MBA Handicapping: Low GMAT/High GPA -- Powerful Life Story = HBS, MIT, Or CBS?

In her quest to land a spot in one of the world’s most elite MBA programs, Ainar has one hurdle to overcome. In common with many MBA applicants, she sports a standardized test score below the class averages for her target schools: Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and Columbia. It’s a GRE score of 319 when the class averages at her first choice schools range from 328 (Stanford) to 324 (MIT Sloan).

But this Kazakh native has an impressive 3.7 GPA, with first-class honors from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, managerial experience in both Hong Kong and New York, and several promotions to her credit at a firm that is in a novel business. Her employer finds experts for the top global consulting firms and private equity shops, from BCG to KKR. Working from Hong Kong, Ainar leads a team of five to manage 700+ projects annually, conducting client discovery meetings, leading quarterly reviews with partners, and enabling clients to interview and survey top experts in fields ranging from high-tech to social impact.

Her short term, post MBA goal is to land a cross-functional role at an edtech startup in the U.S. Longer term, she hopes to launch & run an edtech startup that would enable access to education in Central Asia.

For Ainar, the big question is whether her undergraduate and career accomplishments can offset that lowist test score?

In this episode of Friday’s With Sandy, HBSGuru.com Founder Sandy Kreisberg handicaps her MBA odds at these schools. He also provides some important advice to enhance Ainar’s odds.

If you would like to participate in a future Fridays With Sandy webinar, you can contact Sandy and Poets&Quants John here.