Calculus

[mbaguy513]

Hi,

I am very concerned about my undergraduate performance in calculus. I took calculus for business during my freshman year of college and got a C. This was an important class to gain admittance to my undergraduate business program, so I re-took calculus again the first semester of my sophomore year and got a C again. There are two reasons for this, I hated calculus and I wasn't terrible focused on academics early in my college career.

However, I did get an A- in the other required pre-business math class "probability for business". I was admitted to the undergrad business program and went on to get A's and B's in all but one of business classes (Got a C+ in OB). I majored in accounting and also have decent grades in quant heavy classes like an A- in Fincial Accounting, a B+ in Business Finance, a B in business statistics and an A in Advanced Macroeconomics. Unfortunately my overall GPA is only around a 3.10 due to my lack of focus and effort during my early years of college, but I feel that I wass able to show proficiency in quant heavy business classes.

After college I went to work for a Big 4 accounting firm doing corporate fraud investigations. I earned my CPA license and I scored a 710 (92%) on the GMAT Q 48 (84%) V 41 (92%). I know my 3.10 GPA will be a concern for schools, but I am more worried about my poor calculus grades from my freshman and sophomore years. I know it looks terrible to repeat an important class and get a C both times. Are my decent grades in quant business classes later in college, CPA license, work experience, and GMAT score with 84th percentile in Quant enough to at least make adcoms not worry about my ability to handle a business curriculum. Ideally, I would like to retake calculus at community college to improve this black eye, but I haven't had the time. I am applying R2 this year to top schools like Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, and Columbia. I understand that my low GPA makes me less competitive, but are my 2 calc grades going to single handedly keep me from admission to some of these schools? Is it worthwhile to delay my applications until next year to take a calc class and get an A? I will be 26 at matriculation if I can get in this year. I feel that I have a pretty strong profile (unique work experience in fraud industry, leadership at work, community service, and athletics) besides my grades and calc classes (I received a profile evaluation on this site about a month or two ago).

Any insight on the damage of these calc grades or if I have done enough to erase the concerns my 2 calc grades have cuased or if I should stop my apps take a calc class and apply next year.

Thanks in advance

Happy Holidays

[MBAApply]

The fact that you wrote an essay about your calc grades in your freshman and sophomore year is more a cause for concern than the grades themselves!

You're worrying way too much. If you're ready to apply this year, go for it. Don't delay your future plans because of one class in college.

Remember that adcoms aren't looking for perfection. They're looking for raw potential. That's why it's hardly unheard of to see someone with all the right stats (GPA, GMAT, isn't too young or old, decent work experience, no concerns at all) get dinged, and another person with a more checkered past get in. Judging someone's raw potential *and* their fit with the school is subjective - and at top schools it can seem like a total crapshoot.

Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com