Mr. Low GPA 2

I’m a sucker for a comeback story and your narrative puts a real smile on my face. You obviously came through a very difficult period in your life and are willing to share it with others. That is an admirable and courageous trait that will serve you well in applying to a highly selective business school. It also helps to explain away your mediocre GPA of 2.3 in an era of grade inflation. At least you got it in a difficult subject at a highly credible university. Thankfully, you got a 710 GMAT score, nicely above Tepper’s 687 class average. Given your low GPA, you would substantially increase your odds by adding another 10 or 20 points to that GMAT score. You have solid work experience, even if it is not for gold-plated, big-brand companies, and your involvement as a program director and mentor helping low-income, high-achieving high school students achieve college success is highly admirable. If you qualify as a URM, that is a plus in your favor as well. Tepper’s admit rate is 41.5% which bodes well for an acceptance. But you need to be proactive with Tepper and not merely push the send button on your online application. That means visiting the school, having lunch with students, seeking out a few alums, striking a connection or two with admissions folks. Go to their events and chat them up. It will make a big difference to your candidacy.

It looks like you’ve built a strong career in sales & marketing so far! I’m glad to see that your GMAT score is solid, as that will help offset your low GPA. Even so, I’d 1.) retake to bump it up 10-20+ points, as every bit will help and 2.) address the GPA in your optional essay, highlighting the circumstances you mentioned and how you were able to turn things around. Also, be clear about your career goals: When you say “exec” at a company, what function do you mean? Explain what type of role you see yourself in the transferrable skills you’ll bring to it, and how an MBA from Tepper will help you achieve it. And speaking of that last point, make a very strong case in your application for why Tepper is a good fit for you based on its culture and its resources within and outside of the classroom – gathering this information will involve going to admissions events and talking to students/alumni and other members of the Tepper community. Best of luck!

Mr. Low GPA 2, first off I am so happy you have recovered and on a great track! That is the most important thing. But since B school is your next thing let’s talk about that. I am glad you were able to turn around your academic experience; I agree with my peers on getting that GMAT score up, that will help. Think about the skills you need to get from the degree so you can be much more specific about why you need the degree and why Tepper is the place for you. What are the clubs, classes, groups that you will take advantage of that will help you reach your dreams. You are going to have to craft a really solid story to get the committee’s attention. Good luck