low gpa essay sample mba

Sep 1, 2022

How to explain your low GPA in the MBA optional essay

Updated: Feb 1

I speak to hundreds of MBA applicants every year. One of the most common questions I get asked is, “How do I justify my low undergrad GPA in my MBA applications?”

The good news is that a low GPA isn't a death sentence for your application. But you MUST be able to clearly explain it. Most likely, you’ll explain it in the optional essay of the MBA application portal.

This is how Yale SOM phrases the prompt:

Optional Essay: If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation (unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, promotions or recognition, etc.), please provide a brief description here. (200 words maximum)

In this blog we will address how you can justify your low undergrad GPA through your optional essay. Along with this, we’ll discuss other aspects of your profile that you can discuss in the optional essay.

Every year, top business schools publish details regarding their class profiles. These reports include average GPA, GMAT/GRE score, years of experience, demographics and industry information for the incoming class. So, for prospective applicants, this report becomes a useful blueprint for identifying how they compare to their would-be classmates and whether they stand a chance of getting into this school.

From this report, we know for example that the undergrad GPA range for the Chicago Booth class of 2023 is 2.7 - 4, with the average being 3.54. The undergrad GPA range for the Northwestern Kellogg class of 2023 is 2.4 - 4, with the average being 3.7.

This means that candidates who made it to the Booth class of 2023 had undergraduate GPAs between 2.7 and 4.

So I get lots of questions from applicants whose GPA is at the very bottom of the range asking whether they have a chance. And honestly, most often the answer is No, unless your profile is absolutely exceptional.

If you belong to an overrepresented group such as an Indian male or north american investment banker, you won’t be successful if your GPA is at the bottom of the range unless you’ve got an exceptional GMAT score and an incredible story.

Applicant: “Can I get into Booth with a 2.8 GPA?”

Sam: “Not unless you threw javelins in the Olympics or distributed polio vaccines in Afghanistan.”

To get in with a lower GPA, you need an exceptional story. One like Raveena ’s, who got into Wharton with a low GPA, a below-average GMAT score in Round 3 and (drum roll) with $160,000 of scholarships.

How to explain a low GPA

Points to bear in mind while writing your optional essay as you discuss your low GPA:

1. Valid reasons for having a low GPA: Some reasons for having a low GPA are more valid than others. Partied to hard and failed exams? Nope. Better reasons include health issues, family issues such as parents getting divorced, or entering the course academically underprepared.

2. How to explain it: Focus very clearly on what happened, how you rebounded, and what you learned from the experience.

3. Avoid using long-winded stories. Storytelling can be super effective for the rest of your MBA essays, where you’re trying to demonstrate a strong narrative. However , that’s not the case with optional essays. Since this is not a mandatory part of the application, the Adcom is “doing you a favor” by reading it. So be short, tight and direct.

4. Steer clear of incorporating any stories or fluff. Instead, be direct in putting your point across to the Admissions Committee. If you have a low undergrad GPA, that’s a fact. So, say it like it is, add the reason behind it and discuss what you’ve done to compensate for it.

5. Don’t fill up space for the word limit. If you can explain a low GPA in 150 words, do it. As an extreme example, Rice Jones’ optional essay has a limit of 750 words. Unless you have something to say about every single possible optional essay topic, you won’t need anything like 750 words!

6. Don’t add repetitive content. Make sure nothing you write about in your optional essay has been repeated from any other part of the application. Repetition here is punishable by DING!

7. Don’t make excuses! Instead, highlight the reasons for this gap in your profile objectively and spin it positively. For example, if you have a low GPA because of your parents’ divorce, discuss how you handled it. If you have an employment gap in your profile, point to extracurriculars or a side hustle you pursued during that time.

8. Don’t be tempted to demonstrate the fit. The school has already offered you space to discuss your alignment with the school and/or program in your MBA application. So don’t ignore their instructions and include unnecessary detail in your optional essay.

9. Don’t brush your gaps under the rug. It might seem enticing to take the risk and not address your weaknesses in the hope that the AdCom miss it. In my experience, adcoms don’t miss these things. So don’t leave it to chance. If your focus wavered because of a lack of prioritization, or poor time management, or a genuine personal issue, admitting it will demonstrate maturity.

Example: Yale SOM

I don’t believe my GPA of 2.7 is representative of my academic abilities. My parents got divorced during my undergraduate studies. Since the rest of my siblings had left the country, I was forced to manage their divorce negotiations and my academic performance suffered heavily as a result.

After the divorce was settled, I attended extra classes to catch up on missed material and my grades rebounded. My final year GPA was 3.4, with my last semester being 3.6, which I believe better demonstrates my academic ability.

Unsatisfied with my poor grades, I took on additional academic challenges after my undergraduate studies were complete. For example, diving straight into the CFA level 1.

When should you write an MBA optional essay?

Aside from explaining your GPA, these are the other points you may want to address in your optional essay:

Educational or Professional Gap

Usually, candidates have an educational or professional gap because -

They wanted to figure out their passion

They were preparing for a certain exam

They had a physical or mental health condition

Extenuating personal circumstances

So, if you had to take a gap or got laid off and found yourself in this situation, use this space to offer your explanation to Adcom. Focus on how you used your time productively.

If you were running a side hustle during school or worked two jobs or did night shifts through your undergrad due to some financial issues, that’s something worth discussing in your optional essay. Otherwise, an outsider won’t be able to make sense of it just by looking at your resume.

Masters or Management degree in your home country

Many candidates go for a Masters in a specific subject or a Masters in Management (MIM) degree immediately after their undergrad. However, to pivot into senior executive roles, they need a formal management degree and apply for an MBA. If you fall into that category, you should offer context in your optional essay.

If you think your current score is an inaccurate representation of your profile, provide evidence of how you can add value to your target school’s MBA class. For example, if you’ve got your GMAT booked for a specific date post the deadline, you can say,

“My current GMAT score doesn’t reflect my academic ability aptly, and I have booked the exam for a specific date.”

Recommender

If you don’t have a recommendation from your current manager, it’s worth highlighting why. Maybe because you can’t tell your current company. Maybe because you haven’t been at your current company very long. Simply offer a crisp explanation and get your point across to the Admissions Committee.

Struggling to write your optional essay? Get in touch.

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20 Great MBA Application Essay Samples (With Links)

With elite business schools like Harvard and Stanford boasting acceptance rates as low as 10% and 6% respectively, every aspect of your application counts. While GPA and GMAT scores matter, your essay can be a game-changer. Recognizing its weight, we’ve gathered top-notch MBA essay samples, endorsed by admission committees from premier institutions. Dive in and let’s craft that standout application!

What is an MBA Application Essay?

What admission committee look for in an mba essay.

If you want to learn more, here is the complete guide on how admission committees process MBA applications.

20 Great MBA Applications Essays Samples

Now you have known that what makes a great MBA admission essay, the next step is to write one for yourself. Before writing, check out this list of expert-vetted MBA application essays that secured admissions to top-rated business schools in the world. Admission consultants have shared these samples and they can be helpful if you read and analyze them carefully. If you’re completely unsure about how to get started, there are also custom essay writing services that can help you structure your essay with the help of professional editors.

Sample 1: Leadership-focused MBA application essay

Sample 2: self-focused mba application essay .

If you are asked to write about your strengths, weaknesses, aims, and goals in your application essay, this sample will help you. The applicant who wrote this got accepted to the INSEAD business school. It doesn’t merely describe her strengths and weaknesses, but it presents a complete picture of herself as a person. It highlighted the events and incidents that shaped her personality.

Sample 3: Life-hardships-focused MBA application essay

If you want to explain your life’s hardships and the events that turned you into an ambitious person, this sample is for you. In this application essay, the candidate has defined three phases of his life and how he survived through each adversity. He beautifully explained why the MBA program is important to his future.

Sample 4: Continuous growth and learning-focused MBA application essay

Sample 5: best mba application essay for low scorers.

Have a low GPA? What would you write about academics in an MBA essay to convince the admission committee? Do not overthink! MBA essay is not all about high achievements and sterling background. It is also an opportunity to atone for your past mistakes. This MBA essay was written by a student who obtained very low academic grades, yet got admitted to her desired business school. Her turning point? A powerful application essay.

Sample 6: A guitarist’s application essay for the MBA program

Sample 7: an engineer’s essay for mba application, sample 8: harvard business school mba essay, sample 9: wharton business school mba essay, sample 10: columbia business school mba essay.

The Columbia Business School’s admission committee shared this MBA essay. They explained why the applicant who wrote this was instantly accepted to the program and why they appreciated its content.

Sample 11: Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA essay

This essay was written by a candidate who got accepted to Stanford Business School for an MBA. If you are aiming to get your MBA at Stanford, this sample will give you a deep understanding of what convinces the esteemed school’s admission committee to accept applicants into their fold.

Sample 12: University of California Business School MBA essay

This sample was taken from a pool of successful MBA application essays submitted to the University of California business school. Read it carefully and analyze its structure, words, and substance before you compose your own fantastic MBA essay.

Sample 13: University of OXFORD business school MBA essay

Sample 14: london business school mba essay.

This essay was written by a candidate who got accepted to the London Business School. The school’s admission consultant shared this sample as a reference to other MBA aspirants. This piece will specifically help you understand the tone, writing style, formatting, and overall flow of the MBA application essay that meets the school’s standards.

Sample 15: A goal-oriented MBA application essay

Sometimes the MBA admission portal may demand an essay specifically focused on your future goals. In such a case, you must be very sure about yourself and must convey your goals and future directions based on your experiences and planning. Check out this sample to get an idea of how a successful candidate writes about personal goals.

Sample 16: Executive MBA essay

Sample 17: mba video essay.

Many business schools are turning to video-based essays for MBA applications. A video-based essay is a better option to express yourself directly to the admission committee. A successful candidate for the Kellogg School of Management submitted this sample. Listen to the video and appreciate how beautifully the applicant has explained his journey from beginning to end. Want to learn more about video MBA essays? Here is a complete guide.

Sample 18: Short-answer-based MBA application essay

Some business schools require candidates to respond to short questions to get insights into their personalities and suitability for the MBA program. More or less, most of the questions revolve around the same theme. The key to success is to grasp the intention of the admission committee behind the questions and to stick to your identity . These successful answers submitted to the Tepper School of Business will help you in formulating your answers.

Sample 19: MIT Sloan School of Management

Sample 20: michigan ross school of business mba program, what should be included in the mba application essay.

These are the significant components of an MBA essay. Just adjust the sequence, play with words, and come up with a persuasive yet realistic picture of yourself.

What Makes a Great MBA Application Essay?

Do you want more tips? Here is a complete guide to writing a compelling MBA application essay.

Rafal Reyzer

Hey there, welcome to my blog! I'm a full-time entrepreneur building two companies, a digital marketer, and a content creator with 10+ years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to become a proficient digital marketer and achieve freedom through online creativity. My site is a one-stop shop for digital marketers, and content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money, and create beautiful things. Explore my journey here , and don't miss out on my AI Marketing Mastery online course.

50 MBA Essays That Got Applicants Admitted To Harvard & Stanford

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What Matters? and What More? is a collection of 50 application essays written by successful MBA candidates to Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business

I sat alone one Saturday night in a boardroom in Eastern Oregon, miles from home, my laptop lighting the room. I was painstakingly reviewing a complex spreadsheet of household energy consumption data, cell by cell. ‘Why am I doing this to myself? For remote transmission lines?’…I felt dejected. I’d felt that way before, during my summer at JP Morgan, standing alone in the printing room at 3 a.m., binding decks for a paper mill merger that wouldn’t affect my life in the least.

That’s how an analyst at an MBB firm started his MBA application essay to Stanford Graduate School of Business. His point: In a well-crafted essay, he confronts the challenge of finding meaning in his work and a place where he can make a meaningful difference. That is what really matters most to him, and his answer to Stanford’s iconic MBA application essay helped get him defy the formidable odds of acceptance and gain an admit to the school.

Getting into the prestigious MBA programs at either Stanford Graduate School of Business or Harvard Business School are among the most difficult journeys any young professional can make.

NEARLY 17,000 CANDIDATES APPLIED TO HARVARD & STANFORD LAST YEAR. 1,500 GOT IN

This collection of 50 successful HBS and GSB essays, with smart commentary, can be downloaded for $60

They are two of the most selective schools, routinely rejecting nine or more out of every ten applicants. Last year alone, 16,628 candidates applied to both schools; just 1,520 gained an acceptance, a mere 9.1% admit rate.

Business school admissions are holistic, meaning that while standardized test scores and undergraduate transcripts are a critical part of the admissions process, they aren’t the whole story. In fact, the stories that applicants tell the schools in the form of essays can be a critical component of a successful application.

So what kinds of stories are successful applicants to Harvard and Stanford telling their admission officers? For the first time ever, a newly published collection of 50 of these essays from current MBA students at these two schools has been published. In ten cases, applicants share the essays they wrote in applying to both schools so you can see whether they merely did a cut-and-paste job or approached the task anew. The 188-page book, What Matters? and What More?, gains its title from the two iconic essay prompts at Harvard and Stanford.

THOUGHTFUL CRITIQUES OF THE ESSAYS

Stanford can easily boast having the most difficult question posed to MBA applicants in any given year: In 650 words or less, candidates must tell the school what matters most to them and why. Harvard gives applicants ample room to hang themselves, providing no word limit at all, “What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?”

One makes this unusual collection of essays powerful are the thoughtful critiques by the founders of two MBA admissions consulting firms, Jeremy Shinewald of mbaMission and Liza Weale of Gatehouse Admissions. They write overviews of each essay in the book and then tear apart portions by paragraphs to either underline a point or address a weakness. The book became available to download for $60 a pop.

As I note in a foreword to the collection, published in partnership with Poets&Quants, the essay portion of an application is where a person can give voice to who they are, what they have achieved so far, and what they imagine their future to be. Yet crafting a powerful and introspective essay can be incredibly daunting as you stare at a blank computer screen.

APPLICANTS OPEN UP WITH INTIMATE STORIES THAT SHOW VULNERABILITY

One successful applicant to Harvard Business School begins his essay by conveying a deeply personal story: The time his father was told that he had three months to live, with his only hope being a double lung transplant. had to undergo a lung transplant. His opening line: “Despite all we had been through in recent years, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I asked my mother one summer evening in Singapore, ‘What role did I play during those tough times?’”

For this candidate to Stanford Graduate School of Business, the essay provided a chance to creatively engage admission readers about what matters most to him–equality-by cleverly using zip codes as a hook.

60605, 60606, 60607.

These zip codes are just one digit apart, but the difference that digit makes in someone’s life is unfathomable. I realized this on my first day as a high school senior. Leafing through my out-of- date, stained, calculus textbook, I kept picturing the new books that my friend from a neighboring (more affluent) district had. As college acceptances came in, I saw educational inequality’s more lasting effects—my friends from affluent districts that better funded education were headed to prestigious universities, while most of my classmates were only accepted by the local junior college. I was unsettled that this divergence wasn’t the students’ doing, but rather institutionalized by the state’s education system. Since this experience, I realized that the fight for education equality will be won through equal opportunity. Overcoming inequality, to ensure that everyone has a fair shake at success, is what matters most to me.

HOW AN APPLICANT TO BOTH SCHOOLS ALTERED HIS ESSAYS

Yet another candidate, who applied to both Harvard and Stanford, writes about being at but not fully present at his friend’s wedding.

The morning after serving as my friend’s best man, I was waiting for my Uber to the airport and—as usual—scrolling through my phone,” he wrote. “I had taken seemingly hundreds of photos of the event, posting in real time to social media, but had not really looked through them. With growing unease, I noticed people and things that had not registered with me the night before and realized I had been so preoccupied with capturing the occasion on my phone that I had essentially missed the whole thing. I never learned the name of the woman beside me at the reception. I could not recall the wedding cake flavor. I never introduced myself to my friend’s grandfather from Edmonton. I was so mortified that before checking into my flight, I turned my phone off and stuffed it into my carry-on.

The Stanford version of his essay is more compact. In truth, it’s more succinctly written and more satisfying because it is to the point. By stripping away all but the most critical pieces of his narrative, the candidate focuses his essay entirely on his central point: the battle of man versus technology.

Even if you’re not applying to business school, the essays are entertaining and fun to read. Sure, precious few are New Yorker worthy. In fact, many are fairly straightforward tales, simply told. What the successful essays clearly show is that there is no cookie-cutter formula or paint-by-the-numbers approach. Some start bluntly and straightforwardly, without a compelling or even interesting opening. Some meander through different themes. Some betray real personality and passion. Others are frankly boring. If a pattern of any kind could be discerned, it is how genuine the essays read.

The greatest benefit of reading them? For obsessive applicants to two of the very best business schools, they’ll take a lot of pressure off of you because they are quite imperfect.

GET YOUR COPY OF WHAT MATTERS? AND WHAT MORE? NOW

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Should you complete the optional essay on your MBA application?

Prodigy Finance - May, 20 2024

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If you’re just beginning to work on your MBA admissions essays, you’re likely filled with a combination of trepidation and optimism.

That makes perfect sense.

After all, there’s a lot riding on those words; your GMAT score is only a foot in the door, and your CV will prompt admissions officers to take another look. But once you’ve got their attention, your MBA essay can make all the difference between an interview request and the dreaded rejection letter. Writing the optional essay for MBA applications might seem unnecessary, but it can be used to your advantage. Your essay may convince business schools that you’re a worthy applicant, and encourage them to give you a seat.

So, should you complete that optional MBA essay?

Shouldn’t you make sure you do all you can to demonstrate your strong candidacy?

Unfortunately, this is another one of those blurry spots in the application process that you’ve got to consider quite carefully; there’s no blanket answer that works for everyone. On the other hand, there are a few guidelines you can use to help you decide whether to complete the optional MBA essay.

MBA application factors

Business schools consider various factors while deciding whether or not to accept you. They consider your GMAT or GRE scores, your GPA at the undergraduate level, your work experience, and your MBA application essay . Your MBA application essay is important because that is where your individuality will shine through. When you want to provide additional information or clarity on any part of your application, you should consider writing that optional essay. Through your MBA application, you need to convince the admission committees that you deserve a place at your desired university.

When to complete the optional MBA essay question

The optional MBA essay is your chance to explain any discrepancies in your application. If you’ve got a perfectly clean CV that you’re proud of and a GMAT to die for, then you probably don’t need to complete the optional essay. (Feel free to exhale now.)

4 reasons to complete the optional MBA essay question

However, if there are any inconsistencies, you’ll want to give that optional MBA essay a second chance. These are a few of the troubling areas to consider writing about:

Low marks in your undergraduate studies , or any educational opportunities undertaken since then. There are many reasons this could have happened, but if you don’t spell it out for the admissions team, they’re free to think the worst. For example, it is quite possible that you scored a low GPA, but have been performing extremely well in a sport or in some other extracurricular activity. You’ll want to highlight that in your optional MBA essay.
Low GMAT results . This test isn’t the end-all, be-all of MBA admissions, but a low score will raise more than eyebrows unless you explain the reasons behind it. If you’re wondering how to overcome a low GMAT score, writing that optional MBA essay is your solution.
A missing reference from your current employer . There are a few reasons why you’d choose not to request a reference from your boss ; it’s most likely that you don’t want your company to know you’re leaving. But if you don't explain this in your MBA essay, the admissions board might believe you’ve not behaved adequately in your present position.
Gaps in employment or education should be addressed in this essay. If you don’t mention that you were travelling the world, the board could assume the worst. And, even if it is the worst thing you can imagine – you can always turn it around to your advantage by demonstrating what you’ve learned.

How should you answer the optional MBA essay?

The optional essay is there for you to acknowledge the gaps in your application and to provide additional information to avoid lingering questions. You can’t assume that you’ll have a chance to clarify a gap when you get to the interview phase – you won’t get the invitation to speak if they can’t make heads or tails of your application.

Your MBA essay is not a place for emotion, however.

For example, if your final semester as an undergrad was marked by terrible grades that brought down your entire GPA, you want to let the admissions committee know why. If your dog was sick or you were consumed by your job search, say so in your MBA essay; whatever the reason, take responsibility for it.

What do admission committees want to see in an optional essay?

Any applicant completing an optional MBA essay should keep it as short and to the point as humanly possible.

It may not feel like an essay at all. If you only need two or three sentences to get your point across, then do so. Never expound because you think it’s too short; it’s not.

And, don’t tell the admission committees how they should look at it or feel about it. Indeed, you shouldn’t even mention how you feel about it. You should, however, explain what you learned from the experience and how it shaped you as a human being or a business leader.

Optional MBA application essay examples

To address the low GPA example, you could simply say, “My final term marks were lower than average as I was coping with an illness in the family. The experience taught me about dealing with unavoidable situations and my instinctive reactions to overwhelming factors. While it didn’t assist with my GPA, I was able to use this understanding to more successfully navigate the challenges when faced with a similar situation during my time with AB Company, where I employed better communication and delegation skills to overcome the shortfalls previously experienced.”

It’s less than 100 words, answers the why question, demonstrates that you recognise where you may have gone wrong, shows what you learned from it, and provides proof that you’re not stressed about what the low GPA could mean for your entire application.

Now, if you have a few gaps to address, it’s time to get cracking with that additional essay. If not, perhaps it’s back to revising your CV.

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How to justify a low GPA in your MBA application?

GPA is considered a vital aspect of your profile for your applications to top B-schools, mostly because it claims to be an objective indicator of your academic accomplishment in undergrad. And that is why applicants with low GPAs are quite anxious about their chances at their target schools.

But let me break this myth for you- Low GPA is a teeny-tiny part of your application. It indicates your sincerity in undergrad and helps B-schools know if you’d survive the academic rigor. MBA applicants would have so many changes to their profile, and there are tens of other ways to explain your low GPA and compensate for it.

Sharing a secret (do not share!)- our founder is a low GPA MBA graduate, but that did not deter him or his many other very successful applicants with low GPA MBA aspirants from getting into their dream b-schools!

You can read about some success stories related to low GPAs. It may help you be more confident and create an action plan for yourself.

So, let’s talk about how you can deal with a low GPA in your MBA application. This article will help you understand the impact of a low GPA and lay an action plan for you to strengthen your MBA application despite a low GPA.

Here is a snapshot of the article:

What is considered ‘low GPA’ by top B-Schools?

What impact does your GPA have on your chances in a full MBA program?

What does a low GPA indicate about you?

How do i explain my low gpa, action plan to strengthen your application despite low gpa.

A GPA of less than 3.0 may be considered a “bad GPA,” at least for T10 B-schools. However, 3.2+ is a decent starting position if you wish to apply to the finest MBA programs (M7) or T10.

Although GPA is a popular instrument used by universities and colleges to assess student academic success, it is not the only indication that accurately characterizes a student’s performance.

Overall, each business school assigns a different weight to GPA (no one knows the quantum of these ingredients!), so even if you have a 2.5, you’ll still have a good chance of getting into your top choice, but mark it; if your GPA is poor, you must improve on other aspects of your MBA application.

What impact does your GPA have on your chances in a top MBA program?

GPAs provide adcoms indications of how you’ve been doing academically, which fields interest you the most, and how you’ve spent your college time. Essentially, it serves as a mirror to your undergrad, showcasing your performance, record of successes, reflection on your ambitions, and majors you were interested in.

The student is a poor test taker; nervousness, stress, and other factors take control, and the student performs poorly despite knowing the content.

The student did not study or complete their assignments which shows that you were not diligent and raises questions of the same in one’s MBA curriculum.

The student studied, but there was a lack of foundation, so they could not comprehend the new subject and could not perform well in class.

All the B-schools have an optional essay to explain any gaps or low GPA in your profile or anything else you would like to tell the adcoms that may make a stronger case for you.

How to tackle Optional Essays in your MBA applications?

Use this essay to describe the ‘Why’ of your low GPA and be genuine about it.

And, be short but specific—you don’t want to leave anything to speculation or leave your case of low GPA weaker.

Don’t brush something under the rug or be evasive. For example, suppose you had a low GPA in your first two years because you struggled with over-committing and not managing your time properly. In that case, it’s okay to admit that it took you some time to master your time management skills and learn to prioritize successfully. But, in reality, it demonstrates a high level of maturity and self-reflection.

When a decline in grades is caused by great hardship, explain why: you should not be afraid to remark if your grades are bad due to unusual circumstances, such as working part-time because a parent lost a job.

GPA is an indicator of diligence and academic rigor. You can also discuss your work experience to highlight your quantitative and analytical aptitude. B-schools prefer low GPAs and high GMAT scorers for intellectual reassurance.

What should you do if you have low GMAT?

If you have encountered any other challenges that have prevented you from earning your highest scores, you can also highlight the case of a low GPA in the Optional Essays.

The first step is to know that having a low GPA is not a big deal! It is big enough to tackle it well in your MBA applications by explaining and compensating (and there are sure shot ways for it) but not big enough to be anxious about it. Here are some tips (and reminders) for you-

Make your Profile and your MBA application strong- Both aspects are different, and you must work on both of them. To make your Profile strong, introspect deep into your profile, get expert opinions, research and networking and identify your strengths and weaknesses.

To make your MBA application strong, you need to have a roadmap. Understand the different aspects of an application and start working on each of them over a decided period.

The coffee roadmap

Compensate for your low GPA- The GMAT is the best way to compensate for a Low GPA. You can also take some courses like CORe, edX, MBAMath, or any certifications earned such as CPA, ACCA, and CFA would highlight one’s academic rigor.

Bring out a unique & authentic personality- An application is much beyond GPA, even GMAT. It is about your fit into the community of the school. If you are a 4.0 GPA and 780 GMAT but do not fit well into the school’s culture and society, you are pretty much out of the picture. Schools need to know how they can contribute to the cohort. So, work on highlighting your fit to the school in all the aspects- culture, values, the community of the school. And for that, you need to introspect very deep into yourself and should have a solid understanding of what your target schools are looking for.

See how we are helping applicants in bringing a 100% unique application.

Weave a collinear story- As we highlighted above, the game is much beyond scores. Do schools need to know how they will help you achieve your goals? Of course, you need to weave a collinear story of your work experience, your short-term and long-term goals, and why you need an MBA. And it must make sense. Because if you are saying that I am a marketer and I want to become a tech leader in FAANG, it just is unreal! And if you fail here, trust us; nothing else matters.

How to weave a strong, collinear story around your goals?

I hope this article helped you gain confidence in your profile and chances at your dream schools. If you put dedication and the right strategy into your application, the sky is the limit. We have worked with so many applicants with low GPAs, low GMAT, common and basic profiles, or gaps that did not make them the best.

We are happy to hear your story and evaluate your chances at your dream schools if you'd like. You can talk to our experts by requesting a Profile Evaluation call here. We aim to add as much value as possible to each applicant’s journey!

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Applying for an MBA with a Low GPA: What To Do + Where to Apply

We hate to break it to you but, when applying to business school, GPA matters. Your undergraduate GPA is an example of how you perform in an academic setting and sets a precedent for how you will fare as an MBA student.

But hold on — Don’t give up on your b-school dreams just yet...

Even though your GPA will be taken into account when your application is reviewed, it’s important to remember that admissions committees are looking for more than just high numbers. They are seeking to build a diverse student body with strong leadership potential.

A low GPA (under 3.0) is not the kiss of death when applying to business school... But it will require some compensation in other areas of your application.

How to Balance Out a Low GPA in MBA Applications

1. Do well on the GMAT or GRE

Getting a killer score on this standardized test is imperative for those with low GPAs. Your GMAT/GRE score is the other statistical measure of your abilities; doing well will water down the negative impact made by your poor performance in undergrad. To determine the score you must get to compensate for a low GPA, look at the average GMAT score at your top schools and use that as a benchmark.

2. Write Strong Essays (including the optional essay)

Getting a high GMAT/GRE score will demonstrate to the admissions committee that you are a competent learner, but it’s your essays that will communicate your ability to excel as a contributing member of their b-school community.

Here are some tips: Use your essays to emphasize your strengths. Stand out in a positive way by sharing unique stories about your leadership skills, team working experience, and personal values. Tell the committee how your individuality will contribute to their community. Get specific about why you are a good fit for their program and how their program will help you achieve your goals. Whenever possible, discuss the program’s teaching methods, extracurriculars, course offerings, professors, and other unique attributes. (Pssst — Going on a campus visit will come in handy here.)

This is important: Failing to mention your low GPA in the written portion of your application will not draw less attention to it. The admissions committee is sure to notice this glaring weakness so it’s imperative that you address it. (Here’s where the optional essay comes in.)

When discussing a low GPA, be honest. Tell the admissions committee if there were extenuating circumstances that resulted in your poor performance (a loss in the family, illness, other responsibilities). No matter the reason for your low grades, be sure to explain that you have identified the root of your issue in undergrad, learned from your experience, and will perform better in business school.

3. Show Strong Work Experience

In general, we recommend all MBA applicants have several years of valuable experience to list on their resume. For those with low GPAs, this is even more important. Real-life, relevant work experience says as much about your qualifications as your undergrad GPA, especially if you’re working for a well-known company. If you don’t have recent work experience to show, you might be better off spending a few more years in the field before you apply for an MBA.

4. Take Supplement Coursework (if applicable)

There’s no getting around the fact that demonstrating a proficiency in quant is necessary when applying to business school. If your performance in quantitative courses is to blame for your low GPA, we recommend taking a few one-off classes at a local community college. Finance, stats, algebra, microeconomics, and calculus are all examples of courses that qualify as quant. Sign up for a few, perform well, and show the admissions committee your ability to excel in relevant academic courses. This will demonstrate growth, which many programs consider to be just as valuable as a high GPA.

5. Get Impactful Recommendations

Strong letters of recommendation aren’t enough to get you in to business school on their own, but they will help balance out a poor GPA. Choose you recommenders wisely and ask that they put emphasis on your quantitative abilities. If you gave a specific reason for your low GPA in your essays, be sure your recommender gives examples of how you’ve overcome that impediment, whether it’s your ability to multitask, manage your time, etc.

6. Apply in Round 1 (or Round 2)

Your best chance for acceptance is to apply during Round I. Why? Because more seats are available. Students with non-traditional backgrounds or weaknesses in their application are better off applying as early as possible. Stay on top of things by preparing for your application ahead of time. That way, you’ll be able to hit the ground running when it’s released. It’s never too early to work on your resume, sign up for more extracurriculars, or meet with an admissions consultant… so get started ASAP.

Which Business Schools to Apply to with a Low GPA

A low GPA doesn’t have to put an end to your dreams of attending a top MBA program, it just means that you might want to choose your safety schools more carefully. Put everything you have into your applications for your top target schools and keep your fingers crossed, but don’t forget to put equal effort into the applications at a few lower-tiered schools. Throughout the process of networking, campus visits, and interviewing, you might be surprised to find that one of your safety schools is actually the perfect fit for your experience and goals.

Your list of where to apply should include 5-8 schools: 2-3 reach schools, 2-3 on-par schools, and 1-2 safety schools. Make sure you are honest with yourself about which programs fall into each of these categories. If you have a low GPA, here are some programs you might want to consider as on-par schools or safety schools:

On-campus Programs

Canisius College: no listed GPA requirement Northcentral University: no listed GPA requirement Syracuse University: no listed GPA requirement Lynn University: no listed GPA requirement Saint Mary's University of Minnesota: minimum 2.75 GPA requirement

Online Programs

Capella University: minimum 2.3 GPA requirement Marshall University: minimum 2.5 GPA requirement University of Louisiana Lafayette: minimum 2.3 GPA requirement University of Northwestern Ohio: minimum 2.5 GPA requirement University of Tennessee Chattanooga: minimum 2.7 GPA requirement

Final Thoughts

Mitigating your weaknesses in MBA applications can be tricky. But when done properly, it’s possible to transform shortcomings into strengths. We recommend all applicants, especially those with low GPAs, have a consultation with an admissions expert before applying. If you are getting ready to apply for business school and need advice on how to craft your perfect application, set up a free consultation with an Admit Advantage expert today!

Admit.me Expert Staff

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How to Overcome a Low GPA in Your MBA Applications

Updated 1.14.21

One of the most common concerns we hear from clients is that their low undergrad GPA will prevent them from being accepted to the MBA program of their dreams. Whether it was because you chose the toughest major at your university, had a little too much fun, or were so involved in extracurriculars that you didn’t have enough time to study, the good news is that a low GPA can be one of the easier weaknesses to mitigate in your MBA applications.

If you’re like most applicants, college was several years ago and you’ve come a long way since then – you’ve begun your career, earned a promotion or two, and maybe even started managing a team. While these accomplishments help demonstrate your leadership potential and perhaps your analytical skills, they don’t tell the admissions committee whether you can handle a rigorous academic environment. Though MBA programs often emphasize the “programmatic” nature of the degree (the internships, seminars, experiential learning opportunities, conferences, trips, and networking), an MBA is still a master’s level degree with master’s level classes. The coursework demands that you can study, apply theories to cases, write essays, and pass tests.

The time-honored way for the admissions committees to assess your skills in this area is by looking at the combination of your GMAT score and your GPA. So, what can you do if your undergrad GPA is not at or above the average for your target schools ? The key is to focus on two things: 1) explaining and 2) overcoming.

Explaining a Low GPA

Note that I did not use the word “justify”. Explaining is not making excuses; explaining is simply stating what ‘it’ was and why ‘it’s’ better now (whatever ‘it’ was).

Don’t sweep anything under the rug or be cagey. If your GPA was low in your first two years because you were struggling with over-committing and not managing your time well, then it’s OK to say that it took you awhile to perfect your time management skills and learn to prioritize effectively. In fact, it shows a great deal of maturity and self-reflection.

However, you must immediately follow that statement with how you’ve overcome that issue (e.g., earned a top notch GPA in another master’s program, successfully managed multiple projects at work, etc). Be brief but specific – you don’t want them to assume that you are being vague because the real reason for your GPA is that you just partied too much.

This information, in addition to any other necessary explanations, will go into the optional essay component of the application. This is where you directly point out that certain areas of weakness, including a low GPA, are not reflective of the strength of your candidacy.

Overcoming a Low GPA

In addition to explaining why your GPA from undergrad was low, you also want to use the optional essay to share what you’ve done to demonstrate your academic ability.

The best “proof” is having earned a stellar grade in a post-grad class to show the admissions committee that you can handle the academics like a champ. A large percentage of our clients take some sort of online or in-person class to bolster their applications (I’d estimate over 50%). Fortunately, there are great options for every work and life schedule.

On the higher end of commitment level are live classes through a local community college or university continuing education department. These work well for people who learn best in a group setting and want to be held to a more concrete schedule.

Self-directed online courses offer more flexibility and may appeal to those who travel for work (in a non-COVID world) or have less control over their day-to-day schedule. Online classes also range in commitment level and costs. On the lower end of the commitment and time spectrum, MBAMath.com costs $149 for modules covering topics like statistics, accounting and finance that can be completed in 20-40 hours. On the higher end of commitment and time is Harvard Online’s CORe program, which costs $2,250 and is estimated to take approximately 150 hours to complete. Of note, many estimate that a rather large percentage of HBS admits have taken CORe (this is anecdotal, of course). Other popular options include Wharton’s Coursera courses (target the graded versions) and UC Berkeley’s Extension .

Focus on foundational quantitative subjects you didn’t study in college (or performed poorly in) like accounting, statistics and/or calculus. By doing well in one of these courses, you can ask the admissions committee to look at your additional coursework grades as an indication of your ability to succeed in the classroom instead of your undergrad coursework. Typically, this demonstration, paired with a strong GMAT score, will help an admissions director to feel more comfortable with that aspect of your application.

Aside from increasing your chances, taking additional coursework shows your commitment and willingness to prepare for the MBA experience, which signals that you are ready to get as much value out of the program as humanly possible (and the admissions committee likes that!).

Katie is a passionate mentor and coach, helping her clients craft a unique, compelling story by leveraging her experience as a corporate executive, alumni interviewer, and campus recruiter. Before completing her MBA at Kellogg, Katie spent five years in banking where she learned practical finance skills as well as how to operate in a demanding, high pressure environment. She pursued an MBA in order to transition to an industry role where she could utilize her finance knowledge to drive change within an organization. Post-MBA, she worked in finance and strategy for a leading CPG firm, progressing to an executive role leading the finance function for a $2B business segment. Her experience managing diverse teams led to a passion for developing others. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, she led her firm’s MBA recruiting efforts and served as an alumni admissions interviewer for Kellogg.

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How to justify a low GPA in your MBA application?

MBA & Beyond Team

16/11/2023 | 9:57 pm

You can read about some success stories related to low GPAs. It may help you be more confident and create an action plan for yourself.

So, let’s talk about how you can deal with a low GPA in your MBA application . This article will help you understand the impact of a low GPA and lay an action plan for you to strengthen your MBA application despite a low GPA.

Here is the Snapshot of the article:

WHAT IS CONSIDERED ‘LOW GPA’ BY TOP B-SCHOOLS?

A GPA of less than 3.0 may be considered a “bad GPA,” at least for T10 B-schools. However, 3.2+ is a decent starting position if you wish to apply to the finest MBA programs (M7) or T10.

Although GPA is a popular instrument used by universities and colleges to assess student academic success, it is not the only indication that accurately characterizes a student’s performance.

WHAT IMPACT DOES YOUR GPA HAVE ON YOUR CHANCES IN A TOP MBA PROGRAM?

WHAT DOES A LOW GPA INDICATE ABOUT YOU?

The student is a poor test taker; nervousness, stress, and other factors take control, and the student performs poorly despite knowing the content.

The student did not study or complete their assignments which shows that you were not diligent and raises questions of the same in one’s MBA curriculum.

The student studied, but there was a lack of foundation, so they could not comprehend the new subject and could not perform well in class.

Want to pursue an MBA but not sure if your profile fits?

Talk to our Profile Experts to know your chances for a top MBA Program.

HOW DO I EXPLAIN MY LOW GPA?

All the B-schools have an optional essay to explain any gaps or low GPA in your profile or anything else you would like to tell the adcoms that may make a stronger case for you.

How to tackle Optional Essays in your MBA applications?

Use this essay to describe the ‘Why’ of your low GPA and be genuine about it.

And, be short but specific—you don’t want to leave anything to speculation or leave your case of low GPA weaker.

What should you do if you have low GMAT?

If you have encountered any other challenges that have prevented you from earning your highest scores, you can also highlight the case of a low GPA in the Optional Essays.

ACTION PLAN TO STRENGTHEN YOUR APPLICATION DESPITE LOW GPA

To make your MBA application strong, you need to have a roadmap. Understand the different aspects of an application and start working on each of them over a decided period.

The coffee roadmap

See how we are helping applicants in bringing a 100% unique application.

How to weave a strong, collinear story around your goals?

We are happy to hear your story and evaluate your chances at your dream schools if you’d like. You can talk to our experts by requesting a Profile Evaluation call here. We aim to add as much value as possible to each applicant’s journey!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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Your Complete Guide to Optional and Reapplicant MBA Essays

Jul 11, 2022

UPDATE: This article was originally posted on July 6, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below.

Part of the difficulty of applying for business school is figuring out how to present yourself while painting a consistent picture of your personality and achievements throughout the process.

However, if your case is different from most — perhaps you’ve got a lower-than-average GMAT score, perhaps extenuating circumstances have forced you to apply in Round 3, or perhaps you’re reapplying to business school — you will find yourself needing to discuss elements of your profile that fall outside the traditional MBA application.

That’s where a special type of essay comes in: optional and reapplicant essays .

Done well, these essays can provide the additional context needed to give your application the edge it needs. If done poorly, your application is unlikely to move forward.

To help you make the most of these kinds of essays, we’ve compiled our expert tips to help ensure you use these “special” essays to their full advantage.

What is an optional essay and who should write one?

In the past, the optional essay section was often extremely open-ended, with questions like London Business School ’s optional question “ Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (this question is optional) (500 words). ”

This type of question was perfect for applicants to highlight another skill, activity, or experience that they wanted to share with the admissions committee but didn’t quite manage to squeeze in anywhere else.

How times have changed!

Not only have essay questions become shorter in general , the optional essay has become almost standardized across business schools.

Take Kellogg ’s optional essay from 2021, for example. The question asks “ If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.) ”.

A nearly identical question is used for the optional essay prompt for most other top MBA programs, often with a limit of just 250 or 300 words .

The change in wording – and word limits – makes it clear that business schools do not want extra essays. They only want to hear about extenuating circumstances .

Considering the fact that anything you write will add additional work for your reader – who already has a lot of material to read through for every applicant – and how important it is to precisely follow instructions, you must truly reflect on whether or not your case needs explaining in an optional essay.

Good reasons to write optional essays include:

A low GMAT score or poor academic performance
Explaining your choice of recommenders
Explaining any gaps or confusing jumps in your work experience
Any relevant personal circumstances that have greatly influenced your application

Though it’s tempting to fill every box with information about why you are a great fit for your dream school, resist this temptation and make sure, first and foremost, that you follow instructions .

Really, though. There is no easier way to annoy the admissions committee than to flout their instructions. So make sure you really ask yourself, “Is my application truly incomplete without this information?”

Looking for example optional essays that cover a wide range of subjects? Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of successful sample essays, in addition to successful essays from countless schools, brainstorm guides, resume templates, interview mocks and answer models, and much more. Find out more about your one-stop shop for MBA application success here .

What does a “good” optional essay include?

In a word: brevity .

In some cases, the admissions officer reviewing your file has already read over 1,000 words before getting to your optional essay.

This means that they don’t need to read a novel about why your boss is not writing one of your letters of recommendation.

In most cases, a simple, straightforward explanation is more than enough to get the point across.

If you need to explain a shortcoming in your application – such as a low GMAT score – you also want to make sure to provide evidence that you are still well-suited to add value to your target school’s MBA program and show any relevant growth in the area of concern.

For example, despite building a challenging, high-performance career in the financial markets, our client João’s quant score on the GMAT exam was lower than ideal.

To show his score was not an accurate reflection of his abilities, he included this in his optional essay:

“First, I would like to address my low GMAT quantitative score. Math has never been a problem for me. As such, I chose to pursue a career in the financial markets, a very quantitative industry. I have been improving my math skills, mainly in statistics and probability, for more than 10 years at university and in my career. I have also done professional courses in derivatives and risk management, and have passed through the first two stages of the CFA certification process. As a result, despite my low score, I strongly believe that I have the quantitative skills necessary to thrive in the Michigan MBA program .”

Though this is slightly on the long side for an optional essay, the candidate had ample evidence to present to offset his less-than-stellar performance. In the end, the essay was enough to earn him an admissions offer.

Finally, be careful where you draw attention.

If your quant score on GMAT was 50 rather than an elusive, perfect 51, there is no need to explain this. More likely than not, the admissions committee member reading this optional essay will respond with an eye roll.

As such, think carefully about where your application and/or profile may be slightly below average for the school to which you are applying and address only these issues.

What is a reapplicant essay and who should write one?

Perhaps you applied to business school last year but weren’t quite able to land a spot at your dream school.

That doesn’t mean you should give up on your business school dream! We have worked with numerous reapplicants who have secured spots at Harvard , Columbia , and other elite MBA programs only the second time around .

As a reapplicant, however, you need to be conscious of the fact that you have a unique challenge that first-time applicants do not. First and most importantly, you must reflect on why you were not admitted the first time around.

Though there are many factors that go into play, some of the most common reasons a candidate is dinged are: a low GMAT, a lack of clearly-defined goals, and a failure to demonstrate fit with his or her target school.

As such, throughout your application, you must focus on showing the admissions committee how you have grown and evolved as a person and professional since your last application.

One of the most appropriate places to do so is in your reapplicant essay.

Let’s take a look at Columbia Business School’s prompt for reapplicants (especially critical given the fact that this is the only essay CBS allows reapplicants to submit).

The question states:

The question is perfect in its clarity. Columbia wants you to get to the point, showing them how you have grown and what your short-term and long-term goals are.

Though not all business schools ask the question in exactly the same way, your task is the same: show them the “new and improved you.”

Keep reading for our top tips on how to write this essay (including past successful essays) in the next section.

What does a “good” reapplicant essay include?

When writing your reapplicant essay, you must keep the word “delta” in mind.

Defined as the “ an increment of a variable ,” in your application, delta should be defined to mean the difference between old you and new you.

Though there are many ways to demonstrate “delta,” some of the most effective in a reapplicant essay include:

A higher GMAT score
Clarified or refined goals
Additional leadership or managerial responsibilities at work
Additional international experience
New or additional community service experiences

Let’s take our client Pedro for example.

The year before putting the Ellin Lolis Advantage to work for him, he had submitted an application to Columbia Business School that, among its greatest flaws, did not state coherent goals. Though Pedro had built a strong finance career, he focused his post-MBA goals in his first application on launching an art gallery.

For the admissions committee, it was a bit too much of a jump, and Pedro was dinged without an interview.

After coming to us and critically reviewing his application , we developed a new line of attack that leveraged his company’s desire to sponsor his MBA and give him a leading role in expanding the company’s regional presence.

Furthermore, we focused on showing how he had sought to grow as a leader both at work and in the community to really reinforce the value he could bring to Columbia.

Here’s how he did that:

“Not being admitted to the Columbia MBA was a big failure for me, though I can now see it was important, as it helped me realize what passion to follow, where I needed to improve, and what I needed to do to accomplish these things. Thus, I took steps to come closer to reaching my goals.

After going through a process of self-reflection and talking to many people, including the president of BANK, I realized that the bank has many opportunities for development, and not just in Brazil. BANK’s expansion throughout Latin America will require home-grown talent that is able to implement our DNA in a way that is compatible with local cultures and business practices. I want to play an important role in this process in two different ways. By acting as a connector, I will establish relationships with local players and open new markets to Brazilian companies. By building an adequate organizational structure, I will help prepare and manage our future leaders in this task.

Having decided on my goals, I started working on my own development. Professionally, I improved my negotiation skills when helping clients avoid default in the current economic environment. Although I still don’t directly manage people, I formally took action in the bank’s institutional recruiting and coaching of interns. Additionally, I engaged in two external consulting projects to restructure the bank’s commercial department. These projects gave me greater insight into the areas of general management and organizational planning.

Although I decided not to pursue the arts as a career, it remains a strong passion of mine. Therefore, I have continued to run and improve my volunteer organization “Integrarte,” which takes underprivileged children to museums to increase their interaction with art. Recently, I have taken steps to add an arts education component to the initiative and have been developing a methodology to scale the project with NGOs using a feasible, low-cost model. I believe that combining business skills with an inner passion for arts can help me continue to share this passion and impact others.

Now that I am sure where I am going, the Columbia MBA is even more essential to enable my growth. I am looking forward to hearing Carlos Brito talk about the challenges of transforming a local company into a global giant. Also, attending classes such as “The Future of Financial Services” and “Napoleon’s Glance” will help me better understand the financial industry and improve my decision-making skills for the future. Outside of the classroom, I am excited to participate in the Arts and Culture Club and am interested in organizing a trip to Inhotim in Brazil to explore the combination of arts and social empowerment.

Lastly, I also expanded my network of contacts, getting in touch with CBS alumni and current students, such as XXXX (Class of ‘XX), a close friend of mine. This enabled me to get to know the school even better and has only reinforced that Columbia is the best possible fit for my post-MBA goals. It is the only school that provides the combination of learning specific concepts of finance from top-level faculty and contact with people from all around the globe in a city where the cultural and professional possibilities are truly limitless.”

In your own reapplicant essay, you should similarly discuss how you have overcome any weak spots in your application and provide evidence that reinforces your strong interest in your target MBA program.

Furthermore, if you have visited the school since you last applied, you may want to include a mention of how this visit shaped your view of the school and what it offers. Though we don’t feel that simply adding, “I visited campus earlier this year,” adds much value, showing the school the insights that you gleaned from attending classes and interacting with students – and how these insights reinforced that the school is the best fit for you – can definitely make your reapplicant essay more compelling.

With those elements in place, you will be well on your way to reaching your long-awaited goal of attending an elite business school.

Ask for an outsider’s perspective

Self-reflection of any type is challenging.

It can be a complex task to identify weaknesses in your profile – reapplicant or not – and then develop a surgically precise strategy to address these weak spots and how you’ve worked to overcome them in your application.

If you’re not sure exactly how to do this, we’d be happy to help you make this critical decision .

At Ellin Lolis Consulting, we pride ourselves on offering personalized solutions to ensure you tell your best story. Perhaps that’s why we have a 98.9% success rate in placing comprehensive consulting clients in top business schools around the world.

As our client – and successful CBS reapplicant – Pedro Kuczynski said, “ In a nutshell, Ellin Lolis Consulting is the X factor in preparing for any MBA. ”

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MBA with Low GPA? How to Improve Your Candidacy

Danae Anderson - Menlo Coaching

Danae Anderson is a Senior Admissions Consultant with Menlo Coaching

If you’re thinking about applying for business school but are worried about your undergraduate GPA, there’s a few things you should keep in mind.

The truth is that a low GPA is not an asset, but it doesn’t exist in a vacuum either. And in the context of a full, impressive MBA application, your GPA is unlikely to be a “make or break” factor for or against acceptance.

In this article, I will discuss some methods of mitigating a low GPA in your business school application, including concrete steps you can take to improve your candidacy.

What is a "Low" GPA?

It may come as a surprise to some applicants that MBA programs do not have a minimum GPA requirement.

Nonetheless, it’s still possible to determine what constitutes a “low GPA” by researching your target programs.

In general, any GPA that is significantly lower than the average at your target business schools will require some extra work to address.

But even if you do fall in that category of candidates with an exceptionally low GPA, don't be discouraged.

Why GPA Matters in MBA Admissions

It's important to remember the purpose of your undergraduate GPA in your MBA application. MBA admissions officers are interested in your GPA for a number of reasons:

To prove that you can keep up with the MBA curriculum

To improve their ranking

To prove your maturity and dedication to education

If your GPA – alongside your GMAT score, resume, essays, and professional experience – paints a picture of someone who would struggle with the MBA curriculum or who would not commit fully to the MBA degree, then that program is unlikely to admit you.

Similarly, when it comes to filling spots in an MBA class from multiple candidates with equal qualifications, MBA programs are likely to make the strategic choice of selecting the candidates whose stats will help elevate the program's place in the US News MBA rankings.

So when you're looking to improve your chances of acceptance despite having a low GPA, you should consider what your overall profile says about your character and how your stats will help or hurt the program's ranking.

How to Mitigate a Low GPA

There are five key ways to mitigate a low GPA:

Improve your GMAT Score

Write an effective MBA resume

Have strong letters of recommendation

Highlight your extracurricular activities

Write compelling essays

Get started with GradSelect Elevate - a free tool to practice for future video interviews. Quickly get unbiased feedback on your skills, and confidently stand out to your target programs.

Improve Your GMAT Score

The most effective way to offset a low GPA is to earn a high GMAT score.

The GMAT was designed by business schools for business schools, so a high GMAT score is one of the most effective ways of predicting your success throughout and beyond your MBA. Achieving a high GMAT score proves to the AdCom that you have the aptitude to keep up with their curriculum.

Further, your high GMAT score will help boost the average GMAT score of your incoming class – a factor that will have a direct impact on your program’s ranking.

Because a lot of work goes into earning a competitive GMAT score , it also proves to your target MBA programs that you are dedicated to your education and to giving yourself an edge over other applicants.

In short, earning a high GMAT score is probably the best way to offset a low GPA.

Write an Effective MBA Resume

Another means of mitigating a low GPA is to emphasize other accomplishments that speak to your potential to succeed in an MBA program – and your resume is the perfect place to do so.

Your resume can highlight your academic achievements and your contributions at work. Your resume can include awards that you've received, charitable endeavors you've committed yourself to, early promotions, and so on.

Be sure to present these achievements in a measurable way that can easily be compared to a well-defined pool of peers.

Get Strong Letters of Recommendation

Obtaining strong letters of recommendation can also go a long way in demonstrating your abilities and potential to succeed in an MBA program.

Letters of recommendation from a current or former supervisor lends a degree of credibility to your application that can't be replicated across the rest of your materials.

Because your recommenders are – or should be – more advanced in their careers than you are, their enthusiasm and belief in you and your potential will fortify your profile.

Choose recommenders who can speak with enthusiasm and specificity about your skills and achievements, and encourage them to use specific examples in their letters. It may also be appropriate to highlight one or two recent projects that you worked on together (or under their supervision).

Highlight your Extracurricular Activities

Don't underestimate extracurricular activities!

To business schools, extracurriculars are a great way to show your leadership skills and determination to make an impact. Can you talk about a charity you're involved with? Or a club or society you've taken a leadership position in? Can you demonstrate the effect you had on this initiative's success?

Aside from emphasizing your skills, extracurriculars can also help your application stand out more by showing the unique experiences and perspectives that you will bring to the program.

Write Compelling Essays – and Consider the Optional Essay

Writing compelling essays is one of the most important aspects of any MBA application, so you should devote quite a bit of time and thought to the essays.

For any experiences or interests that you haven't had the space to highlight in the rest of your application, the essays provide another opportunity to paint a picture of your overall character, skill, and worldview.

In some rare cases, writing an optional essay to address your low GPA is worth consideration. For example, if your GPA is extremely low or the circumstances were extremely compelling – such as a long term hospitalization – you may choose to use the optional essay to explicitly address your low marks as an undergraduate.

If your response to the optional essay creates unnecessary noise in your application, however, we do not recommend choosing to write it.

If you are unsure, speaking with a consultant to get an expert's opinion on when to use the optional essay might be beneficial for you.

While applying for an MBA with a low GPA is not an ideal situation, it's important to remember that your candidacy will be evaluated on a (mostly) holistic level.

A lot can be done to overcome a low GPA, but candidates should pay special attention to their:

GMAT scores

Extracurricular Activities

Finally, if you're struggling or if you'd like some additional assistance, enlisting the help of a professional MBA admissions consultant could be worthwhile.

Get started with GradSelect Elevate - a free tool to practice for future video interviews. Quickly get unbiased feedback on your skills, and confidently stand out to your target programs.

Danae Anderson is a Senior Admissions Consultant with Menlo Coaching. Drawing on her experiences in teaching and product management, Danae Anderson helps clients win admission to top MBA programs by honing their personal story and offering practical advice on career goals.

GMAT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Getting into business school with a low gpa: 5 top tips.

Aside from your GMAT score, your GPA is the most important number on your MBA admissions application. Admissions committees look at your GPA as an indicator of past academic performance and as a predictor of whether or not you’ll succeed in their program. So can you get your MBA with a low GPA?

While a low undergraduate GPA certainly makes admission to business schools more difficult, it doesn’t make it impossible. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the ins and outs of low GPA MBA admissions. First, I’ll talk about why GPA matters to MBA programs. Next, I’ll talk about what actually counts as a low GPA for MBA programs. Finally, I’ll give you some tips and tricks for on getting into business school with a low GPA.

Why Does GPA Matter to Business Schools?

If you’re applying to business school, you might be wondering if your undergraduate GPA even matters to admissions committees. After all, there are plenty of other criteria on your application: GMAT scores, work and volunteer experience, recommendations, personal statements… In the face of all of this information, do admissions committees even care about GPA?

The answer is yes: admissions absolutely committees do care about GPA. In fact, according to a 2014 survey from Kaplan , GPA is the second most important factor in MBA admissions decisions, behind GMAT scores.

What makes GPA so important to business schools? Well, schools see your undergraduate GPA as an indicator of your future success in their program. If you did well as an undergraduate, admissions committees see you as more likely to do well with the rigorous business school course load.

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Because GPA is used to predict future success in business school classes, low grades in classes related to business (such as quant classes, accounting classes, or economics classes) may be particularly worrisome to admissions committees because they show that you might struggle with the business school curriculum. I’ll talk about how to deal with low grades in your undergraduate coursework in a later section.

Business schools also care about GPAs because the average GPA of admitted applicants factor into their overall rankings. The higher the average GPA of their admitted applicants, the higher a business program will rank in national rankings.

Despite the fact that GPAs are important to admissions, having a low GPA doesn’t mean you can’t get into business school. Later, I’ll offer some tips for making your application stronger when you apply for an MBA with a low GPA . But first, let’s talk about what a low GPA even means.

What Is a Low GPA for Business School?

Now that we know why GPA matters, let’s focus on what a low GPA for business school means.

If you’ve been stressed out about not having a perfect 4.0 for your undergraduate coursework, you’ll be happy to know that MBA programs do not expect you to have a flawless transcript. In fact, business programs don’t have cutoff scores for GPAs, so you don’t have to worry about specifically looking for MBA programs with low GPA requirements. While the average GPA of admitted applicants varies greatly depending on the program, there are some general trends that I’ll talk about.

Unsurprisingly, the M7 (the unofficial group of the top seven business schools in the United States) have the highest average GPAs amongst admitted applicants. All M7 schools have an average GPA of 3.50 or higher for their admitted applicants.

The rest of the top 25 business schools range between 3.30 and 3.60 GPAs for admitted applicants. Business schools ranked 26 – 50 have an admitted applicant GPA range of 3.16 – 3.52.

What does this all mean? Well, you’ll notice that all of the top 50 business schools have average GPAs of 3.16 or higher amongst their admitted applicants. Ultimately, you’ll need to do research on the MBA program of your choice to see exactly what its admitted applicant average GPA is so you can see how you stack up. You can generally find this information in one of three ways: by checking out the program’s ranking on US News & World Report, by visiting the program’s website, or by calling the program’s admissions office. Finding out how your GPA relates to the average GPA of admitted applicants at the MBA programs you’re applying to will tell you whether or not your GPA is in an acceptable range, or if you’ll have to do some extra work for getting into business school with a low GPA.

Having a GPA up to .50 away from the average GPA of admitted applicants at a particular program isn’t the end of the world. You’ll be able to try to make up for your GPA with a strong overall application, which I’ll talk about more in the next section. If your GPA is more than .50 away from the average GPA of admitted applicants at your program, you may have a more difficult time getting accepted. If your GPA is more than .50 away, I’d suggest using a number of the application tips I outline in the next section and considering applying to some MBA programs with lower average GPAs.

How to Get Into Business School With a Low GPA

So you’ve looked into the programs you’re interested in and you’ve found that your GPA is squarely below the average GPA of admitted applicants. Don’t worry! Getting into business school with a low GPA is definitely possible and there are ways that you can make up for low grades in undergrad. In this section, I’ll give you some tips and tricks for low GPA MBA admissions and how to make yourself stand out.

#1: Take Extra Courses

Taking extra courses is a great way to demonstrate that you’re dedicated to improving your grades and mastering difficult coursework. If you struggled with a particular subject, such as macroeconomics, as an undergraduate, you can take courses at a local community college or enroll in a post-baccalaureate program to try and boost your performance. Take a number of classes so that you develop an alternative transcript to present to business schools.

Developing an alternative transcript will provide admissions committees with more evidence regarding your academic performance. You’ll also be able to improve on bad grades, showing that you’ve got the tenacity and academic chops to do well with the rigorous business school course load.

#2: Get a High GMAT Score

As I mentioned before, your GMAT score is seen as the most important factor on your MBA admissions application by 61% of business schools.

Having a killer GMAT score (above the average GPA of admitted applicants at your target MBA programs) will set you apart from other applicants and guarantee that your application gets noticed.

MBA programs use the GMAT as another indicator of academic performance, so scoring high on the GMAT will show that you’re a smart and capable student and help make up for a low GPA in MBA admissions.

#3: Offer a Compelling Explanation in Your Essay

If you had a number of extenuating circumstances that contributed to your low undergraduate GPA, you’ll want to use the optional essay to explain them. Perhaps you suffered an unexpected death in your immediate family, or struggled with an illness for many months. Telling admissions committees what happened gives them a more holistic idea of your performance.

You’ll want to make sure that your reason is really compelling. An admissions committee probably won’t see the death of your pet rabbit as a good enough reason for a drop in GPA. However, truly life-changing, extenuating circumstances can and should be talked about on your MBA admissions essay.

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#4: Get (and Do Well at) a Competitive Job

Business schools care a lot about placing their students in competitive positions. Doing so benefits their ranking and makes more applicants want to attend their program.

If you struggled with your undergraduate coursework, getting and excelling at a competitive job will help show that you have what it takes to make it in the business world . If you can, get a job at a feeder company that has a relationship with the programs you’re applying to. For instance, if you’re applying to a business school that has its own internship program with Accenture, getting a job on your own at Accenture shows that you can succeed and be hirable after graduation.

#5: Demonstrate Exceptional Accomplishments

Business schools like admitting applicants with interesting, unique backgrounds to add diversity of experience to their class profiles. Have you done something amazing as an undergraduate? Maybe you organized a march that had 30,000 attendees or raised thousands of dollars for charity. Maybe you traveled around the world helping people in rural communities start small businesses. Or, you led a transformative initiative at the company you’ve been working at. Make sure that you highlight these achievements on your application. You’ll show that you’re a remarkable applicant that’d add a lot to the class’ profile.

Low GPA MBA Admissions: The Bottom Line

It is possible to successfully apply to an MBA with a low GPA , and plenty of students do so every year. However, you may need to due some extra legwork to make it happen.

First, you should figure out how low your GPA actually is compared to the expectations of your target schools. Then, consider what you can do on your business school to make up for your low GPA. Finally, you may want to look for MBA programs with low GPA requirements, like executive or online programs.

What’s Next?

We’ve talked about low GPA MBA admissions, but what’s a good GPA for business school? Check out our complete guide to learn what schools expect and what will make you stand out.

You can’t change your GPA, but you can change your GMAT score! Learn what makes a good GMAT score in our guide.

Questions about how to really beat the GMAT? Our guide to the ten top GMAT strategies will have you reaching your goal score in no time.

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Author: Hayley Milliman

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females. View all posts by Hayley Milliman

How to explain low GPA in Personal Statement? (with Examples)

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In personal statement tips & advice.

The Statement of Purpose (SOP), also known as the personal statement allows you to give a deep insight into your ambitions and motivations to pursue a particular course at a university.

Bonus Article Sample Personal Statement that explains a low GPA

Credentials like Grade Point Average (GPA) and Standardized tests like the GRE and GMAT only tell about your aptitude or academic excellence. In contrast, the personal statement gives insights into your mind. Of course, not everyone has a stellar GPA and test scores; therefore, a very commonly asked question by such applicants is how they should explain their low GPA in the SOP .

In most cases, it is best not to allude to your low GPA and instead focus on your strengths. But if you think that you have excellent reasons to justify your low GPA, then you should go ahead and clarify yourself.

Mentioned below are different reasons that you can use to explain your low GPA. Please note that you should always be honest about yourself and not come up with any false reasons to clarify your low GPA.

In this Article

Personal Problems

Good grades in major subjects, financial problems, relevant work experience, recommendation letter, when is it not okay to address a low gpa, when is it okay to address a low gpa.

A very common reason that can justify your bad performance in one semester can be personal health or unfortunate personal reasons. You should explain this very politely, and there is no reason to get emotional and all. And also note that, this reason can defend your low grades in only one semester and that blaming health or personal misfortune to justify multiple bad semesters could go against you.

I recommend reading this fantastic Oxford University personal statement that describes how personal health issues caused a low GPA and what the student did to overcome it.

If you have a low overall GPA but have excellent grades in your major subjects or the field towards which you want to align yourself, then you can always use that to reinforce your passion in the particular subject area.

Another way to explain your low GPA in the personal statement can be related to financial problems. For example, you had to study and work at the same time to make ends meet. In trying to do so, you were not able to entirely focus on your studies, and this would go in your favor. But again, don’t try to create an emotional drama; explain your reasoning in 2-3 lines.

You can also take some time off before your application and take a few steps to offset your low GPA. You can mitigate low grades by mentioning your relevant work experience (internships, etc.), workshops or certifications, extra courses that you took, and excellent scores in standardized testing like GRE, GMAT, etc.

If you don’t have any of the reasons mentioned above to justify your low GPA, then the best way is to seek the help of a faculty member who wrote your reference letter. Your faculty member can be the best person to claim that your grades don’t translate your potential and abilities and that you are motivated in your field of study. Your referee can mention these things in a few lines in your letter of reference. Take some time to get yourself on good terms with your faculty members and ask them to write excellent reference letters for you.

It’s good to remind yourself that the admissions board literally go through thousands of applications each year. They are well-acquainted with the myriad reasons students bring up to address their poor academic performance. Hence, it’s not always a good idea to explain a bad grade especially if:

The low GPA is a common occurrence. Let’s say you are an all-A student but got a C or a lower grade in one subject then it’s completely fine to explain it. However, there is no point in explaining if all your grades are C’s and Ds throughout your academic career. In that case, you should let your other achievements, such as internships, work experience, extra-curriculars, speak for themself.
You don’t have a good enough reason. Some people claim that they don’t perform well in examinations, and therefore, their GPA is not a clear indicator of their abilities and motivations. Also, some people say that the methodology of grading adopted in their universities prevented them from scoring well. Such reasons are least likely to work since the undergraduate GPA is not calculated based on one particular exam. You won’t be making any point, instead, you would be wasting a few lines to distract the admission committee members from the subject matter. Even if most of your grades are good but one or two are not, only address them if you have a good reason. For example, mixing up with a bad crowd, or partying excessively and missing out on studies is not a good example. The reason you got the low GPA must be unique and extenuating.

Addressing a low GPA or a bad grade in your personal statement or college essay is not something that is frowned upon. However, an important precursor is that you must have a legitimate reason for why you got that bad grade. Even the most hardworking and smartest students have their off days, and a one-off bad grade or a bad GPA in a semester isn’t the end of the world. If you have a sincere justification for your shortcoming, addressing it is completely fine.

For example, the following scenarios can offer justification for a bad grade:

You got extremely sick and had to take a break from studies
A close family member underwent a medical emergency and you had to be there for them
The passing away of a close friend or family member
Financial hardship such as having to work a job while studying to support yourself

These are just a few examples to drive home the point and surely everyone’s circumstances will differ. A good rule of thumb is that whatever reason you cite, it should be specific and believable. Making up extraordinary and/or vague stories to cover up your bad grade is not a good idea. Keep it sincere and present it without embellishments.

Some universities allow applicants to add an addendum to explain more about themselves. This can be an ideal platform for you to tell your reasons. But again, keep the reasoning brief and to the point. Do check with the university if it allows you that luxury or not.

While mentioning all these reasons, you have to be careful that you are polite, brief, rational, and well reasoned. Otherwise, rather than doing good, referring to your low GPA can backfire and work against you.

In the end, once again, I recommend reading this sample personal statement that explains low GPA. You can learn from this sample and incorporate something similar in your application essay.

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How to get into an MBA program with low GPA

Featured Expert: Aali Malik, MBA

How to Get into MBA Program with Low GPA

Are you wondering about how to get into an MBA program with low GPA? Then, you have come to the right place. In this post, we will be looking at how to get into grad school with a low GPA using methods available to you that include submitting a supplemental essay and looking through the admission requirements of different business schools.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free initial consultation here <<

Article Contents 9 min read

Does a low gpa mean an end to your mba dreams.

Let us start by saying that a low GPA doesn’t necessarily mean that your dreams of an MBA education are dead. Although admittedly, it will be more difficult to get that seat in an MBA course, it doesn’t mean that there is absolutely no hope for you.

What is considered a low GPA?

There is no one particular answer to this question, but generally, a score lower than 3.4 GPA may be considered a low GPA. If you wish to target the top MBA programs, you may want to have a safe ground at 3.4 and above.

The average GPA score to join an MBA course for the top 50 universities lies between 3.4 and 3.7.

There are several options available to you if you want to get into an MBA program with a low GPA score.

First, you can opt for business schools that accept candidates with lower-than-average GPA scores. These types of schools accept students with GPA scores that are as low as 2.25 (and average out at 2.75). They accept candidates like you without compromising on the quality of education.

Examples of such universities include Texas A&M University and Niagra University.

You can do some research and find some MBA programs which occasionally accept applicants with low GPA scores. And then, call MBA admissions, if necessary, to make sure you would not waste the application fee.

Remember, though – these colleges are still elite institutions that are just as challenging to get into and often have acceptance rates of less than 20%. While they have lesser academic and extracurricular expectations from their new candidates, the number of students that apply to join them is fewer and that means each eligible candidate has a better chance of getting accepted.

Alternatively, you can also opt for business schools that offer highly-recognized MBAs via their online courses. Good examples here are the University of Southern California (Marshall) and George Washington University.

If you are still in your last semester in college and need to make that one last effort to improve your GPA score, then this is the time to pull all the stops. Here are a few tips to help with that last-minute effort:

Attend classes

This is a simple solution. Now is the time to start attending all your classes. Make sure you pay attention in class and actively participate in getting the most out of each lecture. This will help with scoring highly on final exams and midterm tests.

Take courses that can increase your GPA

If you think you are still lagging in a subject, or think that you may need help with it, try making up for it by taking extra classes. Opting for tuition is also a worthy investment in your future. If you want to demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have acquired more in-depth knowledge than your GPA score shows, taking one or more courses might do the trick. Earning an A in a standalone calculus class would show that you’ve mastered that key material.

As an aspiring MBA candidate, you need to make sure you have strong mathematical and analytical skills. Therefore, if you’re not already, you should take the following courses and earn at least a B+ or higher in each one of them: Calculus, Microeconomics, Statistics, Accounting, and Finance or Corporate Finance.

If these are not your forte, you may want to take courses that you excel in. Many MBA programs do not really care about what courses you took and what you majored in if you got a high GPA. Try to take classes in dsiciplines that you enjoy and do well in.

Working on your MBA statement of purpose? Check this out:

Now is the time to catch up on all outstanding assignments. Perhaps, the thought of scoring a low GPA will motivate you enough to go above and beyond with your assignments. Every single assignment will help with increasing your GPA score – so don’t hold back.

Seek help from people who can help

You can seek help and advice from the people in your academic life. Examples here would be your advisor, professors for the courses that you’re doing poorly in, your college’s learning center or even the best MBA essay consultant you can get your hands on. These people can help you with your grades, your essays, and your general application.

If you are no longer a student

There are several ways you can compensate for a low GPA score if you are no longer a student. These include:

Improve GMAT or GRE scores

The very first thing you need to do is to make up for the low GPA score by scoring very well on the GMAT or GRE. Try to improve your GMAT scores.

Remember, you are allowed to take the GMAT exam once every 16 calendar days, for no more than five times in a rolling 12-month period, and no more than eight times total in your lifetime.

This standardized exam is often required when applying to an MBA program, and most business schools require candidates to submit their total score before they decide whether to admit them.

To help you determine the score you need to get to compensate for a low GPA, you can look at the average GMAT score at the business school of your choice and use that as a benchmark.

Many applicants underestimate the importance of MBA admission essays when applying to business schools. Application components like MBA Motivation Letter or MBA videos essays are an excellent opportunity to provide more context for your lower GPA. They are the most important part of the application where you can explain not only the low GPA – but also everything you have done since to improve your chances of getting into an MBA course.

You can use an MBA diversity essay to describe your background – including how difficult it was to pursue your college degree and all the effort you put into achieving it. It can also be used to show the admissions committee that you are a hard worker, despite a low GPA score. Perhaps, you had to overcome great odds to get where you are today. Let them know all about it.

The supplemental essay is a good way to explain extenuating circumstances. You can use optional essays to let the admissions committee know if your grades suffered because of unforeseen circumstances that you had no control over.

Here is a sample essay:

Dear Members of the Admissions Committee at [INSERT BUSINESS SCHOOL NAME],

As you go through my transcript, you, the review committee, may notice a significant drop in my GPA score from the start of my third year in college. I have no one to blame but myself, but please know that I have a good reason and I hope to convince you it is so.

After maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.77 for my first two years, I had to make a voluntary withdrawal in my third year following my poor performance in Algebra, Investment Analysis, International Trade, and Economics.

The reason for my poor grades and my subsequent withdrawal was the illness, and then passing away, of my father.

Right at the start of my third year at ACME College, my father fell ill and was forced to require full-time home care. As the only child in the family, I had to spend more and more time looking after my father.

It also meant that I needed to work extra hours – to care for him as well as pay my way through college. This became too stressful as I couldn’t cope with working 10-hour shifts, taking care of my father, going to classes, and studying.

As my father’s health deteriorated further, I also found it mentally taxing to cope with the fact that I may lose him at any given time. Seeing him suffer every single day didn’t help either.

It was then that my performance in class and my GPA scores started to be affected. By that time it was obvious that my father wouldn’t recover and was left with a few more days to live, I couldn’t even think straight. And hence, my withdrawal.

After my father’s passing, I was determined to get my life back on track and try to achieve as best grades as I could because I knew it would make my father proud.

I went back to school and retook all necessary classes and tuition to sort my weak grades out. By graduation, I was able to push up my GPA to the levels you see today.

I am proud to say that I think my father would be proud of my overcoming that hardship and being able to pull up my socks and continue to improve myself. If there is one lesson I have learned from all of this is that we should never give up, even when we are down and out for the count. There is always one more chance to take.

I hope that you will be able to consider these facts as you consider my application for an MBA at your esteemed institution.

Try applying to business school with 2-5 years of work experience with increasing responsibility. A powerful MBA resume will help offset a poor GPA score – to some extent. Showcase your background in business and your valuable experience. This can help outweigh your not-so-strong academic background, since work experience is extremely valuable for MBAs.

Try to write a resume that aims to impress the admissions committee. But, remember that an MBA resume is not like a regular job resume. It does not demonstrate functional skills or specific qualifications, but rather showcases the impact you have made in a business with your leadership skills. It should include your achievements and experiences that tell a story about your suitability for business school and why you have chosen to apply to an MBA program.

Make sure your letters of recommendation talk about strengths and abilities

Your MBA recommendation letters should come from people who can testify to your professionalism and suitability for an MBA, above all else.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the recommendation letters leave out showing you are of good character, but it should take second place to demonstrate your capabilities as a leader and a team player in the business field. They should also mention examples of how you’ve overcome obstacles, your ability to multitask, and how you manage your time effectively – everything that is needed to become a well-rounded leader in the business field.

It wouldn’t hurt either if the recommenders themselves were captains of industry who have impressive records.

Do not underestimate the power of volunteering

Try to include any volunteering activities in your resume and MBA personal statement ; it could help you score that single point that makes your application stand out from that of the other applicants.

Especially beneficial would be any volunteering experience that included both charity work involving direct contact with people as well as involving logistics coordination and leadership skills.

Apply in Round 1 or Round 2

In case you didn’t know, most MBA programs have three rounds of admission: Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3.

Any candidate with a low GPA score would be well advised to apply in the first round and the second round at the latest.

The main reason for this is that there are more spots available during the first and second rounds. Most of the schools only hold the third round to make sure that any remaining spots are filled. And needless to say, the competition is fierce for those few remaining seats.

You need to ask the school if there is anything you can add to make sure you meet their expectations and make the MBA application process a successful one.

There could be supplemental information, maybe even an interview or a face-to-face that could increase your chances of getting that seat.

We hope you now know how to get into an MBA program with a low GPA. The main thing is that you follow all the advice we have given you in this post and continue to apply to as many business schools as there are on your wish list.

Never give up your dreams of getting that MBA – just keep improving your application process.

The short answer is, “Yes!”

The long answer is that most business schools expect students with lower GPA scores. They look to diversify their student body. They also have a realistic outlook on the candidates that apply to their admissions committees – not everyone has a high GPA score.

Also, remember that one character they are looking for is resilience or persistence. By applying with a low GPA you are showing that you do put some effort into achieving what you aim for.

Yes, you can reuse your letters of recommendation. But, you always need to make sure that all the information on them is still valid and accurate – including dates, contact information, and the willingness of the people to stand by their testimonies.

The admission process, to any MBA program, is always a highly competitive affair; having some work experience is one of the things you would want to increase your chances of getting a seat – especially when you have a low GPA. While you’re still eligible to apply, it would be wise to do so with some working experience (at least 2 – 3 years).

Well, for the most part, the business school that you are applying to will have instructions on the length of all supplemental or optional essays. If they don’t have any information about it, you should go ahead and ask. The recommended length for the essay though ranges from 350 to 900 words.

The best people to ask for a letter of recommendation are your immediate supervisors. This is especially true if you have (or had) a good working relationship with them. They should also be able to testify to your good work ethic and leadership skills. They should also be people who would be willing to testify via phone calls – because the business school could call them up.

Most business schools will ask for two or three letters of recommendation. However, it is always best to check with the specific school to find out their requirements.

Yes, most business schools accept candidates with MBAs from other schools. The operative word here is “most.” So, do some research and find out if your particular business school of choice allows it too.

Again, most universities do not have a preference for one test over the other. If you submit multiple test scores from GMAT or GRE to a school, they will most likely only consider the highest score from all test sittings. However, always check with the schools you are applying to whether they have a preference.

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4 Cases Where MBA Applicants Should Write an Optional Essay

Our advice? First, complete your entire application package, except for the optional essay. Don’t worry about that piece of the puzzle just yet. Then, review your application to see if there is something extra you would like to communicate that you cannot address elsewhere in the application.

The following advice should be considered within the context of your overall strategy and target business school(s), but these areas are prime material for the optional essay.

Use the Optional Essay to Address Academic Weaknesses

A grade of C or below on your undergraduate transcript will give the admissions committee pause. They will want to know why, and determine whether it’s an outlier in your overall academic record. Strike an upbeat tone here and avoid excuses. Make sure you emphasize your improved performance either later in your college career or in subsequent work or classes since college.

Explain your issue clearly and focus the balance of your essay on looking forward. Explain what have you done in the recent past to prove your skills and intelligence. If you have a new GMAT score or took classes in calculus or statistics, you have a solid case for improved academics.

Use the Optional Essay to Address Employment Gaps or Major Career Changes

You don’t have to explain a short gap between school and a secured job, but something like several months between two jobs should be addressed.

Did you use that time off to do volunteer work in Guatemala, or care for an ailing parent? Maybe you used the time away to focus on an entrepreneurial dream unencumbered by the 9-to-5 grind. Ideally you can point to additional education, training, volunteering or traveling that you engaged in while unemployed.

If you recently switched careers and feel concerned that the admissions committee may not see how you arrived at the conclusion that an MBA would help further your professional aspirations, use the optional essay space to make an airtight case for why you want to go into this new field and show that the decision was reasoned and well-thought-out.

Use the Optional Essay to Address Choice of Recommender

Not every applicant feels comfortable asking their current employer for a recommendation letter. Perhaps they aren’t ready to let their boss know of their MBA plans, or maybe there is a personality conflict that might not lead to the most glowing recommendation. Sometimes, the issue is that the applicant hasn’t worked with the supervisor long enough for him or her to comment meaningfully on the candidate’s performance.

Whatever the reason, you should briefly address your decision not to seek a recommendation from your current supervisor in the optional essay space. The admissions committee understands the various circumstances which may prevent it, but you need to explain why anyway to eliminate any doubts or wrong assumptions about the quality of your working relationship with your employer.

Use the Optional Essay to Convey Information That Adds to Your Candidacy

This is where you can introduce information about yourself that you simply couldn’t find a way to incorporate elsewhere. If you are a re-applicant, the optional essay is the ideal place to explain what you have done since your last application to strengthen your case for admission – such as receiving a promotion – which would signal career development and leadership. Even if you don’t have a clear-cut development to describe, you can use this space to explain how you have improved your thinking, career goals or fit.

Finally, if you don’t have a weakness to address and the school has an open-ended optional essay question, this is opportunity to provide information you couldn’t work into the other required essays.

For example, if you have an unusual background, hobby or extracurricular experience, this may be a chance to showcase your unique profile. Check out these “optional essay” videos submitted by past MBA applicants to Babson College and MIT Sloan School of Management for inspiration.

The optional essay truly is optional. So take advantage of it if necessary, but exercise good judgement and restraint.

With deadlines around the corner, you may be interested in the world-famous SBC Flight Test . Once a full set of application materials for your initial school have been drafted, but not finalized, the application will be sent to a former admissions committee member for a one-time review, adcomm style. You’ll have the benefit of a true admissions committee review while still having the ability to tinker and change. You will receive written feedback within two business days after submitting.

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Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

March 29, 2018

Applying to Top MBA Programs with a Low GPA

You want to apply to a top MBA program , but that low GPA… what can you do to overcome this blemish and apply successfully to your dream school? Watch the video below for concrete, realistic advice on applying to b-school with a less-than-an-ideal GPA.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

You want a top-notch MBA program, but have a basement level undergrad GPA . Tune in. I’ll tell you exactly what you need to do to deal with your messy undergrad record.

Every applicant to a top MBA program faces tough competition, but those of you with a low GPA face a formidable additional hurdle. Your undergrad record combined with your competition’s more impressive transcript could easily cause your rejection.

Now perhaps you’re embarrassed about your college performance and some of the choices you made then. Or you could be worried that events from long ago or behavior when you were 18 will damage your chances of acceptance and even your future career.

Perhaps circumstances beyond your control hurt your grades; perhaps it was immaturity. Whatever it was, it was years ago. You know you’re better than that GPA.

Let me help you convince the schools of that. For over 20 years, as founder and president of Accepted, I’ve helped applicants with all kinds of blemishes, and many with a low GPA, get accepted to top MBA programs. In addition to helping thousands of applicants, our expertise in MBA admissions has been sought by publications like U.S. News , The Wall Street Journal , Poets and Quants , and many others.

If you have a low GPA here’s what you need to do:

1. Assess your GPA

How low is it? Is it really low for your target school? A lot or a little?

2. Analyze the causes of your GPA

Was it immaturity? Sudden illness from which you’ve recovered? Family problems?

3. Add context to your GPA

Without whining, and usually in the additional information section, let the schools know what contributed to the number that is concerning you. Take responsibility for mistakes and show that whatever contributed to that poor performance either is not a factor in your life anymore or is something that you’ve learned how to deal with so that it will not affect your performance anymore.

4. Provide evidence that shows your true ability

Examples include a high test score, recent A’s in business-related classes, certification like the CFA, high achievement at work.

5. Provide positive reasons for the schools to accept you

Convincing them to overlook that irksome number is not enough. You have to also present the qualities, achievements, and fit that b-schools seek in all candidates.

The steps outlined here helped John (not his real name), overcome his undergraduate record. John had been rejected at the top programs he applied to the year before he worked with Accepted, but now has started his MBA education after being accepted to a U.S. News top 5 program . His undergrad GPA was approximately 1.0 point below the school’s average, and he had a GMAT more than 30 points below the school’s average GMAT.

You now have 5 concrete action items, the same ones John used, to help you overcome your GPA, but there are other steps you need to take and mistakes you need to avoid. And the confines of a short video mean that I didn’t go into quite as much depth as you could use.

No worries. Here’s what you should do:

1. Go to https://reports.accepted.com/mba/low_stats .

2. Download Applying to B-School with Low Stats: What You Need To Know .

3. Read this resource that goes into more depth than I can accomplish here, and that can be easily referred to as you overcome your GPA challenges.

Follow this guidance so that you can get accepted, attend an outstanding MBA program, and pursue your dream career.

Looking for more guidance on getting accepted with low stats? We’ll match you with an expert MBA consultant who will walk you through every stop of the b-school admissions process, from initial school selection to final interview prep. Check out Accepted’s MBA Consulting Services here for more information on how we can help you overcome that low GPA and get ACCEPTED!

Related Resources:

• Applying to Business School With Low Stats: What You Need to Know , a free guide • 5 A’s for Your Low GPA, a podcast episode • 3 Steps for Applying to Business School with a Low Undergraduate GPA

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Optional Essay Dos and Don’ts

August 11, 2023

Donna Bauman

When completing your MBA applications, it’s tempting to answer every possible question. The optional essay, however, has the word “optional” right in its name. MBA programs value self-awareness in their applicants; you can demonstrate this by recognizing what material is appropriate to include—if any—in the optional essay.

Quite simply, the optional essay—and it really could be called a series of optional statements—exists only to address questions that an admissions committee member might have after they review the required application materials. These questions usually center on your choice of recommenders, your academic readiness, or your career potential. MBA programs provide some guidance in their applications about the most common reasons to complete the optional essay. For example, Dartmouth Tuck offers this guidance on its website:

The following essay prompt is optional: Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere (e.g., atypical choice of references, factors affecting academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application. (300 words)

This is not the place to add another main essay. If you had a particularly difficult semester academically, it could be helpful to share some context for what was happening in your life during this time. If you have a six-month gap in your resume, provide some details to help the admissions team understand your situation.

Admissions officers have always worked exceptionally long hours and have more than enough to read with regular essays and their always-overflowing email inboxes. They don’t want to read any more than is necessary to evaluate your application. If you still think the optional essay applies to you, here are a few tips:

1. Address concerns directly.

Have a trusted advisor review your resume and application to see what questions they have, and then address their concerns head on. If you are working at two jobs at the same time, be clear about which job is your primary focus. Address any significant gaps in your work history or anything that could be confusing or unclear to the admissions committee. If you were laid off from your job and it took you six months to find a new one, explain this and briefly mention how you have grown from the experience. If you were relocating as a trailing spouse or had visa issues that played a role in employment gaps, explain that. Stick with facts and not opinions when addressing sensitive topics.

2. Explain your recommender choice if you are not using your direct supervisor.

If you are not using your direct supervisor as a recommender , explain your reasoning. Perhaps you have only worked for your current supervisor for a few months. Alternatively, if you fear a promotion or raise is at risk by sharing your MBA plans with your direct supervisor, explain this in your optional essay. Admissions committees understand such concerns. Simply explain your rationale for your recommendation choices and why the recommenders you chose are qualified to write your recommendations.

3. Offer context for a low GPA .

There is a difference between providing context and making excuses. For example, own that you were not mature enough to focus on academics early in college, and then offer an example of how you are now ready for rigorous academic work. Consider taking a quant class for academic credit to demonstrate that you can master the topic with an A or B grade. If you do not score well on standardized testing, provide other evidence of your quantitative readiness for an MBA program.

4. Show that you have grown.

Self-awareness and the ability to learn from your mistakes are highly valued by admissions committee members. If you have any past disciplinary actions (e.g., academic suspension or arrest), state how you learned from your past mistake and make it clear that it will not happen again.

1. Offer any excuses or blame.

This is not the place to throw shade at anyone—past bosses, professors, or companies. Simply provide some context to help the admissions team understand the situation.

2. Write a novel.

In fact, you don’t even have to write an essay. If you can clarify and provide the necessary context in just a few sentences, do that.

3. Ramble on to other areas.

Do not try to sneak in a few more points that you ran out of space to discuss in the required essays. If you do this, you risk harming your overall application.

4. Address problems that don’t exist.

No one has a perfect application! Although you might feel bad about the C you got in your “Microeconomics” course, if your overall GPA is strong, there is no need to call attention to one or two C grades on your transcript.

By providing brief explanations for any parts of your application that are confusing, you enable the admissions reviewer to avoid spending precious time deciphering the details of your past and instead conduct a thorough and holistic review of your application.

If you have any questions about your situation, reach out to a member of our admissions counseling team for a free consultation .

Dartmouth Tuck School of Business GPA Optional Essay Recommendations

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[Admissions Essay] Help Explaining Low GPA in 150 Words?

I have 150-200 words to explain my the darkest period in my life, resulting in a low GPA. I'd like to accomplish 3 things in my explanation:

Demonstrate reflective awareness and growth

Explain circumstances without sounding too victimized

Encourage readers to understand this is an outlier vs. the norm for my achievement levels, to the point of baffling people who currently know me

Took a rough stab at it - totally unrefined - but I'm curious if I'm on the right track or if I'm over-explaining/missing any elements?

Much appreciate any advice!!

My lackluster undergraduate GPA gives question to my emotional IQ in a sea of applicants that have outpaced me in this regard. I graduated high school with an International Baccalaureate Diploma, high marks on AP tests, and a 4.77 degree - a budding academic in every regard. When I left for college, my dad attempted suicide and I earned my first quarter of straight Fs. I also started a non-profit with a med student who ended up laundering money and committing lewd acts with females. I reported him which ended up in his dismissal from medical school. After attempts on my life - bullets through glass, attempted murders, I ended up in the protective custody of campus police, escorted off campus to even get groceries. At the time, I tried my best to pretend life was normal, but his attempts had effects on my developing frontal cortex and underdeveloped advocacy skills had a huge impact on me.

I’ve spent so much of my adult life trying to bury this blip in shame, but as I’ve pivoted industries and managed to quickly climb corporate ladders, I’ve realized I’m living proof GPA isn’t bulletproof. My application comes on the heels of a VP mentor failing to understand why I hadn’t yet begun my MBA, as without knowing my academic background it’s hard for her to reconcile a [redacted] without scholastic achievement.

I’m well aware how badly my GPA sticks out when comparing to my peer applicants. When I graduated from high school, I was a high achieving academic. In college, I earned my first quarter of straight Fs after my dad attempted suicide. My focus was further diverted from school when I started a non-profit with a med student who ended up laundering money and committing lewd acts with females. I reported him which ended up in his dismissal from medical school. After attempts on my life I ended up in the protective custody of campus police, escorted anywhere I went. I lived in constant fear, and while I tried my best to pretend life was normal, his attempts had obvious effects on me and my self-advocacy skills were still developing.

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IMAGES

How to explain your low GPA in the MBA optional essay
Graduate Admission Essay For Low Gpa
How to explain low GPA in MBA application in 2023
How to tackle optional essays in your MBA Application?
Applying to Top MBA Programs with a Low GPA
Explaining A Low GPA in Your Statement of Purpose

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COMMENTS

How to explain your low GPA in the MBA optional essay
If you have a low undergrad GPA, that's a fact. So, say it like it is, add the reason behind it and discuss what you've done to compensate for it. 5. Don't fill up space for the word limit. If you can explain a low GPA in 150 words, do it. As an extreme example, Rice Jones' optional essay has a limit of 750 words.
20 Great MBA Application Essay Samples (With Links)
Learn how to write a compelling MBA essay with low GPA from expert-vetted samples. See how to highlight your strengths, goals, and achievements despite your academic challenges.
How to explain a low GPA in MBA application
Learn how to address a low GPA in your MBA essays and interviews with tips and examples. Find out how to balance your low GPA with other achievements and skills to get accepted to your dream MBA program.
50 MBA Essays That Got Applicants Admitted To Harvard & Stanford
This collection of 50 successful HBS and GSB essays, with smart commentary, can be downloaded for $60. They are two of the most selective schools, routinely rejecting nine or more out of every ten applicants. Last year alone, 16,628 candidates applied to both schools; just 1,520 gained an acceptance, a mere 9.1% admit rate.
MBA application & the optional essay
Optional MBA application essay examples. To address the low GPA example, you could simply say, "My final term marks were lower than average as I was coping with an illness in the family. The experience taught me about dealing with unavoidable situations and my instinctive reactions to overwhelming factors.
How to justify a low GPA in your MBA application?
Action plan to strengthen your application despite low GPA. The first step is to know that having a low GPA is not a big deal! It is big enough to tackle it well in your MBA applications by explaining and compensating (and there are sure shot ways for it) but not big enough to be anxious about it. Here are some tips (and reminders) for you-.
How to tackle optional essays in your MBA Application
The purpose of MBA optional essays is to offer you (the applicant) the benefit of the doubt rather than leaving questions totally up to the interpretation of an admissions officer. The MBA optional essay allows you to clarify any flaws in your application. Be it your low GPA in undergraduate, low GMAT, second MBA, education, job experience gaps ...
The Optional MBA Essay
Rather, they will immediately check if you used the optional essay to address the issue and make them less worried that your academic performance may be at stake again, in their MBA classroom. There are three critical functions the optional essay serves - it should be used to explain, mitigate or enrich certain aspects of your candidacy.
Applying for an MBA with a Low GPA: What To Do + Where to Apply
If you gave a specific reason for your low GPA in your essays, be sure your recommender gives examples of how you've overcome that impediment, whether it's your ability to multitask, manage your time, etc. 6. Apply in Round 1 (or Round 2) Your best chance for acceptance is to apply during Round I.
How to Overcome a Low GPA in Your MBA Applications
Overcoming a Low GPA. In addition to explaining why your GPA from undergrad was low, you also want to use the optional essay to share what you've done to demonstrate your academic ability. The best "proof" is having earned a stellar grade in a post-grad class to show the admissions committee that you can handle the academics like a champ.
How to justify a low GPA in your MBA application?
The coffee roadmap. Compensate for your low GPA- The GMAT is the best way to compensate for a Low GPA. You can also take some courses like CORe, edX, MBAMath, or any certifications earned such as CPA, ACCA, and CFA would highlight one's academic rigor. Bring out a unique & authentic personality- An application is much beyond GPA, even GMAT.
The MBA Essay is Usually Not Optional: Why You Should Write It
Here, an applicant could address potential weaknesses, such as a low GPA, low GMAT score, employment or education gap, or an unlikely choice of recommender. An applicant should write this type of optional essay if circumstances or challenges in a candidate's life affected the strength of their application.
Your Complete Guide to Optional and Reapplicant MBA Essays
A nearly identical question is used for the optional essay prompt for most other top MBA programs, often with a limit of just 250 or 300 words. The change in wording - and word limits - makes it clear that business schools do not want extra essays. They only want to hear about extenuating circumstances. Considering the fact that anything ...
MBA with Low GPA? How to Improve Your Candidacy
Learn how to offset a low GPA in your MBA application by focusing on other aspects of your profile, such as GMAT score, resume, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and essays. This article offers tips and advice from a senior admissions consultant with Menlo Coaching.
Getting Into Business School With a Low GPA: 5 Top Tips
All M7 schools have an average GPA of 3.50 or higher for their admitted applicants. The rest of the top 25 business schools range between 3.30 and 3.60 GPAs for admitted applicants. Business schools ranked 26 - 50 have an admitted applicant GPA range of 3.16 - 3.52.
How to explain low GPA in Personal Statement? (with Examples)
The Statement of Purpose (SOP), also known as the personal statement allows you to give a deep insight into your ambitions and motivations to pursue a particular course at a university. Bonus Article. Sample Personal Statement that explains a low GPA. Credentials like Grade Point Average (GPA) and Standardized tests like the GRE and GMAT only tell about your aptitude or academic excellence.
How to get into an MBA program with low GPA
Apply in Round 1 or Round 2. In case you didn't know, most MBA programs have three rounds of admission: Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3. Any candidate with a low GPA score would be well advised to apply in the first round and the second round at the latest. The main reason for this is that there are more spots available during the first and ...
4 Cases Where MBA Applicants Should Write an Optional Essay
For example, if you have an unusual background, hobby or extracurricular experience, this may be a chance to showcase your unique profile. Check out these "optional essay" videos submitted by past MBA applicants to Babson College and MIT Sloan School of Management for inspiration. The optional essay truly is optional.
Applying to Top MBA Programs with a Low GPA
John had been rejected at the top programs he applied to the year before he worked with Accepted, but now has started his MBA education after being accepted to a U.S. News top 5 program. His undergrad GPA was approximately 1.0 point below the school's average, and he had a GMAT more than 30 points below the school's average GMAT.
Optional Essay Dos and Don'ts
MBA programs value self-awareness in their applicants; you can demonstrate this by recognizing what material is appropriate to include—if any—in the optional essay. Quite simply, the optional essay—and it really could be called a series of optional statements—exists only to address questions that an admissions committee member might ...
MBA Essay Examples for top ranked Business Schools
Samples of MBA essays submitted by real candidates who were accepted to Wharton, Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD and other top ranked business schools.
Consistently Low GPA, Optional Essay? : r/MBA
For my undergrad (fine arts major), I had a consistently low GPA all four years (cumulative 2.83). There wasn't one major thing that happened to me that caused it. I just didn't care. After I graduated, I grew up (a little late, I know), and realized how much knowledge I was lacking and started taking different continuing education courses at ...
[Admissions Essay] Help Explaining Low GPA in 150 Words? : r/MBA
almosttan. [Admissions Essay] Help Explaining Low GPA in 150 Words? Advice. Hello, I have 150-200 words to explain my the darkest period in my life, resulting in a low GPA. I'd like to accomplish 3 things in my explanation: Demonstrate reflective awareness and growth. Explain circumstances without sounding too victimized.

How to explain your low GPA in the MBA optional essay

How to explain a low GPA

Example: Yale SOM

When should you write an MBA optional essay?

Educational or Professional Gap

Masters or Management degree in your home country

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20 Great MBA Applications Essays Samples

Sample 1: Leadership-focused MBA application essay

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Sample 4: Continuous growth and learning-focused MBA application essay

Sample 6: A guitarist’s application essay for the MBA program

Sample 11: Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA essay

Sample 12: University of California Business School MBA essay

Sample 13: University of OXFORD business school MBA essay

Sample 15: A goal-oriented MBA application essay

Sample 16: Executive MBA essay

Sample 18: Short-answer-based MBA application essay

Sample 19: MIT Sloan School of Management

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Your Complete Guide to Optional and Reapplicant MBA Essays

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