Mr. 3rd Gen Farmer

You already know the red flag in your application: It’s that woeful 2.3 GPA at Cal Poly, an excellent school. I wonder if you have a convincing explanation for the low GPA. If you do, Darden may very well look past your grades and put complete faith in your strong GMAT score of 720 which is above the latest 713 class average for Darden. I love that you are an entrepreneur who has struggled through two failures and learned from them. And you certainly would stand out as a third generation farmer in an MBA applicant pool. Not all that many farmers apply to business school and fewer still can claim to be entrepreneurs. So that is super appealing. Though you are five years above the average age of 27 (and might be six when you matriculate), I sense there is something special here in the way you describe yourself, from walking cotton fields to having a lemonade stand at the age of 8. So if you really want Darden, here is what you really need to do: Go to the school (if you haven’t already) and ask for a meeting with both Dean Scott Beardsley and Admissions Director Dawna Clarke. You need to show your resolve to get into Darden and you need to show that you are as special as you appear to be. And if you have already been to Darden but have not met with Dean Beardsley or Clarke, you should go again and make sure you do. Everybody loves people with grit, people who have weathered life’s difficulties. And when you write or call their offices, tell them I asked you to contact them directly. Good luck. I am rooting for you!

Hi Mr. 3rd Gen Farmer! Kate Richardson, Senior Admissions Consultant here. I love that you are an open book, have demonstrated grit and ability to bounce back from setbacks, and that you have a sense of humor too. I’ve worked with hundreds of applicants, and have never worked with a farmer, so that unique background will really help you. Your interest in innovating within the agriculture industry and desire to have an impact on the community makes a strong case for an MBA (and matches very well with the mission of GSB in particular). Since you have already had wide ranging experiences and started companies, make sure you can get very specific on what skills you want to gain from an MBA, and then tie those learning goals to specific resources/courses at your target schools. Your challenges are of course your experience level and your GPA. The GPA concerns me more to be honest. Can you get any more points on the GMAT? Take some additional courses before you apply? Maybe you can overcome it, but it will be tough, especially at H/S. Essays are going to be super important for you to stand out and make sure your strong stories and unique perspective come across in a compelling way (often within just a few hundred words!). I also recommend showing your interest to these programs and trying to get face time with admissions if possible. Also, apply Early Action to Darden if it is a top choice! Good luck!