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1 year working as cofounder on a robotics startup with computer vision, top 10% applicant to YCombinator and finalist for another big name accelerator, lost funding and had to earn an income: 2 years working at fast-growing (100->200 employees) self-driving vehicle startup in industrial/material handling sector, 2 promotions in 14 months.
Target School: StanfordĀ GSB
Considering: MIT Sloan, Harvard
See More Profiles For: StanfordĀ GSB
Application Status: Open
Undergrad School: Carnegie Mellon University
Undergrad Major: B.S. Mechanical Engineering
GPA: 2.9
GMAT: 730
Age: 25, Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino
Extracurriculars: JDRF Emerging Leaders Committee Member, Robotics Club (University) - Member
Title: Implementation Engineer
Industry: Technology
Company: Start-Up
Length of Employment: 2 yrs
Title: Cofounder (CTO)
Length of Employment: 1 yr, 2 mos
Overcame diagnosis of type 1 diabetes freshmen year, ended the last 3 semesters averaging 3.5GPA. Fastest promoted in work, head/founder of the cross-department committee, manage $MM projects working with Fortune 100 customers and managing teams of 2-6 engineers/specialists. Won 2 named scholarships including II-VI scholarship.
Become a core member of an early-stage startup, and building towards eventually founding my own robotics company.
Join in! Click here to assess the odds of Mr. Robotics
That 2.9 GPA jumps out at you like a very big sore thumb. But your entreprenerial accomplishments speak loudly. The big question: Loudly enough to overcome the GPA. I think so, primarily because you have a legitimate explanation for it and because you ended your undergraduate years stronger from a world class university in a difficult STEM major. I would be very surprised if you don’t get an interview at the GSB. Getting in is another matter because as you no doubt know the school turns down 94% of its applicants from a self-selecting pool of truly exceptional people. I am rooting for you, though.
Hi Mr. Robotics, This is Debbie Choy, GSB alum and Senior Consultant at mbaMission weighing in on your profile. I’m impressed by your entrepreneurial drive and success with YCombinator and other accelerators. Pivoting to work at another startup is normal in this journey, and shows your willingness to adapt and learn from others. Business schools, especially Stanford, are looking for applicants who have these qualities. That you have done well at work managing teams and projects (and getting promoted) also show your collaboration and leadership skills – very important for a school like the GSB. On the personal side, I imagine your challenge with Type 1 Diabetes freshman year might have impacted your GPA? The overall low GPA is a concern, and itās important for AdCom …
Hi Mr. Robotics, This is Debbie Choy, GSB alum and Senior Consultant at mbaMission weighing in on your profile. I’m impressed by your entrepreneurial drive and success with YCombinator and other accelerators. Pivoting to work at another startup is normal in this journey, and shows your willingness to adapt and learn from others. Business schools, especially Stanford, are looking for applicants who have these qualities. That you have done well at work managing teams and projects (and getting promoted) also show your collaboration and leadership skills – very important for a school like the GSB. On the personal side, I imagine your challenge with Type 1 Diabetes freshman year might have impacted your GPA? The overall low GPA is a concern, and itās important for AdCom to know the circumstances (if any) that affected your GPA, so I suggest writing an optional essay to explain this, and point out an improved GPA in the later semesters or higher major GPA. I’m glad to see that your GMAT score is competitive and in-line with the average at Stanford; this will help alleviate potential concerns AdCom might have about your academic capabilities. Overall, the GPA is a weakness, but I still think you have a lot of plusses and a good shot at GSB (their average acceptance rate ranges from 5-7% so 20% are strong odds)! In your essays though, be sure to go beyond describing “what” you have achieved and share the “why” – eg. why do you do the things you have done. Good luck!
Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson at Stratus Admissions. You have excellent startup experience, both as a founder and at an early-stage company. Your learnings from the startup you founded will be a vital way to show how you grew from an experience where you took a risk. Also being promoted at your current company twice is a huge plus. You’re from an under-represented group so that will be a point in your favor as well. Your GMAT is great and your undergrad major was a hard one at a challenging school. The GPA is clearly lower due to your health issues that year, so just mention that in an optional essay saying that the last 3 years were 3.5 and I don’t think that will weigh …
Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson at Stratus Admissions. You have excellent startup experience, both as a founder and at an early-stage company. Your learnings from the startup you founded will be a vital way to show how you grew from an experience where you took a risk. Also being promoted at your current company twice is a huge plus. You’re from an under-represented group so that will be a point in your favor as well. Your GMAT is great and your undergrad major was a hard one at a challenging school. The GPA is clearly lower due to your health issues that year, so just mention that in an optional essay saying that the last 3 years were 3.5 and I don’t think that will weigh you down much at all. Wanting to go back into entrepreneurship will be a plus for GSB. They want people who will change the world, so being bold is a good thing. You already founded a startup and need GSB to help make the next one a success. Make sure your personal side and how you’ve grown really come through in the essay. Good luck!
Not crazy about that GPA and at Stanford at least your GMAT score doesn’t really make up for it. Add Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School to your mix.
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