Can MBA Applicants Overcome a Low GPA?
Low GPA – Undergraduate
If you have an undergraduate GPA lower than a 3.0 (or B average) or a few low grades sprinkled into an otherwise spotless academic record, you have a hurdle to overcome when applying to MBA programs: convincing the admissions committee (the adcom) at the program of your choice that your performance as an undergraduate is not indicative of your ability to succeed in an MBA program.
The lower marks on your transcript need to come across as the result of immaturity and an accompanying lack of motivation to study (for any number of reasons). If you don’t acknowledge your low GPA, it could signal a lack of self-awareness indicative of continued immaturity to the adcom. Worse yet, a problematic transcript submitted without explanation or resolution could cause the adcom to question your academic ability even if your GMAT and other application materials are strong.
While it is difficult to overcome a low GPA, ignoring the fact of the matter is an illogical strategy.
Full Time MBA Vs Part Time MBA
First Steps
Deciding you need and want an MBA is the first step. From there, you’ll have to determine whether pursuing the degree full time best serves your purpose, or whether attending MBA courses part time is a better fit with your goals. Other factors to consider are part time vs full time MBA salary, as well as the respective admissions process for each. Continue reading…
Can a Regional MBA Program Help You Reach Your Goals?
Regional MBA’s Grow in Popularity
In September 2013, The Wall Street Journal reported that business schools in the U.S. received the highest volume of applications to MBA programs since a previous peak in 2009, at the start of the financial crisis. In 2009, applicants who may have struggled to find jobs in fields like finance and consulting sought to boost their résumés with an MBA as a means of increasing their appeal to employers. Fast-forward to 2013, and the reasons for applying have evolved, as have the programs. Regional MBA programs have increased in popularity. What’s their unique value? They prepare MBA students for regional specializations through specific coursework and access to invaluable local networks. Continue reading…
Do Entrepreneurs Need an MBA?
Entrepreneurship has become a well-established feature of popular culture. Every Friday night in the U.S., ABC Network features Shark Tank, its hit show about everyday entrepreneurs approaching potential investors, seeking much needed capital and often receiving equally valuable advice. The entrepreneurs featured have many things in common, including a passion for their product or ideas and a palatable drive. What they often don’t have is an MBA and all that it provides. Continue reading…
When to Get an MBA?
When applying to an MBA program, what you’ve accomplished in your professional career matters a great deal. Unlike virtually every other graduate program, including those in law, medicine, engineering, and so on, the most competitive MBA candidates (and the vast majority) don’t go directly from undergrad to an MBA program. First, they join the workforce. Continue reading…
Why Get an MBA?
Benefits of an MBA
There are four broad reasons to get an MBA degree: the technical and leadership skills you will learn, the opportunity to develop your career, the opportunity to network with people with similar interests, and the importance of the MBA credential.
The academic environment of an MBA Program would provide you with fundamental technical skills that are important for success in all types of businesses (large and small, nonprofit and for-profit). Business school would provide you with an understanding of Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing, Operations Management, Organizational Behavior, and Economics that is important for all business decision makers. Continue reading…
