Carnegie Mellon / Tepper - 07-28-2025

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July 28, 2025 3:04am ET

Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Columbia, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, NYU Stern, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, UVA / Darden, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2026

Pre-MBA Career: Supply Chain Management

Post-MBA Target Industry: Technology

GMAT: 705

GPA: 2.4

Years of Work Experience: 6

Notes:

International applicant.
Undergrad in USA top Tech Industrial Engineering.
Low GPA due to poor time management and lack of utilizing available resource. Shows upward trend towards later semester.
GMAT FE 705, Quant 100%, Verbal 98%.
Fully sponsored from current company(fortune top 50), and will return after.
Have Few Projects to show Problem solving and critical thinking in Work Experience, with 1 award from the C-level.
Have experience launching my brand during covid (closed in 1 year)

Trying to study in NY/Boston/Chicago schools - What real chance do I have here, considering sponsorship. (I have to return = have job secured. I have sponsorship = no need for financial aid)
Should I prioritize Round 1 due to low GPA?
or should I work towards more strong Quant skill or classes with additional MBA Math or Berkeley extension and aim for Round 2?

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Show Comments (6) Last: July 30, 2025

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1839 Where are you from? This may dictate the importance of round 1 vs round 2? The GMAT is super, and should really help, but taking the additional coursework may be smart, to show your dedication to the process. Even if you need to apply in round 1, noting that you’re taking the coursework helps.

Showing impact and growth at work will be very important, supported by strong recommendations. Are you also involved in activities outside of work? Any additional hobbies and interests?

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sillywalk Likes Earned: 1 Hello alex, thank you for the response. To provide additional info, I am from Korea. After long research and digging down the rabit hole, I will be taking additional courses on Berkeley. My interest was 3D Design/Printing, pickleball and chess but afraid that hobby/sports that I enjoy for entertainment might be viewed lightly. And does school see sponsor as corporate's seal of approval? or just slight bump over other competitors? (0)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1839 Sponsorship will help, especially in these more uncertain/transformative times. Additional coursework will help, good decision. Are you targeting Rounds 1 or 2? (0)

sillywalk Likes Earned: 1 Hello Alex, Due to big red flag, I would love to go all-in on R1, but with limited time to work on all of the requirements, have decided to divide and conquer, so 4 in R1 and rest in R2. I am currently working on essays and resume. I might focus towards the opportunity for schools to provide diversity in the class with SCM work experiences through me, and hope solid strength could help mitigate the damage that can't be undone. Am I too naive to only looking at T15? the area that I prefer only falls in T15. (edited) (0)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1839 T15 will be challenging, but you are making the right moves. Might add Tepper (in Round 1). (0)

sillywalk Likes Earned: 1 Alex, Thank you for the reality check. Even with low or almost no possibility, I should shoot for high. I will try my best and comeback with an update on this rocky journey. Let me know if you have other tips on compensating the red flags. (1)