Please Help - Profile Evaluation

[johnryder214]

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[mili]

Hi John,

Thanks for sharing your story - sounds like it's been a frustrating and disappointing few months. I admire your tenacity, though!

Here's the reality - your work experience is very strong. Your entrepreneurial endeavors show that you are a doer, a risk-taker. They'll help you out. Your competitive level go-kart is quirky but also shows discipline, goal-orientation, etc. But with a 640 GMAT, a 3.1 GPA and a layoff, it's going to be tough to get into a top program. And it might also be difficult to get into a Duke University.

So, I would suggest that you either lower your expectations on the schools or you try again on GMAT and reapply in fall. The problem with the second option is that your GMAT trend is not great, so the likelihood of scoring above the 700 mark, which is what I think it would take to have a shot at overcoming the low GPA and being considered at a top program, are slim. And, taking the GMAT too many times can be seen as a negative ("he doesn't know when to quit."). So, I don't want to be a debbie downer, but I would suggest that you consider other schools that have a median/mean in that 650 range (and reach for one or two programs that indicate 640 in there bottom range).

Really hope that helps,
Mili

Mili Mittal
Senior Consultant
http://www.mbamission.com
 
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