a crass jerk in saying this - is that you clean up your spelling and grammar when you prepare your application. Perhaps this post was written quickly in a casual tone and is not reflective of your more professional work, in which case disregard this suggestion. As far as your actual question is concerned, one of the potential dangers of a "low" GPA / "high" GMAT combination is the perception of "smart, but lazy," as I believe FF has said in the past (if memory serves). That being said, AdCom will look more carefully at your actual transcript(s) to see what caused the GPA to be what it is.  Performance in class work is only one of several dimensions which AdCom evaluates. If you have been out of your undergraduate program for some time and have demonstrated academic or academic-equivalent success in other ways, an older undergraduate GPA that is "low" is relatively less concerning.  If you feel that the GPA is "low" enough to merit concern (trust your instincts), then you are welcome to write an optional essay providing more insight into the overall situation. Such optional essays should be honest, but also insightful; they should evidence reflection, self-understanding, and the impact of subsequent maturation. Hope this helps, Victor WG '11 Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: Fanaticalfan  Jan 15, 2012 Posts 1,159

  In reply to

  I agree with Victor - one of the concerns with a high GMAT low GPA combination is that adcom may conclude "smart but lazy". Adcom aren't evaluating your GPA on the basis of numbers, but they are going to be concerned about whether you are going to apply yourself to your studies fully at Wharton, when there is some evidence that you haven't always in the past. However, adcom are aware that people mature over time, and that past performance is not always a perfect predictor of your capabilities now. It may be worthwhile to help adcom understand what was going on, but honestly, when it comes to 'explanations', talk is cheap, and an explanation accompanied by positive evidence of your capabilities now will go a lot further than an explanation alone. Probably the best thing you can do at this stage is to build an alternative transcript, by taking some additional classes and doing well in them. Adcom will also probably be looking at your track record of applying yourself to achieve professional success, and perhaps the general sense of maturity that emerges from your application. FF (who was admitted to Wharton with a GPA of around 2.6) Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: ggyy  Jan 16, 2012 Posts 3

  In reply to

  I am definitely in agreement with both of you - it's important that a high gmat/low undergrad does not give off the impression of smart but lazy. However, I think this can be address with my professional experience.  As for doing alternative transcripts - can you explain a bit more about that? do you mean doing courses such as those provided via long distance from harvard extension school? In the UK, there isn't really a way to build an alternative transcript via any other means.        Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: victormlee  Jan 16, 2012 Posts 2,531

  In reply to

  ggyy, Pursuing additional coursework is a good idea, but it will depend on several factors, including: -when you will apply; -what budget you have; -what available time you have; -in what areas you may have struggled during your undergraduate program;  -etc. If these and other conditions all align to make pursuing further education reasonable, then you could certainly pursue classes through accredited institutions, such as extension schools, community colleges, online education programs, continuing education programs, summer school, other degree programs, etc. I know Oxford, to pick one example, has continuing education and summer school offerings in the UK. If you feel you can sufficiently and credibly explain why your GPA was what it is and how you have progressed since that point without pursuing further education, then that is certainly fine: your call. You know your situation best! Good luck, Victor PS - I appreciate the cleaner language in the second post (definitely aligns with the idea of showing the meticulousness that arguably comes with maturity)! :)   Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: ggyy  Jan 16, 2012 Posts 3

  In reply to

  Victor,   Thank you for your advise. It looks like I am not going to go ahead with the alternative transcript since there aren't any options around for it. Oxford Continuing education department does not offer any business related courses. The other option is the UOL extension courses which I believe will not prove anything to adcomm even if I aced them. They are administered by the same university I went to and they only teach about 1/10 of what I learnt as an undergraduate. It wouldn't prove that I am able to handle that material at rigorous level. At the same time, the cost of these courses are quite astounding.    One final question though, I would just like to ask if a CFA or ACCA qualification be at least some level of proof that I am now better to able handle the mba material?  Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: victormlee  Jan 16, 2012 Posts 2,531

  In reply to

  Hi, ggyy, Not that Oxford is the only option or even the best, but there are, I believe, some courses that Continuing Education does offer (see http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/professional/staticdetails.php?course=205). Note that classes do not necessarily have to be business courses; subjects that are related (e.g., calculus) can be just as useful, depending on your background and academic history. I agree, though, that the cost of the courses can be very expensive. I wouldn't pursue them, personally, just for the sake of trying to get into an MBA program; there would have to be some genuine desire to get more education/knowledge to help justify the investment. It may not be for everyone. Certain credentials, such as the CFA (depending on level), can help to make a case that one has ability in certain business or business-related fields. If one were weak in, say, one's classes that involved more essay writing or verbal reasoning, such a credential might not help mitigate that concern. It could, though, be one step towards making an argument for quantitative ability/capability for "finance thought."  -Victor Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: mumbai28  Jan 17, 2012 Posts 3

  In reply to

  Hello    Can you please suggest some credible online programs which offer business mathematics courses?   Thanks Reply

• Re: Low GPA .. it's killing me!! Please help. From: victormlee  Jan 18, 2012 Posts 2,531

  In reply to

  mumbai28, What is your objective? What are you looking to study?  Take a look at http://engage.wharton.upenn.edu/MBA/forums/p/1484/7993.aspx. sf2010 has some good suggestions (including a Berkeley course). -Victor WG '11 Reply