<p>I'm an undergraduate at USC as a Business Administration major concentrating in corporate finance. My story's a little weird because I transferred from San Diego State with a 3.75 GPA over two years to USC. At SC I managed a 3.177 Major GPA (I think this might go up due to lower requirement courses I took at SDSU) and an overall GPA of 3.2. </p>
<p>I will also be working as a Financial analyst in a development program at a medical technologies company. I plan on working there for about 4-5 years and then applying. By the time I apply, I hope I have a few years of experience as a Financial manager. Of course, I can't predict the future on that one.</p>
<p>I know it would be difficult measuring my chances at the top 20 b-schools without telling you my GMAT score, but I guess my question is what would I have to aim for in order to be in the range of schools like UCLA, UVA, UMich, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, etc.</p>
<p>I know every case is unique but I want to see what my chances are with schools that are considered to be in the second half of the top 20 b-schools before I even consider the top half. </p>
<p>I don’t think that the sky is falling quite like the previous posted indicated.</p>
<p>Yes, a 3.2 GPA isn’t going to set the world on fire. And no, you won’t have the stamp of a Bain or Goldman on your resume. Still, there are things you can do:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Get a score of at least 720 on the GMAT. 700 gets you in the game, but 710 or 720 are closer to the average scores at many top programs these days.</p></li>
<li><p>Maximize your opportunities at the job you take. I don’t think it sounds mediocre; on the contrary, training programs are great because you’ll likely get increased exposure, more leadership opportunities and the chance to work overseas/in varied roles. Take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible - while the firm doesn’t have to be a uber-prestigious name, it’s important that you demonstrate substantial impact and leadership there.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Cubs - Would it help to say that my GPA during my first two years at my first university was at a 3.6-3.7 while my USC GPA was 3.2? Or do b-schools only look at your GPA from the university where you receive a degree?</p>
<p>They’ll most likley look at a synthesis of the two, so however many credits you took at USC and SD would factor in. </p>
<p>I think the most important thing is that where ever you work, make sure you go above and beyond and take initiative, and do things outside of the normal realm of the job position.</p>