Candidate:

Mr. Good GMAT, Bad GPA

About Me:

So, I know I’m an odd case for top MBA programs but covid destroying my industry has given me a chance to chase my dreams. I’d like to get an idea of whether these schools are in the right range or whether I’m off in my self-assessment. In all above roles I worked intimately with the finances and plans of these businesses and my CV reflects that.

Schools:

Target School: IMD

Considering: USC Marshall, Foster School of Business, Berkeley Haas, NYU Stern, IESE

See More Profiles For: IMD

Application Status: Open

Details:

Undergrad School: University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Undergrad Major: Political Science

GPA: 2.67

GMAT: 750

Age: 29, Ethnicity: White

Extracurriculars: Social Justice Advocate, see below, Part-time House/Techno DJ

Work History:

Title: Restaurant Manager (Bar then GM)

Industry: Hospitality

Company: High End Restaurant

Length of Employment: 2 yrs, 7 mos

Title: Proprietor

Industry: Consulting

Company: Independent restaurant consultant, full time, numerous restaurants, financial and managerial oversight.

Length of Employment: 3 yrs

Big Life Wins:

Over the summer I ended up organizing an anti-police brutality event/memorial. I took it from concept to execution in 5 days, starting from $0, raised double the estimated budget (remained was donated to worthy causes), and the 3000+ person event went off smoothly and was featured heavily on local news and mentioned on national news.

Post MBA Goal:

I want to take my analytical background and grow outside of the restaurant industry. I think that an MBA would allow me to gain knowledge and skills to flourish in the corporate or consulting world. The well-rounded skills and tireless work ethic you learn from working in hospitality I think will allow me to excel.

Odds:

Join in! Click here to assess the odds of Mr. Good GMAT, Bad GPA

The Experts Rate The Odds At: 55%

See what the industry experts have to say:

Stratus Admissions Counseling Odds Assessment: 55%

Hi Mr. Good GMAT, Bad GPA—this is Donna Bauman with Stratus Admissions and I think you are being too modest. You don’t just have a good GMAT—you have a stellar GMAT! With an international program like IMD, you may not be held to the same scrutiny on your GPA that would might find in the US. You do have the benefit of bringing a much higher than average GMAT score and your work experience is fairly close to the 7 yr avg. Your nontraditional background in the hospitality industry could set you apart. I agree that the skills from the hospitality industry—where customer service is so important—are transferrable to the consulting industry. This reminds me of Danny Meyer’s book, Setting the Table, which offers …

Hi Mr. Good GMAT, Bad GPA—this is Donna Bauman with Stratus Admissions and I think you are being too modest. You don’t just have a good GMAT—you have a stellar GMAT! With an international program like IMD, you may not be held to the same scrutiny on your GPA that would might find in the US. You do have the benefit of bringing a much higher than average GMAT score and your work experience is fairly close to the 7 yr avg. Your nontraditional background in the hospitality industry could set you apart. I agree that the skills from the hospitality industry—where customer service is so important—are transferrable to the consulting industry. This reminds me of Danny Meyer’s book, Setting the Table, which offers some great insight about how to exceed your customer’s expectations. I think you’d enjoy reading this book if you have not already done so and you might want to use some of the points in the book to help you show how these restaurant industry skills can give you customer service superpowers in the consulting world. I also love your varied interests as a DJ and your social justice efforts and the work you did this summer. For the US programs there are so many people at Haas interested in the food industry and you might really find your people there if you do consider US options. Best wishes to you and please reach out for a consult if you want to talk with us further.

3 years ago Read the full review