Mr. Swing Big

Guessing your odds on this profile would be as difficult as guessing whether the guy on the mound will toss a fastball or a curve. Your explanation for the lowish GPA is totally acceptance and as a Hispanic you will have some advantage in applying but it’s super hard to tell you where you actually stand without a standardized test score or knowing how large and consequential your entrepreneurial business actually is. My gut tells me you might have a very tough time at Wharton, Harvard and Columbia, given your undergraduate background, low GPA, lack of gold-plated work experience, and my intutition which tells me your company did not receive venture backing. What would change this is a super high GRE score and evidence that your startup was a multi-million-dollar success.

Hi Mr. Swing Big! This is Talon Rindels, Sr. Admissions Consultant at The MBA Exchange. Wharton has one of the lower acceptance rates at just 9%. I am rating you at their average acceptance rate because, it’s hard to assess without knowing where your GMAT or GRE score will come in. A high GMAT score could take the eyes off your lower GPA, especially since you have a very legitimate reason for it (my empathies to you for everything your family has been through…). I think your qualitative story will be quite attractive to adcom. Clearly you can balance multiple priorities at once, even while battling emotional/personal challenges. And, your entrepreneurship will be quite attractive as well. You’ll want to help adcom understand your Finance experience and achievements at the firm – have you accelerated your career faster than your peers and what did you do in order to do so? My advice is to score big on the GMAT. With Wharton’s average GMAT score, I think you can increase your odds to ~30% and if higher than their average, more like 40-45%.

Hi Mr. Swing Big! This is Kate Richardson, Senior Admissions Consultant reviewing your profile here. Thanks for sharing the context around your GPA. A 3.1 is concerning for schools at the level you’re considering, but Admissions will consider other factors when evaluating your GPA. You should plan to write an optional essay explaining the other obligations you had and I have to say I am impressed you were able to balance coursework on top of running a business and taking care of your family! You definitely are a go-getter, and Wharton will value that entrepreneurial skillset plus your commitment to others, since teamwork is so important there. To mitigate your low GPA, a high GRE is your best tactic, so I hope that goes well! The CFA will help too. Your work history sounds very strong and I’m intrigued that you started a multinational company that was recognized by the UN! As a Hispanic or Latino applicant, you also represent a desirable demographic for top programs. Assuming you get a strong GRE (ideally above Wharton’s 324 average), I think you’ve got a good shot.

Hi Mr. Swing Big—I like your attitude! This is Donna Bauman, Senior MBA Admissions Counselor at Stratus Admissions and I am glad to reach out on your profile. I can tell you from my own experience coaching clients to successful admission to top MBA programs, anything is possible. I even helped a client with multiple “D’s” get into Wharton so I applaud you thinking big as the only way you will not get in for certain is if you don’t apply! That being said, I encourage you to work on getting a GRE or GMAT score so that you have something ideally a bit over the bar on at least one part of the stats. When you explain the context around your father’s Parkinson’s and ALS, quantify how many hours you had to work while still in school to support your family. During my time on the school side of MBA admissions I read thousands of these optional essays and the people who provide the most detail without making excuses are most effective. Your goal is to provide context and let the reader understand your situation—without offering any excuses. Your situation of caring for your family while also working and going to college all at the same time shows a lot of maturity on your part and I don’t think you should worry too much about having to apologize for a 3.1 under those circumstances. On the contrary, I am very impressed by your work ethic and also your initiative in taking CFA coursework and currently studying for Level 2. If you were my client, I would ask you to provide more details around the success of your business. What was your motivation for starting the business? What challenges have you faced that an MBA can help you overcome in the future? What did you learn from operating a business in multiple countries? There is a lot to like in your background and in my experience what separates the potentials from those who break through is to have a very memorable story that is bigger than you and really shows the research (particularly important for Wharton) on why the MBA and Wharton makes sense for you. I like your chances at HBS, Columbia and Stern as well—and if I get to know you better would work with you to identify a few more programs so that you are taking your best shots for the MBA. I’d love to talk to you further and help you hit some home runs Mr. Swing Big!