Wharton | Mr. Private Equity
GMAT 730, GPA 3.2
HEC Paris | Ms. M&A Lawyer
GMAT 700, GPA 3.5
Stanford GSB | Ms. UK In the USA
GMAT 720, GPA 1st class (UK scoring)
Kenan-Flagler | Mr. Do I Have A Shot?
GMAT EA: 151, GPA 3.1
Chicago Booth | Ms. Tech4Good
GMAT 760, GPA 3.76
Columbia | Mr. Underdog
GMAT 695 GMAT Focus (750 Legacy GMAT equivalent), GPA 2.85
McCombs School of Business | Mr. Big Pharma
GRE N/A, GPA 3.1
Kenan-Flagler | Mr. Non-Traditional Undergrad
GMAT 660, GPA 2.9
Kellogg SOM | Ms. Talent Acquisition
GRE 316, GPA 3.6
Ross | Mr. Tax Accountant
GMAT N/A, GPA 3.3
Tuck | Mr. Nothing Is Perma
GMAT 760, GPA 7/10
Kellogg SOM | Mr. Desi Product Manager
GMAT 740, GPA 2.90
Columbia | Mr. Clean
GMAT 770, GPA 3.1
Harvard | Mr. Travel Enthusiast
GRE 333, GPA 2.7
Chicago Booth | Mr. UK-Big 4
GMAT 740, GPA 2:2 (UK Scoring)

Rejected By Harvard B-School? Don’t Feel Bad. You’re In Great Company

by: John A. Byrne on February 15, 2016 | | 44,882 Views

Military

Mr. Marine

 

  • 650 GMAT (retaking)
  • 3.14
  • Undergraduate degree in finance from Park University while serving at Camp Pendleton as a Marine
  • Work experience includes one year and one-half with General Dynamics as a logistics analyst in Afghanistan after having served as fiscal chief in a special operations training unit for the U.S. Marines
  • Strong recommendations from current manager and former USMC manager
  • Essay on why an MBA at a later age
  • Muslim priest
  • “I have have every intention of reapplying round 1 in September if you think it is feasible. I know I can improve my GMAT score so that is not a problem, but will my age be an issue as I will be 31 for the 2017 year. Also is the fact that I went to a Tier 2 school be something that I can overcome. Most importantly do you think I have the possibility of getting in, I am willing to do whatever it takes to strengthen my application as long as you think it is a possibility”
  • 30=year-old Desi American

     

    Sandy’s Ding Analysis: Age is not the issue per se. Given your military career, schools expect applicants to frequently be older. You were turned down because they

    had a hard time getting past both your low GPA and low GMAT. Your essay about why being old was no problem was not really an issue.

    They would have preferred an essay which spoke to the more unique and impressive parts of story, the fact that you were both a Marine Corps enlisted man and a Muslim priest.

    Get a ~710 GMAT, put your story together, and maybe you would have a chance.

    Good luck.

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